LA BEFANA

Italy is one of my favourite countries. Beauty and harmony are the best features of the language, art and culture of this country. That is why looking for articles on Italy and learning different things make me happy.

Nowadays Christians are celebrating Christmas. Next week we are going to celebrate the New Year. So, I have found an interesting belief to share with you. It is called La Befana. La Befana is known mostly in Italy. Befana is an old and ugly witch who delivers gifts and sweets to children in Christmas just like Santa Claus. Do not be afraid of her as she is a witch. Actually, she is a kind witch because it is believed that she cleans the houses that she enters before leaving. She does not frighten children. However, she gives coal, which is made of black sugar, to bad children. You know that Santa Claus has reindeer. He flies with his sledge. Italian’s lovely witch, on the other hand, flies on her stick and wears a black shawl. She enters the houses through the chimneys like Santa Claus does.

There are some stories and legends about La Befana in Italy. One of them tells that Befana got lost while she was following the wise men in the Bible. She has been visiting children since she got lost. According to another legend, Befana’s child dies one day and she mourns for her child. She gets the news of Jesus’ birth and wants to see him. She finds the baby Jesus and she makes him happy with the presents that she brings. Then, Jesus regards Befana as the mother of every child in Italy.

La Befana is still as popular as Christmas itself in Italy. The Italians remember the mother Befana every year with the festivals. Many women are prepared to seem like Befana and they sweep the streets during the festivals as a tradition. Children want to be the good one to be loved by Befana and to get the most delicious candies. In short, the Italians love and respect La Befana even if it is just an old custom.

VIDEO REFLECTION: A Great Presentation of La Befana’s Story

This video was shot in Italy for the tourists. You see a woman who is telling the story and she is acting as if she were La Befana. However, I can say that she is very good at her job. The way she tells the story is very effective. In addition, it is very informative for those who do not know La Befana. Moreover, it is told so entertainingly that children may like it. The place that the video was shot is beautiful. Actually, I like all the places in Italy. In addition, the actress or the tourist guide in the video amazed me in many aspects. She is very talented. I liked her smiling face. I hope you also like this video and learn more about La Befana.

THE MESSAGE IN THE DIARY

Do we really empathize with our parents when they get old? This is the question that comes to my mind after watching this video. I watch this kind of videos to remember the importance of family because I am afraid that I am not emotional enough to show my love and care to those that I love. I do not want to hide the things that I want to say. I know that they are aware of my affection but I just do not want to be late for them and for the things we could share together. So, I like this video because it makes me question myself. I consider about my attitudes towards my family and my friends.

The video is very striking for me. The son gets angry as his father keeps on asking questions. What the father is looking for is not the answer but love according to me. He wants his son to speak with him. Old people are like children. They are delicate. However, the father gives a great message even if he is broken after his son shouts at him. He brings his diary and asks his son to read the page that he chooses. We learn that he was much more patient when his son asked questions to him in the past. He used to hug his son after each question. He is a good father. Actually he is a real dad because they say that every man can be a father but a few can become a dad.

The end of the video is also very touching. I hardly bear looking at the father’s face because he is so sad. He is sad but he is next to his son. It is really nice because it reminds me that we have no one or nothing but our families. We need them when we are happy and sad. We need to feel their sincerity. I hope I will never turn out to be a bad child and upset my family. I hope we can be there when they need us.

SUMMERHILL SCHOOL

Summerhill is one of the most amazing schools in the world. It was founded by a great philosopher, A. S. Neill. I think it must be a model school for most of the schools today and everyone should read Neill’s works in order to understand him. He knows how to deal with children because he knows children’s nature and interests. For this reason, anyone who wants to be an effective and successful teacher or a self-dependent student should start thinking about education after meeting with Neill’s ideas. Summerhill School is the living proof of possibility that the opinions such as Neill’s can bring success and happiness.

