Hey Everyone, 

It's been a long time that I haven't give you some news, so sorry about that

Today I've done a funny exercise that I chose to share with you. The main objective was to be as a teacher. You have to choose an article and to present it. 

I have chosen to present with my partner Maxime (from the same school) an article which focus on the European problem. Here is the link of our article that we have presented: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/europe-europeans-fears-terrorism-unemployment-pandemics

We chose this topic because it deals with different countries on their different fears. it is also an uncommon topic and studied the country's fear allow us to better understand the country's situation.

Then we have the tables of contents composed by four parts 

I. Article's Summary

II. Vocabulary

III. Background Information 

IV. Grammar Point

 

I. Article's Summary

  All the European countries are not afraid about the same things. Their fears are actually different, they depend on their history, politics, wealth, etc…

  Britains have mainly 2 fears: the world and the nation. Indeed, the international terrorism is seen like the most important threat by them and this increases with time. 80% of respondents think that the terrorism is a global threat but 70% of them think terrorism is also a national threat. Nevertheless, the most important national threats are knife crime, online fraud and burglary.  Terrorism is not the most important national threats because most of Britains think terrorism is a fatality they cannot change.

   In Germany fears are actually important. The Germans have a supposed tendency to be strained and anxious since the war and the end of the Nazi times. But their main important fear is about money; their biggest worry is about the rising cost of living. Their second main fear is to become disable in old age and to be a burden for others. Both of these fears increase because of the crisis, lot of Germans think that Germany will have to spend more money because of the euro crisis.

   Since the terrorist attack in Paris the fear has never been so present in France, but even before the terrorism threat increased, the fear was already high. It actually started with the Mohamed Merah’s attacks in Toulouse and Montauban in March 2012 even if only half of the French people realized that it was a terrorist attack. However it’s only after the Charlie Hebdo attack that Frenchs understood the danger of the terrorism. This attack impacted not only France but lots of countries like Italy.

   In Italy the perceived threat of al-Qaida is quite strong after the Charlie Hebdo’s attack but especially after the Islamic State said it wanted to infiltrate Europe. Apart from terrorism, the main important threat for the Italians is the economy; most of people worry about it and think that future generations will not be as well-off as they are. This can be explained because of the crisis, the record 13.4% high unemployment rate and the immigration problem.

We have chosen to present a short video to focus on the italian immigrations issues and the conditions in which the immigrants are living

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCK_m3ds1fU 

 

  To put in a nutshell, European countries are not afraid about the same things but their most important threats are terrorism and economics problems. 

 

A sign reads ‘Not Afraid’ as thousands gather for a candle light vigil on Place de la Republique in central Paris hours after the attack on the Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris.

Photograph: Ian Langsdon/EPA

II. Vocabulary 

Then we have to present around ten words that we do not know before to the class 

·         In-depth (adjective): extensive, thorough

= profound

  An in-depth analysis of public threat perceptions […]

 

·         To Wallow In (Verb): to roll around in something. 

 = to roll, to wrap, to trundle

[…] or else they withdraw into their shells and wallow in depression

 

·         To Tend (verb): to be disposed or inclined in action, operation, or effect to do something

= To be in the habit of

The Germans tend to be scared

 

·         A Burden (noun): that which is carried; load 

= load, weight

The fear of becoming disabled in old age and being a burden to others

 

·         To Sink (verb):  displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped, fall below the surface or to the bottom 

= to fall, go down, founder

 The average aggregate of all its personal […] sank in 2014 to its lowest level in 20 years

 

·         Dread (Noun, verb): be in extreme apprehension of

= fear, doubts, being afraid

This does not necessarily translate into a feeling of dread

 

·         Spark (noun): an ignited or fiery particle such as is thrown off by burning wood or produced by one body striking against another

= electrical flash

The process for the production of alumina powders initially grew from spark plug production

 

·         To Be Well off (expression): To be Prosperous, To be flourishing

= to be rich, to be wealthy

 The population is worried that future generations will not be as well off as we are.

 

·         On the back burner (Adverb): a condition of low priority or temporary deferment 

= low priority

 From that point on, this trend has remained constant, and other classic fears, of crime and immigration, for example, remain on the back burner

 

·         Chiefly (Adverb): especially or essentially 

= primarily; essentially

 Italians are chiefly concerned about the economy and jobs.

