A collection of our best writings

A collection of our best 

writings 

By B2 ESL students at EOI Luarca. 

An ebook by Alex, Elena, Graciela, Jose, Mercedes, Mónica and Vicky. May 2012 

Teacher: @mjgsm

Books, TV and cinema 

Sci-Fi priority 

In my opinion science fiction genre is the most common, successful and enjoyable 

nowadays. But I also think that even from the very beginning of cinema’s history there 

has been a tremendous effort to recreate the most unbelievable dreams of humanity. 

For instance, George Meliés, in 1902, made an incredible science fiction work called “A 

trip to the moon”, with some features that even the cleverest and most erudite 

scientist wasn’t able to image at that time. 

And that’s why I believe Sci-Fi to be the most interesting genre for the audience. It 

allows us to image how our future will be. 

Today’s cinema has achieved that, with visual FX, everything can be shown on the 

screen, so the audience is now getting used to watching a virtual background beyond 

the characters and a huge amount of effects between them, bombing the beholder 

persistently. 

People usually prefer that kind of entertainment instead of a realistic story so I believe 

that it’s a way of evasion from our dull life. 

Alex 

Gulliver’s Travels review 

Gulliver’s Travels is a satiric novel written by the Irish Jonathan Swift and was first 

published in 1726 without mentioning the author’s name. Although it has been mainly 

considered as a children’s book, it is actually a scathing attack on society and human 

condition, but obviously disguised as a travel’s book around picturesque countries, 

which was a common genre at that time. 

The story is narrated by the main character, whose name, ‘Gulliver’, only appears in 

the title. After a brief summary about Gulliver’s life, the plot develops his experiences 

in four parts, one for each of the fantastic countries he accidentally visits. The first one 

Our 2012 ebook. EOI Luarca. Advanced level. Year 2 Página 2

happens after a shipwreck, when he wakes up on a beach in Lilliput, fastened to the 

ground by the natives, who are no more than 15 cm tall and called him Man-Mountain. 

Not only doesn’t he make harm to inhabitants, but he helps the Emperor to win a 

battle against their enemies in the island of Blefuscu and he also saves the Emperor’s 

Palace. But once he was warned by a friend about the Lilliputians’ intentions of getting 

rid of him by leaving him starving, he manages to escape sailing with Blefuscudians’ 

help. 

After two months since his return to England he enlists again in ‘The Adventure’. This 

ship was forced to land on an island called Brobdingnad whose inhabitants were 

giants. He was founded by a farmer who shows Gulliver as a curiosity across the 

country and takes him to the court. Gulliver leaves Brobdingnag when his cage (a 

house to be transported in) is picked up by an eagle and dropped into the sea. 

In his third voyage, after being taken by pirates, he ends up in a floating island called 

Laputa where everybody is devoted to mathematics and music. In this travel he also 

visits Balnibarbi, the island of Glubbdubdrib, and Luggnagg. After sailing to Japan, he 

goes to Amsterdam and from there he goes home to England. 

Finally, in Gulliver’s fourth voyage, as a captain, he was abandoned by his crew in a 

land populated by Houyhnhnms, rational-thinking horses who are the rulers and are 

served by Yahoos, who are brutish humanlike creatures. 

This novel has become classic in universal literature and has also inspired many films. 

Nevertheless, to be honest I should admit that I’ve been unable to finish reading it, 

because although I love books about journeys, I have found this ‘masterpiece’ boring 

and not easy to read due to his eternal prose describing everything in detail and also 

because you need to look at many explanations to understand Swift’s references and 

allusions, as well as some classical words. Therefore, I am sorry but I cannot 

recommend this book to anyone and much less to young readers. 

Elena 


“O is for Outlaw” 

This book, written by Sue Grafton, belongs to a series of ‘alphabet mystery books. I 

had already read one of them before, “T is for Trespass”, and I have chosen this one 

because I thought it was a chance to read an original version by an author that I really 

like. Sue Grafton is a popular female crime writer who started the ‘alphabet’ novels 

with the letter A after her own divorce and she confesses that Kinsey, the main 

character, is her alter ego. 

This time, the plot is set in 1986 in Santa Teresa, the California home of Kinsey 

Millhone, who is a private investigator and was a cop during two years in the early 

1970s. One day she receives a call from a storage space scavenger in Olvidado, who 

sells her a box of her own memorabilia for twenty bucks. The things belonged to her 

first ex-husband, Mickey Magruder, a former vice cop who had been evicted and, 

among the items inside the box, she finds an undelivered letter that had never been 

opened. 

In the letter, her friend Dixie confessed to have an affair with Mickey and revealed that 

they were together the night Mickey was believed to have killed a drunkard after a bar 

fight, 13 years ago. Kinsey had refused to pass as Mickey’s alibi because she thought 

he was guilty and walked out. Now, after reading the letter, she discovers he was 

innocent and decides to track him down, but she finds he has been shot and is 

unconscious and under police protection in a hospital. She gets in contact with the 

police and, although she has been out of touch with him for years, she turns into the 

main suspect because of a call made from Mickey’s apartment. Then, curiosity drags 

her into an investigation that unearths secrets from her ex-husband’s past and 

present. As she comes closer to find Mickey’s shooter, she puts herself in serious 

danger. 

I think Kinsey Millhone is a clever, loyal and tenacious woman who faces her past 

bravely in her struggle for justice, with the aim of repairing her unwitting mistakes and 

getting square with her ex-husband. It’s amazing how easy she can play invented 

characters and situations when she calls to get information without being indentified. I 

also like her next-door neighbor, named Harry, who is always worried about Kinsey, 

like a father. 

In conclusion, this is a highly recommended installment. The plot is intriguing and it is 

impossible to predict how it would end. I recommend this gripping story which will 

hook you from the very first page. I am sure that I will read another of these original 

‘alphabet’ novels soon. 

Elena 


THE HOBBIT 

The hobbit is the first novel written by Tolkien and settled in a 

world of fantasy that he later developed in his trilogy called The Lord of the Rings. We 

can certainly say that The Hobbit is a wonderful introduction to that masterpiece 

sequel, so it is recommended to start with the first one before reading the second one. 

