Day Trip To Tangier

DAY TRIP TO TANGIER

Yasmine Targuisti

On the 26^th march in order to complete our project we decided to visit the city of Tangier to know more about its international history, because we all know that it has deep American roots.

We started the day assisting the first class, that took place from 7:45-8:40 am; but no one was concentrated because we were all excited about that day. The bus arrived at 8:40 am from our high school “Nuestra Senora del Pilar”  to take us to the Spanish high school of Tangier “Severo Ochoa”. Unfortunately the fact that we didn’t have the chance to meet with our colleges of Tangier was a little bit sad.

We started the tour right in front of the school.

We walked through the old Medina visiting places like the Cafe de Paris, a place that used to be visited by a lot of famous people like international writers, actors and actresses… or the Hotel Minzah, where we had the pleasure to stop and to check it with our own eyes: It is a traditional Moroccan hotel which has an amazing collection of every famous person that has been there: most of them very popular actors and actresses.

After that, we continued walking until we arrived to the walled medina, which is the old medina of Tangier. There we saw traditional shops of clothes like “shrabel or jlaleb” or workshops that work with the clay to  do some fantastic plots.

Then the American Legation invited us to tell us more about the American history of Tangier.

The Tangier that was described to us was so different from the  Tangier of nowadays.

One thing to highlight is the incredible showroom that there is in honor of Paul Bowles, American citizen, composer, writer and translator. He became associated with Tangier city in 1947 when he settled there with his wife.  He was an important figure of American expatriates in this city. Besides he lived in Tangier until his death, 52 years later.

Next thing in our route was to visit St. Andrews Church, and Anglican religious place. Unfortunately we couldn’t visit the inside because it was occupied, but we saw Anglican tombs there and some of them were of famous people.

After that we visited the museum foundation Lorin, where a guide that worked there gave us a short speech about the history of the museum, and all the celebrities and politicians that where there.

It was time for a break so we decided to go to the Continental coffee shop, where we had a small snack to recover energy.

To finish the journey we visited the Café Colon, to see where people like Paul Bowles and others used to spend the nights having fun.

We didn’t had the chance to try the drinks that the coffee offered to us, because we were running out of time.

It was an extremely interesting day, where we had a lot of fun, and we somehow introduced our selfes a little bit more to the amazing American history that our country has.

Paris

PARIS 

I live in one of the most beautiful, amazing and luxuries cities of the world. Paris city. 

Also known as city of light because it is the first city of Europe that was endowed with electric light.

Paris city is, at my view, one of the best places to visit   if you want some

interesting and entertained holidays.

You can visit the museums that have and incredible collection of amazing

artworks  including the fabulous Giaconda by Leonardo da Vinci, which is in the

Louvre museum. 

After that you can do sightseeing over the luxurius strees or

go shopping into one of the hundred shopping centers that there are.

After a tiring day you can taste any type of food that you desire because here in

Paris there is all kind of food: Mexican, Italian , Chinese …

At night don’t miss the incredible and luminous view of the Eiffel Tower. It is

one the most beautiful constructions that people have to see before dying. 

But of course you have to go there in the morning and go up by elevator or using the

stairs to see the view from up there. Amazing.

But the problem that has Paris city is that it is too expensive, when I went there

just for a travel I had no money troubles  but when I started living there I  

always had problems to make it to the end of month. Life there is too expensive.

Nawal Al Moutawakel

Film review Cry Freedom

Cry Freedom (film review)

Thinking that humans could have treated other humans that bad just because they couldnt understant that people are different make me sick. 

The color of our skin would not have to be reason of war but years ago happened this way. And this is what the film is about. 

Cry Freedom is a drama a film about a fight against the Apartheid started by a member of the black movement against the biggest racist law ever that forbid them from all their rights and continued by Donald Woods, a  white journalist who after listening to what Biko had to say in the name of all the black society and after seeing how they are allowed to live, changed his beliefs in the Apartheid and started fighting for black rights. 

The Apartheid was a cruel law made to make inferiors the black Africans. They were the keepers of the country, they weren't allowed to study in colleges, or to have important jobs. They served as chofers, bargage men/women, housekeepers...

