April 2007
BBC Learning English Goodbyes and Hellos
April is here and it's sunny in London which makes me happy. But I'm also sad because the start of this month means it is time to say goodbye to our March student blogger, Lidia.
Lidia, March has been a great month, filled with regular blogs from you. It's been really interesting hearing about your life, your work and your conferences. I hope that you've found the experience useful and fun and that'll we continue to hear from you on these blogs encouraging our new bloggers. Good luck in the future and best wishes from all of us at BBC Learning English.
Saying goodbye also let's me say hello. I want to wish a big, warm welcome to our new student blogger, Ana Paula, from Brazil. As is usual, I will let Ana tell you more about herself through her blogs. Have fun Ana!
I'll be back again in May.
Bye
Paul
posted on Monday, 02 April 2007 | comment on this post
My first blog!
Hello everyone!
First of all Iīd like to thank the BBC staff for this great opportunity. Iīm so glad for being the student blog of this month!
Well, here we go, my first blog, so let me introduce myself. My nameīs Ana Paula, and Iīm from Brazil. I live in São Paulo state, in a city called Mogi das Cruzes, where I live since I was born.
Mogi is well-known in São Paulo as one of the cities that make up "the state green belt", due the city provides the majority of the vegetables to our state. However, donīt fool yourselves my friends. Mogi is not only an agricultural city. Nowadays there are many companies set here, and the city also has its facilities. Mogi is just fifty minutes far to the beach coast ( even though the beach is so near I never go there, you can imagine how pale I am now!). In addition if you take a train in an hour you are arriving at Paulista Avenue ( the São Pauloīs capital heart) enjoying the capital facilities such as exhibitions, theater, great movie theaters showing films from many parts of the world.
And thatīs one of the things that I really enjoy living in Mogi.
Ok, I guess is time to say good bye. I have to go work now, but tomorrow Iīll be here and Iīll tell you a little bit more about me.
Best wishes,
Ana Paula.
posted on Monday, 02 April 2007 | comment on this post
Nice to meet!!!!
Hello Alex and hello everyone.
A little note to Leila from Finland. Paula is not my last name, itīs also my name. Although in some Brazilian families Paula can be a last name, however it isnīt my case.
In the year that I was born, it happened a "Ana Paulaīs baby boom!" Every single baby girl who was born in the end of the 1970īs was called Ana Paula! Ok, maybe Iīm exaggerating a little bit. Anyway, Ana Paula is a lovely name, isnīt it?
Well, handsome man? Where is he? Where is he? Ah... itīs you... I can see now! ( Iīm kidding ) [ :) ].
So, how was your sunny day? Was it a fresh day? Did you enjoy it? I hope so.
Here the sun is shining too, by now we are in the autumn, but the hot weather persist, and itīs unbearable. There isnīt a sign of a soft breeze coming, and I have to work dressed with heavy securty clothes and boots (later Iīll talk about my job). Alex you canīt imagine the sensation. Itīs look like the sun is burning your skin. Iīm always spreading sunblock in my face and hands, that most of time are exposed to the sun.
We are suffering with this crazy weather, due the men donīt pay attention to the Nature warnings. Itīs our own fault.
Little by little all the world population are becoming more concious about the situation, and they are trying at least steady the global warming.
I can tell you that grammar is my weak point. Actually the mistakes that you pointed out are constantly in my writing. I need to improve them.
Iīm preparing to take the FCE exam, actually I just started the course last Monday. So, all help is welcome.
Best wishes,
Ana Paula.
posted on Tuesday, 03 April 2007 | comment on this post
32 degrees!!!!
Hello Alex and hello everyone.
Iīm glad to hear that you have enjoyed the sunny weather. Iīm melting! And I really would like to have this "cold weather" here. I thought Iīd never say(write) this, but... I missing the autumn!!! I want to feel that freeze wind in my face and get my nose red because of the wind, anyway... nevermind!
In fact, Iīm going to get a holiday for Easter, and Iīm looking foward for it! I always spend Easter with my family (today Iīm going to talk about them) and we never travel, once my mother is very catholic and she likes to follow the Easter Triduum cerimony. However I`m planning to go to the movies on Saturday ( Iīm a huge filmsī fan).
Brazil is the biggest Roman Catholic nation in the world, Then this week has a strong meaning among catholic people. We fasting all the week, and on Friday we donīt eat any meat, itīs time to reflection, itīs time to purify our soul and like this on Sunday rebirth with a brand new one.
Iīm very interesting to know about the "weird" egg-rolling game, I wonder how this game is... anyway, tomorrow youīll tell us.
On Holy Saturday we have here a weird traditional too, which most of the children love it, at least me, my sisters and cousins, when we were children loved it. I didnīt find the exactly meaning in English , but itīs somenthing like "Punch the Judas". Itīs weird, but itīs really funny. Tomorrow Iīll tell you more details.
As weīre talking about holiday and youīre going to travel to visit your family, Iīd like to talk about my family too. I live with my mother and two sisters, older than me ( which the ages I donīt reveal, even I was under torture, If I did, maybe tomorrow I wonīt be here blogging with you!) [ :)]
My mum, Dirce is a homemaker, sheīs the centre of our home. Sheīs a strong and kindhearted woman, and also is a very supportive mother. My dad passed away twelve years ago, so our home is a womenīs home.
We share the household shores, so we donīt overload my mum, and also we donīt overload anybody.
Roseli, my elder sister is our guide tourist. She knows everywhere in Sao Paolo, and she loves to travel, especially to Rio de Janeiro. She studied law and works with consumer rights at a mobile phone company in Sao Paolo. We just see each other on weekends, due she arrives too late of her job, and I leave home early to work.
My other sister, Rosana, is sweet and kind, sheīs always by my side when I need her. Sheīs a secretary at a dentist office, and recently she won a scholarship to the university! Sheīs studing social work, and sheīs doing well. We are so proud of her! I hope I can also get a university scholarship. That is my dream!
What I like most is when we spend the Saturdays afternoons together, weīre sipping coffee or tea and talking about our lives. I really enjoy their company and Iīm so glad that we get along very well.
And you? Do you have any particular day of the week to enjoy the company of your famly? If so, please let me know.
Oh Alex, in the end of your blog I could read something that I really liked to know .
No way! Youīre kidding! Darth Vader is my hero too! We have to talk about it when could be possible.
Ah... about my job. I donīt work at a petrochemical industry. However chemestry is the soul of the business [ ;) ].
See you tomorrow. May the Force be with you.
Ana Paula.
posted on Thursday, 05 April 2007 | comment on this post
My job.
Hi Alex and hi to all my virtual friends.
