FINAL TASK

First of all I want to say that I know I haven't done the best of mine in 1rst Batxillerat but if I have the luck of pass to second, I will do more than this year. I think I've improved a lot since September 2009, like for example my writings and my speaking.
I think my last presentation about social problems demonstrated that I'm better than the beginning of the year and Lisa had helped me a lot with pronunciation.
I've learned more English with Rebecca and doing the presentations because I think there's nothing better than speak for learn. Songs which we've done in class helped me a lot, too.
I can't say that there's an activity which I didn't find useful because all the work we've done in this year has been great.
I hope next year there will be another English person for do speaking because it's the best that high school can do for us. I think it's the best way to learn languages.
And Lourdes, of course you helped me a lot too !!!!! :)

Have a nice holiday !

THE RIGHTS OF LIFE.

 The right to life is the one with any human being simply because of existing and being alive, is considered a fundamental human right. Eat, rest, play, grow, learn, think for themselves, express themselves freely, work, build, make art, breathe, love and be loved. No hitting, aggression or punishment. These are all basic things without which we wouldn't be human. There are other lesser-known rights, but very grateful when we become aware of its existence. Such is the right of respect. Or the freedom to dream. Imagine another world very far from reality is our only way of escape for a while.Many are the rights of life, but above all, don't believe I'm talking about laws and all that stuff. This is shallow; what I have related is life.

TATTOO

A tattoo is something for the rest of your life. There's no turning back, if you do it, you won't be able to remove it. Don't do a tattoo just because it's cute, you like it or is original or is modern, no. If you really want to do a tattoo, it has to be something representative, something that moves you, something that is really something for you or your family or whoever.

Look at an example... I'm going to tattoo the word "freedom" in Greek and if I do it is because of the mythology. I've always dreamed about freedom but the gods were always free, it was their way of life, their daily lives. And so they didn't see why it granted the name of freedom. And it's something that I nor anyone else ever will, not gods.

ART

What is art ?
Art is generally understood as any activity or product made by humans with an aesthetic purpose or communicative, through which they express ideas, emotions or, generally, a world view.
The artist is the person who makes or produces works of art.

Can everyone really make art ?

In my opinion, art is not only a picture that can make anyone. It is something else. If behind the curves you don't hide any reason of why you drew this picture, is worthless. Draw for something, learns to represent what they feel, what comes over you and what makes you who you are. Put all your ideas together and get inspired in anything and you will see it helps.

NEW: CUTLTURE CENTRAL

Salvador Dalí loved the town of Perpignan. Three years ago a series of clasher took place in the city's street between rival cultural groups. But after that, Perpignan want to demostrated its ability to rise to the challenges of multi-culturalism.
But all this things cost a lot of money and the Generalitat only gave half. So, for win money they decided to do a lot of concerts in all the city for the summer. And there will be an exposition in memory of Salvador Dalí.

Costa Brava Resident - n.32

NEW: PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE

SMOKING IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF AVOIDABLE DEATH IN THE WORLD.

Today, people dies because of lot of thinks, but the most important illness is cancer, created by cigarets. People who smoke have such more probability to have a cancer or a tumour.
The USP Instituto Universitario Dexeus is making treatments for smokers or ex-smokers. But the results of the lung cancer treatment depend on the size of the tumour.


Nature's rebirth - n. 332

NEW: MUSIC FOR THE EYES

There's an exhibition at Palau Robert about photographer Francesc Fàbregas who captured the role of music.
Fàbregas is one of the pioneer photographers in the popular music scene of the period. The exhibition is divided into five rooms and two areas which reflect one of the show's particular facets.

The first area is the 70s, pop music and freedom.
The second area is the European Live-music Clubs.

The exhibition comes to the Catalan capital after spending a year in Sant Feliu de Guíxols as part of the Porta Ferrada Festival.

NEW FROM THE OTO COMPETITION MAGAZINE.

RACISM

These social classes humans created years ago are not only destroying the life of thousands of people. They did something really bad with our mind and ended up making us think that we deserve to have more only because of the colour of our skin. Nowadays one of seven people would act in a violent way against person from another culture. At first sight it seems that people have become more tolerant but that's not true. There are still so many persons which think that it would be correct to erase other cultures from the European map.

