PRAGUE: Paula's favorite city

The most beautiful city I have ever visited is Prague. It was almost 13 years ago so I do not remember many details but I loved its streets full of history and tradition. I was there in winter so it seemed a little dull, but peaceful and impressive. It was like being in the Middle Ages, a city full of towers as in a fairy tale, the old bridges and ancient churches. One has a unique clock in the middle of a central square, it is worth seeing if you travel to this wonderful place. The world is so big with many places to visit but I would like to return to Prague, I fell in love with this city. (Paula G, NI 2)

New River Train (sung by some of my heroes)

Here are some great versions of New River Train, our song for this week!

Bill Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys :


http://youtu.be/NyWMFjly24o


Doc Watson and David Holt (guitar and banjo)

http://youtu.be/H-hbU85YsDQ

Tony Rice and Norman Blake (guitar wizards!)

http://youtu.be/Y36HCn4Ivws

I sure hope you enjoy these different versions of this old standard.

NEW RIVER TRAIN (our new song!)

New River Train

REFRAIN:
I'm riding on that new river train, riding on that new river train


Same old train that brought me here, gonna carry me away again




1 Darling, you can't love one (2x)  you can't love one and have any fun!/Darling, you can't love one * Refrain




2 Darling, you can't love two (2x) you can't love two and still be true! /Darling, you can't love two* Refrain


3  Darling, you can't love three (2x)  you can't love three and still love me! /Darling, you can't love three * Refrain


4  Darling, you can't love four (2x)  you can't love four and love any more! / Darling, you can't love four * Refrain


5  Darling, you can't love five (2x)  you can't love five and get money from my hive  Darling, you can't love five * Refrain


6 Darling, you can't love six (sx)  you can't love six, for that kind of love don't mix!  Darling, you can't love six * Refrain

Letter to Suzie from Jennifer D NI 2

Dear Suzie,



It's great to hear from you! Sorry for not writing earlier, I've been working very long hours in Christmas. Anyway, I'm on holiday next month, so I was thinking you could visit Las Palmas.


I'm living near the center; therefore we can go walking to the city. The best way to get around Las Palmas is cycling. Bicycles are free, only we need to register on a website. In winter the weather is nice. Today, for example, it's cloudy and chilly, but the temperature is about 18 degrees in town.


On the other hand, if you prefer something different you've never done in England, we could get a bus and in less than an hour we will enjoy a sunny day, with a lot of exciting water activities, like sailing, diving or even visiting water parks. Also if you'd rather trek in the mountains I'm planning to do hiking with some friends, it's a wonderful way to get to know the north of our island.






Anyway, could you tell me if you could come to Las Palmas next month? And, how long have you thought of staying here? I would like to plan our holidays!


Hope to hear from you soon!


Best wishes from your devoted friend,


Jenny

Paula's Friendly Letter to Suzie! NI2

Hello, Suzie!!

I´m looking forward to you visiting me here on the island. I´ll have some leisure time in two weeks, maybe you can come for those days. I live in a small town but it´s so beautiful, the people here are very friendly and I´m sure we´ll have a great time together.

As I´ve told you, it isn´t a very big place so, we can visit many places on foot or by bicycle if you want -I´ve got a bike that I can lend you. Or, better yet, we can share a bike (see attached photo). We can visit some beautiful parks for a prom, it has some historical places interesting to see too. It´s a very charming place, everywhere go you can gaze on wonderful sights.

We can also take in some beautiful mountain towns by car, they aren´t too far from where I live. There is a ski resort in one of them so, we can enjoy skiing some days, it´ll be great!!

See you soon, Suzie!!

Paula 

“A real friendship”

During a whole life, a regular person may meet hundreds of different people, but real friends are a very rare treasure.

You can have a great relationship with many people, but only those you can really trust are real best friends. I feel lucky because I have got lots of good friends, however, only a very few of them are close friends.

My friend Carlos belongs to this select group. I met him at High School, and he was my neighbour too. He came from Italy, (he’s half-Spanish and half-Italian), but at first we did not get on well! It seems we were completely the opposite. I was a responsible, good student, but he was a bit of a hooligan! Also, he belonged to a group of guys that used to annoy people like me, can you imagine? So, you could say we were natural enemies, but a year later, everything changed and believe it or not, we became inseparable! We completed each other; I used to help him with his subjects and he showed me how to enjoy every single moment of life.

