What the World Eats

The Namgay Family in Bhutan (Central Asia), from the Photo Essay What the World Eats, by Peter Menzel and Faith D'luisio. I did not know this country existed before viewing the photos from this fascinating collection!

• What do you and your family consume in an average week? 
• Have you ever wondered what a family in Greenland, Kuwait, or Ecuador might eat? 

Imagine inviting yourself to dinner with 30 different families in 24 countries. Imagine shopping, farming, cooking and eating with those families, taking note of every vegetable peeled, every beverage poured, every package opened. Well, that's what photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio did for their new book, "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats." The husband and wife team wanted to see how globalization, migration and rising affluence are affecting the diets of communities around the globe.
Each chapter of their book features a portrait of a family photographed alongside one week's worth of groceries. There's also a detailed list of all the food and the total cost. (From National Public Radio, NPR.org)


On this post you can:
View: A slide show of the images

Research Currency: with a link to Google currency converter

Listen and Read: play the radio interview from NPR, and read the transcript (8 minutes)

You will also find:

Links to higher-quality images at Time Magazine

The Slide Show

A warning: Some of the later photos show meat markets and people preparing meat. 

What The World Eats from hebasaleh

Google Currency Converter
The photos include the weekly cost in local currency and US currency.  For students in Algeria, you can convert the US dollar to Algerian Dinar using the Google currency converter.  

Links to Higher-Quality Photos

The photos may be higher quality at the Time Magazine website, where these photos were first shared online.  Here are the links:
What the World Eats, Part I
What the World Eats, Part II
What the World Eats, Part III


The Audio Interview with the Photographers

The Transcript of the Interview
Copyright ©2005 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

MICHELE NORRIS, host: Imagine inviting yourself to dinner with 30 different families in 24 countries. Imagine shopping, farming, cooking and eating with those families, taking note of every vegetable peeled, every beverage poured, every package opened. Well, that's what photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio did for their new book, "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats." The husband and wife team wanted to see how globalization, migration and rising affluence are affecting the diets of communities around the globe.

Each chapter of their book features a portrait of a family photographed alongside one week's worth of groceries. There's also a detailed list of all the food and the total cost. For example, the Mendozas of Todos Santos, Guatemala, spent about $75 over the course of a week. They're photographed wearing vibrant, traditional dress and, as Faith D'Aluisio explains, they're standing behind a table laden with sacks of corn and a bounty of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

Ms. FAITH D'ALUISIO (Co-author, "Hungry Planet"): The carrots were enormous and I'm--we have a garden at home, a pretty substantial garden, and I never like our carrots. They always are a little bit strange. They don't taste that great. And so I saw these big carrots in the market when Suzannah(ph) was purchasing them and I thought, `They can't taste good. They're just way too big.' They were so sweet and so tasty. I just couldn't believe it.

There is a lot of other packaged food and food from other countries that's available, but they eat--this family especially eats very traditionally, and really everyone in the town eats fairly traditionally and they leave the processed food to the people visiting from the developed world.

NORRIS: So there's not a lot of it but if you look carefully at the picture beyond all the produce, past the beans, beyond what looks like a--Is it a watermelon there?

Mr. PETER MENZEL (Co-author, "Hungry Planet"): Mm-hmm.

NORRIS: ...all the way in the back next to the jug of oil, you see the Quaker Oats man.

Ms. D'ALUISIO: And I wanted to make sure that everyone could see the Quaker Oats man, because it just seems so strange to me. And it's actually a kind of--a breakfast cereal, as you might expect.

Mr. MENZEL: It's their favorite breakfast cereal.

Ms. D'ALUISIO: Their favorite breakfast cereal and...

NORRIS: Oatmeal?

Ms. D'ALUISIO: It's called--it's Avena Mosh(ph). It's sort of a cross between sort of regular dried cereal and the oatmeal.

NORRIS: And so you now see these brands, these products, all over the world. How has the global marketplace changed the way the world eats?

Mr. MENZEL: It's pretty amazing. And what we did to illustrate that is we photographed several families in a couple of countries. For instance, in China, we photographed an urban family and then a rural family because you can tell the difference between the two at a glance. It's really easy to see. One is eating a lot more fresh produce and grains, and the other has a lot of processed foods that's crept into their diet, and--including KFC chicken, which they eat once a week. They've got Coke. They've got Asahi beer. They've even eat a little sushi once in a while. They have Great Wall wine.