Stephen Biko, as other fighters of the black movement, are heros. In the film, which is based on reality, Stephen shows  that you do not have to be afraid of what you really believe in, You have to fight for what you want to get. He did it, he tried all ways to stop South African's government, but he got killed himself under police custody.  He was treated like an animal, thrown in the floor denied from medical assistance. But he he got killed for what he believed in, he believed in a fair South Africa, as many others, who couldnt speak freely because they were not as brave as Biko was. 

Thank god there were people like Donals Woods, capable of risking everything to help others. Because even having evverything is his life he could not be completely happy knowing that there are humans as him suffering. 

In a speech given by Nelson Mandela, this one describes Donals Woods as an incredible, brave and lovely human with a great and big heart.

In the film,when Donald saw his body and realised os what he had suffered he decided to publish a book about him, about Stephen and his fight. But his own country does not let him, and Donald becomes forbidden, so he decides to run away his all his family to London where he is allowed to publish it.

Now a days, it sounds crazy to think that someome could be judged just for the colour of his skin, but actually the Apartheid wasn'd erradicated until 1994, so just twenty years ago there was still existing a law against humans rights. 

 I still try to understand how could that happen, how could a government killed thousands of thousands innocent children and adultes who just wanted to be free. 

The end of the Apartheid (video)

Film review (activities)

Questions:

1)    In which years does the story take place ?
The story takes place during the 70s.

2)    Which are the names of the cities? Can you find then on a map?

King William’s town, Pretoria, Lesotto and Otswana. Also Cape Town.

3)    Give short descriptions about the cities and places:

The cities were divided between the black zone and the white zone because of the Apartheid law, so the white zone was beautiful, clean, with an incredible views, big and luxury mansions, good cars…

But the black zone was devastating, they weren’t allowed even to live under good conditions, it was all dirty and the children haven’t even what to wear, no good saint system, they were pushed to live like animals.

King’s Williams Town os where Stephen Biko and Donald Woods live. It’s located In the Easter Cape. Founded by sir Benjamin d’Urban.

Pretoria is located in the northeast part of Gauterng province.

Botswana is located in southern Africa.

Cape Town is where Biko was going in the moment he got arrested.

4)    What do you think is the importance of the real story told in this film?

In my opinion the solidarity that has Donald Woods with Biko’s people at that point that he would risk everything that he had with no guaranty of success to help the others and start a fight tha would give them freedom. Donald Woods had everything: money, a good job, a good house, good position in society, he had everything to be happy but he wasn’t because he couldn’t be knowing that others were suffering.

5)    Name the relevant characters, and find information about them.

Stephen Biko was one of  the leaders who has had the movement against the Apartheid law. He fought against this law until  he got killed for his beliefs under police custody. 

Donald Woods is the journalist, editor and founder of the East London’s daily dispatch  who made the impossible to publish the book about Stephen Biko after this one was brutally murdered.

6)    What did you learn in this film?

I learned that we have to help others to get the minimum of happiness if we see them suffering even if we have a comfortable life.  I learnt about the importance of solidarity and also to fight for what I really want. Defend my  beliefs until the death.

7)    Write English words you heard in the film and you think they are important for the story:

I think the only word which deserves to be written here is Apartheid, a racist word with a racist meaning.

A law against the rights of black people.

8)    What nationalities are mentioned in the film? What do they have in common?

They are mentioned South African people and British people, and what they have in common is that some of them are fighting the Apartheid and others are fighting for it.

Activity 2:

1)    What does the word ‘Apartheid’ mean? In what language?

Apartheid is a law against black people who was made to take away of them their rights “legally”. They were treated as animals.

Apartheid is an African word which means racial segregation.

2)    How were people organized according to race in South Africa?

They were divided in two zones: the black people (the keepers) and the white people (the Africans).

3)    What countries are South Africans’ ancestors from? What ethnic groups are there? What languages do they speak?

They are ancestors from the Europeans. There are the black community and the Africans. They speak African and English. 

4)    When did the Apartheid become an official government  policy in South Africa?