There are classes for the age groups from 5 to 15 in Summerhill. However, there is no obligation to attend these classes. In addition, there are no class examinations. If a student wants to play, he or she plays instead of going to classes. If he or she wants to see what is going on in the classes, he or she attends the class without wearing a school uniform. Everyone is totally free. Both teachers and students have equal rights. No one can interfere with the others’ free zones. If you are a student of Summerhill, you are responsible for yourself because you take the responsibility of your choices. If you do not attend the classes, it is your decision. On the other hand, it is a truth that the child will eventually feel bored of playing games and be curious about the classes. This is the policy of Summerhill. They let children be children when they are children. They make the school fit the child. Hence, children have a much more healthy process of growing and learning. They learn what the freedom means, what the democracy is and how to be themselves.

Teachers in Summerhill do not steal the joy of life, discovery and dealing with problems from children. They do not help them all the time. Instead, they expect children to find solutions on their own. They create a kingdom of children. Nothing is more important than them. They respect children’s individuality and personality. They believe in children and are always on their sides.

After all these, it is not hard to guess that Summerhill School is the happiest school in the world. I hope it will be there for a long time to make more children happy and free. You can watch the short documentary of Summerhill above and see happy faces. I really like this video because it shows me my dreamland. All in all, Summerhill School and A. S. Neill still affect education and educational theories.

AGE OF AQUARIUS

As we get closer to 21 December, fear and suspense within people are increasing because there are many negative comments on this day. Most of the people believe that it is the end of the world and life. Doomsday is coming. As a proof, they show us the Mayan Calendar because their calendar ends up on 21 December 2012.  Hence, this must be the end of the world, they say. However, what I suggest is a different attitude towards this day. I think every end is actually a new start. From this point, 21 December is the day of a new age. Astrologists call it ‘’Age of Aquarius’’ and some call it ‘’New Age’’ or ‘’the Millennium’’. And if you want me to show you a proof, I can find one and disprove the claim of catastrophic end of the world put forward by the others.

The picture on the left is taken from an ancient Mayan book known as Dresden Codex. This image depicts the winter solstice of 2012 and the end of time. There is a mythical water bearer in the middle and he announces the end of the age but also the starting of a new age. Water bearer is the symbol of Aquarius in astrology, so this new age called Aquarius was known by the Mayans.

Astrologists expect this new age to bring peace, happiness and success for people. Moreover, people themselves will feel the difference in their lives. They will improve themselves.

In last, you can have many sources related to this subject. Some are bad and some are good. Some are pessimistic and some are optimistic. If you are lucky, you can get even some realistic approaches. I strongly advise you to be optimistic and realistic as much as possible because it is your life and your philosophy of life influences it mostly. I believe that what you think and feel comes to you finally. I do not say that after 21 December, we will pass an old age and start to experience a new life or the world will die. I am not an expert in astrology. I just want to go on my life in a better way and that is why I appreciate the Age of Aquarius.

You can also listen to this song by Hair with lyrics and learn more about Age of Aquarius. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37s6nPeclX0

 

 

MAMALUNGA: BEST of MACEDONIA

Hi dear visitors, especially the Mexicans, 

Mamalunga is a traditional meal from Macedonian cuisine. It is originally served with molasses but we will give you recipes of four different sauces as we know you like trying new tastes. We also suggest you to find many other dips to eat with Mamalunga. Use your creativity to dress it. You will enjoy both preparing and eating this meal. It is easy and practical.

Mamalunga is cheap both if you want to cook it at home and eat at our restaurants. A portion of Mamalunga with whichever sauce you choose is only 2.50 Euro.  

We present you not only spicy sauces but also sweet ones because Mamalunga is a special meal and it can be eaten in several ways and with varied ingredients.

 
1. Mamalunga with Peppery Sauce

You need: 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 cup of diced red onion, 3 cups of diced tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil, 2 medium chilli peppers, 4 habanero peppers, 1 cup of distilled white vinegar, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of white sugar

Over medium heat in a large saucepan, heat oil and add the onion, chilli peppers, habanero peppers and garlic. Cook the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. Stir continuously. Reduce heat. Add vinegar, tomatoes, salt and sugar. Stir until the tomatoes break down, roughly 6 minutes. Place mixture in blender and blend until a puree is formed. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Let the mixture cool for an hour.

