IRENE BOND: FROM POLAND WITH LOVE

Irene Bond, a modern spy

Irene Bond. Spy. Poland.

I'm Irene Bond. I was born in Kraków, Poland. I'm a spy, a person who knows lots of important information and works undercover. 

I had a lot of work and prestige during the Cold War but after the fall of the Berlin's Wall the world changed forever and I recycled myself being a computer analyst, another way to obtain important information. I like reading and cinema.

 

-Good morning, Irene Bond, and thanks to attend us.

-Good morning. It's a pleasure.

-I've never interviewed a spy.

-Well, never say never again.

-Is a normal interview or this never had happened.

-This interview is for your eyes only.

-When we talk about spies we think in American, English or Russian agents but you're Polish...

-This idea was true during the cold war but nowadays every country has its important secret services. I'm Polish but when I started to work Russia was the URSS and the European map was another completely different from now. In fact, I can say that I came from Russia with love, because Poland was an active member of the Warsaw Pact, in fact this pact was signed in the capital of my country.

-What can you explain about Poland?

-When we talk about Europe, it seems that we're talking only about Germany, France and the UK. It's a terrible mistake because we're 28 countries in the EU, now 27 with the UK saying goodbye, and 50 in the entire European continent. Poland is a big and historical country. We existed since 1025 when the Kingdom of Poland was founded. We formed a great Duchy with Lithuania, later we were part of Prussia, Russia and Austria and we were determined in the beginning of the WWII when in September 1939 Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany. We were a Soviet satellite state and after 1989 we are a Democratic Republic, again. When you live in a place with these historical events, it's normal that you want to be a spy. We lived in a crossroad between two worlds and you realize that the world is not enough.

-Are you scared with your work?

-No, I'm not. Risk exists everywhere and my work is only a work. It's true that you have license to kill but nowadays the spies are intelligent computers and you must control and analyze the information that they offer.

-How's life living in a border?

-It's interesting because you receive lots of influences and diversity is something that offers you the possibility of having different points of view and this is something very important in our global world.

-You were born in Kraków, a city with a terrible past. How does the global world affect in the population nowadays? 

-Kraków is nowadays a modern city which is considered as Europe's Silicon Valley. The city is the headquarters for important multinational companies and cultural diversity is something that you can see in our streets. It's true that Kraków has a terrible story. Everybody remembers how the members of our Jewish community were forced into a walled zone known as the Kraków Ghetto, from which they were sent to German extermination camps such as the nearby Auschwitz and Plaszów. Auschwitz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1979 and the most important about this declaration was the idea of keeping this horrible event of our recent history in our minds because it represents the human horror and the result of totalitarianism. Auschwitz was a view to a kill and now must be a view to peace, tolerance and respect.

-How is the life of a spy?

-A normal life. You must be cautious, you mustn't speak a lot and it's important that nobody remembers you. You must be like a spectre.

-And the personal life? It must be difficult...

-Well, only a person who works in this can really understand you but you must choose between having a personal or professional life. The spy who loved me had to choose it. It's not an easy election.

-Which is your favourite spy?

-Mata Hari, of course. She was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France. A legend in my profession that demonstrated that diamonds are forever.

-And your worst enemy?

-Lots of enemies: Dr.No, Goldfinger, Thunderball, Octopussy, The man with the Golden Gun, GoldenEye... but if I had to choose one, Jaws. Without any doubt. I was working in a mission named Moonraker. I knew Jaws a terrible highly skilled killed with an incredible strength. His name was in tribute to sharks. It seems that he liked shark, the animal which lives in oceans and eat fish, seals, crabs and seabirds. They find their prey with their sense of smell and they are in danger of extinction. Jaws had all these characteristics. He was very dangerous and caught him required an enourmous effort.

-Have you got any secret gadget?

-Well, it's not a secret. Everybody knows that I have a special clock with the last technology. It's called Quantum of Solace and it was a present of Pedro Bond, aka Pierre Beaund, who is an incredible watchmaker, for me, the best of the world.

-How do you feel being a member of The Bond's family?

