DMITRII
Paragliding
Problems really do seem small when we look at them from a bird’s eye view. Sometimes we have to see our problem from a different angle. Often people don’t use this, maybe they don’t know how to do it and they ask to look at it from outside family, friends. Both decisions are correct, but it’s best to see for yourself. People may have different opinions that don’t suit you. How does this work? – You have to see the whole essence of the problem, not just one part, but the whole picture and also should see options for solving this problem.
I’m not interested in paragliding and it doesn’t appeal to me at all. I’m afraid of flying!! It is very important that in my imagination I am not afraid of flying, although in real life I am!!
The importance of HOME is emphasized in the story. Farhad is determined to build a large HOME for his wife, no matter the problems that get in the way. How does he try to overcome HIS problems? Then explain the importance of HOME in your life, and in your culture.
Russia is a very large country with different peoples and cultures. In every culture of the people who live on the territory of Russia is very important – Houses (apartments). Ideally every family should buy apartments or houses. I’ll tell you – this is your mission, especially if you have children. We all understand different people – different opportunities.
Where does this symbol of a house come from in Russia? Russians are actually very kind people, open people, but the country’s history is almost always wars and of course the climate is not simple. We often say: my home is my castle. Russians will always defend their home and their land to the last drop of blood.
My family is no exception. My parents built a house and bought an apartment for me and my sisters. These are not rich or large apartments, but you have your home. It is a good start for us. If you want other apartments, you can work, of course, work a lot… sell your apartment, take out a mortgage and buy a bigger and better apartment.
My parents like it when their children take financial responsibility. When you have a mortgage, you take life more seriously and think through every step. I bought myself an apartment in Moscow, I paid the mortgage and closed it early.
ELSAYED
Getting Away from Problems
Sometimes when life feels too heavy, I just need a quiet moment alone. I usually walk near the water or sit somewhere peaceful with music in my ears. It helps me forget everything for a while and see things from a distance. That’s how I “fly,” just like Farhad when he goes paragliding. I’ve never tried paragliding, but I think it must feel amazing — like being completely free from worries and pain. When you’re up there, nothing on the ground can reach you. Maybe one day I’ll try it, just to feel that freedom and peace for myself.
The Younger Generation In my family
I notice that the younger generation is very different. They think fast, want quick results, and sometimes don’t understand how hard life can be. They’re always on their phones and care more about social media than real connections. I grew up learning respect and patience, but now many young people argue and want independence too early. Sometimes it’s hard to talk to them because we see the world in opposite ways. Still, I try to understand them — just like Farhad learns to accept his son’s modern life — because love between family members is stronger than differences.
Important Relationship in My Life
One of the most important relationships in my life is with my parents. We’ve had some difficult moments because we see life differently. They come from a traditional background, and I’ve lived in another culture where things work in a different way. Sometimes they don’t understand my choices, but I know everything they say comes from love. Our biggest success is that we always come back to each other. Even after arguments, we talk again and forgive. I think that’s what real family means — not being perfect, but never giving up on each other.
The Importance of Home
For me, home is not just a place — it’s a feeling. It’s where I can be myself, take off the mask, and rest my heart. In my culture, home means family, food, memories, and safety. Even if the house is small, when love fills it, it becomes big. I understand why Farhad keeps building his dream home — because it’s not only about walls and rooms, it’s about his dream to give comfort to the people he loves. I believe that a home is the mirror of the heart. When we build it with patience and love, it becomes our greatest success.
Four Interesting Sentences from the Video
“When I fly, all my problems disappear.” I love this line because it shows how powerful freedom can be. It reminds me to find peace when life feels heavy.
“Home is not only a place, it’s a dream you keep building.” This touched me deeply. It means home is something we create every day with love, not just bricks and walls.
“My son doesn’t understand where I come from.” This feels real to me because sometimes different generations can’t see each other’s struggles. It teaches me to listen more.
“Even if the house breaks, I will build again.” This sentence is my favorite. It shows strength and hope — never giving up, no matter how many times life knocks you down.
WU XUE
Paragliding
When you face a problem like the rock, you may think that it’s a big problem at the time, but when you are flying in the air, the rock looks small or like a dot. It seems easy to fix. It means you can’t see the forest for the trees, or you need to see something in a whole new light.
