My best moment at CESL……difficult, because I have a lot of memories, good memories. I think I know which one was the best that I lived, but first of all I have to say that I enjoyed all the time that I spent here, so it is kind of difficult to explain just one. The best experience and the best memory that I am going to remember so much is my birthday, in December 5, 2008.
When I was here the last course I was a little bit worried about that day. It was because it was going to be the first time that I was going to celebrate my birthday, without my friends and family, and in another country, so far away from my “home”. I thought in many things, but the most important was: Am I going to be kind of sad? I also thought things like am I going to miss my friends? Am I going to miss the way that I usually celebrate it? And the answer to all of these questions was just one word: No.
Many things happened to me in that day which made me feel like if I were at home. First of all, when I arrived to the University in the morning, I arrived late to class, and when I opened the door all my classmates where there, and they started to sing “Happy Birthday”. I was so excited and so happy when I saw their faces and also the cake and other thing that some of them had prepared for me.
After classes I did other things with some friends, but the significant surprise happened at CESL party, in the Newman Center. It was a party that CESL organized to say goodbye to “that course”. I was dancing with some friends and the DJ. played Happy Birthday´s song for me! Few seconds later some friends came to me with a big cake and all people that were there, all the students and teachers of CESL started to sing Happy Birthday! It was incredible, all my friends, a lot of friends with me, in this especial day. So that is why the answer to all of these questions is No, because this day I had all the happiness that someone could want in a day like that.
I enjoyed every day, every minute, every second that I spent here. It is going to finish in a few days, and it is going to be really hard to say goodbye to all of the good friends that I have met here. But I am so happy at the same time because I have lived a lot of good moments to tell to my friends, and to remember…forever!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Dont´t be nervous!
I am usually nervous when something important is going to happen, when I have to take an important decision, or when I am going to do something that is going to change my life. What I am going to write is related with what I am doing here right now, in the United States. The decision that I took few months ago, coming here to study English, so far away from my country, from my whole life.
I always thought that when I had finished my career I was going to travel to another country to study English, but I always thought in England, not in United States. It was this kind of important decision that changed my life, and is still changing it.
When I finished my career in June, I was looking for courses of English around England, but something happened that changed my decision of studying there.
I remember my father and I speaking about travelling here, trying to decide what I was going to do. Few days later, when most things were ready, he came to my room and he told me: You are going to the Unites States, everything is ready. When I heard these words I felt this kind of nerves in my stomach that sometimes scared you, because I was going to leave too much things in less than one month and also because it was not my idea time ago. I was going to travel so far to a new country, having to say good bye to many people, and the worst thing, to my family. I think it was the worst thing, because I hate farewells.
I started to be kind of nervous since this day, and during all this month. The days passed by, and every time it was closer the time for me to leave, so my nerves were getting bigger and bigger. Finally the day arrived, but this day I was less nervous than the last days. When I was at the airport my family said me: Don´t be nervous because everything is going to be good, and it was exactly what happened. Everything that I lived here was awesome, and I realized that I didn´t have to be nervous.
Nowadays I am starting to be nervous again, and sad, but in a different way, because I am leaving for Spain in 15 days. This wonderful experience is going to finish. Now I have to say bye to the wonderful people that I have met here, to all of my friends. I am sad and nervous, but I am going to enjoy the rest of the days, like I did since the first day that I arrived to the United States.
I always thought that when I had finished my career I was going to travel to another country to study English, but I always thought in England, not in United States. It was this kind of important decision that changed my life, and is still changing it.
When I finished my career in June, I was looking for courses of English around England, but something happened that changed my decision of studying there.
I remember my father and I speaking about travelling here, trying to decide what I was going to do. Few days later, when most things were ready, he came to my room and he told me: You are going to the Unites States, everything is ready. When I heard these words I felt this kind of nerves in my stomach that sometimes scared you, because I was going to leave too much things in less than one month and also because it was not my idea time ago. I was going to travel so far to a new country, having to say good bye to many people, and the worst thing, to my family. I think it was the worst thing, because I hate farewells.
I started to be kind of nervous since this day, and during all this month. The days passed by, and every time it was closer the time for me to leave, so my nerves were getting bigger and bigger. Finally the day arrived, but this day I was less nervous than the last days. When I was at the airport my family said me: Don´t be nervous because everything is going to be good, and it was exactly what happened. Everything that I lived here was awesome, and I realized that I didn´t have to be nervous.
