It's been quite long since I last wrote something here. My apologies but the large pile of exams, waiting to be corrected, have prevented me from catching up with the blog.
Last week's mock exam dealing with somepractice of simulation of orals were not but a touchstone for Thursday's exam and, in longer term, the official one. We could become aware of all the situations that surround it. Congrats to all my mates. You did it very well!
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
REVIEW OF "THE SAILOR-BOY'S TALE"
The Sailor-Boy's Tale is a short story by the Danish writer Karen Blixen, the author of Out of Africa.
On the way from Marseille to Athens, the sailor-boy, Simon, spotted a bird that stuck in the main-mast of the ship. The boy climbed up in order to free the bird, a peregrine falcon. Two years later, while on another ship on the northern coast of Norway, Simon stabbed a Russian sailor to death, for he tried to prevent him from meeting Nora, a girl who had promised to give him a kiss the previous day. Simon could meet Nora in the end, and she kissed him. Simon was eventually taken in by Sunniva, a Lapp-woman who avoided his capture for murder by pretending that he was her son. Then she explained to him that she was the falcon she had rescued, and she did nothing but return him the favour.
The story is an allegory of fate: what comes around goes around. The appearance of the supernatural creature, the old woman that becomes a falcon, provides the story with a fantasy element which I kind of dislike although it helps to convey the message in a more appropriate way and makes it more enjoyable.
On the way from Marseille to Athens, the sailor-boy, Simon, spotted a bird that stuck in the main-mast of the ship. The boy climbed up in order to free the bird, a peregrine falcon. Two years later, while on another ship on the northern coast of Norway, Simon stabbed a Russian sailor to death, for he tried to prevent him from meeting Nora, a girl who had promised to give him a kiss the previous day. Simon could meet Nora in the end, and she kissed him. Simon was eventually taken in by Sunniva, a Lapp-woman who avoided his capture for murder by pretending that he was her son. Then she explained to him that she was the falcon she had rescued, and she did nothing but return him the favour.
The story is an allegory of fate: what comes around goes around. The appearance of the supernatural creature, the old woman that becomes a falcon, provides the story with a fantasy element which I kind of dislike although it helps to convey the message in a more appropriate way and makes it more enjoyable.
Wednesday, 19 February 2014
Reaction to Syrian refugee camp texts
When I first knew about the situation in Syria, nobody would imagine what it could be up to. I thought it was one more episode of the Arabian spring and not much more.
Almost three years after this, it has got to such an extent to be a major conflict with reference to casualties and the fact that it is the second largest demographical group in the world in terms of the number of refugees.
Personally, I wonder why the international community do not concern about Syria. They could have solved this stuff as soon as it started. The USA only worry about the matters from which they can earn the utmost quantity of money. I propose to have Bashar al-Assad working in the asphalt of A7. Were he to be forced to do this, he would leave the people in Syria in peace.
Almost three years after this, it has got to such an extent to be a major conflict with reference to casualties and the fact that it is the second largest demographical group in the world in terms of the number of refugees.
Personally, I wonder why the international community do not concern about Syria. They could have solved this stuff as soon as it started. The USA only worry about the matters from which they can earn the utmost quantity of money. I propose to have Bashar al-Assad working in the asphalt of A7. Were he to be forced to do this, he would leave the people in Syria in peace.
Tuesday, 11 February 2014
A SONG THAT MADE MY DAY BETTER
Last weekend, I was a bit down. It was pouring with rain and I did not feel
like anything. Nevertheless, while I was zapping on TV, I glanced at MTV
and a video caught my eye. Maybe it's not the song, which is rather simple,
but the melody and, specially, the video. They encouraged me.
Due to its straightforward lyrics, I have chosen as the song of the month for
my 2nd ESO students, who have enjoyed it to a such extent.
Hope you like it too and bring joy to your day!!
like anything. Nevertheless, while I was zapping on TV, I glanced at MTV
and a video caught my eye. Maybe it's not the song, which is rather simple,
but the melody and, specially, the video. They encouraged me.
Due to its straightforward lyrics, I have chosen as the song of the month for
my 2nd ESO students, who have enjoyed it to a such extent.
Hope you like it too and bring joy to your day!!
Saturday, 1 February 2014
THE NGO I SPOKE ABOUT: BANCO DE ALIMENTOS
It is a non-profit institution dedicated to the collection, storage and distribution of foodstuff to those people who are in need.
