TERTULIAS EN NUBA

Como sabéis el 26 diciembre hubo un concurso de preguntas en Nuba.

Más adelante habrá tertulias de café allí también.

Sin embargo, quisiera llamar la atención a la necesidad de poder ofrecer clases de inglés.

Este mes en la revista MUY INTERESANTE pone que el aprendizaje de un idioma es un ejercicio muy bueno para la memoria en los mayores de sesenta años.

ASEDOW empezó su actividad intentando interesar a las autoridades de la zona en ceder algunos espacios públicos como colegios en desuso para ofrecer clases de inglés de alta calidad y bajo precio.

PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISE

As you know we have celebrated the pub quiz in Nuba.

We will also have coffee mornings or afternoons there in the near future.

However, the real need I would like to address is the need for public facilities to be used to organise classes.

In the magazine MUY INTERESANTE this month it says that language learning is a wonderful memory exercise for the over sixties.

ASEDOW began its activity by trying to interest local authorities to use our public spaces and offer high quality low cost classes to young and old alike.

VERY INTERESTING EVENT

We now have some copies of The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde.

This means that a joint initiative between ASEDOW and La Bibloteca Central of San Sebastán de los Reyes to do shared readings of his literature can go ahead.

Many of you have invested a lot of time and money in learning English. It is a natural step forward to start enjoying English literature and your guide will be Oscar Wilde. He will take you by the hand and introduce you to the magical world of his children's stories, to the homes of the élite and to the darkness of prison life.

Come to the presentation to learn more if you think you would like to sign up.

This will be on the 17th January at 19h30 in la Biblioteca Central, San Sebastián de los Reyes.

More news

ASEDOW and CANDAS, the mountaineering association based in Alcobendas, hope to be of mutual help. English is an essential part of their equipment on their expeditions abroad and we will keep it in good shape.
For a start, here's a challenge.
Come along to our pub quiz on the 26th, form a team, test your general knowledge and see if you can take the first prize from Jesus' team!

BOXING DAY PUB QUIZ

Get away from all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas, relax and join us on the 26th December at 19h. (Boxing day is the day after Christmas day.)

There's a Pub Quiz in Bar Nuba (metro Baunatal)


It's a fun way to start the Christmas holidays

HERE'S A QUESTION TO START WITH

• In which month of 1912 did the Titanic sink?

• April

Now you have one correct answer !!!

SCORE MORE THAN THE OTHER TEAMS AND WIN A PRIZE

UPDATE

It is a very happy coincidence that there is a reading group at the local library and they will be discussing Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray. Raquel, who is in charge of the group, has asked us to do a presentation of ASEDOW . They would like to know why we named the association after the Dublin born writer.We will do so with great pleasure and hope we can induce some of you to come to shared readings of his works in English.
The presentation will be at la Biblioteca Central San Sebastián de los Reyes on January 17th at 19.30h.

Our Christmas pub quiz won't be on the 9th December as programmed, due to a little accident but it is ready and waiting.

Raksaché is doing another performance of Janaan. Fantastic oriental dancing. They were brilliant last year.
Teatro Centro Cultural Pablo Iglesias Alcobendas, Sunday 11th at 19h.

Mamá Oca

It's a tradition at Christmas to take your children to the theatre to see a pantomine. Any of the characters of nursery rhymes and fairy stories appear on the stage.

It is crazy English humour and children love it as they boo the baddies and cheer the goodies.

There is one on in Madrid on the weekend of the 9th 10th 11th December.
Reservations www.madridplayers.org

This year's story is called Mother Goose

Joyful Gospel Singers

Teatro Adolfo Marsillach
3rd December 20h
Metro: Baunatal

All the way from New Orleans.

Grandpa had a hat

If you have young children, don't miss the storytellers Tandem.


Tuesday 29th November at La Biblioteca Central in Sanse, metro Baunatal
18.00h
Telephone 912616480


It is suitable for 4 to 10 year olds and for their adult companions who will enjoy it just as much.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

After our charla/presentación and mini pub quiz in
La escuela Oficial de Idiomas of San Sebastián de los Reyes, which we enjoyed very much, we were very happy to hear students ask us...

'What can I do?'

'How can we participate?'

'How can we help?'

This is music to our ears.

We will have a round table and your help is not only welcome but needed.
Contact us at asedow@gmail.com

Ancient Ireland

Well done. Aelish! You have won a packet of biscuits. Not only did Aelish identify the photograph as taken in Carrowmore outside Sligo but she also sent us the link to this fascinating place.

http://www.carrowkeel.com/sites/carrowmore/carrowmore1a.html

Good news

Our grant has come in from the Town Council of San Sebastián de los Reyes so we look forward to putting it to good use by bringing you together in interesting and varied activities.

