7th Mini Saga Contest Results

 We are delighted to announce the winners of the 7th Mini Saga Contest of the EOI de Santiago de Compostela.

A panel of teachers from the English department has chosen 3 stories from the 7 finalists and has awarded 3 prizes:

"A Second Chance" by Elena Rodríguez

"Mutual Surveillance" by Julia García

"Only a Breath Away" by Ramiro Cascallana

Thanks to all the participants for their amazing stories and special thanks to all the students and teachers who have voted for the favourite!

Looking forward to the 8th edition next year! Happy holidays!!

7th Mini Saga Contest: Voting now open

 The time has come for us to announce the finalists of the 7th edition of our Mini Saga Contest! We've had dozens of submissions and have carefully read and marked them all until we reached 15 semi-finalists. Thank you to everyone who entered; we have really enjoyed reading your stories!

Help us choose the 7 finalists by reading the 15 mini sagas below and voting for your favourite story here. Public voting will be enabled until December 9th.The jury, who will be composed of members from the teaching staff of the English department, will judge the 7 stories that receive the highest number of votes and award 3 prizes based on their originality and linguistic quality. Winners will be announced on December 16th.

 A second chance

Mildred and Ruppert had been married for thirty years. Their passion didn’t last long. At first they cared for each other but over the time they avoided spending time together. Big little lies started; they eventually joined Tinder. A blind date. Ruppert was so excited.

- What the heck! It's Mildred!!!

A sorry ending

It’s finally over. And it had been intense, oh dear! Intense, indeed! He would never forget it even when it had lasted just for a few days. But what an experience! Every word, every feeling. Oh yes, every page!, he thought as he closed the book for the last time.

Bus to nowhere

He wanted to escape. He packed his suitcase, slammed the door, and took the first bus to nowhere. The destination didn´t matter. He would never go back. Never! But an hour later he was again in front of his house. Without realizing it, he had taken the circle route bus.

Fireworks?

People in the street and lights in the sky. The little girl was looking through the window. She didn't like the deafening noises she could hear. Her father appeared: ''Are you afraid? Don't worry honey, they are just fireworks. Come on, it's time to go to bed''. Ukraine, February 2022

Love Actually

Ana spent her life loving a man who loved another woman that didn’t love him back, but fancied some other to whom she never professed her feelings, thank goodness, because he was enamoured of a green-eyed man who liked to roll in the hay with Ana every now and then.

Mutual surveillance

I’m peeping out through the hole. It looks like she’s sleeping, but I truly know she never lowers her guard. She’s always on alert. If only it would stop raining, I could have a chance to seek food. Oh no, she’s doing it again… I can’t stand her dreary purr.

Only a breath away

Only a breath, that's all I need to take your will down.

Like I did many times before.

To make you lay with me in bed.

A couple of days, or even more.

We’ll feel the heat,

We’ll lose the sense of time.

Because I’m the FLU and you’re mine.

Only once a year

I can´t fall asleep. I’m too nervous. I keep tossing and turning. My dog Otto’s by my side. He can´t sleep either. Tomorrow is the day. Only once a year. Such a big smile on my face…Otto’s smiling too.

8:00am. Beeeeeeeep. “The Three Kings have been here”, mum yells excitedly.

Perfectly Alone

Cameron is the type of guy that exudes confidence effortlessly, as if he was born with

it. He’s extremely handsome, very popular online, with piercing green eyes and a ripped body that he’s proud to show off. Cameron lives with his blind dog and never had a relationship. Bless Cameron.

Someone pulled the trigger

I remained motionless on a cold morning. It was too early and still dark. There was no escape. I found myself surrounded by men with eager eyes. I could just hear a low voice far away. After that, only silence. Suddenly, a shot was fired! The marathon had just started.

Stop!

I get up early,

commute quickly

and work hard.

I have lunch on the go,

look after my kids,

and run some errands.

I do the housework,

answer the emails

and study a lot.

Utterly exhausted,

I end up the day,

closing my eyes and

making new and backbreaking plans.

