Expression of the week- Pardon my French!

Well, first of all I'd like to wish everybody a very happy 2013!
I haven't written in a long time because I've been extremelly busy working on my website (Skype Classes Luisa), but I'm really happy with the results we are getting.

Anyways, let's get to the Expression of the Week- Pardon my French! I was watching an old movie (actually, a classic of the 80's) called Ferris Bueller's day off. Have you seen it? Well, this expression was used at least 2 times during the movie and it reminded me of the mother of the first American family whom I lived with, she (was Scotish) used this expression quite often.

The idea of the post is to show you guys a video where you can see one of the characters using this expression. I think that by watching it you can guess the meaning of the expression.
I won't write the meaning of it today because I'd like to see your guesses first.
So, enjoy the video, leave your guesses and see you soon!

Expression of the week- same old same old

Hello, hello!

I heard the expression of the week on a TV show about cars. While I was looking for the video of this show on Youtube I found the video of a song.
The title of this song is the expression of the week- same old same old. Before I explain it, let me just express my opinion about this song and this singer: AWESOME!!!

So watch the video, enjoy the song and then read the explanation of the expression "same old same old".



 So, same old same old is an expression used to say that a situation or someone's behaviour remains the same, especially when it is boring or annoying; to say that nothing has changed, on the contrary, it is just the same.

Example 1:
A: Hi Jack, how is everything?
B: Same old same old (everything is the same)

Example 2: The husband says to his wife: "I'm going to stop drinking that much". The wife, who knows her husband so well answers: "yeah, same old same old. (you always say that, but you never change)

Example 3: I bought the new Corolla, but it was same old same old. (there were not many differences, it was like the old model)

Got it? (did you understand it?) I hope this post has helped you and that your life is not same old same old.

See you next time!

Expression of the week- to run some errands - Correction

Hi everyone,
after a long time, the Expression of the Week is back.
And today's expression has everything to do with our busy lives.

Definition: to have some things to do, like going to the bank, going grocery shopping, taking the clothes to the dry cleaner, picking up the kids from school... something quick!

Example1 : I can't go to the movies with you today, I still have some errands to run! (the same as- I still have some things to do.)

Example2: Before we start our trip we have some errands to run.

NOTE: We normally  say "some errands to run"

I hope this post can be helpful. If you have any questions, just let me know.

This post has been corrected because the expression was not spelled correctly. I apologize for the inconvenient. You can check the definition and the spelling on this link:
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/run+an+errand

Happy Thanksgiving

Hi everyone,
today is thanksgiving day. Do you know what that is? One of my students (Nairajane Ellery) made a research and wrote this nice text explaining everything.
Before you start reading it, I'd just like to say that I'm thankful for many things in my life: my family, my website (www.skypeclassesluisa.com), my students, my friends, the food I eat every day, for being healthy...
And you, what are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the name for a traditional event widely celebrated in North America. It has begun with the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians. Some pilgrims left Plymouth in England in 1620s and 1630s emigrating to the US and arrived at the Massachusetts Bay. After a brutal winter coincident with their arrival, which killed some of their people they started their settlement with the aid of American Native Indians, who taught them how to cultivate the land, extract saps from trees, catch fish in the river, etc. So, in November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, a celebratory feast was organized by the Governor William Bradford, which invited also the Indians tribes. This celebration although not called Thanksgiving is assumed by historians as being the First Thanksgiving event. Dishes prepared for the feast mainly consisted of traditional Native American spices and cooking methods and fowls. Further, for this fist celebration, a Native American guest brought five deer. Unlike the modern Thanksgiving celebrations, the meal did not include pies and cakes because they had a shortage of sugar. Anyone can learn more about this settlement visiting the museum Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

In 1789, George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the US government and he called upon American to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the US constitution. Here, the focus on successful harvest is missing. This has also happened in Canada where Thanksgiving was firstly celebrated by the explorer Martin Frobisher who has tried to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean and then instituted a Thanksgiving celebration to thank for surviving the perils of his journey.

However, after French and American (from New England) settlers have arrived in Canada, Thanksgiving celebrations were directed to express their thanks for the good harvests.

 

 

Although Thanksgiving celebration has been subjected to the influence of governors during the revolutionary period, the President Roosevelt  (US) finally fixed the Thanksgiving holiday to the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada Thanksgiving was fixed to be a statutory holiday on the second Monday of October. Either in the United States or Canada, Thanksgiving celebrates harvests.

Thanksgiving are also for one reason or another celebrated in Germany, Grenada, Liberia, Japan, the Netherlands, Korea and Norfolk Island (pertains to Australia). South America does not celebrate Thanksgiving.

In US this celebration involves a family dinner and large meals centered around a big bread-based stuffed and toasted turkey (main dish), mashed potatos, gravy, pumpkin pie, drinks and happiness.

However, as a main feature of American people, consumerism cannot be forgotten during such celebration. Then, in this respect, retailers established the Black Friday shopping which used to start around 4:00 and 5:00 pm and was said to be the beginning of Christmas shopping season. Nevertheless, last year Black Friday started at Thursday midnight and this has raised some objections because families say it is happening too early and this frustrates Thanksgiving celebrations as shoppers are eager to leave the family dinner to line up in the shopping doors for getting the best offers.