-Very well. The Bonds is a very funny family. They respect my job and they don't ask me anything. I like them because they live and let die. For us, the family is the most important. It's the jewel of our crown, our majesty, and we are on our Majesty's Secret Service.

-How is a normal day with The Bonds?

-We haven't got a normal day because we haven't got a planning. We have an idea about our obligations but we can change all things in a second. All depends of us and this is something very interesting because offers you the possibility of being creative and non-static. You can not control tomorrow, and then you realize that tomorrow never dies.

-How long have you been studying English?

-I come from a family of spies. I was born in Kraków but I grew up in Montecarlo, near Casino Royale, where I learnt French and in London where I learnt English. A spy must know languages.

-Then, you speak Polish, English and French.

-Poland is a multilanguage country. Languages are the living daylights for us. Polish is the official language but other languages like German, Russian, Ukrainian, Slovak, Lithuanian, Czech, Belarusian, Romani and Yiddish are spoken in my country, too. I also speak German and, of course, Russian.

-What can you explain about your life with The Bonds?

-When you have this kind of work, you need people who understand you and give you the opportunity of having your personal moments. They know that I can't explain as things as I know and they respect this, and this fact is very important because I feel comfortable with them.

-Which is your best memory with the family?

-We have lots of memories but I remember one day that I have to offer quick and efficient solutions to different problems that I didn't control. It was very interesting because offered to me the possibility of thinking in spontaneous solutions and this is not easy to do, although, I'm a spy and I'm a person who must be decisive.

-You like reading, don't you? Recommend me a book...

-I'm reading the biography of Cristopher Columbus, who sailed from Spain in August 3rd, 1492 to the west. After ten weeks, a sailor saw a bird. They arrived to land and they named the island San Salvador. So he discovered that the Earth was round. Perhaps, it could be interesting that Columbus had read the studies of Nicolaus Copernicus, the Polish astronomer who talked about the heliocentric system. I'm also reading another biography. It's about a universal Polish, Maria Salomea Sklodowska-Curie, aka Marie Curie.

-You're a spy. Can you write a slogan for The Bonds?

-Die another day because you only live twice.

-One last question... is Irene Bond your real name?

-I'm a Bond. I'm Irene Bond, aka Skyfall, although my parents call me Adele.

-Thank you very much, Irene Bond.

-You're welcome.

 Those things which I am saying now may be obscure, 

yet they will be made clearer in their proper place.
 

Nicolaus Copernicus

HEY HEY, THE BONDS HAVE SAVED THE WORLD TODAY

The Grandma in Casa Vicens, Barcelona

Monday finds you like a bomb, it's a bad day for starting or finishing something. This is the reason because of The Bonds have choosen Tuesday to say goodbye to The Grandma.  They are going to stay in Ireland during some days but The Grandma has decided to return to Barcelona to redecorate her new home. She has bought Casa Vicens, an Antoni Gaudí's building in the center of the city.

That's been left ticking there too long. The ties that join The Bonds are so strong that they're goingto conitnue working together to reach their new objective and The Grandma is going to help despite of the distance.

You're bleeding in this hard work but nothing is won without effort and persistance. The Bonds are very strong people, perhaps because of the influence of Irene and María José Bond who have Aragonese ancestors.

Some days there's nothing left to learn, like today. The Bonds have dedicated their day to enjoy themselves and remember beautiful old memories, which are part of their story, now. In fact, The Bonds are History.

From the point of no return, you can't change these things that you thing you could have done better but with the experience of them, you won't do them again. Life is a constant way of learning things and we need to be resilient like Eli, Olga and Paula Bond who are a wonderful example of resistance against adversity.

You're leaving and you're still here in our memories. Rubén, Raquel and Miriam Bond, three beloved members of our family who decided to follow their own paths.

Hey Hey I saved the world today, I have created a new family plenty of happiness, illusion and creativity like The Collins, The Addams, The Holmes and The Poppins, The Bonds have become in another great experience which arrives farther than teaching English.

The Bonds have saved the world today

Everybody's happy now, Mariona Bond has decided to celebrate her birthday with the family and Maya Bond has cooked delicious cookie monsters for all the family.

The bad thing's gone away. It has been time to forget real situations and create a new world, a parallel universe where we have been the owners of our own future without paying attention to work, money or personal affairs.