Strategic move

Beads of sweat trickled down the rider's forehead: one false step and all the effort would be wasted. Many had fallen and hardly anyone was left in the rear, but just as he was about to give up, the white knight moved to d6 and the victorious player shouted: checkmate!

Too late to wake me up

It’s really nice to see family and friends altogether again. My graduation ceremony was the very last time we met and since then, cousin Luna has grown a lot. They all look so close right now. What a shame that I’m inside a coffin and I cannot kiss them all.

Ulterior motives

With death ever-present, she embarked on an ocean-crossing expedition with the sole purpose of keeping the lethal virus alive and managing to inoculate most of mankind. Her vials, some little orphans.

The human chain that carried the life-saving fluid was vital to spreading the smallpox vaccination. Isabel Zendal's priceless legacy.

When Weather meets Time

Somewhere by the ocean.

9 am, 14ºC, soft rain.

Perfect conditions for them to meet: medium, moderate and calm.

Weather was changeable, temperamental, lively, 4 months pregnant.

Time was apparently monotonous, trustable, experienced, wise.

They were meant for each other. …

When the baby was born, they named him Sea-son.

Book Club 1st Meeting. The Uncommon Reader

 Good news, Bookworms!

Our book club is back! We will be meeting on December 9th, 6:30 pm till 8:00pm at the Library of the Sección de Sar. The book selection for the first meeting is Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader, a lovely novella about the subversive and transforming power of reading fiction no matter how uncommon one's  background might be.

All C-level students are welcome! If you want to join us, you need to sign up here. Participation is limited to the first 15 students who sign up!

Happy reading!

7th Mini Saga Contest

 Can you imagine a story in 50 words?

Participate in the 7th edition of the Mini Saga Contest of the EOI de Santiago de Compostela!

Participation terms:

• To enter, you must be a B2.2. or a C-level student enrolled in the EOI of Santiago de Compostela (Vite) or its satellite schools.
• Write your mini saga in exactly 50 words (plus a title up to 15 words).
• Send your text to biblioteca.sar@eoisantiago.org no later than November 18th, 2022. Make sure you include your full name and the name of your group.
• A maximum of 15 stories will be shorlisted and published here so that anyone can vote on their favourite mini saga. Public voting will be enabled until December 9th.
• The 7 stories that receive the highest number of votes will be considered by a jury of teachers from the English department, who will choose the 3 winners based on the originality and linguistic quality of the stories.
• Winners will be announced on December 16th, 2022.
• EOI SANTIAGO retains the rights to publish your text online or in a printed compilation.

 Participation in this contest necessarily requires the unconditional acceptance of its terms.

Two very special library additions: Thanks, Óscar!

 We are thrilled to show you the 2 latest additions to our library, I say, I say, I say - a collection of jokes, riddles and tongue twisters that will help you approach English culture in a fun way- and the English edition of O Coelliño Branco, a beautiful children’s book based on a Portuguese folk tale . Both books were illustrated by Óscar Villán, a C2 student of English in Sar and also a member of our book club, who has very kindly given us signed copies of both titles.

Óscar Villán is a renowned illustrator, graphic artist and photographer, most notably famed for his illustrations for children's books like A Cebra Camila, O Coelliño Branco, the collection Do berce á Lúa and several other stories published by Kalandraka, one of the leading publishers of children's literature in Galicia.

Óscar's work is unique in its genuine use of proportion, its sensitive use of colour and the simplicity of its scenes, which manage to capture the beauty of everyday life.

Thanks a million, Óscar, for such an amazing gift!

Happy summer holidays!

 Mid May is here and that means the end of the lessons and the beginning of the final exams. Our library will close next week but we'll be busy preparing for next year, thinking about how to improve our collection and planning new library activities. We'd like to close THIS year by showing you how much our collection has grown:

Thanks to all the teachers and students that have actively participated in library events. Best of luck with the exams and see you in September!

Olalla's recommendation: The Awakening

 Olalla Manteiga, a C2 student in Sar, recommends a timeless classic; an eye-opener for anyone dissatisfied with what society expects from us:

I would like to share one of my favourite novels, The Awakening, written by the American author Kate Chopin and published in 1899. 

