ON MY WAY HOME - KL

Right now I am at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (in Malaysia), waiting for my flight to my hometown in Indonesia, Padang. I have spent two days here in KL (a common abbreviation for Kuala Lumpur). It is quite a comfortable city and it is nice to get around. I visited twin towers and the KL tower (the 4th tallest tower in the world (I'll post the pictures later). The food is great and the people are friendly. It is even more convenient for me because most people speak English here and all signs have English translation. It is not so big and I think if you spend more than 3 days or even a week, you will feel bored. I stayed in a guest house, which cost me about USD $20 including breakfast and some more facilities such as free WIFI. The staff are friendly too. The only thing though, the taxi drivers are very tricky. You have to ask for the price before you get into it because they might not use the meter and you will be ripped off once you get to your destination as they will tell you the ridiculous price for you to pay. The food is great, especially the seafood. I had squid yesterday and it was so good!!! There are a lot of street food vendors around my guest house and they are really good.
So, that's all about KL and my flight is in about one hour and I am going to reunite with my wife and daughter soon. I miss them so very much. Adios to all of you. have a fun time in the summer.

Enrique Iglesias

I was there for almost 3 hours
but it is worth it=)
for a good spot u should be there around 5.30 am, i could not believe when
people around me talk about (why so earlier?=( )
but i took pictures, and my spot was good=)

hello=)

I just checked out your web site, and im soooooo
happyyy=)
on june 15 at Rockefeller Center, will be singing
Enrique Iglesias,i m going there;)
thank you again for the great information which you gave us=)
=)

Summer in NYC

It is so much fun to be in NYC in the summer. There are a lot of free fun activities, starting from free concerts in many parks around the city, shakespeare plays, the met operas, new york philharmonic orchestras and so many others.. and they are totally free. You should check them out and try to make the most out of it. It is one of the many advantages to live in this lively city.

I went to Fergie concert last Friday. Do you know Fergie? She is one of the very famous singers now. Her hits are: Fergalicious, Glamorous, Big Girls Don't Cry, London Bridge and some others. Before she was one of the members of the Black Eyed Peas. Her concert was really good. Well, despite only singing 2 songs, I had so much fun. She is a fantastic singer and her voice is really good. The only thing though, I had to get up really early because the concert was scheduled to start at 7 am. So it was really early and there was quite a long line, but it wasn't too crowded. The concert was held in Bryant Park, and it was part of the TV shows, "Good Morning America". There are some other summer concert series to go at Bryant Park, and there are also some on Rockefeller Center. I am going to the Maroon 5 concert at Rockefeller tomorrow. It is the Memorial Day holiday.

So, check out this link and make sure you go to some of them, because they are really good and fun. And, the most important thing is it is free of charge. The link is: http://manhattan.about.com/od/eventsandattractions/a/gmatodayconcert.htm

So hope you get the time to have some fun in the summer in the Big Apple.

Do Not Forget Me

Dear all,

I am so sorry I can't continue with my English classes. I am going to my country {Colombia}for five months. I wish you all the best in your English classes. I hope you have as good a teacher as Iwan. Thank you very much for helping me in the class. I will always remember all of you and also my best teacher, Iwan.

I will be in touch.

Claudia

Hello=)

I hope see you soon..

A Thank You Note

Dear Learners,

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you all for being
excellent participants in my class. It was a pleasure to teach you
all. I admire your enthusiasm in learning and your positive attitude
towards your course.

Learning is never a finished product. In fact learning is a lifelong
process. Don't stop here. There is so much more you can achieve and
there are so many meaningful things to learn. When you believe in
yourself and you make your best effort and you focus on your growth,
not your scores, you will make excellent progress.

Always be postive about your learning. Make realistic expectations.
Make sure you have time to reflect on your learning, so then you
always evaluate your own learning. Be responsible and autonomous
learners. In many ways I have given you the chance to be independant,
responsible and reflective learners throughout the course. I hope it
was a meaningful and inspiring experience for all of you.

