DAY OF EUROPE: SPAIN, FRANCE AND ITALY

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8tyBreevXmiEat3C26U9K8cSKdV48cGWDlN9aiusvn9rMu9pLVf8t6kN2RFIv12IHh-E8aPG935NEix_E-3Wib-eQ4HgAZfxBv55gscw267_AMDt4apB4zzl1s_873nT1Emz7RuGP46-/s1600/Southern-europe-maps.jpg

Catalonia and Scotland differences(1)

 
Prior to its gradual incorporation into the nascent Spanish state following the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella in 1469,Catalonia formed the dominant part of the Crown of Aragon,which controlled a powerful trading empire that stretched throughout the Mediterranean. Even at this early stage, Catalonia exhibited characteristics associated with modern statehood,such as a common language and well-developed political, legal, and economic structures. As Madrid extended its authority, Catalonia maintained its own currency,tax system,and distinct culture rooted in the Catalan language. The vestiges of Catalan self-government were not fully extinguished until the early eighteenth century,after Catalonia backed the losing Hapsburg side in the War of Spanish Succession.


The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries witnessed a revival of Catalan cultural and political awareness,as well as the growth of Catalan nationalism as an organized political movement. This renaissance coincided with the development of an industrial economy that made Catalonia more prosperous and advanced than the rest of Spain. For a brief period in the 1930s, Catalonia regained a measure of self-rule. Following the Spanish Civil War, however, General Francisco Franco established a centralized dictatorship that “was determined once and for all to put an end to the ‘Catalan problem.’” What followed was “one of the darkest periods of Catalan history,” during which Catalans “endured repression of individual and collective cultural rights, such as the prohibition of the use of the Catalan language, the public denial of the Catalan identity and the punishment of cultural expression.”


Catalan identity and the quest for political autonomy reemerged during the transition to democracy that followed Franco’s death in 1975. Article 2 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution proclaimed “the indissoluble unity of the Spanish Nation,” but also “recognize[d] and guarantee[d] the right to autonomy of the nationalities and regions of which it is composed.” The Constitution provided a framework for self-government for those regions “with common historic, cultural and economic characteristics”. Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia. A Statute of Autonomy enacted in 1979 established a Catalan regional government, the Generalitat de Catalunya.


Ultimately, in an effort to downplay the uniqueness of its three “historic nationalities,” Spain also extended autonomous institutions to its other regions. As Michael Keating explains, “Spain’s system of autonomous governments is the result of contradictory pressures for differentiation, coming from the historic nationalities, and for uniformity, coming from the central state.” Despite its significant degree of decentralization, Spain has resisted outright federalization, and remains (at least in formal constitutional terms) a unitary state.

For the most part,Catalan nationalists have been willing to work within the parameters of this political structure. Catalonia’s largest political party, Convergència i Unió(CiU), has been a strong advocate of Catalan autonomy but has typically stopped short of calling for secession. In recent years, however,increased tensions between Catalonia and the Spanish state have precipitated a spike in support for separation. The turn towards a more robust nationalism can be traced to June 2006, when Catalans voted in favor of an amended Statute of Autonomy that expanded the authority of the Generalitat and, most contentiously, defined Catalonia as a “nation.”



Spain’s leading conservative political party, the Partido Popular, challenged the constitutionality of the amended statute, particularly on the ground that the Constitution recognizes only one,Spanish, nation. In June 2010, the Spanish Constitutional Court struck down several parts of the amended Statute of Autonomy, including those defining Catalonia as a nation and giving formal preference to the use of the Catalan language. The court’s decision sparked widespread nationalist demonstrations in Barcelona. Indeed, the legal wrangling over the amended Statute of Autonomy took place against a backdrop of increased nationalist activity.


Beginning in December 2009 and culminating in Barcelona in April 2011, Catalan nationalists staged a series of non- binding referendums in which the majority of voters expressed support for secession. Meanwhile, Catalonia’s successful campaign to ban the traditional Spanish pastime of bullfighting was widely viewed as “a provocation from a region where many want independence from Spain.”