 
2. For the second optional sauce, ingredients are:

2 cups of tomatoes(seeded and diced), 5 cloves of garlic(peeled and chopped), 4 pickled jalapenos(canned or jarred) chopped, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 5 green olives (coarsely chopped), 1 tablespoon of oregano, 1 tablespoon of capers, 1/4 cup of water

Warm the oil in a medium saucepan. Saute the garlic briefly to release the flavours. Add the tomatoes and cook over low heat until the tomatoes soften, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and add salt to taste. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

 
3. For a sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup of white sugar, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, 2/3 cup of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.

 
4. For another sweet and sour sauce:

2 cups of water, 2/3 cup of distilled white vinegar, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste, 1 (8 ounce) can of pineapple

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together water, distilled white vinegar, white sugar, tomato paste, pineapple tidbits and cornstarch. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until mixture reaches desired colour and consistency.

 
Group Members: Emel Çelik, Hateme Aysel Çalışkan, Tuğçe Aslan, Buse Çalışkan, Arzu Akkaya

ERROR ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

1. The characteristics of an ideal university are to have opportunities for quality education, settlement, free transportation, low-cost living conditions, employment opportunity after graduation, potential for social life and to be free-barrier campus.

Edited Version:

The characteristics of an ideal university can be summed up in a few headlines. One of them is the educational quality of university. Additionally, an ideal university should offer good facilities such as dormitories, social activities and free transportation between the faculties. Life conditions should be reasonable for students in financial terms and the campus should be without barriers. Lastly, an ideal university should be prestigious and famous so that graduate students can find jobs easily.

 

 2. i am happy because being a student at Metü means learning to stand on its own feet as an individual since Metü gives its students a sense of responsibility in every field by forcing them to make everything by themselves such as registration, taking courses or following assignments. Everybody learns being responsible for the things they do themselves from the courses they take to various activities they engage in.

Edited Version:

I am happy to be a student at METU because it means learning to stand on your own feet as a free individual. METU gives the sense of responsibility in every field by encouraging us to make everything by ourselves such as course registrations, attending the lessons and dealing with assignments. Everybody learns how to take responsibility this way and with other activities they do on their own.

 

Journal Entry 1: PARTS OF SPEECH

Italians Invent Spreadable Beer

by Carol King

Beer lovers can now enjoy their favourite tipple on toast thanks to a beer pâté launched by Italian food makers.

The invention is the result of joint venture between two companies from Lazio, the Rieti chocolate-maker Napoleone and Cittareale brewery Alta Quota. They say the spread is great on toast, as a cake filling, and with cheese or appetisers.

The makers debuted the pâté at the Salone del Gusto food fair in Turin, where chocolate maker Pietro Napoleone described his creation as “like a sweet, beer-scented jelly.”

There are two kinds of beer spread: one is delicate, while the other has a more intense aroma and stronger taste. The pâté is made using two beer varieties from Alta Quota, Omid dark ale and Greta blond ale.

Alta Quota’s Claudio Lorenzini said: “This is not the first time in Italy and in Europe that someone has tried to make a non-liquid beer, but the experiments carried out have not been successful because the combination of ingredients was not a winner. We believe that we have found the right formula with the use of high-quality products....”

Napoleone said of his collaboration to produce the culinary innovation: “For us this is the future.”

