WHEN MEN SING ABOUT LOVE THAT’S MUSIC!!!

In order to improve my listening skills as well as my spelling, I decided to listen to one of my favourite groups COLDPLAY. While listening to the music, I tried to jot down the lyrics as precise as I can (of course with pauses here and there). One of the songs I listened to was GREEN EYES from the album A RUSH OF BLOOD. Since I haven’t jet tried to upload the lyrics directly on my blog , I tipped it down. Here they are:
Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand
And I come here to talk
I hope you understand

The green eyes
Yeah the spotlight
Shines upon you

And how could
Anybody
Deny you

I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter
Now I met you

Honey you should know
That I could never go on
Without you

Green eyes

Honey you are the sea
Upon which I float
And I came here to talk
I think you should know

That green eyes
You're the one that I wanted to find
And anyone who tried to deny you,
Must be out of their mind

Because I came here with a load
And it feels so much lighter since I met you

And honey you should know,
That I could never go on
Without you

Green eyes, green eyes, ohohoh...

Honey you are a rock
Upon which I stand.


I mean, when men sing about lover that’s music. They really know how to do it and that’s why it is an unadulterated pleasure to listen to them . Not like some (not all) of the women who screech: I love you but you don’t love me, I am beautiful but no one notices me, “I’m not a girl not yet a woman”. Let the men do what they really can!

Language as a national identity

IRELAND FRO THE POLISH PERSPECTIVE

While reading his entry I had another lesson about the Irish culture. This time about one of the Celtic language that was long ago spoken by the Irish, the Gaelic. We all know by now that what determines a culture is its language as well as history. Apropos history, Ireland seems to have had a turbulent one. Not only was Ireland invaded by the Vikings, Anglo-Normans, colonized by the English and Scottish but the population was also decimated because of famines and emigration to America. (It is important to mention that ever since the famine in 1840s emigration has been a significant feature of the Irish life.) As a result it was difficult to keep the Gaelic language that was under the constant threat of other language alive. It gradually petered out. So no wonder that the language that survived was a symbol of independence and as such became an official language in Ireland. In the 19th century many language, amongst whish was the Irish language, were brought alive and modernized. However, the question remains why the attempt to establish the Gaelic as the official Irish language failed.

This HE tries to find out. It seems that the excuse is the widely-spoken English language opposite to the Irish language that is not used. According to him, Irish behave reckless towards their language and you may draw a conclusion that they also behave irresponsible towards their nationality. If this is really so, I doubt. This topic reminds me of another question; can you learn a language without any knowledge of the related culture. Definitely not. Language is a part of culture. It is formed by the culture as the culture is formed by their anticipants. Take for example the saying IT’S NOT MY CUP OF TEA. I immediately associate it with the quaint custom of drinking tea at 5 o’clock.

Drug trafficking

In the entry I’ve just red Sean points out the connection between Australia and Asia. Although half of the kids he went to school with were of Asian descent, the ties to this continent (Asia) seemed for him to end at the airport. On the other hand, although Vancouver’s population seem to predominantly be Asian, Australia is by far more attached to Asia than Vancouver. Trading partners, defence partners and vacation spots. While for the people from Vancouver the popular escape is Mexico, Australians most favourite and besides cheap (“assuming you don’t enter or leave the country with bricks of heroin strapped to your chest”) getaway is Bali or Thailand.

The Bali Nine, Schapelle Corby, a 29-year-old former beauty student from Queensland, Australian model Michelle Leslie and finally Nguyen Tuong Van, a 26-year-old Vietnamese-Australian were all in possession of illegal drugs. The Bali nine is a group of nine young Australians whose barmy endeavour was to smuggle 8.3 kilos of heroin from Bali to Australia in April 2005. Not wanting to get their hands dirty, Australian government left the job up to Indonesian authorities, knowing well what the upshot of a conviction in Bali might be. They may face death penalty.

“These incidents only leave me filled with questions. Was the Australian government acting in the right by allowing nine citizens to be arrested in Bali to face the death penalty when they could have been arrested here and faced a more humane punishment? What possesses a young person to take such a risk?” These questions bother Sean. Some of them, for example the question of death penalty, upset me too. Who are we to decide over other people’s death? Is if death were a punishment. The death penalty is a complete nonsense, absolutely incongruous in these days. We should once and for all dispel the undercurrent idea that we are GODS. If we honestly want to swear vengeance, the best punishment for a convict would be to let them alive and make them suffer physically and psychically and not release them of pain. It all reminds me of Sad am Hussein. The medieval way to kill him was ludicrous. Not that I defend him. Not at all. But there must have been another way to castigate him. IT DOESN’T BEHOVES US TO DECIDE OVER OTHER PEOPLES LIFE/DEATH.

