Blue Eyes Samurai

It’s that time of the weekend when you arrive home and feel the urge to search for a series that makes you fall in love with it. So, you make the coziest room at home (obviously with snacks and blankets), but, all of a sudden, a problem appears: you don’t have any idea about what to watch. Therefore, you sit down and eagerly start to search for the best piece of audiovisual art. Nevertheless, Netflix only has one good thing: their animation studio. And then, the module of the new series emerged on the screen. Your eyes make contact with the trailer, the title is interesting too. 

Completing all the process will take you a big amount of time, so I wish to help you choose an enjoyable Netflix series. I need to be fair and to put a trigger warning since this series is not apt for everybody -it contains explicit contents like gore (a lot of violence and blood) or sex. You can figure out with whom to watch it. 

Blue eyes samurai is a story that talks about Mizu’s revenge, a swordswoman from Japan that was born of a Japanese woman and a white man. Mizu bears all the shame of being mixed-race, because in the Edo period the gates were closed again and the white men were supposed to have escaped from there. All our anti-hero wants to do is to kill the four white men that were on the Island when she was born. At first, we can understand the reasons why she wants revenge, the main one is the way people treat her as they see her as an Onryo. An Onryo is a demon from Japanese mythology that has blue eyes, like her, and seeks for revenge (the show has a chapter devoted to this ghost and its story making parallels with Mizu). Summarizing all and adding the harsh life she had to face makes the plot too good to be true just when new characters show themselves off like Princess Akemi and her relationship with her father and Taigen. Each one develops themselves in a unique way that can make you sympathize with them or, on the contrary, make you hate all the interactions they have.

This series only has one season launched, so all the viewers are waiting for the second one. Hopefully, Netflix put in some news and concept art for us to see the masterpiece they are making, because, like a little kind of artist, the work and effort they are putting in it is astonishing. Even there are such slight details like the colors of each chapter that make sense with the plot (talking about color psychology). The composition and harmony of the piece makes you capable of taking a pause and thinking that on the screen there is a separate illustration, nothing compared to other series.

I don’t want to spoiler you about the show. Even if you think you don't like it, give it a chance, because it was made so smoothly that it became one of the most popular shows on Netflix in weeks. And if you want to know more about it, Netflix has posted more information on this web:

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/features/edo-period-japan-guide-blue-eye-samurai

 

Alexandra Dragomir Lupascu (2º BA)

La que se avecina

“La que se avecina” (Also known as LQSA) is a very popular TV show around Spain. It's a comedy intended for a youth group because of its dark humour. It's directed by Laura Caballero and his brother Alberto, and it got aired on April 22nd, 2007. This series is set in a building located in the suburbs called "Mirador de Montepinar", claiming to be a relaxing place where your dreams come true, until you meet the neighbours. LQSA contains unrealistic stories happening to its characters. In the first twelve seasons, our favourite neighbours live in Mirador de Montepinar. However, due to a problem unrelated to the plot they move to Contubernio 49 Street, located in the center of Madrid.

This new season has brought some new characters, some of whom come from Montepinar. Even other characters are from “Aquí No Hay Quien Viva”, which is a similar series to LQSA, but much older, where noisy neighbours are also living in a building.

CHARACTERS:

• Greta Garmendia is a pharmacist, mother of a teenager and passionate about video games. She is also the president of the community of owners of the building located at 49 Contubernio Street, which she leads harshly until Antonio Recio appears.

• Óscar Serra is described as a sought-after fashion photographer who enjoys the pleasures of life. This charismatic, seductive and wealthy character is always surrounded by attractive women.

• Victoria Rafaela is a sarcastic aristocrat who has become bankrupt and has had to sell the apartments in the building to survive.

• Noelia is Victoria's younger sister, with whom she has not spoken for 40 years. This disturbing woman returns to the building after spending a long time in a psychiatric center.

• Andy is an artist who works as a waitress.

• Giorgi is a gay boy who is afraid of pollution.

• Karma is an omnisexual Instagrammer.

• Antonio Recio Matamoros. In this season, the character shows his annoyance against Greta Garmendia and what it means to live in the city center.

• Berta Escobar, Antonio Recio's partner and former owner of 1ºC in the previous building. She is described as a Christian housewife.

• Bruno Quiroga Linares is a talented pianist with depression and anxiety.

• Fermín Trujillo usually stalks many women. He describes himself as an attractive and athletic man.

• Agustín Gordillo has a disorder that causes several personalities to emerge from him.

• Amador Rivas and Maite Figueroa are an ex-couple who never separates from each other, however Maite hates him.

• Coque Calatrava used to be Montepinar's janitor but he ended up leaving his job. In the new seasons he returns to being the janitor with the help of his former neighbors.

• Menchu Carrascosa and Yolanda Morcillo are a mother-daughter duo who often causes a lot of trouble.

• Fina Palomares is a retired old woman who is very noisy and she likes to mess up with everyone.

This new seasons left behind some iconic characters, like Raquel, Nines, Alba, Chusa, Enrique Pastor and Ongombo.

"La Que Se Avecina" is an iconic Spanish TV show which nowadays almost everyone has seen. It has made millions of people laugh for around seventeen years with its iconic characters, and I hope that it lasts for many more years.

TEASER:

Lorena Pagá Cruz (2º BA)

V Congreso Educando en Valores

El pasado jueves 22 de febrero, el alumnado de 1º Y 3º de la ESO, 1º de APSD y 1º y 2º de Educación Infantil asistieron al congreso "Educando en Valores" celebrado en el teatro El Silo desde las 9:00 hasta las 13:30 de la tarde. Estuvieron acompañados por doña Elena Guerra, don Luis Torres, doña Cristina Jiménez, don Francisco Díaz, doña Encarny Morales, doña Carmen Castro y doña Lola Pena.