The family in rural China, on the other hand, the only Western-type products that we saw them consuming was a little bit of beer, a little bit of Coke. I asked the Qui(ph) family if they'd ever had a hamburger, and they--we had to explain what a hamburger was.

Ms. D'ALUISIO: We had to explain what that meant, yes.

Mr. MENZEL: And then we really, really tried hard and they still could not fathom the concept of what a hamburger was.

NORRIS: Peter, which of these chapters or families had the biggest impact on you?

Mr. MENZEL: Well, I think the most interesting thing that I learned that I think other people could benefit from was the family in Okinawa. And the reason we went to Okinawa was because it has the highest percentage of centenarians anywhere in the world. And the surprising thing is not so much what they're eating--which is fairly healthy things like fish and soy--but it's their attitude and it's what their parents taught them as children. And they were told `Hara hachi bu,' and that means only eat until you're 80 percent full. And that's not really what Western people are telling their kids to clean their plates and `Mange, mange,' you know, make sure that you eat enough. It makes a lot of sense because your brain lags behind your stomach. And if you stop when you're 80 percent full, that's the point when you really have had enough and your body really is at a point where it's got the right amount of food.

NORRIS: I have to ask you about the American families. And there is one in particular, a family from North Carolina, and their spread included pizzas and Burger King and what looks to be, I think, Taco Bell in there. And I was wondering how honest--I was surprised how honest people were.

Mr. MENZEL: Well, Rosemary and Ron Revis in North Carolina were very, very honest with us, and they were also honest with us about battling the bulge. And what they did as a family was really admirable, I thought. They noticed the fact that they were gaining weight and as a family, they went and enrolled in a health club. And every week--or twice a week, they would spend two hours totally going all out.

Ms. D'ALUISIO: What was interesting to me, though, was that while they had been exercising, they had less time to make prepared meals at home. So subsequently, they ended up eating more fast food and that's what they ended up sort of maintaining. They were maintaining the original weight. They might have been adding a little bit of muscle from the exercise, but they were eating more fast food. So they basically changed their plan now. They bought some more exercise equipment; they're doing it at home. They're trying to eat well-rounded, prepared meals at home.

Mr. MENZEL: Healthier, more prepared meals at home.

NORRIS: Where these kinds of epiphanies all over the globe when people saw that food spread out before them?

Ms. D'ALUISIO: I think that's the perfect word to use. The Revises especially were sort of horrified when they did see all of the food for one week's time all at one time. The kids were very funny. They didn't want to tell me directly, but Rosemary told me later, they were coming up to her and saying, `Do we really eat all of this?' And then when they started looking, they agreed, `Yes, we do eat all this bacon. We do eat all this pizza.' Tyrone(ph), one of her sons, would sit on the couch, watch TV and, lo and behold, a lot of junk food was disappearing, a lot of chips and a lot of things that he wishes now he hadn't eaten but is now trying to cut down on.

NORRIS: So, Peter and Faith, after traveling through 24 countries and visiting with 30 families, you sampled quite a bit of food. What was your favorite meal?

Mr. MENZEL: One of my favorite meals was musk ox stew that we had while we were fishing on a glacial lake in Greenland with Emil(ph) and Erica(ph). Sitting, you know, on a dogsled for the entire day for day after day and then arriving at a glacial lake, pulling arctic char out of the water that is so pure and fresh and being in this place that is so pristine, it was just mind boggling to have all of this fresh food around us and then have them cook it for us immediately in this tent that Faith found a refuge from the cold. This was not her favorite trip. She just complained the entire time.

Ms. D'ALUISIO: Oh, I did not.

NORRIS: I actually understand, Faith. I got cold looking at those pictures. So...

Ms. D'ALUISIO: Eight hours a day on a dogsled. You're not doing any exercising; the dogs are doing the exercising. And it was frigid. But that's actually where my favorite meal was, as well, which is kind of surprising to me. Mine was the arctic char. It was so amazing, just absolutely succulent and very tasty after a long day of dogsledding.

NORRIS: That's Faith D'Aluisio, along with Peter Menzel. Their book is called "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats."

To see a photo of another family's weekly diet, visit our Web site, npr.org. There you'll find the Aboubakar family, originally from Darfur, Sudan. The Aboubakars get most of what they eat from aid groups at a refugee camp in Chad.

You're listening to All Things Considered from NPR News.

Copyright © 2005 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

TO LOVE SOMEBODY...