This enchanting tale was made up for the author’s children in the 1930s, but once it 

was published, it achieved enormous success. The story tells the awesome adventure 

of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins and a group of dwarves. They were all called to an 

unexpected party at Bilbo’s by the wise wizard Gandalf. Bilbo lives in a comfortable 

hobbit-hole in the ground and as any other hobbit he likes quiet and food, while he 

dislikes adventures and has never gone beyond Brandivino River. But things change for 

Bilbo after the meeting, when he sets off as a burglar with fourteen dwarves and 

Gandalf’s help on the most amazing journey ever imagined: going to the distant Lonely 

Mountain to recover the treasure stolen to the dwarves by the terrifying dragon 

Smaug. 

They run dangerous adventures, such as being captured by goblins under the Misty 

Mountains, where Bilbo meets the nasty and hissing creature Gollum and he finds the 

later famous ring which makes him invisible when slipped on his finger. They were also 

caught by trolls, which are fantastic creatures that must be underground before dawn, 

otherwise they go back to the stuff of the mountains they are made of, and never 

move again. 

On the other hand, they also meet extraordinary characters, such as Elves in Rivendel, 

where the dwarves and Bilbo stayed at least fourteen days at Elrond’s Last Homely 

House; and Bearn, who is called Carrock and is very strong and a skin-changer: 

sometimes he is a huge black bear and sometimes a great strong man. Bearn keeps 

cattle, horses and great fierce bees, but he never hunts or eats animals. He warns the 

travelers against the perils of Mirkwood, where they have many more dangerous and 

weird adventures. 

The book is quite shorter than The Lord of the Rings, highly entertaining and easy to 

read. At the same time it displays all Tolkien’s talent with a fluent narrative technique 

that takes the reader’s mind to incredible fantasy lands with magical animals and 

unforgettable characters. 


For all lovers of fantasy and adventure novels this book is a must, a real delight. 

Elena 

What makes science fiction films so successful? 

A long time ago science fiction was considered as a minor genre, but a recent survey 

has shown that nowadays this is one of the most popular film-lovers’ likes all over the 

world. Greatest advances in latest decades could be the reason and explanation for a 

significant increase in movies that tell us stories that although completely impossible 

today, perhaps might exist or happen in the future, as we are being witness to a 

flourishing technological revolution. 

The genre Science Fiction embraces quite a few terms: utopia, hope, fear of the future, 

fantasy, social denunciation, political indoctrination or just adventure. But to answer 

the question of what makes general public get hooked to science fiction movies in 

recent days, we need to focus on those things that are shown in films and are totally 

implausible in reality, like highly developed tools or artifacts, biological engineering, 

aliens and explorations that can go further than any known scientific principles can 

allow. 

Finally, I personally consider, since the majority of people do not have economic 

possibilities to skip from routine, cinema is a pastime everybody can afford. In other 

words, fiction is a way to relax and give up thinking about problems of daily life. 

Given these facts, do these successful films mean that the best science fiction movie 

can supply the best science fiction book? I personally believe that they can’t, but 

perhaps a good scene is worth more than a thousand of words. 

Elena 


SPANIARDS’ FAVOURITE PROGRAMMES 

Although a wide range of TV channels is offered to Spanish viewers nowadays, people 

mainly tend to focus their attention on those programmes that poke their nose into 

private lives. According to recent television rates, the gossip show “Sálvame” is the 

most popular program in Spain, followed by “Cuéntame”, which has become a classical 

TV series about a middle class family, very successful since a new set of episodes is 

released each year. 

The first one, “Sálvame” is the typical show people like to watch lying on the couch 

after a busy day when they need to disconnect from work problems, financial worries 

or family schedules. In this program celebrities’ lives are under debate by a group of 

“experts” -chosen among journalists and well-known famous TV characters- conducted 

by a communicative host. They argue widely and hotly about controversial issues, such 

as love scandals or inheritances, which is very attractive to people who like to hear 

that the rich and the famous also have problems in life. 

As regards “Cuéntame”, its success is based on the fact that people love watching their 

own lives represented on TV. The plot is set in a period of transition in Spain, from 

dictatorship to democracy. A mixture of nostalgic and customs is used to develop a 

time of important changes and difficulties that the majority of today families lived. 

Considering these two programmes, I strongly recommend the second one, which not 

only is an entertaining series starring good actors, but it also reminds us of our 

personal history. On the contrary, the first one is a circus where sometimes badmannered 

people pry into celebrities’ private lives. 

Elena 


Gulliver´s Travels 

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift is the second term book recommended at my 

Language school, so I have worked on it over the last two months. 

As a brief introduction Gulliver travel’s is presented as a simple traveler’s narrative 

book. It’s both a satire on human nature and a parody which offers a clear caricature 

of colonialisms and its working against what is conventionally known in Swift’s period 

(18 th Century). 

The novel shows us an educated and trained surgeon, Lemuel Gulliver. He speaks to 

readers retelling his experiences and adventures at sea. 

Gulliver’s adventures are divided into four parts. Each journey is preceded by a storm 

and in all four voyages new perspectives are brought to Gulliver’s life and 

opportunities for satirizing England. 

The first part is situated in Liliput where he finds himself in the company of thousands 

of miniature people called Lilliputians. Gulliver is huge and the Lilliputians are small. 

Although the Lilliputians seem friendly, you soon see them for the ridiculous and the 

petty creatures they are. 

The second is on the peninsula-type land of Brobdingnag, an opposite world from 

Lilliput where Gulliver becomes the Lilliputian and everyone is a giant to him. In 

addition Gulliver is afraid, but his keepers are very gentle although he is humiliated by 

the King when he is made to see the difference between what England is like and what 

it ought to be like. 

The third part moves to the island of Laputa, a floating island inhabited by 

theoreticians and academics who oppress the land below, called Balnibarbi. 

Gulliver is able to call up the dead and discovers the deception of history. he also 

meets the Stuldbrugs, a race endowed with immortality and Gulliver discovers that 

they are miserable. 

Finally in the fourth part he arrives at an unknown land. This land is populated by 

Houyhnhnms, the rational-thinking horses who rule, and by Yahoos, the inferior 

brutish servants to the horses who bear the image of a human. Gulliver stays with 

them for several years, becoming so madly in love with them that he does not even 

want to leave. Upon returning to England, Gulliver feels disgusted about other 

humans, including his own family. 

As regards the characters, the main character and narrator is Gulliver, captain Lemuel 

Gulliver. 


Some important characters in the novel are: The Emperor. He is the leader of the 

Lilliputians. He is initially friendly toward Gulliver but changes his mind about him 

when Gulliver refuses to continue fighting Blefuscu. 

