MY ENGLISH PROGRESS

I think that the thing that has improved more in my english is vocabulary, especially in connectors and verbal forms. Before I only say "but", "and" ... I have also more fluent because I know more expressions and ways of saying things. Having this kind of practice to write (blog) helps to improve. My language of the first post is very flat, without using more verbs apart of present and past simple. Learn the "would", "conditionals" ... helped me to express my ideas. I may even have become more critical to discuss facts and ideas and I usually give more my opinion.

On the other hand I don't see an improvement in my oral presentations, it might be also because I don't like it and I don't do it with interest. I keep getting nervous. Also, I don't practice the pronunciation because I don't talk a lot and I can't improve it. But, if you really want to improve your pronunciation is best go to England a few weeks, but I'm not motived with it.

To sum up, there is an improvement in writtings, especially in the critical spirit, I think that's why I have more verbs and vocabulary to express it. Oral presentations, against, no, but i think that is because I don't like it.

MY ENGLISH COMPETENCE

I selected my presentation of the TDR and one of my latest publications.

I selected TDR presentation because I think it was well. The content was worked intensively by and I had defended it before, I had clear ideas about. Anyway I've never been proud of my oral presentations. It is the one with more scientific and polished vocabulary but against may be the least interesting or pretty (like Expoterraria,  that had lots of pictures).

The publication is simply because the last term, with the tools of connectors and having more knowledge of verb forms I can have a big improvement. Things are better expressed and there isn't a lot of repetitive and rigid lenguage. They also contain critical opinion, that although other publications also have them, were special for that, but the last ones include it inside a narration of facts. I think it's interesting to be able to express your opinion and know that you are doing well.

In the end, I think we've arrived at the end of the course well prepared for selectivity and the university, although languages have to be improved every day. In my studies, but, I doubt I miss practice because I will look for documents in English or done classes in this language.

If we meet one day I will explain to you.

But now... it's time to relax amd be lazy! Take it easy!

NEWS: TALAIXA

Link to Olot TV

As I said Before, in other post, the refuge of Talaixà WAS Destroyed by unknown.

I don't understand the why walking up two hours (minimum) and then steal and destroy a place that offers an opportunity and a necessity in the mountains, besides being a beautiful place.

The guard, who had mounted a small room for his family, is a very sympathetic and helpful, he lit a fire, talked with us... and he has made everything with the time. This refuge began to be reformed by Rodri, an old man who looked after cows. He was helped by scout groups...

I think that police won't caught them, but if they do, I wish them a good pain, which won't happen because a refuge doesn't have much interest in the media. If it was the home of Telma Ortiz, although if they only had stolen a garden gnome, we had been noticed and the thieves would be searched even for the Interpol...

I love the mountains and these actions hurt me.

ON ROUTE

This Easter (as we haven't homework or exams) I went with a friend to do one route of 4 days in the Garrotxa. Although some parts were very tired (I'm not very fit and we have to carry things for 4 days up and up) I passed a very good time. I enjoy walking in the mountains and I like challenges, I knew it was going to suffer, but for me it's the most interesting, improve yourself.

We started in Sadernes and slept in the refuge of Talaixà, that recently I saw in the newspaper that it was destroyed, vandalized and stolen (very sad). We went down to Sant Aniol d'Aguja, a very nice place, I always recommend it. We slept in a chapel in ruins because the refuge of there was also destroyed (it was so cold and wet that at the next day my hands were swollen all day... I was remembering those who destroyed the refuge and their families). That day we climb on the Bassegoda, one of the most beautiful peaks I've done because you see many things. That day we had to sleep in the refuge of Bassegoda, but ... surprise! No, I wasn't destroyed (physically), but they have asfalted the road up there and was full of people who have gone by car who don't understand that you are tired, and were all very unpleasant, so we were a bit angry and left.

We traveled four days by bad ways but only down the stretch (refugee - Albanyà), asphalted, in our feet grew three blisters, we get more tired that in oll the route and our feet ached all night. People only know how to destroy. That stretch isn't very tired, I made it with children of 8 years (in 3 or less hours). But you can leave the car down... why doing something that costs an effort? At the end we can make some tops with mechanical stairs, is something that make me very sad.

