Definition of love ....

Go to Camilo English Corner and find out what  students wrote about love.

Europe's biggest Live Nativity Scene

      In Priscos, a small village about 6 kilometres away from Braga, you can find “Europe’s Greatest Live Nativity Scene”. The parish community of Priscos and its inhabitants are responsible for this magnificent event, whose preparation takes nine months.

      This event takes place during the festive season of Christmas and it intends to strengthen the feeling of congregation among its participants, making the people of Priscos a true community. This project is open to all faiths, because every human being seeks for happiness and for the true meaning of life.

      “ We live in a time when opinions abound but when there are no ideas, a time when one often speaks of crisis, so it is urgent to restore the autonomy of thought, the sense of critical thinking about the meaning of life, history, eternity, and our relation to others.” See more.

      The Live Nativity of Priscos is an opportunity to make a trip to the time of Jesus. A trip with voices, music, smells, tastes, sounds, homes, shops and markets, and which is made possible with the help of  600 participants who give life to a story both ancient and new.

      The largest nativity scene in Europe encompasses almost 30,000 square kilometres with 60 scenarios representing Egyptian, Jewish and Roman cultures.

Valentine's Day is coming ...

"What is the first word that comes to your mind when you think of Valentine’s Day? The word is Love. Something that we all crave and need, and at times wish for. So if you have fallen in love, go all out to express your hearts desire to your valentine. Pen down all your thoughts in a valentine card and gift it to her. A love letter with romantic love quotes is even better."                                         Source: My dear Valentine

See More:
Valentine's cards
Valentine's poems for him
Valentine's poems for her
Valentine's Day history

A new year has started ...

Let's get back to work after some rest. I really needed that. Teaching can be really rewarding, but it is also very tiring and demanding.

During this school break, I travelled to Switzerland to visit my relatives.  I had the chance to revise my French and contact with another culture and mentality. It was so enriching and refreshing...

School starts tomorrow, which means much work and stress.

I wish life wouldn't be so stressful and demanding. This year I hope to find a better balance between personal  and professional life. However, I ask myself if that is possible?

A happy New Year for all ....

Thanksgiving facts

Facts
1.Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
2.By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
3.Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.
(...)
11.The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
See the whole text at: The Holiday spot

Thanksgiving ...

Read a text about the history of Thanksgiving and then try a quiz.

http://startswithabang.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/thanksgiving.gif

Halloween is coming ...

Choose a game!

Learn about Halloween, enjoy yourself and improve your English.

Mandela International Day- 18th July

Nelson Mandela turned 92 years old on 18th July 2010. In spite of his age he hasn’t given up the fight. When he was younger he fought against racism and apartheid, which took him to prison for 27 years. Although he suffered a lot, he succeeded in changing the established values of his country. Now he is fighting against an epidemic that kills people all around the world, especially in Africa. He launched his global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign, 46664 in 2001 on his birthday and he hasn’t stopped ever since.

His life continues to be an inspiration for all of us. The Media concentrate too much on scandals and gossips. We are tired of all that, we want to hear about true stories of courage and dedication. Each of us can make a difference.


Below you can read a text I found about Mandela’s Day.

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/07/17/south-africa-67-minutes-of-change-%e2%80%93-mandela-day/

Many people know that Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life in a prison on Robben Island in South Africa. What most people don’t know is that Madiba (as he is affectionately known in South Africa) spent 67 years in the fight against racism and poverty. South Africa’s former President will turn 92 on Sunday, 18 July 2010. For the past 16 years, South Africans have been celebrating Madiba’s birthday with fervor and enthusiasm. In 2002, however, Nelson Mandela himself used this day to launch his global HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign, 46664.
In 2009, the success of the 46664 campaigns and celebrations evolved to what is now known as “Mandela Day”, a day in which people around the world dedicate 67 minutes to making the world a better place for all. The organisers explained:
It was decided that there could be nothing more fitting than to celebrate Madiba’s birthday each year with a day dedicated to his life’s work and that of his charitable organisations and to ensure his legacy continues forever.
2009’s Mandela Day was a roaring success in South Africa. So much so that 2010 will be the first Nelson Mandela International Day as Joburg reports:
It will be the first Nelson Mandela International Day, as the United Nations passed a resolution on the day in November 2009, declaring 18 July an international day set aside for humanitarian activities. It is the first time the organisation has dedicated an international day to an individual, recognising him as a symbol of hope for those who are oppressed and marginalised.
Although the day will be celebrated worldwide, Madrid, in Spain has been chosen as the host of the first official Nelson Mandela International Day celebration concert, at which BB King is billed to perform.
New Yorkers will also host its own celebration concert. Staying with New York, an installation celebrating the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela was put on display in Grand Central Terminal in New York in honour of Mandela Day 46664. The installation features six illuminated 3-D action words: act, listen, lead, unite, learn and speak. The front of each word shows key messages that reveal Nelson Mandela’s values and inspire visitors to act.

4th July:The national day of the United States

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)

Canada Day:1st July

24 th June: the great festival of São João (Saint John)

São João is celebrayed in many Portuguese cities, such as Porto, Braga( my hometown), Figueira da Foz and many others ...

Valentine's Day is coming... What about a love song?

A Happy New year for all ....

I love languages! So I’ve decided to wish you all a Happy New Year in all the languages I know something about.

Feliz Ano Novo- Portuguese

Happy New Year - English

Bonne Année- French

Ein gutes neues Jahr- German

Feliz Año Nuevo- Spanish

I wish I knew Italian, but I can only understand a few words.
Felice Anno Nuovo, Buon Anno – Italian

I studied Latin at school, but I have already forgotten everything.
Felix sit annus novus

More languages at http://www.freelang.net/expressions/newyear.php

A new year is about to start. It's time for some new year's resolutions.

Top 10 New Year's Resolutions

I have just found this site and and it seems very interesting ....
Some of my new year's resolutions can be found there, such us:

- spend more time with family and friends;
- do physical exercise and keep fit;
- enjoy life more;
- learn something new;
- get more organized;
- sleep more;
- travel, etc.