Also in Lilliput, Flimnap, Gulliver's enemy at Lilliput, accuses Gulliver of sleeping with 

his wife. 

Another important character in the second part is The Farmer in Brobdingnag, Gulliver 

calls the farmer who takes him in his master. The farmer eventually sells Gulliver to the 

Queen. She finds Gulliver very entertaining. But because of her huge size, Gulliver is 

disgusted when she eats. 

In the second travel The King spends lots of hours discussing with Gulliver about 

politics and comparing their two cultures. 

Also in his second travel, there is Glumdalclitch. Hername means "little nurse" in 

Brobdingnagian. This is what Gulliver calls the farmer's daughter, who cares for him 

during his stay in Brobdingnag. 

Finally in his last travel, there we are the Houyhnhnms; they are a species of horses 

who have great kindness and virtue. Gulliver lives among them for several years and 

afterwards is extremely reluctant to return to England. 

On the whole the novel is a clear satire of the moment with lots of references to 

Swift's purpose of attacking politics, religion, morality, human nature and colonialism 

which is at the heart of the novel. 

Personally the novel was a bit difficult for me because it has many metaphors and 18 th 

century vocabulary and structures. The author chooses each moment to criticize his 

own society and finally I recognize that the book has a very good and clear structure 

and narrative. 

Graciela 


The secret diary of Adrian Mole 

I have chosen The Secret diary of Adrian Mole to read along the third term from my 

language school. 

Adrian Albert Mole is the fictional protagonist in a series of books by English author 

Sue Townsend. 

He is a British boy. He is 13 years old and he lives with his mother, his father and an 

animal known only as ‘the dog’. 

Adrian Mole writes his secret diary, which has gone on for a year and a quarter. He 

lives in a closed world where he tries to ‘become an intellectual’, reading the classics 

and he would like a whizz future although he is worried about his parents and his 

blackheads. 

To sum up, in his diary he tells about his relationship with his parents, friends, the girl 

he loves, Pandora and his grandmother. All the stories have a funny and a tender 

perspective. 

It’s my belief that this book reminds me the Wimpy kids series although it´s a realistic 

and humorous approach to the life of an adolescent boy. 

Graciela 

Science fiction films 

A recent survey has shown us that science fiction films are very popular, especially 

with young people. 

Nowadays there are many science fiction films as Men in Black or Blade Runner, so I 

am describing what I consider to be the essential ingredients of a good science fiction 

film and why they are so popular among young people. 

In my view all science fiction films share several characteristics which will draw the 

spectators’ attention. One of them is the characters, they usually are real normal 

people who live in an unreal world and the person who watches the film can imagine 

that he/she is saving the world from an alien invasion or fighting enormous insects. 

I believe young people, in most of cases, feel as they need a change in their lives and 

with science fiction movies they can imagine they are saving their towns or even the 

world. 


In my opinion another essential feature of science fiction films is mystery. In most 

cases in all these films there is always something that you don’t understand, so your 

imagination runs wild. 

It is often claimed these this kind of films??? because teenagers argue they are funny 

and very fast films where you could imagine what the future will be like. 

To sum up, these are some of the factors why these films are so popular among young 

people. Their imagination is generally much bigger than adults’ imagination, who are 

much more rational. 

Graciela 

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA 

The old man and the sea is a novel written by Ernest Hemingway in 1952. 

The novel tells the story of Santiago, an old man who had gone eighty-four days 

without catching a fish but his decision to achieve his aims is not worth the effort to be 

done to achieve his aims, in his case to catch a big fish. 

Firstly the book is not classified in chapters although it might be divided in several 

parts: the first one corresponds to the old man’s background and his own 

arrangements to go out to fishing. 

The second part, when he goes to the sea and has his fight with the fish and the 

sharks. 

The last part of the novel, to conclude, the arrival of Santiago, the old man, at the port. 

The novel follows a lineal development since the succession of facts is told in 

chronological order. 

As regards the plot, Santiago is an old fisherman from Gulf Santiago who goes fishing 

with a boy, who has great affection for the old man, but has to leave him for other 

fishermen who are more fortunate in their fishing. Nevertheless, the boy continued 

helping him. 

One day the old man decides to go out to the sea with the main aim of ending his 

wrong squall in fishing. The boy had obtained fodder for him. After a few hours of 

sailing he had lost all sight of coast, and a fish had punctured the fishhook. It was an 

enormous fish, ready to fight up to death, if it was precise. 


In addition, the boat sailed as the big fish liked it out of the sea. The old man felt tired, 

was losing strength and he was foreseeing how the fish could kill him and he would 

have to drop his life in the attempt. 

After a long and hard battle the fish had the worst luck and the old man brought the 

victory, he couldn’t believe the fish was so big; he took it up to the boat and returned 

to the coast. 

The fish would arrive to firm land, it was the main aim the old man had, nevertheless, 

and for his disappointment, a shark appeared and the old man aimed a blow in the 

head with his harpoon. 

The shark went away but not much later other sharks and birds appeared, the old man 

could scare them off but they had eaten half the fish, just leaving its head, bones and 

tail, considered enough to give testimony of his great achievement. 

Finally he arrived at port. It was at night and there was nobody to help him and when 

he ended he went home to sleep. The Next morning, the boy, who was very worried, 

dropped by to see how he was as he had promised the old man that he would go out 

fishing with him. 

The other fishermen, who had laughed at first, recognized Santiago’s worth, the old 

man who had fished a shark. 

In this novel the main character is the old man, even he is the main third person 

narrator. He is a very old man and although he had lots of wrinkles in his face his eyes 

had the color of the sea and “they were happy”. 

The old man was admired by the young boy who had learnt to fish with him, so he 

helped every time he could. 

The language in this novel is varied and some words that people use in this area have 

not been translated by the author. It might be said that the most important 

characteristic of the novel is the story is provided with a very meticulous range of 

actions, thoughts, environment, etc. 

To conclude, it is important to highlight the message that the novel transmits, the 

determination of people to achieve their aims without bearing in mind the efforts to 

be done. 

All in all, I liked the novel by Hemingway because it is very descriptive and it is pleasant 

and easy to read, it is a clear example of people’s capacity of overcoming issues and 

their determination to achieve their goals. 