First, coming up is a presentation of this association to the students and teachers at our local Escuela Oficial de Idiomas. Their teachers and students are very enthusiastic about the possibility of using theirEnglish in meaningful ways and we hope to help them do so.

This will happen on Friday 11th November at 18p.m. in La Escuela Oficial de Idiomas in San Sebastián de los Reyes.

You are all welcome to join us and take part if you wish in a mini pub quiz.

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

WALK

It was a well earned rest when we reached our destination, Las cascadas del purgatorio and our bocadillos tasted divine.

As always, it was fun to walk and talk to people we knew and others we met for the first time. José led the way and we had time to chat to each other with no pressures whatsoever. We were there to relax and enjoy ourselves and we did.

Mari Angeles and her Australian husband were in Spain on holiday and joined us. I hope that for Andrew it was a day to remember too. So nice to hear Mari Angeles' lovely English and Ana's American accent picked up in San Francisco this year. On our walks you'll meet intrepid travellers such as Fabiola, who spent her summer holiday in Lapland and rowed for 125 kms.

There were eighteen of us on the walk so we had lots of interesting conversations.

The weather was good and the walk down was easier and shorter than the walk up.

We spent the whole day away, arriving home at seven in the evening. That gave us time to stop for refreshments at the natural pool, visit the arboretum where the autumn colours of the trees, specially the maples (arces) were beautiful and bring home some of the local speciality...delicious chocolate.

Good exercise and good company. Ascen and I spotted two robin redbreasts...always a good omen.

Thank you all.

Please visit this site...it's worth it

Check out 'Para agregar a favoritos' here on the side. Have a look at htpp://joyas ymantequilla blogspot.com . This is José's window on the world and you will see the amazing story of my beautiful bracelet which he made.
One day it fell off my lap as I was getting out of the car and was then run over by another car.
It was terrible but look at it now.
That's quality!

Literacy begins at bedtime... with children's bedtime stories

The quote comes from Irish Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn (pronounced Rory) who took part in a Forum at I.E.Center for European Studies in Madrid on Friday 14th October.
The theme Innovative Responses to Challenges facing Higher Education had nothing to do with digital technology even though César Alierta, President of Télefonica presented the Minister. It turns out that they have a friendship which goes back to their teenage years when the Quinn family hosted Spanish students studying English in Ireland, one of whom is President of Telefónica today.

The innovations that the Minister proposed are very interesting. This is an outline.

To add a fourth year to teacher training, a year in the laboratory so to speak, where teachers would acquire greater pedagogical skills.

To push maths and science at schools by ensuring that a high average mark in the Leaving Certificate cannot be attained to the detriment of these subjects.

To promote the cultural and economic links shared by Spain, Ireland and Latin American countries and so balance Asian growth and increase competitiveness in the world market.

To prepare the way for a joint agenda in Education, when Ireland holds the European Presidency in 2013, within the Common European Framework which will address the need for an alternative barometer for university rankings.

I will leave you with another quote which the Minister gave us from another source.

Learn to read - to read to learn

Our thanks to SIBN Spanish Irish Business Network and IE Center for European Studies and the Embassy of Ireland for the invitation to this High Level Forum.

OUR WALK IN RASCAFRÍA OCT 23rd Sunday

Meeting Points:

10 a.m. Plaza de la Universdad Popular, San Sebastián de los Reyes
Metro Baunatal
or if you prefer
11 a.m. Puente del Perdón, Rascafría

We will walk from The Bridge of Pardon to the Waterfall of Purgatory. José will explain these strange names!
We will also visit the arboretum and Nature Centre.
We need to know if you need a lift as we will be going by car so please write to us at our gmail address if you are coming or phone us at 916542230.
asedow@gmail.com

Don't forget to take something to eat and comfortable shoes as we will be away about 5 hours altogether including an hour there and an hour back.

This activity is another free initiative of ASEDOW open to members and non members.

THEATRE NEWS

Madrid Players will perform two one act plays by Brian Friel.
Madrid Players harán dos obras de un sólo acto de Brian Friel.

THHE YALTA GAME

AFTERPLAY


Instituto Cardenal Cisneros,
Friday 21st at 8p.m.
Saturday 22nd at 5 and 8 p.m.
Sunday 23rd at 5 and 8 p.m.

The address is C/ Reyes 4
Metro Plaza España.

Autumn Walk in Rascafría Sunday 23rd October

Our walk will be from El Puente del Perdón to a place called Purgatorio!

We will visit the Arboreto and hopefully see the changing colour of the leaves.

A visit to the Centro de Educación Ambiental is also on the agenda.

There are natural pools called Las Presillas km 28.06 on the M604 where we can have our bocadillos.

Join us if you want. It's free.

All you have to do is tell us you are coming so that we can make a booking at the Centre.

