IF...? PREJUDICES? NO, THANKS. REAL INFORMATION.

Yesterday, The Poppins said goodbye to Australia. It has been a wonderful experience with lots of emotions and new partners. They’ve visited all the country and enjoyed new and old cultures.

Today, The Poppins have just arrived to San Francisco in California where they have a new mission. Before this, they’ve reviewed Second Conditional and some new exercises about plurals and countable and uncountable nouns. 

More information: Second Conditional

Moreover, The Grandma explained some controversial stories where prejudices were present and they weren’t good. It’s difficult to have an opinion about a story paying only attention to the official channel. There is sometimes another explanation which you can obtain off the record seeing and analysing these little details that we don’t see in the first moment.

The Grandma is very excited to be in San Francisco again and she wants to visit some old friends from Berkeley University and think about her old hippie friends who wanted to change the world and created one of the best folk music generations.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. 

They have the power to make the innocent guilty 

and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. 

Because they control the minds of the masses.

Malcolm X

BE THE QUEEN? MAMMA MIA!

Cocodrilo Dundee

Yesterday, The Poppins had another beautiful day. First, they started with some grammar: Past Continuous (While/When), Conditional Simple and how to convert an uncountable noun in countable.

More information: Conditional Simple

Later, the family assisted to an incredible class of fashion and trend thanks to Lulú Addams-Poppins who is a professional of these themes.

The family is finishing its Australian holiday and they’re crossing the desert with the help of an old Grandma's friend, Cocodrilo Dundee. They're travelling across it to homage Priscilla and her friends and because of this, they chose The Poppins’ Queen: Tonyi.

After remembering ABBA and some mystic writers like Ramon Llull, San Juan de la Cruz and Santa Teresa de Jesús, they continued its travel with the idea of enjoying these last hours in the south hemisphere.

More information: Ramon Llull Routes

Tomorrow, The Poppins will pack their suitcases again and they will travel to San Francisco in The USA, where Susana Poppins has a mission to do.

He who loves not, lives not.

Ramon Llull

CHANGE THE STORY: JUMP THE SHARK!

Yesterday, The Poppins had an intensive day of grammar and communication skills.

First, they finished the last exercise about Social English. Next, they reviewed Past Continuous and later they did some exercises of Past Simple vs. Past Continuous using while or when.

More information: Past Continuous

After a little break, they continued with some advice about how to earn possibilities in an interview or in an exam. The Grandma is a person obsessed with communication skills and she tries to explain some secrets to them every day, some interesting things like how to keep calm and control a bad situation; how to manage the weight of a discuss without having the power in it; how to survive to nerves; how to avoid uncomfortable questions or how to seem the best option when we aren’t interested in accepting the deal.

More information: Past Continuous vs. Past Simple (While/When)

An interview, an exam, a situation where we’re exposed to other people is a game, in fact, a mental game where you must be stronger, more intelligent and cleverer than your opponent although s/he could be your future boss or the person who is going to decide your exam marks. Train your communication skills and you will have more possibilities of success.

The secrets are clear: 

-Create your profile and work in it to improve the negative things and expose the positive ones. 

-Do it with honesty and a little bit of humour, an element very important in difficult situations. 

-Trust in you, because you’re the real treasure that must bright with as force as you can. 

-Know your limits and work to arrive far away of them.

To sum up… Be a Poppins in essence and be yourself in existence.

Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your communication skills so that when important occasions arise, 

you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, 

and the emotions to affect other people.

Jim Rohn

FROM LINCOLN TO GUEVARA: FREEDOM!

Abraham Lincoln

Yesterday, The Poppins continued with their English classes. They started doing some exercises about Social English and reviewing Used to. Later, they practised with the Relative Pronouns and paid attention to the importance of questions and short answers.

More information: Used to

The Grandma explained some stories about Cuba and Catalan economy during the XIX century, paying special attention to the figures of the Indians, Catalan-born people who travelled to Cuba to make business and returned to their hometowns where they tried to evocate the Caribbean country building the same kind of houses and planting the same sort of plants and vegetables. 

She also told about slavery in American countries and the abolition of it in The USA thanks to Abraham Lincoln.

After some days without reading Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, they continued working the plot of this interesting book and they created another plot about sharks, an animal well-known in Australia and one of the most dangerous enemies of swimmers and surfers like Esther Poppins’ new boyfriend.