Graciela 


Very popular and opposite 

The main aim of this report is to describe two of the most popular TV programs in my 

country. “El intermedio” (The Break) and “Acorralado” (a version of The Farm) have 

been chosen because they are totally opposite although both of them are very 

popular. 

In general, “El Intermedio” is a satirical news program hosted by the Spanish comedian 

The Gran Wyoming. It is forty-five minutes where he declares the opening of the 

program with a clear idea, as he says: “Already they know the news, now, we will tell 

them the truth” 

As regards the rest of program, it gives the spectator a humoristic and critical vision of 

Spanish reality and the contributors help to give us funny reports of the big topics of 

the week with their ironical point of view. 

On the other hand, Cornered is other very famous program in on Spanish TV, where a 

group of 12 people are put in a farm and they live together. There, the contestants 

must work as an average farmer, raising animals and doing agriculture. 

In regular periods of time, one of the houseguests is evicted, usually in a ceremony 

called The Duel where they compete in a physical endurance. 

The contestants usually are people who are on television because they feel the 

necessity to tell their lives and problems, known as “rubbish television”. They show 

their lives in all programs that belong to the channel where Cornered is broadcasted. 

Overall these programs are totally different and both of them with a high rating 

audience but the difference lies in their spectators, from my point of view, who are 

also totally opposite. 

Graciela 


The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 

I have chosen to read this book because it is a classic of English literature and a friend 

of mine told me that it was interesting to read. 

It’s a fantasy novel that mainly deals with the themes of morality, hedonism, self 

obsession and bad influences. 

The action takes place in the late nineteenth century in London (England), between the 

wealthy West End and the decrepit East End. 

Wilde tells the story of an extraordinarily handsome young man named Dorian Gray, 

who is the subject of a painting by the artist Basil Hallward. Basil is greatly impressed 

by Dorian’s beauty and he thinks his beauty will end up in the cause of a new Art style. 

During the last painting session, Dorian meets Basil's friend, Lord Henry Wotton, who 

opens his eyes to the brief nature of his own beauty. He tells him that he should 

develop a new sense of hedonism because he will grow old, ugly and repulsive with 

the passing of time and yet this beautiful portrait will hold his youth beauty forever. 

Terrified of aging, Dorian sells his soul in order to live a life of perpetual youth, and the 

portrait Basil has painted would become old instead of himself. 

Henry's influence has a profound effect on the young man, who soon adopts his views 

as his own, abandoning ethical restrictions and seeing life in terms of pleasure and 

sensuality. 

Dorian falls in love with a young actress of respectable talent, Sibyl Vane, who finally 

ends up killing herself as a result of Dorian’s behaviour. When he returns home, he 

discovers that the figure in his portrait now holds a lightly defiant facial expression. 

The picture will serve as his conscience, allowing him to live freely. 

Afraid of the idea of having the secret of the painting discovered and, therefore, the 

true nature of his soul, Dorian hides the image in his attic. 

Dorian finds a certain joy over the next years in committing sinful or pleasurable acts 

and watching the painting change; he loses none of his beauty or youth, but the 

painting grows old and ugly. 


When Dorian is thirty-eight he meets Basil again, whom he hasn’t seen for a long time 

and finally shows him what has happened to his portrait. Basil is horrified and tries to 

make Dorian regret it, but Dorian kills him, and blackmails an old friend, Alan 

Campbell, to burn Basil’s body in the attic's fireplace. This action eventually compels 

Alan to commit suicide. 

Dorian becomes increasingly anxious and then goes to an opium den to try to erase his 

bad feelings. Out on the street, he meets Sibyl's brother, James, who has sworn 

revenge on the man that drove his sister to suicide. Dorian tells him to look closely at 

his face; he could not have been more than twenty years old so he lets him go. Few 

days later during a hunting party, a man is accidentally shot and killed. Dorian finds out 

that this man was James. He decides that from this time on he will be good; and to do 

this, he must get rid of the constant anxiety and fear he has been long feeling. 

In a fit of despair, he decides to destroy the picture with the knife used to murder 

Basil. Dorian's servants hear a scream, and when they come, they find a horrible old 

ugly man, only recognizable by the jewellery on his fingers, lying dead on the floor, the 

knife was plunged into his chest and the picture as it was, when it was painted. 

From my point of view, two parts are very interesting: the first is when Dorian notices 

a change in the portrait for the first time, after Sybil Vane’s death. The second happens 

when Dorian attempts to "kill" the portrait but instead he kills himself. 

It was very interesting for me to read this book not only because of the story itself but 

also because of the way it invites you to read. The message lying within the novel is the 

weight of our own conscience. I have learned a lot of new words and expressions 

through my reading. 

Jose 


Deaf sentence by David Lodge, 2008 

Deaf sentence is a journal which begins on November 1 and ends on March 8. It 

describes the vital experience of Desmond Bates, a sixty something former linguistics 

professor at a nameless University, who is forced into early retirement as he is 

becoming hearing impaired. 

As he feels his aging life is steadily declining both physically and mentally toward 

illness and disability, he has the sense of becoming a burden to the family. He has 

reached a point in his existence where he is questioning everything. Excluded from 

social and intellectual life due to his progressive deafness and also excluded from 

sexual life due to his background of impotence, he confesses being bored and rather 

useless. On the contrary Fred, his younger wife seems to be rejuvenated, partly as a 

result of cosmetic surgery and in part due to her new successful interior design 

business helped along by her best friend Jakki. 

The narrator’s main concern is his father Harry, an almost ninety-year old stubborn 

man, and once a big band musician who is also going deaf, dresses like a tramp and 

lives independently in his dreary gloomy London home, although he cannot be trusted 

to take care of himself without endangering his life. 

Despite the thoughts on aging, marriage, seduction, isolation, drawbacks and benefits 

of deafness and a deep reflection on life fragility, the narrator drifts from the serious 

to the humorous as our hero tries to solve the dilemma he has been driven into when 

he meets Alex Loom, a mentally unbalanced young American graduate student who is 

obsessed with him supervising her thesis about linguistics in suicide notes. Desmond’s 

life seems to be up ended as she threatens to spoil his already shaky life. As her slightly 

inane and sexually provocative pursuit of Desmond confuses him even more, and 

leaves his darker side uncovered. 

