the
Edtion 1 March 2014
View
...from Surval Montreux
Contents March 2014
pages 2.
TURKISH DELIGHTS- Istanbul trip review
3.
THE WONDER OF BOOKS - World Book Day celebrated
4-7.
ART & PHOTOGRAPHY - a selection of pieces from Surval girls
8-9.
BABEL - exploring other cultures
10.
STUDY SUCCESS - tips and advice for learning
12-13. EN FRANÇAIS - French language section
Be sure to click on the various hyperlinks throughout the magazine that will take you on to relevant websites!
14-17. CREATIVE WRITING - original Poetry, Haiku and Prose 19.
FILM REVIEW - comments on About Time
20-22. HEALTH & FITNESS - nutrition and exercise advice 23-24. FASHION - the best-dressed at the Oscars
Thanks to... Miss E Merrett - Editor
Upcoming events this term:
Contributors and Magazine Team: - Barcelona weekend trip Miss E Merrett Signa Spigarelli - Oscar Wilde Drama Workshop with Dr Ozturk Farida Gereeva - Liberal Arts Volunteering week in Romania Maria Robina Paula Torrado - Fashion workshop closed weekend Tania Lakhal - Whole School Inter-Year Debate Gloria Rwayitare - A week in Beijing Fernanda Danel Alejandra Rios Andrea Conde & Madame Monney Artwork and photography: Annemarie Potgieter Daniela Olavarrieta Farida Gereeva Tania Lakhal Paula Torrado
TurkishDelights
In was
my opinion the Istanbul trip amazing in most of its aspects.
I loved this city. There are many historical places to visit and there is so much culture that you can learn from. Also Istanbul is a city that is very modern and civilized but at the same time it has stayed with many traditions from its history. Also I thought that the tours were very well planned and that we got to see all the important historical places in Istanbul. In my opinion the guide was great and he knew so much about this beautiful place.
During the February Half term holiday, 22 Surval students visited the sights and splendour of Istanbul. Here HS11 student Fernanda Danel writes about her trip...
I enjoyed the tours a lot but I also enjoyed the free time that we had because we got to know some other places and restaurants that were very nice.
One of my favourite moments on the trip was the visit to the Grand Bazaar. It was so amazing to see all the variety of things that they sell, such as jewellery, clothing and antiques. Also there I was surprised by the lack of women in the bazaar. You could see only few tourist women but no locals. I was surprised how most of the places in Istanbul are owned by men. For more on the Istanbul trip click the flag:
Another incredible moment that I had was when I went with all my friends to a rooftop to see the sunset. It was so special because you could see all the mosques on one side, and on the other the Bosphorus ocean. In that moment I was so happy that I told myself: There is no other place on earth where I would rather be and there are no other people who I rather be with. Thank you to Miss Martin, Miss Rudd, Signorina Spigarelli and Miss Rogers for supporting us on the trip!
the wonder of
books
Thursday 6th March was World Book Day; a day when the wonder of books and the joy of reading is celebrated across the world.
Staff and students of Surval voted for their favourite 3 books from which we compiled the Surval Top 10. Throughout the week, staff and students were also encouraged to reflect on what it is about reading that they love. We are very lucky to have a school full of such keen readers! Lots of staff and students talked about the pleasure of experiencing far more through books than you could possibly hope to experience in reality in one lifetime; that through reading we can live many lives, travel across the world and become inspired. Dr Talwar, Maths teacher, said, ‘Literature allows me to immerse myself in a world which provides entertainment and grips me with drama and suspense’ and Ms Lehrer said, ‘Reading illuminates my path and teaches me values’. During period 4 all students across the school in all their lessons were encouraged to ‘drop everything and read’ and so we had classrooms reading
French literature as well as girls reading excerpts of their current books aloud in Spanish, English and Russian.
This was a wonderful opportunity for the girls to reflect and remember what a pleasure it is to read. With so many classics books, both old and new, being turned into huge Hollywood blockbusters, it is important to remember the original books and the vivid imaginary world they allow us to access for free- no special effects needed! We also have a beautiful book tree adorning the wall of the main hall as a lasting reminder of the greatness of books! Surval’s Top 10 books: 1. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) 2. The Great Gatsby (F.Scott Fitzgerald) 3. Pride & Prejudice (Jane Austen) 4. The Fault in our Stars (John Green) 5. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) 6. The Kiterunner (Khaled Hosseini) 7. Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe) 8. 100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marques) 9. Birdsong (Sebastian Faulks) 10.The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) AND The Catcher in the Rye (JD Salinger) Find them in the library!
