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A poem against racism

21 March is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (proclaimed by United Nations in 1966), a day when people around the world show their opposition to racism.  On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa,  against the Apartheid regime (a regime which embraced racial discrimination). The same day, however, was also declared World Poetry Day by UNESCO in 1999. The purpose of the day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world.

(Source: Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_for_the_Elimination_of_Racial_Discrimination

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Poetry_Day)

 

In order to celebrate this special day, three of my students, Sofia, Zoe and Sotiria, helped me write a poem against racism. Here it is:

It doesn’t matter

It doesn’t matter

What colour your skin is,

As long as you stand

By my side

 

It doesn’t matter

What your origin is,

Because your heart

Beats like mine

 

It doesn’t matter

What your religion is,

As long as I know

You respect mine

 

We both breathe the same air,

We both have a red heart,

My friend

 

It doesn’t matter

What language you speak,

As long as your eyes

Are true

 

And it doesn’t matter

What God you believe in,

As long as you pray

For me too.

 

We share the same earth

We share the same sky,

My friend

 

And nothing else matters,

My friend

 

 

 

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What would you think if you saw this 99-year-old man begging?

dobri1You would probably feel sorry for him, having to beg at that age. However, Bulgarian Dobri Dimitrov Dobrev, also known as Grandpa Dobri or Elder Dobri, is not an ordinary beggar. He walks several kilometers every day to sit in front of the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky in Sofia to beg for money. But what really makes the difference is that he doesn’t keep any of this money for himself! What does he do with it then? He gives it all to charities, orphanages, churches and monasteries, while he manages to live with only an 80 euros pension a month!

Elder Dobri, who will be 100 years old on 20th July 2014, has lived through both world wars. His father died in World War I, and in one of the bombings of Sofia during World War II, a shell fell near him and he lost almost all his hearing.

dobri2Around year 2000, he decided to donate all his belongings to the church and now he lives in a small extension to the church “Sts. Cyril and Methodius” in the village of Baylovo. Over the years, “the saint of Baylovo”, as many people call him, has donated every single penny he has collected, which makes over 40,000 euros! A true saint? In our material world, Grandpa Dobri is definitely a role model for everyone.

 

 

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Women have the power!

Emmeline Pankhurst, a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. Here, she is arrested by police outside Buckingham Palace in May 1914.
Emmeline Pankhurst, a British political activist and leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. Here, she is arrested by police outside Buckingham Palace in May 1914.

On 8th March every year, women all around the world celebrate International Women’s Day. It is a day to remember the struggles of women for social and political rights and equality.

 

A bit of history…

The idea of an International Women’s Day dates back to the turn of the 20th century. At that time, factory workers in many countries protested over bad working conditions and low wages. On 8th March 1857 women from clothing factories organised one such protest in New York City. In 1910, the first international women’s conference in Copenhagen established an International Women’s Day to celebrate the movement for women’s rights and to help gain women’s right to vote. In Russia demonstrations on International Women’s Day were the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

So how do women celebrate International Women’s Day?

In most countries around the world on Women’s Day, men give their mothers, wives, girlfriends, etc. flowers or gifts. Women’s groups around the world organise different events, such as political rallies, theatrical performances, fashion shows and more. In some countries of the former Soviet Union, such as Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine, it is an official holiday!

A women's rally in India on International Women’s Day.
A women’s rally in India on International Women’s Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about the future?

Women have won many battles over the years. But there is still a long way to go. Equal opportunities to work and education are still a dream for millions of women. Organisations, such as the The Girl Effect (www.girleffect.org), help women around the world make this dream come true.

Do women really have the power to change the world? Watch the video and say if you agree!

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Shake, rattle and rock!

Earthquake damage at Lixouri port on Kefalonia. Photograph: AP
Earthquake damage at Lixouri port on Kefalonia. Photograph: AP

Wednesday, 5th March, 2.50 p.m. Here it comes again. First, the rumbling sound, then the tremor. I freeze for a few seconds. My son’s at school. We call them to see if the kids are all right. “Don’t worry, the children are all safe, outside”, says the head teacher. Then, I go online. It was a 4.8 earthquake on the Richter scale this time.

After two major earthquakes and more than 2.500 aftershocks within a month, the earth still rocks on the island of Kefalonia. Buildings have been damaged, roads have cracked, people have been left homeless. Fortunately, there were no casualties or serious injuries. It seems Saint Gerasimos has protected his people once again.

Most of us, in Kefalonia, have almost become used to the daily tremors by now. However, do we really know how to protect ourselves during an earthquake or have we just been lucky?

What did I do when the first big earthquake happened on January 26th? I stood under a doorway, holding my 6-year-old son tight in my arms. He asked me to hide under the dinner table, but I was too scared to let him go. Then, while the ground was still shaking, we ran together to the other side of the house where my younger boy was still sleeping in his bedroom. Again, we stood in the doorway and waited until the earthquake stopped. Did I do the right thing? Well, actually, everything I did was wrong! Why? Watch the following video and find out!

Which 3 things can save your life during an earthquake? Are your reactions the right ones?

 

 

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Need some grammar and vocabulary practice? Visit the Language Lab!

learn-english-phrases

The Language Lab is a new page on this blog, where I will gradually add online exercises for you to practise your grammar and vocabulary. Here, you will find interactive exercises, where you can get help (using the ‘hint’ button), check your answers and do them again, if you want! Comments and questions are always welcome!

Click here to visit the Language Lab!

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How are artificial Christmas trees made?

360px-Christmas_tree_sxc_hu

Have you decorated your Christmas tree this year? Did you buy a real one or did you decorate an artificial (fake) one? I’m really happy to take mine out of its box every year and decorate it, rather than spend money on a real one. I guess most people do the same. Did you know where and how these trees are made? Watch this video and find out! If you want some more practice with your English can do the online exercises than follow.

 

Click here to watch the video!

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