REPORT ABOUT OUR POSTER PRESENTATIONS (VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS)

For those who don’t know, our task was to report about the poster-presentation session on voluntary organisations around the globe. Even though I had two weeks to prepare the report (two weeks because we had Easter holidays), I did it like all “diligent” students the night before I was due to submit it. Maybe this accounts for the fact that it wasn’t quite well-written. Besides, I didn’t fulfil the task. Uuuuups!
What I did this time is that I didn’t write in plain English, but used long-winded and too complex sentences (real snakes). “A simple sentence is also fine and just as effective sometimes” says my lecturer. (Usually I use too basic grammar as well as vocabulary.) Want to have a look at one of this snakes? For example:
1) They lead you through all the steppes you have to go through I order to get there, and above all, you even get paid, so at the end you wont be in the red financially, let alone experience-wise. Oh goodness, where was I thinking? I don’t even understand the sentence now.
2) Candidate for MISS INAPPROPRIATE ENGLISH is also: However, many a time financial circumstances are that keep you getting to know all four walls of your precious room. Better is: ... financial circumstances keep you from leaving your precious room.
3) Here you can see English influenced by my mother tongue or so called CROANGLISH: ...get yourself checked at the doctor. Correct and only version: get yourself checked by a doctor.

These are some of my mistakes. After all, my homework isn’t that bad but in the future I shouldn’t write it the night before, let alone write such long-winded sentences.

WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT TO HAVE NO MISTAKES IN YOUR HOMEWORK?

I’m asking you again: WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT? We all might hold that it so. However, if you consider it more carefully, you will come to the conclusion that it is not at all like that. We have to be honest and admit once and for all that we learn from our mistakes (although, it is much more pleasing to learn from other people’s mistakes :)). It is the way we improve our skills, bring them up to date. And after all, is this no what we are longing for? It is not all doom and gloom, although, after having been given the “best” marks for a longer period of time, it seems so.

And suddenly the lights go on! You did quite a good piece of writing. “What’s wrong with ME?” you ask. Well, at least it is what I asked myself. I have serious problems with writing. I am just not a (let me say so) writing person. To have an idea, put it on paper and make it interesting, besides use your best vocab and grammar. Uuuh, an arduous task. I prefer giving presentations instead.

Be that as it may, let me get to the point. Some time ago our homework was to write an essay about Austrians/Croatians or any other nation we are familiar with. I wrote a piece about my fellow Croatians and depicted them as outgoing and stubborn. The examples given might be exaggerated, for they are given by an insider. However, they perfectly exemplify our everyday life and are additionally part of our identity.

Now to the mistakes:
1) Engaged in an energetic debate they get while working on a field. – this sentence is considered incomplete. It should be: They become engaged in an energetic debate while working on a field.
2) BEEEE CAREFUL – intent on is a verb, intent to do sth is a noun – They are intent on (v) putting the issue centre stage. It is my intent (n) to ...
3) CORRECT SENTENCE: In return, we hold out open arms to embrace our brothers and sisters.
4) AND MY FAVOURITE MISTAKE – it is not regardless but regardless OF: ..., regardless of the strenuous efforts to convey that both are on the wrong track.

I hopefully will remember these mistakes and get rid of them.

EAT LESS LIVE LONGER

Skinny or obese that’s the question here!

Interesting news crossed the world the other day. Scientists discovered that the intake of calories governs our life or to be precise our lifespan. How and why? Well, the fact that calorie restriction noticeably extends lifespan was discovered long time ago, in the 1930. What bothered them is what is at the root of this unusual effect. Now, in nematode worms a so called ph4 gene has been determined, which is the explanation for the longevity boosted by severe calorie restriction.

Is this ph4 gene a real find? Of course, you will be able to live longer (as if this were nothing). Scientists hope that in the future “drugs that mimic the consequences of calorie restriction but negate the need for severe fasting regimes” could be produced. Moreover, the effect of dietary restriction could be beneficial in times of food shortage.

As mentioned, the study was carried out on nematode worms and it is not jet sure whether the longevity link can be applied on mammals, humans. In comparison to worms, human’s metabolism is far more complex. But one is for sure; if you overindulge, you will succumb to obesity and eventually die, and if you starve (reduce food too much), you will die too. We have to find the “sweet” middle. Honestly, we are all too often prone to eating when not hungry.

Will we become centenarians? As it seems, yes. Human lifespan has already doubled over the last century, and due to the advances in medicine and genetic science, prolonged existence is to be expected once geneticists unlock the key to the ageing gene. And I ask myself: will this elongated lifespan have an effect on the society, on our way of life? Not that it WILL, it has by now. The age of retirement is already 65 and this might be consigned to the history books. Instead, we may hang up our boots at the age 85. Modern economies will for sure not be able to support the increasingly numerous retirees.

Read the news under: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6612411.stm

“It seems Australians aren’t as averse to ketchup as I thought”

Just to let you know. I’ve just read Sean’s blog where he pints out the main differences between Canada and Australia. Read his entry under: http://www.a-reminder.org/notes/?p=6.