Economic issues have long been a source of friction between Barcelona and Madrid. Catalonia is one of Spain’s weal thiest regions, but it does not control its own taxes; instead, Catalonia’s tax revenue goes to the central government, which then remits what Catalan nationalists argue is a disproportionately small amount of funds. The eurozone crisis has exacerbated disputes over this taxation arrangement. The Partido Popular government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy blames Spain’s economic woes on free-spending regional governments; by contrast, Catalonia attributes its deficit to its inability to control its own finances. In the wake of the nationalist rally in Barcelona on September 11, 2012, Prime Minister Rajoy rejected Catalan leader Artur Mas’s request for a new tax revenue distribution plan.


The Generalitat responded by voting in favor of holding a referendum on Catalan independence,and moved up regional elections to November 2012 in an effort to capitalize on anticipated nationalist support. Despite CiU’s disappointing showing in the November elections, nationalists still managed to capture the majority of seats in the Generalitat. In January 2013, the Generalitat adopted a “Declaration of Sovereignty” proclaiming Catalonia’s right to determine its political future in a referendum to be held by November 2014 a move to which the Spanish government has expressed vehement opposition.

Superstition in Spain by Mikel itoiz

 
In Spain people belive in a lot of superstitions and in this writing I am going to explain some superstitions.

A famous superstition is to break a mirror. It is a symbol of unlucky for seven years.
Other people think that the yellow colour is unlucky and they don´t wear clothes of that colour.

I am superstitious because I touch wood when I don´t want bad luck. In my family the favourite superstition is to eat twelve grapes on New year´s Eve. My family thinks that this superstition brings good luck.

Another superstition is seeing a black cat. if the cat comes to you, you will have good luck  but if the cat gets away from you, you´ll have bad luck.

These are the most famous superstitions in Spain.

Osasuna-Rayo and a Spanish polling day

Good evening, dear Osasunists and followers!I have to apologize for my delay, but today it was a stressful polling day for me. As every weekend I had to cross the Navarrian border towards Bilbao and early in the morning I had to wake up to start the polls. My girlfriend was "on the bench" to be the chairman of her polling station, and we had to hand out our credentials and fortunately there were other people to lead the task of controlling the votes.
The best part of the day was breakfast at the famous Boulevard in the city centre of Bilbao. There weren't "churros", but I could have a delicious croissant with a hot cup of chocolate while I read the papers.
The worst part of the day was my argument with my girlfriend, who is still angry with me as life is not so happy as expected.
I thought that my team, Osasuna, could make my day happier and have a brighter look at the end of the day. But, Osasuna have been unable to score a single goal to a new team in the Spanish League this year. I listened to the radio as I was coming back to El Reyno, and I had the impression that we got a point instead of losing two.
What could it be worst? Well, it is about to happen: the victory of PP and Rajoy in the polling day. I left my papers in the polling box following my ideas,....and as I desire and I hope that I will be buried with the flag of Osasuna on the coffin, I still think that my body is full of RED blood and socialism must lead my life, and also other beliefs that this educational blog doesn't allow me to express. I must be unbiased!
Anyway, who knows? but this may be my last article in this free country as tomorrow Spain might be a less free for educators and socialists!
Gora Osasuna!Aupa Rojillos!( in a complete universal definition )

A historical day for Democrats in Spain

Armed Basque separatist group ETA has declared "the definitive cessation of all armed action" after four decades of bombing and shooting for a homeland independent of Spain.

The statement was issued in English on Basque newspaper Gara's website, potentially heralding the end of Western Europe's last major violent secessionist group, blamed for 829 deaths.

For several months, Northern Ireland's peace process has been used as the template for behind the scenes discussions in Spain.