Can't wait!

Nuestro paseo será del Puente de Perdón a un lugar llamado Cascadas del Purgatorio

Visitaremos el arboreto y con suerte veremos el cambio de tono de las hojas.

También tenemos prevista una visita al Centro de Educación Ambiental.

Hay unas piscinas naturales, Las Presillas, km 28.06 , M604 donde tomaremos nuestros bocadillos.

Acompañadnos si queréis. Es gratis.

Sólo hay que decirnoslo para hacer la reserva en el Centro.

Lo esperamos con ilusión.

asedow@gmail.com

The picture was taken on another walk in Cercedilla in November.

Free biscuits if you can tell me where this is. There's a clue below.

Ancient Ireland

Hello,

I went by Food Hall today ( which is the English food shop in San Sebastián de los Reyes near the outlet shops behind Antena 3) and if you buy 20Euros worth of food and stuff which is very easy as they have tea and delicious chocolate and crackers and cheese.....mmmm....well, they give you a free packet of Dean's shortbread.

Also I have the latest copy of InMadrid as well as books and dvds to share. We must advertise our October walk there and in Plaza. Don't forget to let us know if you are coming!

I will be giving English for Travelling another push if anyone would like to help us choose a time and find a place.

The picture was taken in Sligo this year. Loved Sligo.

Update

Hello!

We're back after a wonderful month of August totally disconnected from work and all that jazz.

The fact that we haven't had many new inscriptions and that the subsidy hasn't come through yet means that programmed activities such as Las Tardes Culturales in La Biblioteca Central ( where we would study together the poetry and writing of Oscar Wilde) are not taking place this year.
A live literary performance in November is still on the cards pending financial aid.



MEANWHILE

The walk will be in October.
Please let us know if you are coming. It will be on a Sunday morning.
Books and dvds can be exchanged by contacting us at our gmail address.
We enjoyed very much the Paperback Book Exchange at the Central Library in May and would like to know what you thought of it.

Ana's back today. Ha vuelto Ana hoy.

WELCOME

HOME

ANA!

New challenges - nuevos retos

Everything is changing and not always for the best unfortunately.
Todo cambia y no siempre para lo mejor desafortunadamente.

It is an upward struggle for most people most of the time.
Es una cuesta para la mayoría de las personas la mayoría del tiempo.

Some fresh air and fresh ideas are what's needed so let's all go for a walk.

Hacen falta aire fresco e ideas frescas asi que vámonos de paseo.

Our walks are lovely.
Nuestros paseos son preciosos.

See you soon.
Hasta pronto.

Nuevas fotos de Ana en San Francisco

Hi ! How are you? Last Sunday was the San Francisco marathon, and I ran! I'm
sending you some pictures!

   

COMING UP THE SHOW YOU HAVE ALL...

...BEEN WAITING FOR.

Our jokes evening.
Our leading raconteur (Juan Antonio) has a repertoire.
He will help to explain to the obstacles in your way to speaking English properly.
We are sure everyone will want to tell us their story.

Lots of lovely pics from San Francisco

Hill St?... The bay

Pretty shop Skyline

Read about Ana's impressions and sensations of this city below.

Cowboy country.

They are beautiful, Ana.
Keep writing!

Custar city     &     4th July

On the ranch

Here is more from Ana.
Ana is a law graduate from U.A.M. and lives in San Sebastián de los Reyes.
She's seeing a lot of the U.S. The lovely family she is staying with are really keen on their children learning Spanish.

Dakota has Mount Rushmore, as you can see in the picture.

Well, about 70 years ago, a family decided that if it was important to dedicate a memorial of this magnitude to the memory of four U.S. Presidents, why not one to the American Indians? Hence the idea of building a stone monument dedicated to American Indians, called "Crazy Horse Mountain."
Crazy Horse is funded by a family with the money they get from tourism, which is why unlike the 14 years it took to build Mount Rushmore, this one has taken 70 years, and is still incomplete).

And what about the cowboys?
Well,the mentality in the state of South Dakota is generally of self-sufficiency, i.e. no state intervention, so there are many farms and families and they usually spend day after day working hard. The day begins early, at 5 or 6 am and usually ends with lunch at 12h.

Meanwhile, checked shirt, hat and cowboy boots!

Ana's America from Ana Rodríguez Bartolomé

HERE ARE SOME OF ANA'S PICTURES

THIS IS SOUTH DAKOTA

Now I'm in San Francisco again, a wonderful city! In August I'll go to New York so I'll have more impressions about the U.S.for the blog!!

Sensations and impressions in San Francisco:

When you get to a new city the first thing you say is "WOOW" and naturally the most difficult thing is to adapt to the language and customs! Food! You must adapt to eating times, at 12 a light lunch, then the dinner at 7 and it is a heavy meal! People! It is curious to see the kindness that surrounds people in San Francisco, always with a smile and kind words, despite you're unknown to them.

