El Boletín de Norfolk Spanish Boletin/El Boletinfeb.pdfEl Boletín de Norfolk Spanish Un cielo azul...

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El Boletín

de Norfolk Spanish

Un cielo azul de enero, refleja el sol del invierno

Fotografia: Anna Zaera ― en Tortosa.

www.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.com

febrero de 2015

Noticias:

La víspera del día de los reyes (5 de enero) fue el momento apropiado para volver a inaugurar

Norfolk Spanish. La primera clase, con cuatro estudiantes que ya se conocían desde hace tiempo

y un ´live streaming´ festivo de la cabalgata de los reyes magos en directo desde Madrid hizo

memorable la tarde.

La sala de clase nueva está en plena transformación. El equipo audio visual me facilita el uso de

materiales y recursos actuales y auténticos. Así podemos ponernos al corriente de lo que está

sucediendo en España y América Latina además de estar expuestos al lenguaje vivo y los acentos

diferentes dentro del español mundial.

Gracias a todos por vuestro apoyo durante estas semanas iniciales, me ha animado mucho.

¡Qué el año en adelante sea lleno de buena fortuna, salud y aventuras!

Saludos amistosos de Heather Heather Heather Heather

Información sobre las clases:Información sobre las clases:Información sobre las clases:Información sobre las clases:

BeginnersBeginnersBeginnersBeginners----Post BeginnersPost BeginnersPost BeginnersPost Beginners Spanish: Spanish: Spanish: Spanish: Wednesdays, 7pm. From 21st Jan. Full now.

BeginnersBeginnersBeginnersBeginners ––––Post Beginners Spanish: Post Beginners Spanish: Post Beginners Spanish: Post Beginners Spanish: Tuesdays, 6.30pm. Spaces available, 10th Feb start.

Initial 6-week course £81.00 *concessions for the unwaged and for returning students.

Beginners´ Group daytimeBeginners´ Group daytimeBeginners´ Group daytimeBeginners´ Group daytime. Mondays 10.45am . Mondays 10.45am . Mondays 10.45am . Mondays 10.45am Spaces available for Feb/March start.

Intermediate SpanishIntermediate SpanishIntermediate SpanishIntermediate Spanish: Mondays 6.30pm, intermediate students may join this course at any

point following consultation/level check. Concessions as above. Limited spaces left.

Intermediate and aboveIntermediate and aboveIntermediate and aboveIntermediate and above: : : : Thursdays 6.30pm, upper intermediate students may join this

course at any point following consultation/level check. Seeking more members!

Daytime: Daytime: Daytime: Daytime: 1-1s available variety of daytime slots. Some 1-1 students of varying levels are

interested in partners if anyone wants to join them. Email me for information. Couples’

discount available, or form your own group and email me day/time of interest to start with

friends.

www.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.com

Newsflash! Newsflash! Newsflash! Newsflash! Information from Linda and Steve in Las Alpujarras

First of all, ex Norfolk Spanish student Linda Caine has written a super book called Our DustyOur DustyOur DustyOur Dusty

ParadiseParadiseParadiseParadise,,,, all about the tiny white village that she and Steve live in and the many adventures that

led them there. Setting off from the Norfolk/Suffolk borders and transporting all their goods

and chattels, including several motorbikes, this intrepid pair soon found themselves involved in

a local wedding, enjoying various fiestas and backpacking into the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The book is a must-read for anyone interested in visiting more remote parts of Andalucía or

who did not realise that life, nowadays, begins at 60!

You can order Our Dusty Paradise from Amazon or Amazon KIndle. Paperback (£5.99)

Secondly, Steve has bought a beautiful bijou house in the slightly bigger pueblo of Pitres, and is

renting out its self-contained 1st floor apartment through AirBnB. The property can sleep as

many as 6 (it has a large double bed, a standard double and a bed settee) but is ideally suited for

a couple. It is a renovation of a typical Alpujarran house, with exposed beams, pamment floors

and all sorts of interesting artefacts. Pitres has shops, a 24/7 medical centre, an art centre and

easy access up into the mountains on foot or bicycle, trials bike or horse.

See for yourself at www.airbnb.com (look for Pitres, zoom right in on the map and you'll soon

find it) or contact Steve direct on stephenwhittingham@ymail.com.

