Who we are

The school: EOI lleida

The Official Language Schools are public centers dedicated to the teaching of languages to adults.

Our aim is to develop:

- the student's ability to use a language effectively as a general vehicle of communication.

- the acknowledgement of and respect for linguistic and cultural diversity as a tool for dialogue between different people.

 8 different languages are taught in our school: Arabic, Catalan, English, French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish for foreigners.

To know more about it visit  the school's website.

The teacher:  Dolors Farran

Hello everyone,

I am a teacher of English at the EOI Lleida and responsible for this project. I succeeded in finding partners in schools around Europe using eTwinning platform. I want to thank them all for their enthusiasm and for accepting my invitation. This is what gives the project a purpose and a reason to exist :  our willingness to exchange information about our countries in order to reach a better understanding of peoples and their culture. 

I have always been very interested in exploring the possibilities that New Technologies offer to learn and teach a foreign language. I am always on the lookout to provide my students opportunities to communicate in English in a real context. This project is the result of both interests. It intends not only to give them the chance to get to know other students of English but also the possibility to explain Catalonia to people who may know little about this part of the world we live in. Each student has chosen an aspect of our own culture, tradition, current lifestyle, geography...  that he or she was most interested in and has written about it. I hope you find it interesting.

The students:

Susana Roca

My name is Susana. I was born in 1975, in January the 11th. My birthplace was Palma de Mallorca, and I lived there until I was 6. Then we moved to Lleida, my home town now. I’m the third of 5 sisters ( I know, I know, so many women!!) and my family tree is a bit complicated!

I am married with the love of my life. We’ve been together since 2003. We have a daughter called Elodia (11) and our wee man Bruno, who is 8.

I love sinister music, going to concerts, spend time with my family and friends, terror films, and learning. And I am a big fan of Stephen King, I read near 60 books of him.

I worked as a beauty specialist s from the age 19 from 39, when I had to leave my job because of an illness. I’ve  had  two breast cancers  in the last 3 years and I half, and because of that I am not  able to work . And, of course, it changed all my life and the way I lived. 

Nowadays I am studying English ( fourth level) and  Political Sciences at online University.

The blog project is very interesting for me because I love writing, and learning things about other people from others countries.

I hope you enjoy our blog. Welcome and feel free to ask whatever you want.

Maria José

Hello!

My name is Maria José, I live in Lleida a city from Catalonia in the North East of Spain. I started learning English 2 years ago because I think it’s good to know the language  for travelling and helping  my sons with their English homework.  I would like being able to speak English fluency because for me  it’s a challenge since I was  a child  I am very bad at learning languages, but I am stubborn and I  have always  had these two thoughts  “never give up” and” there is a big lie in life to say I can’t”, So little by little I’ll try to be able each time to improve my English . So I'm trying to improve little by little.

 I’m 42 years old. I work as a civil servant. I like cooking for my family, I’m a bit imaginative I always invent new dishes with the ingredient that I have in my fridge, so I’ve never cooked the same dish twice. If somebody try a dish and would like to try again… I’m sorry but it will be impossible. However, I have a few dishes that I cook to the same way. I like practicing Brazilian Jujitsu it’s an amazing sport I fell in love with this sport three years ago  I go to the  gym three times a week and for the moment I have got the blue belt . This sport is a fight between two people but there isn’t violence just use the force without hitting. This sport makes me feel good and keep me fit. I have 2 children, they are 13 and 16 years old.  They are everything in my life. The youngest  is a active boy he is always happy and he is very affectionate. The oldest is a pretty girl she is adorable but a little bit smug. I would like imagine my children when they were old and to know how will their lives be because this makes me feel worried.

Paula 

Hi!

My name is Paula, I’m 18 years old. I’m from Sant Feliu de Guíxols but now I’m living in Lleida in a shared apartment with other girls that also live in my town. I’m studying Childhood Education in the University of Lleida, this is my first year of the degree. Moreover, I’m studying English in the Official School of Languages, I studied in the Official School for three years.

I think that have languages is very important for different reasons: in order to finish the degree, to look for a job, to communicate with other people, etc. I can speak and write very well Catalan and Spanish, and a little of English and French. Now I have the PET and the DELF B1 of French.

How DO I spend my free time? I like painting landscapes, and when I have time I go to classes of painting. Also, the weekends, when I arrive on my origin town I meet my friends and I visit my family, I love be with them. Another of my hobbies is  travelling, I visited different regions of Spain, like Lanzarote (Illes Canaries) and Andalusia (Granada, Còrdova, Sevilla, and Màlaga) and outside my country, I visited Italy (Naples), France (Lyon, Carcassonne) and Vienna, Austria. In the future I want to visit a lot of more countries and cities.

Marina

Hi!

My name is Marina Respecta and I’m 18 years old. Currently I’m living in Lleida with three oder students but I’m from Sant Feliu de Guíxols, a village in Girona.