Che

Talking about boyfriends, The Grandma, following the advice of her family, decided to say goodbye to her last lover, Dave Clipster. A misunderstanding about him created some tension between the members of the family and The Grandma had to take a decision: choose between The Poppins or Dave. It was easy. Obviously, The Poppins won.

Next, the family listened to some stories from its members about difficult and uncomfortable situations in the past and they analysed how to confront them.

Tomorrow, the family is going to listen to Lulú Poppins’ explanations about fashion and trend and they’re going to play poker.

Come on Poppins! The die is cast!

In matters of style, swim with the current; 
in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

Thomas Jefferson

CUBA OR SCOTLAND? THE DREAM CONTINUES...

Cuba

Yesterday, it was another fantastic day for The Poppins. Núria Poppins returned from Scotland and she’s with the family again. She explained her experiences there and they were very interesting.

Next, the family continued the English classes with Have to and some exercises about connectors. 

The Grandma knows that some exercises are more difficult than the recommended level but she prefers “to suffer in class not in the exam”.

More information: Have to vs. Must

Later, The Grandma tried to create a linchpin between England and Australia for one hand and Spain and Cuba for another, connecting them under the same storyline: stupid wars, innocent victims and colonialism.

Finally, The Poppins talked about some personal stories which had a relation with Scottish postcards. They were different stories about Costa Rica, children and new technologies, Andalusia, rock music, Torredembarra, the importance of light in pictures or beautiful castles from the Middle Age in Scotland to the new human ones in Catalan lands and an important reflexion: what’s the meaning of a lighthouse in the middle of the sea?

The Cuban people have an amazingly strong and unbroken spirit.

Wim Wenders

GET MARRY? CONVINCE ME THAT I'M WRONG

The Grandma and her new boyfriend in Australia

Today The Poppins have returned to their English classes. They’ve returned talking about Past Simple and doing some exercises.

They’ve been some intensive days of trips around Australia and now they’re in Sydney resting and waiting Núria Poppins’ arrival.

Tomorrow, Núria will join the family again and explain to them all her adventures in Scotland.

More information: Past Simple

For other hand, The Grandma is sad. While Esther, Laura, Irina and Saharay have new boyfriends, all the family is against the relationship between The Grandma and Dave, her new friend. She can’t understand why they don’t accept the idea of a future marriage between them.

After listening to all the members of the family, she is very affected and sad and she feels alone only with a little help and comprehension of Eli & Esther Poppins her anchors in this difficult moment.

Finally, she has decided to take an important decision that will affect the future of her family forever. Tomorrow, we will know the final of this story which seems a little tragic.

 

No one wants advice -only corroboration.

John Steinbeck

MEMENTO MORI: TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS

Time passes in moments... moments which, rushing past define the path of a life just as surely as they lead towards its end. 

How rarely do we stop to examine that path, to see the reasons why all things happen, to consider whether the path we take in life is our own making or simply one into which we drift with eyes closed.

But what if we could stop, pause to take stock of each precious moment before it passes? Might we then see the endless forks in the road that have shaped a life? And, seeing those choices, choose another path?

Dana Scully, All Things, The X Files

The Poppins continue in Australia. Today, they’ve visited the Australian ancestors’ cultures and have listened to their stories with emotion. The Grandma has thought about her friend, Dana Scully, who did an interesting reflexion about time and second chances in life.

 We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. 

Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… 

and then we return home.

Australian Aboriginal saying

RECYCLING: A NEW CHANCE

Today, The Poppins have spent a beautiful day talking about recycling and seeing Tonyi Poppins’ creations. In a family plenty of artists, like The Poppins, you never know which will be the next surprise. After an unforgettable day with Cristina Poppins and an exciting day with the family singing to win Eurovision, Tonyi has offered another fantastic day teaching how to recycle and create art.

After, the family has received a packet from Barcelona. MJ has sent a great present to them: two fantastic books to learn more English.

Finally, Laura Poppins has talked about love and Isa “The Second” Poppins about Malta, her hometown and The Grandma has remembered an old lover: Corto Maltese, an adventurer, a sailor, a dream...

It has been another unforgettable day but, obviously, not the last.

When an adult enters into the world of dreams is forever. 
Do you know, don’t you?

Corto Maltese

CONNECT IDEAS: CREATE A PLOT

Richard Castle & Kate Beckett

Today, The Poppins have continued their Australian travel. They’re visiting the most exciting places of the whole world. Australia is a paradise and the family enjoys it every day.

The Grandma has had an introspective day. It’s something normal when she’s far away from her home. She has been explaining some stories to her family, all of them with the same connection: no surrender against difficult moments.