And everybody's happy now remembering David and Pedro Bond  in Oasis Bar, being the Queens of the Carnival or Joanjo winning the Eurovision Song Contest.

The good thing's here to stay. MJ has arrived with our titles and suddenly have appeared lots of good memories about two intensive months travelling, working, laughing and sharing the best of us: our creativity and interest in learning new things. From The Cathars to The Navajo, we have been travelling across our history, our languages and our culture to realize that there's something that everybody shares: the idea of a better future for our next generations. We've listened motivational stories of Noemí Bond who have talked us about resilience and connections.

Please let it stay, share these fantastic moment with us because the future is unknown and nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow. 

There's a million mouths to feed and Montse and Jaume Bond know it. They have prepared a delicious omelette and a fantastic cake for the family.

Jaume Bond or James Bond? Mmmm...

And I've got everything I need. I don't need money or treasures. I need to do something that gives sense to my work, then to my life. I want a better future for all the members of my families, because a better future for them means a future full of opportunities in a land of hope and dreams. 

I'm breathing. I've received some presents of my family and I'm astonished. I don't deserve them. It's my work and nobody receives nothing to do her work. I have grown under Master Yoda philosophy and I know that you must do things or not. There isn't another option.

And there's a hurting thing inside, the final is closer although we still have two months to stay in contact, two well-planned months to work together to reach the next objective.

But I've got everything to hide, this feeling of loneless that has invided me when I have said goodbye to the family.

I'm grieving. I’ll miss you.

Let it stay. Let all the memories stay with us forever because they’re going to help us to smile when difficult days arrive.

Let it stay. Let all memories stay with us forever, strong enough to be resistent to the fire which destroyed our past and to the forgetfulness which destroys our present. Be ready family, our future will be splendorous.

Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo the good thing.

The Bonds have saved the world today.

One of the most qualities of true friendship is

to understand and be understood. 

Lucius Annaeus Seneca

THE BONDS & ENVIRONMENT: TRAVELS AND FLOWERS

The Bonds enjoying Tenerife and butterflies

Today, The Bonds have had an intensive day in Tenerife Island. They have climbed Teide Mountain and they’re now resting in a hut, on the top of the mountain, which is only reserved for special guests.

Before climbing Teide, they had revised some English grammar like Demonstratives and Past Participle and they have read a new chapter of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

MJ has offered two new presents to our family: a book to prepare B2 Exam and one of the greatest novels of Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist.

More information: Demonstratives (This, These, That, Those)

Next, Eli Bond has offered some interesting information about the importance of colours in our lives, something that this family knows perfectly because there is one of its members, Jaume Bond, who is a professional painter.

More information: Past Participle

The Grandma has talked about colours, flowers and travels remembering two incredible writers, Mercè Rodoreda and Blai Bonet. Both of them are considered excellent writers and both of them had difficult lives full of disasters, sadness and terrible personal conditions.

The Bonds have participated in the Carnival last weekend wearing some butterflies costumes and thanks to this, they’ve won another prize. Jaume, Joanjo and Pedro Bond have joined to David Bond who has been declared the Queen and all of them have won the festival.

The family is very happy for this prize because David has been in Paris, working in a new James Bond’s film, and he has seen how the family has missed him during these days. David’s returning has been the best present for this unforgettable family.

After this moment of glory, the family has talked about environment and recycling using some modal verbs like Must, Have to and Should and they have shared different experiences in Tenerife, a special place for Irene Bond, who used to spend long seasons in the island after working in her secret and dangerous missions and for Pedro Bond who has remembered his ancestors and who has talked about one of the most beautiful European cultures: the Guanches.

Finally, The Grandma has decided to buy some islands. They name Wild Islands and are situated between Canary Islands and Green Cape. It has been a present for celebrating M. José Bond’s new goal.

If we intend to provide a better life, and a better world, 

for future generations, we can't ignore the quality of the environment we leave them. 