Apartheid became an official government policy and law in 1943 and it ended in 1994.

5)    What was the purpose of Apartheid?

The purpose of Apartheid was to separate the inferior class (the black people) from the white people.

6)    State of emergency in the 80s.

7)    How and when did the Apartheid end?

One important factor in the end of Apartheid was pressure from the inside of the country? Members of the government began to have doubts about the system, and several parties which were opposed to it also began to grow in South Africa, starting in the 70s.

There was also a lot of external pressure especially from western nations, some of them had extensive civil rights legislation.

South Africa also experienced immense economic pressure to end the Apartheid. Many churches also applies pressure. Combined with violent demonstrations from black people and white people supporting the cause made the Apartheid end in 1994.  

Letter

Hello Mike !

How are you ? How are you doing about your illness ? Sorry I could not come visiting you but I had to go to school, I promise on holidays I will go.

Well I just wanted to tell you about the scholar race that you missed this year.

It was quite boring, because there were not junior runners or teenager, only children running for fun.

It  was a sunny and very hot day so we were not comfortable there, many of us suffered of an  insolation. So better you did not come.

I know you love running but don’t worry, when you are out of hospital we will go running to the forest us we used to do.

By the way our school didn’t win any race that day so at the end we went home being sad.

I’m looking forward to have news about you.

Much love. 

ZODIAC SIGN

Zodiac sign

My zodiac sign is Pisces because I was  born on 12^th March, a date between the 19^th February and 20^th  March.  

My zodiac sign tells that people who is Pisces like being around the sea and swimming pools sunbathing and swimming. It also tells that we have much luck, we are outgoing, extroverted and pretty sociable but sometimes a little moody, and that we find love easily, thing which I don’t agree with.

Pisces are people successful and very ambitious who usually get everything that they want or so it tells.

Personally, I don’t share this idea because I don’t believe in these myths of zodiac signs. I think people wouldn’t have to believe in this silly stuff. Everyone is able to build his own future as he or she wants.

In my opinion, it’s a business because many industries are dedicated to write articles in magazines about the luck in love, work , studies, family… of every zodiac sign.

It may become an addiction to know what is expected of your life every month  and every day more and more people would have to but these kind of  magazines.

I only think about my zodiac sign for amusement, to laugh about what is written about my alleged luck. 

TRAVEL TO LAS VEGAS.

LAS VEGAS

Two years ago I went  to Las Vegas on a journey with my best friend Carla. 

We chose Las Vegas because it is an amazing place apart of being the capital of entertainment in the world , after finishing our studies what we needed was a lot of fun. We knew it wouldn’t disappoint us.

The first thing we visited were the incredible Casinos. We were impressed, they are everything we expected and have been told, and more. The lights, the sounds, the colors…

We also visited the luxury hotels, which are impressive.  We didn’t stay in one because we couldn’t afford it so we lodged in a youth hostel.

We also did sightseeing visiting the most important streets there in Las Vegas. These are The Strip and Fremont Street where we went shopping and we ate in some fantastic luxury restaurants.  You can also eat fast food, there are many locations where we got  a pizza or some hamburgers.

There is no need to talk about what we did at night because obviously the Casinos and luxury hotels offered us entertainment at all like dancing at discos or pubs, gambling, meeting new people there…

In general, we loved Las Vegas, we had so much fun, it is a nice place to escape when you have some free time and it is that much that we expect to go again soon! 

Video about Las Vegas City.

NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION IN LAS VEGAS

New year’s celebration in Las Vegas is as surprising as it is Las Vegas in fact. If you are looking for a quiet place to spend the last days of the year, don’t think of  Las Vegas. But if you feel like having fun, go crazy, enjoying, celebrities around and hundreds of crazy people expecting to have fun as much as you, Las Vegas is your place.

On 31 December night the entire Strip Street of Las Vegas shut down  traffic and it turns into celebration place where thousands of people go to,     It becomes like a hutch crowd parting outdoor. At midnight some amazing fireworks are fired! If you prefer closed places, you can go to clubs or disco nights, there are full of stars and partygoers.

 You will absolutely get amuses! You should have thought of it this  year .