Hi guys I want to share this song with you, which transports me to my childhood, listened without knowing the meaning, now that I understand the lyrics I like more ... TO LOVE SOMEBODY, I like the melody, lyrics ... For me it is a beautiful song ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgQJLOOE_XM

Level 5 NYC: Rosalia's Audio Story

Rosalia has a special talent.  She can design and make clothing by hand.  In this audio story, Rosalia beautifully captures her memories with her mother, when she knew she wanted to make clothing too.  Through the theme of dress-making, we learn much about her life: from her education in Columbia to her move to New York City.  She even details the careful planning involved in designing the perfect dress for her clients.

Rosalia wrote and recorded this audio story in the fall of 2012.  

I'm happy to say that Rosalia is in my class again, and you can expect more stories from Rosalia in the coming weeks.

Below, you can hear Rosalia's recording, and read along with the text.

-Eric, NYC, USA


Rosalia's Audio Story





The Text

MY STORY 

My name is Rosalia, I’ve been living in NY for six and half years.

My mother was a dressmaker. I remember when I used to watch her working making dresses. I used to stay with her for many hours, looking at every move she made, designing the clothes. She was working on sewing one by one every piece of the dresses that she used to make; and that’s how I started getting involved in the art of the dressmaker.

Finally when I was about eleven years old, I began helping my mother to put the buttons and hemming the dresses that she used to make.

I remember when she was cutting the fabric into small pieces; and then she sewed it up piece by piece until she had finished the dress.

I watched my mom and I thought “some day I will be a dressmaker like my mom.”

Little by little I was enjoying everything I was doing, I remember at the age of fourteen, I sewed my first shirt, but it was after I got married when I went to study dressmaking, and then I specialized in “High Fashion” at “The Multi Cultural School of Fashion Design” in Cali, Colombia.

What I was most excited about was bride dresses, those special dresses for sweet sixteen and prom dresses.

My first clients were my sisters-in-law, then they introduced me to their friends because they were working in a big company, where there were many women. My sisters-in-law had a lot of friends, so in a few months, I got a very good clientele; and I was recognized, as the best dressmaker in my neighborhood.

The first thing I did when I was designing a dress was to ask my client, what kind of dress she needed; after I knew what she wanted, then I advised her, what type of fabric and what color goes well with her, considering the skin color, the height, the body shape, and the occasion for the dress she needed, and knowing the client’s style.

When my client and I were in agreement about a design and color; I began taking measurements of the customer.

A high dressmaker can design a dress, or can check out a fashion magazine or picture, to make a dress.

To make a dress I need to use some things like paper, pencil, rulers, pins, needles, chalk, tape measure, scissors, sewing machine etc. I start drawing the design on the paper, using the customer’s measures, developing the design she chose until the pattern is completed on the paper with accurate measurements, then I cut the pattern, and I put it on the fabric, finally I cut piece by piece until I have cut all pieces on fabric, then it was ready to sew.

When I’m designing a dress I concentrate on my client’s figure; considering how to design her dress in a way that; when she puts on her dress, she looks beautiful, comfortable, and spectacular.

When working personally with clients in the art of dressmaking, I could have some difficulties especially when a client wanted to look like the model of the fashion magazine.

To avoid these conflicts I used to talk to my clients, when we were choosing color and design, then I could do the exact design of clothing chosen, but a design does not always look the same on someone, like on a magazine model.

Fortunately I always had very good clients. Working hard and keeping my clientele to get comfortable with my system and my quality job, that’s how I kept my own business for over twenty years.

New look for our Blog!

Hi everyone,

For all students and teachers from NYC and Bejaia City, I want you to know that our blog is really growing-up and up. I want to make it more strong by making some changes in the design and navigation part.
So, be ready for a new look.

Level 5 NYC: I Remember (Collaborative Writing Non-Game)

Photo of Joe Brainard (American artist and poet) & I Remember book cover.  This paired imaged was found at We Love You So (However, I can't find attribution for these images.).

This post is a reply to Hakim's post: I Remember It Well.  I think memories are fascinating.  And when we can unlock our memories, we have the potential to share so much about our lives and experiences.  Students in my classes have often written about their memories and experiences.  I would like to 

• share a summary of the class activity
• share some examples of students writing
• invite you all to participate in the I Remember project

I am sharing this here, because I would like all of you to contribute to our collected memories.  After you read our examples below, please share your memories too in the comments.  Maybe we could make our own book own day: I Remember NYC and Bejaia!  From time to time, I will share more selections from our class work.