I’m on my first year of the degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetic in the UdL (University of Lleida). When I finish my degree I would like to do a master in free animal protein diets or some other master related with that in another country.

This is the first year thatI'm studying English in the Official School of Languages. Before that I studied it in the school and in my house with a teacher who was from the UK. I’m studying English because I need it to finish my degree and because I think that nowadays it's something essential for everything.

I have a lot of hobbies. For example I love music. In my opinion without music there’s not life. I’m always listening to music or singing in my head or making rithms with anything. I also play the violoncello and the electric bass. Music makes me feel free and helps me to express my feelings.

Another of my hobbies is exploring the world. I love discovering different  countries with their cultures and meeting new people. I like travelling alone, with my family, with my friends… I don’t care. This is another reason to study English.

I hope you enjoy our blog and our country!

Laura

Hi!

My name is Laura and I’m 29 years old. I live in Lleida a small city in Catalonia.

I’m a clinical psychologyst. Currently, I’m working in Down Lleida, a non-profit foundation for people with Down Syndrome and other types of mental disabilities.

I’ve recently resumed my English studies, after 10 years saying that I would have to do it (I always said it and never did). And here I am, finally!

What else can I say about me? I have many hobbies. I like music, listening and playing. When I was a child I played the violin. Some years later, in my teens, I changed it for a bass. Currently, I don’t play any of them because I don’t have any time.

I also like outdoor activities. The accomplishment I’m most proud of is the “Carros de Foc” (Chariots of Fire), a mountain track in the National Park “Aigües Tortes” in the Catalan Pyrenees. I did it 4 years ago.

However, what I like the most is spending time with the people I love and to travel around the world, so for this reason speaking English properly will be incredibly helpful.

I’ve lived with my live in partner for the last 3 years. He is my best travel partner. We’ve traveled together to many places: NY, Berlin, Zurich, Paris,... And that’s only the beginning. We are already ready for the next adventure.

Pere Gasol

Hey, my name is Pere Gasol Fíguls, I’m 20 years old and I live in Lleida, because I’m studying Business Administration at university. I was born and grew up in Santpedor, a little town near Barcelona. Nowadays I’m living in a flat with my friends and two dogs. I also work at the weekends.

I love play sport, meet with friends and being busy. These days I’m doing a technological project and a course in stock market.

I’m studying English because is really important to have a good level of English. I also must have B2 certificate in order to get the Business Administration degree. 

Finally, I’m really happy to taking part in this project, I hope to improve my English level and learn new things of different cultures.

Adrian

Hello!  

I'm Adrián Lorenzo Plaza, I'm 21 years old. I live in Lleida, with my uncle and aunt, but in a few months i will become independent and move into my own apartment. Now, I'm studying English to improve my professional & personal qualities in the comunicative area. I'm a technician programmer, and I would like to join university next year, to develop my knowledge of programming methods to the next level. When I finish my degree on Computer science, I would like to move to London to finish my academic CV by doing a postgraduate degree in AI (Artificial Intelligence) or VR (Virtual Reality) or both, I will decide about it in the future. 

I have several hobbies: I'm a passionate game creator, and I would like to work in this field. My motivation has led me to study computer science. Other hobbys I'm playing the piano, having interesting conversations about polithics, being informed about the current affairs, and spending time with my friends and my family. 

Well, I think that's all about me. I hope to have some common tastes with people who read my profile. 

See you around!

Núria T.

Hi! I go by Núria and I’m 19, but not aware of having lived that long.

Currently living in Lleida, however I’m still looking for home. I’m taking a year-off before going to university in order to prepare on my own the next PAU, an exam that gives access to university.

My favourite hobby is thinking. Since I was a child I’ve been thinking about everything that has been around me, as if in every new speck that I find there was an undiscovered universe of possibilities, and then, there was a moment when I realised that I was creating them. I can’t find enough words to describe what music means to me, unless poetry lends me a hand. I’m a great fan of how words with “s” are pronounced in Spanish, but I love playing with the other sounds too. Oh, and the piano. The piano is a wonderful way to express how I feel or how music makes me feel with no words, even though I’ve been playing it just for less than a year. Someday, I’d like to write a book, or maybe more than one, who knows, but I’m sure that at least I’ll write one novel. However, to achieve my goal first I need to read more than all the books that I have in my shelf!

As I said, I love reading books but in my shelves you can also find mangas and some comics. I love Japanese culture and how they relate their stories, either in manga, anime or films. Visiting this country is one of those things that I have to do before taking my last breath, but I’ll have to prepare myself because some of the cities that I want to visit are very crowded and I’m very sensitive, that’s why that overstimulation could affect me.

Well, I don’t know what else to say, I used too many words to describe not many aspects of myself, but writing is so nice...

Feel free to visit our blog anytime you want, you’ll always be welcome!

Mireia V.

Hi!

I’m Mireia. I’m a university librarian, and I'm working  in University of Lleida libraries since 2000. Do you think being a librarian is boring? Not at all! An university library is more than a place to study and to be quiet in silence! Now it is like a digital library! Besides, I’m studying a degree in Communication at Open Universityof Catalonia. So, I have little time!

