In the last days I was studying for my Catalan exam. This language isn´t only living language in Catalonia, but also on the Balearic Islands, in one part of Valencia, Aragón, in Roussillon, which is a part of France and in one Italian city, Alguer.

Personally, I consider language which has a common point with - it's an obviousness- Spanish, French, Italy or Portuguese but not only. When I was sudying I've realised Catalan has some common qualities with English! For instance, to form plural of masculine noun or some adjectives, you should add only „s”. I got Catalan dictionary and at the beginning they explain some basic rules of pronunciation and, even, they compare some sounds with English sounds! A word „father”, in Catalan „pare”, both „e” are  pronounced like in English (or like in Catalan ;) ).

I reckon the origin of Catalan has many elements. There is one more confirmation that a language reflects also community's thought, for example, „I love you” in Catalan is „T'estimo”, what means „I respect you”, as well.

-Do you speak Catalan? 

-Yes, just a little.

Who are you? Enneagram of Personality

It's probable that most correct question would be „What type of personality do you have?”

There are many tests which help you discover or confirm your type of personality. One of the most celebrated is this one which distinguish a:

„sanguine person”

„melancholik”

„cholerik”

„phlegmatic”.

However, there are tests which compare a personality with an animal. This way you can be a beaver, golden retriever, otter or lion :). It's known worldwide each person has own personality, but we shouldn't forget each of us has grown in other home, economic and school environment  all these factor have influence on us. Even if someone doesn't believe these test, he/she has to confirm we are different. Some of us like challenges, action, power, they are competitive, goal-oriented and decisive. On the other hand, we know people who are slow-paced, agreeable, nurturing, they need freedom to work at own pace or person are accurate, organized but too picky.

Last week I went to a workshop organized for a teachers, entitled „Enneagram in learning and teaching process”. Enneagram of Personality is one of methods which helps define our personality, but it differs from the others methods. Why? According this model there are nine personalities. However, it has form of circle and each personality has her own „neighbours” and goes in two „directions”. Each personality has three levels: immature, normal and mature level. It means each person is apt to behave in many way, it's depends on vital moment in which someone goes.

The Enneagram of Personality has a long tradition. Of course, there are various versions. Some people has dedicated their life to it, adds religious elements to Enneagram. It's obvious is better be neutrality.

Organizers emphasised there are many way to react in the same situation and it works also in the class or at university. Each teacher, lecturer and students is unique and different. Be different doesn't mean worse or impolite (not always :)). Other address issue was a scant awareness about enneagram and his application in a school environmental. They came to a conclusion we don't speak a lot about emotional at school, and in particular, at university. This method is used by some concerns and companies. It could be known in Human Resources also.

If you have been interested in the enneagram, there are some books about it and in some city you can sign up for enneagram class.

I'm glad I could participate in this workshop, I knew the enneagram and I hope can apply this knowledge in my professional work, and personal life, in the future!

  Have you ever wonder if you're glad of your appearance? Are you thinking about some changes in your body? Don't you like your rolls of fat, double chin? Don't you feel good in your body? Today I'm going to write some reflection about it.

After all, I would explain the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery?

People rarely realise the difference between them and use both interchangeably. So, plastic surgery is focused on repairing some defects due to birth disorder or accident. This type of surgery aims at reconstructing a normal function and/or appearance.

plastic surgery

On the other hand, cosmetic surgery is focused on enhancing appearance. It aims to improving esthetic appeal, proportions and symmetry.

cosmetic surgery

If you was always thinking these types of surgery are just people's whim, you're wrong. Given the fact that plastic surgery helps people reestablish properly functions. As for me, I´m favour of this type of surgery. Cosmetic surgery seems more delicate. On the one hand, why people shouldn´t improving their body if they afford to pay it and they wish get well-being? On the other hand, don't they should accept themselves? In former times society didn't have an opportunity to 'improve themselves'.

There are many reasons why people undergo cosmetic surgery. There are both emotional and social factors. Among emotional reasons, we can mention that people wish look younger, change features they don't like, get greater self-confidence or please their partners, friends...However, cosmetic surgery should always be an own decision! Who settle beau ideal? We should keep in mind that these ideal are changing over the course of years and they vary according to countries (for example, in some Latin American countries to have a big buttock is really fashionable, which in Europe it isn't.

It's quite frightening that in many Latin American countries girls who are fourteen years old get a voucher to undergo some cosmetic surgery, the most common is breast augmentation. The adolescents grow up considering that their physical appearance is the most valuable what they have. According many reports, cosmetic surgery doesn't boost self-esteem, it's just a first impression which doesn't resolve real mental problems. People have undergone cosmetic surgery after the first operation can wish the next and in that way they get caught in a vicious circle.

As all type  of surgery, cosmetic surgery can sometimes go wrong. I'm going to mention only a few: scars, swelling, infection or haemorrhage. On the Internet you can find a lot of examples of people who after surgery seem like a doll and not like a real person.

What's about you? Are you wondering about undergo cosmetic surgery?

   If I had done something, now I could have another life...

Have you ever thought this way or don't you like speculating? Recently, I was thinking about what could be my life if I hadn't chosen a bilingual class ten years ago. I'm going to enumerate some points.

- If I hadn't chosen a bilingual class, it's highly likely that now I wouldn't be in Granada.