Some Background

Joe Brainard is an American poet and artist (you will see a few examples of his artwork bellow, borrowed from JoeBrainard.org).  He wrote a book called I Remember.  Every memory starts with the phrase “I remember.” Brainard has a talent for writing concisely. He says much in few words. He limits his writing to the most pertinent or important details to give the reader a clear picture. 

The book is unlike any other book I have read. But my favorite part about reading I Remember is that it always gives me ideas for writing. One critic compared his book to a "memory machine."

Classroom Activity

These are the directions I used for the classroom activity. I call this a "collaborative writing non-game." I challenge students to write as much as they can. But, of course, there is no "winner."

Directions:  Read until you have a memory you can write about.  Write your memory in the space.  Try to write as much as you can.  You can write more than one memory.  When we stop, pass your paper to the next person in your group and write again.  You can also write memories inspired by your classmates’ writing.  The only rule is you must start every memory with the phrase: I remember.


The Results
Below, you will see writing from my students, the volunteers in our classroom, writing from Brainard's book, and my writing too.  After doing this for a semester, we had about 40 pages of writing.  I'm not going to share all of that now.  I will share a small section.  After reading, I hope you will share your memories too.  Remember, you can write anything that comes to mind, or appears in your thoughts.  The only rule is: you must start each memory with the phrase: "I remember..."

I Remember...
I remember bubble gum. Blowing big bubbles. And trying to get bubble gum out of my hair.

I remember blowing big bubbles. They were very big.

I remember when I was in school I loved to make big bubbles until they blew up in my face.

I remember my first time that I tried to blow big bubbles. The gum got stuck to my nose.

I remember a street full of bubble gum on the walls next to it. It was called “Bubble Gum Alley.”

I remember my dad helping me pull out a loose tooth when I was a kid.

I remember when I didn’t tie my shoes I was very angry.

I remember opening the gifts before Christmas when my mom was cooking.

Untitled, 1978, mixed media collage. This image is copyrighted by JoeBrainard.org.

I remember during a bike race, I wanted to impress my girlfriend and I fell off my bike.

I remember that I didn’t learn to ride a bike until all my friends had already learned. I didn’t want to be left alone.

I remember when I was a child like to play with the dolls and I makeup with my mom’s makeup. 

I remember when I was in the kindergarten, I didn’t have friends because I hit so many of my classmates.

I remember my first of day class in the kindergarten, when I stood alone. I fled my classroom.

Untitled, 1978, assemblage. This image is copyrighted by JoeBrainard.org.

I remember how beautiful snow made the Lower East Side look. (So black and white.)

I remember when there was so much snow that school was cancelled for a week because the school bus couldn’t drive in the snow.

I remember shoveling the driveway with my brother, and digging caves out of the huge piles of snow we made.

Whippoorwill, 1972, oil on canvas. This image is copyrighted by JoeBrainard.org.

I remember wanting to leave football practice so I could play with my dog.

I remember that I looked forward to the free candy I got after a soccer game more than the game itself!

I remember being embarrassed to blow my nose in public.

I remember how many allergies I had last winter. I couldn’t stop cleaning my nose, so that it was red like a clown by February. 

I remember that my nose was dripping because I was sick when I met my boyfriend. He thought I was pretty even though my nose was running.

I remember starting many books that I never finished. I remember feeling very guilty because the author would be disappointed with me.

I remember this book I never finished.

I remember reading a book every night when I was a kid.

I remember feeling liberated the first time I stopped reading a book I didn’t like instead of finishing it anyway.

I remember reading a book that captivated my attention. When this author started to be a writer, he didn’t know what to do with his life. I have read almost 10 books from him.

I remember how much I loved Paulo Coelho. This writer made me love the idea to enjoy a book, living the story.

Carte Postale, 1978, mixed media collage, by Joe Brainard.  This image is copyrighted by JoeBrainard.org.

Respond
What did you remember when you read our memories? Please share in the comments.

Music: Heart of Gold

Album cover for Neil Young's 1972 album Harvest.  Photo by bigcityal. (Creative Commons licensed.)

You all have started sharing music that is important to you. So today, I am not sharing a song because I'm trying to teach something (though there are many examples of rhyme in the lyrics!).  I'm sharing a song from the most important record in the world to me, when I was 19.

When I was an undergraduate student, I lived away from my parents for the first time in my life.  This was a scary and exciting time.  I was only about a 30 minute drive from my parents' home, but my university was in a big city, so different from the suburbs.  Coming home was a "big deal."  