Nowadays I am starting to be nervous again, and sad, but in a different way, because I am leaving for Spain in 15 days. This wonderful experience is going to finish. Now I have to say bye to the wonderful people that I have met here, to all of my friends. I am sad and nervous, but I am going to enjoy the rest of the days, like I did since the first day that I arrived to the United States.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
My future husband??
Saint Valentine´s day is an especial and romantic day. Most people usually celebrate it but in different ways. What I have seen here is that people celebrate this day also between friends, and in Spain it does not happen like here. For example, in my case I think that this kind of festivity is to be celebrating between couples.
I can think about too many qualities that my future husband should have, but the important thing is to be happy and to enjoy the life.
There are physical and psychological aspects to consider in men. About the appearance of my future husband, he should be taller than me, attractive, with good body. For example, I really do not care about the color of his eyes or the color of his hair. When I meet some boy, what I look at before are his hands and his smile, especially his teeth. But the important thing to qualify someone is his personality. About that, first of all he must be polite. He also must be friendly, good person, with a great heart, loyal, kind, intelligent, smart. Another aspect could be that he must wants to have children, because I think I could not get married with someone who does not want that. Also he should have a job, because I do not want to maintain anybody, and also I do not want to be maintained. He also has to love and to respect my family, my friends, my past, because it is part of whom I am. It is something really important because if there is not respect between two people something bad could happen.
My father is the perfect reflected of how I want my future husband will be. I know how happy is my mother, so that is why I would like to get marry with someone with all my father´s quality.
Nowadays I think about all of these things that my future husband should be and should have, but nobody knows who is going to conquer our heart. So I hope to find someone in the future who makes me happy.
I can think about too many qualities that my future husband should have, but the important thing is to be happy and to enjoy the life.
There are physical and psychological aspects to consider in men. About the appearance of my future husband, he should be taller than me, attractive, with good body. For example, I really do not care about the color of his eyes or the color of his hair. When I meet some boy, what I look at before are his hands and his smile, especially his teeth. But the important thing to qualify someone is his personality. About that, first of all he must be polite. He also must be friendly, good person, with a great heart, loyal, kind, intelligent, smart. Another aspect could be that he must wants to have children, because I think I could not get married with someone who does not want that. Also he should have a job, because I do not want to maintain anybody, and also I do not want to be maintained. He also has to love and to respect my family, my friends, my past, because it is part of whom I am. It is something really important because if there is not respect between two people something bad could happen.
My father is the perfect reflected of how I want my future husband will be. I know how happy is my mother, so that is why I would like to get marry with someone with all my father´s quality.
Nowadays I think about all of these things that my future husband should be and should have, but nobody knows who is going to conquer our heart. So I hope to find someone in the future who makes me happy.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
misunderstanding??!!
I am going to write about a stupid experience that I lived when I was 14 years old. Nowadays, I think that it is stupid but in this moment I did not feel that. It was a mistake that one of my friend committed trying to help me. So because of this, I lived a misunderstanding experience in my life.
I travelled with some friends to a city calls Palencia; it is three hours away from Madrid. We went there alone to one of my friend´s house, without parents. It was really fun, because we did whatever we wanted. The misunderstanding happened when we were coming back to Madrid.
In Spain I do not use to take the underground to move into the city or outside the city. The reason is because I had this bad experience when I was young and now I am a little bit “afraid” of moving in this kind of public transportation. When we arrived to the train station in Madrid my trip to come back home did not finish yet. I had to take another train to go to my house that was outside the city. I usually spent it this return going home half an hour, but the time that I spent was almost 3 hours. Are you asking you how it was possible?
The story was the next: When we arrived I asked to my friend about the next train that I had to take, and she told me which one was the train. So when I was into, I started to see in the screen stops that I did not know, but I do not why, I continued my trip in this train with the hope of seeing my stop on the screen. Finally, the train arrived to the final destination: “Alcalá de Henares”, a place about half an hour away from my house. So immediately I called my father, crying and telling him where was I. Also I asked him if he could come to pick me up, but it was so far so I had to take the same train again, but in the opposite direction.
It is probably a stupid story, but it was a misunderstanding during my youth.