John Kasich

JOANJO BOND & M.JOSÉ BOND: FLY, FLY, FLY TO WIN

The Bonds flying to Kiev, Ukraine

Today, The Bonds are in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. They are arriving there to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Before starting to sing, the family has been talking about Some, Any and No compounds and have practised some exercises about Present Perfect vs. Past Simple.

After doing this, The Bonds have demonstrated their best skills playing incredible songs with all their heart. They've introduced themselves and their countries and they have played the songs.

More information: Some, Any and No Compounds

Finally, after a votation full of suprises, Joanjo Bond has won the Contest with his song Fly, fly, fly. Joanjo is from Cyprus and this is the first time that this country wins this Contest, then you can imagine Juanjo's emotion and feelings when he has realized he was going to have this fantastic honour, but Juanjo hasn't done it alone. 

A day in Eurovision with The Bonds

Eurovision is a Contest where is very important having allies and good friends and in this case, Juanjo has received the unforgettable help of M.José Bond, from Norway. 

They have offered a complete show with all the ingredients: vocal quality, deep lyrics, synchronized choreography and great tones of happiness and sense of humour.

The Bonds have dedicated this prize to David and Irene Bond, from Croatia and Poland, two members of this nice family who had to stay in Paris for laboural reasons.

Tonight, the family is flying to Tenerife in Canary Islands where they want to enjoy the Carnival and celebrate this Eurovision's Prize.

 I started at 5 years old in the kitchen table with my family supporting me. PedroJuanjoI know where I'm from and I know exactly where I'm going.

Céline Dion

OASIS BAR: ÉÍ 'AANÍÍGÓÓ 'ÁHOOT'É FOR THE BONDS

Native American, ancient culture and language

While The Bonds were practising Countable & Uncountable nouns, the Highway Patrol arrived. They wanted to know how was possible that all their transports were full of peyote, a beautiful plant of the desert.

The family had been visiting Navajo Nation and they were impressioned by the resistance of this incredible and ancient community so important for our recent history and their wonderful language which was used in the WWII by the Codetalkers. They discovered The Blessing Way an important Navajo ritual.

More information: Navajo Code

Every member of the family explained his/her alibi to demonstrate that they were innocent and they didn't know anything about this wonderful plant.

More information: Countable & Uncountable

The Grandma explained how she was in her Indian tent with Mariona Bond who was totally slept while Pedro, David and Maya Bond were drinking some Navajo beer, this which has a black and gold tag, in Oasis Bar. M.José Bond was with Paula Bond dancing country line while Noemí Bond was trying to help some rich people, who seemed Arabian but were only native ones with some handkerchiefs on their heads, and wanted to be cured by the magic powers of Noemí's hands. Olga and Eli Bond were watching TV when Juanjo and Irene Bond took photos and disturbed some local scorpions and Jaume was sculpting an Indian Totem that Montse had demanded him.

Police has believed nothing and they're all under suspect waiting tomorrow when an FBI team is going to arrive to help the local police and all The Bonds are going to be analized by the true machine. God helps them!

 Always assume your guest is tired, cold, and hungry, 

and act accordingly.  

Navajo Proverb

DEAR IRENE BOND, WHAT CAN WE DO IN SAN FRANCISCO?

The Bonds have had an intensive day

Today, The Bonds are in San Francisco, California where Miriam Bond has joined to Deloris Van Cartier's Gospel Choir. They arrived yesterday evening and they have been remembering their trip in New York City working with connectors, sending some tweets and creating a little composition about it.

They have remembered how the family helped the CSI New York team who was resolving a terrible murder in the city that never sleeps. Moreover, they have evocated how they bought some of the most important places of the city and they have asked for  advice to their best councilor, Irene Bond, one of the most experienced members of this nice family, after remembering how important was the radio during the last century and what happened in October, 30 1938 with Orson Welles in the CBS.

More information: CSI New York

Next, they have been talking about some photos which they took in NYC and how they remembered the city, especially last Friday when they went to the UNO Headquarters and met Barbra Streisand, Woody Allen and lots of fans of the New York Knicks and they experienced one of the most excited adventures: travelling in a bus full of working people.

Finally, the family has received the unexpected visit of M, who has offered them some new material, in that case, an interesting book about Steve Biko, one of the most important citizens against Apartheid.