The family has practised how to create a good plot with a good structure and connectors which offer the most important things in a text: cohesion, coherence and adequacy. It’s not something easy but it’s something necessary to write a good composition. The Grandma is a fan of writing and she continues the advice of an old friend, Richard Castle, who always says that “there’s always a story”.

By the way, Núria Poppins is still in Scotland and she’s going to join the family next week.

 Because if you don't even believe in the possibility of magic 

you will never ever find it.

Richard Edgar Castle

AUSTRALIA: A NEW HOPE

Today, The Poppins have arrived to Australia. All the family is going to spend some days in this country except Núria Poppins, who is still in Scotland for personal reasons.

First, the family has been talking about how they feel about policy system, which is disappointed, but they have hope in some organizations like Red Cross or CRAM, which work hard every day to improve our lives.

Finally, the family has decided to continue its travel into Australian lands and they’re visiting the most spectacular places and discovering the most incredible facts.

 

You must never so much think as whether you like it or not,
whether it is bearable or not;
you must never think of anything except the need,
and how to meet it. 

Clara Barton, American Red Cross Founder 

A LETTER TO AN OLD FRIEND (II)

The Grandma & Fox Mulder

Dear Mulder,

Destiny is capricious. I can’t stay with you tonight in your concert. I hope you come back to Barcelona very soon. Take care of you and regards to Scully. 

Kisses…

 Done some good and done some bad like any man I bet
A man of words is a man of lies but words is all I get

Hell or Highwater, David Duchovny

A LETTER TO AN OLD FRIEND (I)

Bruce Springsteen

Dear Bruce,

We’re here together again. It has been a long time since you arrived here in 1982 and I saw you by first time. These memories in an old indoor stadium next to the magic mountain which would be Olympic years later are unforgettable. You’ve been always with me. You’ve been my best partner when I was alone in a road, in a new city, in a new adventure. You can’t imagine how I have changed listening to you.

People say that music is universal and I agree but, in your case, you’ve joined the best sound of an incredible band with the most beautiful and strong lyrics. I can’t pay attention to a song if I don’t understand its lyrics and I don’t love a song if these lyrics don’t say anything to me that make me think.

You’re my conscious even in the best moments. You’re this voice that keeps me alive, with my feet on the ground looking around and pressing my teeth strongly when the world becomes more and more difficult to understand it and when staying in it is a question of surviving and fighting every day.

I would like that, tonight; you dedicate some songs to my families. They’re good people who are trying to improve their English knowledge and although you’re not the best for listening (dear, you close your mouth too much when you sing), you’re the best poet and the best ambassador of dignity and hope.

Today, I’ve spent some hours with The Holmes. They had an important appointment and they’ve done a great job, because the most difficult is having courage enough to do things, even when you know that you’re against the wind. It has been an enormous pleasure staying with them again. How many memories!  When I was with them, I remembered The Collins and The Addams two incredible families who shared the same experience.

Nowadays, I continue my travel with The Poppins. They’re another good and hard-worker family with a great sense of humour and they’re incredible artists. Tonight, they’re in Stockholm. They’re going to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. They have more possibilities but, like with the other families, they must believe in them. They must be strong and persistent and they must trust on their future. We can’t know what is going to happen tomorrow but we can fight the future. We must do it.

Well, in a few hours we’re standing together again. Only one more petition: please, play Bobby Jean and Thunder Road for my families and me.

Kisses…

More information: The Official Bruce Springsteen Webpage

It's a town full of losers, and I'm pulling out of here to win.

Thunder Road, Bruce Springsteen

THE HOLMES: GLORY DAYS

PET Exam

The Holmes have joined in Sant Boi to close a circle. Some months ago, this family started an incredible trip which has finished today. 

Life is difficult and sometimes it can be a little complicated. This is the main reason because of it hasn’t been possible to join the whole family. Three of its members have chosen different ways and today it has been impossible for them staying there.

The family has done its last step in this first trip but not the last. In fact, this trip is the final of a season but the beginning of a future plenty of possibilities, hope and new objectives.

The Grandma, who was in Edinburgh with The Poppins, flew directly to Barcelona to stay with them in this important day. After three hours of intensive work, they finished their exam and joined again to celebrate it.

It has been a beautiful day for all of them. The Grandma was excited to see them again and discover that they were as funny and fantastic as always. They’re a fantastic treasure for The Grandma, who is very proud of her four families.