If you want to achieve fluency in English, then avoid translating too
much. Continue your effort to try to think in English as you produce
the language. Again it is not easy, but it will get easier the more
you do it. It's just like any other thing in the world. The first time
is always the most difficult part. But once you try, the following
steps will get easier. So, try to break the habit of depending on the
translation and/or electronic dictionaries.

Making mistakes is part of learning process, so don't be afraid of
making them. Be positive about it, because we can always learn from
the mistakes. It should not be used to judge yourself or other people.
So keep on trying to practice and use the language in various contexts.

So continue your journey and set realistic and meaningful goals
everytime, learn and keep learning and always spare time to do some reflection.

Again thank you very much for being wonderful. I am sure I will see
you around. Take care. Happy holiday!


Stay in touch,

Iwan

PS. Remember that everyone is smart. We are smart in our own and unique ways. Appreciate your strengths and use them to accelerate; but at the same time try to stretch, working on your weaknesses. Remember the story of 3 white balls and 1 black ball?

=(

Im so sad=( ,
I have just finished English class and already I missed you
guys ant Iwan tooooooo!=(
But I hope we still keep in touch=)

Good luck to you on final test=)

Having a BBQ PARTY in New Hampshire!

　The most impressive thing in United States for me is having a BBQ PARTY in New Hampshire last Summer.　My friend is living in New Hampshire, and this was the first time for us to have the BBQ in U.S.



　Because there are many korean grocery stores near my apartment, and Korean beef is good for BBQ, we bought many korean beefbefore departed New Jersey. On the way to New Hampshire,　we stopped at the service area and bought some sweet corns at the farmer's market. 　We also stopped at Boston to buy some seafood at the china town. We bought big living lobsters, clams, and oysters at the china town.










　After arriving at my friend's house in New Hampshire, we started toprepare for the BBQ Party. We cut the vegetables, opened shells of the oysters and marinated the beef, and so on. But, it was a little difficult to cut the living whole lobsters!










　After prepareing, we baked many things like lobsters, beef, clams, oysters, corns, and Japanese rice balls. Because we baked Japanese rice balls and Korean style beef, the american neighbor children came and looked at us, they must have been very interested in our BBQ.


　There was a big garden in my friend's apartment, We enjoyed having the BBQ Party there. The garden was so beautiful, and the baked foods were very delicious. It was a lot of fun to have the BBQ party, we ate & drunk so much, and had a very good time!

my show and tell

Hi, everyone. I'd like to tell about ballet again because I could get some photos.

1, Romantic ballet & Classical ballet




This is me+_+ My roll was "Giselle".
My wearing like this long skirt tutu is called "Romantic tutu".
In 1830s, the ballerina wore a long skirt tutu with a fitted corset and soft net skirts ending below the knee. Her hair was parted in the middle, draped over the ears, and make a bun(kinda chignon) at the bottom of the head.






This is a classical tutu. I acted a fairy in the "sleeping beauty".
Early in the 20th century, as he dance steps became more difficult and daring, so ballerinas began wearing
the classical tutu,with short fluffy skirts of many layers which enhanced steps.

2. point shoues


These shoes are tools to stand on only toes.
By these point shoeses, we can show more elastic and airly.
They are made so hard, especially a part of toe and sole, that we can stand on the point of my toes. It is made of leather, burlap, glue and and satin.
3, Marie Taglioni was one of the first ballerinas to stand on the tips of her toes by point shoes. The audience could look as if she were floating. Ballet shoes in those days were soft, so standing on point was very difficult. Her father, who was also her teacher, invented exercise to strengthen her legs and feet.

4, Finally, I itold about"Swan Lake". But I omit it. Because I think it is a little long.
Swan Lake is one of the favorite stage for me. It is very beautiful not only dancers but also music!!

smalls

I took a this picture in smalls.


The smalls is a nice jazzclub in Greenwich village.


