HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
(video of the week by Yasone)
The Big Bang Theory

All I want for Christmas is you (Slow version)

Hi!!
I've just found this version of the song that we are going to sing tomorrow. It's shorter than Mariah Carey's song. I hope you like it!!

See you!

All I want for Christmas is...

How will Newtown shootings change the US gun debate? (BY TONI PEÑAS)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20742508

The Connecticut school shootings have horrified America. But what impact, if any, will they have on the nation's gun laws?

Even in a nation with a roll call of gun massacres so long and familiar - Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora, Jonesboro and many others - the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary have a singular capacity to shock.
Twenty children and six adults lie dead. A gunman who forced his way into the school took their lives and his own.
The tragedy has re-opened the debate over the nation's gun laws as long-term supporters of reform have issued calls for tighter controls.
After the shootings, an emotional President Barack Obama promised "meaningful action", adding: "As a country, we have been through this too many times."
According to a July 2012 study by the magazine Mother Jones of 62 mass murders carried out in the US since 1982, three quarters of the 139 firearms used by the killers were held legally. Of these, more than 60 were semi-automatic handguns and over 30 were assault weapons.
But in a country with an estimated 300m guns, where the right to bear arms is mentioned in the constitution, gun control advocates are wary of claiming that change is at hand.
Public support for stricter gun legislation has been on a downward trend in recent years, along with overall levels of violent crime.

Barack Obama: "We have endured too many of these tragedies over the last few years"

This, after all, is a nation where the pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA) has more than 4m members. According to the Small Arms Survey, there were 88.8 firearms for every 100 Americans in 2007.
Likewise, US legal and political trends have been moving away from supporters of greater controls, says James Jacobs, director of the Center for Research in Crime and Justice at New York University.
"All of the policy momentum in the last 20 years has been in the direction of gun owners' rights," he says.
The Supreme Court decided in 2008 that the US constitution's second amendment gives Americans the right to own guns for personal use, rather than just protecting the collective right of states to maintain militias.
The House of Representatives is currently controlled by the Republican party, which has ties to the NRA. Republican President George W Bush allowed a federal ban on assault weapons to expire in 2004.
Meanwhile, the backlash against Democratic politicians who passed gun control bills in 1993 and 1994 frightened centre-left candidates into steering clear of the issue, says Kristin Goss of Duke University.
"The Democrats have a belief that it's not a winning issue for them," she adds.
As a result, gun rights were barely an issue during the 2012 election, apart from when President Obama reaffirmed his support for an assault weapon ban in response to a question during one of the presidential debates.

Other countries have responded by tightening their gun laws following public outcries in the wake of mass shootings.

Access to firearms were restricted in the UK following the 1987 Hungerford massacre and handguns were effectively banned in the aftermath of the 1996 school shooting in Dunblane.
Australia introduced sweeping new gun laws after 35 people in Port Arthur, Tasmania, were shot dead in 1996. Finland - which has some of Europe's most relaxed firearms legislation and highest rates of gun ownership - placed extra restrictions on handgun permits in the wake of a 2008 college shooting which killed 11.
But not all such atrocities have provoked this response. Norway, where firearms restrictions were already robust, did not tighten its gun laws after Anders Behring Breivik's 2011 attacks.
Certainly, in the US, earlier mass shootings - there have been 13 such attacks in 2012, according to the Washington Post - have failed to provoke change.
The scale and nature of the Connecticut massacre, however, has put gun control back on the agenda in a way that other tragedies have not. Likewise, liberals hope the president's fresh mandate following his re-election will give him greater confidence to speak out on the subject.
While not impossible, fresh firearms legislation remains a long shot, says Robert Spitzer, a professor at the State University of New York and author of The Politics of Gun Control.
"People are genuinely shocked by this," he adds. "Obama is in a position to exert some leadership on this issue. But it's very difficult for me to imagine the new Congress enacting new gun laws."

Even if the president were to take the initiative, he says, institutional barriers would stand in his way.
The US system means that most gun legislation is set by states rather than the federal government. Connecticut has relatively tight firearms restrictions by US standards.
A whole range of legal loopholes would have to be unpicked, too. The Brady Act, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, requires federal background checks on firearm purchases by flagging up buyers with a criminal record or a history of mental health problems.