THE WILD AUSTRALIA

The merits of being unemployed

Why the hell people relish the idea to go to Australia, the WILD Australia? The costs are colossal, the journey is endlessly long, prisoners were sent to Australia and after all it is treacherous and wild. (Yes, in the past prisoners were sent to Australia. In year 1787 the British began to colonize Australia. Since the unexplored land was harsh, much work was needed to turn this land into arable fields. Therefore, convicts were the first settlers of Australia, and a major number of those prisoners were Irish. The Irish became the first white minority in Australia. Read an interesting article about a famous escape from Australia under: http://www.irish-society.org/Hedgemaster%20Archives/australia.htm). This question seems to bother Sean.

Sean considers himself lucky since he landed safely, wasn’t kicked over by an animal he had hold for the most dangerous, the kangaroo. A visit to Australian museum changed his mind.

The main reason for visiting the Australian Museum was to get primed for the worse, to see what did he let himself in for and to get to know what he will have to become inured to. Why inured to? Australia is home to the world’s most lethal insects, snakes (jus the thought of them makes me feel queasy) and is awash with the most “resplendent” spiders. Snakes creep around in the bush in water or fields, crocodiles (not at all amenable) are gigantic and can grow up to 7m and the famous spider is the Sydney funnel-web spider. Australian beauty is just a veneer that cracks down the moment you get to know it better. Australia = island of terror, so he things.

VOCAB:

§ pose an immediate threat
§ bewildering mass
§ venomous snakes
§ slither over
§ unnerving
§ not averse to

CHAPTER 14

Monagan begins this chapter by describing Ireland in December or as he says a “season that is best spent in bed.” Not only does the countryside grow sullen but also their precious car. Besides, he points out that some crazy visitors to Ireland believe that it promotes health. Yeah, of course. It makes you want to sleep day in day out and as if this weren’t healthy :).

Another thing that can have an influence on your health is the gardaí and their perfunctory engagement with the problems of their fellow citizens. Amongst the tribulations the Monagan family has so far stumbled upon is now the smashed window of their car. On calling the gerdaí the incident still remains shrouded in mystery.

As if this shattered window weren’t enough. Monagan’s wife Janie has problems finding a job. I the Hi-B Monagan was given an offer- his wife should call in the morning. But what turned out is that promises made in a pub are not to be stuck to. Moreover, they find out that when looking for a job, it is not the question of what you can but whom you know – “or you will officially be regarded as nonexistent.” The problem of who-do-you-know is also at the root of the emigration of qualified people.

The adjustment to the new environment seems to be more unsettling for the parents than their children. Mercifully, it is Christmas time, so all the bad memories can be swept into a corner, if only for a day or two.

Ireland is without doubt not the only country in the world with the question “Who do you know.” Bribery, corruption and who-do-you-know – it all perfectly epitomizes Croatia. Recently I heard from my friend that her friend who was an excellent (more then an excellent student) had “surprisingly” “little” difficulties enrolling for the course she wanted. Why? Because people who know THE MAJOR PEOPLE (professors, doctors and so on and so forth) jump the invisible line. That makes me furious.

AUGUST

The holiday season

In August the serene Provance is invaded by tourists, who can even be recognized miles away; new shopping baskets, spotless cars, immaculately dressed women. Although the natives find here or there something to grumble at the tourists, “… it was generally agreed that they were a funny bunch…” Fun could also be made of them: “ What is it that changes from the colour of a dead rat to the colour of a dead lobster in three hours? Les Anglais en vacances.”
It is important to emphasize that English are not the only who undergo a transformation. French people too change from dead boring (or better to say formal) to riotously amusing. On a party where Peter and his wife were the only English speaking, the sound of Vivaldi was replaced by “… a few seconds of electronic hissing, followed by the shriek of a man undergoing heart surgery without anesthetic…” What an affect will this music have on other members of such an elegant gathering?

If this party isn’t enough to bring you in good mood or to make you laugh your head off, you could visit a traditional goat race. Putting a bet on the sheep is common, but if you are not familiar with it, it is recommended to seek advice since this goat racing is a highly sophisticated discipline. Not only you should calculate for the sheep (the sheep who make the most droppings before the race are likely to be faster), but also for the drivers, for the strongest driver.

VOCAB
§ solemn - Her face grew solemn.
§ Consternation – SYN: DISMAY - Her mouth fell open in consternation.
§ Inducement to sb/sth – SYN: INCENTIVE - Government officials have been accused of accepting inducements.
§ sartorial - He is known for his sartorial elegance.

