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.