Downtown! The first thing you think is: "Welcome to hell, the slopes and hills are certainly a divine punishment" after a while you get used to them and learn the bus routes and will adapt to the automatic car!. It is a wonderful place to walk and wander, every neighborhood is different , not only aesthetically but the people, colors and even the smells (the Mission neighborhood is a real Latin place where the smell of street food mixes)What you can not get used to, being Spanish, is getting up in the morning, to see the calendar set July 15, and through the window you see a cloudy day with rain. As Mark Twain said,'Never spent a winter as cold as that summer in San Francisco.My final assessment: Wonderful city. If you can, come here!!!

Sensations and impressions from a trip, Denver-Dakota:Open your eyes and what do you see?, a road that is lost in the horizon and large extensions of ground on both sides, sometimes a farm, that's it!

Stop at a supermarket, do you know the first thing that surprised me? Boxed food to take away industrial size. Everything here is in a big way, including cowboy hats and belt buckles, ooooh yeah I'm in the Wild Wild West!

Sensations and impressions Dakota:

Once you leave Wyoming behind, things change, we are in late June early July, and the fields could not be greener, yes, the good weather is accompanying us....Dakota is awesome, a rural people, their customs are deep-seated, but never ever forget their smile!Wonderful place to unwind, writers are welcome here ...you will finish your novels!!!.But..... yes!!! it's essential to have a car, here the distances between points are very very long, don't forget,

EVERYTHING IS BIG IN THE USA!

Things we do. The walk is next.

Here are some pics as we wait to hear about Ana's America.

Some good paperbacks at the Biblioteca Central Sanse



Pub Quiz at Nuba with prizes from Food Hall

Of great interest

ASEDOW is now registered with The Spanish Irish Business Network.

SIBN was launched in January 2008.
Its primary purpose is to serve as a dynamic network of companies and individuals working to promote business links between Spain and Ireland.

Everybody should know about this initiative.
ASEDOW is happy to spread the word and encourage thoughts and ideas on how to look for ways to help both countries use their greatest resources....their young people....to emerge from these difficult economic times.
As the song used to go...
United we stand. Divided we fall.

The Lemon n' Lime Marsascala Malta

Pop in

http://malachys-malta.jimdo.com/gallery/

If you still haven't got your holidays, you'll enjoy this visit to the Mediterranean.

Sit on the terrace sipping a beer and enjoy the view of the bay. There's lots to read.

Then have a look at the jokes page. You can send one in to them.

The handsome man in the logo, Mr Patrick Malachy King, happens to be the owner of the pub and happens to be born in Castlewellan too. He also happens to be my twin brother, Paddy!

Want to know more? Come by on Thursday and ask me.
Biddy

Thursday 7th

Hi,

Come by the café in La Casa de la Juventud on Thursday at 20h if you want to use your English and hear about our upcoming activities.

News

First, mention how impressed we were with the prizewinners, Marta, Eva and Ainoa, who read their stories with such aplomb for the audience.

18th June

Spanish Irish Business Network organised a very nice picnic to celebrate Bloomsday in the Retiro Park and to raise money for Lorca on Saturday morning. The Patron of Lorca is St Patrick so the picnic was a good occasion to contribute to the Spanish Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.

Bloomsday is an annual commemoration held every 16th June to celebrate the life of Irish writer James Joyce and relive episodes of his novel Ulysses.

17th June

A wonderful celebration of James Joyce's Ulysses in words and music held in the Centro Gallego on the previous evening raised money for the charity Luces Rojas in India too.

Libro de cuentos

Ya está disponible para descargas el libro con los cuentos de este año, en formato pdf. Lo podeis descargar desde aquí, o en DESCARGAS Y ENLACES DE INTERÉS --> Story Writing Competition Book II (pdf)

Premios del concurso de cuentos

Ahí dejo unas fotos del acto de entrega de premios del concurso WRITE A STORY AND WIN A PRIZE (2nd EDITION), que se celebró el viernes pasado en la Biblioteca Central de San Sebastián de los Reyes.

El acto fué presidido por Brigid King, Ascensión Bartolomé (presidenta y secretaria de ASEDOW, respectivamente) y por la presidenta de nuestro jurado irlandés Dra. Frances King.

Una vez entregados los premios, se repartieron los libros con los cuentos de esta edición entre los asistentes y, los ganadores, nos leyeron sus relatos para todos.

Nuestro agradecimiento al personal de la Biblioteca Central por cedernos el espacio y darnos todo tipo de facilidades; a los participantes, porque sin ellos esto no sería posible; a todos los asistentes y a Melanie, por su traducción simultánea.