SPRING

Spring is here. While it isn't my favorite season, because it starts the hot and there are many insects (I'm a prototypical girl and the insects make me a little disgust), colors enter to everywhere and everything becomes capable to being photographed (Maybe I have an obsesion, but for something we have to live). I like flowers.

Sometimes I've been more than a full hour taking pictures at the same flower. Curious the multitude of forms that nature can make. The green color is very friendly and photos of spring are usually friendly and pleasant, the flowers, with they color put a touch of happiness. In my house we have many rose bushes and for some weeks my father always put flowers and everything smells like roses, it's nice, a bit of relaxation to enter into the room, have a good day and be happy, oh no, tomorrow we have an exam ... (come on, isn't so horrible! (the importance of false motivation to keep on something that you hate)).

Well, the flowers are beautiful, an obvious conclusion because their function is to be beautiful to attract insects. Spring is the personification of living nature, it born each year, exploits, beautiful.

A couple of pictures of flowers to put colour in the blog. The second one is happy and friendly, but the first, in spite of all I have been saying, search the staility and the pace, that's why the colors are blue, more dark, backlighting... there isn't only one way to treat the tings.

RIVER

I'm more of river. I don't like beach because there are many people, you get full of salt and when you leave the water you put full of sand.... horrible. I don't know why much people love the beach. It's all very annoying. It's something I can't understand. My biggest problem is the sand, salt is passable because with a little water goes. But... the sand! I hate the sand. I can go diving with a boat because we don't touch sand.. but go to the beach...

But in the river everything is different. The water is fresh, more silence, you hear the water flowing and dancing. You see the fish on the shore who come to see what are your feet (and if they can eat them) and also tend to be cooler. But to go to the river you have to know where to go, the most closer to where it borns. The water runs clean and fresh, smells good, you can even drink it without any problem.

But like everything, it is becoming more accessible, i will come a day that will be as the beach, and people will throw things that pollute. I think it's better to have to walk a little and then get the reward of a bath in this beautiful place, not to park the car next, make two steps, place the towel and... shout “Jonataaaaaaaan no te meta pa lo hondoooooo!!!”

BESALÚ

I would like to talk about Besalú. It's a beautiful town and the bridge is spectacular, I have a special emotion with it, I love that bridge and take pictures of it, although I am not making a lot of pictures on issues of architecture.

Its shape, its location above the river... gives it a really medieval appearance, is like reliving that time and wait that at any time will pass a knight galloping. At night it is illuminated and takes a mysterious and almost sinister tone.

Passing the bridge you enter to the old town with stone streets and old houses. As an important city for jews its structure has narrow and angular streets, with tall houses.

I recommend visiting the city because it is a place near here and bautiful.

Here are a couple of photos I've taken of the bridge:

MALTREATMENT

Last week I heard about a girl that I met when I was younger that has been in the hospital for the beating of her boyfriend. What about men who hit their couples? And... what about the women who are next to the men who hit them everyday?

Maybe we can say that the education of the man is the guilt of his actuations, but, with the information, the laws... they can see what will happen, and do it again and again. Some of them will kill his couple and then, only then, when they see the limits of their actions, commit suicide, escape from themselves.

I think that they aren't conscient of their actions, how badly is their behaviourism and that's why they can't solve the problem. Besides, the woman shut up. They shut up for fear, for “love”, for a feeling that something can change, but the change can't arrive if nobody notices it.

One philosopher said: “One relationship has to be ended when you receive more bad passions that positive ones”. I think it's a good base to judge a relation. It's like a chemical link, they has to produce a couple with less energy, more stable... better. You join the others to be better, we have to be conscient about it, and don't leave your life for “love” (what love can provide of a man who hurts you everyday?”)

MONTBLANC 2012

The medieval fair of Montblanc is, for me, the best one in Catlonia. All the citizens take part on it. It's managed by people of the city, not by the town hall, and that's a very interesting thing because therefore all the town take part on it. When children are young they are dressed like jesters, next year they'll have a drum and will play it around the fair.... etc. The implication of the citizens is the best goal that a medieval fair (and a lot of other fairs) can arrive.