Day by day, our friendship grew and we have kept in touch even in the distance. Over the last ten years, he has been studying and working abroad, but we still keep in contact, even when we only meet once a year, can you believe it?

In the end, it does not matter if we do not spend much time together, because our friendship is deep and we can trust each other. I hope we will be friends forever.

By Juan Daniel NI 2

The Biography of Alicia

(Here is a biography of Alicia, the former ULPGC language student who visited our class before Christmas.)

Alicia was born here in Gran Canaria, within an uncommon family, (she has a German mother and a Spanish father), so from the very beginning of her life, she has been in close contact with several languages. Her mother used to speak to her in German and in English also, (her mother is an English teacher), and of course she speaks Spanish as well as any of us.

At the age of ten, she started studying English at Sagrado Corazón, with a very well-known and respected teacher. Then she continued at Jaime Balmes, till she finished High School. Then, the important time of choosing her future came, and she decided to exploit her natural skills with foreign languages. That’s why she studied FTI Translation at the ULPGC, our local public university.

Studying English was easy for her, but she got shocked with German! She could understand and to speak it, but she had never learnt to write or to read it before! Can you imagine?

After finishing her degree, she has had many different jobs, but always related to translation or to communicating with foreign people. She has worked as a secretary in a German notary office, she has taught English to kids, etc. Nowadays, she works as a receptionist in a Mogan Hotel, and is also learning some Swedish, but she is keen on other languages too. Unbelievable!

When she has got some free time, she enjoys visiting foreign countries. She has been to Germany, (where her mother lives now), and to many other European countries.

Now, she does not really know where her destiny is, but she will keep on trying to be happy and positive with her bright eyes and sweet smile.

By Juan Daniel

Alice in Wonderland

(A former ULPGC student of mine, Alicia came to visit our NI2 class at the EOI Sta Brigida. Many students have written a biography of Alicia based on the lovely -- unprepared -- talk she gave on the last day of class. Here is one quite original essay on Alicia's life. Many thanks to Vanesa and all the students who have taken the time to write Alicia's biography)

Alicia was born in Gran Canaria, an amazing Island in the middle of The Atlantic Ocean where the world's cultures mix each other. For that reason, this girl learnt to love the different languages very early. Well, also she had an incredible mother, Mrs. Handwerck, who can speak in Spanish, Italian, English, German and French. In fact, she is from Berlin and she married with a man from Barcelona, Mr. Lucio, Alicia’s father. So, Alicia belongs to two interesting cultures.

When Alicia was five years old, they moved to Alicante. But later, they came back to Gran Canaria, where she started to learn English language. She says: “I’m a lucky person, because I have had good teachers”. Also, she learnt German, because her mother spoke to her in this language, but she couldn’t write anything.

She finished the high school and she had no idea about her academic future. “What could I study?”, she thought. The only one thing she knew it was that she liked the languages, so she started to study Translation at the University of Las Palmas. She’ll never forget the first class, because the teacher spoke in English all the time. “Oh, my goodness, what can I do here? I didn’t understand anything”. Step by step, it wasn't longer a problem. At the University, she met David, known as the Mad Hatter, who was her teacher and showed her how to sing “You are my sunshine”.

She graduated and started to work like a translator in different jobs: in the Reina Isabel Hotel, in a technical office and in a notary's office in the south of the Island. Nowadays, she works in a hotel in Mogan like receptionist, where she is learning Swiss.

Also, she likes travelling and wouldn’t mind living in other place. In any case, she has lived in some cities in Germany: Colonia, Bremen or Munich. She is convincing her boyfriend, the White Rabbit, to live in other country. Meanwhile they take tea at 5 o'clock.

Vanesa (NI2) 

 

Thanks for all your kindness and Christmas cheer!

The NI 2 and NB 1 classes prepared a lovely party before we finished term for the Christmas holidays. Thanks to Magúi for sending me this photos and to all the students who prepared so much scrumptious home-made food.

Season's Greetings

Happy New Year to all my students and friends, may 2012 be full of joy and wonder!