But 40% of gun sales are not affected by the legislation because they take place between private individuals - including at gun show stands or through the internet.

Even where checks are performed, they are not foolproof.
Jared Loughner, who wounded US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others during a 2011 shooting in Arizona, was sold a Glock 19 handgun despite having had several run-ins with the police hand having been thrown out of his college for erratic behaviour. But he had never been convicted of a crime nor assessed by mental health professionals.
In response, supporters of gun rights argue that clinical outreach, not new regulations, is the answer.
"I think this is more of a mental health problem than a gun control problem," says Mr Jacobs.
Advocates of greater regulation point to the fact that the US has 3.2 firearms homicides per 100,000 population compared with 1.6 for Canada, 1.0 for Australia and 0.1 for England and Wales, according to a 2012 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
But even the staunchest gun control supporters concede it may be impossible to ever envisage UK-style gun laws in a nation where there is currently nearly one firearm for every citizen.
Ultimately, says Ms Goss, any political pressure for change will have to come from the bottom up rather than the top down.
"I don't think leaders are going to lead on this," she says. "I think they are going to follow."

Video of the week by Eva Gómez

In this days maybe this story could have been like this...enjoy it.
Have a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year 2013

It's so cute!

My suggestion: Last Christmas - Glee Cast by Noelia

Lyrics:
Last Christmas lyrics by Glee Cast

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Happy Christmas

I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying 'I love you', I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Special
Yea yea

A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you, and your soul of ice
I thought you were someone to rely on
Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on

A friend to discover with a fire in her heart
A man under cover but you tore me apart
Now I've found a real love, you'll never fool me again

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
I'll give it to someone special

My suggestion II: Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

I love The Beatles, so I suggest this song too. I hope you like it!!

My suggestion: Last Christmas by Wham (George Michael)

I think this song is easy to sing, and everybody have listened it!! (I think so!)

And if you want to see the original video here you have the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI

My suggestion: All I want for Christmas is you by Mariah Carey.

This is my suggestion for the Christmas Carol. I think the lyrics is easy, but maybe the rythm isn’t (too fast for us?). Well, you can try to sing it at home. Or we could sing just a piece of the song... I don’t know. What do you think?

Video of the week

Now cupcakes are trendy as as Christmas is very close I thought that this video is a good idea. Have you ever sen so original Christmas trees? Someone of class wants them???

Article of the week, by Noelia Olmedo

I found a very interesting article by Reporters Without Borders that discusses a hot topic in our country: the Catalan health system corruption. I think it's interesting to read and comment. Do you think that is fair the judgment against Caféambllet? Do you think that you can do something to stop the corruption of politicians and others involved? Here you can read the article, and in the end I leave the link if you are interested to investigate further. A greeting.

SPANISH MAGAZINE SENTENCED TO A 10,000 EURO FINE FOR INVESTIGATING CORRUPTION IN THE CATALAN HEALTH SYSTEM

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS PROTESTS AGAINST THE CONVICTION OF MARTA SIBINA AND ALBANO DANTE, JOURNALISTS AND EDITORS OF THE MAGAZINE CAFÈAMBLLET.

ON 24 OCTOBER, SIBINA AND DANTE WERE FOUND GUILTY OF DEFAMATION AGAINST JOSEP MARÍA VIA, HEALTH ADVISOR AT THE GOVERNMENT OF CATALONIA. DANTE AND SIBINA ACCUSED VIA, AMONGST OTHERS, OF LINKS WITH CORRUPTION. THEY WERE CONVICTED TO PAY A FINE OF 10,000 EUROS. JOSEP MARÍA VIA JUSTIFIED HIS COMPLAINT WITH THE TITLE OF THE VIDEO (“THE BIGGEST ROBBERY IN THE HISTORY OF CATALONIA”) AND SPECIFICALLY THE WORD “ROBBERY”. OF THE ORIGINAL SUM OF 20,000 EUROS, THE JUDGE CONSIDERED ONLY HALF OF THE COMPLAINT AND FINALLY CONDEMNED THE MAGAZINE TO PAY 10,000 EURO. VIA, WHO MANAGES THE HOSPITAL DEL MAR IN BARCELONA, SAID HE WOULD GIVE THE AMOUNT TO CHARITY.