The town of Montblanc is where they say that St. Jordi killed the dragon. It's circled by a big medieval wall that makes the environment perfect. The stands are in little streets, concentrated inside and around the wall, and all the day you can find actors in the street, or jesters, actuations of medieval fight...

They make a fair of 5 days, with night parties for the young people, actuations for the tourists, and, the most important thing, the participation of a lot of population. All of it is managed for a  group of men and women that haven't any relationship with the city hall more far that the quote. Also, they manage it more well that a lot of other medieval fairs of Catalonia.

I think the only important thing, but, is the suport and colaboration of the town, they love the medieval fair and they help to make it improve, beucause are they who made it, not others who only think in money and interests.

NEWS: Two blind British men have electronic retinas fitted

The medical development has been amazing in the last century. Now, some blind poeple can get back a part of their vision, seeing shapes and shadows. Imagine that you have been blind, seeing only darkness, for years, and now, you return to the light world one day. What an amazing experience.

We can't imagine what a blind person can feel when he get back some vision. Someone can say "Only lights and shapes?". But, imagine you can't see nothing, it's very difficult for a blind person move around sites that they don't know. They can't see the environment. If you see, ONLY lights and shapes, you can see cars, doors, windows, people comming to you... You can move around with more independence.

Now it's only a matter of fact make the step from shadows to colours and more definition. But, if the governments still making cuts in investigation maybe we only can return to the prehistorical age.

NEWS: AFRICA

BBC news about hunger

The news explains the general famine in Africa and the money that's necessary for help. The organitzations, nationals and internationals need money for projects. The hunger comes for the drought, the low technologies....

In Africa famine is a very important problem. Hunger is the more important cause of death in the world, including the "developed" countries. It's hard think about how here we waste food (supermarkets, restaurants...) and then see the people there, with nothing to eat, with the death for shadow.

With the "crisis" here in Spain people starts to haven't money for food. They have a home but can't pay the basic products, but, we aren't in the Africa situation, I think that you can't know what's happening unless you can see it.

What we can do? Not many things... send food, ONG's... little things. But, it's better to don't do nothing. I wish that the situation will improve in the future.

FORMAL LETTER - ENVIRONMENT

Elvira Fina
C/ Mur 1
Castelló d'Empúries, Girona 17486


March 20, 2012


United Nations Environment Programe Comitee
United Nations Plaza
New York, 10017 USA



Dear United Nations Environment Programe Comitee,

I'm writing to share a concern about environment and nature protect.

Society is trying to instill people to be healthy, but ... humans can be healthy, but we still depend of a major structure, a patriarch, the environment.

People can stop dirtying their lungs with tobacco smoke, can drink mineral water, can cut down forests to have fields and can build houses with more modern heating and electricity for the winter.

However, we are polluting the air our breathe with more toxic pollutants than tobacco, we are dirtying the rivers where someday we will take the water that us drink, we are eliminating the habitat of thousands of animals and plants that produce the oxygen to breathe and we are spending resources making a dirty energy full of wastes.

We are blind and can't see that we are killing his own mother? When we will look back and see where we came from and who sustains us?

With this worry and faithfully,


Elvira Fina

HUMAN RIGHTS

I have made 35 correct answers in the quiz, now I will try to answer the questions.

1. What are human rights?
The more extended definition is that the human rights are "the inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being."

2. Why were they created?
They were created to avoid the big tragedies of humanity.

3. How many human rights are there?
There are 30 human rights.

4. Which human right were you not familiar with? Mention an example where this human right is respected and where it is not respected.
I choose the Article 7: "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."

I think this article is respected with the most part of the population, ordinary people. In my opinion isn't respected when the accused is an important man or woman, or they have sympathy with the government... see Camps, Urdangarin...

ORAL PRESENTATION - TDR

Link to Oral Presentation video

It wasn't very difficult to translate the script but when I make a presentation in catalan or spanish I follow it verbatim, and I explain more or minus things seeing the situation, or maybe I explain an anecdote... and I never memorize the original script because I always say it different. What I'm saying is that for me express things in english is very difficult and I have to memorize the scripts. But when I prepared it for the oficial presentation I memorized little things that weren't in the script and when I'm doing it in english, memorized, conflicted in my mind.