Adjectives: culinary, favourite, great, beer-scented, intense

Verbs: enjoy, say, make, believe, invent

Adverbs: now, at the Salone del Gusto food fair in Turin, in Italy, in Europe

Objects: their favourite tipple, the pate, his creation

Subjects: beer lovers, the makers, Pietro Napoleane, we

Phrases: have not been successful, have found, has tried, for us, launched by, to make a non-liquid beer

Independent Clauses: ,where chocolate maker Pietro Napoleane described his creation as ‘’like a sweet, beer-scented jelly, but the experiments carried out have not been successful…, that someone has tried to make non-liquid beer

Dependent Clauses: For us this is the future, there are two kinds of beer spread…, beer lovers can now enjoy…

Pronouns: their, they, his, this, we, us

Nouns: tipple, toast, invention, kinds, beer, products, appetisers, Claudio Lorenzini

MYTHOLOGY AND MORE ABOUT ME

Mythology is the study of ancient stories, beliefs, gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines. Almost every culture has its own mythology. History is full of factual things and a part of it includes fiction. To be honest, sometimes I am more interested in this fiction part because seeing how people interpret the nature and events is amazing. They call this fiction part mythology. It existed even before the philosophy and it still inspires us. When we read a poem, we can face some allusions from mythology. Many science-fiction and fantasy books refer to mythological legends and characters. Films about mythology are breathtaking. Some psychological syndromes are named after mythological heroes. You see the effects of mythology in the modern world. It does not matter those stories were told million years ago or whether they make sense.

I confess that I am an addicted. I get really excited when I find a new story from mythology. It is a strange but deep feeling for me. It turned out to a passion. Whenever I have an article about the old ages, I really go there in my mind. I imagine that I am afraid of the world and I try to make my own story to feel good. I guess I do this because life may be boring occasionally. I follow this way to freshen up. It works on me.

I love comparing the myths of different cultures. Is not it surprising that most of the myths are related to one another? In fact, it has a logical explanation. All the questions which human beings have asked for many years are the same. For this reason, all the answers are similar somehow. These answers create stories. The stories are told by many people. They make me think profoundly and then a big smile comes on my face. J

I'm usually working on my own mythology, my own realm of created characters. Stories in mythology inspire me, though I may not be conscious of it.
Anne Rice

FIFTY PEOPLE, ONE QUESTION

 

I spent my weekend studying. It was really hard-press because I had exams and assignments. I had barely find time to relax. I was really tired and a little bored of studying. I just wanted to entertain myself. I could watch a film but it would last long and I had no time. The only reasonable thing for me to do was to watch short films. And the story of my video reflection assignment begins just like that.

Most of the short films are very creative and it is worth watching them. I think they are more meaningful than the normal films. Watching a short film is like reading a poem. When you read poems, you realize that you can get many ideas from a few words. Similarly, short films make you think about different things and understanding the message of any short film is a good and satisfying feeling.

The film I choose for you may not be a typical short film, it can be said that it is only an interview. But you will find much more than an interview in this video. I should explain why I posted this one and why I did not share a more famous or prize-winning short film with you. Firstly, when I saw the title of the film ''Fifty People, One Question'', I wondered the question and I wanted to see those people. You see the faces and mimics. Some people are really surprised and start to laugh but others think seriously. It is enjoyable to try to guess the question by looking at the people and their gestures carefully. They are very cute. Some of them have interesting and touchy looks. That is what draws my attention in this video. If I were a photographer, I would make an exhibition showing different people's photos or if I were a painter, I would sell portraits. I mean, I like different faces and I can look at them without getting bored. Secondly, the songs playing in the background reflect the emotionality of the film. You can enjoy both slow music and upbeat music. In this way, you do not feel any boredom. Lastly, the best reason to watch this video is that it makes you turn to yourself and ask the question. Well, what is the question then?

By the end of the day, what would I wish to happen?

People in this video want marriage, more money, to be a millionaire, more sex, a perfect day, dreams that will come true, to find a job, world peace, to wake up, their family members back, to be happy… They answer the question sincerely. They are repeating the question. ''For the end of today?'', they ask stressing ''today''. That shows that they have not thought it before. The question finds them at an unexpected time. And they go on their works with a lot of question marks. How dramatic!

Of course I asked what my answer would be to myself. To understand my lessons, to finish my works?... ''No.'' I said immediately, I wanted to get out of the mood I was in and forget all of my duties just for a second. There must have been a different answer.

