What would you change in the EU if you could? What would you do to improve the standards? Difficult question...
I would ask the European Union to:
- reduce politicians earnings;
- force politicians to use public transport to go to work;
If these both easy tasks were accomplished, students in-need of grants and people with health problems wouldn't have any problem of living an optimal life, which is everyone's right. It's really sad having to hear that students can't study because of problems in their economy and that people die because overcrowded conditions in health-care.
This third term we've been working so hard to submit a project in a contest sponsored by Eusko Jaurlaritza with the option to win a trip to Brussels, as I explained in a previous post. Therefore, this new post is to explain the work we've done and all the effort we've put on it and how we really wanted to finish it. Unfortunately, we've had a mass of work which we weren't able to finish although tomorrow we're going to try so that we may submit it on time.
Firstly we chose the slogan: FEEL, THINK, ACT as we think it's the ideal one for the subject: the crisis. What's more, as we consider that the youth is the future we decided to take them as a target group and do some research about their situation: we interviewed some, and we made a document explaining the unemployment and their future prospects, which we're a bit sad (if we don't do something).
All of our ideas to help to face this huge problem were great: we tried to contact NGOs as Banco de Alimentos to collect food and give it away, we tried to raise awareness of the crisis in school and partially we got it. Our idea for the children was simple but yet effective: we wanted to do a gymkhana with them so that they could understand better the issue and also to be concerned about it, to talk about it, to share ideas, to make them speak... The problem: the campaign was never done because from the beginning the school tried to stop us. However, we got the permission although it was too late (three days before the exams and the end of our course). When I say we partially got it is because of the ad we made inspired in the UEFA's new one: we took some students willing to collaborate and explained our project; they were really happy to help and said it's something we must confront. In addition, we also did a presentation with information about the current situation and surveys as well as a colorful and moving poster for the campaing: everyone put their hand on a big paper and we formed a tree with the following meaning: roots build us, roots build our futures and at the same time roots depend on leafs so it's our task not to let fall those leafs neither leave the roots alone.
What is left to done? A kind of magazine in which we're going to introduce all of our work and the difficult task we've been talking about: tackle the crisis. I must admit we've wasted time chatting, but I don't think that the teacher can say we were not enthusiastic about the project and that we didn't work hard enough. In fact, none had the thrill and excitement our class had had. Nothing more to add. Judge for yourselves.
As summer is here, an special plan has come up! My sister has invited me to stay with her for a week in Sheffield, in England!
Although I miss San Juanes I'm really looking forward to seeing her and going. What's more, we'll be visiting London for two days, the two of us alone! I'm really excited about it; I think it's a great opportunity to go abroad and also to get a sense of independence. It'll be a great adventure!
Some weeks ago, we were asked to take a picture which would represent Europe in the Basque Country; to realize how close from us Europe could be.
At first, I couldn't find something that would suit the task (you'll think about our currency, I thought about it, though). I wanted to find something related to the Basque Country directly and I finally did: I really think that in the Basque Country you'll always find Europe in the newspaper or the media (Basque media, of course).
To my surprise, what I found was this heading: disobedience? So, apparently we are kind of little criminals. Well, WE are not, THEY are.
So, whenever you want to find something in relation with Europe, go and check the media!
I'm sorry I haven't been up-to-date with regard to the blog but we've been very busy with exams and other school stuff. However, we are finally on holidaaaaaaaaaaays and I'll try to catch up with all the work in the blog so an intensive blog session is waiting for me!
We've finally finished with our ad for the project for this term and we think we quite got what we wanted as a result!
Although it was quite stressing owing to the short amount of time we've, we managed to do it and we really hope you like it and you take into account what we're trying to spread!
I couldn't have a better gift from my lovely sister! She sent me this book I wanted to read! It made me so happy; we're talking about The fault in our stars by John Green which is a roaring success.
I've already read it and I absolutely recommend it to anyone! but I'd like to warn the reader that it's not too convenient to read it while you're going through a delicate patch of your life or you're just not feeling up to wipe some "little" tears away. In addition, please do my a favour and DO NOT READ ANY TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK as I'm certain that the essence of Green's writing will fade. I assure you won't be disappointed and that you'll enjoy his writing as much as I have (although I've had some limitations as to vocabulary is concerned).
This novel tells us the story of a young girl called Hazel (she's sixteen) who is suffering from cancer and is pushed to assist to a Support Group to "live her best day today" where she mets Augustus Waters, who will become a really important person for her. The novel tells us their story, the story of their life.
P.S.: If you're such a lazy human being and do not want to read a thick book, then you can wait until the movie hits the big screen in June ;)
During this last third term, we've been given some talks about voluntary work somehow to encourage us to participate and help as it's worth it.
Yesterday, members from different associations came to our class to talk about and explain what they do there and what their goals/aims are.
I particularly liked the one which works with homeless people: they aim is to talk with them, get in contact for them to see that they're not alone and that if they want, they can get out of that sad situation. However, that's not an easy task, and that's what the girl told us: it's really difficult to convince them to change their not-so-good habits and to get them believe that something can be done; therefore, the main purpose is to talk with them so that they can have a crying shoulder and some phsycological support.
I'd be scared to volunteer in a work of this kind but I consider it such an interesting, exciting and rewarding experience that of course, will have influence in the long-term.
