WritE IT DOWN!
Each intermediate and advanced student is supposed to hand in one writing homework every three months (typically the last week before the new assignment). The deadline for actual project is: the last week in May, 2010. Hand in your paper personally or send it to my e-mail. Length should be at least 60 words if you are an intermediate student or 90 words if you are an advanced student. Remember that this activity is compulsory.
Below, you will find our actual project which is: HELP YOURSELF! You are going to read about a fictional situation and probably write a letter/e-mail of complaint. But the final form, style and also addressee is up to you. You might use google to find examples of such letters/e-mails.
CYPRUS
You have been waiting for this for months. Winter was way too long, way too cold, and way too depressing and you think that all your energy has got up and gone. Then, one day, you find a great offer on the Internet. Two more clicks and you are reading an article saying:
"Come to Cyprus! If you lead a really hectic life in the city and your dream is one of silence and tranquillity, then you should head over to Cyprus and enjoy one of many remote rental villa hideaways. You will just lap up the peace and quiet in a villa that will provide you with all your necessities in every way. Far from the civilization. Perfect holiday!..."
With a few more mouse clicks you find out that also the price is perfect. No time for thinking, the trip is booked, paid, and after a few days... it seems that your dream has just come true. You take a taxi and come to the house which is just enormous! You meet the owner, her name is Christina - a really nice person by the way, she gives you the keys, leaves and... you can't still believe how large the house is. There is plenty of room for everyone. You are very pleased with how clean and organized everything is too. You go to your private beach, then back, then again, then open a bottle of wine, watch the sea and exhausted go to bed.
It's 8.30 a.m. and you are woken by a group of people walking through your house.
Having put some clothes on, you go downstairs and say: "Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" The man who seems to guide the other people is not very polite and repeats the same questions: "Who are you and what are you doing here?!" You say: "I've rented this house for my vacation!" "From whom?" he says. "From a travel agency!" you reply. "Who gave you the keys?" he shouts "Ms Christina" you say "Christina what?" You, stressed out, can't remember her surname so you go to the kitchen, he follows you there, you take Christina's business card which she gave you yesterday and read: "Christina Leontiou!" "That's impossible, we have just got divorced!" he yells, "And now, I'm trying to sell this house and these people are interested in buying it. You can't stay here. Please, give me your keys and leave before they lose their interest..." Then he says something to the people who came with him, goes outside to have a very noisy phone call with somebody, the people follow him and... Not losing presence of your mind, you quickly lock the door and leave the key stuck in it so the man can't get in. Life is hard and your dream-come-true vacation over. That happens.
You're trying to call the travel agency but your house is just as far from the civilization as the Internet article about your perfect villa promised. And it seems you have absolutely no signal. But luckily for you, there is a wifi connection in that goddamn house and you are now going to ask somebody for help before the hot-blooded choleric Cyprian comes back to the house with a tank.
This is the address of your travel agency: nonstop@perfect-travel.cz and this is the address of Ms Christina Leontiou: ch.leontiou@cylink.com.cy if you think she might help you, this is the address of the embassy of the Czech republic in Nicosia: nicosia@embassy.mzv.cz, the police in Cyprus: registry@police.gov.cy, the airlines: call.centre@csa.cz and... that's it.
I don't know who could help you the most. The decision is up to you. Good luck!