“Do it now; sometimes later becomes never.�
Photography ART
“ The best future is based on the forgotten past.� Paulo Coelho
The Tower of Babel is featured in the book of Genesis in The Bible. It is a story of language; of how the Christian Lord created the different languages of the world.
Babel
In Babel, we offer you some snippets from different cultures from across the world.
A West African Folk Tale
The Mosquito and the Ear
A very long time ago when Ear was a beautiful woman and ready for marriage, there were several suitors wooing her. There were big creatures, there were small creatures. There were fast and sleek creatures and there were slow ones. But they all professed their love for Ear and demonstrated their skills and there was such an impressive array of skills that Ear had a difficult time making a decision. Then along came mosquito.
Did you know...? On March 1, Romanians celebrate the beginning of spring in their own, unique way. To show their friendship, love and respect, men and boys offer to their (female) family members, friends and colleagues a “Martisor” (a small present attached to a red & white lace red for love and white for honesty). The tradition is said to have originated in Roman times.
“You will be dead before the week is over. You’re not strong, you’re weak and I will never marry you!”
Ear was exhausted from this tirade and she fell into her seat, fanning herself vigorously like she was trying to get any image of Mosquito out of her head. Meanwhile, Mosquito was really hurt by all that Ear said. It was very embarrassing to be talked to like that in front of all the other creatures who were “I would like you to be my wife,” proposed Mosquito. whispering to each other and giggling. Apparently, they all agreed with Ear. “Dead before the week is over,” “Ear was so offended by this affront. Look around you!” thought Mosquito as he slunk away. “We’ll see about that!” she cried. “Of all the people and creatures in the whole world, what makes you think I can entertain such a And from that day forward, whenever Mosquito sees thought?” Ear was distressed. “Marry you?” she continued. Ear, he flies up to her and says “Mo wa nibi, emi ko ti ku!” which in English means “Here I am, I am not dead!”
A Chinese Moral Tale... In the past there lived a foolish man in a small kingdom called Zheng. One day he wanted to buy himself a pair of new shoes. He measured his feet with a ruler first and wrote down his size. But he was in such a hurry to set out that he left it at home. When he arrived at a shoe shop, he felt in his pocket only to find that it was not there. So he said apologetically, ‘I have left the measurement at home and don’t know the size. I’ll fetch it in one minute.’ With these words he hurried off as fast as his legs could carry him.
He ran back home, found the paper and then ran to the shop again. But still it took him quite a while and the shop was already closed. He had gone to all this trouble for nothing and did not get his shoes. Then someone asked him, ‘Did you want to buy the shoes for yourself or for someone else?’ ‘For myself, of course.’ he answered. ‘Then why didn’t you just try the shoes on to see if they fitted?’
Beijing Factoids 1.
On an average day in Beijing air pollution is 5 times higher than the standard of safety set out by the World Trade Organisation. 2. Mr. Wang, Mrs. Wang… According to the Beijing official census in 2006, ‘Wang’ is the most commonly used surname in the city. In fact, 10.35% of the Beijing population has this surname. Therefore do not just assume Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang are married, or any relation at all.
4. Beijing; Bike capital of the world! Beijing has always been famous for its high volume of bikes. There are separate lanes on the roads for them and they are an easy means of transport for Beijingers. You have more chance of being hit by a bike than a car! 5. The caves of Dragon Bone Hill show Beijing has been inhabited from over 230,000 years ago, and the first walled city was called Ji and was build between the 11th and 7th century BC.
3.
Beijing has more than double the population of London. The population of London is around 7 million, which sounds a lot until you realise that Beijing has an incredible 15 million residents.
Directions 1. Place 1/2 cup milk in a cup or small bowl. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the remaining milk into a large bowl. 2. Add the melted butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the large bowl with the milk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover the bowl loosely and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. Dough should almost triple in size. 3. While you wait for the dough to rise, melt the remaining butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted. Mix in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Set this aside for the filling. 4. Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a long snake about 2 inches wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 4 to 5 inches across. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the centre and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling. 5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving room between them for them to grow. 6. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Traditional Russian Pirozhki recipe Ingredients Original recipe makes 60 pirozhki 2 cups of milk, warmed 1 tablespoon of white sugar 1 tablespoon of dry yeast 2 tablespoons of butter, melted 1 egg 1 teaspoon of salt 6 cups of all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon of butter 1/2 of medium head cabbage, finely chopped 6 hard-cooked of eggs, chopped
STUDY
SUCCESS
How can I get better at...
