Challenges make us stronger/F.Duarte

We are all well known that a mother’s life is not so easy. Children, Job, Husband, House, and a lot of other responsibilities to take. However, we normally don’t pay attention to the facts that really happen and make a mother feels proud because of it. That is why I am describing a story and an interview about a mother that I truly have an appreciation.

- How do you see yourself as a woman?

I feel very proud of being woman, because in spite of everything that still happens against us, like injustices and discriminations, I feel we, woman, have gotten stronger and stronger. We have proved that we are capable and have conditions to face every difficulty that we have in our lives, and inevitable obstacles and challenges that we are obligated and used to face, never giving up.


- What is the challenge for you, as a woman?

I think that the woman’s day-by-day is a constant challenge, because we have to work, give attention and take care of our sons and our husband, take care of our home, always worrying about everything that is around us, always on the run. And of course, take care of ourselves, psychologically and aesthetically. I emphasize the aesthetic. We have to keep up our health and our beauty, not to look sloppy, because we are an example for our family and acquaintances.


- What is the biggest challenge that you have ever had in your life?

My biggest challenge ever was to take care of two dear people when they got sick – my son and my husband. I had to keep strong and under control to help them, because otherwise the things could not have had a good result as they fortunately had. My son had a delicate surgery by his eight years old. He had to be in treatment for a while, and I had to be with him, even in the hospital, for a long time. It made me feel good because I saw how strong I could be as mother. My husband had depression, and it was another hard thing for me to handle. Patience and self-control were two necessary things for me. With all my effort, I could keep my great family under control.


- What does the word woman mean to you?

Finally, the meaning of the word woman is, for me, a mix of determination and tenderness, plus a right dose of sensibility. It is exactly what makes us different to men.


Now, she has not worked anymore. She has just taken care of her family, even because her husband is about to retire himself. She has a couple, and her daughter, 26 years old, works with Occupational Theraphy. Her son, 24 , lives abroad. She uses to spend her weekends and vacations time in a farm house, 50 miles away from her home.

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Translation to Portuguese (without pontuation):

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Todos nos sabemos que a vida de uma mae nao e’ facil. Criancas para cuidar, marido, trabalho, casa, a muitas outras responsabilidades. Contudo, nos nao prestamos atencao nos fatos que realmente ocorrem e fazem um mae sentir-se orgulhosa. Este e’ o porque de eu estar escrevendo uma estoria e entrevista sobre uma mulher que eu realmente aprecio.

Como voce se ve como mulher?
Eu me sinto orgulhosa de ser mulher, porque apesar de tudo que acontece contra as mulheres, como injusticas e discrimanacao, eu sinto que nos, mulheres, estamos cada vez mais fortes. Nos temos provado que somos capazes e que temos condicoes de enfrentar todas as dificuldades que temos em nossas vidas, e obstaculos e desafios inevitaveis que somos obrigadas e costumamos encarar, nunca desistindo.

Qual e’ o maior desafio para voce, como mulher?
I acho que o dia-a-dia da mulher e’ um constante desafio, porque nos temos que trabalhar, dar atencao e cuidar dos nossos filhos e do nosso marido, cudar da casa, sempre se preocupando com tudo que esta a nossa volta, sempre em atividade. E claro, cuidar de nos mesmas, psicologicamente e esteticamente. Eu enfatizo a estetica. Nos temos que manter nossa saude e nossa beleza, para nao parecer desleixada, pois somos um exemplo para nossas familliares e colegas.

Qual e’ o maior desafio que voce ja’ teve em toda a sua vida?
O maior desafio que eu ja’ tive foi o de cuidar de duas pessoas muito queridas que ficaram doente – meu filho e meu marido. Eu tive que ser forte e ficar sob controle para ajuda-los, porque caso contrario as coisas nao caminhariam bem como felizmente caminharam. Meu filho teve uma delicada cirurgia quando ela tinha oito anos de idade. Ele esteve em tratamento por um longo tempo, e eu tive que estar junto a ele, mesmo no hospital, por muito tempo. Isso fez com que eu me sentisse bem, pois eupude ver como eu sou forte como mae. Meu marido teve depressao, e isso foi outro fato dificil de lidar. Paciencia e auto-controle foram duas coisas extremamente necessarias para mim. Com todo este esforco, eu consegui manter tudo sobre controle com a minha familia.

O que a palavra Mulher representa para voce?
O sentido da palavra mulher e’, para mim, uma mistura de ternura e determinacao, somada a uma certa dose de sensibilidade. Isso e’ exatamente o que nos faz diferente dos homens.

Hoje nem dia, ela nao trabalha mais. Ela apenas cuida de sua familia, mesmo porque seu marido pretende se aposentar em breve. Ela tem dois filhos, um casal. Sua filha, de 26 anos, trabalha com Terapia Ocupacional. Seu filho, 24, e’ estudante e vive no exterior. Ela costuma viajar para sua casa de interior – a oitenta quilometros da capital – nas ferias e finais de semana.

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ESSAY - Life is Made of Challenges

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“I know that I don’t know anything.” That is what I realized during my growth. I have faced challenges during my whole life that inevitably have made me grow up as man. After twenty-four years of life, I have started to understand the meaning from everything that has happened to me. Among so many challenges, one that is currently and actually happening can be stood out.

Brazil has faced social problems of inequality since the military regime was over. After years of the system’s ineffectiveness, so many people get nothing, and some others have too much. I am greatly thankful because I have ever had the privilege of such a good life, even studying in particular high schools and universities, financed by my parents.

As a result of social crises, the inevitable unemployment has gotten a large number of the population. The consequence was an unfair competition on job market followed by a low average of wages under the expectative plus non-recognition of personal talents.

As decisions in life always turn up suddenly, I decided to come to the United States of America to learn the most important language spoken in the world, although I have graduated from business. It opened a window for me, also opening my mind, and therefore, it has created a challenge for me. I have been living in California for a couple of years, and now, I am planning to take international business classes next semester. I have realized that now, I have full responsibility about my life, already living by myself, abroad. It doesn’t mean that I don’t need my parents’ help and support, either financially or emotionally. I am going to have the challenge of graduating by my second language, and improve my career developing a few years of professional experience in the U.S., to be ready and have a plus on the Brazilian’s job market.

Even though it seems sameness, I emphasize the word strength. That is what I, a man, think that I must have. That is what most of the notorious men have had in the history of the world; the power to create things, discover the impossible, build societies, face controversies, and destroy the humanity. And I am just looking for the right way to create my story, discover my happiness, build my life and my future, and face my challenges, helping the humanity.