Linda also writes a blog ‘Biking & Baking in las Alpujarras’ on ‘Biking & Baking in las Alpujarras’ on ‘Biking & Baking in las Alpujarras’ on ‘Biking & Baking in las Alpujarras’ on www.eyeonspain.comwww.eyeonspain.comwww.eyeonspain.comwww.eyeonspain.com

FilmFilmFilmFilm

http://www.eyeonspain.com/spain-magazine/spanish-movies.aspx

Watching Spanish language movies is a great way to improve your Spanish. Here are two

recommendations from the last decade. If you time to watch a movie and can write a review in

English or Spanish, please send it in. Enjoy!

El Laberinto Del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) El Laberinto Del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) El Laberinto Del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) El Laberinto Del Fauno (Pan's Labyrinth) ---- 2006200620062006

Set in 1944 in post-Civil War Spain, this Academy Award winner, directed by Guillermo del

Toro, tells the tale of a young girl called Ofelia who lives between two spheres. One is the harsh

reality of life in rural Spain, where her mother's second husband, a lieutenant in the fascist

Spanish army, is attempting to brutally suppress an armed resistance; the other is a world of

fantasy and imagination in which Ofelia takes refuge and yet is exposed to further horror. The

two spheres eventually start to m erge through the character of the Faun.

For Spanish and international releases www.terra.es/cine/

Volver Volver Volver Volver ---- 2006200620062006

Volver, directed by Pedro Almodóvar and

starring Penélope Cruz, tells the story of

two sisters, Raimunda (Cruz) and Sole,

whose parents have died in a fire several

previously. The events surrounding their

deaths are central to the plot, and the

ghost of their mother plays an important

role in the film. While death and drama

are the focus, Almodovar´s unique

humour and ability to paint eccentric yet

believable characters lighten the mood.

Penélope Cruz was nominated for an

Academy Award as Best Actress for the

film.

Guillermo del Toro’s 2001 film The Devil’s Backbone is also among his most frightening and

emotionally layered. Set during the final week of the Spanish Civil War, it tells the tale of a

twelve-year-old boy who, after his freedom-fighting father is killed, is sent to a haunted rural

orphanage full of terrible secrets. Del Toro expertly combines gothic ghost story, murder

mystery, and historical melodrama in a stylish mélange that, like his later Pan’s Labyrinth,

reminds us the scariest monsters are often the human ones. Film clip of ‘El espinazo del

diablo’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHm_Me0CDC0

Releases of Spanish directors’ films in English and in original language.

http://www.moviemail.com/spanish-film/

February as the beginning of Lent (la Cuaresma) is time for ‘Carnaval’ throughout Spain and

Latin America from around 12th Feb to 22nd Feb. Most towns and cities host their own

processions of floats accompanied by music, impressive costumes and a general atmosphere of

fun. Cádiz is the most famous and flamboyant carnival city in Spain. The city website gives

details of events and accommodation should be booked well in advance so you can join in the

fun. Barcelona´s event is exciting and there´s a good website to check out. Most places initiate

Carnival with the traditional ‘pregón´ in which King Carnestoltes is crowned, this fictitious

character will preside over the week´s carnival events. School children will often dress up in

different costumes throughout the week. In Catalunya, children draw pictures of ´´La Vella

Quaresma´´, an old woman with a leg for each week of Lent. Buñols de Cuaresma, a type of

doughnut are sold in most bakeries. At the end of ‘Carnaval’ an effigy of King Carnestoltes is

often ceremoniously burned in a public place and the six weeks of austerity may commence.

Carnaval in Cádiz

http://www.guiadecadiz.com/es/agenda/febrero/2015/carnaval-cadiz-2015

http://www.carnifest.com/events/spain/barcelona/592/barcelona-carnival-2015.aspx

Events

http://www.spainculturescience.co.uk/events

The above website outlines Spanish cultural events in Britain including London’s Flamenco London’s Flamenco London’s Flamenco London’s Flamenco

festival festival festival festival in the Sadler Wells Theatre which starts on 15th February.