JUNE

“The local advertising industry was in bloom.” As another summer season began the pace of live in Provence accelerated a bit. Adverts filled the windscreens of cars, amongst which was one inviting to donate blood. Peter and his wife took the plunge. At the time they got to the village hall in Gordes, the rooms were already crowded with as well sober volunteers as with some men in inebriated condition. What amazed them was that contrary to England where you usually get a cup of tea and cookies, the food and drinks were in surfeit, prepared to wine and dine those who suffered the depredation of an injection. “Hundreds of liters had been collected that morning in Gordes, but the other statistic that interested me- the number of liters that had been drunk- was nowhere to be found, a tribute to medical discretion.”

Another interesting thing we find out in this chapter is the ingrained social behavior of the Provencal people. You have to go to great lengths to get used to the quaint daily rituals and become one of THEM (the Provencal people). Why go to great lengths? The rules for social behavior are deeply enshrined in the heads or Provencal men and women. Shaking hands is not just a simple handshake. While men are known to be “prone” to a whole palette of handshakes and are at the risk to suffer bodily damage, women have to be good in maths. Kiss once, twice or three times – who knows? Mayle says: “It is hardly surprising that aerobics never became popular in Provance.” A trip to Aix, a university town, reveals another set of rules one should apply to while going to a café.

One topic is covered through the whole book, namely the renovation of their 200-year-old farmhouse. This made me think about their financial situation. They must be filthy rich, or am I mistaken? I mean, not only did they move to France and bought a house (I suppose it wasn’t that cheap) but also were embellishing it to perfection. Besides, trips to the neighboring villages and diners in unique and venerable restaurants couldn’t be that inexpensive either.

VOCAB
§ excitable - a class of excitable ten-year-olds
§ perilous - a perilous adventure / journey
§ perfunctory - They only made a perfunctory effort.
§ furtive - She cast a furtive glance over her shoulder.
§ Convalesce - She is convalescing at home after her operation.

THE MOBILEPHONEMANIA

http://averyinrome.blogspot.com/

Since my intention is to learn Italian next year, it would be of a benefit to learn something about Italy in beforehand. After having searched the Internet for some special blogs, I found nothing that grabbed my attention. For this reason, I looked into the blogs of my fellow friends and finally found what I was looking for. The girl, whose name I have to find out, landed in a unique corner of the world, Italy, due to love.

It this entry she reports about the peculiar attraction for the most ubiquitous device in this day and age, THE MOBILE PHONE. As if this “machine” were handy for showing of. Of course it is, so they (Italian people) hold. While she was on a party with her friend, the thing she found odd was JUST how the Italians are enamored with this modern apparatus, how they pay homage to their pats. Barely can ONE mobile phone ring that a cacophonous symphony by thousands of other mobile phones fills a room. A venerable ritual follows! Showing photos of relatives, friends, friends of the friends and so on and so forth. Not to forget to listen to the ringtones. They all feel compelled to do it.

That nowadays people have more than one mobile phone is nothing unusual. I myself have two, one in Croatia and one her in Austria. But not that I am obsessed with them, no! This mobilephonemaina remembers me of a friend of mine who could hardly await a lesson to be over to write a few sms. Whit I find absurd is that children who even cannot utter words properly or are illiterate are in possession of this “machines”. I won’t go into details now but I hold that mobile phones should be banned in primary schools.

Mysteries Squared

Yuppie!
After some looong time of procrastination I finally started reading the other blogs. Honestly, I was torn between two of them and finally alea iacta est. Since I’m an avid but peculiar Australia fan (peculiar in the way that I don’t know much about it), I found a blog about a Canadian guy (Sean) living in Australia http://www.a-reminder.org/notes/. In this for me rather opaque entry he remarks on the Australian PM, John Howard and the shadow government.
To start with, we find out that Australia, one of the well-known and most exotic “islands” of the world, is nothing short of invisible in the North America media world, a tame affair. News about Australia seldom reach the other side of the world, Vancouver. Apropos news, when watching it on TV, the thing that astounds him (Sean) is the “incompetence” to understand it. This is an unadulterated testimony to the fact that knowing a language is just a drop in the ocean. Cultural background is what we need! General knowledge is what we should long for!

Now to the political part or better to say to John Howard, the ostensibly disreputable PM. Sean’s opinion of the Pm is no that positive. I’ll now sidestep this unsettling issue since I might be in jeopardy of misinterpreting his standpoint. You rally have to read his entry yourself, http://www.a-reminder.org/notes/?p=7. However, what I’ll do is to find something about the Australian political system to at least have a clue about it. Politic is not my thing, though. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Australia
Having read two or three more entries of him (I’ll report about it some other time), I am of the opinion that they are a real page-turner or should I say mouse-clicker!? I am glad that I have finally found something attention-grabbing and I’m really looking forward to reading it.
VOCAB:
spine-tingling bore
sth is afoot
alcohol-invigorated men