I really enjoyed reading your comments. Thank you to all who sent them.
I guess Alex that youīre in your way to Easterīs Holidays, so probably you wonīt blog today.
Letīs move on! Iīm going to tell you about my job today. Although chemestry is the companyīs business soul, I donīt work at a petrochemical industry, just like our friend Aaron. The company that I work deal with galvanization of screws for a very demanding segment: the automobile industry.
But do you know something about the galvanization process? If you donīt, let me try make this subject clear to you.
The galvanization process consist basically in cover a metal with another coat of metal ( in this case, zinc or phosphate of zinc) in order to give it more resistence to corrosion. There are huge machines which through electrolysis process( we call baths), galvanize those screws in the first stage. In the second stage they are put at large ovens, in high temperatures ( more than 200šC) to remove the hidrogen inside of screws. They stay in this ovens for some hours ( now you know why, besides the weather Iīm feeling melting) and in this way guarantee more resistence to the torque tension.Then they receive one more zinc coat, and a passivation, which is another bath, that gives more protection to corrosion to those screws, and at last they are dryer and put inside boxes to the final inspection. So, my job is keep those baths in balance in order to guarantee the quality of those screws. I do this through chemical analisys, and I also inspect the visual appearence of them. I work at this company as a quality inspector and also as a chemestry analist. Thatīs what I do for living. When I took the chemestry technician course together with high school, Iīve never thought that a single screw needs to such complex process. I really enjoy being in the lab, doing some experiments, and seeing where they are going to lead me. However I have to admit thatīs a quite stressful job, because it demands too much of me.
I hope that I didnīt confuse you with my humble explanation. You know that my English isnīt very good, and you can imagine that my technician English doesnīt exist! [:) ]
Reading your comments I could see lots of interestings questions about my country, which along this blog Iīll try to answer them.
Yuriy, Iīve translated your comment to my mom and she totally agreed with you! So, we made a deal. Iīm going to the movies at the matinee, and then Iīm going to the church with her. Humm... letīs see... [ :) ]
The film that Iīm going to see is 300 by Frank Miller. Iīve read an article about it, which said that the film it isnīt historically loyal to the real facts, and it just worths for the fantastic special effects. Iīd like to see it because there is a brazilian actor in the cast, who besides being strinkingly handsome, just like our teacher, is also a great actor.
I really love it the movies! Further Iīd like to write a blog about it, and for sure I want to hear from you about your favourite films, and share our opinions.
In the title of my last blog 32 degrees means 32šC, the temperature in Mogi das Cruzes in that day. I didnīt find the buttom that corresponded to degrees. Fortunately my sister Rosana came in my help.
My family and I wish to you Alex and all our virtual friends a wonderful Easter.
Ana Paula.
posted on Friday, 06 April 2007 | comment on this post
Holy Saturday.
Hi Alex, and hi everyone.
Iīm going to tell you about the weird traditional which is set on Holy Saturday here in Brazil. Itīs called " Burning the Judas" or "Punch the Judas".
The custom reminds Judas Iscariotīs death. He was the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a kiss for 30 silver coins, later, regreted for his behaviour, he commited suicede hanging himself .
So, in some Brazilian cities, especially in the countryside cities, itīs used to make a Judasīs effigy ( in the Judaīs face, generally itīs put a picture of a corrupt politician) and the people go out in the streets punching him, and then hanged him, and near of the midday burning the Judasīs effigy.
For children this traditional is lighter. In the early morning they are in the streets with their "Judas" stopping in every neighbourhoodīs grocery store, asking for sweets. You can hear their joyful voices shouting: Tricks or sweets! We want sweets! Then, the grocer come out, and give them some sweets and chocolates. If he doesnīt do it, the children donīt go away, and they start to punch the Judas, saying that the grocer is stingy. Defeated, the grocer doesnīt have any choice. He gives the sweets to the children, and they go away, happy for having reached their goal, and looking for another "victim".
At the midday they finished their "Punch Judas", and share their sweet profits among them, full of joy and eager to tell to their parents all the adventures that they have during the morning, and already looking forward to the next Holy Saturday.
Does in your country have a similar traditional?
Have a nice Easter holiday.
Ana Paula.
posted on Saturday, 07 April 2007 | comment on this post
Monday, Monday...
Hi Alex, and hi all my virtual friends.
How was your Easter? Mine was great! I hope you have had a pleasant time.
Today is Monday and Iīm back to work, the holyday finished to me and I have plenty of things for doing.
As I told you, on Saturday I went to the movies to watch 300 by Frank Miller. Thanks God that I went to matinee session, which the ticket was cheaper, or on the contrary I would spend money for nothing, because the film was... the film was awful! Ok, Iīve known that it wouldnīt be a masterpiece, however, I expected a little bit more. And Rodrigo Santoro! Gee! When he opened his mouth to speak, what came from there was a artificial voice, terribly ugly.
Besides that I was very disappointed, at least Rodrigo could do well, but... nevermind!
Later, when I was at home Iīve picked one of my favourite Hitchīs films to watch, Rebecca. Nothing is better than a good classic to forget a terrible film. Isnīt it?
Katya from Moscow, Russia, asked me about Jorge Amadoīs novels. Heīs very well-known and highly respectded here. Many of his novels were adapted to TV, and also to films. Iīve read Capitães de Areia (Capitains of Sand), though he isnīt my favourite Brazilian writer. My favourites are Clarice Lispector, Machado de Assis and Guimarães Rosa.
The focus of their novels are the psychological drama, therefore what distress the human being mind and soul, and in some novels, especially Clarice Lispectorīs novels ( I adore her!), the writing is so dense and intense, that could be compared to a poem. Simply delightful.
The Clarice Lispectorīs book that I like most is " Uma Aprendizagem Ou O Livro dos Prazeres ( A Learning Or The Book Of The Pleasures), which tells the story of Lóri, a woman in seach of herself, and in search of the understanding of just "being". This book is in my beside table, and I always like reading some passages before I go to sleep.
Some of those writers were also inspired by a great Russian writer, Dostoievski. I do love his novels, and my favourite Dostoievskiīs novel is The Karamazov Brothers ( The Idiot is a wonderful novel, too).
Itīs the story of three brothers and their horrendous father. Suddenly, the father appears dead and one of the brothers, who always declared openly that he hated his father and would kill him, is accused of his father murder, and then the question is: does the son kill or not kill his father? Wow... itīs amazing. Did you read it? Or do you have a book that is your favourite one, and you always read it?
Best wishes,
Ana Paula.
posted on Monday, 09 April 2007 | comment on this post
Poor Alex!