“WE CONDEMN THIS VERDICT AS A CLEAR LIMITATION OF PRESS FREEDOM. IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN CATALONIA IN PARTICULAR AND IN SPAIN IN GENERAL, IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT PUBLIC MONEY IS ACTUALLY SPENT ON,” REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS SAID. “SUCH A BIG FINE IMPOSED ON SIBINA AND DANTE IS LIKELY TO CREATE A CHILLING EFFECT ON INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING INTO CORRUPTION CASES, WHICH ARE OF OBVIOUS PUBLIC INTEREST.”

After salaries were cut in several hospitals in Catalonia, CaféAmbLlet made public its findings on the scale of corruption in the budgets of the Selva and Maresme public health system districts. After two years of investigation, Marta Sibina and Albano Dante, who are running the magazine, published a YouTube video investigating the spending of public money. The report cited high-level state employees of the regional government, which is chaired by Artur Mas. According to the video, the Catalan health system has become a network of companies that are winning tenders through their personal contacts with the politicians in charge.

Sibina and Dante claimed that the firms belonging to Ramon Bagó, former president and member of the Catalonia Health Council, were winning tenders worth millions of Euros. This report prompted proceedings by the Catalan anti-fraud office.

CaféAmbLlet is also facing charges for investigations into Xavier Crespo, deputy of the national political party CIU, who was said to have received 15,000 Euros from one of the subsidiaries of the Health Corporation of Maresme and Selva together with his wife.

Albano Dante and Marta Sibina, who are running the magazine alone, are determined to appeal the verdict. “We have demonstrated that we are not talking about isolated cases but that this is a network that is beyond fiscal control”, Dante said. “We showed that this is made possible by the principal parties of Catalonia (CIU and the Socialist Party) and the pressure that they are exerting on all the authorities that should ensure transparency.”

The link: http://en.rsf.org/spain-spanish-magazine-sentenced-to-a-10-09-11-2012,43660.html

My best friend by Mar.

One of my best friends is Isabel. I knew her 15 years ago. She's very friendly and sociable. We met up at college and after that we met up again in the university. When we was studing at the University, We had the opportunity to go to do part of ours last course in Strasbourg. There, We lived in a studients residence near of the "le petit venice" an incredible place to visit. In Strasbourg We shared a lot of live experience with a lot of different people. These was amazing to our personal growth. After that we lost the contact because Isabel went to work to Costa Rica. She was working in small villages like a teacher and supporting differents N.G.O. When she came back we met up again, because she was looking for a room, and we deciced to go to lived together. She was my flatmate during two years. In this time I really knew her. She's very empathic person, when you have a problem is the person who always help you. Now she lives and works in Lleida, and every one of us has her own life, but We always bring a moment to meet up and share ours life. Definetely, Isabel is one of the best person I have found in my life, and one of my best friend.

Let it snow, by Dean Martin - My suggestion. Any other suggestions for the Christmas carol we need to sing together?

Vancouver (Video of the week by Marta Garcia)

I have decided to upload and share with you this video about Vancouver (British Columbia). I have been reminding my time there. I recomend you to visit this city. If you can, you should go there once, at least.
I hope you like it!  

A good friend

This is my good friend Rosa. Currently, Rosa is maybe my best friend. I know a lot of people but she’s more special than others. She lives in Premia de Mar and she has a daughter called Paula.

I think that I met Rosa six or five years ago but I can’t remember which day. She’s Jose’s sister . Jose is a friend of mine. Her real name is Rosa but her friends call her Rosiki. It’s a nice name.

Rosiki is an intelligent woman with a strong character. She’s sincere and her face shows what she thinks . She’s a hard-working, open-minded and very talkative but sometimes when she’s a problem she’s reserved because her life has not been easy. I think that she’s a fighter. She’s a loyal friend, she always listens to your problems and gives you good tips.