David Lodge conveys a subtle and sensitive realistic description of these matters of life 

with a healthy dose of exhilarating humor. The daily situations pictured in the book, 

turn the story into a comedy of exasperation, physical ineptitude and verbal slip-up, 

where communication with people around him is becoming difficult , as they all go 

through confusing, embarrassing misunderstandings, with comic results. In addition, 

Desmond struggles with the troublesome hearing aids that prove to be inconvenient 

because of the shrieks and whistles, and the batteries running out. Nevertheless there 

is not cruelty but compassion and sympathy with hard hearing people, and also not 

short in mirth and humor; like the family Christmas pictured when old Harry, loudly 

discusses his constipation and is taken short in the garden or the New Year jaunt 

ruined by drink and solidifying ear-wax. 


By the last two chapters Desmond’s life reaches a crucial point, the rhythm of the 

novel changes with a trip to Krakón where his visits to the concentration camps and 

the crematorium in Auschwitz. Afterwards Desmond’s memories of Maisie, his first 

wife who had died of cancer, become more vivid as his father suffers a stroke, which 

leaves him a bitter man. Fred and Desmond discuss about the issue of Harry being fed 

through the PEG tube, and how they considered that nature should take his course. At 

this point we find many thoughts on deafness and death; blindness is tragic, and 

deafness is comic the author repeats… “Death is tragic” he finally says. The whole last 

chapter is about what we might hear from beyond the grave, and thereby the birth of 

her daughter’s baby looks like the representation of the beginning of human life cycle 

at an event focused on its end. 

In my personal opinion it is a witty lovely novel that has got to my heart after certain 

experiences, and has left me a message; all we have while we are alive, is the capacity 

to laugh and love. 

Mercedes 

Review on Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster 

Nathan glass is our white 60-year-old hero, a deeply liberal Democrat retiree from the 

insurance business, who suffers from lung cancer in remission. After his divorce, he 

returns to Brooklyn, “looking for a quiet place to die”. And before checking out, he 

intends to write The Book of Human Folly, a personalized account of every stupid, 

wrong move he had committed during his “long and checkered career as a man”. 

Nevertheless, as the novel goes on he meets characters from the Park Slope 

neighborhood, who will interrupt our wan protagonist’s solitude and spin him around, 

so life takes over instead, and his despair is swept away as he gets himself implicated 

in other people´s life. 

Everything starts to turn on when Nathan accidentally gets together with his long-lost 

nephew, Tom, who has seemingly given up on life. After dropping out of University, he 

has resigned himself to a string of meaningless jobs. Both characters mix enthusiasm 

and desperation; “you love life, Tom, but you don´t believe in it. And neither do I”. 

From a doomed atmosphere to the lively neighborhoods, Nathan discovered, 

Brooklynites are less reluctant to talk to strangers than any tribe, they butt into one 

another´s business at will. 


Nathan acquaints with Marina, a beautiful married waitress. He also befriends Harry 

Brightman a shady, likable, gay, owner of a bookstore. And it is when Lucy, nine-yearold 

Tom´s niece, who refuses to speak and reveal the whereabouts of her mother, 

Aurora, comes into their lives, that she suddenly opens a bridge between their past 

and their future, and gives some form of redemption to the characters. 

The novel seems to go nowhere. The Hotel Existence in Vermont represents the 

promise of a better world. Harry dies after an extortion episode and he leaves all his 

wealth to Tom and to his mate Rufus, a travesty known as Tina. Nancy, a jewellery 

designer, gets in love with Aurora, Nathan with her mother, Tom married Honey, and 

Raquel, Nathan´s beloved daughter gets in touch after some time of cold distance, and 

tells Nathan he soon will be grandfather and they will be close from then on. And so on 

the novel gathers the characters in a big family. . Paul Auster tends to show his liberal 

Democrat point of view. On the contrary, Lucy´s bad family situation is blamed on her 

Fundamentalist evangelical southern father. 

The book ends up just forty-six minutes before the first plane crashed into the North 

tower of the World Trade Center, on 11 September, 2001. An incredibly loud finale, 

just before the smoke covered N.Y. with human pain and sorrow. 

Under my personal point of view, Auster focuses the interest on happiness of ordinary 

human life, Brooklyn Follies is a book about survival, written for those who have 

suffered an unfortunate reversal, and wait for fate to turn direction. 

Mercedes 

ROALD DAHL’S BOOK OF GHOST STORIES 

I like Roald Dahl’s books, when I was a child I read Momo, Matilda, Charlie and the 

chocolate factory,… One day I was looking at some English books when I found this 

one, at first I believed that it was a book of ghost stories written by Roald Dahl, but 

when I picked it up, I realized that it was Dahl who had selected these terror stories by 

different writers. 

Dahl read seventy hundred and forty-nine ghost stories at the British Museum Library 

before selecting twenty four with the purpose of making a television ghost series, but 

the pilot film was a disaster. Twenty five years later, he thought it was a good idea to 

put the better ones, fourteen amazing stories, together in a book. 

As he said the best ghost stories don’t have ghosts in them, at least you don’t have to 

see them. Instead of reading what happens to the ghost, you only read the result of 

their actions, occasionally the story describes how the main character can feel the 

ghost brushing past to him or her, or how they are made aware of its presence by 

subtle means. 

My favourite, among all the stories is ‘Harry’ by Rosemary Timperley, which describes 

what happened to a couple and her adopted daughter, Cristine. One day Christine 

starts to talk with an imaginary child, Harry, and tells her mother that he is her brother. 

Her mother is a bit worried about her, so she decides to see the Doctor who explains 

to her that it’s normal in childhood. But while Christine is at her first day at school, her 


mother goes to the Adoption service where she asks about the girl’s past; she is the 

only survivor of an accident in which her brother Harry saved her before he died. After 

knowing her past she goes to pick her at the school, but the school principal tells her 

that Harry has just picked her. Nobody has seen her again. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves classic ghost stories, this is an 

amazing anthology. 

As Roald Dahl wrote in his book: ‘Spookiness is, after all, the 

real purpose of the ghost story’. 

Mónica 

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS 

‘Gulliver’s travels’ is an adventurous novel written by Jonathan Swift in 1726. Preceded 

by short summaries at the beginning of each of the chapters, the main character of the 

book, a young sailor called Gulliver, is in charge of telling us the story of his 

unbelievable experiences during his trips. 