Also, I always get nervous and forget things.

Why UAB?

Next year I want to study in Universitat autonoma de Barcelona (UAB). I don't want to live in Barcelona because there are a lot of people, noise... I like the feeling that the campus did in me the first time, it's paceful and for students.

I like to live in Bellaterra but I prefer to have a room for my self and if i can't enter in a individual room probably I will search a flat in Cerdanyola or towns near UAB. For me is important to have a personal space and, apart, i do a lot of work at night, and if my roommate don't share this way of work can be problematic.

I'm interested in the student flat live because I think that's important for the development of all of us. It's a style of life where you have to be independent, self-sufficient, take responsabilities... It's an important stage for create ourselfs final personality and habits.

I don't know with who I'm going to live, but I think that if we connect, that can be a important stage for me, and I will learn a lot of things.

NEW: Spanish town to grow cannabis to pay debt

I saw that new in "La vanguardia" one week ago and i couldn't understand what I was reading. But, yes, thats true, a town in tarragona started a plan for solve the debt... make a plantation of cannabis.

That's for an association of cannabis users, for own consumition. Well... the first thing I try to imagine was the security of that grow zone... I could see mountains of people pretending to catch a little part for them. And there is the funny one who burn the plantation, and, c'mon, all Tarragona happy for one afternoon!

If this is a question of own consumition, they can grow it in their home, because the law allow it, with little restricions. If you only need for you don't need a plantation. Grow them in your house, in a fresh air, with good conditions, controlling the atmosphere... that probably will be better!.

I don't know why this association need a camp zone, but I think that isn't for clean reasons because for the personal consume you can grow them in home.

Now the lawyers are discussing it. I'm interesting in how can end.




New from BBC

NEW: LOW INTEREST IN TE YOUNG COMISSION

The town hall organized a reunion with the young entities of Castello. Many members of AEiG Xots (with me and Maria), the vocal of Empuriabrava (Lydia), Senyors del Foc, etc. The objective was to search what, in the young view, the town need or what has to renew or delete.

From the town hall were two councils (youth and education) and the tecnicals of sports and youth.

The new says that there weren't a lot of participation and that's a topic that we spoke about. In castello the teens don't participate in things, interesting ones like excursions can't be make because of it. Why? We don't know. Teens work in groups but for the youth tecnical is very difficult motivate them to do activities. Now, the tenns are conformists, and only want comfortable activities... like see the tV. In what kind of society are we walking to?

The last example... in the Cau, for children of 12/14 years we organize activities that in other sites thay can't find... and we only have 6 boys of this age. Makes me think... are we consenting too our teens? In a few years we will see the results...



New from Emporda Tv

SEX IN THE SAME ROOM

I saw this piece of news and I freaked out. The notice is that a girl complained the campus because they don't help her with her problem: her roommate has too much sex. But, too much sex, near her! Meters, in the same room! The girl suffered depressions and attention deficit disorder... with suicide attempts!

Probably I don't complain the campus.... I call a mental institution for that roommate! She hasn't shame? I can't imagine it. Her and her boyfriends, apart from disturbing attempted in the health of another person.

The present society need more and more personal attention, but that isn't it... that's worse, that only can be called histrionical personality disorder.



http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Roommate-Sex-Lawsuit-Stonehill-College-Boston-141205123.html

HEADS EXCURSION - ST. GENIS

In our cau, we think that make excursions with all the heads is important for the group. Reciently we went to "Sant Genis" a very little hermitage in the mountains near llança.

We arrived at Llança at the morning and ate something. The head who prepared the excursion explained what we were going to do. The plan was follow the easy way that's marked. But.... some days before had rained a lot... We couldn't find the road at the first time, but asking and crossing one little river and a factory we found it. The day started with an adventure!