When I came home to visit my family and friends, I stayed in my childhood bedroom.  It hadn't changed much.  There were still Pink Floyd posters on the walls, my baseball trophies, and school awards that my mom proudly hung on the walls.  There was one change though.  I had found my parents' old record player, and it now lived on my bedroom dresser.  

Photo by Great Beyond. (Creative Commons licensed.)

I grew up with CDs, so playing a record was always an event. My mom has an amazing collection of rock and soul albums.  But there was one album that I kept in the record player.  And one album that I listened to every time I came home.  That was Neil Young's Harvest.  I would close my bedroom door, and play the album over and over.  Things were different with my friends from home.  We weren't as close. I was making new friends at the university.  Things were different with my parents.  We weren't as close either. I was making my own decisions.  

It's hard to say exactly why this record resonated so strongly with me.  But it seems to celebrate loneliness.  And growing up can feel really lonely.

-Eric, NYC, USA   

Video: Heart of Gold, by Neil Young

Lyrics: Heart of Gold, by Neil Young

I want to live,
I want to give
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold.
It's these expressions
I never give
That keep me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
Keep me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.

I've been to Hollywood
I've been to Redwood
I crossed the ocean
for a heart of gold
I've been in my mind,
It's such a fine line
That keeps me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
Keeps me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.

Keep me searching
for a heart of gold
You keep me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm growing old.
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold.

Link New York City and Bejaia City by YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE song!

Hi Students and Teachers,

I wanna show you the way how our Blog is growing up, this last times the students from NYC and Bejaia City are really connected by using many different kind of projects and activities, I really appreciate all job made by students. 

Thanks a lot  for sharing them with us.

For this, please see the example bellow to understand and enjoy more.

Love with the complain. (An original translation from Urdu)

From: Waraich, Level 4 NYC

This is a Urdu poetry.  I did the translation in English.  Believe it or not, this is so hard.  It takes three to four hours.  Firstly, I look the right word, than correct sound and finally correct spelling.  After that I opened the dictionary in my language with nice cup of coffee.

When I   left  your love  after that .  

Problem comes to  me how  I will forget  you

My  heart  sadness  coming   to my  eyes.

The   gloomy  of  my   soul  how  I  show   you.

                                     .

                                   

When  loneliness   change   into the  poison

That  time   how   I   pass,  how   I  tell  you.

Some talks your love change to hate.

I afraid that talks, do not forget you.

______________________________________________

It's necessary, I say, I love you
Give me permission, I say, I love you


I confess and thousand time
I love you, I love you


Life is short for the love
Why the hearts are not clean, I love you


You are so beautiful with anger.
You have any complain, I love you.


You say something, I say something.
It's not necessary now, I say, I love you

______________________________________________

Note: Waraich typed this in class last Thursday, but we did not have time to finish publishing.  Everything you see above is his own hard work.  We will update later with images of the original Urdu text, and some information about the poet.

Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. (There are also many other languages used in Pakistan.)  Urdu is also spoken in parts of India and Bangladesh.

I added the photos of the text without Waraich.  I don't know if the correct images are with the appropriate translations.  If you know Urdu, please let me know!
  

-Eric, NYC, USA

Idiom of the Day: make a difference

Quote from US president John F. Kennedy: "One person can make a difference, and everyone should try." Photo by ginnerobot.

Idiom of the Day

make a difference: to have an effect

Context

The idea of this phrase is simple: even small actions are important.  You can make a difference by 

• reading to your child
• smiling to a stranger
• volunteering
• saying "hi" to your neighbors

Example Sentences

Dalai Lama XIV

American author.

From A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway, American author.

American author.

Seneca the Younger, Roman philosopher and dramatist.

American comedian.

Jane Goodall, British scientist and anthropologist famous for her work with primates.

Note: These visual quotes were made on TheQuoteFactory.com.  The site is free to use, and the images are free to download and distribute.  There are many options to customize the quote also.

Grammar and Usage

This idiom is in the affirmative and negative sense.

Affirmative

     This idiom is often used in present tense, or after by a modal verb like: can, will, must, should, etc.
     "You can make a difference by reading to your child."  In this example, I suggest an action you can take.  

Negative

Most often, the idiom is used with the pronoun it and auxiliary verb doesn't. "It doesn't make a difference."  This is similar to: "It doesn't matter."  This means: there will not be any effect.