If sometimes you have a problem that you can’t find a way to fix, you can change your angle and look at it differently—you may find a solution or new ideas.
I always tell my children, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You are too young to be a perfect person. People always make mistakes. That’s why you need to learn, and what you learn comes from experience. Every time, just try your best and it will be fine. Someday, when you look back on all your experiences, these mistakes will be just like small waves and badges in the journey of your whole life.”
“HOME”
For me, when you have a house, it means you are settled down. It is a duty. Your roots are here. No matter how far you fly, you will come back here someday. Wherever you go, you’ll know there is a place that always stays in your heart and makes you miss it. Home is like the root of a tree. It is like a port where a ship can stop. It is like a place that can warm your heart.
For most Chinese people, owning a house means a lot, especially for men. Many of them spend their entire lives building a home for themselves and their children.
SID
The importance of HOME
HOME is very important in Farhad’s story. It is not just a place to live, but a symbol of safety and love. Farhad wants to build a big home for his family. He faces problems, especially a big rock on his land that blocks the construction. He tries many ways to solve the problem. He uses machines, asks experts for help, and never gives up.
For me, HOME is also a place of comfort and security. In my culture, it is the center of family life, where we share traditions and support each other. A home gives peace and strength.
Part 2 of Farhad’s life
Farhad moves to a new property with a smaller rock. This makes building easier and more possible. He designs a home with a small garden where his children can play. He uses what he learned from his first attempt. During the process, he meets a neighbor who becomes his friend. They share ideas and help each other. Farhad also helps other immigrants in the community. His home becomes a place of happiness, family gatherings, and inspiration for everyone, showing that patience and effort can make dreams come true.
TANYA
Paragliding
The wish to forget about all problems for at least a short time, to let them disappear, is very understandable and like Farhad has paragliding, I also have my hobbies that help me with this. It’s not as extreme as Farhad’s, because for me paragliding is too extreme and dangerous. It’s not that I’m afraid of heights, but it’s definitely not an activity that would help me to relax. In my case, watching a movie or TV series, playing computer games with friends or reading a book helps me relax. Such ordinary things may allow me to relax for some time, forget about all my problems, and just live in the moment.
The importance of HOME
Farhad tried to solve his problems by building a new home that would have everything his family wanted.He believed that if he built this dream house, his son would not want to live with his friend and would stay with family, and his wife would be happier. He is a truly good person who cares about his family and has many ambitions.
As for me, I think home is important, but not the kind of home that Farhad imagines, with two floors and its own yard.After what happened in my country, when I suddenly had to leave my home one evening for reasons of safety, I realized that home is not just an apartment with all the comforts. This is the place where my family waits for me, where a part of me is invested in different decor, where things are spread across the table, all of which are very important and necessary, where you can fully relax without worrying about whether you did something wrong, where you can allow yourself to forget about all the problems and worries in life, at least for a moment. Home is the place that we value most in our hearts.
MARCELA
Paragliding
I used to dream about traveling the world, meeting new people, and spending time in beautiful cities, a glass of wine in hand, good music playing, and amazing views all around me. It was my way of escaping for a while and thinking things through, figuring out how to solve my problems. That dream has always helped me! Maybe paragliding could give me a similar feeling of freedom and adventure. 
Choose a relationship in your life and describe the difficulties and successes you have faced in that relationship.
My relationship with my mother was always a bit difficult because of our different personalities, but she was my fiercest critic and my greatest admirer, both the storm and the shelter in my life.
My mother always wanted the best for me. She pushed me hard and encouraged me to live with enthusiasm and to never believe that anything was impossible. She cared deeply for me, but she never helped me stand up. She made me do things on my own instead of waiting for her to do them for me. That taught me strength, resilience, and to never take anything for granted.
JUAN
Paragliding
I did try paragliding once. It was a bad experience for me. Before that occasion, I thought paragliding would be a beautiful activity. I imagined myself sitting up there in a relaxed state while enjoying the views but the reality for me was the opposite! The “driver” of the parachute had other ideas on his mind.
As soon we got high above the ground, he started to maneuver the parachute to go in circles and with heavy movements. I got dizzy in an instant. The whole trip was horrible for me!! I just was hoping the trip ended fast. Also, after I have seen my feet hanging above the mountain, I developed phobia to height, something I didn’t have before!