During his first voyage, Gulliver is shipwrecked and when he wakes up he realizes that 

his arms, legs and long hair have been tied to the ground, by tiny people, less than six 

inches tall who are the inhabitants of Lilliput. When they become aware of his good 

behaviour, he is given a residence in Lilliput. He refuses to reduce the empire of 

Blefuscu, which is an island situated in the north-east side of Lilliput, so Gulliver is 

charged with treason and sentenced to be blind. Gulliver is helped by a good friend 

and escapes to Blefuscu, where he finds a boat and sails out. After some difficulties he 

returns safe to his native country. 

Two months later he starts a second voyage. He sets sail in a ship called the 

Adventurous, but a storm surprises them and the ship eventually arrives at an 

unknown island called Brobdingnang. While he is exploring the new country, he is left 

in the shore where he is found by a giant, about seventy two feet. The giant, who is a 

farmer, carries Gulliver to his house. The farmer, under the influence of some friends, 

decides to exhibit Gulliver for money. They travel around different places, meanwhile 

an order comes from the court, they want to see him. The Queen, who is delighted 

with Gulliver’s behaviour, decides to buy him and keeps him as her favourite in the 

court, but on a trip to the seaside his travelling box is seized by a giant eagle, which 

throws it to the sea, where he is picked up by some sailors who return him to England. 

In his third voyage, his ship is attacked by pirates and he is abandoned at the flying 

island of Laputa, a kingdom where people are interested in music and mathematics but 

unable to use their abilities in a practical way. After some days Gulliver starts to feel 


neglected on Laputa because its inhabitants are far superior to him in their knowledge 

and their conversations are only about their interests. Then he visits Balnibarbi, Lagado 

academy, and he goes to Glubbdubdirb, the island of magicians where he has the 

opportunity to speak with the most venerated people in history that are called up by 

the governor. Then he travels to Luggnagg where he knows immortal people that are 

called Struldbrugs, but after refusing employment there, he arrives safely in Japan; 

from there he gains a passage on a Ducth ship and finally he arrives in England. 

In the fourth chapter he describes his last travel. He sets sail again, this time as the 

captain of Adventurous ship, but his crew becomes pirates who leave him on an 

unknown shore. There he meets two horses that can speak but in another language, at 

first Gulliver can only understand that they are called Houyhnmhnms, and the animals 

that look like humans are called Yahoos. Gulliver is conducted by the horse to his 

house where he can eat and rest. After studying their language, he likes talking to 

them about English revolution and Europe. The Houyhnmhnms think that Gulliver is 

some kind of Yahoo, though superior to the rest of his species. Gulliver develops such a 

love for the Houyhnmhnms that he no longer desires to return to humankind, but in 

the end Gulliver is forced to travel back to England. 

Jonathan Swift’s book is a satirical view of the state of the European government, he 

uses a lot of metaphors to describe human depravity in his decade, while the 

Houyhnmhnms symbolize the perfection. Each part of the book is the reverse of the 

preceding part, Gulliver is big, small, wise and at the end, ignorant. He thinks that no 

form of government is ideal, Lilliput is complex, Brobdingnang is simple, Laputa is 

scientific, and neither the last one whose government is based on nature is ideal, the 

honest and upright Houyhnmhnms are happy to suppress the true nature of Gulliver as 

a Yahoo. 

Despite the complex, depth and subtlety of the book, ‘Gulliver’s travels’ is often 

classified as a children’s story because of the popularity of his first voyage to Lilliput, 

which is often bowdlerised. 

From my point of view ‘Gulliver’s travels’ is tedious and slow because the author 

describes almost everything with all kind of details. It was quite difficult to follow 

because he uses metaphors to compare the society of his decade with the different 

countries that Gulliver discovered. On balance I would not recommend this book; 

although the language was not difficult and he described different travels and 

adventuress, it is quite boring. 

Mónica 


GHOSTGIRL 

Lovesick 

Lovesick is the third part of the collection Ghostgirl, written by Tonya Hurley. It is an 

amazing story settled in Hawthorne High School which describes the daily life of a 

student. Charlotte Usher wants to be popular and also falls in love with Damen, a 

popular football player in the High School, but chokes to death with a gummy bear. 

Then she becomes a ghost, and only Scarlet can see her. 

In this third book Charlotte is definitely living into the afterlife, she also has a dead 

boyfriend. The ghosts from Death Ed need to work in a phone bank where they answer 

phone calls from teenagers who have problems and need a piece of advice, but 

Charlotte and her classmates, who are expecting to move on and enter heaven, have 

received a new task, they are sent back to Charlote’s old High School. This time each 

of the dead teens is assigned a living counterpart that they are supposed to help 

through one major problem before the Prom. 

Unfortunately no one has explained to Charlotte what happens if her new dead 

boyfriend starts getting cosy with her living, breathing best friend. 

This is a story about envy, courage, friedship and love. 

I would recommend you to read the previous ones because the events of this third 

book are built on events of the earlier two books and also ties things together nicely. I 

personally believe these books are gripping, the characters are enjoyable and the story 

is endearing and funny. One thing that I really like is that each chapter starts with a 

quote about friendship or love. Maybe this one is more complex than the others 

because there are different stories between ghost and alive teenagers that intertwine. 

Mónica 


Science fiction films 

Nowadays science fiction films are really popular, especially among the young people. 

In fact if you want to pick up one you will find a great variety of choice, and also some 

ones made using new techniques as three dimensions. 

These films are based on speculative worlds, often with futuristic elements. There are 

scientific films about mad scientists or space travels; films which are about 

environmental disasters, as asteroids, comets or earthquakes; robot and androids’ 

films; alien films that make us think about the possibility of intelligent life in other 

worlds; and films that are based on time travelling. There are also monster films that 

differ from horror or fantasy films in the reason of the existence of them, in science 

fiction films, they do not have a supernatural reason George Melies revolutionized the 

way to record science fiction films, he was the director of ‘A trip to the moon’ in 1902, 

a silent film with trick photography effects which were completely new that decade. In 

the latest sixties and seventies there were two films that improved the factory of 

science fiction films, ‘2001 Odyssey in space’ and ‘Star Wars’. Lately we have been 

attending to some of the most outstanding remakes about this cinema gender. 

I personally believe that these films are popular because they are based on imaginary 

worlds. While we are watching these films we travel through different worlds that are 

sometimes completely different from our world, and this is a way to escape from the 

harsh reality of our society. What is more, currently most of science fiction films are 

full of spectacular special effects that captivate the audience. 