? s e g a u g Lan
- Study every day Try to set aside some time every day for your studies, ideally when your brain is at its most receptive. It’s better to study for 30 minutes every day than for 3 hours once a week. If you can spare an Check out some French websites! hour a day, break it up into two or three sessions to avoid brain overload.
www.lemonde.fr www.closermag.fr - Review and revise regularly Go over each lesson several times, perhaps once in the morning, once in www.france24.com/fr/
the evening and once several days later. Give your brain time to digest the information, but make sure the gaps between periods of study are not too long. FRENCH FOCUS VERB:
dire
- Don’t worry about making mistakes You probably make the occasional mistake when speaking your native to say or tell language, so making mistakes in a foreign language is nothing to worry about. What matters is getting your message across, not whether you use all the right words, Dis-moi la vérité inflexions, tenses, cases etc. If you cannot think of the exact words, try Tell me the truth using other ones.
Comment dit-on “amazing” en français ?
- Practice The main thing about learning languages is practice. No matter who are you How do you say “amazing” talking to-your friend, your teacher or just random people on the street. The in French? more you talk, the more you find out more and the better your accent will become. You will learn slang having friends that have the language you’re learning as their native one- this will help you develop your fluency!
www.linguascope.com username: surval
See a member of staff if you need the password!
DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that when methane and oxygen are combined, they produce carbon dioxide and water vapor? This is because the chemical bonds that hold molecules together are broken during chemical reactions, and when molecules re-form they can produce very different substances.
moscow
Moscow is an inspiring city with so much history. On this week long trip you will be visiting the Bolshoi Theatre, The Kremlin, and also Red Square (Place Rouge). So if you don’t know this city, this is your opportunity to go!
24th - 31st May 2014 Half term trip!
RED SQUARE Immediately outside the Kremlin’s northeastern wall is the celebrated Red Square , the 400m by 150m area of cobbles that is at the very heart of Moscow. Commanding the square from the southern end is St Basil’s Cathedral. This panorama never fails to send the heart aflutter, especially at night.
THE KREMLIN The apex of Russian political power and once the centre of the Orthodox Church, the Kremlin is not only the kernel of Moscow but of the whole country. It’s from here that autocratic tsars, communist dictators and modern-day presidents have done their best – and worst – for Russia. Covering Borovitsky Hill on the north bank of the Moscow River, the Kremlin is enclosed by high walls 2.25km long, with Red Sq outside the east wall. The best views of the complex are from Sofiyskaya nab across the river.
In this incredible city full of art and history you will visit: The St. Isaac Cathedral The Hermitage Meseum Peterhof- Catherine Palace. Andso many more beautiful places…
St Petersburg
en Français Les étudiants et chercheurs suisses, privés de bourse par l’Union Européenne C’est officiel, la Commission européenne met à exécution sa menace de suspendre ses accords avec la Suisse, notamment dans le domaine de l’éducation et la recherche. Après la votation du 9 février visant à limiter l’immigration dans la Confédération, mercredi 26 février, le commissaire européen en charge de l’emploi, Làszlo Andor, a, lors d’une session plénière du parlement, à Strasbourg, déclaré que « la participation de la Suisse aux programmes Horizon 2020 et Erasmus plus est suspendue pour la rentrée 2014 ». Concrètement, cela signifie que les échanges d’étudiants et de chercheurs seront plus difficiles. Ils devront désormais être négociés école par école, université par université. Les étudiants suisses qui souhaitent étudier en Europe ne bénéficieront plus de bourses, alors que 2 400 d’entre eux en ont profité en 2012. De même, l’accueil, en Suisse, des étudiants étrangers sera plus compliqué. DES
PROJETS
COMMUNS
FREINÉS
Mais, surtout, des projets communs seront freinés, car, depuis 2011, la Suisse a adhéré comme partenaire aux programmes de recherche européens comme l’énorme « human brain project », piloté par l’Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne et doté d’un milliard d’euros. Il n’est, pour le moment, pas encore question de le suspendre, mais les chercheurs ne pourront plus, à titre individuel, concourir pour décrocher une bourse Marie Curie ou du Conseil européen de recherche (ERC).