What have you noticed with the younger generation in your family? How different are they from YOU?
In my family, the new generations are pretty different from my generation. They are the generation raised by the technology while my generation lived the transition to that technology. That allowed my contemporary cousins and me to enjoy no-tech activities, hangout together with enough creativity to invent silly games or stories to have fun.
ALENA
Dealing with problems. . .
There are times when I want to run away from my problems, but running away doesn’t solve them. What helps me is to give myself time to calm down, look at my problems from a distance, or find a distraction, like going for a walk or watching a movie. As for paragliding, it sounds really cool, but I’m afraid of heights!!
Home
Home has deep personal and cultural significance in my life. Home is more than just a place to live. It’s a place where our stories, traditions, favorite dishes, and family celebrations are preserved. Home is my support: it’s warm and safe, it’s where you feel understood and supported.
No matter where you are, it’s important to know there’s a place you can return to. Home gives you a sense of connection with loved ones and with yourself.
ZHENG
How Farhad overcame his difficulties
He loved his family so much and was very determined. He never gave up when facing problems. He tried to find solutions, like changing the building plan and asking for help from others. He kept working hard with a strong belief.
The importance of home in life and culture
In life, home is a place full of love. It gives us a sense of safety and belonging. We can rest when we are tired and share happiness with family here. In culture, home is a bond of family. It carries family memories and traditions. It helps keep the family together and passes on our culture.
QUOTATIONS
- “This house is for you, for our family. I’ll make it happen.”
This shows Faraz’s love for his family and his motivation. It drives the whole story of building the dream home.
It reminds me of my parents’ efforts to make a warm home for me. I feel loved and safe. - “Even if it’s hard, we’ll be together, and that’s what matters.” (His wife)
This highlights the family’s unity and support. It tells us that family bonds are more important than difficulties. For me – It makes me realize that family support is a strong pillar when we face challenges in life. - “Dad, when will our new house be ready?”
This reflects the family’s hope and anticipation for the new home. It adds warmth and innocence to the story. It reminds me of my own excitement when my family moved to a new place. I was full of expectations for new memories. - “A rock can’t stop us from building our future.”
It symbolizes Faraz’s determination to overcome obstacles. It shows his perseverance.
ANATOLII
The younger generation
Every nation has its own national identity. Life, customs, traditions, clothes, language, national dishes, etc. Of course, parents always try to pass all this on to their children. But, sometimes, it is very difficult to maintain it if you live in another country. Because you need to maintain two cultures: your own and the culture of the country of residence. Of course, the hero needs to accept two things: the modern generation and the traditions of the place of residence. This is difficult to do, because if you forcefully give culture, it can cause resistance. My children are not yet old enough, but they already have their own characteristics. For example, celebrating a birthday in a separate area in an entertainment center or a list of possible gifts, and so on. No, I’m not saying that this is bad, but this is something that is difficult for us to understand the first time. Of course, raising children is much more difficult now, because all the benefits are available. Plus, the digital space around children shapes their worldview differently from ours.
DENIS
Paragliding?
My life is quite diverse, and it’s all thanks to music.
I’ve traveled all over my country with theater and concerts, and I’ve also been to many different European countries, but music isn’t about success, it’s about feelings. Very often, I had to eat only bread and water, and I had to sleep in studios on chairs and couches.
During the most difficult moments of my life, I immersed myself deeply in music, wrote new tracks, and flew away in my imagination—just like paragliding, only you’re sitting in a chair in the studio.
I like paragliding because it’s like becoming a bird – it’s every person’s dream!
The relationship between Farhad and his son – and one in your life
There is one key figure in my life – my older brother Alexei. He is an artist and a very strange person. Sometimes it seems to us that I am the older brother and he is the younger one. I took on a lot of responsibility for both of us, even if he was 10 years older than me, but he taught me a lot about the world of art.
He introduced me to many authors, showed me a huge number of interesting films, and showed me how one artist is different from another.
When the war started, I left for the US, and he left for Thailand. We haven’t seen each other for almost four years, and I miss him very much. We stopped communicating because he went deep into the spiritual world with various practices, and I try to stay in the material world. Against this background, we are not talking to each other yet.