Hi Alex, and hi my virtual friends.
I think thereīs some delay, because just today I could read your Fridayīs blog.
So, how are you feeling? Are you better? Oh, I hope so. I suppose that you didnīt eat any chocolates. Did you?
Despite Iīve never had in my whole life a toothache, I do have a tip for vanishing toothache, but I guess that when you read this, youīll already have gone to the dentist. However, if you want to try, just in case, here is the recipe: put on high heat some salty water with three little bunches or the pomegranate fruit itself, let boiling for 5 minutes, and then turn the heat off. Just wait until to reach the environment temperature. After that, wash your mouth with this solution. Thatīs it! My mom tryed it and she told me that the resulted was pretty good.
Among the blogīs readers, I think there is a dentist. Adriana youīre a dentist am I right? Sheīs the one Alex, that can give you the right tips about your toothache.
As soon as Iīve read your blog, I immediately started to work in the anagrams. Here is the answers:
2- resistance;
3- hydrogen;
4- analyst;
5- analysis;
6- button.
I hope that the words are correct now. Iīll be waiting for the correct answers.
Oh... talk about films is something that I really love it! My favourites are... hmm... this is hard to say, because there are many remarkable films! I love Hitch and Frank Capraīs films. I have a little collection of their films at home. I enjoy looking for Hitch in his films ( he always appears quickly in it). I like Rebecca, How to catch a thief, Dial M for murder, and so on. Well what I can say about Capra?... Oh, his films are so poetical, full of beautiful scenes, like in Itīs a wonderful life ( the scene of James Stewart and Donna Reed on the phone) and Mr Deeds goes to the town ( Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur are at the restaurant, when he calls the musicians to play a song for her, so beautifu!). Have you ever watched one of them?
Of course that just like you, for me Star Wars and Darth Vader have a special place in my heart. This film is amazing! When I was a child, my dream was being a Jedi Knight! Even though, a woman couldnīt be a Jedi Knight, I did want it. Can you believe that?!
The films that you mentioned Iīve also watched and really enjoyed, especially Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind. Jim Carey is great, isnīt it? Now Zoolander... itīs silly, but I like Ben Stiller, heīs so funny [:) ].
By the way, Iīd like that you make one thing clear to me. Iīve watched The Godfather, I know, Al Pacino and Marlon Brando are great, however, I never couldnīt understand why are men so addicted about this film? It seems that the film has, how I can say (write) that... a strange fascination among men. At least among my cousins it has this effect.
Nine in ten men if you ask about their favourite films will mention The Godfather. How come? Please, let me know, what is The Godfather secret?
Wow... I guess my todayīs blog was too long. See you tomorrow.
Thanks for sending your comments, I really appreciated and Iīve read all of them.
Good night,
Ana Paula.
posted on Tuesday, 10 April 2007 | comment on this post
A hectic day!
Hi Alex, and hi everyone.
How are you today?
Hey! Itīs really good to know that your toothache is better. Nobody deserves to have this kind of pain.
Ah... Even with toothache you put your egg to roll ( Can I say that?)! The egg-rolling seems to be a very funny traditional, I would enjoy roll my egg down the hillside, however, I have to confess that I canīt draw anything.
Hmm... so you have a cousin called Lydia, and sheīs four. Once I talked about my family, could you talk a little about yours? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Please let me know.
Today Iīm tired. My feet are aching. I had to prepare many reagents in order to
analyse the baths, and after that, I had to analyse them, therefore we are facing some problems in the production line, so I couldnīt stop even to have my coffee break! All the time people are calling us ( the lab staff), asking us if we found one way to solve the problem, and we donīt. I feel quite frustanting when I donīt have the answers. Have you ever faced a difficult situation in your job?
Some of you asked me if Iīm reading some interesting book. Actually I am. The book is Brick Lane, by Monica Ali, and Iīm reading it in English. It was a recommendation of our previous teacher blogger, Stephen Keeler, and Iīm enjoying very much! By the way Paul, could you drop few more hints about what Stephen will be doing, hmm? What do you think?
Soyoung, of course I remember you, and I remember all that beautiful pictures that you showed us. I was so glad to see your comment in my blog. I started to follow those blogs in January, when you were the student blogger. After that, I didnīt write very often, sometimes I sent some comments to Webcast. Those blogs are my classroom. I began to develop my writing skills here. My native language is the Portuguese, and I donīt have much contact with the English language, once I have English classes only twice during the week, and Iīve never been abroad Brazil, so BBC LE is my link to the English world.
Just one more thing. Iīd like to say ( write) to Sawai from Thailand that I wouldnīt want to be rude calling you virtual friends. Indeed we are friends, and sorry, I wonīt call you virtual friends anymore. Ok?
Good night, have good dreams,
Ana Paula.
posted on Wednesday, 11 April 2007 | comment on this post
Brazilian food.
Hi Alex, and hi my friends!
How was your day? Mine was good. By now is 17:45 and itīs raining cats and dogs here in Mogi. However, there is a mild breeze and the sound of the falling rain is very pleasant.
In one of the previous blog comments, Farida asked me about Brazilian food. So, today Iīm going to tell you a little bit about our feeding habits.
Our every day meal basically consisting of rice and beans. If you come to Brazil and stay with a Brazilian family, rice and beans will always be in your plate, and served together with them a piece of meat, poultry or fish, and in some homes, like in mine, soya protein instead meat ( itīs delicious), complemented with lots of vegetables and salads, and a fruit as a dessert.
The Feijoada is our typical dish, and itīs really delicious, however I have to say that even me, as a Brazilian, think that some ingredients are very weird. But donīt be afraid of try it! You wonīt have any regret about it.
Itīs a very well seasoning stew, made of black beans, pork parts and dry meat. Itīs served with rice, collard green, cassava flour and a peeled and sliced orange. Itīs a strong dish, then it isnīt eaten every day. Just in special occasions, such as a baptism of a new familyīs member .
My mother is from Minas Gerais state, therefore, our taste of food is very influenced by her origin state. My favourite dish is chicken with ocura. Itīs a stew of chicken and ocura, which I eat with brow rice and beans. Itīs really delicious.
Moreover the ocura is rich in fibres, and the viscous liquid that the ocura has, and some people think itīs disgusting, is very good for stomach diseases. And how about the desserts? Oh my God! Thereīre a wide range of them, worderfully prepared, that make any person on a diet give it up immediatelly. I love to have a slice of Minas cheese with guava jelly, or the slice of Minas cheese with fudge. Hmmm... the softness of the salty cheese mixed with the sweet of the guava jelly or the fudge is superb!