Site with calendar to plan around events in SpainSite with calendar to plan around events in SpainSite with calendar to plan around events in SpainSite with calendar to plan around events in Spain

http://gospain.about.com/od/barcelona/a/festivalsbarcel.htm

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/festivals

What’sWhat’sWhat’sWhat’s happening in February: happening in February: happening in February: happening in February: http://spainguides.com/fiestas.february.htmlhttp://spainguides.com/fiestas.february.htmlhttp://spainguides.com/fiestas.february.htmlhttp://spainguides.com/fiestas.february.html

Holiday tips and properties for rent or saleHoliday tips and properties for rent or saleHoliday tips and properties for rent or saleHoliday tips and properties for rent or sale

Please send information by email if you have a property to rent or a top tip for holidays and

travel.

My tip if visiting Spain this year is to get off the beaten track. If you can hire a car, take a

bus or train and get inland wherever you are, it’s worth the effort and you are much more

likely to need to use your Spanish to get by. Our travels while living in Catalunya, took us

through the wine producing region of Priorat Priorat Priorat Priorat to the mountain top village of Siurana,Siurana,Siurana,Siurana,

popular with rock climbers and hikers, a photographer’s dream and very pleasant place to

stop off, whether you opt for busy campsite (full of fit climbers!)or the more salubrious

hotel, both boast spectacular views. The nearest airport to the Priorat region is nearby REUSREUSREUSREUS

where you can also hire a car. Siurana was the last Muslim stronghold in the region due to

its almost impregnable position and sweeping views over the surrounding valley. You can

visit the ruins of the castle perched perilously at the summit of mountains either side of a

gorge, hike, climb, canoe on the reservoir, sightsee or just savour the delicious Priorat tinto

(the wine cellars at Cornudella de Montsant may persuade you to bring a few bottles home).

Here are websites for the Siurana Tourist Office, campsite and hotel mentioned

http://www.turhttp://www.turhttp://www.turhttp://www.turismesiurana.org/enismesiurana.org/enismesiurana.org/enismesiurana.org/en http://www.campingsiurana.com/http://www.campingsiurana.com/http://www.campingsiurana.com/http://www.campingsiurana.com/

www.miradordesiuranasiuranasiuranasiurana.com/

Views from Siurana.

L´Hort de la Mare L´Hort de la Mare L´Hort de la Mare L´Hort de la Mare http://mothersgarden.org/abouthttp://mothersgarden.org/abouthttp://mothersgarden.org/abouthttp://mothersgarden.org/about

Martin Kirby and his wife Maggie recount the trials and tribulations of moving from

Norfolk and a safe job with the EDP to rural Catalan-speaking Priorat, family in tow in the

book that accompanied the original Channel 4 documentary ´No Going Back´. I read it

myself on the plane on the way to our new life in Catalunya but, of course, my book would

have been called ´We came back! They have a multi-faceted website named after their

property, Mother´s Garden (L´Hort de la Mare), which includes information about their

beautiful holiday cottage for rent in the Priorat region of Catalunya, an area we can heartily

recommend. Also available via the website is excellent quality olive oil and Martin´s

fascinating books. I have read the two books whose images I include below, both also

available on Amazon.

Recycling Spanish booksRecycling Spanish booksRecycling Spanish booksRecycling Spanish books and unwanted souvenirsand unwanted souvenirsand unwanted souvenirsand unwanted souvenirs:::: Please pass on any Spanish course

books you no longer need or want. I´m happy to advertise them on our notice board if you

would like to sell them on, particularly course and reference books like Sueños (euros

version), Practice makes Perfect etc. I´m also happy to take any old maps, brochures or

unwanted souvenirs for use in role play so please feel free to pass these on to me if you do

a Spring clean!

Materiales generales en internetMateriales generales en internetMateriales generales en internetMateriales generales en internet::::

Good general site with news about Spain in English. Good general site with news about Spain in English. Good general site with news about Spain in English. Good general site with news about Spain in English.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/

La gramáticaLa gramáticaLa gramáticaLa gramática www.colby.edu/~bknelson/ http://spanish.about.com

Sites offering grammar practice at all levels and some audio resources.

