WELLCOME TO THE LAND OF SHTIS

"Wellcome to the Land of Shtis" (2008), is a funny film wich was directed and stared by Danny Boon. Most of the film set in Bergues, a small village at the North of France, although a few scenes was filmed in Paris. It's a big French comedy which shows us the stereotypes from lands in the North of France: the bad weather, village manners, different speaking habits.

Because of several problem in his job, Philippe Abrams (stared by Kad Merad) who is a postal service manager in Paris, is sent to work to the Lands of the North. That supposes the worst thing for him and his family. So, he decides to go there alone, while his family is in Paris. The stars of the film are famous French actors and actress.

The film starts showing how a postal service manager is moved to Bergues to go on working, because he tried to cheat a work test to improve in his job. Bergues is famous for its bad weather, it has a different way of speaking (in spite of being in France), people are rude. First, Philippe feels frustrated, he only goes back to Paris twice a month, later, he finds out that people are generous, kind, charming and finally, he even prefers to stay in Bergues than go to see his family at weekend.

I strongly recommend this film because, although the film wasn't shot in special locations, and the soundtrack, costumes and special effects aren't important, but is shows us how much the value of friendship can be in our lives. The film was nominated for important European awards. Any sequel was filmed later, but a few years later, an adaptation was shoot with the same plot but the setting was in the South of Italy, though the result wasn't as successful as the original version.

"ANITA, THE FANTASTIC"

"Anita, The Fantastic" is the nickname of Ana García Obregón is known for us.

She studied Biology although she became an actress when she was very young. She played a film in Hollywood though it didn't success, the she came back to Spain and she worked in the entertainment world: film and theatre actress, dancer, fashion model, manager's TV shows. 

But she's really known because she has always been a show woman. She was the first girlfriend of Miguel Bosé but they broke up soon. After several partners, she had a crush on Fernando Martín, a famous basket player, but unfortunately, he died suddenly. However, she went on with her crazy love life, and she often showed new boyfriends in the magazines. And, of course, every summer she showed everyone, her perfect body in a swimsuit in Mallorca's beach.


She never got married but she had a son with Alexandro Lequio, despite the fact that they never got on well.

Now, she's sixty and she seems more sensible than before, although she carries on having different boyfriend each season.

THE ANECDOTE

This happened a few years ago when my daughter was four. One day, we went together to buy at a supermarket. Even when I always tried not to go with her because she often wanted to catch things that I didn't need.

I was sure that I was going to argue with Núria, my daughter. Although when I finished to fill the basket, Núria hadn´t still asked me for anything.

Then, I payed the bill, I put the things in my bags and we went out. Suddenly, when we were crossing the control exit, a high whistle started to sound and the shop assistant and the rest of customers looked at us.

Núria had hidden some chocolates into her little bag and I didn't notice that!!!

Finally I explained the assistant what had happened and payed the chocolate that Núria had taken. When we arrived home and I told my husband, we all laughed a lot because, after all, it had been a joke.

SPORTS

Last weekend we were in an incredible sport hall in Valencia. It's a big sport complex in the middle of the city.

There was a pool where, in spite of the cold weather, two people were swimming in it. Also there was a court to play basketball and handball, and several courts to play tennis. Near it, there was a football pitch and at that moment, the local team was playing an amazing match against another team.

Local fans were angry because local team's captain got a red card, because he kicked another player instead of the ball. He was sent off the pitch. The coach didn't agree with the referee but he couldn't do anything, so the match went on.

Like it was a cold day, we went to have a hot coffee into a café. There were people who were sitting in pairs and were playing a chess tournament, it loocked like quite interesting. Other people were watching a motorcycling race on TV, and they seemed amazed.

We got off again and went to the athletics track. Some children were warning up because their competition was going to start in a short time. One boy told us that although they had trained for many days, his friend got his leg injured the day before. The race started when the referee blew his whistle and, at the end, the boy who had talked to us, won in the last lap.

Finally, although we hadn´t done any exercise, we arrived at home very tired. I think I must start working out more often. Maybe I'll ask for fitness classes in the gym near my house. But...tomorrow.

"SPEED DATING ON SAN VALENTINE'S DAY"

      Once again, our dear teacher organised a new Speed Dating because of San Valentine's Day.

  Again, we had to prepare some questions to ask our partners for three minutes, so we could know them better. This time, our questions had to be something about love and in that way, our teacher gave each of us one "spicy questions" that she had made and it was compulsory to ask our partner.

     We also had to wear elegant clothes and look smart in a Valentine style, women with a small heart or some flower on our chest, and men with some tie or a small heart too.

     In the end, we had to writte the name of the person which had flirted the best with us in a card, and the winners were ....

     We enjoyed this activity a lot and I'm sure that, at this time some couples are starting a new relationship.

     Here there are above some questions I prepared for that meeting:

• What are you looking for in a relationship?
• When you meet a woman for the first time, do you kiss her on both cheeks or do you only shake her hand? What do you think is the best option?
• When you go out for dinner with a woman, who should pay the bill?
• Do you think is correct to leave her at home or does she have to go home alone?
• Imagine you are having a dinner with a woman who you've just met and with another couple who are common friends, and they are all the time kissing. What should you do?
• What do you think is the worst mistake men shouldn't make in a relationship?
  