Now it is your turn, what would you wish to happen?                          

Note:  Please watch the video in full screen to see the people well. :)

ERROR CORRECTION WORKSHEET

1. When ı first heard that ı had been accepted to Middle East Technical Unıversity, ı was disappointed. Because ı did not like Ankara as a city. But my opinions have changed over time dramatically. Because Middle East Technical Unıversity is really a different world in Ankara. 2. It has been only one month since I came here. But I got used to this environment. Because, first of all, people from all of ages in here respect to each other. 3. I love Ankara,I love my dormitory,I love my new friends, I love my department,I am content with everything which are belongs to METU. 4. If someone wants to walk , he or she can go and walk. And it is nice place to go and meet with my friends 5. We can easily see this by watching TV,surfing on the internet or maybe just looking around us.Because there are many people getting graduated from different kinds of universities but they're not even able to know what's going on around them or they don't even try to find good ways to improve the countries yhat they live in.

 The paragraph above has some mistakes. I underlined some of the mistakes and wrote them in red. The subject I must be written in capital. There are fragments in some sentences beginning with because. They must be connected to the previous sentences. Unıversity is a wrong word and it must be ‘university’. I think it would be better not to use as a city.  We should notice that really a different is a wrong determinative group. In here is also wrong because in is a redundant preposition, we cannot use it with here. And we can put the word ‘here’ at the end of the sentence. ‘People of all ages’ can be an alternative for people from all of ages. And saying ‘a month’ sounds better than ‘one month’ for me. What is wrong with are belongs is its grammar. If it starts with ‘are’, then the verb ‘to belong’ can be used only in –ing form, which is wrong because it is a special verb and we cannot use it with the present continuous tense. So it must be used only with the present tense. In the sentence it is nice place, an article is missing. We should add there ‘a’. In the last sentence maybe yhat would be written as ‘what’ but even if we use ‘what’, it is still wrong. We can say ‘where they live’, ‘which they live in’, ‘that they live in’, and ‘in which they live’. And in the same sentence, I think ‘because’ is not related to the previous sentence, so there is no need to use it. You can read the reformed paragraph below:

When I first heard that I had been accepted to Middle East Technical University, I was disappointed because I did not like Ankara. But my opinions have changed over time dramatically because Middle East Technical University is a really different world in Ankara. It has been only a month since I came here. But I got used to this environment because, first of all, people from all of ages respect each other here. I love Ankara, I love my dormitory, I love my new friends, I love my department, and I am content with everything which belongs to METU. If someone wants to walk, he or she can go and walk. And it is a nice place to go and meet with my friends. We can easily see this by watching TV, surfing on the Internet or maybe just looking around us. There are many people getting graduated from different kinds of universities but they are not even able to know what is going on around them or they do not even try to find good ways to improve the countries where they live.

Journal Entry 4: A MOTTO FOR METU

When I first watched the video of the slogan of METU, I said to myself ‘’Yes, that is it! That is what I am looking for.’’ It was a great reference for a student who is considering about which university to choose or go. It was really encouraging. After listening those people, one may want to be like them. So we can really think of METU as the slogan says.

Actually there is a point I want to share. We all come across with ‘’I brain ODTÜ’’ or ‘’I think of ODTÜ’’. Some say ‘’I brain METU’’ or ‘’I think ODTÜ’’. I think we should decide which one to use. Slogan is in English. But why we are using ODTÜ?  Is not it better to complete the sentence with METU? I say so because some people find it funny.

The slogan is meaningful only with the video. I think of METU or I brain METU but why? Because you can change the world, you can think freely, you are aware of the things that are going on around you, you try to find solutions, you study hard and question everything. It does not only give us reasons to be a member of METU but it also tells us how a real university should be like. It makes us say that ‘’Yes, I can do it’’ or ‘’I want to be there’’.  That means the slogan is successful because it has the potential to reach its aims. It attracts the students who watched the video.  Because young people want to do something different and change the rules and they always think about the situations related to the world, themselves and other people. They have enough energy to get their goals. The video touches their hidden energy and idealist thoughts.