 

Then we have to prepare an exercise on the vocabulary that we were going to present

III. Back Ground Informations

In this part we have to search for some additional informations on the same topic. We have chosen to focus on two countries and the European continent 

 

 Poland: “Polish are frightened of Russia: 78% of the population regard the situation in Ukraine as a threat to the security of their country. A common belief held here since the 19th century maintains that, without Ukraine, Russia is not a threat to Poland. But when Ukraine is dominated by Russia, the Poles are next. Besides, some are asking if they: “are we not sufficiently integrated into the west to be worth not being sold off to the Russians?”” 

 

Spain: “Since the Charlie Hebdo attack in January, the fears of jihadi attack in Spain have risen – perhaps unsurprising for a country that has already experienced terrorism first-hand and on a greater scale. A survey carried out six days after the attack on Charlie Hebdo found that some 58% of Spaniards believed that a repeat of the attack in Madrid on 11 March 2004, which killed 192 people and wounded 1,858, was likely. A further 64% questioned last month thought an attack on a specific target, similar to the one in Paris, was likely to be carried out in Spain especially as Spain help to defeat jihadi group in Iraq and Syria”.

 

Europe: “According to the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT)'s 24th General Report, reprisals were carried out against prisoners in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Russia, Spain, Macedonia, and Ukraine. In the detention centers (including prisons, police stations, holding centers for immigration detainees, psychiatric hospitals, and even social care homes) of those country, they may not  only violate their human rights but also strikes a blow to the preventive mechanism established by the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture. The report also highlighted several problems with the detention of juveniles around Europe”.

 

IV. Grammar Point 

Finally, we have to point out a difficult grammar point, and Maxime and I chose to focus on the difference between As/Like  because we were doing everytime the mistake (I hope that is clear now)

Like: we use it when the second part of the comparison is a noun or a pronoun: 

·         Dave looks like his father.  -  Don't do like me!

Like may be changed by adverb of degree, like:

·         Just, more, very much, not at all…: Just like you, Jane wanted to be a doctor.

 AS: we use it when the second part of the comparison is a verb, a preposition or proposition:

·         Don't do as I do!

As is using also before a noun, when “as” refer to the function, the job of somebody

She works as a nurse.

 

Then we have to prepare an exercise on this Grammar Point: 

Choose the correct answer

1. My sister is not at all as / like me. 

2. I've had my hair cut, as / like you can see.

3. Tom has joined a telephone company as/ like a product manager

4. When James was a student, he worked every summer as / like a waiter. 

5. My friend Mary looks as / like Madonna. 

6. Tom qualified as / like an engineer before attending a business school. 

7. Julie is completely overworked. She works as / like a slave !

8. Today is Friday, so today, as / like on every Friday, we wear casual wear. 

9. Strong leaders, as / like Winston Churchill, are ew and far between. 

10. He's a very good swimmer. he can swim as / like a fish!

 

If you have done both exercise, you can take a look to the answer: 

Vocabulary answer: 

(Vertical)

1. Wallowing

2. Tend 

3. Chiefly

4. Back Burner 

5. Sparked

(Horizontal)

5. Sink

6. Are well off

7. In-Depth

8. Dread

9. Burden

 

Grammar point answer: 

1. like 

2. as 

3. as 

4. as 

5. like 

6. as

7. like 

8. as 

9. like 

10. like

 

To sum up, it was an interesting experience and I just want to share with you because I think it will help me to progress in my knowledge in English, in my speaking and in my wrting expression. 

Next time I should focus on the trip that I did (Carlingford, BlackRock, Giant Causeway Tour, Galway, Connemara Tour)

Hope to see you soon, 

Kind regards, 

 

Victor ^o^

Hey everyone,

It’s been quite 2 month that I arrived here in Dundalk, and I never present you my University. I am sorry about that and I will just present you the campus.

 Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) formerly Regional Technical College is a 90-acre (360,000 m2) campus situated in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, halfway between Dublin and Belfast (each approximately 80 kilometers away).

"The University was one of the original network of Regional Technical Colleges set up in the 1970s with an emphasis on business, engineering and science. Over the past decade and a half, the Institute has expanded its amount of programs to include hospitality, humanities, music, creative arts and nursing. Mister Denis Cummins has been President of the Institute since 2006"

"Apprenticeship courses have long been a feature of the Institute, there has been continual expansion in the Apprenticeship provisioning the electrical, carpentry and plumbing fields. Every years, there is 5 000 students".