The first food bank in the world appeared in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1966 and, in 1993, the Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos was established. Its original aim was collecting excesses of food in supermarkets.
The emblem of the federation is, as you can see below, two birds being fed.
This institution is made up by volunteers. Most people lack the time to become one. Thus, to contribute with it, you can donate some food, above all non-perishable items, to its headquarters in Motril, situated in "Camino de las Ventillas 61, Cerrillo Jaime nº 4, 18600 Motril". They organise a collection weekend every year, just before Christmas, and there are some volunteers in every supermarket in our town. The link to their website is:
http://www.bancoalimentos.org/index.php?page=pageindex.showPageDetail&id=8&anchor=delegaciones
I would like to conclude by encouraging to make your contribution to this NGO, one that has no economic aims, writing its motto:
"A little of you is a lot."
The first food bank in the world appeared in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1966 and, in 1993, the Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos was established. Its original aim was collecting excesses of food in supermarkets.
The emblem of the federation is, as you can see below, two birds being fed.
This institution is made up by volunteers. Most people lack the time to become one. Thus, to contribute with it, you can donate some food, above all non-perishable items, to its headquarters in Motril, situated in "Camino de las Ventillas 61, Cerrillo Jaime nº 4, 18600 Motril". They organise a collection weekend every year, just before Christmas, and there are some volunteers in every supermarket in our town. The link to their website is:
http://www.bancoalimentos.org/index.php?page=pageindex.showPageDetail&id=8&anchor=delegaciones
I would like to conclude by encouraging to make your contribution to this NGO, one that has no economic aims, writing its motto:
"A little of you is a lot."
Saturday, 11 January 2014
MANDELA'S GIFT
i. The book ends with a chapter named Mandela's Gift, which delineates what Stengel took from Mandela the man, after having worked with him so closely. What do you take from the book, in terms of your own life?
I usually value to a great extent those virtues which I lack. Nelson Mandela was indeed a man of virtue, but I had to underline three of them, I would choose:
1. Love of the Mankind
Mandela must not be considered the father of the black people, but the fighter for equality. He accomplished the death of the racial segregation in his country. In some ways, he spent almost 28 years in prison for this, but I do not think it was something that hurt him. Stengel said that he left his own family aside. However, he can be portrayed as an incarnation or messiah, who had to be an aid for those in difficulty. The concept ubuntu, a person is a person through other people, has its personification in Nelson Mandela.
2. Trust me
Mandela was a man with no folds. He was the person he seemed to be. I remember being 7 years old, the first time I saw him on Informe Semanal. I had not ever heard of him, but I immediately knew he was a great person. When you behold a picture of him, you become aware of the kindness. I do not remember a person with such a captivating, but, at the same time, simple smile. He must have been the friend everyone would like to have.
3. The Measured Man
In hundreds of situations he could have got on his nerves due to harsh events happening to him. Nevertheless, he seemed calm all the time, as in a kind of Zen state. This feature would him the possibility to see difficult questions from other angles and lead to the best solutions to them. I wonder how many Mississippis he did count during his entire life!
I usually value to a great extent those virtues which I lack. Nelson Mandela was indeed a man of virtue, but I had to underline three of them, I would choose:
1. Love of the Mankind
Mandela must not be considered the father of the black people, but the fighter for equality. He accomplished the death of the racial segregation in his country. In some ways, he spent almost 28 years in prison for this, but I do not think it was something that hurt him. Stengel said that he left his own family aside. However, he can be portrayed as an incarnation or messiah, who had to be an aid for those in difficulty. The concept ubuntu, a person is a person through other people, has its personification in Nelson Mandela.
2. Trust me
Mandela was a man with no folds. He was the person he seemed to be. I remember being 7 years old, the first time I saw him on Informe Semanal. I had not ever heard of him, but I immediately knew he was a great person. When you behold a picture of him, you become aware of the kindness. I do not remember a person with such a captivating, but, at the same time, simple smile. He must have been the friend everyone would like to have.
3. The Measured Man
In hundreds of situations he could have got on his nerves due to harsh events happening to him. Nevertheless, he seemed calm all the time, as in a kind of Zen state. This feature would him the possibility to see difficult questions from other angles and lead to the best solutions to them. I wonder how many Mississippis he did count during his entire life!
MANDELA'S WAY
c. Choose, out of the fifteen chapters of the book, the three ones that interest you more and explain why.