I went to there last saturday with my husband.


Last saturday was our 12th anniversary since we've met.


We talked about our first meeting and listened some jazz music.


I really love this place. Also, I'd like to recommend this place for my friends.

(<--my husband and me *-*) You can check here about some jazzclub. www.fatcatjazz.com (smalls)
www.bluenote.net. (blue note)
www.villagevanguard.net. (The village vanguard)

Cheers! A Japanese traditional celebration

In Japan, we use very big barrel of
japanese rice wine (SAKE) when we
celebrate something like wedding party.

First of all, the person who is celebrated
open a cover of a barrel by a wooden hammer.

Then they treat participants of a party to
the SAKE.








This is a cup of a japanese celebration.
The cup made from wood. We use this
when we toast.
This is japanese traditional celebration
style.

I took these photos at my friends wedding
party in Japan.

" Cheers!"

My presentation, in Tomoko's case

THE NIAGARA FALLS

I’d like to talk about the Niagara Falls.
I have been there two times in summer and in winter.
My first impression of the Niagara Falls was breathtaking.
I was surprised with the beauty of nature.
The view of the Niagara Falls in winter was different from that in summer.
How do you feel?
Can you see the difference?
It seems that the downriver from the basin of the falls almost frozen over in this picture.
But apparently, it seemed that the only surface of the downriver has frozen, and the water under the frozen surface has flowed down.
I thought so. I am not sure.
There again, the upper river hasn’t frozen over, but the large masses of ice were sometimes flowing into the basin of the falls.
It means the falls were flowing all the time.

The next one is an interesting picture.
The mist from the Niagara Falls routinely coats nearby trees and railing with ice.
The coated ice was so hard. I was interested in it.
I was gazing in wonder at the coated trees and railing with ice.

Now I sometimes think back on these trips.
They were so great experience for me.
I had no idea that I would see such beautiful and fantastic landscape in my life. Furthermore, winter one was very lucky because the Niagara Falls are not always frozen throughout winter but only for several days.
The time I went to the Niagara Falls in winter was good timing

Finally, I’d like to introduce these pictures to you.
All pictures were taken by my husband.
This picture was compounded eight pictures, and that one too.
So I can make you see the whole Niagara Falls in the pictures.
My thanks go to my husband, and thank you very much for your kind attention.

Our 'English Team'=)

I hope you will enjoy seeing this pictures,
and next time I will take a picture with all of us!!=))

SPRING

Spring is one of the four seasons of the year. It follows Winter and comes before Summer.

This is one of the most beautiful seasons for many people. It begins on March 21 and ends on June 21.

The Spring is the time when nature shows its grand beauty. It is time to wear confortable clothes, for vacations, weddings and other kinds of ceremonies.

Spring is the greatest time of the year for me.

Written by: CLAUDIA GRADAILLE

Great landscape!

Last week, I went snowbording to Whisler mountain near

Vancouver,Canada.

Going Snowbording in Whisler was my dream. My dreams come true!

The snow condelition is wonderful. I had a very happy time there.

Wonderful TOKYO DAY!

Many people visited to
shines on New Year's day
in Japan.

This photo is a famous
shrine " SUITENGU" in
Tokyo, Japan.

I was born near there
about thirty years ago.






This time I came back to Japan to extend my US-VISA.
After US embassy's interview, I visited to "SUITENGU".　
I prayed to god that I could have a happy year.





After praying, I picked
a fortune slip, which
predicted "very good fortune"　
for me!

I'm very lucky and I'll
have a wonderful year!

My background

I was born in Nagasaki prefecture in Japan.I had grown up in Nagasaki before I entered in junior college of nursing.
When I was young,I had six people in family,grandfather,grandmother,father,mother,younger brother and me.I was almost taken care of by nursery school teacher and grandmother from nine-month-old,because my parents have worked each other every day.
After I graduated from high school,I moved to Fukuoka to study a nursing course alone.
I started to work in national hospital as a nurse,when I was 21 years old.
My experience is to take care of many terminal cancer patients in the otolaryngology(Ear, Nose, and Throat)ward and the infants having a congenital or non-congenital heart disease.
WhenI met my husband in hospital first,and after 2 years we got married.It is now 12 years since I was married him. Now I have two daughtrers, almost ten and eight. They are very precious to us.