I travelled with some friends to a city calls Palencia; it is three hours away from Madrid. We went there alone to one of my friend´s house, without parents. It was really fun, because we did whatever we wanted. The misunderstanding happened when we were coming back to Madrid.
In Spain I do not use to take the underground to move into the city or outside the city. The reason is because I had this bad experience when I was young and now I am a little bit “afraid” of moving in this kind of public transportation. When we arrived to the train station in Madrid my trip to come back home did not finish yet. I had to take another train to go to my house that was outside the city. I usually spent it this return going home half an hour, but the time that I spent was almost 3 hours. Are you asking you how it was possible?
The story was the next: When we arrived I asked to my friend about the next train that I had to take, and she told me which one was the train. So when I was into, I started to see in the screen stops that I did not know, but I do not why, I continued my trip in this train with the hope of seeing my stop on the screen. Finally, the train arrived to the final destination: “Alcalá de Henares”, a place about half an hour away from my house. So immediately I called my father, crying and telling him where was I. Also I asked him if he could come to pick me up, but it was so far so I had to take the same train again, but in the opposite direction.
It is probably a stupid story, but it was a misunderstanding during my youth.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
France: the most fertile nation in the European Union
Barbara Fernandez
EAP2A
February 3, 2009
In this article, France touts rising fertility rate, Pierre-Yves Roger explains the rising fertility in France. In 2006 France had more birth rates than ever. Because of this situation the population of this country increased and it got a high numbers of babies. The author also tells about others aspects that have influenced to this country and to this issue, such as the government offers, life expectancy increase, and marriages that are still declining. All of these topics are related with the issue that the fertility in France is still rising, and the consequence of this is that there are more babies, in particular in 2006.
There are many countries in the European Union, and France is the one that has the highest fertility rate. It could be related with many factors that probably many countries have, but not in the same way. Births, marriages and incentives could be a big influence in this topic, fertility rate.
The main reason population and fertility increase is births. It is something logical because population cannot increase if there are no births. The increase depends on the number of children that a woman has or wants to have. Of course, there are more factors that have influence, but biologically, women have the control of this situation.
Another issue related with this topic is marriages. In this issue I can tell about children that a couple could have, and children that a single woman wants to have. I think that population and fertility are increasing because nowadays most people do not care about whether they bring up a child alone or with a partner. I respect each of the decisions that a woman can makes, but I think that the best future for a child will be to grow with parents. So the reason fertility is rising is that people usually have children, even if they are not married.
The last point of view is about incentives that the government usually give in this issue. When the government of any country gives benefits for people, it is easy and good for them to make the decision to have children. If you have someone or something good that boosts you to do something, probably you will do it. The decision to have children or not to have them depends on people and their lives, but an important influence is the incentives that people could receive to get what they want. So because of these incentives, people usually have children, and the population and the fertility used to increase.
In conclusion, the fertility of our country is in our hand, we have the control and the power to decide what we want.
Roger, P. (2007, January 16). France touts rising fertility rate. The Associated Press. Retrieved on February 2, 2009. From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/16/AR2007011600720_pf.html
http://spainbarbie.blogspot.com/
EAP2A
February 3, 2009
In this article, France touts rising fertility rate, Pierre-Yves Roger explains the rising fertility in France. In 2006 France had more birth rates than ever. Because of this situation the population of this country increased and it got a high numbers of babies. The author also tells about others aspects that have influenced to this country and to this issue, such as the government offers, life expectancy increase, and marriages that are still declining. All of these topics are related with the issue that the fertility in France is still rising, and the consequence of this is that there are more babies, in particular in 2006.
There are many countries in the European Union, and France is the one that has the highest fertility rate. It could be related with many factors that probably many countries have, but not in the same way. Births, marriages and incentives could be a big influence in this topic, fertility rate.
The main reason population and fertility increase is births. It is something logical because population cannot increase if there are no births. The increase depends on the number of children that a woman has or wants to have. Of course, there are more factors that have influence, but biologically, women have the control of this situation.
Another issue related with this topic is marriages. In this issue I can tell about children that a couple could have, and children that a single woman wants to have. I think that population and fertility are increasing because nowadays most people do not care about whether they bring up a child alone or with a partner. I respect each of the decisions that a woman can makes, but I think that the best future for a child will be to grow with parents. So the reason fertility is rising is that people usually have children, even if they are not married.