ELOQUENT SILENCE

ELOQUENT SILENCE, Sandra Brown

The other day I started reading a book, the dust jacket of which was (or still is) quite an alluring one. Not exactly knowing that it is as a heart-wrenching novel as all the classic love stories, I got my hands dirty. From the aforementioned you can slightly draw a conclusion that I am NOT AT ALL an enthusiastic reader of this love stories. I like to watch love stories, though. However, so far I have read 50 pages and I am unfortunately of the opinion that I will not continue reading it.
What it is about?
The story is about a famous soap opera star Drake Rivington, who has a hearing-impaired daughter, Jennifer. As he is quite often busy or better to say all the time busy, there is actually no tame for him to personally take care of his daughter, which is why he hires a private tutor, Lauri Parrish. Lauri is a dedicated young teacher for the deaf. The very moment she espies Drake, deep in her heart she relishes the idea to work for him. However, at the beginning it is just an instantaneous infatuation. As soon as she is scrutinized and disparaged by this FAMOUS DRAKE, transfixed with shock she changes her mind, but not for long. (I this scene Drake’s behavior, redolent not even of a wild animal, renders me speechless. (I abhor him.) And this is where/how it all begins.
What I have to stress about this book is that, as long as the life of Jennifer is concerned, it is somewhat a page-turner. In an interesting way it is depicted how a life of a deaf person looks like, how they “hear” and they learn to speak: “She’ll learn sign for a basic communication, but at the same time she’ll learn the alphabet just as every child does. And she’ll learn the sound a particular letter makes… Eventually she’ll be able to speak I want you to understand, Drake, that she’ll never hear things like we do. Her hearing aid isn’t a corrective device, it’s an amplifier.”
If you like reading love stories go one and read this one. If not, don’t even try it!:)
One more thing, on the cover it says A CLASSIC LOVE STORY and I didn’t even notice it. Don’t laugh at me. I wear glasses :).

Ireland from a Polish perspective

First of all, I have to stress that this Polish guy is nothing short of fabulous. He has an eagle eye for remarkable details about Irish culture, and although not being word-perfect in English, he manages to convey the message confidently.
I the following two entries: http://www.drakkart.com/eire2/2006/05/30/leaving-poland/ and http://www.drakkart.com/eire2/2006/05/28/irish-dream-my-way-to-ireland/, we find something about the time he was about to leave Poland. He is just one of the flocks of birds, who got enticed into exploring the emerald green island and its mysterious charm. Why did the Polish people spread their wings after all?

We find out that Poland has for long been “inflicted” by the Celtic Ireland, which has significantly modified the customary polish way of life. As swift rise in Irish music, Irish films… Speedy growing pubs cropped up on every corner seducing the Polish into indulging in the Irish beer. The aforementioned was for long the only way to derive pleasure from the Irish culture, for until becoming an EU-member, the opportunity to visit or work in Ireland was as rare a chance as water in a desert.

Since the labor market opened for the Polish, Ireland has been “inexorably” thronged with them, and at the present Polish community is the biggest minority. Alongside the peaceful invasion, Polish culture has begun to exert a slight influence on the Irish way of life in very many ways. These changes in the culture are, I hold, often hidden from its very own participants.

Another peculiar thing we find out according to him is that Irish people, alas, seldom answer an e-mail. He must have gotten crazy, for not knowing what to do exactly or what is at he root of the suddenly- ended connection.

I’m going back to Seattle!

http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=160
February 23, 2005

In this entry Pam Mandel reports about her seasonal return to Seattle she is gong to take up on March 1, 2005. Having been working a lot the preceding days and weeks, she considers her return more or lass as a holiday, a weekend off. Even if it is for a month (if I am not mistaken), and eve if it is a place she is/should be used to, she has to physically and mentally prepare for it. Why is this so? It is due to the discrepancies between Austria and US. She compares them in terms of bread, yogurt, smoking, cars …

Yogurt in Seattle is to fat. A decent loaf of bread can in Austria be purchased for a song, whereas in US for the same expanses one would go hungry. If I compare Austria and Croatia, the prices of a loaf of bread in Austria are extortionate. A loaf of white bread costs in Croatia not even a Euro, and the price of other types of bread is up to E1.5.
Yogurt in Seattle is to fat.

Concerning smoking, she is looking forward to the day when no-smoking sections are going to be put into practice, since she loads to feel like a walking cigarette whenever she gets out of a pub, pizzeria or whatsoever. I personally don’t smoke and don’t mind if one smokes next - we live in a democratic world after all. However, there are people who cannot stand when one smokes next to them, which is why I am a proponent of the banning thing in public places.

Next thing she hates about Austria, in particular about Aigen, are the “far-flung” grocery stores. The one within a walking distance does not live up to her expectations. I hold that this is the charm of small towns. Either you want to live in a bustling, dreary city, or embrace such towns with their merits and demerits, allurements and “repulsions”.