Make a Difference on the Internet

If you search "make a difference" on the Internet, you will find many charitable organizations.  There is one website where you can make a difference without spending your money.  FreeRice.com has free quiz games on many subjects, including English Grammar and Vocabulary.  When you answer questions correctly, rice is donated to hungry people.  FreeRice.com is operated by The United Nations World Food Programme.

Brown rice, found on Wikipedia Commons, shared by user Fir0002. (This photo is Creative Commons licensed.)

Give it a try.  You can practice your English vocabulary, and make a difference at the same time!  Share your high scores here.

Now...practice in the comments!

What are some other ways one person can make a difference?
Did you have a favorite quote?  Was there a quote you didn't like?  Tell us why. (I didn't like Jack Kerouac's quote because...)

I'm still looking for the source for this image.  Do you know who created it?

Music: More About This Land Is Your Land

This Land Is Your Land has a long history in American culture.  So, naturally, there are a lot of great articles and media to enjoy about it.

On this post you will find:

• a link to a podcast history of the song
• a link to the This Land Is Your Land Project
• more performances of the song

Podcast
The story of Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land'
Learn more about Woody Guthrie, and the history of this song.  You can play the podcast, and read the text.  A podcast is like a radio program for the Internet.  

Want to share a performance with others?
This Land Is Your Land Project
The Public Broadcasting Service in the US has created a wonderful project, perfect for students and teachers who love to record performances of music. (I'm talking about you!  And me!)  This project is collecting performances from people all around the world.  They are going to create a "video-mosaic" combining different performances.  You can see an example of a video-mosaic bellow, where Woody Guthrie "performs" with U2, Arlo Guthie (Woody Guthrie's son), Bruce Springstein, Little Richard, and more.  Our classes could be part of this documentary!  Click on the link above to 

• Learn more about the project
• See and hear others perform the song
• Share your performance of the song

Video: This Land Is Your Land Video-Mosaic  


Video: Live Concert at the Washington Monument, in Washington, D.C., USA


Video: God Bless America
Some say that Woody Guthrie wrote This Land Is Your Land because he was tired of hearing God Bless America.  I would say that God Bless America is a patriotic song: it celebrates the nation, as something superior to other nations.  I would not call This Land Is Your Land patriotic, because it celebrates the people.  

Respond
Are you interested in performing This Land Is Your Land?
How can we collaborate on the performance?

Level 5 NYC: Maria M's Audio Story

Maria M is one of my talented students.  In her audio story, which includes some great music, she shares about her life in Nicaragua (Central America), and the many difficulties she and her family faced after moving to the United States, first in Miami (Florida), to Connecticut  to New York City---All in the pursuit of her dreams. Education is clearly important in her life.  Her story reveals her dedication and persistence, continuing her university education even after the birth of her son.  You may even learn something about the job responsibilities of an accountant.  (I really didn't know what accountants do at big companies!) 

She completed her audio story in the fall of 2012. (I saw her again last Thursday, and received her permission to share this.)

You can also see Maria performing in The Christmas Truce, with our friends Karina and Madjid.

Below, you will find the audio story, and the text for the narration.  Travel with her from Central America and up the coast of the US!


Audio: My Story

My Story 

By: Maria M.

Many years ago, I remember my beautiful city of Esteli in Nicaragua, the country where I was born, my high school study in a convent school called (Our Lady of the Rosary College),

Where I had many good friends, great teachers. I enjoyed my classes especially in the field of Spanish where we had to do many exhibitions of books and dramatizations of some stories, was very dynamic, I finished my high school in the year 1992.

Then I study bilingual secretary for two years at a technical school, my career was not over, because I felt the need to seek a better opportunity for the future, even without financial resources, I had help from my mom to finance my career, who take the opportunity to make an application being classified in college in my second option Accounting and finance, because the first choice was Business Administration.

In 1995 I enters college in which the first three years of study in Estelí in public accounting and finances,The career heavy as it applies much mathematics, but mostly much financial analysis of any company, I most enjoyed was the management company, because it was very interesting and very important, Three years after I graduated technician in this career in the year 1997.

Then I moved to the capital of Nicaragua (Managua), where I completed two years of study to get a degree in public accounting.

In the year 1998 my dear son was born at 7 am on the 24th, one of the happiest days of my life. I remember I was going through Nicaragua Hurricane Jeanne, this caused much damage to our country, destroyed houses, bridges,cities were cut off, landslides, volcanoes which killed many people, buried in mud caused by torrential downpours.