Memory

My family went shopping yesterday at Garden State Mall in NJ.

It was nice temperature, we enjoyed and bought some staffs.

I found cute bear sewn 2007 on its right foot. My son gtraduates Hight school in the end of June.

I bought it for him as a memorable. Our CEP class end three weeks later.I want to have some memorable things until then. It is hard to say good-by. I miss you very much.

Gheorghe Hagi- or George=)

Gheorghe Hagi, known as "the Maradona of the Carpathians" is a genius on the field, and his ability to score from free kicks using his deadly left foot is legendary. In his hometown of Constanta, the stadium was re-named in his honor.

He began playing for his local side, Farul Constanta in 1982. He later joined Sportul Studentesc, in while at Sportul he was the leading scorer in the Divizia A in the 1985-86 season. He was immediately signed by Steaua Bucharest, where he went on to win the European supercup. With Steaua, Hagi led the team to three league and cup doubles.

After the 1990 World Cup, he went to Real Madrid, and in 1992 joined Brescia in the Serie A. In 1994 he played for Barcelona with Gica Popescu, and he left Barcelona for Galatasaray in '96.

Hagi made his debut for the national side at the age of 18 in 1983. Since then he was been, literally, the cause of the rise of Romanian soccer in the 1990s. His playing style revolutionized the Romanian game - his speed and creativity made those famous counter-attacks possible.

At 5'8" tall, wearing size five boots, Hagi is one of the more diminutive players on the field, but in terms of his impact on the game, and the status of Romanian soccer, he is larger than life. By bringing so much respect to Romanian soccer, Hagi opened up opportunities for future players, as clubs from all over Europe come to scout talent in Romania.

Hagi, deservedly, was named Romanian player of the century.


He is right now in Romania and after summer he will be the Steaua's Bucuresti coach.

Steaua Bucuresti

Soccer's team

Tehnical Team


Coach

Cosmin Olaroiu
Assistant coaches

Bolborea Dumitru

Catalin Necula

Vasile Iordache
Preparator fizic

Fernando Hippoliti
Players


Goalkeepers

1. Andrey Nazario Afonso, 12. Cornel Cernea, 31. Cezar Lungu


Defenders

3. Dorin Goian, 6. Mirel Radoi, 15. Mihai Nesu, 17. Eugen Baciu, 18. Petre Marin, 23. Klemi Saban, 24. Sorin Ghionea, 27. Stelian Stancu


Midfielders

8. Ovidiu Petre, 10. Nicolae Dica, 11. Gabriel Bostina, 14. Vasilica Cristocea, 16. Banel Nicolita, 20. Florin Lovin, 22. Sorin Paraschiv, 26. Marius Croitoru, 28. Gigel Coman, 30. Iulian Ochirosii, 86. Elton Xavier Gomes


Forwards

7. Daniel Oprita, 9. Valentin Badea, 19. Victoras Iacob, 21. Cyril Thereau

harpsichord

A stringed keyboard instument in use from the 16th through 18th century and revived since the 1880s.

The harpsichord is similar in shape to the modern grand piano, the strings being roughly parallel to the long side of the case.