 

 

 

 

Creativity

Hi everyone,
I've just seen a video that I'd really like to share with you.

I just loved it! Creativity really does take time and I would also say that tired minds can't produce much. As a teacher,  I have been through moments where my creativity just disappeared. I was exausted and no matter how hard I tried no ideas came to my mind.
Our minds need breaks, vacations, change of habits! Let's take care of our minds!

Halloween

What do you know about Halloween? When and where did it start? Why is it celebrated? A student of mine researched about it and we discussed that in our class. It's a really amazing story. Below is the worksheet we have used.

HALLOWEEN HISTORY

 

1.Read the history of Halloween:

Where did Halloween come from?
There are many different ideas about Halloween's origins. Some say it dates back nearly 6,000 years, while others argue that Halloween has a much shorter history. What most agree on is that Halloween's original focus was more about harvests than horror.

Some say the tradition began with the Celts, who lived thousands of years ago in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France. The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of the dark, cold winter (the only two seasons the Celts recognized.) To help protect themselves and their crops during the long winter, the Celts carried out a joyous harvest celebration called Samhain (pronounced sow-in), which means "summer's end." Some say Celtic priests burned crops and animals as part of the celebration. They also supposedly wore costumes and told each other's fortunes at this time.

How did the name 'Halloween' come about?
By the 800s, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands and Pope Boniface IV named November 1 "All Saints' Day." It was a day to honor those who died for their beliefs. The celebration was also called "All-hallows" or "All-hallowmas" (from an old English word "Alholowmesse," meaning All Saints' Day). People began to call the night before it "All-hallows Eve." This name eventually became Halloween.

 

Why did people start trick-or-treating?
Trick-or-treating most likely dates back to early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor people would beg for food. Families would then give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. Children eventually took on this tradition, known as "going a-souling," and they would visit houses in their neighborhood for drinks, food and money.


 

Where did the idea of wearing Halloween costumes come from?
Dressing up in Halloween costumes also has European origins. Hundreds of years ago, people believed that ghosts roamed the streets on Halloween night, so they wore masks when they left home to fool ghosts into thinking they were other spirits.
On Halloween, people would also place bowls of food outside their homes to please the ghosts and discourage them from entering their houses. Over the course of several centuries, people gradually began to eat these goodies themselves (and leave nothing for the ghosts!).

Where did the name 'Jack-o'-Lantern' come from? The name "Jack-o'-Lantern" comes from an old Irish myth about a famous trickster named Stingy Jack, who was not allowed into either heaven or hell because of his trickery. So, according to the story, the devil gave Jack a glowing piece of coal placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to light his way at night. As the legend goes, Jack has been roaming the face of the earth ever since. The Irish named this ghostly figure "Jack of the Lantern," which was later shortened to "Jack o' Lantern."

Why are Jack-o'-Lanterns made out of pumpkins?
Hundreds of years ago, children in Scotland and Ireland made their version of Jack-o'-Lanterns out of turnips. They'd hollow them out, carve faces on them and place candles inside. Then they would carry them around at night to scare away wandering evil spirits like Stingy Jack. All of this changed, however, when European immigrants came to America and saw that pumpkins made better Jack-o'-Lanterns because of their bright orange color, round shapes and soft insides. Can you imagine carving faces into a tough old turnip.

 

2. Answer the questions below

 

a) What is the original focus of Halloween?

b) Who began the tradition of Halloween?

c) What did the Celts celebrate on November 1?

d) What were the 2 seasons that the Celts recognized?

e) Why did the Celts carried out a harvest celebration?

f) What does Samhain mean?

g) What was celebrated on All Saints’ Day?

 

Happy Halloween!!!

Summer Spaghetti

Hi everyone!
I know this is not a culinary blog, but we can learn a lot from recipes, besisdes we all love a good meal. This recipe is perfect for a hot summer day, or any day! :-)
Now, I present my Summer Spaghetti Recipe:

Ingredients:


• 200g shrimps
• 5 tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• olive oil
• herbs
• salt
• pepper
• juice of half a lemon
• 250g of spaghetti

Preparation:
First, boil the shrimps for 5 minutes (no more than that). Then, dice 2 tomatoes and put them in a bowl. After boiling the shrimps, mix them with the tomatoes, add olive oil to cover the tomatoes, salt, pepper, the herbs (I like to use basil) and 1 peeled clove of garlic. Let this marinate for a while in the fridge (the longer the better, but if you don't have time, it will taste good too).
Blend the other 3 tomatoes with olive oil, the other clove of garlic, salt and the lemon juice. ( you can do this in a blender or with a mixer). Mix it with the diced tomatoes and the shrimp.
Cook the spaghetti as you like, and finally toss it into the sauce.
You can add shredded cheese if you like.

Enjoy your meal!



Vocabulary:



lemon
 

herbs

spaghetti

garlic clove
 



shrimp

pepper
 

tomatoes





olive oil


So, did you like the recipe? Did you prepare it? How did it turn out? Did you prepare it differently? Do you have any questions on how to prepare it? Leave your comments here!