Earlier this week, international negotiators - including former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former British prime minister Tony Blair, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and former UN secretary general Kofi Annan - called on ETA to declare a definitive end to violence.

"We call upon ETA to make a public declaration of the definitive cessation of all armed action," Mr Ahern said after a one-day conference, which did not include the Spanish government or the outlawed ETA.

The Basque separatist group's statement read: "ETA considers that the International Conference that has recently taken place in the Basque Country is an initiative of enormous significance.

"The agreed resolution includes all the elements for an integral solution of the conflict, and it has attained the support of a wide spectrum of the Basque society and the international community.

"A new political time is emerging in the Basque Country. We have an historical opportunity to find a just and democratic solution for the centuries old political conflict.

"Dialogue and agreement should outline the new cycle, over violence and repression. The recognition of the Basque Country and the respect for the will of the people should prevail over imposition."

Elsewhere, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, TD, urged Spain and France to accept today's announcement of a definitive end to armed activity by armed Basque separatists ETA, and agree to talks.


Adams said that the parties involved had to focus on reconciliation, victims and healing personal and social wounds caused by the violence, while Madrid needed to take confidence-building steps.

Teaching English in Spain

CONFIDENCIAS Y CONFESIONES DE UN PROFESOR DE INGLÉS.
Es una transcripción real (aunque parezca increíble), de cualquier rato de cinco minutos en una clase de la ESO, que me animo a enviárosla aunque posiblemente ya la conozcáis.

¿Quién ha estado en mi clase?

Esta trascripción, aunque parezca exagerada, es verídica y exacta. Esto me pasó dando una clase con 1º ESO (12 años) un jueves a 5ª hora. Sólo es un ejemplo.

Los nombres de los alumnos son ficticios para que su ignorancia quede en la intimidad de la clase.

Yo: Bueno chicos, hoy vamos a estudiar el vocabulario de las comidas en inglés: copiad estas 5 categorías (las escribo en la pizarra) y escribís en cada columna todas las palabras que os sepáis.
Amanda: ¿En inglés?
Yo: Sí, mejor que en Ruso, en inglés.
Luis. Profe, ¿cuántas categorías?
Yo: 5. Las que hay en la pizarra.
Luis: A mi no me caben.
Yo: Pues prueba a poner la hoja apaisada
Luis: ¿qué significa apaisada?
Yo: Horizontal, o sea: así (lo demuestro)
Juan: ¿qué título ponemos?
Yo: Prueba con “Food”, que es el que he escrito en la pizarra.
Fran: ¿puedo hacerlo a lápiz?
Yo: No, no puedes. Ya sabes que en el cuaderno sólo se escribe con bolígrafo.
Jessssika:¿Cómo se dice pepino?
Yo: He dicho que escribáis el vocabulario que sepáis vosotros. No el que sepa yo.
Noel: ¿El huevo es una verdura?
Yo: No, no es una verdura
Federico: ¿qué título ponemos?
Yo: Lo he dicho ya dos veces.
Amanda: ¿Se puede poner “rechicken”?
Yo. No, porque repollo no se dice así en inglés (risas generalizadas)
Nieves : ¿Cómo se dice calamar?
Yo: He dicho que escribáis el vocabulario que sepáis vosotros.. No el que sepa yo.
Jesús : ¿Hay que escribirlo en el cuaderno?
Yo: Pues a no ser que quieras escribirlo en la mesa...
Ricardo: Profe, ¿Pero, qué hay que hacer?
Yo: ¿Pero tú te has lavado las orejas esta mañana?
Nieves : ¿Puedo poner zumo en la categoría de postres?
Yo: Mejor ponlo en la de líquidos.
Fran: ¿Puedo poner pollo en la categoría de postres?
Yo: En este continente, no.
......................................
10 minutos después
Yo: bueno, ahora vamos a empezar. Levantáis la mano y vais diciendo palabras; yo las escribo en el encerado. Empezamos con las verduras.
(Levantan la mano 10 alumnos y todos gritan a la vez distintas verduras)
Brócoli!
Carrots!
Salad!
Pepination!
Eggs!
Yo: he dicho que los huevos no son una verdura. Y por favor, levantad la mano y esperad a que yo os nombre para decir la palabra porque no tengo 10 orejas para entenderos a todos al mismo tiempo. ¡Arturo, no le pases notitas a María que se las leo al resto de la clase!
Arturo: ¿con cual empezamos?
Yo: con las verduras. Empieza tú, Marisol.
Marisol. Es que se me ha olvidado el cuaderno en casa.
Yo: ¿Y qué llevas haciendo estos 15 minutos, criatura? A ver, hazlo tú, Pepe.
Pepe: ¿quién, yo?
Yo: Eres el único Pepe que hay en la clase, así que vas a ser tú.
Pepe: Orange
Yo: La naranja me la pones en frutas, por favor.
Juan: Profe, el otro día oí un chiste verde, ¿puedo contarlo?
Yo: Pues aunque haya verduras de por medio, no, no puedes contarlo.
María: ¿Esto cae en el examen?
Yo: Bueno, puede que tengáis suerte y para entonces esté recuperándome de esta clase en un sanatorio mental, y entonces no habrá examen.
Todos: BIEEEEEN!
¡Y luego dicen que tenemos demasiadas vacaciones! Yo os aseguro que con cuatro de estas clases al día, alguno ya estaría pensando si tirarse al tren o al autobús de línea.