After seven months of having my son, I continued my studies at the University, culminating in 1999, I receiving my B.A.

Then I did a job application for a company that was engaged in the purchase and sale of tires for vehicles of all kinds. The tires were from Guatemala, Panama, USA and Ecuador, the brands Goodyear, Continental, Firestone among others, I started working for this company as a bookkeeper where I had many jobs as cash accounts, processing checks for suppliers of the company, verify that all vouchers have complete documentation, record the data in a particular accounting system and do all that the accountant general and administrative department requested. But the area where most enjoyed was serving as Head of the Imports, which was to manage all customs formalities as documentation verifying that the goods were correct and complete payment of customs duties, warehouse service payment, once the merchandise enters into the hold of the company, this has to be prepared for sale, as posting it in the inventory of the company with their respective costs incurred, Check price lists and finally Put into the store for sale. This in itself was entire mechanism when it was concerned with Import.

After four years working in this company I was assigned as a counter, in which my work had much more responsibility to those I already had. I worked for this company for six years, in which every year, I received recognition for my work as well as increases in salary.


In 2006 we decided together with my husband and son to move to U.S.A, for the purpose of seeking the American dream. We first arrived in the city of Miami, which had many experiences. It is noted that it has been very hard. The first jobs are very physical that one acquires, due primarily to the lack of language proficiency. It reduces many opportunities, primarily what we did was to find a school for my son. I signed up immediately, my son came to dominate the language six months after.

My first job was in a factory where all clothing selected under very bad conditions, no air conditioning just fans. Eight hours I was standing, my arms rested not until it was time for lunch. I work one year in this place.

In 2008, we decided to move to the city of New York, in order to continue looking for better opportunities and also wanted to be near my husband's family. We first decided to stay in Connecticut, because there in lie my nephews who assured us work. After a month to live in this place I could not find work and frustration was eminent, then I found a job at a bakery on the recommendation. The schedule was super heavy. I came at 6 pm and did not leave until I finished pack all the bread out of the large ovens. Most of the time I was out at 3 in the morning. It was the same. my arms and legs with long standing pain.

At six months, we finally decided to move to my in-laws in New York, a small apartment, but we had no way out. After three months I got a job in a supermarket where I continuous working. I work six days a week, three days in the area of ​​Deli, two days a cashier, I cook a day, in this area is where I think a lot and I tell myself, I have to keep studying English for many years keep my studies.

We live in New York almost four years. We rented an apartment in which we live alone three. My son is about to start high school. I occasionally go out for a walk in Manhattan, the place I love most is Central Park , Time Square. I'd like the statue of liberate, museums, St. Patrick's Church and other tourist attractions.

Note that my goal is to master the language very well, to get a better job opportunity, and above all be able to go back to my country, Nicaragua, hug my mother with my brothers, to visit my old friends.

The celebration of last day of English learning ESOL Level 4

Hi Everyone,

Last week on Thursday, we (Level 4) celebrated the last day of our English learning by making some special dishes and stuffs adding some beautiful songs that we do like them a lot!

without delay, I let you see our videos. 
Enjoy! 
 

Music: Peter & The Wolf with David Bowie

A wolf scares the sheep. This image is from the German children's story
Wolf und sieben Geisslein (The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids) by Leutemann or Offterdinger, photo by Harke, from Wikimedia Commons.  Wolves are often used in the children's stories of Europe.  They are usually symbols of fear and cunning.  Sheep are usually symbols of innocence. What animals are common in stories from your country?

Do you want to learn about orchestral music?
Peter and the Wolf combines a fantastic tale with a lesson on orchestral music.  You will learn to distinguish the many sounds of the many instruments in an orchestra.  When you listen, try to visualize the instruments that you hear.  When you visualize, you create a picture in your mind.  Visualizing is an important skill for strong readers, and when you visualize new English vocabulary, you may remember it better.

-Eric, NYC

About the Song
Peter and the Wolf is a composition written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936 in the USSR. It is a children's story (with both music and text by Prokofiev), spoken by a narrator accompanied by the orchestra. (from Wikipedia.org)

On this post you will find:

• videos with the music and narration by David Bowie (in four parts)
• the text for David Bowie's narrated version under each video
• an additional video, with narration from Patrick Stewart, which includes footage of a ballet performance of the story and music.

The complete song will be displayed in four parts, with the text for that part beneath each video.

Video: Part 1

This is the story of Peter and the wolf.

