The Council of Europe

by Muzek, Wallner and Toma

1. Original paragraph

The Council of Europe is the most important organisation beside the European Union in Europe. What makes this organisation so important is their aim to protect human rights, promote democracy and cultural diversity and fight social problems. Also, the Council supports issues like education, sports and youth mobility, apart from many others. The reason why they do all this is to guarantee the economic and social progress of their 47 member states. It was founded in 1949 by only ten European states. Because the membership is open to any “European” state which has the same beliefs, the amount of members is growing ever since. Not only European countries can join the Council but also non-European ones can do so as observers or partners. Observers are usually non-European democracies which want to support the Council of Europe when spreading democracy in developing countries. These countries have the status of partners and are supported in their democratisation process by them. To sum up, it is very important that we have a clear picture of everything the Council of Europe achieved and still is, in order to understand its importance in our everyday lives.

[191 words]

Our corrected version

The Council of Europe is the most important organisation beside the European Union in Europe. ( Besides/Apart from the European Union, the Council of Europe is the most important organization in Europe.) What makes this organisation so (omit, because rather informal register) important (repeated word; significant, essential) is their aim to protect human rights, promote democracy and cultural diversity and fight social problems. Also (Moreover would be better here, as it is more formal) , the Council supports issues like (encourages topics such as) education, sports and youth mobility, apart from many others (omit because of “such as....” it’s clear that there are other topics) The reason why they (it is the council who does all that and therefore “they” is incorrect) do all this is to guarantee the economic and social progress of their 47 member states. It was founded in 1949 by only ten European states (incoherent, should have come at the beginning of the paragraph). Because (usually you don’t begin a sentence with because; “Since” would be better here) the membership is open to any “European” state which has (shares) the same beliefs, the amount (number) of members is growing (has been increasing) ever since. Not only European countries can (can European countries) join the Council(,) but also non-European ones can do so as observers or partners. Observers are usually non-European democracies which want (rather informal register; tend to) to support the Council of Europe when (by) spreading democracy in developing countries. These countries have the status of partners and are supported in their democratisation process by them. To sum up, it is very important (crucial/essential) that we have a clear picture of (we are aware of) everything the Council of Europe achieved and still is, in order to understand its importance in our everyday lives.

2. Original paragraph

With a total of 47 member countries, including all of the present EU member states as well as several countries located beyond the EU borders, the Council of Europe bears great responsibility for the preservation of democracy in Europe. The Council was founded in 1949 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, essentially in order to establish democratic stability in all European states.  The Council further strives to promote awareness of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity as well as their development. The latest member to join was Montenegro in 2007, after it signed and ratified the 83 conventions of the Council of Europe. The general requirement for a country to join the Council of Europe is to be at least partially located in Europe and to share the same common values. These values range from the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms to pluralistic democracy, the rule of law as well as free and fair elections. Countries that are located beyond the EU borders are designated, provided they are willing to contribute to the democratic transitions in Europe, such as Japan and the USA for instance. Observer states are permitted to participate in the committee of ministers and in intergovernmental committees. Otherwise they may attain observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly, as do Canada and Israel, meaning that they are authorized to engage in Assembly sessions. In addition to its member and observer states, the Council of Europe partnered with the EU, the UN and a variety of international organizations, including the ALESCO (Arab League Educational, Cultural, Scientific Organization), the OSCE (Organization for Security and co-operation in Europe) and the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between cultures. In conclusion, the main function of the Council of Europe is to assure democracy in Europe and cooperation between all European states in terms of human rights.

[315 words]

Our corrected version

With a total of 47 member countries, including all of the present EU member states as well as several countries located beyond the EU borders, the Council of Europe bears great responsibility (good expression+ good TS) for the preservation of democracy in Europe. The Council was founded in 1949 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, essentially (omit, because in order to is enough here) in order to establish democratic stability in all European states.  The Council further strives to promote awareness of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity as well as their development. The latest member to join was Montenegro in 2007, after it signed and ratified the 83 conventions of the Council of Europe. The general requirement for a country to join the Council of Europe is to be at least partially located in Europe and to share the same common values. These values range from the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms to pluralistic democracy, the rule of law as well as free and fair elections. Countries that are located beyond the EU borders are designated, provided they are willing to contribute to the democratic transitions in Europe, such as Japan and the USA for instance. Observer states are permitted to participate in the committee of ministers and in intergovernmental committees. Otherwise (comma required) they may attain observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly, as do Canada and Israel, meaning that they are authorized to engage in Assembly sessions. In addition to its member and observer states, the Council of Europe partnered with the EU, the UN and a variety of international organizations, including the ALESCO (Arab League Educational, Cultural, Scientific Organization), the OSCE (Organization for Security and co-operation in Europe) and the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between cultures. In conclusion, the main function of the Council of Europe is to assure democracy in Europe and cooperation between all European states in terms of human rights. (good CS)

Final version (incorporate good qualities from the two paragraphs)

With a total of 47 member countries, including all of the present EU member states as well as several countries located beyond the EU borders, the Council of Europe bears great responsibility for the preservation of democracy in Europe. The Council was founded in 1949 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom in order to establish democratic stability in all European states. The Council strives to promote awareness of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity as well as economic development. The latest member to join was Montenegro in 2007, after having signed and ratified the 83 conventions of the Council of Europe. The general requirement for a country to join the Council of Europe is to be at least partially located in Europe and to share the same common values. These values range from respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms to pluralistic democracy as well as maintaining the rule of law and guaranteeing fair elections. Countries that are located beyond the EU borders, such as the USA and Japan, are designated to the democratic transitions in Europe, provided they are willing to contribute. These so-called observer states are permitted to participate in the committee of ministers and in intergovernmental committees. They may also attain observer status with the Parliamentary Assembly, meaning that they are authorized to engage in Assembly sessions. In conclusion, the main function of the Council of Europe is to assure democracy in Europe and cooperation between all European states.

[249 words]

Why Bosnia should join the EU

by Emina Ribo, Carola Ponjevic and Monika Toma

Original text:

When driving through the scattered regions in the Republic of Bosnia, a country on the Balkan peninsula of South Eastern Europe, you might observe that the Yugoslavian war had clearly left its marks. 12 years after the Dayton Agreement, which ended the tragic Yugoslavian war, Bosnia has been starting to reconstruct and repair the remaining war damages. Since Bosnia is located in the heart of Europe, the question arises: Why is the country not yet a member state of the EU? The prospect of EU membership exists, however, the country needs to improve its standards of living and politics as well as other areas. The accession of Bosnia to the EU would definitely grant the country a great deal of benefits and vice versa. The EU could derive a benefit from Bosnia in terms of agriculture and cultural diversity. If the Republic of Bosnia became a member state of the Union, both sides could extract advantages from each other.

As for Bosnia, an accession to the EU could help prevent corruption, since it is, in fact, a big issue there. The level of unemployment is rising and the citizen’s living conditions are getting worse while the officials and politics are getting richer. The Justice is mostly corrupt and even the schools and hospitals are trying to benefit from the corrupt system. The unfairness the Bosnians are confronted with every day has led to a tension between the citizens and the government. Not only the government causes discontent though but also the strained relationship between the three ethnics living in Bosnia, namely the Bosnians themselves, the Croatians and the Serbs. The relationship between them is strained due to the fact that they obviously still suffer the consequences of the war 20 years ago. Time has shown that the Bosnian government cannot solve these kind of issues on its own. An EU accession would therefore help to improve the social, political and economical situation in Bosnia. The EU could interfere in politics and economics and try to mediate between the ethnical groups in order to bring peace within the country.

Our classmates' feedback:

When driving through the scattered regions in the Republic of Bosnia, you might observe that the Yugoslavian war had clearly left its marks.

I can't tell the the text is going to be about the advantages that Bosnia would have with the accession to the EU. If this is your focus, consider mentioning it in the topic sentence

12

If you want to start a sentence with a number, you have to write it out..

Submitted version:

When driving through the scattered regions of the Republic of Bosnia, a country located on the Balkan peninsula of South Eastern Europe, you might observe that the Yugoslavian war had clearly left its marks. Twelve years after the Dayton Agreement, which ended the tragic war of former Yugoslavia, Bosnia started to reconstruct and repair the remaining war damages to become stable again. Since Bosnia is, in fact, located in the heart of Europe, this raises an inescapable question: Why is the country not yet a member state of the EU? Although the prospect of EU membership exists, as negotiations started in 2005, the country will have to first improve its standards of living and politics as well as other areas. Once the Republic is somewhat stable enough to become a member state of the Union, there is no doubt that not only could Bosnia benefit from the accession, but that the EU would also derive great benefits from the Republic, for instance, in terms of agriculture and cultural diversity.

Since corruption is a major issue in Bosnia, an accession to the EU would undoubtedly prevent its negative impact on the citizens and consequently help to foster Bosnia’s stability and economic reform. The level of unemployment continues to rise and the citizen’s living conditions are becoming worse each day, while officials and politicians are living in prosperity. The justice system is mostly corrupt as well and even schools and hospitals attempt to benefit from the corrupt system. As a result of this unfairness that Bosnians are currently being confronted with, a certain tension has developed not only between the citizens and the government, but also between the three ethnics living in Bosnia, namely the Bosnians themselves, the Croatians and the Serbs. The relationship between them is strained due to the fact that they apparently still suffer from the consequences of the war which came about as a result of the breakup of Yugoslavia 20 years ago. Time has clearly shown that the Bosnian government is not capable of solving these numerous issues on its own; and this is where the EU’s support could come into play. The Union could assist in improving the social as well as the political and economic situation in Bosnia by implementing effective EU regulations and policies in order to establish a well-functioning legal and governmental system. As far as the relationship between the inhabitants is concerned, the EU could also try to mediate between the ethnical groups by providing specific programs to promote a unity in order to restore peace within the country. It goes without saying that Bosnian citizens will be able to benefit from a wide range of EU programs and will be free to reside, work and study freely within the EU. Essentially, the membership is the only way to build up a social cohesion within the country and eventually make Bosnia an essential member in international businesses.

There are almost as many benefits for the EU to reap from this diverse country, as the numerous advantages Bosnia could receive from joining the EU. Since the EU respects and encourages cultural differences and views this as an essential sector of social and human development, it can certainly make enormous use of the Bosnian treasure house. The Union could take advantage of the country’s cultural diversity which is marked by regional differences where different ethnic groups live, each with traditions of their own.  Moreover, the vibrant country with its friendly inhabitants and lively atmosphere is characterized by a sublime, mountainous landscape and old historical buildings and monuments, all of which could contribute to promoting sustainable tourism. In other words, Bosnia could be one of the EU’s principal magnets of tourism. Apart from that, agriculture is a valuable source to invest in as well. Bosnia is famous for having extremely fertile soil, corn fields and plum trees which are usually used in the preparation of quality wine. These resources could be of great advantage to the EU as it would contribute to the Union’s profit.

Although Bosnia’s prospect of membership seems to lie in the distant future as the country is still in need of further development, the EU could definitely profit from Bosnia’s agriculture, cultural diversity, and much more. Just as the EU could gain a great deal from Bosnia’s accession, there is no doubt that Bosnia would improve in nearly every aspect and shine in new splendor.

