Youth Exchange program.

Youth exchange through mail (pen pals).

Our exchange program, a part of the exchange program between the Northwest of Wisconsin Synod and the Sínodo Centro Campanha Sul – IECLB, have been going slow in the last year. Like the exchange between other parishes it has been difficult to find ways to make it work as wished. This matter has been discussed during the meeting at the ELCA headquarters in November of 2001 and it was pointed out that is needed to find ways to make it work. Between synods it has worked nicely but between parishes it has gone slow if has not stopped at all.

In order to retake this exchange we thought something quite different. Some young are dropping some lines in order to have pen pals in that parish. They are not a youth group but a group of young people that, inside the parish, has discovered a space to do a kind of ballet. It is a traditional gaucho dance group, with all the costumes. They are formed by twelve couples and three teachers. They perform their dance in church meetings and other events. Some of them have written a few lines to introduce themselves and tell the youth of Bethesda Lutheran about what they are doing. I will translate those letters in this e-mail and send them trough mail.

Letter of the president  of the group, introducing them.
Hi.

Everything OK there? Here everything is all right. Who wrote this letter is the “Traditional Gaucho Dance Group Estância da Amizade”.

Our group is formed by twenty-four people. They are: André, Alan, Alexandre, Alessandro, Ana, Douglas, Douglas D., Deisieli, Diéli, Daiane, Carlos, Camila, Fernando, Felipe, Fabiana, Éder, William, Paulo, Luana, Oiara, Vivian, Saiane, Simone e Glamine.

Well, we do our rehearsals at the fellowship hall of the Evangelical Congregation of Lutheran Confession in Brazil “Santíssima Trindade” of Sobradinho. We depend on three dance teachers, André, Alan and Douglas.

We are a very united group. We are all friends and consider ourselves a big family.

Well, now that you know a bit about us, we would like to meet you some day. We wait for your mail for anyone of us, or for the group.

Hugs to everybody.

André Ecke – President.

P.S.: You may send any letter to my address:

Rua Professor Ivo Rathke, N.º 260
Bairro rio Branco
96900-000 Sobradinho RS
Brazil

Or you can write to the congregation:

Caixa Postal 53
96900-000 Sobradinho RS
Brazil

Some pictures of the group.
 
The whole group

Group having a pop after a presentation to the congregation.

Couple dancing.

Letter of Douglas Acosta Silva Júnior
 
Hi, my name is Douglas Acosta Silva Júnior, better known as DJ or BAD BOY. I am one of the three teachers that will integrate the traditional gaucho dance “Estância da Amizade” (Friendship Estancia – a kind of cattle groing farm).

I am brunette, brown eyes, 1,80m tall and weight 75 kilos. I am 16 years old.

What I like the most, with no doubt, is to practice sports and my favorite leisure is camping.
 
To us of the traditional gaucho dance “Estância da Amizade” this exchange has been made possible only through the Evangelical Lutheran congregation Santíssima Trindade of Sobradinho – RS. I am thankful for this space that the congregation has opened to us as a dance group and as young. I have to congratulate our pastor on that.

Cordially,

Douglas Acosta Silva Júnior.

P.S.: I anxiously will wait for an answer, please. Does not matter if it is done by a boy, girl, old person, pastor or anyone of your congregation.

Letter of  André Ecke

My name is André Ecke. I am 15 years old, brunette, have dark brown eyes. I always wanted to establish communication with someone of USA. I take part of a traditional gaucho dance group and I am one of the teachers of this group.

I don’t know if this letter will be held to a boy or a girl but it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I will have a friend in the USA and that will be cool.

I live in a quiet and calm town. I do not get out often to have fun, I rather stay at home watching TV and thinking on life. When I do get out I like to go to the club to dance, swim, play volleyball, chat with friends and so on.

I hope that someone will answer this letter and make friendship though mail. I hope someday to go to the USA and get to know better my pen pal.

 Sincerely,

André Ecke.

P.S.: My address is:

Rua Professor Ivo Rathke, N.º 260
Bairro Rio Branco
96900-000 Sobradinho RS
Brazil
phone number is: (51) 3742-2920.

Letter of Saiane Lovatto
Hi!

Everything is O.K.? Who is writing this letter is Saiane. I am part of the “Grupo de Danças Gauchescas Estância da Amizade” (this is a traditional gaucho dance group). An there, how things are? Here are more or less. I like Brazil and like my state that is Rio Grande do Sul. I also like my friends. I enjoy chat and get to meet people.
 
I know that someone is coming to Brazil and I hope to meet this person, a part of you.

Well, I like to meet persons and to write letters to them. I love my friends. Some are my colleagues at the dance group like Alan, André, Deise, Douglas, William and many others.

This is a little about me.

A super hug to everybody. I hope you like my letter. I am super anxious to meet someone from you. I hope to make friends there.

A big hug.
 
Saini Lovatto
Sobradinho, RS; Brazil

P.S.: I am 13 years old.

Letter of Simone Soga
Hi, my name is Simone Soga. I am 15 years old and was born on the 2nd of May, 1986. I am a student. I am part of a youth group and of a traditional gaucho dance. I live with my parents and have a older brother that also live with us.  I love to dance, sing and go out with my friends.

I like to meet new people and make new friends. When I have nothing to do I like to write poetry and listen music.

My father is a truck driver and is almost never at home. He is always traveling through out the country. My mother is a needlewoman.

I would like to graduate in journalism or literature and, later, while I am already working, I would like to do Law School. My dream is to be a lawyer.

If you are like me, likes music and would like to make a new friend, write to me. My address is:

Rua Arnoldo Y Castro, N.º 190
Bairro Rio Branco
96900-000 Sobradinho RS
Brazil

Sincerely,

Simone Soga.

Letter of Oiara de Carvalho.
Hi.

Howdy, everything is O.K.? Here is writing is Oiara de Carvalho. I am 15 years old, brown hair, dark eyes, 1,65 meters high. I am part of a traditional gaucho dance group called “Estância da Amizade”.

So, how are things there? Here is nice. I have boys friends and girls friends and I like them very much, since they are happy and fun people. We chat, go out together and so on.

If someone from there would come to Brazil I would like to meet.

I am just like this, I like to talk, get out to walk. I consider myself trustful, I like to date, to make friends, to listen music, to dance.

I have many friends and would like to have a pen pal from you in order to have more friends.

 I hope you like my letter and me. I am anxious to receive letters from you.

A big hug to everybody.

Oiara de carvalho.

Letter of Jaqueline Dassi.
Hi.
 
I am Jaqueline, I am 19, blonde, green eyes and using braces. I weight 49 kilos and I am 1,61 m tall.
I am “pair of scales” astrologically. I consider myself romantic, sincere and extroverted. I love to dance and enjoy big parties. I listen all kind of music and also write some poetry.

I would like to have a pen pal of either sex.

At the present time I am not working. I finished High School when I was 17 and at the end of this year I will try to get into the College. I would like to graduate in philosophy or Law School.

I use to have a friend studying in USA and he talks wonders about the people there. Nowadays he lives in São Paulo but always says that he would like to return to USA.
 
I would like to be a pen pal of someone there. I wait for letters…
 
Bye and kisses.

Jaqueline Dassi.