Mónica 

By Mark Haddon 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time 

It is a novel written in 2003 in the first-person of a fifteen-year-old boy with 

autistic spectrum condition. It is lovely and absolutely amazing how he explains his 

fears and difficulties when interpreting the world around him. He describes that for 

him it is really difficult to mingle with others, so he prefers to mingle with maths or 

animals. 

I highly recommend this book for teachers and children who live with young 

people with these problems. 

Vicky 


How to make a good science fiction film 

How to make a good science fiction film? Apparently, it might be easy. Nevertheless, 

nobody knows exactly how some people are able to produce a great film. I think that 

we will never get to understand why some movies are so successful while others do 

fail. I have noticed that just one out of every twenty science fiction films produced gets 

the support of viewers. Why? Let´s analyze some of the factors that may influence the 

final outcome. 

Firstly, a fiction story is meant to entertain, so this seems to be the main 

ingredient of the “recipe”. When young people go to the cinema to watch one of these 

films what they really want is to disconnect from their daily problems in an escapist 

sort of way, and just have fun. 

Secondly, not only is a science fiction film an opportunity to show a great script 

and spectacular visual effects, but it can also provide new ideas for the future and 

evoke a sense of wonder. We are shown other people´s ways of thinking, experiments 

with yet unknown planets or even travel through time. Sci-fi should explain all these 

plots with well-written dialogues, coherency and a sense of logic to be credible. 

Finally, a huge budget is necessary to produce a science fiction film and make it 

profitable. For example, in 1977, George Lucas faced big problems to produce Star 

Wars because nobody backed up his project. Eventually, it would turn one of the most 

successful and influential films of all times. The actors were unknown and they 

invested in the production themselves. In the end, the film earned millions, it got many 

awards and it is the second highest grossing film in the USA and Canada. On the other 

hand, Waterworld, a post-apocalyptic science fiction film produced by Kevin Costner, 

has been regarded as one of the great failures in the film industry due to its very high 

budget and low recovery. 

In conclusion, in my opinion in order to make a successful science fiction film you 

should mix a bit of entertainment, credibility, a lot of money, and good luck! 

Vicky 


Social issues and more 

‘The growth of online shopping has greatly improved life for the consumer.’ 

Many companies have seen an opportunity to increase their sales by adding a link on 

the net, so they can offer customers a great range of products. But are we buying on 

the net with all the security measures required? 

Nowadays, a lot of retailers are being drawn by the ongoing tendency of Web-sales. 

The greatest benefit of online shopping is that it brings us closer to home a wide 

selection of articles in a single click without even taking off our pajamas. In addition, 

this handy market avoids you to queue at shopping malls, traffic jams and the 

desperate search for a car park. What is more, online shopping is a very quick way of 

buying all the stuff you can imagine from all over the world, which is a particular 

advantage for people like collectors, luxury lovers, gourmets and so on. 

On the other hand, nevertheless, you need a credit or debit card to buy on the net, so 

you are required to give personal details that can be stolen by hackers if the Website is 

not as reliable as it should be. Another drawback to online shopping is that some 

products might not be as good as the seller shows in the screen. Not only that, but you 

could be in deep trouble if you wanted to take the item back and be refunded. 

In my view, online shopping has many advantages and a few disadvantages, and on the 

whole, I believe that if you are previously well-informed about the online shop and the 

ways of payment you will not run the risk of being swindled. 

Elena 

LOW-COST AIRLINES HAVE revolutionized TRAVEL- BUT at WHAT PRICE? 

A low-cost company is an airlines company which usually offers low prices in exchange 

for eliminating many services to the passengers. 

The concept arose in USA although it was spreading in Europe at the beginning of the 

90s. 

The greatest benefit of flying with a low cost company is that it allows us to fly in a 

very cheap way. 

In addition, with a low-cost company middle-men disappear. With a low cost you can 

book and pay your tickets in the company web page, so the middle-people, as a travel 

agency, aren’t necessary. 

Finally, low- cost airlines have opened new connection points among the most 

important European cities, even Spanish cities. 


On the other hand, low-cost airlines have got restrictive rules on hand luggage because 

they only let you take 10Kg within a special sized travelling bag. 

One downside is that if you travel with low-cost airlines the airport will be far from the 

capital city where you travel and the transport from the airport to the city will be more 

expensive than the plane ticket. 

Other drawbacks to travel with low-cost companies are that you must check in on line 

and you must print your boarding pass and if you forget it at home you have to pay an 

unfair price. 

All in all I don’t like travelling with a low-cost airline although I have never been in any 

trouble with them. In balance nowadays, in many cases, the important thing is to fly 

and low-cost airlines make it easy for us. 

Graciela 

Marrying someone from a different country will always be more problematic than 

marrying someone from your own country. 

As a result of globalization marriages with foreigners have increased in the last years. 

Although some people argue that such unions will always have problems due to the 

barriers of prejudice, in my view there are no reasons to think in that way because an 

international marriage has many positives sides. 

It is generally known that people from different countries who get married have to 

struggle with a variety of special issues including those related to citizenship and 

culture, which add complexity and challenges to these kinds of relationships. 

For example, if you are living outside your country permanently you won’t be able to 

see your family very often. Moreover, if you have children, they will see their 

grandparents very little. Learning a foreign language is often another challenge to 

accept, the customs of your native land, food, dress and other aspects of your original 

culture might be hard to deal with. 

But, before you get married there must have been a period of time since you first met 

someone until you take the final decision. So before that, how did you manage to live 

abroad? How did you manage to go out and communicate with him or her? Have you 

fallen in love with him or her? 

As long as two people of two different countries are in love, that’s all that matters, 

there is really nothing much to argue about. They should go on with their lives and be 

happy. 

They will develop a deeper understanding of people and things beyond borders, new 

ways of thinking, new customs, and they will take the better of two worlds and share 

these with their children if they have any. 

The human race is improving and looking better not only because of the advances 

and improvements in every aspect of our lives, but also because of what we are doing 

to the genetic diversity. 

To sum up, I believe that marriages with foreigners have, on the whole, a positive 

influence provided that both of them agree with conditions. In my opinion, this is not 


for purely logical reasons, but because to get together is a part of what means to be 

human. 

Jose 

Advantages and drawbacks of cross cultural marriage 

With the cultural globalization phenomena, cross cultural marriage has become a 

current issue. And either it comes from a whirlwind romance or an internet-based 

relationship, a cultural clash comes to add stress on the already stressing lives of most 

families nowadays. 