L’Union européenne réagit ainsi au résultat du référendum d’initiative populaire du 9 février ouvrant la voie à l’instauration, en Suisse, de quotas d’étrangers, et au refus du Conseil fédéral suisse de ratifier l’accord d’extension de la libre circulation à la Croatie. Mr Andor n’a donc fait que reprendre les précédents propos de José Manuel Barroso, président de la Commission européenne, tenus notamment le 17 février sur la Radio suisse romande : « La libre circulation des personnes n’est pas négociable, c’est un droit fondamental et on ne peut accepter des traitements différenciés entre les états membres. » CRÉATION D’UN FRONT ACADÉMIQUE EN SUISSE « A entendre les responsables européens, on a l’impression qu’il cherchent à sanctionner le peuple suisse, plutôt que de se mettre autour d’une table et de chercher des solutions », s’indigne Mélanie Glayre, membre de la direction de l’Union des étudiants suisses (Unes), et ce n’est pas une question d’argent car les transferts entre l’Union européenne et la Suisse sont quasiment équilibrés. Il ne faudrait pas pénaliser la formation et la recherche », plaide-t-elle. L’Unes appelle d’ailleurs à manifester, le 1er mars, à Berne, et à créer « un front académique » avec tous les acteurs et responsables de l’enseignement supérieur. Isabelle Rey-Lefebvre from http://www.lemonde.fr/
Une entrevue avec... Madame Monney Surval French teacher Quelles sont les raisons qui vous ont amenée à choisir l’enseignement? Dès mon plus jeune âge, j’ai été attirée par cette profession. L’instituteur que j’ai eu à ce moment là y est sans doute pour beacoup. Quelles sont les difficultés de l’enseignement d’ aujourd’hui? La société d’aujourd’hui est très impatiente: on veut tout immédiatement. Qu’est-ce que vous aimez dans l’enseignement? Le contact avec les jeunes dans un milieu multiculturel et la passion de transmettre et de partager mes connaissances.
Dont forget to use Linguascope to practise your languages!
Depuis combien de temps travaillez-vous ici? Depuis plus de 30 ans. Surval a beaucoup changé? Oui, les programmes ont changé beaucoup. Avant il n’y avait pas de mathématiques ni de science. Tout était les langues étrangères et les activités parascolaires comme étiquette, art, etc. Quels conseils donneriez-vous aux étudiants qui apprennent une langue étrangère? La curiosité intellectuelle, lire, écouter, regarder, explorer, communiquer avec des locuteurs natifs et s’immerger dans la langue et la culture.
www.linguascope.com username: surval
See a member of staff if you need the password!
C
reative writing
The Original poem:
In their English lessons, the HS10 girls wrote their own poems inspired by Elizabeth Brewster’s Where I Come From which they are studying for the IGCSE English Literature course.
Where I Come From Elizabeth Brewster People are made of places. They carry with them hints of jungles or mountains, a tropic grace or the cool eyes of sea-gazers. Atmosphere of cities how different drops from them, like the smell of smog or the almost-not-smell of tulips in the spring, nature tidily plotted in little squares with a fountain in the centre; museum smell, art also tidily plotted with a guidebook; or the smell of work, glue factories maybe, chromium-plated offices; smell of subways crowded at rush hours. Where I come from, people carry woods in their minds, acres of pine woods; blueberry patches in the burned-out bush; wooden farmhouses, old, in need of paint, with yards where hens and chickens circle about, clucking aimlessly; battered schoolhouses behind which violets grow. Spring and winter are the mind’s chief seasons: ice and the breaking of ice. A door in the mind blows open, and there blows a frosty wind from fields of snow.
Where I Come From A sea of humanity in a crowd The Food Court is busy. Flowers bloom and wither Trees grow and are cut down, Birds sing and die. Everybody has a poker-face. A nymph floats down from the sky; Brings luck and freedom. People start to smile, to care, to love and to cherish. A new life begins, A new city begins, A new country begins, A new World begins. That’s where I come from. That’s how I want it. Cynthia Chang
Where I Come From People are made of places. Where I come from, People are made of contrast: Different personalities, different lives, Different dreams. These are things they all have in common.