Team Sushi

Theme: The most memorable experience in the U.S.
Title: Team Sushi


Eight months have passed since I came in the United States. During my stay here, I have made friends who are different from my friends in Japan. So far my best experience is cooking together with my friends together. We call ourselves “Team Sushi”, because this meeting was begun by making sushi first.
We introduce our country’s dishes each other. I learned Turkish, Swiss, French and Korean. Turkish friend was the most interesting of all. She said, “It is good to mix yoghurt and rice.” We all couldn’t believe and said “No kidding!” One day, Turkish friend presented “Yoghurt rice” for us. I was amazed. It tasted so nice. I had never tasted until that time. Also, she made a Turkish coffee and told my fortune with the coffee cup and saucer. The result of my fortune telling is secret because it is said that telling the result to other persons is said to become unfortunate.
By having these cooking parties, we have learned about different cultures as well as cooked together. In addition, I realized how ignorant I am about my country. I never thought that cooking can bring friendship. My friends are all great wives. They motivated me to make a warmhearted home. I think delicious foods make us happy. They surely make their families happy. This is a common thing all over the world.
Cooking parties are the most memorable experience in the US so far.

ROMANIA

Aerial View Intercontinental hotel

Carol Parc

Aerial View

Subway

People's Palace

People's Palace ( or Palace of the Parliament)

Romania's Flag

Painted eggs

Sarmale

Murfatlar Wine

ROMANIA


GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION and BOUNDARIES: 3,149.9 km.
AREA: 238,391 sq km (91,843 sq miles).

CLIMATE: Temperate-continental

POPULATION: 22,526,096 thounsand inhabitants in 1998
CAPITAL: Bucharest municipality (divided into 6 administrative districts) with a population of 2,400,000 (2--2). Situated in the south of the country, in the Romanian Plain (alt 85 m), the city dates from the 14th century and is recorded in writing for the first time in 1459 as residence of Prince Vlad Tepes. Capital of Wallachia in the 17th-19th centuries, then of Romania since 1862.
Food and Wines
Food & Wine
The main ingredients used by Romanian chefs are meats such as pork, beef and lamb, fish, vegetables, dairy products and fruit. A traditional Romanian meal may include:

The Romanian Flag

The three colours of the Romanian flag stand for the three historical provinces of Romania:
blue for Transylvania, yellow for Ţara Românească, and red for Moldova.

The principality of Moldova used a red flag since the 14th century,
Ţara Românească used a yellow flag since the 16th century,
and the Romanian noble families in Transylvania used blue as the shield colour for their coats of arms.

Appetizer:

All kinds of cheeses, cold cuts and vegetable spreads.Soup"Ciorba de perisoare" (meatball soup), "ciorba taraneasca" (vegetable soup, with or without meat), "ciorba de burta" (tripe soup).Fish"Saramura" (grilled carp in brine), "nisetru la gratar" (grilled Black Sea sturgeon) or "scrumbie la gratar" (grilled herring)

Entree:

"Tocanita" or "tochitura" (meat stew seasoned with onions and/ or spices), "ghiveci" (over 20 vegetables cooked in oil), "sarmale" (pickled cabbage leaves stuffed with a mix of minced meats, rice and spices) and "mititei" (The "Wee Ones" - small skinless grilled sausages) are among the favorites.

Dessert"Papanasi" (cottage cheese donuts, topped with sour cream and fruit preserve), "clatite cu branza" (crepes filled with cottage cheese, raisins and spices) and "cozonac" (traditional holiday sweet bread filled with walnuts, poppy seeds or cream cheese).

WINES
Zarea : variety of champagnes.
Cotnari : world renowned wines of Moldavian origin.
Murfatlar : very good wine, oily and sweet of Dobrogean origin.
Tirnave Reisling : a dry wine from the Tirnave vineyards.
Tirnave Perla : a fine, light, fragrant wine, medium sweet.
Muscat Ottonel: a muscatel, rich in strength and savor.
Feteasca: dry wine.

People's Palace (Palace of the Parliament)

It measures 270 m by 240 m, 86 m high, and 92 m under ground. It has 1,100 rooms and is 12 stories tall, with four additional underground levels currently available and in use, with another four in different stages of completion.

It is the second largest administrative building in the world by surface area of its floors, just behind the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. It is 10% larger by volume than the Great Pyramid of Giza.