Rosa and I have similar hobbies and we enjoy going shopping (we love Desigual clothes). We try to pass time together but both of us have different schedules and we only can meet Friday evenings or the weekends. New technologies let us be in more contact more often; whatsapp is an amazing invention.

In summary, Rosa has a heart of gold and I hope that our friendship will never lose.

Article of the week, by Alida

A short story. Jessie Munroe "IF"

If I was a car I wonder what I would be. Would I be the hot red sports car with leather interior, and automatic luxury? I doubt it. I think an old reliable, 1981 Volvo with chipping blue paint would fit me the best. I would only have about 24 thousand miles, which means I am dependable. I would have AM FM Radio and even though it’s no CD player I get you want you want. I think I would be a manual with a tricky clutch, because I tend to not like change that much, it just bothers me. There would be a few dents that express interesting stories on how and when it happened. The chipping paint lets people know I have given myself to others. My accessories are in pretty good shape, for example; my window wipers are fresh and new symbolizing a new start to wipe away the rain. The engine would have some problems because of experience, but other then that it would be honest, and would keep on giving as long as it could. The body might look like it needs some work, however, it just symbolizes the experience and growth of an old car. I wouldn’t be that jealous of those red hot sports cars flashing their selves around the streets, because they tend to run out faster, and a little rough on in interior. They might be full of luxury however, they always depend on being high maintained. Another thing about those red-hot sports cars you can’t just jump in one wearing your pajama pants. If you sport the car you have to play the role. This means you cannot ever be yourself or people would think you don’t deserve the red-hot sports car. Plus, their parts are just way too expensive, and the car is just too picky about everything. At the end and for the long road cars like me, we tend to carry our passengers wherever they want to go for as long as they want to go for.

My best friend by Lluís

I want tell you about Gabrielle. He's 45 years old, an he's an actor. He's from Roma, but he's lived in Catalonia for three years. In my opinion, he's very sensible, incredibly creative and very responsible in his work. I have seen him in some plays and he is a great actor! He's very sociable and a really good friend, but he's also cautious and reserved with his personal things.

As I said before, Gabrielle (Gabi for the friends), is a very sensible and creative person, so he loves seeing films, the theater and whatever form of artistic expression, like photography or painting.

The only negative things I can think of are that he's a bit quiet and shy, and he has a big problem with the cooking, and as a good Italian, he's very obstinate and very meticolous in the kitchen. It's a pleasure to cook with him and you'll learn a lot, but you must remember to change the proportions and never make improvisations if you don't want to see your lunch in the garbage!

How to set a beautiful Thanksgiving table!!

Hi!! I've seen this article in my facebook page, and today is Thanksgiving day. Enjoy it and use this ideas for Christmas or an special dinner!!
See you later!!

Article: "Creating a beautiful and modern Thanksgiving Table!!

Creating a beautiful and modern Thanksgiving table

By LINDA WHITE, Special to QMI Agency

Set the scene for an unforgettable Thanksgiving dinner with a dining room table that exudes style and atmosphere, enhancing not only the menu but the conversation you’ll enjoy with loved ones.

“A beautifully set dining room table is the appetizer because it ultimately sets the tone and theme for the evening,” says Cheryl Torrenueva, one of the designer hosts of Restaurant Takeover on Food Network Canada. “It becomes part of the memory and is definitely a great complement to the food.”

Reds, oranges and browns are traditional autumn colours but she suggests putting a refreshing twist on your table décor with one of the following styles:

• Minimalist: Clear glass, mirrors, creams, silver and gold create a calm, serene, luxurious ambiance.
• Refined rustic: Layer neutrals like taupes, creams and beiges with lots of pattern and texture, such as herringbone or chevron, and a splash of metallic contrasted with things like bark and branches.
• Organic roots: This modern, saturated palette of indigo is mixed with plums, greens and golds and is inspired by autumn vegetables like cabbage and red onions.

As you celebrate nature’s bounty, there’s no need to spend money on faux decorations from a craft store or purchase graphic table clothes, plates and napkins that scream Thanksgiving, advises Sonya Kinkade of Sonya Kinkade Design in Ottawa, Ont.