My strange, my beautiful country. Somebody told me, ‘People are made of places’ I hope I’m made of you, dear Moscow. You are a place to see. You are a place to be. You, and only you, my dear Moscow.
Dear Moscow, Not all the people are kings Not all the people love snow Not all the people hate rain Not everyone here is happy.
Polina Buzykanova
Where I Come From Mexico is where I come from, Spring is the new eternity. Poetry is in our souls and Hearts are in our songs.
Culture
the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. “Afro-Caribbean culture” synonyms: civilization, society, way of life, lifestyle;
Mexico is where I come from, Poverty in every corner, Insecurity in many streets And corruption in every part. Mexico is where I come from, A big part of my warm heart. The memory of my sight, The home I long to have. Mexico is where I come from: Its fields of gold, its fields of corn, Its vanity and humility, Every up and every down. Oh Mexico is where I come from, You’ll stay forever in our hearts. Aitana Zuniga
Where I Come From Flowers stretch out of the damp soil, Trees make their way to the sky, begging for liberty, With heads down, people starve in hope and misery Their heads are suddenly full of fear As they make their way through the misty night. In the city all the voices whisper, Their curious gaze follows you with intrigue As you try to walk quicker Then, the sun rises again, Shining over the haunted concrete walls, All the shadows disappear now, Your soul feels safe finally, Moving forward eternally Alejandra Rios
Identity = the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. = the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. = a close similarity or affinity.
Lake of Memories The
The opening of a short story by Alejandra Rios HS10
T
here she was, floating in what seemed a sea of misconceptions and riddles. The lake was still, quiet, as if nothing had happened in decades. The mountains made a fortress around the lake that protected it from humanity’s evil clutch. Her small raft continued going forward until it reached the beautiful trees that stood right by her side. She stared at them gloomily, and wondered what it would be like to actually be a tree. A smile appeared suddenly in the corner of her mouth. It might be icredible to be a tree and everything that implies. To be able to grow without anything pushing you down, to be able to have long arms that provide you with greatness, to have roots that give you the strengh to move on, and her favorite, to be able to grow being close to your dreams; being close to the stars… Why are trees so lucky?, they have everything they need… Humans on the other hand, are despicable creatures, as they are cursed with the evil of emptiness. Nothing can ever satisfy them. After a few minutes, her raft kept moving. Her fingers protruded from the inside and hung over the edge of the raft, touching the water gently. Her pale warm face was resting upon her arm. She never had a family, she grew up taking care of herself, her parents disappeared one cold night, without leaving traces. Her aunt always said the wind had taken them, but until now; she understood that such a thing cannot be possible, as this wind is also nature. The nature who took care of her when agony was eating her existance whole. Then, as the night overtook the atmosphere and silence invaded her ears, a longgone memory suddenly popped into her mind:
-You don’t really know anything about the world my dear- how it works. It is truly complicated to fathom. But, what you need to know… is that we live in a generation were you are your own enemy, where your own brain will always try to defy you, to trick you. And the demons that exist among the people, will always try to hold you back. But, don’t ever let them take you into the branches of darkness, don’t let them haunt your mind…My time here is not defined, and I know that I am about to leave this earth. This is why, my dear, you have to be strong. You have to take care of yourself because no one else will. You have to understand that, no matter how nice the people are, the only two who you can trust are yourself and your instincts. Sadly, our world is about to collapse. Everything that surrounds us, is falling apart. Fire, ashes and the colour gray are winning this war, that has imposed its steps upon those who desperately seek peace. This degree of destruction was never seen before my dear, not even in the great war or any other wars that have taken place before. This is reality; it’s not just what we think is happening, it is what we witness each day that we survive. Then, a wave sharply hit the raft making it move from one side to another, waking her up from the shadows of the past…
Original Writing by
Andrea Conde Liberal Arts
The Art of Change
A new beginning, a new start, a blank page. A new place, new people, new experiences. Life is full of opportunities to start afresh, start again. When you come to a new place your reputation is pristine, untouched, unseen, unknown- a mystery. There are days when you wish you could have a button to redo your whole life, to redo a moment. There are days when you want to find a nice warm cave and hibernate for eternity. There are days where you want to stay just as you are, maybe in a specific moment, or time of your life, freeze. Because some things in life are just so beautiful. People, moments, places, experiences. There are just some things you do not want to let go of, ever, and its amazing how much missing something, or someone can hurt, as if you were in real physical pain. Your heart pumps hard in your chest threatening to fall right out of its confortable perch under safe layers and layers of skin, bone, blood, veins, as memories flood your brain, as you see them so vividly when you close your eyes.