The last point of view is about incentives that the government usually give in this issue. When the government of any country gives benefits for people, it is easy and good for them to make the decision to have children. If you have someone or something good that boosts you to do something, probably you will do it. The decision to have children or not to have them depends on people and their lives, but an important influence is the incentives that people could receive to get what they want. So because of these incentives, people usually have children, and the population and the fertility used to increase.
In conclusion, the fertility of our country is in our hand, we have the control and the power to decide what we want.
Roger, P. (2007, January 16). France touts rising fertility rate. The Associated Press. Retrieved on February 2, 2009. From http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/16/AR2007011600720_pf.html
http://spainbarbie.blogspot.com/
Monday, February 2, 2009
Is it fair for the rest of the countries?
Barbara Fernandez
EAP2A
January 29, 2009
In this article, “Babies with benefits: France helps women to have more children”, Elizabeth Bryant explains the benefits that the government gives when women have children. She started telling the story of Ms. King about her decision to have children because of the incentives that she received. She also tells about the situation in France about this issue, the position that France has in the European Union, and the average of children in this country. She continues explaining some things related with these incentives, such as the different points of view that some people give about this benefit for women. Finally, Elizabeth Bryant mentions in her article countries such as Sweden, Spain or Italy, which are related with this issue: Babies with benefits.
In this country, France, it is easy for people to make the decision to have children because of the facilities and the incentives that the government gives. It could be fair or not for people depending on whether they live in this country or not. This kind of incentive could be focused in different ways, and it could be good or bad, depending on each person. Also, if a country has this kind of benefits it could have too much influence on the rest of the countries.
If you live in a country where the government gives this kind of benefits for women you will be happy, and maybe you will not care too much about what happens in the rest of the countries. People are not used to recognizing it, but when you have something in your life that others do not have, you do not give it the importance that you will give if you do not have it. In this case, the incentives that the government gives for women is a really good influence to have children, but not every woman in the world has this kind of facility, so that is why it could be fair or not depending on if you live or not in a country with these benefits. People could think that every woman deserves the same incentives, in spite of the country where they live.
The government of each country chose how to distribute their incentives among the population, and sometimes it could be good or bad depending on the influence that it has in your life. I think incentives which help women to have children are really important, first of all because some day I will be a mother, and because births are the greatest influence on the population’s growth. If the government helps women in that way, it is really good for some families, but on the other hand, there will be people who prefer that the incentives of the government focus on a different issue, because maybe they plan never to have children.
Related with the different countries, these incentives could also have an important influence on this issue. Immigration could be associated with that, because people could migrate to countries that have this kind of opportunity for women, and for the whole family.
In conclusion, incentives could have good or bad points of view depending on the person, the country where you live and also depending on the way that it affects your life.
Byant, E. (2008, August 10). Babies with benefits; France helps women to have more children. The Washington Times. Retrieved on January 22, 2009. From Lexis Nexis database.
http://spainbarbie.blogspot.com/
EAP2A
January 29, 2009
In this article, “Babies with benefits: France helps women to have more children”, Elizabeth Bryant explains the benefits that the government gives when women have children. She started telling the story of Ms. King about her decision to have children because of the incentives that she received. She also tells about the situation in France about this issue, the position that France has in the European Union, and the average of children in this country. She continues explaining some things related with these incentives, such as the different points of view that some people give about this benefit for women. Finally, Elizabeth Bryant mentions in her article countries such as Sweden, Spain or Italy, which are related with this issue: Babies with benefits.
In this country, France, it is easy for people to make the decision to have children because of the facilities and the incentives that the government gives. It could be fair or not for people depending on whether they live in this country or not. This kind of incentive could be focused in different ways, and it could be good or bad, depending on each person. Also, if a country has this kind of benefits it could have too much influence on the rest of the countries.
If you live in a country where the government gives this kind of benefits for women you will be happy, and maybe you will not care too much about what happens in the rest of the countries. People are not used to recognizing it, but when you have something in your life that others do not have, you do not give it the importance that you will give if you do not have it. In this case, the incentives that the government gives for women is a really good influence to have children, but not every woman in the world has this kind of facility, so that is why it could be fair or not depending on if you live or not in a country with these benefits. People could think that every woman deserves the same incentives, in spite of the country where they live.