“Stick with the simple things – the things you see outside in nature every day and use what you have already in your home. Simple white plates, linen tablecloth and napkins, wine corks with slits to insert place cards, and raffia with a few berry twigs tied to the napkins,” Kinkade says. “All these things will make a stunning table and the cost to do so will be only time.”

A large bouquet of flowers is a traditional centrepiece but again don’t be afraid to mix things up. Clusters of three or five arrangements – such asartichokes as candleholders – can be placed asymmetrically on the tabletop.

Another idea - herbs in mason jars. “They add a nice fragrance to the table and allow guests to add whatever herbs they want to their meal,” says Torrenueva.

A harvest table in the autumn edition of LCBO’s Food and Drink magazinefeatures a row of pillar candles down the centre of the table in lieu of flowers. Small gourds and pumpkins painted in silver and white metallic complete the look and is a trend editor Jody Dunn predicts will be popular for holidays. “Scented candles are an easy way to set the mood for a dinner party,” she says.

Avoid creating clutter on the table by decorating with items that serve double duty. One of Dunn’s favourite ideas is a thank-you card that serves as a place card, with the name of guests written on envelopes. Inside, let them know why you’re grateful to have them in your life.

“It’s time consuming but adds a special touch to Thanksgiving,” Dunn says.

Centrepiece ideas

Interior designer Sonya Kinkade suggests two centrepieces for your Thanksgiving table:

• Place tall cut branch maple stems in red, green and orange in a large clear vase. Cut off the leaves in the stem area in the vase and ensure branches are tall enough so they don’t block eye contact between guests.

• Fill three antique silver pitchers in different shapes and heights with green pepper berries and foliage, lemon leaves and under-ripe Persimmon.

Visual Shoe Dictionary

Hiii everyone!
I've found this pic today, it makes me remember the class of yesterday haha
 If you want to learn more vocabulary about shoes...

Question Tags

Rosa, my best friend

Rosa is my best friend. When I think about friendship, her face appears on my mind. We learnt at the same primary school, but our lifes crossed some years later, when we were twenties. First of all, I met her older sister and her friends. They used to say me that I was looking like her, physically and in our way of thinking. So, Carmen, her sister, decided to introduce each other. In fact, the chemistry emerged at the first moment. The more we talked, the more we felt this strong feeling. We started to share all the things that appeared in our ways, our loves, our friends, our parties, our everyday things…

As you can see, she is wonderful to me! She has a precious face, with a big smile that makes me feel confidence and tranquility. Her hair is brun and sightly waved, it makes her green eyes stand out.

Roseta is very talkative and open-minded and she likes knowing new people. When I have a problem, she listens carefully to me and advices me. She is a very honest person and always says what she thinks. She takes care of her people, I feel so good when we are together. Now, we live in different cities, she lives in Cullera, our town in Valencia, and I am here working as a teacher. The first thing we do when we meet is to embrace each other. I like her smell and warmth, remind me what we have lived together. The last time we meet was her daughter’s day of birth, last 3rd of November. Claudia is her little princess, and I love her in the same way as her mum.

Finally, just say that I really like her personality and if I could, I wouldn't change anything of her. I like she the way she is and nothing could break or change the feeling we share.

My best friend by Alida

My best friend is Idoia. I met her about ten years ago. We know each other because she was friend of my husband’s best friend.

We met at a birthday’s party where I don’t knew nobody and she started to talk with me. In fact, to talk a lot with me because she is very talkative. We get on very well so we started to see us very frequently. She’s very sociable, helpful, reliable, affectionate and how I said before very talkative too. But this is not a problem because I’m very shy so we complement us each other.

We normally met twice a month, even more. Moreover our children are very friends too.

She’s fantastic for me.

My friend Judith (by Vanesa)

This is Judith and is one f my friends. We met in high school and ever since we separated. Judith's cheerful and friendly and always have good mood. She's very balanced, open-mind, confident and hardworking who has succeed in his professional and family life. What I like is that she is very loyal and generous with everyone. When I've had a problem she always been there, with his optimism and his good heart, so she is one of my best friends.