• A la carta
• > Radio
• > Radio Nacional
• > No es un día cualquiera
• > No es un día cualquiera - Aprender inglés

The Real Democracy Movement

THIS IS A STRACT FROM THE ENGLISH VERSION OF "EL PAIS" NEWSPAPER
For the first time, Spain's civil society bypassed the established channels to mount its own public protest against the country's political class. On Sunday in over 50 cities across Spain, thousands of people heeded the call of an organization called Democracia Real Ya, and joined another 200 small associations to scream out their frustration with politicians.

Their message: we're tired of being ignored by the very people who have been elected to protect us.

The protests also proved that digital word-of-mouth can bring a lot of individuals together - people who represent only themselves but also people who represent entire social groups, like the "ni-nis" (ni estudia ni trabaja, meaning someone who neither works nor studies), executives from global corporations, and activists who support all kinds of causes. But they were all there to fight a common enemy: politicians.

The protest was the brainchild of a small organization created just a few months ago. Democracia Real Ya is an amalgam of very diverse people, yet so well organized that they put together a security team of 200 people to prevent any trouble during the Madrid demonstration; they also had enough vision to use all the tricks in the book to keep the protest among Twitter's most popular conversation topics in the world for the entire day, using the term 15-M or 15mayo.

Fabio Gándara, the spokesman for Democracia Real Ya, said that the goal of the protest was to bring together the entire civil society. "It is time to leave all ideologies and specific interests aside, and focus on the things that make us angry," says this 26-year-old unemployed lawyer who is studying to be a civil servant. "What we're denouncing is the lack of real democracy and the tendency toward a two-party system where corruption at all levels is simply scandalous. These issues bring a large group of people together."

Democracia Real Ya found inspiration in the Arab revolutions and the Greek student revolts before them, says one of its members. The protest was three months in the making, and earned support from several high-profile individuals through its website. Organizers also used social networks and local assemblies to spread the word, although the media barely registered their efforts. Only three news outlets (including EL PAÍS) attended their press conference prior to the demonstration. Now there is a waiting list for journalists who want to interview them.

"Qualitatively, what has happened is very important," says Ramón Espinar, a 25-year-old student and member of another group called Juventud sin futuro, which organized a similar march a month ago. "This is the first time that the left, working outside the big parties and unions and without their support, and using a spontaneous, citizen-based organization, has gone out onto the street to play out the failure of the model," he says. "People are visibly tired."