POVERTY

Some of us sometimes feel sad because we want to have something but we don't have the way to get to it. Imagine all these little children who didn't even had the opportunity to feel what live is or to do anything bad to deserve the way they are feeling but they are having so much pain because their stomach is blown up because they haven't eaten anything for days. Imagine how it has to feel for a father to come back home after being working for 15 hours and cannot give his family a piece of dry bread to eat. Years ago the Europeans created something called social classes. While there are people who have so many money that they won't be able to spend it in their whole life's there are other people who are dying from hunger and don't even have a bloody piece of cloth to wear.

POLLUTION

Living in the way we are doing, we are not only destroying the nature directly taking out of her the things we want to live in a more comfortable way; we are destroying her in an indirect way at the same time. All the rubbish that comes out of the fabrics we built, all the water we are wasting everyday, all the patrol we are burning without really needing it... All these things are making something different out of the place where we once lived.

TASK: DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

CAMARGUE

This region is very important for me because when I went on holidays there with my ,mother it was like I was in another world, with another different life, seeing another things so beautiful. There I was fortunate to realize my dream, which was run along the beach with horses.
The Camargue is a very beautiful region located in the south if Arles, France. It's like Aiguamolls from here but much wider. There you can find a lot of wild horses and bulls but they aren't dangerous.
The most important city there is Sainte Marie de la Mer. It's the most beautiful city I've never seen. There it's very clean, people are clean, too. In summer there's a little of traffic but when you are in the center of the city, traffic isn't important.
There's a lot of old buildings and that's the thing that make the city so authentic.
People are a lot in bycicle or with roller. They are very king, always smiling at tourists. But it's a quite city, too.
When I thing of this authentic place I feel a lot of freedom and happiness. I feel I need to finish my life there.

ORAL PRESENTATION !

"Now often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key." THE EAGLES

"We all look for happiness, but without knowing where to find it: like drunkards who look for their house, knowing dimly that they have one." VOLTAIRE

This is what I mean when I speak about freedom. Or happiness.

Everyone wants to be free but never succeed if we are always tied to our actions. Or we will never be happy if we never appreciate what we have. We don't know where to look. Humans believe they're strong, 'cause we can build, undo or invent things but this is a false reality. No one is happy if he never found happiness. And sometimes you'll found people who will ask : How can I find it ? One tip, you have to be more intelligent than him. So, you will answer to him: Honey, you can't search for happiness, it just feels when she is presented to you.

Photo by Emma Marley.

WHY DO I LISTEN REGGAE MUSIC ?

This question came to me some time ago and the truth is that I never imagined that there could be a very complicated answer for a simple question. So now I'll try to explain it inspiring the song "Selecta - Thanks and Praise".

I listen to reggae because I understand the rhythm of the music and understand the lyrics of their songs. It is very easy. If the lyrics are sad, the music is slow, but on the other hand, if the lyrics are moved, the music will be faster, as the song I'm listening now.

I don't know, but whenever I listen to reggae, I feel like I stand up, jump and dance and never stop. I feel like running to escape this unjust world and go away, far away. Far from the injustice and the legal and illegal and the law. All these politicians who think much makes me want to vomit.

So I can't explain exactly why I listen to reggae. I don't listen to it. I JUST FEEL IT.

LAST DAY

Stomp your feet on the table.

Stand two minutes, time to breathe and relax.

Enter your name written large on the wall.

There is still space to draw your life.

Shout to the sky the little that you suffer.

Voice you will always have to cry.

Dance salsa to the moon,

she takes care of you.

Wake up, hello morning, how are you today ?

Do you know what I'm going to do today ?

As if today was my last day, I will live as usual.

I will bury me in my dreams dressed in memories.

I will give my poor soul to the sweet land.

I will drown my strong voice to the cold wind.

I will wish to kiss the man who feeds my nights.

I am free, soul passenger, I'll do my own good.

Come on you a spliff in front of your father.

He also smoked as a young man.

Be yourself and kiss this man who so desire.

Sure he will return it without thinking.

Travel anywhere without planning anything.

Foreigners are always welcome.

Dance salsa to the moon,

she takes care of you.

Wake up, hello morning, how are you today ?

Do you know what I'm going to do today ?

As if today was my last day, I will live as usual.

I will bury me in my dreams dressed in memories.

I will give my poor soul to the sweet land.

I will drown my strong voice to the cold wind.

I will wish to kiss the man who feeds my nights.

I am free, soul passenger, I'll do my own good.