And you? Do you have any fauvorite food? And dessert? Whatīs your fauvorite one?
Iīd like to say thank you for all the kind comments that I received in my last blog. Even more Iīm feeling confident to write, and Iīm enjoying very much this experience.
Thanks Paul for answering my question about Stephen. Iīm looking foward to read his column.
Good night, See you tomorrow,
Ana Paula.
posted on Thursday, 12 April 2007 | comment on this post
Friday the 13th.
Hi Alex, and hi everyone.
How are you? Finally the weekend comes.
Wow!!! Thanks to talk about your family, they seem to be great people, and you have a large family. You probably have lots of fun with them. Something similar happens to me when I walk down the streets with my mother. However itīs among her friends. It seems that my mom knows every human being in our neighbourhood, and all the time she has to stop to say hello, and talk about the weather and so on. Sometimes is annoying, but in the other hand, itīs so good to see how much people like her, and enjoying her company.
Hey, are you a superstitiouns person? I just remembered that today is Friday the 13th when I was brushing my teeth before I go to work. Iīm not a kind of superstitious person, actually the only thing that I donīt like to do is pass under a ladder ( this means that you are in trouble), but I just do it in order to prevent an accident: something can falls down on me, and thatīs would be a bad luck indeed!
I donīt mind if I cross the street and meet a black cat, do you? Today TV will show horror films, which in the end the villain always appears ready to attack a brand new victim, and spread lots and lots of blood on the screen. Iīm not a fan of this kind of films, so Iīm going to watch CSI today.
Although Iīve heard about Samuel Beckett books, Iīve never read any of his books. Ops! Itīs my fault. Could you recommend one of them to me?
Now, I read Kafka, but only The Metamorphosis, wich I enjoyed very much.
Errr... Excuse me, excuse me. Letīs change of subject. Whoīs the strange one here? Hmmm, hmm?
Itīs not me strickingly handsome teacher, who thinks that fish are vegetables ( Iīm looking foward to your explanation), and besides that, maybe weīre not talking about the same fudge. Mine is made of milk, suggar and butter ( Iīm not sure about the butter), and sometimes to improve it, itīs used to put grated coconut or pieces of dryed plum. And moreover the Minas cheese is a perfect complement. If the Minas cheese wouldnīt be perishable, I would send a Sedex straight to Oxford Street contents the Minas cheese and a jar of Minas fudge to you, and then Alex, you would taste a delicious dessert [ :) ].
Iīm not vegetarian, I just enjoy eating health food, and of course, I must need to eat health food, due I have high cholesterol levels in my blood. Although I have healthy feeding habits and work out everyday, my cholesterol never goes down. My doctor says that is due my stressful routine, and there is also a relation with my background genetic. So it was a long time ago that I ate my Minas cheese with hmmm... fudge. And Feijoada I didnīt remember anymore when I have it. Thanks God that chicken with okra ( yes Alinor, itīs frango com quiabo, I think I spelled wrongly, thanks for your explanation), itīs a light dish. Oh, by the way, okra is a vegetable.
Farida I would love your country food, it sounds delicious. Many thanks for your invitation. Some of the ingredients are familiar to me, once there is a small muslim community here in Mogi, and I could taste some of their dishs. And about the pictures, I donīt know if I can show any to you, because I donīt have a camera, so... I owe this for you.
Adriana I read about the Capixaba food some years ago, and sounds great. You are a lucky girl! You live near Garoto, am I right? Garoto makes my favourite chocolate, Talento.
One more thing! I almost forget! Alex I liked the egg-rolling picture.
Have a nice weekend, see you on Monday,
Ana Paula.
posted on Friday, 13 April 2007 | comment on this post
Akimatsuri
Hello Alex, hello my friends.
How was your weekend? I hope that it was good.
Ok, I think we arenīt going to agree about the dessert subject. Nevermind! CHEESE WITH FUDGE is really, really good, and you donīt know what youīre missing, Alex. Anyway... Ah! Iīve never could imagine that youīre a vegetarian, ops!, a pescatarian man. When I read your last blog, I donīt know why, I just thought that you would say that youīre crazy about meat. I untill imagine you in a barbie devouring a huge piece of meat! I was totally wrong!
In fact fish is really delicious. I like to prepare fish filet with a tomato sauce and carrots, itīs very good.
Enough of food! Letīs talk about the task! Hmmm... I tryed to fix the sentence Alex, letīs see if now itīs correct:
If the Minas cheese wasnīt perishable, I would send a Fedex straight to Oxford Street.
Iīll be waiting for the right answer in your next blog.
Today Iīd like to write about a festival that happened in Mogi last weekend. Itīs called Akimatsuri, or the Harvest Festival. In Mogi, there is a huge Japanese colony, which the majority of their members are responsible for the Mogiīs green belt production, and with the Japanese immigration, many of their traditions were brought to Mogi, and one of them is the Akimatsuri.
Aki means Autumn, and Matsuri correspond to Festival, so, in this festival they thanks the gods for one more year of good harvest, and then, they pray for them asking for their protection, in order to keep the diseases and the bad weather away.
Moreover there are various events set in the Akimatsuri, such as: traditional music apresentations, typical food, exhibition of fruits, flowers and vegetables.
One of those fruits is the caqui. Do you know it? The caqui is a very sweet and juicy fruit, which looks like a tomato, and nowadays is very used to prepare jellies, pies and cakes. Mogi produces caqui in large scale, and the city is kindly called as "the caqui land". The Akimatsuri is a beautiful festival, where we can learn and enjoy a little bit of the Japanese culture. Here are some Akimatsuri photographs:
Ah! I almost forget ! Alex Mosky! I really appreciated your comment. I enjoyed reading all the previous blogs, however, I have to confess that I really liked and found your blog superb. Your writing stile is very witty, and I wish one day I could write just like you.
Hey! Good news! Youīre in USA! Youīre having the chance to pratice your speaking skills.
Marina, from Russia, I read the Dostoievsky novel Crime and Punishment and I loved it, and I also read The Gambler, White Nights, Notes from Underground, The Idiot, and Iīm looking foward to read The Insulted and Humiliated, however, books here in Brazil has an expensive price, especially those ones which donīt have the pocket version ( cheaper version).
PS- Thanks Alex for the book recommendation, I`m already looking for Waiting for Godot at my virtual bookstore.
Good bye, see you tomorrow,
Ana Paula.
posted on Monday, 16 April 2007 | comment on this post
Never mind!
Hi Alex and hi my friends.