My family comes from the North Catalonia, but nowadays I’m living in Lleida. I share a flat with a black & white cat called Gisca (the real owner of the flat is the cat).

Every summer I like going somewhere a little bit far from Lleida, to explore new countries and, if it’s possible, to meet new people. Some years ago, I have visited Bratislava! :-) If I can, I try to travel on my own, without plan, an unplanned trip, with an open mind, and ready to discover unusual things about the countries. Maybe you can visit a non-touristic place in a city, and you discover a small and a beautiful performance on the street that capture your attention, and that’s the best souvenir you bring with you, when you get home.

I believe that every place you go can make you a better person and you can better understand and assess the world where you live. During my trips, I like taking pictures, but, not the typical picture that the classical
tourist would do, but different pictures to have a special souvenir of an special moment.

I also like theatre. Every September, Tàrrega, my family town, changes for 4 days, such a great show. There are a lot of free theatre performances at the street. You can see clowns, actors, musicians, etc. wich will bring you a good moment and a smile.

Finally, I would like to say that I’m becoming a little addict to Instagram, a place to share artistic or curious pictures and to discover interesting people: artists, photographers, people with a curious mind or a different point of view, etc. Besides, I like  taking pictures and visiting photography much more exhibitions, especially black and white photographs.

Iris Dolcet

Hello everyone!
My name is Iris Dolcet and I am 18 years old. I'm from Soses, a small town near Lleida. Nowadays, I spend more time in the city because I’m studying first course of Business at Universitat of Lleida.  
In my free time, I like to do sport like running, pilates and fitness and also playing the piano and the guitar. I’ve been playing the piano for twelve years and it continues being my passion.
I study English because one of my dreams is living abroad in an English-speaking country and I want to improve it and make my best. My expectations of the course are learn more about the use of phrasal verbs, idioms and the pronunciation
I am interested in travelling around the world because there are different cultures and some traditions that I would like to experience.

Something special about me is that I can sleep for hours, I like using a lot of colors when I write something and I'm fond of cats!


Joaquín Torres

 

Hi all! My name is Joaquin and I’m thirty-six years old. I live in Lleida with my wife and our two children although I was born in Tarragona. I miss the weather and the beach of my native city but I think that Lleida is a good place to live. 

I work in an English multinational dedicated to develop software for small and medium business and only few months ago I became Product Manager of a new global program collection. For this reason I began to have meetings with colleagues around the world and I now I have to report to a Canadian boss. For me this new situation is stressful!

In my free time I like to spend time with family and when I have a moment only for me I use to read and watch serial TV, specially thrillers like Prison Break and Arrow. I also swim two days a week in the morning before I take the child to school.

About my unusual or special things: I work in a high specialized area but I have studied two degrees not related with my job, History and Marketing.

Meritxell Aluja 

Hello!

My name is Meritxell, I'm 16.  

 My favourite thing to do is reading and I can’t understand why some people don’t like it. My favourite books are Paper towns by John Green, which I read in English, and the trilogy of the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I also love listening to music, I do it all the time and I try to listen a little bit of all  styles, including opera, because I think each kind of music is made for a different moment of the day. If I had a lot of money I would love to be travelling all the time, visiting different cultures, a different place every day, because in my opinion it's the best thing to learn about other cultures and about how is everything going in the world we live.

Xavi Pérez

Hello, my name is Xavi, I'm 35 years old and I'm from Palamós (Girona). I studied INEFC in Barcelona so I work in Sports: I am a personal trainer and a profesional football coach. My dream is to train abroad and I need to improve my English (and get official degrees). I start learning when I was seven, I worked in the sector of tourism until 2010, but then I stopped talking and now it's difficult for me to remember vocabulary, grammar... I hope this year will be good for me and my group and we will learn a lot.

I'm a cheerful, kind and caring person, but I'm also serious, methodic and responsible in everything I do, at work and outside work. I like sports, animals, cars, new technologies and the Asian culture, and I love football, of course!

Anna Chalons

I'm Anna, I'm 44 years old. I live in Lleida with my family. I'm a PE teacher and I work in Bellpuig. I like so much my job, I like improving every time with my pupils. Every day is diferent in class, and the experience that I live with the pupils helps me to be a sensibility person. The rest of the time I'm with my children, Laia and Joan, and I like being with them and with my husband and doing a lots of things and taking them to their sports activities.

I want to improve my english becouse I think that nowadays is a necessity.

Dolors Marí

I'm Dolors Mari and I'm 51 years old. I was born in Lleida, were I live with my family. I consider myself a very lucky person. I have a very lovely family. Me and my husband enjoy very much talking, playing and sharing our life with our three children. Also, I work as a teacher in a local kindergarden and although this job is physically very demanding, everyday it's a special opportunity to learn and live the joy of growing and discovering life.
I like being with people and travelling very much and this is the most important motivation for me to learn English.