Georgia's Class

You 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 20^th 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.

Around 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.

Earthquake damage at Lixouri port on Kefalonia. Photograph: AP

Wednesday, 5^th 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 26^th? 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?

Ετικέτα: present perfect simple

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

Shake, rattle and rock!