She's tall, slim and very attractive. She has a long blonde hair and a nice smile. She 's very pretty but mostly she's beautiful inside.

Judith is very active and loves do things with her family and friends. She loves traveling and dancing. 

Judith is a lawyer and she loves his job.

We've been through a lot together and we lives with intensity every time: our adolescence, our loves and disappointments, sorrows and joys, work, marriage, the birth of our children...

An magical moment for us was when my daughter Martina was born. Judith was very excited because she's her godmother. Be the godmother of my little daughter was my way of thanking and showing how important she is to me.

She's a good friend, a fantastic mother and a great person. I'm very lucky to have a friend like her.

My friend Àngels (by Mònica Arjona)

She’s my friend Àngels. Well, she’s one of my best friends. Àngels is 31 years old. She’s tall and slim; she has long blonde hair and brown eyes. I met her when I was in Secondary School. The first three years we were in the same group of friends but we didn’t speak much. One day we discovered that we had a similar sense of humour. Joke after joke a good friendship began. But... when I definitely knew that she was a very good friend, was when I had an important problem and she helped me a lot, more than anyone. Since then, I trust her and I know she’ll be ever in my life. She’s a kind person, responsible, open-minded and cheerful. She’s very sensitive, she cries easily watching a film or talking to someone who is sad. She likes listening to music, especially Radiohead and Muse. She never misses a concert of them. She’s a good cook, her salads are delicious!! I meet her, at least, twice a week for jogging or doing yoga.

Funny Thanksgiving Song

Video of the week by Ana Mª Cañadas (History of Thanksgiving Day)

My friend ( by Eva Gómez )

In Memoriam 

          

I have been thinking about my friends all this week. All this time I have remembered a good friend from when I was at the university: Meritxell Suriñach. It’s difficult for me to write about her because she is dead but I realize that I still miss her.

I met her during my first year but not at the beginning, because she was a friend of a friend friend .Together we spent a lot of time in different libraries, in the university bar and speaking on the phone about exams and homework. She was a blonde, blu really pretty woman with blue eyes. She was clever, brilliant and hard -working and she used to be always ready to go to a party or celebration. She used  to be also in a hurry to do everything because she didn’t want to miss anything.

 She showed to me how to hitchhike, that's how we used to go home from the UAB. It was faster, cheaper and we never had any problem. She also taught me catalan  because she was from Camprodon and for five years I could learn more catalan than in all  my life. I know that she learnt from me spanish because she told me.

I met her family, and my boyfriend and I went to Camprodon several times. My boyfriend, nowadays my husband, and I could meet a real catalan family because we came from Andalusian emigrants sons and we had never shared food or conversations with people who we understood although they spoke another language to ours. We forgot forever all the stereotypes about catalonan people. She came home many times as well. Once she came to Badalona to go to the “ Cremada del Dimoni” celebration. We had a great time because she was really funny, extroverted and talkative.

She was such an adventurer that she passed away in Mont Blanc. She had an accident; she slipped and fell down a precipice. I can’t say anything bad about her because she was an angel. Rest in peace ,my friend.

http://hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com/preview/1998/08/28/pagina-19/34615114/pdf.html

A GOOD FRIEND: MARY (by MªCarmen)

This is Mary. She lives in Madrid. I know Mary for many years. She’s one of my best friends because she always help me when I need something. I think we get on well because we know each other so well. We spend much time together because she has always vacationed in Jerte (my village). In the village we have the same friends and we enjoy doing the same things. We celebrate our birthday together because it’s the same month. We don’t live in the same town but we see each other very often. Often she comes to visit me at Barcelona (she loves BCN). We talk by phone every week and when I travel to Madrid the first person I call is always Mary. A part from being an attentive and nice person. She’s hard-working, open-minded, sweet, funny and sensitive. She has a big heart and she’ll never say not to anything! I think that I’ve found a good friend to share my problems and give me good advices. I love her a lot!!! However, she’s not perfect. She’s a bit shy, reserved and innocent. Therefore many people abuse the good person that she is.