I came across her work when I had to read it for my literature class at University. Set in the American South, the story revolves around Edna Pontellier and her struggle to overcome social conventions about femininity and motherhood. Solitude and sexuality are also recurrent topics in the novel. The protagonist feels detached from the society she lives in because she feels she cannot be her true self, so she starts a journey to find freedom and autonomy.

It was a controversial novel at the time, both because of the topics discussed and the way Chopin depicts Victorian society. I think it is a masterpiece ahead of its time and a very brave attempt to denounce the social and gender roles that reduced women to mothers and wives. It is considered a symbol of early feminism and a precursor of American modernist literature that was later followed by other American authors such as William Faulkner or Flannery O'Connor. I strongly recommend this novel as well as Chopin's short stories. To conclude, I would like to share one of my favourite quotes from The Awakening: "The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings."

 

World Book Day

Wondering what book to read next? Looking for a book to motivate you? Keen to try a new author in English? We’d like to celebrate World Book Day by creating a new section in this blog that will help you discover your next read: Students recommend books to students.

Yolanda Ferro is a C2 student in Sar and also a member of our book club. In order to inspire you, Yolanda has chosen the work of a wonderful writer, Polish poetess Wislawa Szymborska:

I happened to learn about the Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska back in 2002, when I was living in Krakow, Poland, the very same town she inhabited at that time and where she died in 2012, aged 88. Some years earlier, in 1996, she had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature "for poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality."

Surfing the net I came through this excerpt that I reckon perfectly expresses her uniqueness:

“Szymborska frequently employed literary devices such as ironic precision, paradox, contradiction and understatement, to illuminate philosophical themes and obsessions. (…). It is, however, important to note the ambiguity of her poetry. Although her poetry was influenced by her experiences, it is relevant across time and culture. She wrote from unusual points of view, such as a cat in the newly empty apartment of its dead owner. Her reputation rests on a relatively small body of work, fewer than 350 poems. When asked why she had published so few poems, she said: I have a trash can in my home.” 

Source

The two poems below will allow you to have a taste of what I find to be her profound and serene vision of existence, her joyful wisdom concerning life. When living in Poland, I spent many consecutive hours in her poems´ company. So, it is from my own experience that I can tell that her words have a very powerful "healing" effect:

"The Three Oddest Words"

 When I pronounce the word Future,

the first syllable already belongs to the past.

When I pronounce the word Silence,

I destroy it.

When I pronounce the word Nothing,

I make something no non-being can hold.

 

"Possibilities"

I prefer movies.

I prefer cats.

I prefer the oaks along the Warta.

I prefer Dickens to Dostoyevsky.

I prefer myself liking people

to myself loving mankind.

I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just in case.

I prefer the color green.

I prefer not to maintain

that reason is to blame for everything.

I prefer exceptions.

I prefer to leave early.

I prefer talking to doctors about something else.

I prefer the old fine-lined illustrations.

I prefer the absurdity of writing poems

to the absurdity of not writing poems.

I prefer, where love’s concerned, nonspecific anniversaries

that can be celebrated every day.

I prefer moralists

who promise me nothing.

I prefer cunning kindness to the over-trustful kind.

I prefer the earth in civvies.

I prefer conquered to conquering countries.

I prefer having some reservations.

I prefer the hell of chaos to the hell of order.

I prefer Grimms’ fairy tales to the newspapers’ front pages.

I prefer leaves without flowers to flowers without leaves.

I prefer dogs with uncropped tails.

I prefer light eyes, since mine are dark.

I prefer desk drawers.

I prefer many things that I haven’t mentioned here

to many things I’ve also left unsaid.

I prefer zeroes on the loose

to those lined up behind a cipher.

I prefer the time of insects to the time of stars.

I prefer to knock on wood.

I prefer not to ask how much longer and when.

I prefer keeping in mind even the possibility

that existence has its own reason for being.

Thanks, Yolanda, for sharing the exquisite work of such an exceptional poetress. We're really moved by how wonderfully both poems capture the greatness of ordinary life.

 

Tales of the Unexpected Book Club Worksheet

 Our next book club meeting is the first Friday after the Easter break so here you can download a worksheet with some quotes and questions related to the five tales we will be discussing:

• "Dip in the Pool"
• "Lamb to the Slaughter"
• "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat"
• "Parson's Pleasure"
• "The Way Up To Heaven"

Click on the image below. 

Hope to see you on Friday 22nd at 18:30.

Happy Easter!

In memoriam

 We are devastated by the loss of a highly valued colleague and a very dear friend. 

Paul Herron Campos was an inspiring teacher, a lover of life and a true bookworm and, as such, he was one of the first teachers to run a book club in our school. In tribute to him, we invite you to read the first book he chose for a book club meeting, one of his all-time favorite stories: The Brooklyn Follies, by Paul Auster.

Paul Herron's charm, enthusiasm and generosity will be missed greatly. Rest in peace, dear Paul. 

World Poetry Day

In 1999, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) designated March 21 as World Poetry Day with the aim of celebrating one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.

We've designed and used this worksheet to help students be aware of why poetry matters.

Long Live Poetry!

Tales of the Unexpected

 Once again, it's been a privilege to share the reading of a fine novel with you all. Your impressions of The Chidren Act have been so enlightening! I particularly enjoyed your analysis of Fiona and her complex role as a judge confronting “the abyss of freedom” or Life at its purest.

The next book we’ll be reading is perhaps less complex but it is equally enthralling. Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected is a collection of stories that will amuse, amaze and even terrify you.

 We have picked the following five tales and will discuss their significance on April, 22nd:

• "Dip in the Pool"
• "Lamb to the Slaughter"
• "Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat"
• "Parson's Pleasure"
• "The Way Up To Heaven"

Remember that participation is limited to the first 18 students who sign up here.

Hope to see you on April 22nd at 6:30 pm in the library (Sar). Happy reading!

The Children Act Book Club Activity

 Dear bookclubbers,

Click on the image below to download a document including excerpts and some questions that may guide our discussion of The Children Act next week.

 Happy Carnival break and see you on the 4th!

6th Mini Saga Contest Results

 We are delighted to announce the winners of the 6th Mini Saga Contest of the EOI de Santiago de Compostela.

A panel of teachers from the English department has selected 3 mini sagas from the 7 finalists and awarded 3 prizes:

"A Natural Death" by Olalla Manteiga

"Harriet's Regret" by Óscar Villan

"It's Too Late To Apologize" by Francisco Javier Noya

Thanks to all the participants for their amazing stories and special thanks to all the students and teachers who have voted for helping make this contest a success!

Looking forward to its 7th edition next year!

The Children Act

Dear Bookworms,

Thank you for a very stimulating meeting last Friday. I found your thoughts and impressions about And The Mountains Echoed really interesting! It was a pleasure and a privilege to share the reading of the book with you all.

The next book we’ll talk about is Ian McEwan’s The Children Act, a thought-provoking story about a high court judge who finds her world disrupted by a life-or-death decision.

The meeting will take place on Friday, March 4 at 6:30pm in the library (Sar).

Remember that participation is limited to the first 18 students who sign up here.

Hope to see you then. Happy reading!

6th Mini Saga Contest: Voting Now Open

The semi-finalists of the 6th Mini Saga Contest have already been chosen. Thanks to all the participants for their great stories!

 Please, read the 15 mini sagas below and vote for your favourite story here. Public voting will be enabled until February 4th.The 7 stories that receive the highest number of votes will be considered by a jury of teachers from the English department, who will choose the 3 winners based on the originality and linguistic quality of the stories. Winners will be announced on February 11th, 2022.

A Natural Death

There she was, standing at her grave on a cold, winter night, shivering above her corpse. She had tried to keep her alive, but now she was grieving her loss in silence. Alone, in the gloomy backyard, she muttered: Oh dear, if only I could water you one last time! 

As Simple as That!

And there she was, sitting silently on a rickety armchair, waiting for a convincing explanation. Unfortunately, there was none. Just excuses. As I started to mumble some nonsense about feeling lost, she looked me in the eye and said: “Mum, you'd better shape up because we need an adult here”.

Better Than Ever

Being a teenager, I had me time and I felt healthy. However, I was hard up. In my forties, I was healthy and wealthy, but short of time. Now, as an elderly gentleman, I have money and time on my hands. And with LIVEFOREVER™ pills I feel healthier than ever!

 Coffee break

We were having a coffee, as always, speaking about our lives. Suddenly, a window was broken. My partner ran to the adjoining room with a knife and I caught the phone to call the police. As he opened the door, a pigeon flew inside the corridor with an injured wing.

Countdown

On Tuesday at midnight the telephone rang. Unknown number. "Hello?" "4, 3, 2, 1." Weird.

On Wednesday, once again, "Hello?" "3, 2, 1." Bit creepy.

On Thursday, "Hello?" "2, 1." Very creepy.

On Friday, "Hello?" "1." Maybe call the police?

On Saturday, with shaking hands and voice, "Hello?" "Happy birthday!!"

Harriet's Regret

- Harriet.

- Mh?

- Can I ask you something?

- Yes.

- Would... would you marry me?

- [Sigh]

- What?

- C'mon, Otto...

- What!?

- Please, don't start again.

- Why? What's the matter?

- Stop it. I'm trying to read.

- Harriet. Can I ask you...?

- Oh, such an annoying cockatoo you are! I should have adopted a budgerigar!

It’s Too Late to Apologize

Being late was part of his nature. What a great pleasure it was to picture others awaiting his arrival, as if he were a conqueror, a king, the hero of the day. On his wedding day, it was him who had to wait for a bride that never turned up.

“Positive” Mood

I was there, but nobody could see me. They were partying, everybody was having a great time. So was I, even if they didn´t notice... He kissed a girl on the cheek... great! Tomorrow I will meet her family! “Come On, Vaccine, tame me If you Dare! Lots of kisses!”

Renaissance of Freedom

Dressed in black, with sunglasses covering her blows, Veronica went out to smoke a cigarette. She was not weeping with the grief of losing her husband, but with the impetus of a newborn baby. The bastard who had wronged her was dead and she had finally risen from her ashes.

The Arrival of the Saviour

The knight was young and handsome. He arrived in town and people explained to him the horror and fear they felt. The village must give a child tomorrow to the dragon. The courageous knight went to the cave where the dragon was, and died burned before he raised his sword.

The Final Countdown

Tick, tock... The deadline is about to arrive. The countdown has started. My brain’s about to explode, my hands are sweating, my heart is beating stronger. Too many requirements, too little time, no ideas at all. Come on, a mini-saga contest? I won’t get to write one. I give up.

 Time Is Going By

Yesterday, I turned fifty. I recognize that a week ago I was worried. Many people say that this age is a turning point in life. Today, I looked through the window; the sun was shining in the blue sky and tomorrow again. Don ́t worry, you are simply a day older.

Two Hours, Twice a week

Fearful, confident, tired,  fresh, lost, proud...So many feelings in such a short time! Is it really neccesary? You always say the same when things are WORTHWHILE, don’t give up. True, I'm on the right track.

- The class is over, bye guys!

- Bye, teacher! See you next day!

What a Coincidence!

Yesterday I went to the bank to withdraw money. A large sum. Suddenly, a masked man pointed a gun at me and shouted “Give me the money!” I put it inside his muddied bag. It’s the same bag my neighbour was carrying when he gave me some flowers this morning!!

Why Am I a Feminist Today?

Fifty years ago my mother was a teacher, housewife and mother of two children, no checking account, car care or paperwork. Today I am a teacher, housewife, mother of two children, financial home adviser, car keeper and bureaucracy expert. Life has improved for women. And so it has for men.

New Year, New Arrivals

 Happy New Year, everyone!

2022 has brought new books that have already been added to our collection. Visit the English library in Sar and start exploring new acquisitions. Here you have some of them:

Textbooks and books for improving and building vocabulary:

Graded readers to enjoy well-known stories in a relaxing and accessible way:

Inspiring novels that will both captivate and entertain you:

Non-fiction books that will increase your curiosity and expand your horizons:

Visit us to browse these and many other titles. See you at the library!