La lecturaLa lecturaLa lecturaLa lectura

www.mec.es/exterior/uk/es/tecla

This site offers a free electronic magazine at three levels of Spanish with an extra page of

reading material. www.mec.es/exterior/uk/es/publicaciones

http://www.englishspanishlink.com/deluxewriter/bilingual_spanish_english_stories.htm

http://www.worldstories.org.uk/stories/stories?lang=spanish&p=2

Las actualidades y algunos recursos auditivos Las actualidades y algunos recursos auditivos Las actualidades y algunos recursos auditivos Las actualidades y algunos recursos auditivos

Websites of the Spanish daily national newspapers 'El Pais', ‘El Mundo’, archived materials

at ‘Terra’ and sports articles at ‘Marca’

www.elpais.es www.elmundo.es www.terra.es www.marca.es

http://www.englishspanishlink.com/learn-spanish/games/newspapers.htm

The BBC web site includes BBC Mundo reading material updated daily and audio magazine

El Mensual and Spanish Steps beginners´course as well as a level gauge.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/index.shtml

Mi Vida Loca, BBC’s interactive Spanish soap for beginners.Mi Vida Loca, BBC’s interactive Spanish soap for beginners.Mi Vida Loca, BBC’s interactive Spanish soap for beginners.Mi Vida Loca, BBC’s interactive Spanish soap for beginners.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/

Improve your listening comprehension ability.Improve your listening comprehension ability.Improve your listening comprehension ability.Improve your listening comprehension ability. Check out these aural resources.

www.multilingualboks.com/online-radio-spanish.html www.listenlive.eu/spain.html

www.cadenaser.com/noticias. www.lyngsat.com/freeradio/Spain.html

TV online:TV online:TV online:TV online: www.antena3.com www.rtve.es www.telecinco.es

RecommendationRecommendationRecommendationRecommendation: Esp: Esp: Esp: Españoles en el mundo. añoles en el mundo. añoles en el mundo. añoles en el mundo. RTVE series following Spanish people who are RTVE series following Spanish people who are RTVE series following Spanish people who are RTVE series following Spanish people who are

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The BlogThe BlogThe BlogThe Blog

¡Vivir el momento! ¡Vivir el momento! ¡Vivir el momento! ¡Vivir el momento!

Como muchos de vosotros sabéis, antes de ir a vivir en España, mi marido Dom sabía hablar

muy poco español. A pesar de haberse casado con una profesora de español, nunca habiá

podido apuntarse a las clases, siempre cuidaba de Anabel mientras yo trabajaba por las tardes y

ni siquiera consiguió llegar a la tercera página del libro de curso sin aburrirse. Todo esto

cambió radicalmente una vez que nos habíamos instalado en Altafulla, por el mero hecho de

que no tuvo más remedio que comunicar con los demás. Al ser una persona habladora, Dom no

pudo permanecerse callado mientras esperaba a que saliera Anabel en el patio de recreo del

cole, se vio obligado por su propia personalidad a entablar conversación con los demás padres

fuese como fuese. Y a veces no recordaba después cómo había podido hacerlo. Dom era profesor

de inglés en la academia del pueblo y corría voz de que era muy popular con los niños dado que

hacía reír a los alumnos. Dom hizo un gran esfuerzo con la gente y le recompensó un día al

invitarle a ser uno de los´gegants´ del pueblo. ‘Els gegants’(los gigantes en español) o ´giants´en

inglés, son figuras gigantescas populares que destacan en las fiestas. En Altafulla consisten en un

mago, una bruja y varios enanos y diablos. Se construyen de ´papel mache´y otros materiales

ligeros, sin embargo hay que estar en buena forma física para poder llevar el ´gegant´ a lo largo

de una fiesta entera, andando y bailando por horas. Dom se apuntó de buena gana, orgulloso de

participar. Por lo tanto, Anabel tiene unos recuerdos muy bonitos de caminar por las calles

estrechas de Altafulla cogida de la mano del ´gegant´´de la bruja o del mago. Abajo adjunto

unas fotos de la transformación de Dom en gegant. Ya que no estamos en Altafulla, recordamos

aquellas fiestas con nostalgia, agradecidos de haber participado plenamente en todo; como

profesores de la academia del pueblo, padres de una alumna de la escuela primaria y, para

colmo en el caso de Dom, de ´gegant´. Hay que vivir el momento…..

Saludos cordiales de Heather

(Blog translation available following the photographs).