A very good friend (by Angel)

This is Joxan one of my oldest friends. We were together at secondary school but in different class - I’m one year older than him. I think that the first time we met was at the school choir trials. We shared so much time practising together that we knew each other’s voices perfectly and that’s why we discovered a new kind of mutual understanding. Besides, we had the opportunity to go abroad and know different cities in Spain and Europe.

Usually, Joxan and I shared the same room when we stayed at the guesthouse or at the family house that put us up. Joxan is a loyal friend and a wise person. He’s also cheerful and, even if something doesn’t work or the weather isn’t so good, he is always smiling.

Now, I live in Barcelona, far away from my old friends, but we haven’t lost contact. I usually go back and then we meet up for a beer or for dinner. Next Christmas, I’m sure we’ll meet again and we’ll talk about the good old days, as usual. 

My best friend (by Patri)

This is Angel. We knew each other in 1999, when he became my instructor at the "esplai". At firt, we didn't get on well, because I wanted to be an instructor and it seemed like he was taking my place away. But, at once, we started to be good friends. We studied toghether at University and now we share a flat with another common friend. 

Angel is a very inteligent and charming person. He's pretty ambitious and imaginative at his work. But, at private life, he is so reserved and calm. 

He has a heart of gold. He'll always help anyone with everything. He's very loyal, he's always there when you need him, and you can trust in him. He have helped and suported me everytime I have had any problem. Also, he's good fun and I laught a lot when I'm with him. 

However, he's a little bit stubborn and bad-tempered when he gets ungry. Still, he's my best friend, and I hope we'll be friends for years and years!

A very good friend (by Clara)

This is Cris. I met her in 1992, twenty years ago ,while we were travelling in Thailand with our husbands Jose and Miguel. At First, we didn’t get on well because she always knews  it all! And also , they were  from Madrid and everybody knows, about the rivalry between Madrid-Barcelona... However, I discovered that we had a lot of things in common.

She is very sociable, friendly, talkative and optimistic. Her slogan is "Don’t worry, be happy!" Sometimes she’s a dreamer and she has her head in the clouds! When I am with her, all is perfect and happy. She is so cheerful!

The only negative things I can think of are that she’s such a chatterbox when she’s on the phone, and she’s  the Real Madrid fan, but  nobody is perfect!

We get in touch often, because after that  summer of 92 we have been meeting with our families twice a year, one at Chistmas in Madrid and one in summer here, in Barcelona. They love Barcelona, Costa Brava and “pa amb tomàquet”,  and our children became great friends. 

My best friend (by Marta Garcia)

 

 

This is my best friend Marta. We met just four years ago at the school where we were working. The first time I saw her, I knew that we’d get on well because we had lots of things in common. Actually, in a short time we connected a lot and became best friends. 

She is 26 years old, like me. She’s nervous, optimistic, open-minded and very affectionate, loyal and funny, you can trust always her. If I have a bad day, I know that she is going to make me laugh.

However, she is not perfect. She’s stubborn, quite untidy and sometimes she talks too much (she explains things that she shouldn’t).

She is my partner in whatever I do. We have travelled together. We've been to Madrid, Asturias, Belgium, Ireland... but the best trip was going to Vancouver. We spent some weeks there and the experience was awesome. I've never thougt that I would go so far away. I could go till the end of the world If I went with her. 

In fact, she’s the sister I’ve never had.

A very good friend (by Nica)

She is Mónica. I met her I don't know when, because we were very young, perhaps we were 12 or 13 years old. Her mother helped to my grandfather in a market shop, so our families met a lot of times. We were friends inmediatly, and we did everything together. At the age of sixteen, we started to go out with another people, but she always was my best.

She is very beautiful, I always envied her curly hair, although she now looks straight hair. About her personality, you can speak about everything with her, she is very open-minded, and she never judges you. She is smailing all the time, so stay with her is very great. A part of being very pretty and cheerful, she is very attentive and creative. After work, she sews dresses, bags, and all you need. I love her designs. You can trust with her. She is the kind of person that helps you always she can, and always is near when you need to talk.

Nowadays, she lives in Oliva and I live in Barcelona, so we only meet twice a year. I miss her a lot.