Oh Alex! I totally agree with you. The readers are very smart people, who are good-natured and thereīs no doubt that they have their heads screwed on, and due this my dear teacher, of course, they agree with me! Why not? Otherwise they would have agreed with you, what didnīt happen. Haha, sorry. Only people with such incredible characteristics, and develop taste know that CHEESE WITH FUDGE is something marvellous,is something superb, and moreover, I dare to say that CHEESE WITH FUDGE is a gift from the gods, and just few people who donīt develop their sense ( you Alex, and Antonio are among them), donīt understand the delicious simplicity of this unique dessert, salt and sweet together, Romeo and Juliet as itīs called in Brazil. I really, really feel sorry for you guys. Anyway, life goes on, and if you change your mind, just in case... Iīll be able to do this favour for you, and a lovely Sedex will be arriving at Oxford Street, for you, just for you Alex.
Ok, you got it! Nirvana was one of my favourite bands when I was teen. Who doesnīt it remember of the cute baby swimming after the dollar bill? Hmm? Tell
me. Itīs a good album indeed. And I think because this I made this silly mistake. Never mind! Iīll never forget this!
I guess you read my mind! In my way back home after I left my work, I was thinking in talk about music, and then when I opened your blog page there was the title Music! Very nice!
Hey, wait a minute, do you have a band? No way. Do you have something recorded? Can you show us?
When I was teen I tryed to learn how to play guitar, I was keen to learn it in order to play my favourites songs, however, guess what? I only learned one song, which you can imagine how terrible I played, so I gave up to torture my parents with the noise of my guitar, and my dad gave the guitar to my cousin, who plays it beautiful.
I have a very eclectic taste for music. I love MPB, I hear all the gods and godess of our music, however my favourite are Beto Guedes, Djavan, Cazuza, Maria Bęthania, Marisa Monte, Adriana Calcanhoto, etc. Ah! Itīs very difficult to find one that I like most, because they are all very good. Now the Brazilian rock bands that I adore are Legião Urbana ( Renato Russo the vocalist was amazing), Paralamas do Sucesso, J Quest and Ira!, however I think you donīt know none of them.
Letīs talk about worldwide known bands and singers. I love it U2, I think they have great songs, especially the old ones. I also like Alanis Morissette ( I used to have a long hair just like her), Phil Collins, Rick Ashtley, Madonna, Loreena Mckennitt, Metalica, Nirvana, and of course The Beetles, they are the best.
And as all Latin American girl I have to confess that when I was 8 years old I found myself totally crazy about five guys from Porto Rico, yes it were them, my Brazilian countrywomen maybe remember them, hmmm girls, I was crazy about Menudo ( the Latin America boyband), and Ricky Martin was my favourite one, I had a T-shirt with his photograph, can you imagine that?!
Ah! Besides that I love Italian music, I gues itīs because when I was a child my mother loved to hear this songs, and when I hear this songs nowadays, it brings me pleasant memories. I like the old Italian songs and I also like to hear Eros Ramazotti and Laura Pausini.
Ok, I think I`m going to stop here. If I put all the bands and singers that I like it in this page, I probably wonīt finish to write my blog today, so letīs move on and rearrange the words ( I donīt know if they are right, I felt a little dizzy when I looked at the computer screen).
2- I will be late tomorrow morning, if I stay out tonight;
3- If I ate cheese with fudge, I probably "would not" feel sick;
4- If I had not written this blog today, I would have gone for a walk in the park instead.
I hope you enjoy the concert.
Best wishes,
Ana Paula.
posted on Tuesday, 17 April 2007 | comment on this post
Do you dance?
Hi Alex, and hi everyone.
So, how was the concert? Did you enjoy it? Did you sing along your favourites songs? Hmmm I hope so.
As yesterday we talked about music, I think that today we can talk a little about something related to it, dance. Do you dance or do you know how to dance a especific style of music? Well, I have to admit that Iīm a totally disaster dancing.
Ok, maybe my friends can read this blog, and then send a comment telling you that Iīm a liar, that I can dance, however, donīt give any credit to them, because you know, they are my friends, and they like me.
I donīt know why, I think even Freud couldnīt explain the reason that I let they convince me that I had a great potencial as a dancer, and so I went to take some Brazilian dancing classes. Actually it was very funny, because when everybody turned right, I turned left, and when the instructor said: move your hips like this, now! ( in Brazilians dance, you have to move your hips a lot) I tryed to repeat the movements without any success. It seemed that my body was unable to make them, without I look like a rust robot. Learning to dance those rythms are quite hard, besides that Iīm not a fan of Axe music, and I discovered that I wouldnīt be a new Ginger Rogers, I guess if she were alive nowadays, she would never danced Axe music. Then I decided to continue to move my body according to the song rythm, and of course, far, far away of the eyes of any human being. Itīs beautiful to see people who can dance very well, though Iīm not one of them.
And you? Have you ever taken dancing classes? Do you have any funny experience with dance, that you could share with us?
Leila asked me about my fauvorite cheese, it is the frescal cheese ( fresh cheese), which is round, white and low fat content, perfect to eat with fudge which here in Brazil is not like a toffee, itīs made of milk, sugar, sometimes there is butter in it, though the fudge is very creamy, and you can also use it for filling cakes.
Thanks to Alinor and Leila. I couldnīt find the word in Englsh for caqui, now I knew is persimmon, and I already wrote down in my notebook.
Good night, see you tomorrow,
Ana Paula.
posted on Wednesday, 18 April 2007 | comment on this post
Soap Opera
Hi Alex, and hi my friends.
So, what did you think? Hmm, hmm? Am I right? Of course I am. You certainly feel, that your horizons are broaden now, and sunddely, just like in a moment of revelation, a single and small bite of this delicate dessert could show you how close-minded you were, and even worse! In a moment of regret you remember that you said that your sweet student was having a bad influence on the other students, how wrong you were! Haha! I think this was an unforgettable experience for you Alex, you donīt need to be a corageous man to try cheese with fudge. I hope that you tried the right fudge. Anyway...
I reviewed your explanations about conditionals, and I tried to fix the sentence:
" If she were alive nowadays, she would never dance Axe music."
Iīll be waiting for the right answer.
Well, soap opera is a "national mania". Itīs an inexpensive way of leisure which demands of you just to have a TV appliance. In ever single home, market or even at the bakery, where is a TV turned on and it isnīt footbal match day, you can bet that what they are watching is a soap opera. There is a type of spell which glue people in their sofas, and they donīt move and donīt make any noise while they are watching it. People want to have the characters lives, which is always full of luxery, money and journeys around the world, and besides that the sopa operas are set in stunning places, like Northeast of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, etc, and the actors and actresses are dazzling beautiful.