Estuvimos hablando con los niños de 3º de la ESO y nos dijeron que diferentes personas les contaron anécdotas de su vida, como problemas o discapacidades físicas, rechazo a la orientación sexual de su hijo por parte de sus padres... Estas experiencias personales las transmitieron los participantes en el congreso con el objetivo de intentar enseñar y demostrar al público asistente que, por muchas dificultades que haya en la vida, es importante poder y saber continuar con ella. Según los niños, las canciones que cantaban las personas relacionadas con este congreso fueron lo que más animó al público.

Por otro lado, podemos nombrar la participación en este congreso de Laura Aguirre, Marina Josende, María Garal que recitó poemas mostrando que con ellos canalizaba sus emociones, Enrique Villena y la cantante, ​escritora, ​actriz​ y conferenciante​ española con parálisis cerebral conocida popularmente también por ser la ganadora del Talentshow ‘Tú sí que vales’ en 2011​ y, posteriormente, por su paso por el concurso televisivo ‘La Voz’ en 2019, Miriam Fernández.

Sara Amor Arroyo (2º BA)

CELEBRAMOS EL DÍA DE ANDALUCÍA

El pasado 23 de febrero, celebramos en nuestro centro el Día de Andalucía ofreciendo, tanto al alumnado como a los profesores, un desayuno molinero, gracias a la donación de batidos y cafés de COVAP, así como de aceite por parte de Olivalle. Para hacer esto posible, el recreo se alargó y transcurrió desde las 11 hasta las 12.

Natalia Gálvez Gálvez (2º BA)

Nijal Hamberg: "Don't give up, don't ever give up"

We have interviewed Nijal Hamberg,is a new language assistant who came this past year to our highschool nine hours from first to fourth grade.    

When were you born?
I was born on December 20th, 1995.


Where are you from?
I was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, USA, but I grew up in a small town next to Leominster called Lunenburg.


What have you studied?
I studied at the University of Southern New Hampshire and finished my bachelor's degree in Public Health. Also, I studied at the University of Florida, in Gainesville, Florida, for one semester.


What do you do for a living?
Back in the United States, I worked in finance. I started many years ago as a real estate agent, then I worked at a bank helping families get approved for loans. Lastly, I worked as a bookkeeper which is similar to an accountant but with fewer responsibilities.


Why did you decide to be a conversation assistant?
Although I have always worked in finance, I have been interested in teaching for a long time. I discovered this opportunity, and I was extremely excited to be able to learn what it is like as an assistant rather than being the main teacher. I knew this would allow me to get a better understanding of what it truly takes to be a teacher. Also, I knew it was an opportunity to live in Spain and improve my Spanish while also learning more about the daily life of the people here in Spain.


Do you like the experience?
It has been great so far. Everyone here has welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home. This experience has been better than I could’ve ever imagined. I have made many friends and learned a lot. I am extremely grateful for it.

Why did you choose Spain?

I have traveled to about 30 different countries while working remotely from my computer. Before coming here, I had visited Spain two times before. During these trips, I fell in love with the Spanish culture and its people. After returning home, I knew I had to find a way to get back to this beautiful country and learn more about it.


What has surprised you the most, positively and negatively, about Spain?
What surprised me the most about Spain is how different the schedule is here. For example, in the United States, we eat lunch around 12 and dinner around 5 or 6. This is neither a positive nor negative thing, but something that I found interesting and a little difficult to adjust to at first. One negative thing I encountered is that most stores here close during the day for a few hours. In the United States, this does not happen. It is normal to me now, but was inconvenient at first. Positively, I have appreciated the pure kindness of Spanish people. It is normal to see someone stopping on the street, taking time out of their day, to speak with each other. Or, it is normal to ask your neighbor for help when you need it. These things are not as common in the United States.


Would you like to come again to Spain in the future?
Yes! Actually, in the future, I would like to move to Spain permanently. This place now feels like a second home to me, and I hope to make it my new home someday.


Which is the thing that you miss more of your country?
What I miss the most about my country is my family. It is difficult to be far away from them for such a long time. Also, there are certain foods that I miss as well. As a vegetarian, it is sometimes difficult to eat at restaurants here.


Is the education here different in USA?
Yes, the structure is different. For example, we do not have bachillerato. In our high school, we have grades 9 to 12 which are students 14 to 18. Also, we start and end at different times than here. Our school day typically lasts from 8 to 3 every day. Lastly, students in the United States move to different classrooms for their subjects. In contrast, the teachers are the ones who move to the students here.


What countries have you visited?
I have visited around 30 countries. Most of them are in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and North America. I will put a list below in the chronological order that I visited them.

USA, Canada, Mexico, Aruba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Albania, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, Malta.

What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, running, learning new skills, reading books, and traveling.


What are your short and long term objectives and goals?
My biggest short-term goal is to become fluent in Spanish. Learning the language has been much more difficult than I anticipated. I know it will take a lot of time to study, but it will be worth it because I will be able to communicate with you all more and get to know you better. My biggest long-term goal is to start and run a successful online business so I can continue to travel the world and eventually move to Spain. I hope to visit every continent and 100 countries during my life.


Do you have a motto or phrase that motivates you?
Yes, I have a tattoo on my left arm with a quote written in my parents' handwriting. The quote reads, "Don't give up, don't ever give up," and was said during a speech by Jimmy Valvano, a renowned basketball coach in the United States.

Thanks for your time.

Lucía Castell Medina, Aya Nachidi Ammari (2º BA) y Noelia Ruiz Bravo (2º BB)