The Institute has four Schools. Each school has its building. Most of the time, I am in the Business and Humanities building, a huge one. Nevertheless, I have also lessons in the School of Engineering (Quantities Techniques)

The four schools at DKIT are:

1. School of Business and Humanities compose by Department of Business Studies, Department of Humanities, Department of Management and Financial Studies and the Section of Hospitality Studies

This is my building (Business and Hospitalities), where there is also the Librabry

2. School of Engineering compose by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Construction and Surveying and the Department of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering

 

·       3.   School of Informatics and Creative Arts compose by the Department of Computing and Mathematics, the Section of Creative Media, the Section of Music and the School of Health and Science.

 

·       4.   Department of Applied Sciences compose by the  Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies and the Section of Midwifery.

Finally, on the campus, there is a wind-turbine which produces more than 50% of the electricity necessary for the University. My accommodation is also on the campus, I have to walk for five minutes to be in my building.

 I hope you enjoying those information about my Erasmus University, I will present you next time the facilities available on the campus 

See you soon, 

Victor ^o^ 

Hey everyone, 

As I promise you in my last article, this is the report on the facilities available in DKIT 

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to underline and emphasize the facilities in DKIT. It is focused on the information available on the DKIT’s website and on views expressed by the international students who were interviewed.

Students services

On the whole, students were surprised to discover that there is a bank on the campus. It is extremely useful to have one. For instance, students want to buy something on the café, students go to the cash machine and it is done. Usually, students tend to go to the city in order to withdraw cash while, here is the campus there is a bank. Hence, most of the students and teachers find it convenient.

Besides, there is also a shop. In it, you can purchase stationary, confectionaries, books and DKIT gift. According to the students, the shop is a pleasant alternative between two classes for buying something to eat when the queues are too long at the café (which is expensive).

Finally, there is a café which offers many products from different countries (croissant, scone, carrot cake, muffin, tea…). Nevertheless, the café is expensive. Therefore, most of the students prefer eating in their home when they can.

The students services in DKIT are quite different from many Erasmus Universities, are they are extremely pleasant.

Library

There is one significant library which suggest a large amount of books. Nevertheless, according to International Students they have also several books on their home library. However they have not as many computers as here.

Indeed, the library is a quiet place where students may work. Thus, there are many computers with free access in the library (Students/teacher need to connect with their ID). Nevertheless, it is hard to find a free one. It is convenient the exam time and quieter than in student accommodation.

Finally, students and teacher can borrow DVD/Series from the library. It is a convenient service for the International Students who want to increase their English level.

In short, the library is one of the most peaceful places in DKIT where students can work and improve their English.

Sports

DKIT has a wide range of sports facilities, both public and private. There is a gymnasium and five pitches where students play football, rugby, hurling or Gaelic football (both typical Irish sports) or athletics (around the field).

Furthermore, DKIT offers a room where students can work out. They have to pay 10 euros for using it while others sports are free. In the gymnasium students do Zumba, kick-boxing, taekwondo, yoga, badminton, table tennis, volleyball, basketball…

There is a timetable for all the activities. Those activities tend to be extremely popular in the DKIT while, there is a large amount of sport that student cannot do because they have lessons. It is pity!

Conclusion

To sum up, DKIT is well-provided with facilities for a university in a town of the Dundalk’s size and these are well-used by the students on the whole. Sports seems to be the most popular leisure in DKIT while the timetables do not allow students to do the sport they want.

 

Perhaps, DKIT might ask students which sport they want to do and then give them their schedule. It is also recommended for the Student School Association that they suggest attractive price for Irish national event: in sport (rugby, hurling, Gaelic football) or greyhound race like the University does sometimes for some trip. 

 

I hope that you enjoyed this article, 

See you soon; next time I will present you in different article all my trip that I have already done 

Regards, 

Victor ^o^

Hey everyone,

I chose to present you all the journey that I have already done.

The first one that I did is the Carlingford’s visit.

