Xavier lives on Planet Earth and went to visit another planet called Glorbuld, and was hosted by Tabarlis. When Xavier returns home, they write a letter to a friend, Vincent, to share the experience. Tabarlis also writes a letter to their friend, Verlias, and explains what happened with the group of students from Planet Earth that they welcomed in Glorbuld.

Read the two letters simultaneously read the first paragraph of the one letter, and then the first paragraph of the second letter. Do this throughout the entire paper.

ACTIVITY:

The objective is to compare immediately both perceptions of the same moments (e.g. the arrival).

Answer the following questions:

1. What misunderstandings did you identify throughout the comparison of each paragraph?

2. What prejudices did you hear throughout the comparison of each paragraph?

3. What judgments did you identify throughout the comparison of each paragraph?

LETTER FROM TABARLIS TO VERLIAS 1. Hi Verlias, I hope you are well, that you are in good health, as well as all your family and all your friends. Remember that I told you about a group of young people coming from Planet Earth, from a little corner called France? We have just spent 24 cycles together and I have lots of things to tell you. 2. When they arrived, there was obviously a misunderstanding. Since we could not get inside the spaceport, we asked people who worked there to help them carry their luggage and meet with us outside, but they were turned down quite badly. They were really surprised at this reaction and didnt want to see the Earthlings ever again. I admit that I didnt dare to mention this episode with them. 3. They wanted to start building the school right away and I soon realized that there was tension with the village workers. Of course the workers were not in a hurry to finish the job as they were paid per day. The longer the project lasted, the more money they would have! And it was often their only source of income... Moreover, after a few sunstrokes, the Earthlings realized that it was not very effective to work when the 2 suns are at the highest in the sky... 4. There were other times when we felt they were very impatient. When we needed to go to the city, they were always impatient while waiting for the Zamourion to be full. Apparently, on Earth, transportation leaves at fixed times, even if they are not full! I really wonder how drivers make a living... 5. Also, they did something weird one day: they started burying cans in the ground! I almost said it was a shame because the people who picked them up on the street to sell the aluminum would not find them, but I didnt dare. It may be a ritual practice of them... Oh yes, they said they found it disgusting. On my side, something they did has repelled me the way they blow their nose. Instead of rejecting the waste from their body in nature, they keep it carefully in a paper. Yeks! Disgusting! 6. One day I felt so uncomfortable. One of the girls in the group went and talked directly to the head of a village, asking why women were eating away from men, why children had no right to speak at the table, and so on. Honestly, I feel like the Earthlings do not respect the elders. They told me that at home they put them all together in special houses! 7. Besides, they not only neglect their ancestors, but they do not respect the gods either! One day, one of them said to us most simply: "I am an atheist." We looked at each other without being able to say anything. We all knew what it meant, but we had never met anyone who questioned the existence of the Gods! 8. Another day, they became angry at Limbatan but we didnt really understand why. Limbatan had to bring Dimbzi for the farewell party but he had to stay at home because as he is the only one to have TV in his area, a neighbor had come to watch TV. It did not matter, there were plenty of other things to eat. Yet this detail has really annoyed the Earthlings. But you understand that Limbatan could not do otherwise! If he had gone, the whole neighborhood would have concluded that he had no respect for the people who came to visit him!

9. When I think about it, maybe the Earthlings were not happy because there were disputes within the group. I watched them carefully and I never saw the two boys holding hands or having any physical contact. I think they were not really good friends. 10. See it was not easy every day and we were even close to fight sometimes. But dont worry, we realized that we also had a lot in common and everything ended well. I realize that I was a little negative but we really experienced some extraordinary moments that I will tell you in a new letter. I have to go back with my family, Ive been alone, writing to you for an hour now, and as you know, they start to find it odd...

LETTER FROM XAVIER TO VINCENT 1. Hi Vincent, how are you? How was the summer, reviewing lessons to prepare for exams? Ok, its not funny... As you may know, Im just back from the planet Glorbuld where I spent a month (Earth month) with Karen, Sophie and Mehdi. So many weird stuff happened, I have to tell you. 2. As soon as we landed at the spaceport, the confusion began. Several people wanted to help us carry our bags... well, so they said... Good thing we were told to be careful with pickpockets and thieves. At first we refused politely and as they insisted, we were a little firmer. So they left and you could see they were frustrated that they missed their opportunity. We were lucky! Then we went to meet with our contacts who were waiting for us outside the spaceport. 3. We wanted to start the project the very next day because we had a schedule to follow. So we started the construction of the school and I can tell you that we worked very hard! The problem is that we quickly realized that the Glorbuldians who worked with us did not have the same enthusiasm, and there were even moments when we really felt that they were putting a spoke in our wheels! Unbelievable, as we do this project for them! 4. Anyway, everything is slow there, like public transportation for example (small and rotten buses that they call Zamourion). If they give you a starting time, you're sure you can add at least 2 hours. And when you ask when we are going to leave, they always answer you "Soon!". Its so annoying, I swear to you. 5. Not to mention the hygiene. They throw everything on the ground without any concern for the environment. At first we wanted to act well, we picked up our cans. Since we did not know what to do with it, we began to bury them so that it was less dirty, and then we finally gave up. And do you want to know how Glorbuldians blow their noses? You lean on one nostril and you blow a big blow. Very chic! 6. Anyway, thats for sure, they're still at least 50 years behind us. It shows so much regarding human rights! Well especially womens and childrens rights. You know Karen, a bit feminist, isnt she? One day she had a very blunt discussion with a village leader about it. I dont know if he really understood, in fact he didnt react much. 7. Another example on how behind they are. One day we go through a swampy region and one of the young people who accompanied us tells us in the most simple way: "Here, there is a man who turns into a crocodile". We looked at each other for a moment, but we quickly turned our heads to avoid bursting into laughter. We controlled ourselves but we were close. 8. The same young man really annoyed us another time. It was the end of the stay, we had organized a great evening with all the people we had met. Everybody had to bring something, and he had to bring Dimbzi, which is a delicious chicken from there. And... he never came. The next day, when we saw him, we told him how mad we were! It was a total lack of respect for us. Guess what he said! He had to stay at home because a friend came to watch TV! Couldnt find a more phony excuse... In any case, they need to become more serious and more trustworthy, otherwise they will never be a developed planet 9. Oh, one last crazy thing, I've never seen so many homosexuals in my life! There are plenty of guys holding hands in the street. One day, one of our co-workers wanted to hold my hand, well I can tell you that he did not try twice! 10. See it was not easy every day and we were even close to fighting sometimes. But dont worry, we realized that we also had a lot in common and everything ended well. I realize that I was a little negative but we really experienced some extraordinary moments that I will tell you in a new letter. Now I dont have time, I'm already late for my aircrafts driving lesson.