You know its over when you open your eyes once again and find yourself in a new, strange place, when you would much rather go where your fondest memories take you. Take me where my dreams take me, because that is where I belong. Take me to what my subconscious paints while I rest my body, because that is where my spirit wants to be forever at peace, where I will be truly happy, even through the bad times, blue moments and grey skies. A place where getting over them, and lifting the storm clouds will be more than worth it. Where I will always “get by with a little help from my friends.” Where the love of those who care will always be enough will fix me when I feel the most broken I can feel. We crave new, yet wish for the old. We are all guilty of wishing for the impossible. Paradoxes create a web of continuum that is life.
Why I love... Each month we’ll bring you something that a Surval girl loves to do. This month, HS12 student Giovanna Lopes tells us why she loves Horseback riding...
“
I’m passionate about horseback riding because I feel safe and confident. It is the edge between danger and safety. The relationship you develop with a horse is more than loyalty and companionship. It is as if you are jumping clouds at the speed of light, and yet you have complete control over the horse.
”
Haiku A hopeless dark light No more opportunity Start a new page. Farida FY
Opportunity Clear blank page is limitless. Inhale the freedom. Gloria HS12
Life starts with a blank On the clean white life paper No pressure no stress. Amy FY Death of entrapment. Birth of opportunity. Life of perspective.
Gloria HS12
Limitless blossoms In the raw, innocent trees Behind the mountains.
Tania HS12
NEW
beginnings
W
I think...
hat if we could go back in time? What if we could redo every bad thing that has ever happened to us? A life without mistakes or regrets is what we all want; to not have that one day haunt our minds asking ourselves, “Why did that happen?” But, life without mistakes and regret would be boring and we would never learn from this.
In this world, there is the good and the bad, and without the bad there would not be any good, it would simply be nothingness. The concept of happiness would not exist, we would never learn, never hope, never enjoy. The film About Time, explains this to us through the main character, named Tim. Tim is a lawyer-to-be, who learns on his 21st birthday that he can travel back in time. Tim, at first a non-believer, soon learns that although he can change certain things he cannot change everything to his favour. For example, when he first meets Mary, a young American girl living in London, who upon meeting her quickly falls in love. But, to help a friend, he goes back in
details of his life, until his sister, Kit Kat, goes into a dark path. Tim going back several years to fix her life realizes that by doing this his own life is affected in very negative ways. As later Tim’s father explains that time travel is not the answer to his problems. Tim then learns to enjoy his life and only using time-travel to relive each day and really enjoy the small things in life. It is the small things in life that really do make living worth it. If we could be happy all the time, we would not know how to appreciate the life we are living. This film, although has several plot holes and inconsistencies in its logic, moral or message behind the plot of the story is enlightening and creates powerful emotions, bringing most viewers to tears by the end of the film.
Film review:
About Time
About Time is one of the best time travel films I have seen in a long time. Director Richard Curtis brings out the best in all of us in this heart-warming story of fixing mistakes and accepting life as it is, good or bad. Though it seems to forget the realistic consequences of time-travel, this film somehow manages to throw us back into how much each and every step we take in our lives affects our future. With Domhnall Gleeson as the protagonist and Rachel McAdams as the love interest there is no doubt you will love every moment of this film along with Bill Nighy to add a dash of humour to this cauldron of chaos. Though this being one of Curtis’ most sentimental films, I highly recommend it for a night in with girls along with an extra large box of tissues. by Gloria Rwayitare
&
Health
fitness The dangers of lemons...
“There is no diet that will do what eating healthy does. Skip the diet, just eat healthy” VITAMIN
B12
Vitamin B12 is important for the way the body works, and people who don’t have enough of it may feel tired or have a lack of energy. They may also find that they get sick a lot as your immune system is not as strong as it should be. Vitamin B12 helps in the production of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body. Not having enough vitamin B12 is called vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. This condition makes the body produce larger than normal red blood cells which don’t do their job as well. All B vitamins must be replenished daily as they are not stored in the body.