Carlingford is a coastal fortified townland in northern country of Ireland (Louth). It is situated. The city is approximately located about thirty kilometers north east (by road) from Dundalk (16 km directly), 90 km north of Dublin and 11 km south of the border with Northern Ireland. There was 1.045 inhabitants in Carlingford in 2011

I have already visited this city. The first time was with my father, the day after I arrived in Dundalk (yes, my father is nice, he came with me in order to help me in my installation). The second time was with the DKIT for the Erasmus Day.

I extremely enjoy this lovely city because it is as a village border by the sea. There is also some wonderful mountains (it is available to do walking) and castle ruins.

 

The main places of interest are (source wikipedia):

·         “King John's Castle. Despite the western part being commissioned by Hugh de Lacy before 1186, the castle owes its name to King John (Richard the Lionheart's brother) who visited Carlingford in 1210. The eastern part was constructed in the mid-13th century with alterations and additions occurring in the 15th and 16th centuries. In the 1950s the Office of Public Works (OPW) undertook conservation work to stabilize the structure. An excellent view of the north pier and lough can be had from the viewing area on the eastern side of the castle, though the castle itself is closed to the general public for health and safety reasons”.

The King John Castle

 

·         “Taaffe's Castle. A fortified town house that belonged to the rich mercantile Taaffe family who became Earls of Carlingford in 1661. Its close proximity to the harbour would suggest a trading depot on the ground floor with the upper floors reserved for residence. The construction suggests two phases—the main tower built in the early 16th century while the extension to the side occurred later”.

 

The Taaffee Castle

 

·         The Tholsel. The Tholsel or "town-gate" is the only remaining example of its nature in Carlingford and one of the few left in Ireland. Originally it was three stories high—the present appearance due to alteration made in the 19th century. The original function was to levy taxes on goods entering the town—the murder-holes on the side of the walls are testaments to that fact. In 1834 it was used by the Corporation of Carlingford for meeting and a Parliament is said to have used it to make laws for The Pale. It was also used as a town gaol in the 18th century.

The Tholsel

 

·         The Mint. A fortified three-storey town house belonging to a wealthy merchant family in the centre of Carlingford. While the right to mint coinage was not granted to Carlingford until 1467, it is unlikely that it was actually used as a mint. The most interesting feature is the five highly decorated limestone windows. The patterns and motifs are an example of the influence of the Celtic Renaissance on art during the 16th century.

 

·         Dominican Friary. The Dominicans were established in Carlingford in 1305 primarily because of their patron Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, with the friary itself being dedicated to St. Malachy. Dissolved in 1540 by Henry VIII, it became the centre of a repossession struggle between the Dominicans and Franciscans in the 1670s. It was resolved in favour of the Dominicans by Oliver Plunkett. However the friary itself was subsequently abandoned in the 18th century by the Dominicans to their present location of Dundalk. The remains today consist of a nave and chancel divided by a tower. Also, there are possible remains of some domestic buildings to the south like a mill race and mill pond.

 

·         Church of the Holy Trinity. Donated by the Church of Ireland to Carlingford this restored medieval church is also known as the Holy Trinity Heritage Centre. Exhibits inside display the history of Carlingford from Viking times to the present period. The video and beautiful stained glass window are popular with visitors. Musical recitals are common. The grounds outside contain a graveyard.

The Church Of the Holy Trinity

 

·    Market Square. Now the main street of Carlingford, this was the area where a weekly market was held with records of its layout going back to 1358. It is now the intersection of Dundalk Street and the beginning of River Lane.

 

This is the place where the market took place before

 

I hope you enjoy this article on my trip.

Hope to see you soon, 

Regards, 

Victor ^o^

 

 

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlingford,_County_Louth

             Carlingford Tourist Information

            Le Petit Futé Irlande, Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette, 2011

            http://www.geograph.ie/

 

 

Hey everyone, 

I come back to you to present you the last journey that I did, in Liverpool. I chose to go to this city because I have some Erasms friends who live close to Liverpool (Landcaster). It was an opportunity to visit a famous city of England ans also to meet my friends. 

As perhaps some of you know, Liverpool is an old harbour located in the Lancashire county (North-West of England). The city was really famous during the XXth century because 40% of the international trade pass to the Chester harbour. It was also an important city in the industry for the Common Wealth, therefore for England also. 

Meanwhile, during the 60's - 70's The Beattle band play for the first time on the Cavern Pub. Then Many extremely famous band come to play in these pub (The Rolling Stones, the Who, Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, Chuck Berry, Michael Jackson,...) and nowadays you can still have some free concert or for less than 4 pounds. 