METU is a place where you can notice your real being and capacity. You have all the things which you may need while you are trying to create new knowledge, put it into practice in real life and share it. You have an incredible power. That is why I have come up with such a slogan: ‘’METU, address of the POWER!’’ I am sure we will be stronger from every angle, thanks to METU. And we will learn how to use this precious power to change the world.

AN ABSURD INVASION

http://www.dvolver.com/live/movies-779452

Journal Entry 3: PICTURE OF AN IDEAL UNIVERSITY

It is important to study at a valuable university. We should find a university at which we can improve ourselves. Of course improvement is mostly an individual process but the environment we are surrounded by affects us more or less. I mean a successful student can prosper even if he or she is studying in bad conditions. But it is always a privilege to be a student at a university which really deserves its name and fame.

An ideal university should be as dynamic as its students. It understands the needs of youth and society. Before demanding something from you, it gives you what is required. But it does not have to be in a direct way. I think this would be totally wrong. University is not like high schools. We must focus on learning as much as possible with our own instincts. Reading, writing, researching, and so on must not be just because we are told to do by our instructors or we will have exams. A real university makes its members realize this. Because I don’t think that we can be good at our jobs in the future if we perceive our assignments as boring duties. There is a deep meaning of all these studies and if we try to see it, I am sure everything will turn out to be pleasant. METU meet my expectations in this respect. When I do something, I know why I am doing it. Every lesson is a kind of brainstorming.

Another characteristic of an ideal university comes from its modernity. It is open to new ideas and technologies. It can predict what future is going to be like. And it has the power of changing the world just like METU’s slogan: We can change the world.

The last but the most significant quality of an ideal university is freedom. It is full of people who know what is freedom and democracy. It has facilitates so that students feel comfortable. At a free university, each student has a place to shine. They find their truths and follow their own roads. They can explain what they believe in fearlessly. METU has a praiseworthy atmosphere of liberty. There are different student clubs and they work freely and successfully. This is just one of the demonstrations. METU is an exciting university to explore.

Journal Entry 2: A NEW START

Being  a student at METU means leading a meaningful life to me. I have the opportunity to question my own being deeply and know myself better. I do it with the help of my teachers. They show me the ways of thinking and searching. For example, Introduction to Education course makes me think about why I am here. I try to find what education is in my opinion. I have learned that I should be more familiar with philosophy to understand what is going on. Dealing with some problems of education reminds me that I am not a child anymore. I can do something useful. That makes life purposeful because I have dreams to catch.

I am really happy to study at such a university. METU is like another world or maybe a parallel universe. People can express their thoughts freely and discuss anything. They are accepted as they are. They do not have to create fake identities or hide their real characters.  I think it is the most important thing expected from a university. METU is famous for this feature. I know and everybody knows that it offers many facilities. But without its freedom vision, they are nothing.

It took a little time to adjust to doing everything on the Internet. The most stressful moment I had here was course registrations. There was nothing complicated and actually I am not bad at using computers and Internet but I did not want to do something wrong.  It was the first time for me to choose my courses in that way. I was so worried that I had so many questions in my mind even after I got my approval. Then I was relieved somehow.

I have not faced any serious challenges so far. I am accustomed to staying in dormitories and being far away from my family because I graduated from a boarding school. I think it is enjoyable to control your life on your own.

That is all for me to write. I am where I want to be, which gives me the biggest pleasure. METU is a great university!

 

 

Hello!

Hello everyone who is visiting my blog.The last time traveller is ready for a wonderful journey with you :) Come and have fun!
Universe contains much to explore and we still know very little.Time is calling us...We will go to the past and sometimes to the future without skipping the present time.Because I agree with Pooh :)

Well,I have my own time machine but I need some friends.It must be better to learn together.See you...