LEMONS
Upset Stomach Drinking too much lemon juice may upset your stomach because it retains its high acidity level until further digested. Sometimes increasing stomach acidity is helpful for digesting food, but too much may temporarily irritate mucous membranes and lead to stomach pain and acid reflux or heartburn. To prevent this side effect, start with small amounts of lemon juice and consider drinking it with some food or diluting it with purified water. Enamel Erosion and Canker Sores Frequent contact of lemon juice with your teeth could damage and erode the protective enamel layer. Consider having diluted lemon juice and drinking it through a straw to be on the safe side. Citric and ascorbic acids are strong antimicrobials, which deter mouth infections, but drinking too much lemon juice can irritate mucous membranes and potentially lead to canker sores. taken from: http://woman.thenest.com/benefits-side-effects-lemon-juice-3278.html
How do I make sure I get enough B12?? Make sure you eat: MILK, CHEESE, MEAT, EGGS, SALMON and COD. It is not found in any fruits or vegetables so if you are vegetarian it may be wise to start taking a supplement.
This
month’s
health
tip
Moderation is key
P
eople often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? How much is a moderate amount? That really depends on you and your overall eating habits. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you’ve hit your ideal weight. So try to think of moderation in terms of balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. For most of us, moderation or balance means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (refined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and more of the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn’t mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you’re still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables.
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Try not to think of certain foods as “offlimits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
‘it doesn’t mean eliminating the foods you love’ Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don’t feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards, a slice of bread should be the size of a CD case, and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.
20 minute rule!
Think you haven’t had enough? Wait for about 20 minutes before reaching for a second helping. It can take a little while for you to feel full after you have
eaten. So avoid the temptation to keep eating and see if you get that feeling.
“Take care of your body- it’s the only place you have to live in”
The healthy eating plate suggests the perfect proportions in each meal
3 EASY TONING EXERCISES you can do in your room!
The Hip Lift This is an awesome way to relieve tension in your lower back and work your bum at the same time. (A yoga mat or rolled towel will keep the bones on your lower back from hurting too much afterwards.) Lie on your back with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count, and then lower back down. Repeat the lifts for 60 seconds, squeezing your bum and hamstrings at the top of the range of motion. Be careful not to overarch your spine. (To make this exercise more difficult, extend one leg at the top of the lift. Keep your thighs parallel and hold the lifted position for about 5 seconds.Keeping your hips up, place your foot back on the floor and then lower your hips. Repeat this exercise for 30 seconds; switch sides and do the move for another 30 seconds on the other leg.) The Perfect lunge Keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back and relaxed and chin up (pick a point to stare at in front of you so you don’t keep looking down like naughty Fernanda here). Always engage and pull in your core muscles. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle, not pushed out too far, and make sure your other knee doesn’t touch the floor. Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up to the starting position.
The Perfect plank Start on elbows and knees, Straighten legs and raise your body so that you’re supported by the balls of your feet, with feet hipdistance apart. Face the floor, being careful not to arch your back or stick your bottom in the air. Hold this position for 30 seconds to begin with, extending the time as you get stronger. Go up onto your hands instead of your elbows like Fernanda here if you feel up to it!
F
ashion
The best dressed women at this year’s Oscars
1. Lupita Nyong’o
In a beautiful plunging powder blue Prada gown, complete. Lupita looked amazing, simple and free. An outfit that will be hard to forget. –Aitana Zuñiga-
2. Jennifer Lawrence In a fitted strapless red Dior gown with peplum detail and another backwards necklace. A beautiful red colour- she got everyone’s attention. The dress is simple and classy. -Genoveva Vergara-
Click on the actresses names to see their IMDB page
3. Naomi Watts In white Calvin Klein Collection ice beaded cap sleeve dress with a spider’s web Bulgari necklace. I really liked how she looked in that white dress. She kept it simple but elegant.- Victoria Murra-
4. Cate Blanchett In a nude cap sleeved Armani Prive gown with flared tulle skirt with waved hair and stunning drop earrings. She looked like a Disney princess.- Natalia Peregrina-
5. Kate Hudson In a beaded Versace dress, with a deep v-neckline and cape detail. I really liked how Kate looked with that plunging neckline, and loved the colour of her dress. –Gabriela Rodas -
6. Olga Kurylenko We had to add in an extra place on the list for Olga who wore a striking – and sustainable – deep dusky pink gown. I believe Olga had to have a place in the best dressed for the Oscars this year. I loved the style of her dress.- Giovana Lopes-