There is a thing that Pam Mandel and I have in common. We both miss our friends at home. Nevertheless, these days it is actually impossible not to stay in contact with your friends due to the ubiquitous spread of mobile phones and internet. Another thing is that you are never alone. Even in a foreign country you can make friends, although it is sometimes pretty tough. All you have to do is try hard and be determined. Te opposite of the aforementioned reminds me of my boyfriend, pardon, of my ex boyfriend. He was always grumbling that we have no friends to go out with. It is patently obvious that you won’t find friends staying at home most of the weekends and glued to the TV.

INTERESTING VOCAB:

dawdle: a) be bored
b) hang around
c) work hard
confinement: a) satisfaction
b) mood
c) imprisonment

Snowshoeing perhaps?

Nerd’s eye view
http://www.nerdseyeview.com/blog/?p=127

Finally, here I am reporting about the blog I’m reading. It is not that I haven’t read some entries written by Pam Mandel yet. I did, but it sounded somehow off-putting to me, which is why I couldn’t sit down and report about it. Since I’m a bit bored now, I thought it is high time I did something useful. How about spending a day in the alm? Snowshoeing perhaps?
Do you know that Austrians are zealous hikers? And do you know that Austrians have no preference for snowshoeing? First of all, what is snowshoeing? I don’t know either! So let us have a look at our beloved http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe.

Just don’t ask me if I am a hiker, snowshuer, skier or whatsoever. Unfortunately, I’m not. For this reasons I haven’t been aware that there are different routs to hike an alm. How should I know it? I have just once in my life “climbed” a mini mountain in Croatia and this was some long long time ago. I’m not that old, though. However, I am not a skier either, which is why I don’t know what a XC skier is. When I was a child I tried it hear to become acquainted with the skiing paraphernalia, as did I try hard to become friends with the skis. Unfortunately, despite my strenuous efforts, they (the skis) didn’t want my company. They rebelled against me whenever I wanted to ski in a particular direction. That was cheeky of them!

Honestly, I have to admit that I quite like Austrians for their sporty disposition. As far as I’ve noticed, there is always a sporty soul on the streets jogging or riding a bike, which is, in comparison to where I come from, an infrequent occurrence.

VOCAB
high altitude - We are flying at an altitude of 6 000 metres.
a finger-numbing minus 15 degrees - numbing cold / fear • Watching television had a numbing effect on his mind.
balmy minus 4 degrees - warm and pleasant: a balmy summer evening

RULE NUMBER 2: WATCH IT!!!

The weekend before the Easter break I had to stay in Austria since my visa expired on the 1st April, while most of my friends were at home. Poor me! Thanks to my friend, who let me borrow some of her DVDs, I wasn’t bored to death. The merits of my stay were that I finally cleaned up the house, or to be precise, my room, which urgently needed doing up. As well as this, I had film nights in order not to neglect my not-at–all good English. What about a cartoon? Madagascar, perhaps? If you’ve yet to watch this cartoon, it is now high time, and I guarantee you that won’t regret it.

In short, what it is about? It starts with the Central Park Zoo and the animals therein. The zoo’s star attraction is Alex (voiced by Ben Stiller), a happily captive lion. By day he wows massive crowds with his antics, at night he hangs out with his zoo friends: a zebra named Marty (voiced by Chris Rock), a hippo named Gloria (voiced by Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman (voiced by David Schwimmer) a severely hypochondriac Giraffe. Alex loves captivity and has no idea about what’s outside his zoo. In fact, he doesn’t want to know. But Marty, facing his 10th birthday and middle age, starts thinking about what it might be like in the wild. Determined to find out, Marty escapes the zoo. His friends take off after him in order to bring him back. They are caught by the humans and shipped off in a “mysterious” way to the wild. And what happens I n the wild, you should find out yourself.

Now, one of the best scenes is when the wild animals have a gathering to discuss what is to be done with the New York Giants, in precise, how to make use of them. Since the wild animals have for long been attacked and eaten by THE FOSSA, the chairman wanted to propose, that they could be protected by the Giants. So, the chairman mentions the word FOSSA upon which the whole crowd got into panic. (Thy thought the Fossas are attacking them the very instant.).

The only thing I can say is that it is extremely infectious, hilarious and perfect. I wholeheartedly recommend it to you. As I mentioned before, you won’t regret it.

Have fun!!

RULE NUMBER 1: WATCH IT!!!

After an exhaustive week (the week before Easter brake) my friend and I conjecture how we could make the most of our time and have some fun. What about an evening together, a glass of red wine and a comedy? Lovely. It is said that laughter makes younger (or something like that), so why not?
A: What is on the menu, Mister? B: Madam, may I prefer a comedy entitled “Without a paddle”? A: Of course. What are the ingredients? B: Let me see: fun, fun and joy. A: Excellent.