Each character in the tale is going to be represented by a different instrument of the orchestra. For instance, the bird will be played by the flute. (Like this.) 

A flute (left) and an oboe (right), from El Bibliomata.

Here's the duck, played by the oboe. 

The cat by the clarinet. 

Clarinets, from El Bibliomata.

The bassoon will represent grandfather. 

A bassoon, from the front and back, from Wikipedia Commons (This image is in the Public Domain.)

The wolf by the French horns. 

A french horn, from El Bibliomata.

And Peter by the strings. 

The strings, from El Bibliomata. In this image, we see the double-bass (largest), the viola (second largest), and two violins (smallest).

The blast of the hunters' shotguns played by the kettle drums.

A kettle drum (also known as a timpani), from Antur on Wikimedia Commons.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin.

Early one morning, Peter opened the gate and went out into the big green meadow.

On a branch of a big tree sat a little bird, Peter's friend. "All is quiet. All is quiet," chirped the bird gaily. Yes all is quiet.

Video: Part 2

Just then a duck came waddling round. She was glad that Peter hadn't closed the gate and decided to take a nice swim in the deep pond in the meadow.

Seeing the duck, the little bird flew down upon on the grass, settled next to her and shrugged his shoulders. "What kind of bird are you if you can't fly?" said he. 

To this the duck replied: "What kind of bird are you if you can't swim?" and dived into the pond.

They argued and argued, the duck swimming in the pond and the little bird hopping along the shore.

Suddenly, something caught Peter's attention. It was a cat crawling through the grass.

The cat thought: "The bird is busy arguing, I'll just grab him." Stealthily she crept towards him on his velvet paws.

"Look out!" shouted Peter and the bird immediately flew up into the tree, while the duck quacked at the cat, from the middle of the pond. 

The cat walked around the tree and thought, "Is it worth climbing up so high? By the time I get there the bird will have flown away."

Video: Part 3 

Just then grandfather came out. He was angry because Peter had gone in the meadow. "It is the dangerous place. If a wolf should come out of the forest, then what would you do?"

But Peter paid no attention to his grandfather's words. Boys like Peter aren't afraid of wolves.

But grandfather took Peter by the hand, locked the gate and led him home.

No sooner had Peter gone, than a big grey wolf came out of the forest.

In a twinkling the cat climbed up into the tree. The duck quacked, and in her excitement jumped out of the pond. But no matter how hard the duck tried to run, she couldn't escape the wolf.

He was getting nearer, nearer, catching up with her. 

Video: Part 4

And then he got her and with one gulp swallowed her.

And now, this is how things stood: the cat was sitting on one branch, the bird on another, not too close to the cat. And the wolf walked round and round the tree, looking at them with hungry eyes.

In the meantime, Peter, without the slightest fear, stood behind the gate watching all that was going on. He ran home, got a strong rope, and climbed up the high stone wall. One of the branches of the tree, around which the wolf was walking, stretched out over the wall.

Grabbing hold of the branch, Peter lightly climbed over on to the tree. Peter said to the bird: "Fly down and circle over the wolf's head. Only take care that he doesn't catch you."

The bird almost touched the wolf's head with his wings while the wolf snapped angrily at him, this side and that.

How that bird teased the wolf! And how the wolf wanted to catch him! But the bird was clever, and the wolf simply couldn't do anything about it.

Meanwhile, Peter made a lasso and carefully letting it down and down and down, caught the wolf by the tail and pulled with all his might.

Feeling himself caught, the wolf began to jump wildly trying to get loose.

But Peter tied the other end of rope to the tree, and the wolf's jumping only made the rope round his tail tighter.

Just then the hunters came out of the woods, following the wolf's trail and shooting as they went.

But Peter, sitting in the tree, said: "Don't shoot! Birdie and I have already caught the wolf. Now help us take him to the zoo."

Now just imagine, just imagine the triumphant procession. Peter at the head. After him the hunters leading the wolf. And winding up the whole procession grandfather and the cat.

Grandfather shook his head discontentedly. "Well, if Peter hadn't caught the wolf? What then?"

Above them flew Birdie chirping merrily. "My, what brave fellows we are, Peter and I! Look what we have caught!"

And if one would listen very carefully, he would hear the duck quacking inside the wolf, because the wolf, in his hurry, had swallowed her alive.

Video: Ballet Performance of Peter and the Wolf, with narration by Patrick Stewart

Respond
What did you learn from this post?