EMMA MARLEY SONG !

NEW ! THE GREEN WAY

"Former railway tracks are now cycle routes for all ages and abilities."

The vies verdes, or greenways, consist of a total of 115 kilometres of cycle tracks running through five of Girona's eight counties from Ripollès to the Baix Empordà.

The tracks are divided into three sections: the former Iron and Coral Route (la Ruta del Ferro i del Carbó) between Ripoll, Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Ogassa and Olot, and two formers narrow-gauge routes (rutes del Carrilet) from Olot to Girona and Girona to Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

NEW ! WILD HORSES

"Catalunya is home to various historic animal fairs."

In the small Catalan village of Espinavell (Girona Pyrenees) there's a centuries-old tradition with the wild horses for sell them. It's for negotiate the sale of those animals.

The Tria de Mulats is one of the last examples of the old ranching culture in Catalunya.

For the past 68 years, Cisco de Carol, from nearby Molló town, has spent his summer in a refuge on the mountain looking after the horses. However this year, at the age of 84, ill health forced him to hand over responsibility to a younger man, David Sanromà.

"I like the mountains, I like horses and I like peace, so I like this work" he said.

NEW ! MORE MACHINES.

The government's attempt to reduce childhood obesity is moving from the school cafeteria to the vending machines.

With students eating 19 percent to 50 percent of their daily food at school, the administration says it wants to ensure that what they eat contributes to good health and smaller waistlines.

Representatives of the food and beverage industries argue that many of their products contribute to good nutrition and should not be banned.

Nutritionists say that school vending machines stocked with potato chips, cookies and sugary soft drinks contribute to childhood obesity, which has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

SO ?

NEW ! GAY COUPLES

Gay couples will finally win the right to marry, Downing Street insisted last night, despite an escalating campaign of opposition led by a former Archbishop of Canterbury and some Conservative MPs.

Lord Carey provoked an angry backlash from gay couples and campaigners as he denounced the move as a "hostile strike" on the traditional view of marriage.

Tory right-wingers gave their backing to a new pressure group, Coalition for Marriage, which accused the Government of having no mandate for the move – and claimed the public was on its side.

The Home Office begins a consultation next month on how gay couples can be given the legal right to marry in a civil setting such as a register office. Lynne Featherstone, the Equalities Minister, told The Independent: "This Government is promoting a fair society where people respect each other.

http://www.independent.co.uk/

NEVERLAND...

This film talks about a man who writes plays and who become a friend of a family. This family is a mother and four children who are poor. To achieve the happiness of this family, he decides to write a play for young children in which the protagonists are these four children. The play called Peter Pan. Children's mother became ill and died. But just before she died, he represented the work in this family's home.

This movie is like a dream that any child would live. I don't say that because the mother is dead, no. I say that for being able to dive into another world by the magic of a play. In this film, Johnny Depp manages to make any story becomes a true story but, at the same time totally invented and dreamed. It's like a real dream.

Where will your imagination take you ?

DESCRIPTION: MY MOTHER !

My mother's name is Martine and she is the most important person for me in the world. She gave me life so I will always be in dept with her. But now I want to describe her, especially her character.

First, she is a short person (shorter than me) but for me, she is the most beautiful mother. I really like the way she dresses and when I'll have her age, I want to dress like her.

Now, her character. She's very special. She just understands things that she wants to understand. She's a person who only believes in things that she wants to and that's her big problem. I'm not the girl she wants to have because I'm so different. She has a very strong character like me.

I really hate when she gets angry with me, because she talks a lot and doesn't let me say anything. But she is my mother and I love her !

NEW ! "THERE'S NO EXCUSE !"

This is a new from http://www.portsmouth.co.uk.

Mountains of mess being dumped on our streets and beauty spots are costing council's thousands to clean up.

In Gosport, there were 595 reports of fly-tipping in the last 12 months compared to 840 reports the year before.

Fareham saw 404 reported incidents, down from 563, which coast taxpayers around 22,000 pounds to clean up.

Cllr Graham Burgess, the clairman of Gosports Borough Council's community board, said "Fly-tipping is on the decrease in Gosport because people give us information and it's because of that we are able to respond so quickly.

BRAILLE

Braille system is a method that is used by people who are visually impaired to read and write. It was the first digital form of writing. It's derived from the Latin alphabet.

Braille was invented in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two columns of three dots each.