[734 words]

Corrected version:

When driving through the scattered regions of the Republic of Bosnia, a country located on the Balkan peninsula of South Eastern Europe, you can observe that the Yugoslavian war clearly left its marks. Twelve years after the Dayton Agreement, which ended the tragic war of former Yugoslavia, Bosnia started to reconstruct damaged buildings and monuments in order to stabilize the country’s economic situation. Since Bosnia has, in fact, improved in many aspects, this raises an inescapable question: Why is the country not yet a member state of the EU? Although the prospect of EU membership exists, as negotiations started in 2005, the country will have to first improve its standards of living and politics as well as other areas. Once the republic meets most of EU’s requirements to become a Member State of the Union, there is no doubt that not only could Bosnia benefit from the accession, but that the EU would also derive great benefits from the country, for instance, in terms of agriculture and cultural diversity.

Since corruption is a major issue in Bosnia, accession to the EU would not only foster Bosnia’s stability and economic reform, but also make it easier for Bosnia’s citizens to lead a fair life. In addition, the level of unemployment continues to rise and the citizens’ living conditions are becoming worse each day, while officials and politicians are living in prosperity. The justice system is mostly corrupt as well and even schools and hospitals attempt to benefit from the corrupt system. As a result of the unfairness that Bosnia’s citizens are currently facing, a certain tension has developed not only between the citizens and the government, but also between the three ethnic groups themselves living in Bosnia, namely the Bosnians, the Croatians and the Serbs. The relationship between them is strained due to the fact that they are obviously still suffering from the consequences of the war which was caused as a result of the breakup of Yugoslavia 20 years ago. Time has clearly shown that the Bosnian government is not capable of solving these numerous issues on its own; and this is where the EU’s support could come into play. The Union could assist in improving the social as well as the political and economic situation in Bosnia by implementing effective EU regulations and policies in order to establish a well-functioning legal and governmental system. As far as the relationship between the inhabitants is concerned, the EU could also try to mediate between the ethnic groups by providing specific programs to promote a unity in order to restore peace within the country. It goes without saying that Bosnian citizens would be able to benefit from a wide range of EU programs and would be free to reside, work and study freely within the EU. Basically, EU membership is the only way to build social cohesion within the country and eventually make Bosnia an essential contributor in international affairs.

There are almost as many benefits for the EU to reap from this diverse country as the numerous advantages Bosnia could derive from joining the EU. Since the EU respects and encourages cultural differences, and perceives this as an essential sector of social and human development, it can certainly make full use of the Bosnian culture. The Union could take advantage of the country’s cultural diversity, which is marked by regional differences where different ethnic groups live, each with traditions of their own. Moreover, the vibrant countryside, with its inhabitants and lively atmosphere, is characterized by a mountainous landscape and old historical buildings and monuments, all of which could contribute to promoting sustainable tourism. In other words, Bosnia could be one of the EU’s principal magnets of tourism. Apart from these advantages, agriculture is a valuable resource to invest in as well, because of Bosnia’s extremely fertile soil and corn fields. These resources could be of great advantage to the EU as it would contribute to the Union’s success.

Although the prospect of Bosnia’s membership seems to lie in the distant future as the country is still in need of further development, the EU could definitely profit from Bosnia’s agriculture, cultural diversity, and much more. Just as the EU could gain a great deal from Bosnia’s accession, there is no doubt that Bosnia would improve in nearly every area and begin to flourish.

[721 words]

Basic information on the European Union

Original Paragraph
As we started talking about the EU in this week’s class, I realized, there are a few facts every EU citizen needs to know about the European Union, if only vaguely. The EU was established after the Second World War, in 1958, under the name of “European Economic Community” (EEC), aiming to create an economic interdependence between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in order to steer clear of future conflicts. Over the years, the EEC grew into more than being just an economic union between the founding six countries, and thus the name change in 1993, from EEC to EU. The EU currently comprises 28 European countries (Austria joining in 1995), with its political center in Brussels, and has 24 official and working languages. These member states are all united economically as well as politically, and for some countries the EU membership meant a great economic transformation, such as for Ireland when joining in 1973. There are five main organizations managing the EU, namely European Commission, European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, each responsible for certain tasks, e.g. legislation. In conclusion, there is considerably more to say and know about the EU; however, that should be sufficient to begin with. 
[210 words]   

Feedback summary 1
I (almost) always like receiving feedback on my writing, because you can see which areas need improvement and which errors can be easily avoided in future writings. In spite of some errors, my group-mates liked my paragraph and how it was organized (good topic sentence, supporting sentences and concluding sentence). One thing they thought would be better to write is "...and thus the name change from EEC to EU in 1993.". They also suggested to find out if 'European Commission' and 'European Parliament' is written with or without an article, and perhaps to shorten the paragraph slightly.

Rewritten Paragraph
As we started talking about the EU in this week’s class, I realized, there are a few facts every EU citizen needs to know about the European Union, if only vaguely. The EU was established after the Second World War, in 1958, under the name of “European Economic Community” (EEC), aiming to create an economic interdependence between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in order to steer clear of future conflicts. Over the years, the EEC grew into more than being just an economic union between the founding six countries, and thus the name change from EEC to EU in 1993. The EU currently comprises 28 European countries (Austria joining in 1995), with its political center in Brussels, and has 24 official and working languages. These member states are all united economically as well as politically, and for some countries the EU membership meant a great economic transformation, such as for Ireland when joining in 1973. There are five main organizations managing the EU, namely European Commission, European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, each responsible for certain tasks, e.g. legislation. In conclusion, there is considerably more to know about the EU; however, that should be sufficient to begin with. 
[208 words]

Feedback summary 2 
This time, two other classmates looked at my paragraph and they liked my use of vocabulary and thought it was cohesive as well. The problem with whether to put the article "the" before every single organizations also became clear: You put it either before the first or before every single one, and I decided to place only one "the" before the first organization so as not to sound too repetitive. 

Final draft 
As we started talking about the EU in this week’s class, I realized, there are a few facts every EU citizen needs to know about the European Union, if only vaguely. The EU was established after the Second World War, in 1958, under the name of “European Economic Community” (EEC), aiming to create an economic interdependence between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in order to steer clear of future conflicts. Over the years, the EEC grew into more than being just an economic union between the founding six countries, and thus the name change from EEC to EU in 1993. The EU currently comprises 28 European countries (Austria joining in 1995), with its political center in Brussels, and has 24 official and working languages. These member states are all united economically as well as politically, and for some countries the EU membership meant a great economic transformation, such as for Ireland when joining in 1973. There are five main organizations managing the EU, namely the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe, Council of the European Union, and European Council, each responsible for certain tasks, e.g. legislation. In conclusion, there is considerably more to know about the EU; however, that should be sufficient to begin with.
[206 words]

Final draft 2
As we started talking about the European Union (EU) in this week’s class, I realized there are a few facts every EU citizen needs to know about the European Union, if only vaguely. The EU was established after the Second World War, in 1958, as the “European Economic Community” (EEC), with the aim of creating an economic interdependence between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in order to steer clear of future conflicts. Over the years, the EEC grew to be more than simply an economic union between the founding six countries, and thus the name change from EEC to European Union in 1993. The EU currently comprises 28 European countries, with its political center in Brussels, and has 24 official and working languages. These member states are all united economically as well as politically, and for some countries EU membership has meant a great economic transformation. Some of the main organizations which are managing the EU are the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, each responsible for certain tasks, e.g. legislation and setting the EU’s political direction. There is considerably more to know about the EU; however, every person living within the EU should have a basic knowledge of it.

[210 words]

Culture Days 2013

A number of interesting culture topics, a “hot” atmosphere, a teacher sitting in front of a fan in order to be able to get through every presentation, and nervous students walking around hoping not to mess up their presentations while the rest was indecisive about which presentation to attend…of course, I am writing about the ‘Culture Days 2013’.

Although I had planned to go to exactly 10 presentations, I ended up seeing 19.

Irish topics: Abortion Law in Ireland- A pro-choice view; Ireland’s contribution to the world of videogames; The Irish Film Industry; The Life of Irish Traveller Women; Bloody Sunday; Gaelic and its use in Northern Ireland; Patrick Nee; Operation Demetrius; Oscar Wilde and William Yeats; The Integration of Islam in Ireland; Witchcraft in Ireland; Homophobic Bullying in Irish schools; Kilmainham Gaol; The hidden meanings of the children of Lir; Gerry Conlon; Cultural influences on Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

American topics: Walt Disney; Oprah Winfrey; Harlem, New York

Overall, the topics were really interesting as well as greatly presented; however, since we have to pick five topics to be tested on in the KGP, I have chosen these five:

1. Gerry Conlon reflects on the case of the Guildford Four: I have never heard of this case before, but the topic and how they were tortured as well as the presentation really grabbed my attention.
2. The Life of Irish Traveller Women: I find their life, their history and traditions highly interesting.
3. Abortion Law in Ireland –A Pro-Choice View: How the pro-choice movement fight for women’s right to choose that has created heated debate in the Republic in Ireland-tremendously interesting!
4. Ireland- the birthplace of Witchcraft: I really liked the presentation and the topic and since I have never dealt with that topic before, I would really like to learn some more about it.
5. Homophobic Bullying in Irish schools: Serious and touching topic. Bullying has become a serious issue in the past 30, 40 years, especially among homosexual people, and should really be addressed. 

Disruptive Behaviour

I've recently read an article about disruptive pupils and that they should be put in separate classrooms as not to disturb the other students. Is this really the right solution to the problem? 

There is no doubt that disruptive pupils might have a negative impact on other students, and that their troublesome behaviour may deter ordinary students from studying; however, I still believe that gathering pupils with misbehaviour together to be taught separately would not improve the situation.

First of all, pupils are disruptive for all sorts of reasons. They might suffer from insecurity due to family problems; boredom, which can be caused by an uninspired curriculum; learning difficulties; or poor self-confidence that often leads to aggressiveness and conspicuous behaviour. When these factors are considered, it is certainly not a good idea to put all children with more or less the same problems in one classroom, simply because they would lack the opportunity to be positively influenced by well-behaved pupils in order to develop optimal behaviour. In fact, their behaviour might worsen, if they are solely surrounded by disruptive children.

While some people argue that separation would be beneficial not only to students but also to teachers who want to work without interruption, disruptive pupils could believe that they are being isolated because something is seriously wrong with them. As a result, they could feel excluded, which eventually lowers their self-esteem and might worsen their behaviour.

Last, but not least, the implementation of separate groups for noisy students demands additional expenses for school authorities, since extra teachers and rooms will have to be provided. Moreover, teachers will have to be prepared with professional training to deal with this kind of behaviour, which means increased costs.

To sum up, the idea of separate classes is not an effective solution to the problem of disruptive behaviour at school. In my opinion, it would be advantageous if teachers were equipped with strategies on how to tackle the problem.

Atypical Romantic Comedies

Almost universally, the film genre of comedy is both understood and well liked. Although there are numerous types of comedy and various viewer preferences, a light-hearted plot line, few focal characters, and happily ever after ending for the most part rarely disappoint. In recent years the romantic comedy, a sub-genre, has dramatically increased its appearance on the screen. Although the term is rather general and no particular definition of it is adhered to, a romantic element, comedic spin, and happy ending are undeniably essential to satisfy the general expectation of what a romantic comedy “should be.” Yet arguably the quality of these films has declined and their plot lines painfully overused. Boy meets girl, boy gets girl then loses her, one or both of their lives is changed forevermore, and eventually boy gets girl once again; add a few comedic scenes and voilà!—yet another romantic comedy is born.

Few directors have diverged from this standard formula, and fewer romantic comedies can be said to have unpredictable endings simply after viewing the first twenty minutes. Yet such deviant films do exist although they are few and far in between. In recent years, Chris and Paul Weitz have been rather adventurous with the genre, especially seen in their film About a Boy (Universal Pictures, 2002); and some decades ago, director George Cukor adapted George Bernard Shaw’s play entitled “Pygmalion” to the screen in another atypical romantic comedy and classic film, My Fair Lady (Warner Brothers, 1964). Both films have humor and some interplay of a love story—essential markers of a romantic comedy—but unconventionally the romance is not the center of either film.

About a Boy did not receive nearly as much critical acclaim as the eight-time Academy Award winning musical My Fair Lady, and the two films differ greatly from one another in several respects; at the same time they also share some striking similarities as off-the-beaten-path romantic comedies both set in London, England. To begin with, because My Fair Lady is set in the Edwardian period—the first decade of the twentieth century—the mannerisms and more importantly the ideals of the era straight away contrast with those found in About a Boy, which is set in modern times.     

To sum up, About a Boy and My Fair Lady were each in their own time unique in plot line and quite different from the typical romantic comedy standard. With an emphasis on personality flaws, isolation, the “weaker” transforming the life of the “younger,” and an inconclusive romantic ending, both films stray from the usual expectations of the sub-genre to give refreshing new plot lines to viewers. And in so doing, newer dimensions to romantic comedy have been added and the frontier of the sub genre has broadened not only for the sake of the art of film itself but intellectuals invested in it.

About a Boy Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO4pbtwisBE

My Fair Lady Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHrgSXPxr9w

The Power of Smiling

Hey Everyone :)

Today was a good day. Well, at first, as usually around that time of the year, I was worried and anxious thinking about all the exams I have yet to study for and other stuff I have to do. On the train, however, while I was going through my notes once again and desperately trying to memorize a few more things, I noticed an old lady smiling at me—and I couldn’t help myself from smiling back. She then began talking to me, telling me not to take things too seriously but to take it one step at a time and everything will work out great in the end.    

That encounter reminded me of a quote I really like. Mother Teresa once said "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing". A lot of what Mother Teresa said during her life was concerning smiling, helping the poor and sharing/spreading love. I agree with her on all her quotes concerning smiling, and what this little gesture can do to people. Indeed, a smile can save someone’s day. There are a few small smiles I encountered that not only managed to save my day but managed to get me through life’s burdens (thanks to my family). What I am referring to now is surely something you have all encountered before. There must have been someone that smiled at you and you knew if it weren't for that smile you could've ended up pretty bad in life. I am happy I had people smile at me. There is definitely more to a smile than just opening your mouth wide and showing your lovely (hopefully clean) teeth. It is (like Mother Teresa said) "an action of love, a gift... a beautiful thing". This is why I encourage you to smile wherever you go. SMILE. Life’s just too short to be making long faces and worrying about all kinds of things all the time. Show people you love them; show the stranger that today is a good day. Help the old lady get on the train with a smile on your face, showing her that we are all happy to help her out. Why? (There doesn’t always have to be something good in return just for you to do good, but) I could assure you that once you help her on the train you will see the sweetest smile ever. Yes, she probably doesn’t have any teeth, but she definitely knows how to make your day.

The City of Alexandria

One of my favorite places in the world is certainly Alexandria, Egypt's largest seaport. To me the second largest city in Egypt, located directly on the Mediterranean coast, is one of the most stunning as well as welcoming places I have ever been to. Also known as "“The Pearl of the Mediterranean”, it is well-known for its cultural heritage, its beautiful beaches and its convivial and warm atmosphere-undoubtedly a city steeped in history, from its famous admirable library and the lighthouse of the pharos to the marvelous monuments and its numerous museums. However, apart from all the great sights you can see and the countless summer resorts you can visit to spend some time just lazing around, I think there is one important thing that makes this city so unique: the people. Austria’s social life is nowhere near as lively as it is in Egypt. No matter what time of the day it is in Alexandria, you will always find cheerful people, for instance taking a walk along the stunning bay or sitting in one of the lovely cafes, laughing and enjoying themselves, regardless of the country’s political situation or their own personal circumstances. They are simple people, yet they give the city life and make tourists feel welcomed, which is why this city is such a special place. I really miss it and especially my family and friends there and looking forward to visiting this great city soon. :)

Why study abroad?