The BlogThe BlogThe BlogThe Blog---- translation translation translation translation Live the Live the Live the Live the momentmomentmomentmoment!!!! As many of you know, before we went to live in Spain, my husband Dom didn’t speak much

Spanish. Despite having married a Spanish teacher, he was never able to join the evening classes

as he was busy looking after our daughter Anabel. In terms of self-study, he couldn’t seem to get

past the third page of the Spanish course book without collapsing in utter boredom. All this was

to change abruptly as soon as we settled in Altafulla and was due to the fact that he is naturally

curious about people. Dom was simply unable not not not not to initiate conversations with other parents in

the playground. Mind you, sometimes he wasn’t sure how he had managed it! Dom was an

English teacher in the local language school and word had got round that he was popular, he

made the children laugh. Dom made a lot of effort with the locals, and one day they repaid the

compliment by inviting him to become one of the town ‘gegants’. Gegants; ´giants´in English,

are popular figures which take pride of place in local festivities throughout Catalonia. In

Altafulla, the gegants consist of a wizard, a witch, several dwarves and devils. They are made of

papier mache and other light -weight material. Nevertheless they are pretty heavy and

cumbersome to carry about all day long, especially if dancing in the fiesta. Dom gladly took up

the challenge, proud to have been asked. You can imagine that Anabel has some very special

memories of walking through the narrow streets of Altafulla hand in hand with the giant witch

or wizard. You can see the transformation from man to gegant below. Now that we are no

longer living in Altafulla, we remember these fiestas very fondly, grateful to have had the

opportunity to take part, as teachers from the local language school, as parents of a school-

aged child, and Dom ,to top it all, as a ‘gegant’.! It strikes me now that you really do have to live

the moment! Best wishes from Heather

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One thing we were never short of in Catalonia was lemons! We had ‘un limonero’ in our

patio garden and I regularly produced a lemon sponge cake at the weekends from our

tiny kitchen. They came in handy for the gin and tonics too on steamy summer nights!

Here is a poem by Chilean poet, Pablo Neruda in homage to the humble lemon. The

English version of it follows. Photo courtesy of Dom.

Oda al limón (por Pablo Neruda)Oda al limón (por Pablo Neruda)Oda al limón (por Pablo Neruda)Oda al limón (por Pablo Neruda)

De aquellos azahares desatados por la luz de la luna,

de aquel olor de amor exasperado,

hundido en la fragancia salió del limonero el amarillo,

desde su planetario bajaron a la tierra los limones.

¡Tierna mercadería! Se llenaron las costas,

los mercados, de luz, de oro silvestre,

y abrimos dos mitades de milagro,

ácido congelado que corría desde los hemisferios

de una estrella, y el licor más profundo

de la naturaleza, intransferible, vivo,

irreductible nació de la frescura

del limón, de su casa fragante,

de su ácida, secreta simetría.

En el limón cortaron los cuchillos una pequeña

catedral, el ábside escondido abrió a la luz los ácidos vitrales

y en gotas resbalaron los topacios,

los altares, la fresca arquitectura.

Así, cuando tu mano empuña el hemisferio

del cortado limón sobre tu plato un universo de oro

derramaste, una copa amarilla con milagros,

uno de los pezones olorosos del pecho de la tierra,

el rayo de la luz que se hizo fruta, el fuego diminuto de un planeta.

Ode Ode Ode Ode to a lemon by Pablo Nerudato a lemon by Pablo Nerudato a lemon by Pablo Nerudato a lemon by Pablo Neruda

Out of lemon flowers loosed on the moonlight,

love's lashed and insatiable essences,

sodden with fragrance,

the lemon tree's yellow emerges,

the lemons move down

from the tree's planetarium

Delicate merchandise!

The harbours are big with it-

bazaars for the light and the barbarous gold.

We open the halves of a miracle,

and a clotting of acids brims into the starry

divisions: creation's original juices,

irreducible, changeless, alive:

so the freshness lives on

in a lemon, in the sweet-smelling house of the rind,

the proportions, arcane and acerb.

Cutting the lemon the knife

leaves a little cathedral: alcoves unguessed by the eye

that open acidulous glass to the light; topazes

riding the droplets, altars, aromatic facades.

So, while the hand holds the cut of the lemon,

half a world on a trencher, the gold of the universe

wells to your touch: a cup yellow

with miracles, a breast and a nipple

perfuming the earth; a flashing made fruitage,

the diminutive fire of a planet.

Read more at: Read more at: Read more at: Read more at: http://www.poetrysoup.comhttp://www.poetrysoup.comhttp://www.poetrysoup.comhttp://www.poetrysoup.com

www.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.comwww.norfolkspanish.com

norfolkspansh@yahoo.co.uk

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