CHANSON FRANÇAISE: HYMN TO RESISTANCE SINCE 1945

The Bonds in the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile

Today, The Bonds have visited the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, Champs Elysées and Jardin du Luxembourg to homage Mariona Bond.

They have continued practising Telephoning English, although today The Grandma was a little crossed with comas and she wasn't very fortunate with it. Later, they have revised Present Perfect with Since and For and they have created some sentences about Second Conditional.

More information: Present Perfect Simple

The family has done another exam. They have been talking about songs and their meanings, but, as we know, songs are poetry and poetry has a free interpretation. 

More information: Since / For

The Grandma has remembered some old friends who sing in French like Charles Aznavour, Édith Piaf, Charles Trenet, Jacques Brel and Céline Dion. They have also read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Finally, the family has played with the works of a genius, Antoni Gaudí, who created an incredible architecture which can be understood from different points of view and this diversity of opinions and points of view makes us stronger and better.

Singing is a way of escaping. It's another world. 

I'm no longer on earth. 

Édith Piaf

CATHEDRALS: RESILIENCE AND RESISTANCE TO SHINE

Antoni Gaudí and the Sagrada Família

Today, The Bonds have visited some places in Paris like Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower. They have taken lots of photos and they have had enough time to practise some Telephoning English and Second Conditional. 

The family is working a lot and they need some time to rest and sum up all the information that they are receiving. They have written a little post about Columbus and have listened the interesting presentation of Mariona Bond who has talked about her new future project.  

After all, The Grandma has explained the importance of being the owner of your land during the Middle Age and its influence in our history from then to nowadays in the industrial evolution, and the importance of keeping strong in front of the worst moments to be ready to start a new hope when the moment arrives. 

More information: Second Conditional

Eusebi Güell in Park Güell

All generations have lived hard moments and have passed them resisting and creating the most incredible art, like old cathedrals, from Notre-Dame to the Sagrada Família, like masterpieces from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables to Salvador Espriu's Inici de Càntic en el Temple and being strong and perseverant from The Uffizis to The Medicis; from The Güells to The Bonds.

Tomorrow, The Grandma is going to take a free day to try to resolve some personal business meanwhile the family is continuing visiting the city of love and light which creates a magic triangle with Venice and Barcelona.

Download BCN's Natural Wonder 

Life is not pink but The Bonds are going to offer their colour tone in the city of art and vanguards. We're ready to enjoy the city!

Who knows where the world may turn us, only a fool would say.
Who knows what the fates may have in store.
Follow the light of truth as far as our eyes can see.
How should we know where that may be? How should we know?

Then the angry skies, the battle cries, the sounds of glory,
and for all those years our eyes and ears were filled with tears.

La Sagrada Família the war is won the battle's over.
La Sagrada Família for the lion and the lamb.
La Sagrada Família we thank the lord the danger's over.
La Sagrada Família behold the mighty hand.
La Sagrada Família the night is gone the waiting's over.
La Sagrada Família there's peace throughout the land.

La Sagrada Família, Alan Parson Project 

SOME FAR WEST STORIES: DIAMONDS AND RUST

Far West Outlaws

Today, The Bonds have worked There is/There are, There was/There were, There will be and countable and uncountable with Some and Any.

They have also practised some important acronyms for Telephoning English and have created a Quiz.

More information: Some & Any

The Grandma has remembered some past moments and has talked about some Far West legends like Jesse James and some singers who evocate them like Joan Baez or Bob Dylan.

More info: There is/There are  & There was/There were

After that, the family has received the visit of M, who has arrived with an incredible present for everybody, a new book to prepare B1 Exam and they've practised a long listening to train themselves.

The family left San Francisco and they're travelling now across U.S.Highway 163 to Utah-Arizona border where tomorrow they're going to visit the Navajo Nation.

During the 'ballad' years for me, the politics was latent; 

I was just falling in love with the ballads and my boyfriend. 

And there was the beauty of the songs. 

Joan Baez

PAULA BOND: A NEW HOPE FOR THE CLOSER FUTURE

The Bonds with their transports

Today, The Bonds, who are still in San Francisco, have practised Used to, Relative Pronouns and Such vs. So. 

More info: Such vs. So

The family is still working Telephoning English, which is a little difficult and they have created a new composition about a Majorcan legend named El salt de la bella dona.

More info: Used to

The family has received an interesting present from The Grandma: a transport. In a few days, they're going to start to live alone without the support of the whole family and they must start to prepare this moment. If you have a transport, you can move wherever you want and it offers you a great independence.

More information: Relative Pronouns

After reading a new chapter of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the family has talked about an interesting theme which Paula Bond has prepared: the educational system. It has been a very interesting moment to offer different points of view about this important theme and for The Grandma has been a great constatation about how far are still the real daily work of the teachers from the perception that the most part of the society has about them. 

Education is what remains after one has forgotten 

what one has learned in school. 

Albert Einstein

MIRIAM BOND, SALVE REGINA, HAIL HOLY QUEEN!

Miriam Bond and her memories

Today, The Bonds have had an amazing day. After revising some Telephoning English and creating some guesses about the family, they have been talking about religious people who dedicate their lives to help other ones and who try to improve this world which is crazier every day.

The Grandma has remembered two unforgettable friends: Sister Miriam and Sister Leo. Sister Miriam was a Nicaraguan nun, a wonderful music teacher and a better person. Sister Leo was is a Teresian nun who preferred working with poor people that living rounded by comforts.

More information: Portal Gaudí

Miriam Bond has decided to offer her life to help people who are in troubles. This is the reason because of she's going to travel with the family to San Francisco but she's going to stay in the city, join to Deloris Van Cartier's congregation and she's not going to continue travelling with The Bonds.

The family has a mixed feeling: for one hand, they are excited and very happy because this is something that Miriam wanted to do but, for other hand, they're going to miss her a lot. After Rubén Bond's leaving, Miriam was the only spiritual refuge for all the members of this enjoyable family.

More information: American English (Games)

The family, who has returned to New York City for personal reasons before travelling to San Francisco, has been invited to participate in a UNO's Forum named Working in the 21st Century: how to combine family and job. The Grandma has offered a long speech about it, and of course, it's only a point of view which can be different for every member of the family because they're different people with different situations but with a common goal: enjoy their trips, meet lots of people, know incredible stories about different cultures, learn as English as it was possible and think that the most important is to feel fine with themselves to be ready when, in a closer future, they have to return to work again.

After the speech, The Grandma has visited an old friend, Iris Apfel, a great example of success and effort.

I just find myself happy with the simple things. 

Appreciating the blessings God gave me.  

DMX