About Writing

When this workshop was announced, people wanted to take part on it, so in a few days there were no places left. I was happy because I was on the list, and it seemed to be a productive workshop. That’s why I was really surprised when I saw my classmates: there were only a half of the people from the list.

But I was convinced that it was going to help me, and I decided to continue anyway.On the one hand, the classes were useful and faster than I had thought -they were for one hour and a half, and I thought that it could be too much. On the other hand, the topics were so different from the typical ones, that the work at home was easy, and even funny.

One of the most significant advantages was our blog. It has helped me a lot when I had to remember the basic things that we had seen in the last class, and also when seeing my classmates tasks, which sometimes were like a guide and helped me to have a general idea for how to write, or how not to write.

All in all, this course has really helped me to improve when writing, because it has given me a different point of view to approach writing exercises, making it easier and giving me self-confidence to do it. So take part on the next term if you can!

by Patricia Moutas

This film is directed and written by Shane Meadows. It is a 2006 drama film, but it came to Spain in 2008, just one day after its release in the UK as a DVD. Its background is centred on the skinhead movement in England, in the early 80’s, but from an anti-racism point of view.

The film is about the life of Shaun (Thomas Turgoose), an 11-year-old boy who lives with his mother because his father died in the Falklands War. After a problematic day at school, he meets a group of boys in his way back home, headed by Woody (Joe Gilgun). He begins going out with them and finally he changes his clothes and his hair in order to become a truly skinhead, as all of them. One day an older skinhead, Combo (Stephen Graham), returns from prison. But he  makes the group divide in two halves: one supporting the white-supremacy ideas and the other half, lead by Woody who doesn’t get involved in politics. Shaun decides to follow Combo, because he thinks that his father would have been proud of that. At the end of the film, something important takes place and makes Shaun reconsider his ideas.

Thomas Turgoose gives a superb performance that makes the film very realistic. Also I have found the plot solid and very well structured, with a sequence of scenes that make you follow the film with attention till the end. Another important element here is the soundtrack, which gives the film the perfect ambient.

I can thoroughly recommend it because of its historic aspects and this different point of view of telling them, but not for all audiences, because of its violent scenes and its vocabulary, which may be non-appropriate for young people. It has proved a controversial film: on the one hand, some councils as Bristol, have recommended it for teenagers, considering it educational for them,and on the other hand, the BBFC has given it a 18 certificate. You can watch it and decide yourself.

by Patricia MoutasPatricia Moutas

Unfortunately we have finished. It’s been a pleasure working with you.

Next term, other students will do what you have been doing but if you miss us, you are invited to check our progress through the blog. And if you feel like going on writing, of course, you can. Why not going on writing? I will read and publish what you write here for other people to learn from us.

The last download is available for you, as usual, in the DOWNLOADS page.

Once again, thank you for joining the workshop and…

HAPPY WRITING!

Next Wednesday will be our last lesson! We will work again in the ICT lab (room 1.4).  I hope you all have sent your emails asking for information. I’m eager to know if you got an answer. See you on Wednesday! 

Could euthanasia be considered a human right? Is somebody legitimated to avoid putting an end to his life to someboddy who is suffering?. This is the controversial subjet of ‘Mar adentro’ directed by Alejandro Amenabar in 2004.

The film is based on a real story. Ramon Sampedro suffered an accident playing on the beach and as a result of it has become paraplegic. Since then Ramon has been lying on his bed and refuged in poetry. He manages to write with the mouth, helped by a gadget he has invented, but after many years he finally decides that his life isn’t worth being lived and begins a long way claiming his right to the euthanasia.

A special scene of the film is when Ramon meets a priest who is in the same clinic state than him. The priest, encouraged by his religious convictions, instead of being depressed dedicates his life to help and relieve paraplegic people. After the meeting Sampedro recognises he would really like to resign himself to his situation but unfortunately he can’t find the way. Eventually with the help of a woman he kills himself with a poison.

When I saw this movie, everybody in the cinema was in floods of tears, and when it ended I could see in people’s faces a mixture of sadness and relief, but with a strange state of relax, possibly because everybody celebrated that Ramon could finally carried his desires and rights out.

By Ojeda

In spite of not being very huge area, Asturias is a region with several thermal power stations placed along its geography. The film is set in a small rural village next to one of these stations. 

Ferguson, a Scotsman who comes to this region in the North of Spain in order to write a tourist guide, drops in this village where he is forced to spend a few days because of a breakdown of his motor caravan. There, he meets Federico (Celso Bugallo), an old man who fights strongly against the station since the pollution that it produces is affecting the earth, as well as the rest of villagers. 

The film is directed by José Antonio Quirós. He wanted to tell a story about the love to the earth and the inability of men to defeat progress. The main sound track is the sound given out by the thermal power station, although several tunes inspired in traditional Asturian music are also included.

If you are from Asturias, I’m sure that you will enjoy watching this tender and amusing film. However, I can thoroughly recommend watching it wherever you are from.  One international award (Tokio 2008) and a national one (FICMA 2008) confirm this. 

By Tania Rodriguez

 Last weekend I went to the cinema and I saw “The Twilight”. It is a real love story between a vampire, and human being… 

Bella and Edward meet each other at the high school, when Bella moves from Arizona to Washington. Many guys in the high start a competition to win Bella’s love, but she is interested in a strange boy, a loner: Edward. They become friends, but this is a dangerous friendship because what Edward really desires is Bella’s blood. Something magic happened when the vampire saves the girl from a sure dead, a true love story begins up to this point… till another vampire, James, also wants to have Bella’s blood…

Definitely, this one of the best films I have ever seen. It is such a beautiful love story, a forbidden love between two creatures who come from two different worlds. They have to sort out all type of risks in order to be together…for ever?

If you expect this story to be full of blood, crimes, etc. this clearly not the kind of film I would recommend you. But if you like romances and love stories you must not miss the film.I am really looking forward to buy the DVD just to see the film in original version!

By Sandra Castañón

In everybody’s life there is always someone who has a special influence for whatever the reason. In my case, it was my boyfriend. He is my best friend, my cup of tea… And life with him is better each day.

To start with, he has taught me that you can love people without being hurt. When I first met him, I was terrified about starting a relationship…but he made me feel so comfortable that there was no place for fears at all. He just told me to trust him, and so I did.

Before I met him, the only thing I could think of  was studying and working non-stop. Free time was a “don’t” in my life. Now I have realized that people sometimes need time to relax and have some fun. Moreover, I have also learnt about other persons’ feelings. Sometimes, we don’t take people’s feeling into account and that will sure hurt them. But when you have a romance things get different, because you do have to consider your partner’s feelings, support him and “water” the relationship ever day. 

 So, there is no doubt he has changed and my life, our life. Thanks him.

By Sandra Castañón

When communicating via email with our peers it is very common to use emoticons and acronyms. It is impossible to have them all under control because the list is endless and day by day it grows up. If you want to know more, have a look here. It’s amusing and entertaining. And, who knows, perhaps you learn something new!

In our lesson we have been working with email writing, one of the most common ways of written communication nowadays. This week your assignment is “real”. You won’t have to send an essay to the teacher. This time you have to decide which city in Britain you would like to travel to, contact the Tourist Information Office by email and ask for information about that place: accommodation, restaurants, sights, museums … Anything you are interested in!

I’m sure you will get an answer. When we meet next Wednesday, do please tell us the kind of information you got and if they sent you any brochure let us know!

Remember that although email writing is not as formal as “old fashioned” letters, there’s no need to be careless.

See you next week!

Good writing! :-) 

(I got the idea for this activity from the British Council official site)