Basically the soap opera story is about the struggle of the good and evil sides, there is always an envy villain trying to become rich through ilegal methods, and he/she develops the most crazy plans to split up the main couple in order to spoil their happiness and destroy his/her opponent. Therefore the soap operas have their social side. Most of them nowadays are trying to bring up some social issues, such as the rise of criminality in the cities, organs transplants, campaigns to find missing children, and so on. The soap operas authors, insert in it characters who are passing through some of this situations, and in this way, they make the population empathise with them, and change their point of view, in order to rise the organ donations, and find missing children ( many children was found when a soap opera author brings up this issue in her story). Moreover I think is a trend among authors, to unite entertainment with social issues, and like this make the society discuss about them.
Are the soap operas a commom entretainment in your country just like is here in Brazil?
So long friends,
Ana Paula.
posted on Thursday, 19 April 2007 | comment on this post
Proverbs and Sayings.
Hi Alex, and hi my friends.
How are you today? Are you ready for the weekend? I hope so.
Do you have any proverb or saying that you like most? Is there anyone that your wise grandmother always told you and you kept in your mind? I have one.
When I was a child and went to visit my grandparents, after I had lunch my grandma used to give me an apple as a dessert, and she always said to me: "eat this fruit kid, because you must know that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", and then she stroked my hair and kindly ordered: "go to play! "
Since then, the apple become one of my favourite fruits, besides the apple being a delicious fruit, very rich in fibres, which are very good to reduce high cholesterol levels, when I eat one, I always remember my grandma advice, and the magic moments that we spent together, I close my eyes, and I can clearly hear her pleasant laugh, hmmm... this memories smell and taste like an apple. Therefore I belive that the saying is totally right, because in my case the sensations that eating an apple bring to me, keep any doctor away, it isnīt only due the fruit being good to health, in fact, itīs also due the happy memories that makes me fell confortable and less stressfull, the memories that make me come back to my childhood.
Iīd like to say to Eni, from Brazil, that cheese with guava jelly (queijo com goiabada) and cheese with fudge ( queijo com doce de leite), in my city are known by Romeo and Juliet, sorry if I made you feel a little bit confuse.
"Oi" Alex Mosky! You are now learning capoeira and a little bit of Portuguese. This is fantastic! I tried some capoeira classes, however I had to stop, and then I decided to take some Judo classes, which it isnīt related to capoeira, but I enjoyed very much. I hope that you are having a lot of fun.
Have a nice weekend my friends, see you on Monday,
Ana Paula.
PS- Alex I hope that soon, you can be able to describe to us your delightful cheese with fudge experience ( if you really had the courage to go on, I confess that I have my doubts about it), I eager to know what happened. [:-) ]
posted on Friday, 20 April 2007 | comment on this post
A brief message from Ana Paulaīs sister.
Dear Dr Loco Exhag,
I donīt know whatīs wrong with my sister. A few minutes ago, she turned on the computer in order to see if thereīs any message of her dear teacher Alex. She was happy, and smiling as usual. However, suddenly, we hear a strange sound that came from our bedroom, it was a scream of despair, which scared all of us, and we all march towards to the bedroom, to check what had happened there.
So, for our total perplexity, we found her paralysed, with her big brown eyes wide open and staring at the computer screen, and with her index finger glued on it. I came close to her and asked:
What happend? And she hissed: I canīt believe...cheese and fudge... heīs lying... my fault... No...No... Itīs a lie...my fault... Oh Alex, no! Maybe it was the wrong fudge... Maybe the cheese it wasnīt fresh! Ahhhhhh! My fault! Iīm a murderer! Noooooooooooo!
She kept her index finger raised just like E.T in the film, however, instead she says my home... my home, she only pronounced my fault... my fault... and then she fell in a catatonic state.
We are very, very worried about her. My mum only cry. I have no idea what she was talking about of. I tried to find out some clues in her blog, but the only thing that I could find was a very weird cheese-and-fudge issue, well... I donīt know if this delicious dessert is related or not to her actual conditions. The only thing that I can say is, if in some hours she doesnīt recover herself of this catatonic state, weīre going to looking for a doctor, and then we see what can be done for her, however I guess sheīll be able to write her blog on Monday, because she is not crazy to miss one single day of it.
Best regards,
Rosana ( Ana Paulaīs sister).
posted on Sunday, 22 April 2007 | comment on this post
He is Alive!!!
Hi Alex, and hi my friends.
Oh Gee!!! Iīm so glad that youīre feeling much better now, and I heaved a sigh of relief when I read that you werenīt mad with me, and at least youīre alive and of course, thereīs a good side in this story, I helped you to become a wiser man, sad, but wise, as a perfect philosopher [;-) ]. However, as Wim from the Netherlands wrote, I also think that your illness is related to the egg-rolling thing, and not to chee... oh... never mind! I told you that weīd never agree about this issue, and it was your idea try something that Iīm not sure yet, if it was really chee... Oh Lord, my head is spinning around, where is my Bach floral?... Mum... Ah... Thatīs ok, itīs here.
I have to confess that just like my "sister", I have some little problems with prepositions, I completed the sentences, I hope they are correct:
1- Ana Paula was waiting anxiously for a message "from" her dear teacher.
2- Her finger was glued "in" her computer screen.
3- Soon she fell "on" a catatonic state.
4- We hope she recovers "from" this catatonic state very soon.
Alex, in your todayīs blog, you told that you lived in Poland. Could you tell us a little bit about your experiences there? Did you have problems with food adaptation? Did you enjoy the time that you lived there?
Ah! My sister also say hello to you, and sheīs also saying that you have a wonderful taste for music. Rosana, just like you Alex, loves country music. Oh!
and about her English, itīs a brand new method called English Osmosis. Maybe I should try, what do you think? [:-) ]
In my previous blog "Soap Opera", I think I was a little bit partial, when I wrote about this theme. So, I must apologise with you. In fact, the quality of Brazilian Soap Operas are decreasing during the years. As Adriana and Monica pointed out, for sure we must watch them with a critical point of view. I prefer turn it off the TV and read a good book or turn it on my computer in order to learn English at BBC LE. Once I donīt have a cable TV , so I donīt have many choices of TV programs to watch it. Actually, I think Iīm not losing anything, itīs quite hard find a good program to watch nowadays, insnīt it?
Thank you for all who commented on my blog. I enjoyed indeed to read your comments. Just like our teacher, Iīm much better now, and Iīm relieved, due he doesnīt have any hard feelings about me. More than a wise man, he is also a kindhearted man.
I have to go now, Iīm late to my FCE course.