GAME OF THRONES

 

 "IN THE GAME OF THRONES, YOU WIN OR YOU DIE"

     In our last English class, my classmate Maite and I had to make a presentation about the 7th episode, season 1st, from the famous TV serie "Game of Thrones".

     We has prepared that exercise for two intense weeks and then we started our presentation. Firstly we both explained something about the episode: the characters, the stories that had just happened, etc. Then we divided the episode in two parts, so she made 5 questions with several answers, and I made five questions more, in the same way and our mates had to say the correct answers. 

     We also prepared a little game, similar to the "hangman" game, where the rest of the mates had to be able to guess all the letters of a main sentence about the episode, and every time one person guessed some letter, we gave him/her a sweet. There were some people who got a lot of them!!! In the end, Sergio was the person who guessed the whole of the sentence, and he really got a beautiful present, a big diploma that he can hang in his bedroom.

     Maite and I had a good time doing that presentation and I hope the rest of the mates had a good time playing with us. 

Thank all of you for your participation!!!!

FOOD AND COOKING

Food is very important in our lives. According to some researches we should do five meals a day. One of the most important ones, is breakfast. If we have a good, healthy breakfast we’ll fell better all the morning: at school, at work. I usually have coffe and milk and a toast with olive oil for breakfast.

 I normally eat at home with my family. Every evening I cook lunch for the following day and then, when we get home grom work, we have a delicious hot lunch, although we sometimes eat out at weekends.

In winter we often have hot dishes at lunchtime: soups, potages, rice with meat and vegetables. And we always have fresh fruit for dessert. In summer is completely different. We eat a lot of fresh salads or fresh tomate soap and, of course, a lot of fruit.

In the evenings I often cook some grilled fish because it’s very healthy and its proteins are better than meat proteins.

My husband and I normally have a cup of wine at lunch and the rest of the day we have water. There is something that my family never forget to eat, a bit of the chocolate. We always have it after all meals. It makes us fell happy and more relaxed.

Someties I need to cut downon some food because I have a bit of overweight. In these days I also practise more sport than I do normally. At the moment there isn’t any food that I need to cut out from my diet.

My family usually like all kinds of food: meat, fish, vegetables, fruits. We don’t have problems with any of them, although I prefer eating meat more than fish. I also prefer cooking boiled, baked, steamed vegetables and roast and grilled fish or meat because these ways of cooking are healthier than frying cooking.

MANNERS

People think that good behaviour depens on age. They think that young people aren’t as polite as old people, but its’s wrong. Good manners depend only on the person.

Lately, one of the most important causes of bad manners is because of mobile phone’s use; we shouldn’t talk loudly or shout on it in social situations: theatres, cinemas, meetings and we should switch it off. If we need to keep it because we are expecting an important call, then it’s better to put it on vibrate mode, so we don’t disturb anyone.

We should never have intimate conversations in front of the other people or when we’re talking to somebody face-to-face. It’s inappropriate, especially when we’re in a bank, shops, etc. It’s insulting not to give people who are serving you your full attention.

Also, we must be careful of other kind of bad manners, for example when we are a guest in others people house. we always have to offer our help to our host with the housework: to lay and to clean the table at lunchtime, to make the bed, to tidy our room. So, when we’re invited in somebody’s house, we should take a present, we shouldn’t arrive late for lunch or dinner, and the most important thing, we must never criticize the food; if you don’t like it, I’m sorry, but you have to eat it, at least a bit of the dish. It’s also very important not to start eating before everyone else. And we must never eat and talk at the same time with our mouth full of food. It’s incredibly nasty.

Of course, we must never smoke in public places or public transports. It’s really a horrible annoying habit.

I also think that we must always say “please” when we ask someone to do something or say “thanks” when somebody does something for or to you. It’s better if you say these words smiling. They are very polite expressions.

Actually, if we behave a bit better, we’ll fell a lot of happiness.

My first essay

Hi Tom,
     Sorry for not writing earlier, but I've just foung a new job and I've been a bit busy.

     First, I want to thank you and your family because you were very nice to me. I felt vey comfortable in your house and it was an incredible experience that I won't forget in my life.

     Since I came back from UK, I've noticed that I'm not afraid of speaking English. In fact, last week I had an interview for a job in an important travel company and I got it.

     By the way, my brother Juan would like to meet you. Your personalities are vey similar, both of you are funny, hard-working and really self-confident. Although my brother is sometines a bit bossy.

     I promise to write to you as soon as I can to tell you how my new job is going.
    
     Looking foward for hearing from you soon.
     Best wishes.

PD: I've attached the gazpacho recipe. You asked me wanted.

The Forger

Hello guys, it's my first commentary in the blogg. I hope you like it.

     The plot is about an unknowed painter called Sharp who forges famous old paintings. Then his daughter helps him to steal the original paintings from important museums and put the forgeries in their place.

     They work for Orton. He's owner of an importat art gallery, and he sells the original paintings to other collectors.

     The police tries to capture Orton, that's why they introduce David -the main character- like a Sharp's assistant. The mission is very dangerous because two killers work for Orton.

     The characters are:

Add caption

- David: the young painter

- Sharp: Ther forger, about 65

- Karen: forger's daugther

- Orton: owner of Art Gallery

- More: inspector of police

- Harry and George: killers

     I like this novel because it shows the world around paintings smuggling. The book uses different grammaticals structures that I know and I can understand how they are used.