Liverpool is also a reknown city for its two football club in First League : Liverpool FC and Everton. Liverpool FC is the famous one and have won in 2005 its last trophy, the Champions League (specific to Europe) and the Community Shield in 2006 (specific to England)

I extremely enjoy my journey, it was pleasant becaue it xas sunny and the city is different than ones in Ireland. 

 

I would like to share with you some place that I visited and well-liked :

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international aiport serving specifically North West England. It is located at 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) southeast of th city centre. The airport is named after Liverpudlian musician John Lennon of the Beatles. Between 1997 and 2007, the Liverpool John Lennon Airport was one of Europe's fastest growing airports, with an increasing annual passenger number close to 5 million in 10 years. (689.468 in 1997 to 5.47 million in 2007). Nevertheless, since 2007, the numbrs have since fallen and "only" 4.2 million passengers passed to the airport in 2013, making it the 12th busiest airport in United Kingdom. 

 

• Albert Dock is a dock building, stores and warehouses. it was designed by Jesse Hartey and Philip Hardwick and opened in 1846. It was the first Britiain structure to be build up with iron, brick and stone, without strucutral wood. the Albert Dock was considered to be revolutionary dock because ships and boats were loaded directly to the stores. Thanks to its open yet secure design, these dock became a pleasant and popular store for valuable cargoes such as cotton, tea, sugar... During the Second World War, the Albert Dock was requisitioned by the Admiralty serving as the basis for the British fleet boats. The complex was damaged during air raids on Liverpool, notably during the Blitz in May 1941. After the war, the financial problems of the owners and the general decline of docking in the city meant that the future of Albert Dock was uncertain. Many plans have been developed for the reuse of buildings but none were successful and in 1972 the dock was finally closed. The Albert Dock has remained abandoned for nearly a decade, but the redevelopment of the dock began in 1981 when the Merseyside Development Corporation was set up. He finally opened officially in 1984.
• Today the Albert Dock is a major tourist attraction in the city and its multiple use makes it one of the most visited places in the UK, outside the tourist attractions of London. It is a vital component of UNESCO designated World Heritage Maritime Liverpool City Mercantile and the host complex and warehouses also include the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the UK

 

• The Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool is the Anglican cathedral of the city. It is the seat of the Bishop of Liverpool. The cathedral was built on Mount Saint James in the heart of the city, between 1904 and 1942 on the plans of the architect Giles Gilbert Scott. The building was constructed in sandstone (excerpt in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool), which explains its red color. It is the largest cathedral in the UK and the fifth largest monde4,5: It measures indeed 9687 m² (104,275 square feet). The definitive inauguration marked by the completion of the works, takes place the 15th of October in 1978 in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II after multiple complications related to the two World Wars that have not spared the city of Liverpool

 

• The Cavern Club is a performance hall located in the center of Liverpool, UK. This is where, for the first time, their future manager Brian Epstein saw the Beatles play on 9 November 1961. Opened January 16, 1957, the club is named after the local present in the basement of the hotel, where the Beatles occurred repeatedly. In two and a half - from February 9, 1961 to August 3, 1963 - they gave 292 performances there, often at lunch time by English traditions, attracting a crowd of spectators more and more, is creating a nucleus of fans. Many other groups have played (including representatives of style merseybeat as Billy J. Kramer): The Rolling Stones, Arctic Monkeys, The Who, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker, The Ting Tings, the Kinks. 

• The club still exists and a reconstruction of the place as it was in the days of the Beatles, the group is present in the museum, located on the Albert Dock in Liverpool. You can see the group members signatures and drawings on the back wall behind the stage.

  Currently, the Cavern Club is divided into two separate rooms: 

  1) The "vaulted" room (reconstruction of the Beatles), which gives priority to groups taking the music of the Fab Four.

  2) The "modern" room, with a larger stage and a sound system current, welcomes groups of all styles and nationalities.

 We were lucky, we saw a really good band (I can't remember their name) but they play Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones songs and so on. It was impressive and pleasant. 

 

That's it for my trip in Liverpool (2 days). I enjoy so much the city and I hope to come back later,

I hope you have enjoy these article on my journey in Liverpool, 

See you soon, 

 

Victor ^o^