Europe and you

Today we've been discussing about how the European Union helps us:

-Movile phone makers are making a universal estandar for charges.
-Europeans win the right to full translation.
-It makes sure nature doesn't suffer from those things, such as TVs, phones... we no longer need.
-It moves fast to respond to catastrophes like the earthquakes in Tahiti and chemical spills in Hungary, givin shelter, food, helicopters...
-New Eu rules shelter children from abuse on the Internet or physical world.
-It made some changes in the furniture shops.

Changes in the furniture shops was the one which Usue and I had to talk about today in class. It is as interesting as the other ones.
Some furniture and construction industries in the EU use wood that has been illegally cut, destroying forests.
The new rules prevent this, and it is beneficial for legal funiture makers and also for the forests not to be disappeared.

What is the EU?

A month abroad

Talking about exchanges, I would like to say that I've been in two. I went to Italy with the school just for a week, but this summer I went to Minneapolis (Minnesota, USA) to spend a whole month in a family.
It was a fantastic experience and I learnt a lot of English.
At first, I had some problems to understand the American accent, it sounded a bit weird, but finally, I got used to it.
I stayed in a family called Nordlund and I had a 10-year-old sister and  an 8-year-old brother.
They prepared lots of activities for me to have fun! They were all very nice :)
We went to the Bunker beach, waterskiing, shopping to the Mall of America, to Valley Fair (theme park), to a baseball match, bowling... I really enjoyed myself as well as learned a lot.
Again, it was a great experience and I hope to repeat it next summer :)

Environment

I've found a new about the environment in the European Union. There are some details that are really interesting to know about and to start changing our living in that way.

EU commission seeks to reduce use of plastic bags

This piece of news was written by Honor Mahony and publishe in EUobserver.com in the 4th of November, 2013.

The European Commission tabled measures to reduce the use of thin plastic bags by 80 percent. 710,000 tonnes of them are thrown away each year. 
Each EU citizen use almost 200 bags every year and throws them away after just one go. We are causing enormous environmental damage. 

The bags take hundreds of years to degrade and we use them for just a few minutes.
Of the 28 member states just 12 have introduce legislative measures to reduce the use of plastic bags, Finland and Denmark four per year per person.
Poles, Portuguese and Slovaks use over a hundred times more.
Member states should be able to choose how to reduce plastic bag use - whether through bans or levies - there should be obligatory reduction targets.
The commission has missed an opportunity today but we will seek to ensure the Parliament redresses this.

The environment is getting worse everyday, and not only because of the use of plastic, but also due to the pollution of the cars and industries. We have to change that as soon as possible, because unless we do it, we'll hurt ourselves and life.

Lets' help the environment all together and make the world clean!

About ENAR

One of the cases that had had a profound impact in Europe, has been the conflict with the Roma Gypsies in France. It started during the summer of 2010 when the government of France under the orders of Sarkozy decided to deport the gypsies illigal camps and all the people inside them. The 19th of August, 93 gypsies were sent back to Romania, with the aim of deporting, at least, 700 gypsies to their country.

That's one of the problems in the EU and they are coming up with a way to sort it out. 

ENAR

ENAR combats racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and promotes equality of treatment between European Union citizens and third country nationals.

Their mission is to obtain full equality and solidarity, allowing all members of society, whatever their skin colour, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, disability, age or sexual orientation, to participate and be included in society. 
They are achieving this by specifically combating racism and discrimination based on colour, ethnicity, national origin, nationality, religion, culture, language or legal status.

ENAR is the voice of its member organisations in Brussels and advocates on their behalf. They aim to make a difference in a range of fields relating to equality and anti-racism, migration and integration, and social inclusion of ethnic and religious minorities in Europe. 


This is a difficult subject to deal with, but I believe some day it will become true. 


                  

Interview

Hi everybody!
We are talking and learning a lot about the Erasmus exchange that many people tries nowadays. I have a German friend who is living with one of my friends family that I now from surfing together.
His name is Henry and he is 17 years old.
He isn't here with the Erasmus, but it is similar to it.

-My name is Henry and I'm 17. I come from Germany and I'm staying in a family who lives in Zurriola. My "brothers" surf, and I getting a kick out of doing this sport now.
Our parents used to know each other, so this family offered me to come, and that's what I did.
When I heard about this offer I had no doubt I would come.
I think it is a new and really useful experience; you get to know other languages and different cultures, you see many different people, a very different life... and all this helps you to be open minded.
I go to the Doich School, so I'm learning some things in Spanish, and other things in German. I don't have difficulties, and my marks are great.
My Spanish is improving a lot and I'm making amazing new friends.
I do miss my family and my friends from there, but it is just a year, so I have to enjoy it and learn new things. In my worse moments I have the support of this lovely people, so no problem.
I would hardly RECOMMEND to those people who have this kind of chance, TO TRY IT FOR SURE.

This is what Henry told me, and my enthousiasm to do exchanges or go abroad has increased. He seems to be having a really good time. I can't wait to my next exchange!

 

Trip to Valletta

Hi! How is it going?
During the last days, we've been preparing different trips. Some of the classmates organised trips to go to places such as Italy, Brussels, Reykjavik... and they were really appealing.
Ane, Usue and I love Malta, so we prepared a trip to its capital city, Valletta.
Here's the link to see all the planification. We hope you like it! :)

Trip to Valletta