Today, it has been only the beginning. Tomorrow, must be the continuation of this hard work until they reach their objective.

Come on Holmes, you’re great and you know it!

 We just sit around talking about the old times,
she says when she feels like crying
she starts laughing thinking about.

Glory days, well they'll pass you by
Glory days, glory days.

Glory Days, Bruce Springsteen

EUROPOPPINS: LIVING A CELEBRATION

Today, The Poppins have spent a great day preparing the Eurovision Song Contest. After doing some exercises of vocabulary and thinking in the origins of Friday, 13, they have been talking about some famous people like Vlad Tepes, Jack The Ripper and Enriqueta Martí. Next, they have composed some beautiful songs which have been sung by all the members of the family.

It has been very difficult to choose a winner song but after an amazing re-count, Lulú & Jennifer Poppins have won the Poppins’ Contest. By the way, tomorrow, all members of the family are going to stay in Stockholm defending their songs with all the heart.

More information: Sovereign Order of Malta

The Grandma has decided to follow some important artists and has borrowed some lyrics of her family’s songs to create her own one. Here it is:

If you want a better place…

Ooooh! Help me!

We’re enjoying a lot!

If you're a prisoner of your plans…

Ooooh! I'll be on time.

Life is beautiful.

Well, well, are you happy?

We should loveeeeeeeee

Together, the world is better!

The family is flying tonight from Edinburgh to Stockholm while The Grandma is returning to Barcelona because she has a meeting with her other family, The Holmes, who have an important appointment tomorrow morning.

I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.

George Washington

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: WHAT'S THE PRESSURE

Today, The Poppins have revised some new grammar like Prepositions of Time and Place, Too and Enough. They have been doing some exercises about Social English they have been writing about to search Nessie or not. 

It has been an intensive day because tomorrow, they’re preparing their songs to participate in Eurovision.

More information: Too & Enough

They have been talking about Salvador Dalí and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle two geniuses who changed painting and writing with his surrealistic pictures, the first, and with his fantastic character of Sherlock Holmes, the second.

More information: Prepositions of Time & Prepositions of Place

Next, they have been talking about security in the cities and strange situations which haven’t got any explication or meaning and about the importance of having as information as you can in all the aspects of life to try to have more possibilities of success.

Finally, they have discussed about kinds of pens and their advantages and disadvantages.

Tomorrow, the family is going to prepare Eurovision and they’re talking about the next travel to Australia.

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. 

Herman Melville 

BE VISIBLE: TRUST ON PUBLIC SERVICES

Ofelia

Today, The Poppins have studied some modal verbs like Must and Need and have revised Should. They have done some exercises about Social English and they’ve chosen which model of exam they want to do.

More information: Must & Need

The family, which is still in Scotland, wanted to start to search Nessie but the latest news about Eurovision Song Contest have changed their plans. Isa from Malta, Lulú from Russia, Carmen from Czech Republic and M.José from The Netherlands have arrived to the final, which will be celebrated next Saturday in Stockholm (Sweden).

More information: Eurovision Song Festival 2016

The Grandma has talked about using some kind of tools to search an employment and about their utility and reliability. She has put like an example the case of her old friend Ofèlia Puig, who is a great fan of social networks. She has tried to explain that the most important thing in a job searching is the own person and, maybe, the tools aren’t sometimes as useful and honest as we think but nevertheless we must try it.

Finally, Tonyi Poppins in her name and in Irina's has answered lots of questions about her participation and experience in Eurovision Song Contest.

Tomorrow, they’re preparing Nessie’s searching and they’re starting to work with connectors and prepositions.

Self-esteem is as important to our well-being as legs are to a table.

It is essential for physical and mental health and for happiness.

Louise Hart

THE HIGHLANDS: A KIND OF MAGIC

The Highlands

Today, The Poppins have studied more aspects of English grammar: some Social English, First Conditional and the modals Should and Can. The family is still in Scotland enjoying the country and its people. Today, they’ve written some postcards and they’ve read another chapter of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.

They’ve received the visit of MJ, who has travelled from Barcelona to The Highlands to talk about the PET Exam. Finally, they’ve been playing some games after talking about the origin of Catalan and Scottish Guards and how important have been Mount Etna (Sicily) and Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland) volcanoes in our past History.

More information: Should & Can

Tomorrow, they’re starting to search Nessie in Loch Ness and they’re continuing with modal verbs and adjectives.

More information: First Conditional

One dream, one soul, one prize,
One goal, one golden glance of what should be,
It's a kind of magic

Queen