The Braille system was based on a method of communication originally developed by Charles Barbier in response to Napoleon's demand for a code that soldiers could use to communicate silently and without light at night called night writing.

FRANKENSTEIN !

Victor Frankenstein is a man who was born in Geneva. He always been interested about scientific things so he decided to study it. He was a very good student until he decided to create a monster. Well, he didn't know that this monster will kill people. The monster asks to Victor to create a woman monster for love her but Victor didn't accepted. He wouldn't do anything wrong.

So, the monster started to kill all his family and, in his wedding night, Victor was searching the monster but he was faster and he killed his wife, Elizabeth.

From this day, Victor passed months looking for the monster and one day, the boat found him. He explain all the story to the captain and then, he died.

JAMAICA

This is Lisa's and I presentation about Jamaica. We explain a little about everything like situation, religion, policy, music, food, animals, history,... We enjoyed a lot doing this work because it was a really pleasure for us to share with our friend about our favourite country or island !

Jamaica

View more presentations from Emma Marley

A PIECE OF FREEDOM

Bob Marley's real name is Robert Nesta Marley Drum and he was born on 6th February of 1945 in Nine Mile (Rhoden Hall, Saint Ann Parish), a small village in the north of Jamaica.

His father was Norval Sinclair Marley. He was a captain in the Royal Marines.

His mother is Cedella Booker, an Afro-Jamaican who was 18 years old when Bob Marley borned.

In 1963, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso and Cherry Smith formed a ska and rocksteady group called "The Teenagers". They later changed their name to "The Wailing Rudeboys", then to "The Wailing Wailers" and finally "The Wailers".

Though raised in the Catholic Tradition, Marley became captivated by Rastafarian beliefs in the 1960s, when away from his mother's influence.

In 1972, the Wailers entered into an ill-fated with CBS Records and embarked on a tour with American soul singer Johnny Nash.

Bob Marley was a member of the Rastafarian movement, whose culture was a key element in the development of reggae.

He died in 1981 after fighting the cancer without success for eight months.

CRASH TEST DUMMIES - MMM MMM MMM MMM

This is a really good song that talks about children who don't like their life and who aren't happy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIbcqgXh5-4

LYRICS AND TRADUCTION:

Once there was this kid who / HABÍA UNA VEZ UN NIÑO QUE
Got into an accident and couldn't come to school / TUVO UN ACCIDENTE Y NO PUDO IR A LA ESCUELA
But when he finally came back / PERO CUANDO FINALMENTE VOLVIÓ
His hair had turned from black into bright white / SU PELO HABÍA CAMBIADO DE UN NEGRO A UN BLANCO BRILLANTE.
He said that it was from when / ÉL DIJO QUE FUE DESDE CUANDO
The car had smashed him so hard / EL COCHE CHOCÓ TAN FUERTE.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

Once there was this girl who / HABÍA UNA VEZ UNA NIÑA QUE
Wouldn't go and change with the girls in the change room / NO QUERÍA CAMBIARSE CON LAS CHICAS EN EL VESTUARIO
But when they finally made her / PERO CUANDO ELLAS LA OBLIGARON AL FIN
They saw birthmarks all over her body / VIERON MARCAS DE NACIMIENTO POR TODO SU CUERPO.
She couldn't quite explain it / ELLA NO PODÍA EXPLICARLO EXACTAMENTE
They'd always just been there / SIEMPRE ESTUVIERON AHÍ.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

But both the girl and boy were glad / PERO TANTO LA CHICA COMO EL CHICO ERAN AGRADECIDOS
Cause one kid had it worse than that / PORQUÉ UN CHICO LO TENÍA PEOR QUE ELLOS.

Cause then there was this boy whose / PORQUÉ ENTONCES ESTABA ESTE CHICO CUYOS
Parents made him come directly home right after school / PADRES LE HACÍAN VOLVER DIRECTAMENTE A CASA DESPUÉS DE CLASE
And when they went to their church / Y CUANDO ELLOS IBAN A SU IGLESIA
They shook and lurched all over the church floor / SE SACUDÍAN Y TAMBALEABAN POR EL SUELO DE LA IGLESIA.
He couldn't quite explain it / ÉL NO PODÍA EXPLICARLO EXACTAMENTE
They'd always just gone there / ELLOS SIEMPRE IRÍAN ALLÍ.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm