Avaaz, what's that?

My father talks to me about a political and international organization which I haven't heard never before: AVAAZ.
He recommends me to watch a video called "Stop the Clash of Civilizations". It's very interesting. I recommend too to you (it's only two minutes and a half):



The video was created with Agit-Pop Communications and won the YouTube 2007 Award in the Plitical category. It won other important and social prizes (1st Annual DoGooderTV Non-Profit Video Awards, Popular Winner for Best Awareness-Raising Video in the 2007 Progressive Source Awards).

The second name of the organisation is "the worl in action". They insist that "another world is possible".

Avaaz (a word that means "voice" or "song" in several languages) "is managed by a team of campaigners working from Switzerland, Brazil, the United States, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. They communicate with members via email, and employ campaigning tactics including online public petitions, videos, and email-your-leader tools". The information is taken from the Wikipedia.

Surprising, isn't it?

Doctor Loft

On July, 6th, 2008, the first Doctor Loft 05:00 will be held in Castelló d'Empúries- Empuriabrava (Girona). Doctor Loft is a project conceived as an intense experience where music is the indisputable protagonist. Coming in the form of world class live bands as well as sessions by the best national and international DJ's.
The more important concert of that festival is going to be the one by REM. It will have place in the Open Air Stage.

What is REM? It is an American rock band formed in the early eighties. Michael Stipe, the lead vocals, is the most known member of the group. In the beginning they were an alternative rock band but the success carried them to a more commercial conception of their music. It is not my style of music but I know songs like "Losing my Religion", or "Shiny Happy People", or "Man on the Moon".

Their last album is "Accelarate" (2006). It's time to hear it, preparing myself to be a good fan.

Oops, I almost forgot. REM means Rapid Eye Movement (a phase of the sleep). I hope people don't take a nap during the concert.

How can I say thank you?

Although this week has been very stressing for all of us, we're so happy thinking that it's the last exams week of the term and one of the latest in the high school. Next week it will be the retaking exams's classes and finally, the "selectivitat" exam.

In one hand, as I've said in this blog before, I'm so happy to go to -probably- live in Barcelona but, in the other hand, I'm quite sad of leaving the high school, the town, and, of course, the good friends that we've made these terms at class. Some of them are going to Girona, others to Barcelona and the lasts are doing different choices, like returning this term, or begining to work.
In fact, I didn't know them so much when I began this term but the classes and the life in this high school have joined us so much.
We've already met three times to have lunch this year, and after eating, to go out together. It was fantastic and so funny to go dancing all together, we laught so much talking about some aspects of the classes and the teachers -and ourselves, of course.

Other thing that I'll miss (and I suppose that my schoolmates too) are some of our teachers. With the Research Project, some of us have been on a very close terms with our own tutor. I'm sure I will miss Santi, I've laught so much with him!
The future is knocking the door, or ringing the bell, as you prefer. But I'm not going without the best things of my past well saved in my bag.
Thank you so much, friends, mates and teachers.

And the others teachers too; Albert, Sonia, Ignasi, Lourdes, and our loviest Francesc!

Bellesguard Cross

This week I have been in Barcelona. I stood near the Bellesguard Castle, and of course, I took a look of it. It's a very interesting building, made by Antoni Gaudí between 1900 and 1907.

Curiously today this monument has been breaking news. The cross and the tower are in danger, because the cracks, probably caused by the wind and the rain.

According to the news, the Fire Brigade of the Generalitat has decided to instal a big crane, fixing the big and valuable cross, preventing their deterioration, till their definitive arrangement.

So, I visited it once and then it is just falling. Just a coincidence, of course. But, do the coincidences exist?

Please, don't let fall it down!

The Time of the Doves

La plaça del diamant ('The diamond square', translated in English as 'The Time of the Doves')

Last Sunday I went to Figueres to see a piece of theatre: La Plaça del Diamant. The theatrical adaptation, signed by Josep M. Benet i Jornet, from the most famous novel by the Mercè Rodoreda.

La plaça del Diamant explains the history of Natàlia, known universally as Colometa, and a faithful chronicle of the post-war Barcelona and especially the Gracia district.
Natalia is an innocent pastry shop worker in pre-Civil War Spain when she meets Quimet, a charming and eccentric man. After a strange courtship they marry and quickly have some lovely children. They are a young, struggling couple but have a nice life in lovely Barcelona. One of Quimet's capricious ideas is to raise doves in their home. The children love it; Natalia gets a big headache from it. Gradually political discontent intensifies and times get rough. Natalia gets work as a maid. Soon Quimet joins in the Spanish Civil War and Natalia is mostly on her own to fend for herself and her children. She survives--but just barely. Quimet dies in the war. Eventually Natalia remarries a local grocer, but she is still haunted by the loss of Quimet and the horrors of war

With this theatrical piece The TNC had inaugurated the Year Rodoreda, after it has been represented around Catalunya.The play is a long-term, but I was not made me heavy and I really liked a lot. (Part 1: 1 hour 30 minutes, break: 20 minutes, Part 2: 50 minutes , break: 10 minutes,Part 3: 50 minutes)

In the Catalan subject we must read this book and I thought that since the play was performed in Figueres that was a good opportunity to see it and to complement the reading of the novel.

The university

Since I was so young, nearly I child, I've been looking foward go to the university. I really liked to imagine me leaving out of home, in a big city, and studying.
I think I've not assumed yet than in less than one month I will have finished my senior year at the High School and so, after the summer I will be finally living my old dream.
The truth is that when I think seriously about that I'm quite scared because is a radical change for me. I don't know if I will be able to live alone (including all the tascs that I will have to do for it). But, appart from fright I feel emotion too; Hearly all of my bests friends will live in the same city than me, (some of them in a flat, and other in a dorm) I suppose all of we will know new people, and make new friends...

Well, I don't know how it will be but I'm sure that it will be the most importan change in my live for the moment!

Au revoir, Paris

Once more time I return to the High School after the Easter holidays.

Let me share with you the pleasure of remembrance fantastic few days in Paris with my friends: Carla Saguer, Alba and Carla Gironell.I suppose this will be one of the trips that we'll always remember that this is, indeed the first trip we have done really alone.

Really, everything was perfect. Paris is a great city. We were surprised about the efficiency of public transport, the beauty of its buildings and the kindness of the French people.

In fact, a fantastic experience to go back again.

I left you some pictures.

Bye, bye!

Au revoir Paris!