Friday, April 28, 2006
APRIL FOOL’S DAY or LE POISSON D’AVRIL
As I can see, you had a very boring trip to Paris. Why? Because no one has any interesting anecdote to tell us. Being it so, let me tell you something that happened to some friends of mine who travelled to Paris the same weekend as you.
On Saturday, 1st April, they got up very early and headed towards the Eiffel Tower with the intention of climbing to the top and see the city’s panoramic view. When they got there, before 9 am, they were really surprised because there was nobody queuing for the lifts and they thought they would be the first ones. However, they had previously seen lots of balloons in a fish-shape flying in the parks surrounding the Tower. So they were a bit shocked because of such a bizarre decoration.
A bit deceived, they read the signs saying that “Due to some repairing task, the Tower would not be opened until Sunday, 2nd April” and they headed to another tourist site in Paris: Notre Dame.
Once there, they realised that a woman had a paper fish stuck on her back.
Then, it suddenly came to my friend’s mind: “It can’t be true! It’s April Fool’s day today! Le Poisson d’Avril!” . It was just then when they became aware they had been fooled, even if they had seen the balloons flying around the Tower. ;-) Can't you see them flying at the bottom of the tower? Those yellow little creatures!!!
So the moral of this story is “think twice when you see a flying fish”! :D
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
IMAGES FROM THE DESERT...
Here you are some more images from my last trip.
I wish they give you a clearer idea of the Saharaui situation.
I hope you enjoy them.
Will you tell me your feelings and impressions about them?
BANK HOLIDAY
1st MAY BANK HOLIDAY
As you all know, there’s a Bank Holiday next weekend. Can anybody tell me the origin of this name used for what we call “pont” in Catalan? Come on, use your brains and make a guess.
Are you doing anything interesting during this Bank Holiday? I may go to Valencia and visit some good friends who hosted Lala’s brother for two summers. They recently had a baby called Pau and I’m very excited to meet him. I may go to the beach as well if the weather is good. I love the beach this time of the year because it isn’t too hot and sticky and there isn’t much people yet. I hardly ever go to the beach in the summer, so I take advantage of going in spring and autumn.
I heard some rumours of you going to visit a medieval market. Will you also watch the performance for Saint George’s legend? Will you tell me about it? I know very little of this tradition in Montblanc, about the scenery, the performance and the other activities carried out this week.
Come on, tell me about it.
Hoping to hearing from you very soon,
R.
As you all know, there’s a Bank Holiday next weekend. Can anybody tell me the origin of this name used for what we call “pont” in Catalan? Come on, use your brains and make a guess.
Are you doing anything interesting during this Bank Holiday? I may go to Valencia and visit some good friends who hosted Lala’s brother for two summers. They recently had a baby called Pau and I’m very excited to meet him. I may go to the beach as well if the weather is good. I love the beach this time of the year because it isn’t too hot and sticky and there isn’t much people yet. I hardly ever go to the beach in the summer, so I take advantage of going in spring and autumn.
I heard some rumours of you going to visit a medieval market. Will you also watch the performance for Saint George’s legend? Will you tell me about it? I know very little of this tradition in Montblanc, about the scenery, the performance and the other activities carried out this week.
Come on, tell me about it.
Hoping to hearing from you very soon,
R.
GOOD JOB!!!
Hi there,
Here we go again. We’re getting into it! I’m glad students are willing to participate in this exchange of experiences and make the writing task a bit more meaningful and interactive.
I perfectly understand that there may be some grammar or language mistakes in your spontaneous writings but communicating with other people is what matters here. So, I encourage all of you not to feel shy or embarrassed and let yourselves go. You’re doing a great task! And the most rewarding thing is that you’ll see how fast you improve your English! :-)
On the other hand, remember that you owe me some writings and that next Thursday is the deadline. ;-)
Here we go again. We’re getting into it! I’m glad students are willing to participate in this exchange of experiences and make the writing task a bit more meaningful and interactive.
I perfectly understand that there may be some grammar or language mistakes in your spontaneous writings but communicating with other people is what matters here. So, I encourage all of you not to feel shy or embarrassed and let yourselves go. You’re doing a great task! And the most rewarding thing is that you’ll see how fast you improve your English! :-) 
On the other hand, remember that you owe me some writings and that next Thursday is the deadline. ;-)
Thursday, April 20, 2006
TRIP TO SAHARA REFUGEES CAMPS IN TINDOUF.
Last week, during the Easter break, I visited the Saharaui refugees camps in Tindouf for the 5th time. After more than 30 years of exile from their own land, the Saharaui spirit keeps on surviving in that inhospid land.
They suffered terrible rain floods at the begining of March wich destroyed most of their tents and mud houses. However, the're rebuilding them again at day break and at sunset. This is because the temperatures may rise over 40 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. And even over 50 in summer.
They survive thanks to international aid wich is unfortunately reduced every year; as well as on their own precarious works. Eventhough most of the young people have a University degree, they have no future in this Algerian piece of desert called "The Hamada", something similar to Hell in their language.
There in the camps, I visited two girls who shared our home with us several summers ago. Luara and Lala are two sweet desert roses of dark eyes and skin but with the biggest hearts we ever met. They've given us more than we've ever expected. Their strength, loyalty, friendship, generosity, sense of humour and, above all, their loving smiles.
We may believe that we're lucky of living where we live and owning a lot but these children and their family have tought us a real lesson.
My life changed the day they crossed our doorstep; but even more the they they left our home so empty.
It is Lala's 12th birthday today and this is my present to her straight from the bottom of my heart.
With all my love,
Raquel.
A trip to Paris
Hi everybody,
My name is Raquel and I'm an English teacher at Joan Amigó Secondary School in Catalonia.
Some of my students are willing to practice their writing skills in English and we agreed that publishing their pieces of writing in a blog could be a motivating way of doing it.
They've been working very hard along the second term and they produced some good texts to be published in this blog.
They recently visited Paris together with two teachers. I'm sure they had a fantastic time and are willing to share their experiences with all of you.
Any comment is welcome and definitely very encouraging for their learning task.
Hoping to hearing from all of you very soon,
Raquel.
My name is Raquel and I'm an English teacher at Joan Amigó Secondary School in Catalonia.
Some of my students are willing to practice their writing skills in English and we agreed that publishing their pieces of writing in a blog could be a motivating way of doing it.
They've been working very hard along the second term and they produced some good texts to be published in this blog.
They recently visited Paris together with two teachers. I'm sure they had a fantastic time and are willing to share their experiences with all of you.
Any comment is welcome and definitely very encouraging for their learning task.
Hoping to hearing from all of you very soon,
Raquel.
