8.5.12
On cultural diversity...
We are each burdened with prejudice;
against the poor and the rich,
the smart or the slow,
the gaunt or the obese.
It is natural to develop prejudices.
It is noble to rise above them.
... author unknown
What is polite and impolite in some countries in Europe!
Despite our differences, in traditions and costums ( never forgetting there are more things that connect us than differences), we know what is generally rude or polite.
But we invite you to come with us and discover some really interesting traditions and costums of some European countries related to this!
DID YOU KNOW THAT....
... Serbia and Poland
Pointing to someone with your index finger is common and regarded as an ordinary behavior but in Poland is considered an extreme lack of good manners.
... Bulgaria and Russia
In Russia we shouldn´t prolong direct eye contact because it’s like an aggression or an invitation to more intimate relationships. But in Bulgaria it´s the opposite, you should look people in the eyes, especially when we say “Cheers” and we clink our glass with someone.
...Poland and Germany
In Poland and Germany, in our birthday we should bring cake to celebrate in our work or school.
...Romania and Austria
In Austria and Romania it is impolite to begin eating before all others have been served.
... Greece
When eating spoon sweets, it is encouraged to just barely lick the sweets off the spoon. Because a visit is generally over when the sweets have been consumed, it is rude to lick or eat them with gusto or in a fast manner (it indicates you can't wait to leave).
... Czech Republic and Slovakia
Women's last name tend to carry the appendix "-ova". For example Mr. Johnson's wife's last name would be Mrs. Johnsonova. Addressing a man with a female form of his last name (e.g., Mr. Johnsonova) is a serious 'faux pas'.
... Hungary
When giving flowers to a lady, the number of them should be odd. Unless you are in love with the lady and want to compete for her, the flowers should not be red roses. White and yellow roses are OK in Hungary, they do not have negative meaning, like in several other countries.
... Norway, Sweden and Denmark
Not finishing your food implies that the food was terrible and could not be eaten, but a person doesn’t have to finish all of their food if someone else served, but it would be rude if they don't finish what they served themselves.
8.2.10
Valentine's Day in the USA
Valentine's Day is an extremely popular festival in United States of America.
People in the US observe a holiday on this day to honor St Valentine and to express love to dear ones. Taking opportunity of the festival, people express gratitude and love for sweethearts, spouses, teachers, parents or any other person close to them.
It is estimated that Valentine's Day is the major card and gift giving festival in US.
Popular gifts exchanged on the day include cards, fresh flowers - mainly roses! - , chocolates and candies; people also complement these gifts with others to express their affection and love.
On Valentine's Day, dinner and dance parties are organised all over the country to celebrate the occasion.
Another interesting feature of Valentine's Day in the US is the celebrations organised by kids. Several schools organise Valentine's Day programmes where children perform songs, dance, skits and plays. Children also offer handmade gifts and cards to their friends and teachers.
Refresh!!
Yep!
It has been a long time since our last post...
... problem is, your teachers have been waaaaaaaaaaaay too busy preparing lessons for you, correcting and assessing all your tests and papers and worksheets and .... everything else.
But we're back now.
Hope you all enjoyed having the Avalon Theatre Company at our school again!...
... we know you did!
See you soon!
15.9.09
Talk to me!
On September 26th,
since 2001,
Europe celebrates language and cultural diversity
among its nations and peoples.
The European Day of Languages
aims to raise awareness
on the relevance of learning languages
as well as
to promote respect for all the different languages
in the european geography.
Schools are the finest places to do this
and this year
your French, Spanish and English teachers
together
are going to celebrate
the EDL
with colourful activities
taking place throughout the day!
Welcome!!
Yes!We're back to school..
... again!
Holidays are now over and it is time to pick up your books and notebooks and pens and pencils and bags and ... head for school!
Your English teachers welcome you all to the classroom and hope that you will enjoy your learning!
This year we welcome two English teachers that had already been with you, Ms Carla Margarete and Ms Margarida Precioso and two new teachers to the school, Ms Cristina and Mr. Alberto.
See you all in class!
19.11.08
Sá de Miranda
As you already know, your school is about to make a two-day stop in classes to comemorate the 450 years over the death of the great portuguese poet Sá de Miranda.
Your teachers, along with their classes have been preparing a series of interesting activities for this solemn occasion and they are counting on your full support for the success of this event.
We are hoping you will all enjoy it.
Have a nice time!
Sá de Miranda: memorial
Francisco de Sá de Miranda - (1481? – 1558), a Renaissance poet. His life
He spent his early years in Coimbra and he made his first studies in Greek, Latin and philosophy in the Monastery of Santa Cruz.
In 1505, he went to the University of Lisbon to study Law where he began, at the same time, attending the Portuguese court and writing poems in the mediaeval style, still dominant in Portugal.
He travelled to Italy in 1521, where he was in touch with many writers and artists of the Renaissance, including Vittorio Collona, Pietro Bembo, Sannazzaro and Ariosto.
On his way home, in 1526, he visited Spain, meeting classical writers such as Juan Boscan and Garcilaso de La Vega.
Back in Portugal in 1526 or 1527, he was again welcomed in Court, where he became friends with King John III and other nobles. Four years after his return he decided to move to Minho, a province in the North of the country, where he purchased land.
Around 1530 he married Briolanja de Azevedo, a lady of noble origins.
In 1552 he moved to Quinta da Tapada, near Amares, where he died around 1558.
In 1552 he moved to Quinta da Tapada, near Amares, where he died around 1558.
His work
As many Portuguese writers of his time, Sá de Miranda often wrote in Spanish, rather than in Portuguese. His early work is all in the form of the typical 15th century Portuguese poetry (the vilancete, the cantiga, the esparsa and the trova). Influenced by his travelling around Italy and Spain, Sá de Miranda introduced a new aesthetics in Portugal. He introduced the sonnet, the elegy, the eclogue and other classical poetic forms, adapting the Portuguese language to the decasillable verse.
Apart from poems, Sá de Miranda wrote two theatrical comedies, following classical forms: Estrangeiros (staged in Coimbra in 1528 and published in 1559) and Vilhalpandos (written around 1530 and published in 1560). His tragedy Cleópatra has only survived in fragments.
He also left several letters in verse, addressed to people like King John III and to his brother Mem de Sá.
In wikipedia.org/
29.10.08
Halloween and its traditions!
As your teachers have already told you, Halloween traditions go far back in the centuries, to old Ireland, when the Celts officially ended their Summer, and the New Year began.
The word itself, "Halloween", actually has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of All Hallows Eve, refering to All Saints Day, celebrated on November 1.
The stories evolving around Halloween say that on October 31 the disembodied spirits of all those who had died that previous year would come back, searching for living bodies to possess for the next year. It was believed to be their only hope for the afterlife...
Naturally, living people did not want to be possessed!! ...
So on that particular night of October, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in dark rags and all sorts of horrible clothes, they would use dirt to paint their faces and then they would go around the neighborhood making a lot of noise, to frighten off the evil spirits.
Bearing these traditions in mind - as they are so relevant in the Anglo-American cultural calendar - your English teachers have designed and prepared a series of both class and school activities for you.
These activities range from painting and drawing classes to film screenings and, eventually, a Halloween Party on the Eve of Friday October 31!!
It's Halloween!!
You are all invited to participate
next friday evening
at the school's Halloween Party!
It starts at 8.30 pm
and
you can bring a ghostly partner with you!
Come on in
and
enjoy yourself...
if you can...
26.9.08
English school term activities
All the extracurricular activities will be posted here, shortly!
Be sure to stand to the occasion and fully participate in them...
your teachers are counting on you!
Log in to check them out!!
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