A letter from Africa Dear Enia. First of all, Im sorry that you are forced to live under those conditions.

You write in your letter that you hate waste. I couldn't agree more! Companies like McDonalds are cutting down giant rainforests, just so that they can make even more money. When they do that, thousands of animals are left without home and many of them dies, all because one of the world's largest companies can make a greater fortune! To me, that's outrageous!

As I write this letter, people are dying from war in the Middle East. The fact that the world is in war, is basically frightening! I don't know if the war really was necessary, but I think that Saddam Hussein needed to be removed. So I guess that it was the only option the Americans had. It's just the fact that so many people are dying that's really scaring me.

The blame isn't just on the Americans, because so many Iraqis are doing suicide-bombings, just to kill American troopers, and even sometimes to kill other civilian Iraqis. I don't know why they do it, but I think it's because their society is completely different from ours. I'm not making an excuse for what they do; I'm just trying to understand them!

I'm in the 9th grade which is the last year in primary school in Denmark. That also means that I have to take examination this spring. I'm a little exited, because i have never done anything like it before! I just hope that I do well.

My bigger brother returned from America a few months ago, and he taught me to play Texas Hold'em poker. I'm beginning to become really fond of it, and I play it all the time.

I also have a job outside of school. I work in a coffee shop for 60 kr. an hour. That gives me some pocket money that I can use if I want to. I'm not, though. All the money I earn from my job goes to a special bank account. In that way I have some money for when I get older and want to see the world. I've earned a little over 10.000 kr. from my job, which is pretty much for me, but probably a lot more to you.

When I'm writing to you and telling you all about my fortune, I feel bad. Here I am, writing on my computer, listening to music on my stereo and looking at my DVD-player, you don't even get fed every day.

I think that we, who lives in wealthy countries, don't appreciate life enough. We ought to be thankful for what we have, instead of being sad of what we don't have.

Love,

Mathias xx

Åbyhøj

January 13