Good night,
Ana Paula.
posted on Monday, 23 April 2007 | comment on this post
The Holy Spirit Party.
Hi Alex, and hi my friends.
How are you today? Did you enjoy your day? Well, I hope so.
April is almost finishing, the Easter was behind, and all the city is driving its attention to the next month, May, which will set one of the most traditionals city festivals. May is the month which all the city dress itself up in red to celebrate the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit Party.
Itīs a beautiful demonstration of faith and folklore in honour of the Holy Spirit.
Fifty days after the Easter, the Christians celebrate the Pentecost, which is the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Jesus Apostles and followers.
So, ten days before the Pentecost, the party hosts, who are a couple elected to direct and raise funds to the realisation of the party, open the "Holy Spirit Empire" ( Império do Divino), together with the bishop and the faithful. The Empire is a chapel where twenty four hours a day the faithful go to pray the rosary during the party celebratition. Itīs all built and ornate, in red in order to remember the fire flames ( the Holy Spirit gifts) which descent upon the Apostles.
At the dawn, there is the "Alvorada" ( the Dawn), when people go to the streets saying the rosary, and in every single day after they finished their prayers, is serverd a breakfast, which consist in a piece of bread or cake and biscuits with a cup of coffee sweetened with brown sugar. Therefore, when the night falls, the Mass is celebrated, and then there is a bazaar with folklore groups apresentations and typical food, which the most famous is the "afogado".
The afogado is a stew made of pieces of meat, potatoes and seasonings, very apreciatte for all who come to the party. However, the peak of the party is on the Saturday before the Pentecost day, itīs the Palm Heart Entrance ( Entrada dos Palmitos), which is a mix of religious celebration and folklore apresentations. It has this name because of more than three hundred years ago, when has started the party, the carts were ornate with the palm heart that they brought of the harvest, though, nowadays the carts are ornate with flowers.
So, on Saturday all the city stops to see the red parede in honour of the Holy Spirit passes by. There are people spread on the sidewalks waving red flags singing and smiling, children stunning with the beauty of the horses and their owners ability, the folklore dancing groups such as Congada, Monįambique and others with their members full of joy for one more year celebranting the Holy Spirit.
I canīt put in words how beautiful this celebration is, I wish that you could be here, and feel the beat of the drums, see the smiling faces while the parade is passing by. The parede finishes at the midday, when is served for free the afogado for all the people who participated of the Palm Heart Entrance.
On Sunday the Pentecost Mass is celebrated, and at the midnight the hosts, bishop and the faithful closing the Holy Spirit Empire, and in this way, ending one more year of this traditional party. Here are some photos:
Iīd like to say thank you to Adriana ( I loved it that you called me Aninha!), Hyoshil (my mum says thank you, and my sister says hello to you) and Katy for their kind and supportive comments in my yesterdayīs blog. I really apreciatted to read them, and of course the others ones too.
Now, Paul, I have a question for you. Could you tell me when I have to say good bye, please? Is on Friday 27th, or on Monday 30th? I hope that will be on Monday.
Good night, have nice dreams,
Ana Paula.
posted on Tuesday, 24 April 2007 | comment on this post
I agree with you!!!
Hi Alex, and hi my friends.
How are you today? I hope that you are all fine.
Alex, you are right! Letīs move on, we already had enough of this! Oh, by the way, there isnīt any brand new method of learning English called "Osmosis", it was a joke, and my sister doesnīt speak or write in English at all.
Thanks for answering my question about the period that you lived in Poland. It seems that you spent a great time there.
Today I have the wednesday night free, so after I finish to write my blog, I go to the movies. I intend to watch a Brazilian film called " Batismo de Sangue" (Blood Baptism). Itīs based on real facts, and tells the story of four monks who decided to support the fight against the dictatorship in our country in 1963. They were persecuted, arrested and tortured, however they never gave up to see our nation free from the cruel totalitarian regime, and therefore, they became icons of this struggle. One of the monks, Tito, commited suicide because he couldnīt stand the memories of the days and nights of torture and horror, that haunted him untill he puts end in his own life. My sister, Rosana is studying monkīs Tito life in her social work course, so in order to memorise the subject ( which isnīt hard to her, because sheīs very clever), sheīs telling me the whole story of his life. In fact, I heard so much about the subject, that Iīm eager to see the film, moreover the cast is very good, and the film has been well received by critics. However, I donīt trust in their opinion. I prefer to go to the movie and see the film, and only then take my own conclusions about it, than just follow what critics recommend. Sometimes, in one hand they say that the film is horrible, and in the other hand you watch it and think that the film is amazing, and vice-versa.
And you? Have you watched any interesting film recently? If so, please let me know.
Good bye,
Ana Paula.
posted on Wednesday, 25 April 2007 | comment on this post
Places that you love.
Dear Alex, and dear all,
A soft breeze is refreshing the air, and a cosy and sweet jasmine smell surrounds my home, outside a storm begins to form in the sky, the silence inside the house is only interrupted by the thunder sound. The green colour of the grass become more vivid when starts to rain, showing a terrific scene.
I really enjoy afternoons like this, when after a long day of work, you just arrive at home and relax. Sometimes is really good find yourself alone and take some minutes only for you, donīt you think?
Do you have any place that you like to go when you have a day off work in order to spend some hours just relaxing and enjoying the day?
I have one, and this place is the São Paolo State Pinacoteca ( Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo). Itīs a beautiful building neighbour of Luz Train/Subway Station, which is very good for me, because I just have to take a train in Mogi and in 25 minutes I arrive there.The Pinacoteca building itself is a master piece, and it has a incredible collection with well known artists such as Rodin, Almeida Jr, Di Cavalcanti, Cândido Portinari, Tarsila do Amaral, Miró, among others.
I love spending my Saturdays afternoons there, just seated in a bench admiring my favourite paints, or wandering around trying to capture any single different nuance in this beloved place. Everytime I go there, I always discover something different and delightful. Oh, of course I canīt forget to mention that attached to Pinacoteca building, there is a very charming café, which serves a marvelous coffe, therefore I like to sip mine in one of the tables set outside of the café, which has a view to Luz Park, simply wonderful. Moreover, on Saturdays the Pinacoteca opens for free, you donīt have to pay anything to visit this amazing place. Itīs fantastic, isnīt it ?
So, if one day you decide to come to São Paolo, you must come to Pinacoteca, you wonīt regret to visit there.
I tried to uploaded my photo at the Pinacoteca, however Iīm afraid that itīs too heavy. What a pity, itīs a beautiful photo, indeed.
All the best,
Have a good night,
Ana Paula.
posted on Thursday, 26 April 2007 | comment on this post
Weekend.