I think we should pay more attention to these people as they're not invisible at all. She showed us a video that I've attached it below made by the New York Rescue Mission which is really moving.
LET'S RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS SAD
SITUATION!
*If you're interested in voluntary work of any kind give it a try here.
Last 9th April, 16 of us travelled to Ireland and stayed for some days there. We took part in an exchange, which frankly, turned out to be way better than expected.
Everyone there was so open-minded and likeable and made us feel like in our sweet home. I really enjoyed the experience although it was a bit hard to understand the Irish accent as it's more closed than the ones we're used to ( we went to watch a film and find it even easy to understand the American accent!).
So as to activities, we did different ones: we went to the zoo in Dublin, shopping, to a musical, we met the coach of the national rugby team there (rugby is very important for them) and I also made friends with Joane, who I didn't talk to before.
So, all in all, I'm really delighted about having gone to Ireland and I recommend to try an experience of this kind unhesitatingly!
P.S.: I must thank my host family Coyle as they were so nice with Joane and me.
With concern to our new task demanded, I think it would be fascinating to collaborate with any NGO but I'd specially like to do something with Banco de Alimentos de Gipúzcoa. This way, we could see how people react to our project and it'd be a fulfiling experience for us.
Lately, Sara and I have been thinking of different ways to manage to get people involved in the project of the crisis we're doing this term.
Our idea for the advertisement is simple but yet complicated to organize and put it into a draft as a video and in fact, we need a slogan. Our ad is based on a UEFA's new one because we think it's a good and an adequate method to achieve what we want.
To explain our intention, it's better to watch the UEFA ad to see what we mean:
Searching for news about this topic on the Internet , I've found this one although it may be a bit misleading. However, I think it could be used for our third term's project!
Yesterday night, I watched a very fascinating documentary emitted in La Sexta, Operación Palace, by Jordi Évole about the historical event 23-F.
23-F was an attempt of a coup d'état in Spain the 23th February 1981: Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress by a group of 200 armed officers during the process of electingSotelo as the new president . King Juan Carlos gave a nationally televised address denouncing the coup and urging the maintenance of law and the continuance of the democratically elected government.
After holding the Parliament and cabinet hostage for 18 hours the hostage-takers surrendered the next morning without having harmed anyone. Didn't see it? Watch it here !
This third term, we're going to work on something very different as well as exiting: we're going to make a project proposing solutions or activities we can do to tackle the crisis and face it !
The project has to be submitted to the Eusko Jaurlaritza as it is a contest, and if we win, we'll have the opportunity to go to Brussels all together!!
Although it can sound a bit of inmoral or maybe shocking, I haven't voluntareed anywhere, neither I'm part of an NGO, but I'd love to in long-term.
However this, I've done solidary things; for example: when I was more little I would give money to most of the people I saw in a corner on the street or I would bring food to school for people in the Sahara.
Currently, though, I give food for the Banco de Alimentos, for people in Gipuzkoa and I find it nice, because even if it's just a bit of pasta, you know you'll be helping someone who needs so!
In the future, I'd like to go abroad to help people, because that apart from being the experience of my lifetime, it would make me feel really delighted!
Your shirt was made in Mexico and your shoes in China. Your CD player
comes from Japan. You can travel to Moscow and eat a Big Mac there and
you can watch an American film in Rome. Today goodsare made and sold all over the world, thanks to globalization.
This short second term, we've also been talking about globalization as it can be seen in the blog: we've been debating on it and we've found its good and not that good sides.
Good sides
Globalization gives you a larger market. You can sell more goodsand make more money. You can createmore jobs.
Products become cheaper and you can get new goodsmore quickly.
Bad sides
Globalization causes unemployment in industrialized countries because firms move their factories to places where they can get cheaper workers.
Globalization may lead to more environmental problems.
Globalization can lead to financial problems .
Some of the poorest countries in the world, especially in Africa, may get even poorer.
Human, animal and plant diseases can spread more quickly through globalization.
In conclusion, it can be appreciated that globalization's drawbacks are more than the benefits. However, we should try to fix the problems for a better life!
P.S:.: Don't you know what globalization is? Here's the big problem explained in 4 minutes!
The last two weeks, we've been working on an article about NGOs. Sara and I we've chosen a NGO which we think works different to others we know: BRAC; it's the largest non-governamental organization in the world.
<<What
makes the difference between other organizations , then?>> you
would ask; well, let us tell you that what makes BRAC unique and
famous is the method chosen to face poverty. BRAC’s idea has always
been simple yet radical: they've tried to bring together the poorest
people in the poorest countries and teach them to read, think for
themselves, pool their
resources,
and start their own businesses.
If you want to know some more about BRAC, read the article by clicking here
Last month, the growth of the world's population was widely debated in my class; so, we were asked to create a graph to predict future growth and to identify factors that affect that.
I guess that if population has increased hugely in the last years it's because of all the advances they've been made. Over the years, a shorter amount of time was required to double the population and it currently remains the same way: every time the period of time gets shorter. If we continue this way, things will turn the wrong way and we'll be in serious trouble...
(Horizontal access: time / vertical access: number of people in billions)
But what shall we do to prevent this from happening?
Wasn't Starbucks an American thing? Used to; now, even if you haven't a store on hand, you have Starbucks discoveries in your nearest supermarket so that you can have their coffee. Globalization is the new trend.
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