The government of each country chose how to distribute their incentives among the population, and sometimes it could be good or bad depending on the influence that it has in your life. I think incentives which help women to have children are really important, first of all because some day I will be a mother, and because births are the greatest influence on the population’s growth. If the government helps women in that way, it is really good for some families, but on the other hand, there will be people who prefer that the incentives of the government focus on a different issue, because maybe they plan never to have children.
Related with the different countries, these incentives could also have an important influence on this issue. Immigration could be associated with that, because people could migrate to countries that have this kind of opportunity for women, and for the whole family.
In conclusion, incentives could have good or bad points of view depending on the person, the country where you live and also depending on the way that it affects your life.
Byant, E. (2008, August 10). Babies with benefits; France helps women to have more children. The Washington Times. Retrieved on January 22, 2009. From Lexis Nexis database.
http://spainbarbie.blogspot.com/
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Spain:a good place to have fun!!
What I am going to write here about my country is not probably the most important think about it, but I want to do it. It is true that I could write about many places, cities of Spain, people´s habits, but I am going to write about how Spanish people enjoy the party. J
The reason why I want to do this is because of I am here and I know how American people do it, so I can compare both countries. Another reason is because most American people like to go out and have fun, so I think that if they read what I am going to write they would be fascinated. The last reason is because I love to go out with my friends during the weekends, for listening music, dance and drink something.
The big difference between these countries, in this topic, is the schedule of the clubs. In Spain clubs usually close at 6 am, and here at 2 am. It is a big difference; we have 4 more hours to enjoy the night. I think American people will go “crazy” with this schedule (in the proper sense of the word).
In Spain you could go to a bar or a discotheque every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and spend there 7 hours if you want. But people do not use to do that. For example, I use to go out from 1am to 6am, but here at this time (1 am) bars are almost closing.
Another thing that people from Spain are use to do is, after going out to the clubs, go to eat breakfast, but not just a regular breakfast, you go and eat something called “Churros” and you dip it in hot chocolate, and it is really good. Also the drinks that they give us in Spain are way stronger because they put half alcohol half soda, here is complete opposite, they only put a little of alcohol and like ¾ of soda, and I do not like that. You can smoke into the clubs and nothing wrong happen.
An important think in this issue is that the legal age in Spain is 18 years old, and here are 21. I think it is the most important difference between these countries, because if you are not this age you cannot do all these things. In Spain the legal age for drinking and driving is 18. I do mention of this because it is amazing that in this country the legal age for driving is 16, but the one for drinking are 21.
Having written it appears that Spain does not have “good things”, but it is not true!
I just wanted to explain how I usually enjoy in my life during the weekends, and the differences between my country and United States in this issue. J
The reason why I want to do this is because of I am here and I know how American people do it, so I can compare both countries. Another reason is because most American people like to go out and have fun, so I think that if they read what I am going to write they would be fascinated. The last reason is because I love to go out with my friends during the weekends, for listening music, dance and drink something.
The big difference between these countries, in this topic, is the schedule of the clubs. In Spain clubs usually close at 6 am, and here at 2 am. It is a big difference; we have 4 more hours to enjoy the night. I think American people will go “crazy” with this schedule (in the proper sense of the word).
In Spain you could go to a bar or a discotheque every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and spend there 7 hours if you want. But people do not use to do that. For example, I use to go out from 1am to 6am, but here at this time (1 am) bars are almost closing.
Another thing that people from Spain are use to do is, after going out to the clubs, go to eat breakfast, but not just a regular breakfast, you go and eat something called “Churros” and you dip it in hot chocolate, and it is really good. Also the drinks that they give us in Spain are way stronger because they put half alcohol half soda, here is complete opposite, they only put a little of alcohol and like ¾ of soda, and I do not like that. You can smoke into the clubs and nothing wrong happen.
An important think in this issue is that the legal age in Spain is 18 years old, and here are 21. I think it is the most important difference between these countries, because if you are not this age you cannot do all these things. In Spain the legal age for drinking and driving is 18. I do mention of this because it is amazing that in this country the legal age for driving is 16, but the one for drinking are 21.
Having written it appears that Spain does not have “good things”, but it is not true!
I just wanted to explain how I usually enjoy in my life during the weekends, and the differences between my country and United States in this issue. J
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