Once upon a time, behind a large river and a small town, a small ice bear called Snowflake lived in a tiny zoo. He was snow-white and he lived with his family in calm and peace.

One day, a new animal moved to him. Snowflake was curious to know who it was. Whether it would be a teddy bear like he or some other animal. He wished to be a bear that would play with him in his spare time. But when the zookeeper opened the box a small, scrambled red parrot flew out from the box. He was very small and had very disobedient wings. He was crashing all over the sides of the cage. The red feathers were everywhere. Snowflake was surprised and disappointed that it was not a bear. He wanted to have a friend who would be the same as he. He have not even dreamt in his dreams that it would be a little red parrot who was afraid of his own shadow. Mom came to meet their new neighbour. Snowflake came to the cage and said: "Hi I'm bear Flake. '' The Parrot was in such stress that he began to repeat what he said: ,,Hi I am bear Flake. '' It was very funny for Flake and so he started to laugh. Mom told him that he should not do it. Finally a low voice of the parrot came out: "Hi I'm a parrot Jack ... sorry but this often happens to me when I'm under stress.” Flake ignored it and went to lie down.

For several days he has not been speaking with Parrot Jack until his mom talked to him one evening. Flake did not want to speak with Jack. His mom wanted him to do it. So eventually Flake decided to go to speak. ,, Hi, I’m sorry, I laughed at you. I did not see an animal like you ... Do you like nuts? Because I love them and especially the nutty ice cream.” He said that it is fine and that he did not see bear before, therefore, he was afraid, and that he also loves nuts.

From this time they became the best friends. Flake did not mind that Jack is not bear and found out that the best friend may also be a parrot. He found out that the animals don't need to judge how they look but how they behave. And finally, he was happy to have a friend which was parrot. The bell rang and the fairy tale is over.                     

Dorota Sarakova, Slovakia 

My parents divorced when I was 14. I stayed with dad. We moved to Detroit. Old friends, school, all gone. I wasn't excited for new school. I already knew that I wouldn't like it. I came to school. It didn't go so well. I had to introduce myself. I've never liked those things. I didn't really like communication with new people. I knew they would judge me by my look, clothes and stuff like that. I was different than them in many ways. I wasn't interesting for them. We also hadn't the same interests. Many of them were drinking, smoking. But that wasn't me. I came home. I was upset. I hadn't any friends. And I really wanted to fit in. I made worse decision. I decided to become like them. As I expected they soon accepted me. But I didn't feel better though. I completely lost my way. Soon, a new student was introduced to the class. He was also different, also new. But I couldn't understand why it didn't bother him. Later that day I talked to him. I asked him why he's not upset about all of this. He said that he didn't want to change who he is for the others. He learned how to embrace who he is. He told me that just because we're different that doesn’t mean that we can't be friends. Soon we found out that we have same interests and became friends. I was feeling ashamed for changing who I was. I learned how to embrace who I am and be myself. When I came home I decided to get rid of all that fake friends who wanted to change me. At the end of the day I finally embraced who I am and wasn’t upset about this.

Tomas Dziak, Slovakia 

Mark was young man who lived in the small apartment in the centre of the city. He wasn’t very kind to other people and he didn’t like people who were different. He had a lot of prejudices to other cultures, religions and orientations. He has never had any wrong experience with them, but he was  bought up like that and his friends were just like him.

Once a young student from Ghana moved to his house. Her name was Carmen. She was very nice, friendly and intelligent, but he didn’t care about that. She was different and he didn’t like her.

One rainy day, when Mark was coming home from the work, he didn’t pay attention, he fell down from stairs and he sprained his ankle. People on the street didn’t care and nobody helped him. Carmen left the  flat, because she wanted to go to the near shop and she saw him like he was sitting on the ground. She asked him what’s happened and she offered that she would take him to the doctor. At first he didn’t want to go, but then he agreed because his ankle hurt really badly and he didn’t know what to do.

       When they arrived home, Carmen made him some tea and brought him ice for his ankle. Then she started a conversation with him. He didn’t feel comfortable. But she was very friendly. She talked about her life, their traditions and then he started to talk about his country too and they compared them. This conversation was really interesting for him. It was maybe the most interesting conversation that he had ever had with someone. He had never thought that other cultures could be so interesting and people from them could be so kind. Next days Carmen helped him when he needed something and he started to like her.

      When his ankle was all right, they went to the pub. They had a fun and she showed him her friends from the school. They were nice and interesting, not like people he had knew before. And he understood that his present life was full of prejudices and mistakes. 

Henrieta Dzamova, Slovakia