Dear Alex, and dear all,
How are you? I hope you are fine.
Oh Alex, itīs lovely the way you spend your free time, Iīd like to be to South Bank. Just like you, I love coffee and books ( and of course, films is among them), actually I think they make a perfect partnership, though Iīve never read a book sit at a café beside a river. I close my eyes now, and Iīm trying to image the sensation. Hmmm... Amazing. You are a lucky man.
You mentioned my poetic mood in your blog, in fact, I felt like this because yesterday I read an article about a new temporary exhibition released at Língua Portuguesa Museum ( Museu da Língua Portuguesa) inspired by Clarice Lispector works. I donīt know if you remember that I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that I adore her, sheīs my favourite Brazilian writer, therefore my poetic mood was the reflex of my passion for her literature. So, you can image how happy I was when I read this news. And then, guess where Iīm going to go in this weekend? Iīm going to go to the Língua Portuguesa Museum!
The museum is settled at Luz Train/Subway Station, and once more Iīm lucky for living in Mogi, because as you know in 25 minutes, I get there. Besides the Clarice Lispector exhibition, the multimidia museum tells the history of Portuguese origins, and how some languages, including English, influenced the origin of some Portuguese words. And at the top of the museum there is a place called "The Alley of the Words" ( Beco das Palavras), which has an incredible multimidia apresentation with some authors reading their texts while the words are projected on the floor. Moreover at the top of Língua Portuguesa Museum you have a dazzling view of Pinacoteca, which is in the other side of the street. So Adriana, if you intend to come to São Paolo on holiday, take two days: one just to visit the Pinacoteca, and another one to visit the Luz Station and the Língua Portuguesa Museum, you will love it! I promisse you. Oh... and on Saturdays itīs opens for free too, itīs really good, isnīt it?
And you? What are you going to do in this weekend?
Ah! I have a nasty task for doing, so... letīs go!
' The green colour of the grass becomes more vivid when "it" starts to rain.'
' Sometimes "it" is really good to find yourself alone.'
I hope that itīs correct.
A little note to Alinor from Brazil: I enjoyed a lot Batismo de Sangue ( Blood Baptism), Caio Blat is great! However I donīt read the book yet, my sister is reading it, and when she finishes to read the book, sheīll borrow me.
Thanks Paul for answering my question.
All the best, have a wonderful weekend,
Ana Paula.
posted on Friday, 27 April 2007 | comment on this post
So long, my friends!
Dear Alex, and dear all,
Hahahaha!!!! Sorry, but I can help myself. I was imagining you at the bus having a fit of laugher. Hahaha!!! Ok... hmmm, hmmm, itīs not funny. Actually I didnīt know about this public transportation 'rule' in London. Here in Brazil, the public transportation is crowd and noisy, people talk to each other, sing, shout, evangelise other people, anyway... itīs really crazy. I think would be a great idea if we had some similar rule here in Brazil.
I have an embarrissing experience related to books too. However, I think mine is more painful. Differently of you Alex, I go to work walking, due I live near my job. In only 5 minutes I get there, and I know the way to my work by heart, yes, I know it very well. So, ok... ok, thatīs can sound a little bit weird, but I have the habit to read while Iīm walking. I donīt have to take any bus, I live near my job, but I donīt want to leave the book that Iīm reading at home, and in 5 minutes I can read at least five pages of it. Oh... in that time I was reading The Magic Moutain, by Thomas Mann, which was very hard to put it down, in everywhere I went, I was with it, and then, in a sunny day of October, I didnīt count with a big hole that appeared on the sidewalk, which I only noticed when I was fallen on the floor like ripe tomato. Yes, I fell, and it hurt. However, the hard thing my dear friends, it wasnīt to fall, the hardest thing was to stand up and face the people who passed by on the street.
After all, I looked at the book, and threre wasnīt any demage in it, only my knees were aching, so I started to laugh alone, it was quite funny. Despite this happenings, I didnīt change my habit, I still continue reading while I walk, but now there is a slight difference: I pay more attention on the sidewalks. [ ;-) ]
Today you gave me really, really nasty questions for answering. I guess itīs my good bye pressie. Letīs go!
' Just like you, I love coffe and books ( of course films are among them), actually I think they make a perfect partnership, though Iīve never read a book sat at a café beside a river.'
' You mentioned my poetic mood in your blog, in fact, I felt like this because yesterday I read an article about a new temporary exhibition at Língua Portuguesa Museum, which is inspired by Clarice Lispector works.'
Iīll be waiting for the right answers in your next blog.
Now, itīs time to say good bye, and also to say thank you for all of you who made my student blog month so amazing!!!
Thanks to BBC LE for creatng this blog. You have no idea how important this blogs are in my learning English process. Here I can learn and improve my English, make friends from all over the world, and I also can improve myself as a person.
Thank you Paul and Caroline who were the first people who contact me, and you both were very kind with me, I really appreciated it.
Thank you to all who sent comments on my blog, I loved it to read all of them, I also would like to say thank you for all the supportive and kind words that you wrote. You give me more strength to donīt give up of my dreams. I consider all of you my friends, and weīll continue to talk to each other, because Iīll be always here, as a reader and commentator on those blogs.
Hey Alex! Thank you very much for the nasty questions and the bad jokes ( they arenīt so bad!). You are a great and kind teacher, oh... I wonīt forget to mention that there isnīt doubt that you are a strikingly handsome man. You made my learning English adventure richer and funnier.
One more thing before I go. Paul, do you think that could be possible in the future we download the teacher blog page? You know, there is a excelent material for studying there, and it would be great if we could download the page.
Muito obrigada ( Thank you very much),
Até logo ( So long),
Ana Paula.
posted on Monday, 30 April 2007 | comment on this post
Goodbyes and Hellos
FROM: PAUL (BBC Learning English)
Is April really at an end already? It's hard to believe and also sad because it means we have to say goodbye to Ana Paula. But what a month!! Ana Paula, thank you for entertaining us so much though I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at either fud.. or chee.. again without recalling April 2007.
I hope you found the experience as enjoyable as the rest of us did and do keep us informed of any futher 'victims' of your interesting dietary suggestions :-)
And thanks for your great suggestion about the teachers' blog. I'll ask the technical team if there is a way of doing that. They are working on developments at the moment so maybe something like that can be added.
But now, Ana Paula, feel free to take a well earned rest and let me introduce our new student blogger. He is James from Taiwan and, as is usual here, I'll leave it to James to tell you more about himself.
Welcome James, good luck and enjoy.
Paul
posted on Monday, 30 April 2007 | comment on this post
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