While it is generally believed that studying abroad is one of the greatest life-changing experiences students can make not only to hone their language skills but also to develop an independent mind, other people argue that spending a year abroad only entails hardships. However, despite some inconveniences, I still believe that spending a certain time period abroad is tremendously beneficial to Austrian students who study English.

Although some students have to deal with financial difficulties due to the increasing costs of attending university and the monthly living expenses, one can safely say that it is not impossible to afford the costs, owing to the opportunities students have nowadays, such as the ERASMUS program or financial benefits.

Students might also end up suffering from homesickness and feel overburdened as a result of new challenges; however, this is not necessarily a bad thing. It is rather an opportunity to discover new strengths and abilities in order to be able to cope with new tasks and overcome difficulties. In fact, students eventually become more self-confident and independent.

Undoubtedly, there is no better and more effective way to speak a language fluently than to live in a culture where the language is practiced on a daily basis. An extended stay in a foreign country does not only enable students to take courses not offered at their home universities, but also provides them with the possibility to become acquainted with the culture and come across new people at the same time, which is certainly an invaluable gain in experience.

To sum up, there are both advantages and disadvantages in studying abroad; but ultimately, the advantages seem to prevail over the difficulties students may encounter.

Cleopatra VII

Hey Everyone ;)

I was just thinking what to blog about, when I remembered one of the books I read, Shakespeare’s Anthony and Cleopatra. Because I’ve heard so much about this historical character, and also because I am Egyptian myself and intrigued by the ancient history of my country, I decided to write a short biography about the latest Pharaoh that even Julius Caesar hadn’t been able to resist.

“For (as they say) it was not because her beauty in itself was so striking that it stunned the onlooker, but the inescapable impression produced by daily contact with her: the attractiveness in the persuasiveness of her talk, and the character that surrounded her conversation was stimulating. It was a pleasure to hear the sound of her voice, and she tuned her tongue like a many-stringed instrument expertly to whatever language she chose…” (From Plutarch’s Life of Mark Anthony)

Cleopatra VII, also known as Cleopatra Thea Philopater (meaning “the Goddess Cleopatra, the beloved of her father”), was born in 69 B.C. in the City of Alexandria (Egypt), and died aged only 39. In 51 B.C., Pharaoh Ptolemy XII passed away and left his kingdom to his eighteen year old daughter, Cleopatra, and her only twelve-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII, because a woman was legally oblige d to have either a brother or a son for her consort. However, she soon dropped his name from any official documents and did what was best for her country, regardless of the Ptolemaic rule. She was the last and most well-known queen of Egypt (the last of the Ptolemy dynasty), before the rule of Egypt finally passed to the Romans under the rule of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus. Though she was not of Egyptian but of Macedonian origin, she was a compassionate ruler, who truly cared for her folk. She had broken almost 300 years of Ptolemaic rule that had been filled with rebellion and high taxes. And to prove her loyalty to her people, she used the country’s native language to communicate with them, lowered taxes for farmers and helped to boost Egypt’s economy. Cassius Dio, one of the great ancient sources, describes her as the woman who was brilliant enough to use her feminine charm to captivate the two greatest Romans of her day, in order to maintain Egypt’s power. Her charisma, strength and indomitability made her one the greatest queens- and inspired scores of writers and artists through the centuries.

Shakespeare’s Cleopatra is portrayed as the unparalleled beauty, which is jealous, possessive, but fiercely loyal to the love of her life: Marc Anthony. No matter how often they fight, they always come back to each other, as if there is nothing more important than their love for each other. She has an obvious fondness for high drama, and wants to keep Anthony all by herself; of course, he can’t withstand her charm, and even neglects his duties as a Roman ruler. After Anthony’s tragic death, she feels that there is no reason for her to live and decides to follow his example to meet him in afterlife.