Personally, it seems to me that marrying a foreigner could be an exciting adventure, 

and despite the variety of special, new and strange issues it might arise, it could be 

though, interesting and challenging. However, it is good to bear in mind that these 

apparently refreshing traits of challenging relationships may often become a source of 

frustration, conflict, misunderstanding and hurt. 

When it comes to raise children, I entirely agree the influence of another cultural 

pattern of behavior can be extremely positive, as it might broaden their minds. 

Actually, only if both parents try to speak their own native language at home, the 

children are raised bilingual, which is a great thing nowadays. Although, I strongly 

believe it involves certain awareness in order to guarantee the success of these long 

term commitments. 

It is often claimed that beside this awesomeness with regard to cross cultural couples, 

there are certain drawbacks which are difficult to overcome. Firstly and foremost, the 

cultural gap usually implies not being able to share each other’s humor,which I agree is 

one of the main foundations of a healthy relationship. Not to mention the way we 

value time, work ethics, learning styles, eye contact and even ideas about public 

affection. 

On the other hand many people argue that interracial married couples usually have to 

face the possibility of being prejudiced against or even suffer racial discrimination, 

which could make life even more difficult. This argument thus may discourage many 

mixed couples from getting married. I consider there are a number of flaws in this 

argument as I believe it encourages racism instead of dissuading it. 

In spite of the disadvantages above I believe that true love, trust, support and respect 

for each other are the main ingredients for a cross cultural marriage to success. 

In conclusion, what is important to me though, is real love and respect. Marrying a 

foreigner is a big decision and it is important to stand by each other during difficult 

times. On the other hand keeping both languages and cultures in the host country, 

although it might sometimes be hard, it is convenient, and worth it. 

Mercedes 


Low cost airlines have revolutionized travel- but at what Price? 

Air travelling around the world has become a common issue for many people 

nowadays. Certainly, the reason for this might be found on the increasing number of 

“no frills” airlines competing and prices getting lower. Nevertheless, with the credit 

crunch, the escalating fuel costs, and small low cost airlines going bust, there is a lot to 

bear in mind when booking your flight ticket with a budget airline company. Does it 

really worth the hassle? Are low cost fares a good deal? 

Being able to travel at an amazingly lower price, compared with the more established 

airlines, has clearly advanced possibilities to go abroad in certain respects. Especially if 

you book in advance, are flexible with the dates and bear in mind the restrictions 

about luggage. 

First and most importantly, the aircrafts of this “no frills” airlines are as safe as the 

larger airlines could be, as technical inspections are made regularly by the same 

companies, no matter the cost of the flight tickets. The control over the cabin crew 

gets the same inspections, too. Other way they wouldn´t be allowed to operate. 

In addition to that, there are definitely some bargains to be had. Moreover, low cost 

carriers provide excellent value and, increasing service that is comparable to the 

commercial airlines. You just need to know the rules, know how to avoid additional 

charges and hassles, and take into account the two-hour-transit time. 

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages that should be taken into 

consideration. The first drawback to fly with low cost airlines, is that almost all of them 

sell their lowest cost fares exclusively through their website. Therefore phoning them 

will result in a surcharge or a higher fare. 

Another downside is that most discount carriers charge a fee for checking-in baggage, 

while only for hand luggage there is no extra fee to pay. As a result these companies 

often impose very rigid enforce excess allowances at check-in. 

What is more, “no frills” airlines only offer seat sales during off-peak times of the year, 

such as winter. On the contrary, these airlines take advantage of increased demand on 

tickets during school holiday, to rise ticket prices. 

Besides, allocation is generally not available until check-in, therefore you must arrive 

as early as possible at the airport. Another point against low cost carriers is that 

generally, food and drinks are not provided on the plane without extra-charge. And 

due to security policy, most fluids are banned from passing through security in 

airports. 

Finally, and not less important, is that most budget airlines use secondary airports, 

which are often quite distant from the big cities. As a consequence there will be 

additional expenses. 

On the whole, additional charges mount up and make cheap flights far less of a bargain 

than they appear to be, but still, due to the need of travelling on tight budget, the 

advantages are becoming more prevalent. 

Mercedes 


Migration 

In July 2009, I had the opportunity to migrate to the USA. And I almost did so; I think I 

would have gone to live in the USA if I hadn’t had a previous migration experience. 

My parents had had to face migration fifty years ago, when many Spaniards left their 

country to live and work in Germany. And If I had done so, if I had migrated to the USA, 

I would have had to work as hard as they did. And I would have had to overcome as 

many difficulties as they had to. I still remember myself coming back to Spain and 

starting all over again a new life in a country I hardly knew. 

When I applied for a working position at a Wiscouncil state school, I was not confident 

I could be given the job. I had applied for a position as Spanish as a second language 

teacher, and I had been accepted. Now, when I look back, I can’t avoid thinking that 

whether I had agreed to take that job it could have turned a great experience for my 

daughter. But I didn’t gather the courage to do it. I started thinking that if I left, my 

daughter would suffer the consequences, as she had been supposed to enroll in the 

fourth grade of elementary school. So, she would have had to miss a year, due to the 

fact she didn’t speak the language properly. She would also have had to make a lot of 

adjustments. And both would have had to leave my family behind. 

In addition, getting the citizenship has become a very difficult and long process in the 

USA. Immigrating to the US to live there permanently is a complex decision. In general, 

I didn’t expect major problems, as the immigrant Visa I would have had to apply for, 

would have been sponsored by a prospective employer. So I was not afraid of having 

difficulties with the US’ citizenship and immigration service. Nevertheless, another 

thing is becoming a lawful permanent resident or getting the citizenship. After twenty 

years living and working in the US, some friends of mine, still must fill out the form I- 

140; the petition for Alien worker, which is too sad as it may make you think the 

country doesn’t recognize your rights after a long time living and working there. 

On the other hand, as I told you above, my parents had had to migrate to Germany in 

the sixties. And although they always reported the great experience they had had in 

Hannover, and how good it had been having the opportunity to live with the 

advantages of a developed European country as Germany, they often told me about 

the drawbacks of migration, and how hard it was coming back and having had to start 

all over again. 

Nevertheless, my decision of staying, though found on grounds for not going through 

the same experience again, is something I still regret having taken, as living in Spain 

has become even tougher than it was in 2009. 

Mercedes

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