Lifelong friends, Dan (Seth Green), Jerry (Matthew Lillard) and Tom (Dax Shepard) come together when their buddy Billy (Anthony Starr) dies, only to hit the old spots of their youth and remember the adventures they've had together. After the funeral they find a map, apparently put into a time capsule by Billy, supposedly leading to the remnants of D.B. Cooper's missing treasure. Although Dan, who is a bit of a wimp, expresses great antagonism towards the ludicrous idea, in the end, there was no choice left but to accompany his friends on a treasure-hunting trip. And this is where the ball starts rolling. They have to endure the moods of a meticulous mother-bear, make “deals” with pot-framers, who will hunt them till they get them (if they get them) and so one and so forth. I don’t want to blab too much about the plot; otherwise you will not be enthralled to watch it.

And now the best part. To memorize everything that was going on in the movie is hard, as it is to choose the best scene. However, one I can tell you for sure, the scene I’m going to describe now is to make you laugh your sloe out of your self. I know, it won’t sound so witty now. However, it is comical, if I’m telling you. So, the three guys where running away from the pot-farmers almost naked (only in their underpants) and were to reach the “crown” of their adventure. To make things worse, it started raining and they had to spend the night in the cold forest (naked). Due to the chilliness, they somehow had to keep their bodies worm, and the only way seemed to be if they press their bodies together. “Only over my dead body!” And finally, it happened and the background music is: “My mind is telling me no, but my body, my body is telling me YES.”
You have to watch it. It is outrageous and zany!

HRVATSKA=CROATIA – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS WORD?

Croatian history seems somehow to be shrouded in mystery, despite strenuous efforts of the historians to find out with pinpoint accuracy which part of the globe our ancestors resided. No one seems too sure as to whether it was here or there down to the migrations. While one is of the opinion that we are from Iran, the others claim something else. According to Ferdo Siscic, one of the greatest Croatian historians, Croatians may really have its roots somewhere in the Caucasus, as does the word Hrvatska (pronounced /hrvacka/). The word Horovathos is traced on two stone inscriptions in Greek language and script (year 200 a.d.) found by the Black sea. What is interesting is that the name Chrowat (= Croat) appears in the region of northern Steiermark. There is a place called Kraubat to which the word Chrowat relates. What is more, in Corinthian there is a place called Kraut, which name is also derived from the Middle Age name Chrowat. If you want to find more, have a look at http://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/et01.html#buga.

Next time I could explain the symbols on our flag. Isn’t it a great idea?
Have fun!

The world's only known case of "semi-identical" twins

Read under: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/heaalth/6498215.stm
After reading the article, I was curious to find more information about the twins, since I wasn’t satisfied with the info provided. On the internet I found a kind of essay about twins. To be precise, about “What makes twins biologically and psychologically alike and what are the causes of any differences in a pair of twins?” I’ll sum it up briefly and if you want to read it yourself, follow the link:
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f00/web3/hayesconroya3.html


There are several types of twins:

1. fraternal or dizygotic twins – if there are two eggs released and both fertilized. The twins can than be male-male, female-female or female-male


2. identical or monozygotic – when a fertilized egg splits. The twins can then be either female-female or male-male. What struck me as fascinating is the phenomenon of so called mirror imaging. If the morula (the fertilized egg) splits between day 10-13, the twins can be mirror images of each other. One can be left-handed while the other right-handed or they can even have birthmarks on the same part of the body, the one on the left and the other on the right.
   Siamese twins (named after famous twins from Siam – joined at the breastbone) are also monozygotic and are the result of the “too late” splitting up (after day 13), which is why the division is not successful.


3. other types.

Aren’t all these “phenomena” fascinating? I wanted to find more info about twins on a genetic level (from morula to fetus, from fetus to I don’t know what), but unfortunately I ran out of time. Maybe some other time. I’ll be back!!

I’ve found it! The theory of semi-identical twins:

A PEACEFUL BRITISH INVASION

An article in “Spotlight”

This article is about British people moving to Normandy, and so perfectly relates as well as to the topic covered this term as to the book I’m reading (“A year in Provence”). Families, who have spent their holidays in Normandy, fell under its spell and settled down actually in the middle of nowhere to make their wishes come true. Which wishes? To start a business from scratches since this couldn’t have been affordable (or maybe still isn’t) in Britain, inasmuch as the property market is up to five times as expensive. The trend towards heading down to France began 20 years ago.
What I found interesting is the remark that socialisation takes place not in pubs, as it is in Britain, but at people’s houses.

