36 Life Lessons I Learned Before the Age of 30_ The Observer 4th May 2015

Here's a simplified version of this recent interview that I have really enjoyed reading. I hope that you enjoy it too! It's so true!

36 Life Lessons I Learned Before the Age of 30

Sam Altman is the president of Y Combinator, which has incubated companies such as Airbnb, Dropbox and Scribd.

I turned 30 last week and a friend asked me if I had figured out any life advice in the past decade worth passing on. I’m somewhat hesitant to publish this but here is a cleaned-up version of my answer:

1.    Never put your family, friends, or significant other low on your priority list. Prefer a handful of truly close friends to a hundred acquaintances. Don’t lose touch with old friends.

2.    Time is extremely limited and goes by fast. Do what makes you happy and fulfilled. Don’t do stuff that doesn’t make you happy and cut negative people out of your life. Don’t waste time. Be a doer, not a talker.

3.    Work very hard but not so hard that the rest of your life passes you by. Aim to be the best in the world at whatever you do professionally. Don’t waste time and don’t be afraid to take some career risks, especially early on.

4.    On money: Whether or not money can buy happiness, it can buy freedom, and that’s a big deal. Also, lack of money is very stressful. Making money is often more fun than spending it, though I personally have never regretted money I’ve spent on friends, new experiences and travel.

5.    Talk to people more. Read more long content and fewer tweets. Watch less TV. Spend less time on the Internet. Learn voraciously.

6.    Don’t let yourself get pushed around. There is a big difference between confident and arrogant. Aim for the former, obviously.

7.    If you think you’re going to regret not doing something, you should probably do it. Regret is the worst, and most people regret far more things they didn’t do than things they did do.

8.    Exercise. Eat well. Sleep. Get out into nature with some regularity.

9.    Go out of your way to help people. Few things in life are as satisfying. Be nice to strangers. Be nice even when it doesn’t matter.

10. Be grateful and keep problems in perspective. Don’t complain too much. Don’t hate other people’s success.  Don’t judge other people too quickly. You never know their whole story and why they did or didn’t do something. Be empathetic.

Adapted from: http://observer.com/2015/05/the-days-are-long-but-the-decades-are-short/#ixzz3ahxqReE1 

Happy Father's Day to all of you who are dads!

Let's celebrate it with some jokes!

Superstitions in the UK

Hello everybody!

How are you today?

As I told you in class, I'd like you to know a bit more about superstitions in the UK. Click on this link to read the article:

http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/uk-superstitions/

Then, watch this video and try to understant it as it's not very difficult.

If you compare them to the ones in Spain. Which ones are the same? Which ones are different?

Have a nice weekend!

And, I am an African by Jane Oma

On Tuesday we had the pleasure to count on Jane's visit at the EOI. I hope you found her talk as thought-provoking as I did!

Here you have part of her speech. You can read the rest by clicking on the link below. I highly encourage you to read her blog!

http://jane-myrubyheels.blogspot.com.es/2014/08/and-i-am-african.html

"Over the years, I have taken up a new identity. I have embraced a wide and broad title. A title which sometimes feels bigger than I am, but one which nonetheless I am carrying with the utmost pride and dignity. Now, I am African.

At first, I was amused when people referred to me as an African. It was both exasperating and infuriating when I saw how some struggle to pronounce correctly, the name of my country of birth or sometimes even question its existence. Then, I’d get mildly irritated when non-Africans assumed that there is actually a country called Africa, when they talk about Africa and Africans as if they have no individual presence.  

As a matter of fact, there are people who don’t know where my country is, and even though it is sometimes still extremely annoying, instead of wasting time explaining where I am from, it has become convenient to simply say that I am African. So, now, I am simply, "African"."

Knowing what we know by Simon Armitage

Knowing what we know by Simon Armitage

The Elf Story (Part one)

The Elf said to Kevin:

You're probably wondering why I'm sitting here at your breakfast table this morning, helping myself to your toast and cereal. I'm here to make you a very special offer. You could call this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Today, is the 11th December and this is a very special day for you. You are exactly forty-four years and thirty-six days old and that is exactly how long you've got left. Let me do the maths for you Kevin. You are going to live until you're eighty-eight years and

seventy-two days. And you have just crossed the halfway line.

Now Kevin. You have two possibilities: You can carry on - continue your life and pretend that we never met. Or you can accept my offer and let me flip the hourglass of life.

Do you see what I'm saying Kevin? Instead of getting older, you'll be getting younger. I've got all

the forms. All you have to do is sign here. And it's goodbye incontinence, hello Ibiza.

What do you say Kevin?

The Elf Story (Part two)

The arthritis in Kevin's shoulder had been painful recently. He was starting to go bald and his

beer belly was getting bigger every year. The elf was right - this was a very special offer.

Kevin imagined how fantastic it would be to go back to his youth, knowing all the things that he

knows now.

But what about Annie - the woman he loved? The woman he loved more than anything in the

world? The only woman he had ever loved? What would happen to her? Would it be fair if, while

Kevin was wearing fashionable T-shirts, she was losing her teeth?

No! I made a promise to Annie and I'm going to keep it. I won't do it. I won't sign.

The elf said:

Well Kevin, there aren't many gentleman left in the world. But you are one of them. And your

Annie - well, she is one in a million. She is a fantastic woman: beautiful, attractive, gorgeous,

outgoing.

Yes - a great woman Annie. I had breakfast with her just the other day. And I'll tell you something:

she's looking younger every day.

And then the elf clicked his heels together and he was gone.

Thanks so much to Mr. Keddie!

María.

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Reading Intermediate 1

Hello everybody!

We are going to read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde in class. 

It's a masterpiece that I hope you enjoy as much as I did the first time I read it!

Promise me that you'll read the original book by Oscar Wilde (not the adapted version) when you are in Advanced 2. 

I'm certain that you will enjoy it! 

Message in a Bottle - Listening and Reading

Hi everyone!

We have been listening to the wonderful song by The Police.
I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have!

Here you can find de video in case you want to listen to it again:

I suggest you to read some of the following stories. They are amazing!

http://www.mymessagebottle.com/amazing-stories.html

Healthy eating - Reading practice Int 1

Hello everyone!

This week we have been studying vocabulary and expressions related to Food & Cooking. Do the following test to see if you eat healthily and practise your reading a bit!

Reading Int 1 - Are you a happy person?

Read the following article in which I found an interesting compilation of kind reminders. 

I hope you enjoy them too!

http://www.infobarrel.com/22_Habits_of_Unhappy_People

Breaking News - King Juan Carlos of Spain abdicates

If you want to read about it: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27662301

I'm sure you have watched videos and read the news but have you done it in English?

Reading practice _ Intermediate 1

Hello everybody!

Some of you wanted to do reading practice. 

Here you are a couple of websites that offer different activities for you to practice at home.

http://www.mansioningles.com/Lectura01.htm

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading-intermediate.php

Intermediate 1: Childhood anecdotes

One day I was riding my tricycle in my backyard when I wondered if I could ride it with my eyes closed. So I shut my eyes and began riding. Next thing I knew I was cold and wet, I had ridden my trike right into the swimming pool, and my mom (who is very tiny, only 5'4" and 95lbs} had to jump in after me. I refused to let go of my trike, so she had to pull me out with it!

http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Have-A-Funny-Childhood-Story-To-Tell-You/133322

What's your anecdote? Please, share it with us!