The chapters 8 (Know your enemy), 9 (Keep your rivals close) and 14 (It's always both) are the ones I have enjoyed the most.
First, it is narrated how Mandela tried to understand and discover his political opponents' weaknesses. Being imprisoned, Mandela learned the language of his oppressor, the Afrikaans, and the history of the Afrikaners. He would say that on addressing an enemy, you have to go beyond the rational and, literally, "you go straight into their hearts." It was both an act of persuasion and, at the same time, he converted some enemies into his allies. The parallelism he drew, in Afrikaans, between the submission of the Afrikaner to the British during the Boer war and the apartheid in front of the South African president, P. W. Botha, was awesome and resulted in the release of Walter Sisulu. Being the first South African president elected democratically, he turned to sports, specially rugby, as way of healing the nation. He wanted to convey that South Africa would be one, that there would be justice for the black minority and that there would not be any revenge and so the white population did not have to be scared.
In second place, Mandela was said not to lose track of his opponents, even his friendly ones. He did not make a god out of loyalty. That is what happened to Mandela's relation to Bantu Holomisa and Chris Hani. They were immature and visceral. Mandela behaved as a father for them, teaching them to make decisions on the head rather than the blood. The Zulu leader Mangosuthu Butelezi is portrayed as an ally to become an enemy. Therefore, Mandela, when appointed South African president, invited him into first cabinet as minister of home affairs as he was so dangerous for Mandela that he needed to "keep an eye on him."
Last but not least, Mandela the answer to optional questions was almost always both. In a dilemma all explanations might be true. A "both" or a "maybe" is closer to the truth than a "yes" or "no". When he was released, he tried to solve a problem reconciling both sides. Sometimes it was not possible to make everyone happy. For instance, in his negotiations for the country's first government, he made compromises in order to come to an agreement, that is, a unity government with the National Party, in which F. W. de Klerk was vice president in spite of knowing that he had been a traitor to him several times.
In all, Mandela constantly had to tolerate a lot of people who meant to do harm to him; however, he gave them back kindness and confidence. That is for most people impossible. It is an act that requires, according to Richard Stengel empathy and imagination. But the reward is something that can fairly be described as wisdom.
The chapters 8 (Know your enemy), 9 (Keep your rivals close) and 14 (It's always both) are the ones I have enjoyed the most.
First, it is narrated how Mandela tried to understand and discover his political opponents' weaknesses. Being imprisoned, Mandela learned the language of his oppressor, the Afrikaans, and the history of the Afrikaners. He would say that on addressing an enemy, you have to go beyond the rational and, literally, "you go straight into their hearts." It was both an act of persuasion and, at the same time, he converted some enemies into his allies. The parallelism he drew, in Afrikaans, between the submission of the Afrikaner to the British during the Boer war and the apartheid in front of the South African president, P. W. Botha, was awesome and resulted in the release of Walter Sisulu. Being the first South African president elected democratically, he turned to sports, specially rugby, as way of healing the nation. He wanted to convey that South Africa would be one, that there would be justice for the black minority and that there would not be any revenge and so the white population did not have to be scared.
In second place, Mandela was said not to lose track of his opponents, even his friendly ones. He did not make a god out of loyalty. That is what happened to Mandela's relation to Bantu Holomisa and Chris Hani. They were immature and visceral. Mandela behaved as a father for them, teaching them to make decisions on the head rather than the blood. The Zulu leader Mangosuthu Butelezi is portrayed as an ally to become an enemy. Therefore, Mandela, when appointed South African president, invited him into first cabinet as minister of home affairs as he was so dangerous for Mandela that he needed to "keep an eye on him."
Last but not least, Mandela the answer to optional questions was almost always both. In a dilemma all explanations might be true. A "both" or a "maybe" is closer to the truth than a "yes" or "no". When he was released, he tried to solve a problem reconciling both sides. Sometimes it was not possible to make everyone happy. For instance, in his negotiations for the country's first government, he made compromises in order to come to an agreement, that is, a unity government with the National Party, in which F. W. de Klerk was vice president in spite of knowing that he had been a traitor to him several times.
In all, Mandela constantly had to tolerate a lot of people who meant to do harm to him; however, he gave them back kindness and confidence. That is for most people impossible. It is an act that requires, according to Richard Stengel empathy and imagination. But the reward is something that can fairly be described as wisdom.
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