We can arrive at the hermitage following the PR signs (yellow ones). Most of the way was relatively flat, but the last 100m were a torture!! We arrived at the hermitage sweating and panting. After a little relax, we started the dynamics. We put in pairs and took a paper where was written an history that is about a problem that a head can have in a cau (problems with the children, other heads, parents...). We had to find what's the problem and thought about how we, or the person, could solve it. We put all in common and was very interesting and useful.

We had lunch with a tupper-buffet and played some games after the descent.

A useful and good day!

Now.. a photo of me thinking "Can the water be more cold?"

CARNIVAL

This year me and one friend decided to make our personal costume. We decided two days before carnival, and started very fast. We wanted a costume about Link, the main character of the game Legend of Zelda. We went to Figueres and bougth the green cloths and the sword.

All friday afternoon we were doing it, making the patrons and sewing the dress. Luckily we had the help of my mother that sew a lot with the machine while we were basting the patrons. We went to the carnival party of Roses with the disguise freshly made. I think that was simple but eficient I like the result.

In Roses, at 4.00 am, one boy opened an extinguisher into the enclousure. First of all I saw a "volcano" but when I was thinking "oh, lovely" I saw people running with faces of pain and the group of people who are there dragged me outside. When I felt the extinguisher I discovered how painful is it! An hour later I still feeling a strange sense in the noise and mouth... and I was far of the boy who opened it!

We went to Sant Pere and Castello parties too, and enjoyed a lot the carnival with our personal customised custom!

CORTEO

I February I went with one friend in Barcelona to see Corteo, the new show of Cirque du Soleil. That's about how a clown imagine his funeral. Seems dismal but was a very acrobatic and beautiful show.

Cirque du Soleil is the best circus in the world and they work to hold it. They have the better actors, but, my point of view is that they know how do a show. How manage de clothes, scenery, music... in this show they have a curtain across the stage that fill up over the tent. The clothing is all made by silk. The stunts are fine, calculated and fluid, always around the history.

Someone told me that for Cirque the Soleil made a new show profitable they must be minimum 6 years on tour! Imagine how giant must the inversion be.

Live in circus should be hard. Always moving around the world, without a stable home and that's why I admire the circus actors. They only live to make show and make happy other people, you, us.

Now it's still in Barcelona, if you have a free day I recommend it to you.

ROC DE FRAUSA

In Febreuary I went to Roc de Frausa, the largest mountain in Alt Emporda.

We went to la Vajol at 9.00 am and left the car. We started to walk on a forestal road until found a fontain. We drank and continued walking. At the middle of the way we visited the ruins of one castle (very little but with a fantastic view of the area). Two hours later we arrived to the Salines Refugee and visited an hermitage thats in a cave. We drank and started walking another time, after ate a lof of chocolate (sugar!!). Now the slope was bigger and it tired a lot our legs. One hour later we arrived at "Moixer", where RTVE has an antenna. Roc the Frausa was only 5 minutes from here. We lunch, a omelette and frankfurt sandwich, and relax. We had started walking 5 hours ago!! At the top of the mountain we found snow and had to walk some time on it. We decended by another way, very, very beautiful, but sometimes with 50 cm of leaves!

Eight hours later we arrived at the car. A fantastic day! And then... sleep at nine o'clock. For my surprise the next day I could walk.

It's a very beautiful and peaceful route and I recommend it to all people who likes nature and trekking.

MY IDEAL PARTNER

My ideal partner has to live closer to my town to be able to see him often and should be similar age to share interests.

I like men taller than me, broad-shouldered and well-built. He sould do occasionally sport to be fit. I'm not interested in pale-skinned and very thin men. I like long curly brown-haired with fair eyes, but that's not essential.

After these physical interests I have to say that for me is more important that my partner has an open-mind, can be patient and rather tender, but he has to leave me a bit of independence when I need it, definitely I can't be with a man that's always controlling me and saying what I can or can't do. If you are these type of man be aware! You have to be interested in nature and trekking and accept my passion for animals.

In conclusion, maybe, my ideal partner may be a dog. I know that a perfect man is impossible to find. In my view everyone has negative things and the better way to solve them isn't pretending to change them, but accepting and thinking that is his personal personality. All that stuff is what does a person different, and you fall in love with all man, with positive and negative things. We all have a dark side!