INTERESTING VOCAB:
- rat race – ständiger Konkurrenzkampf : to get out of the rat race

I have to say that I admire these people for summoning courage and above all for taking the plunge and go to leave somewhere else on our enticing blue globe. You might say that I did something similar, as I left Croatia, my home, to live/study abroad. Alike though it seems, it is by far not the same, since I left my country for the time being, except if I in the end marry a fetching Austrian guy and stay here.:) Be that as it may, what I want to say is that I cannot imagine living miles away from my place of birth. (Our house- the photo blow)
The story goes as it follows, since my brother and sister left the nest (they have their own family), the destiny of the house hinges somehow upon me. It is not that I crave to reside a village where neighbours green with envy don’t feel like talking to each other, but I cannot imagine putting the house up to sale. Moreover, I can’t live without my nephews. If it weren’t for these reasons, I would like to live in Africa. I’m talking rubbish!! I’m not at all like that. Well, maybe a bit.

JANUARY

This fabulous and hilarious book begins on New Year’s Day with a divine lunch in a restaurant in France. Peter Mayle and his wife have for long been considering to realize their long-cherished dream to move to Provence, where they spent their hot summer holidays. Finally, they bought a charming 200-year-old farmhouse at the base of the Lubéron Mountains, took French lessons and shipped their two dogs from UK.

The secluded and warm place planted with vines, as well as the hospitality of their neighbours (Henriette & Faustin) was enticing them more and more. Neither the unearthly dialect nor the stories about the bone-chilling winter wind Mistral, “which was blamed for every problem in Provence that couldn’t be blamed on the politicians”, couldn’t make them change their minds. They didn’t know that the stories about the wind were true till the day they experienced it firsthand. The wind cracked their pipes, ripped tiles from the roof and tore a window from its hinges.

I would love to experience the winters there in France. It might change my attitude towards winter, in particular the snow because up till now, regardless the aftermaths, I’ve been craving for it. A winter without snow is like a mouth without teeth :). It’s like the song says: “Love and marriage go together like horse and carriage …” And all people just grumble and whinge and I don’t know what else. I like it and I want snow, right now!
“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”

By the same token, do you know what I find peculiar here in Austria concerning winters? As soon the temperature drops not even below freezing, the heating immediately “gets into top gear” and it gets unbearably hot. Are the Austrians cold people? What is more, instead of “shifting into the first gear”, they /we open the windows, if at all. From my point of view a bit strange.

Besides the wind, bureaucratic mazes weren’t making their life easier. Buying the house was a disaster, let alone a car because “documents are holy things here and deserve respect”. We meet Antoine Massot, who is to become their “personal advisor”.

VOCAB
· Amiable – His parents seem very amiable
· Extenuating circumstances - There were extenuating circumstances and the defendant did not receive a prison sentence.
· Disposition – She has a cheerful disposition.
· Tiles – The wind ripped the tiles from the roof.

In comparison to JI this book is much easier to read and funnier as well. No that JI is not funny, but it is harder to understand Monagan`s humour. Otherwise the topics are almost the same: problems with settling in, bureaucracy. A huge difference is in the peoples “nature”. While the Irish people seem more reserved, the France people are rather outgoing.

Weekly speaking session of Dina & Ivana

A rainy day, time after lunch – a perfect time to take a nap. If only dreams could get true! If only! I have to admit that I wasn’t much into talking at the beginning, which is why I gave my words rather to Dina. But it didn’t last to long that my tongue got into gear. The question then was: Would you appreciate if your husband/boyfriend helps out with the household/children?

Who wouldn’t! I would say, gone are the days when men didn’t look for their babies. And man shouldn’t be ashamed of it. Why? Just imagine that you are taking a walk with your baby. All the women would turn back as you relaxed stroll down the street. Admirable!
And if you would after that do the washing-up it wouldn’t be that bad. Actually, it would be the icing on the cake. After all, men are not made of sugar.

WHAT DO CHICKEN, GOOSE & DUCK HAVE IN COMMON

I today’s session, chicken, goose & duck will play a major role. Which one you can find below!

• duck soup - a task that does not require much effort: The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.




• kill the goose that lays the golden egg - to spoil/destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money: My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.




• chicken feed - a small sum of money: The money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.

Speed friending

Saturday night, 9.00 pm
I have to say that the girl who had this tremendous idea must be a genie. Never ever in my life have I talked in English like a machine. The aim of this speed friending was to meet new friends, as well as donate money, if I’m not mistaken, for the Kinder-Krebs-Hilfe. And the “game” goes like this: there were people who were staying at their “posts” and people who were moving around. For each person we had 4 min to talk to, and when the caw bell rang, we had to change partners. And that’s it!
The atmosphere was fantastic and the people were from all over the Europe: England, Italy, Check Republic and so one and so forth.
I met two Italian guys who have been working here in Austria for a year and who, to my surprise, don’t speak German. Nor did they know anything about Graz, except where the Kunsthaus is. Not even about the Murinsel. Shocking! Irresponsible people (I mean, towards the culture).
And now a funny thing. During a conversation with some English guys, Pia brought up the word unfathomable. They first didn’t quite understand and we thought that it was wrongly pronounced. But no. The word is in English rarely used(according to them) and that’s why they didn’t comprehend it.