The revolutionary sees his task as liberation 

not only of the oppressed but also of the oppressor. 

Happiness can never truly exist in a state of tension.

Steven Biko

ARISTOCRATIC SERIAL KILLERS: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

Mariona and Pedro Bond with a voodoo toy

Today, The Bonds are visiting Washington DC. They're interested in the historical buildings and they're comparing them with Comparative. They are also learning how to use the modal verb May and practising some Social English.

After that, the family is practising some vocabulary about Hotels and Tourism and they're meeting with Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who are helping The Bonds to know more things about voodoo.

More information: Comparative

The Grandma is remembering some of her favourite singers and Irene Bond is explaining some experiences with one of them. Suddenly, they have received an unexpected visit, M, the partner of MJ, has appeared with some presents for the family. Thanks a lot MJ! We admire you and you know it!

In addition, The Bonds are discovering Ordesa, a beautiful natural reserve in the north of Aragon and they're connecting different stories.

Finally, the family are listening to The Grandma who is explaining some stories about blood and monarchies talking about Jack the Ripper, Vlad Tepes and Enriqueta Martí meanwhile Jaume Bond is adding a new name to this serial killers list: Elizabeth Báthory.

More information: Jack the Ripper

Tomorrow, the family has a meeting in The White House with the new president of the USA, a Juanjo Bond's old friend, and with the Queen Elizabeth II. They're going to talk about Middle Age and literature. 

Be polite and dress elegantly!

 My grandfather was a voodoo priest. A lot of my life dealt with spirituality. I can close my eyes and remember where I come from.
 

Wyclef Jean

IF WE VISIT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM, WE WILL...

Noemí, Pedro and David Bond in New York City

Today, The Bonds are practising some Social English and some grammar like Prepositions of Place and Direction, Zero and First Conditionals and Modal Verbs (Must).

More info: Zero & First Conditional

They are working together to demonstrate Juanjo and Irene Bond's innocence and they are creating little guides about the most important places of New York City.

The Grandma is talking about some universal painters like Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Francisco de Goya and their influence while the whole family is visiting The Metropolitan Museum. She's a fan of Joan Miró although her favourite painting is The Pantocrator of Sant Climent de Taüll in La Vall de Boí, a part of the Romanesque art inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 and which is now exposed in the MNAC in Barcelona.

Download The Metropolitan Museum by The Bonds

Tomorrow, the family is talking about music, peace and love.

Every production of an artist should be 

the expression of an adventure of his soul. 

W. Somerset Maugham

RICHARD CASTLE & THE BONDS: MURDER IN MANHATTAN

Irene & Eli Bond with Kate and Rick

Today, The Bonds are still staying in New York City. They are meeting Richard Castle, the famous writer, and his team formed by Captain Gates; Detectives Beckett, Esposito and Ryan, and Dr. Parish. The Bonds are helping this fabulous team to solve the latest crimes of the city.

More information: Castle

Before visiting Castle's team, the family has reviewed some aspects of Social English and Modal Verbs. They have talked about Should and advice and they have written a postcard to MJ who is still in Sant Boi organizing new adventures.

More information: Should 

Raquel & Jaume Bond are helping Castle's team

The Grandma is a little melancholic after Barbra Streisand's concert and she is remembering one of her best friends, Charlie Rivel, the universal clown who was born in Cubelles, in El Garraf and became one of the most famous and acclaimed clowns of the history. The Grandma is old and she starts to repeat things without stopping and today she is a little obsessed with Charlie, the clown.

After talking about the importance of animals and the respect we must give to them, the family has been talking about the Hobos, the American figure of a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, who is impoverished and lived near the railway during the last decades of the 19th century and live near the containers in dark streets nowadays.

More information: Hoboglyphs

Tomorrow, the family has a busy day. 

First, they are trying to help Juanjo and Irene Bond who are involved in a crime scene and they have been accused wrongly. 

Next, they're visiting The Metropolitan Museum.

Finally, they're meeting Iris Apfel another Grandma's friend.

Memories light the corners of my mind
misty water-colored memories of the way we were.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behinds
smiles we gave to one another for the way we were.

The way we were, Barbra Streisand