• If I hadn't went to Granada eight years ago, I wouldn't have known my Spanish friend.
• If I hadn't known her, I wouldn't have cooked pierogi (it's a Polish dish) two weeks ago on my own. (Of course, my Spanish friend helped me.)
• If I hadn't chose study Spanish Language and Literature, probably I wouldn't know about many countries in Latin America (I wouldn't know that they exist.)
• If I didn't study Spanish Language, I wouldn't have worked in Spain.
• If I hadn't worked in Spain, I probably wouldn't have visited the Dalí Theatre and Museum in Figueres.
• If I didn´t study Spanish, I might know that is possible address professor informally.
• If I didn't study Catalan, English, French and Spanish, I would know fewer cultural habits which exist worldwide.
• If I didn't study it, I wouldn't imagine that something can be „as clear as day” or „it's clear like water” (in Spain it is said like that) ”, however, in Polish we say ”as clear as sun”. I really enjoy discovering differences in proverbs. The proverbs contain the nation's perspective on the world.

Finally, If I didn't study languages, I wouldn't be a person who I'm now. I don't regret my decision at all! I consider a learning languages it isn't only acquire other language, but also discover other culture. It's a ideal way to broaden the mind!

I'm going to quote Goethe: „The more languages a man knows, so many more times he is a man".

And what about you? Assuming you could take a decision (connected with your studies, work, love life...) one more time, would you changed it?

Broaden your horizons (through languages or any mental activity) !

     Where is a pudding?

I've just realised that I haven't written any post almost for two weeks. It's quite weird, because I've many ideas in my mind all time!

Do you wonder if I've been wrong about today topic? No, I haven't. Today I'm going to write about pudding. Would you ask me why? Last week a great segment of population was preparing to Easter. I connect each break with my mother's delectable baking! I tuck into a delicious cheesecakes in particular! [yummy]. Therefore, I decided to prepare one of them. I needed flour, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar and ...pudding. You can guess that I had problem getting it! In Spain, there are flan (crème caramel), flan de nata (crème caramel with cream) and natillas, but there isn't pudding, or I haven't gotten it yet...I was searching in Internet, I went to Lidl, Alcampo (Alcampo is Auchan), I was asking people for it and I didn't get it. When I was coming back to house, after a long search, I was seething. For me, the pudding is one of the basic products. When I calmed down, I though 'one man's meat is another man's poison'.

However, I was so much determined and I found a cheesecake recipe without pudding!

I just used flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, natural yogurt and philadelphia cheese. You can admire the effect below :). When I tasted first piece, I put the irritation behind me.

 I'm going to tell you one more thing connected with Easter, just out for curiosity. Both in Poland and in some regions in Spain, we buy chocolate Easter bunny and chocolate Easter eggs. This habit exists, for instance in Silesia and Greater Poland (Poland) and, for example, in Catalonia (Spain). In Andalusia, it means, when I'm living now, this habit doesn't exist.

 I am conscious that this period is a period of Lent, which is significant for Catholic and it is a time of reflection and prayer. Nevertheless, I am going to write some lines about Carnival of Cádiz. It doesn't mean that I don´t respect holy time, it is just because I am behindhand with my posts :).

I went to Cádiz at my first weekend of my Erasmus+ period, that is at 14th of February.

We were quite large group, as there were twelve buses!! Some of us were in disguise: they disguised themselves as policeman, as nursery, as hippie, as child in nappy, as Superman, as Aladdin...We could admire vivid imagination of our group and not only. Both the natives and foreigners participate in this event. Although, carnival take place in many Spanish cities and villages, normally it is said that Carnival of Cádiz is the most celebrated. In what does it consist?

People disguise themselves, participate in parade on the street, which goes through the city. There are concerts at some squares so the participants dance.

During that night I could saw both adolescents, adults, children and elders, therefore, I've come to the conclusion that people celebrate carnival worldwide so as to amuse and spend time together. The only possible and real inconvenience is visible the next day. Out group left at 5 a.m on Sunday, so we could not see it, but I am sure that the streets were dirty, full of rubbish and bottles of vine or other alcoholic drinks on February's Sunday.

I was wondering if it could be possible to introduce the custom of carnival in Poland, but I realised in Poland people celebrate it, but in different ways. People go to the club or to the barn dance. Thus, I can write that each nation has conformed its customs with the conditions which around it, like climate :). [Although, in this year the winter in Poland was not harsh ;)].

If you will opportunity to go to Cádiz someday, do not miss go on the beach! Uunfortunately, I missed it!

If you want read more about Carnival in Cádiz, click on this link: http://www.andalucia.org/es/carnaval-de-cadiz/

       Last weekend I went to Lisbon! :) Will somebody ask me it's worth it? I will response, honestly, yes! It's well worth a visit! Lisbon, as everybody knows, is capital of Portugal, nevertheless, it isn't overwhelming. By my observation, the development is low, and maybe it's the reason that you don't feel there like in a capital. The most surprising is that if you go there, you can also see another celebrated worldwide monuments. How is it possible? The answer is plain, you can contemplate there:

• monument The Christ the King (Cristo Rei), which is inspired by the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro (to bring to mind, the higher statue of Christ is located in Swiebodzin, Poland)
• 25 de Abril Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril), which recalls the Golden Bridge in San Francisco. The date commemorate the Carnations Revolution.

Nevertheless, Portugal has own also breathtaking views and monuments. I'm going to describe briefly some of them. We visited Castle of São Jorge (Castelo de São Jorge) which is located on the hill, so at sunset, a view over city, the statue and the bridge streches from it. The castle reflects Christian and Arab rules in Portugal. The Pena National Palace in Sintra (Pálacio Nacional de Pena) is further must-see in Portugal. It's also located on the hill, but when you're climbing you can admire the botanical species which is the reason why the Palace is UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Palace if full of little towers and colourful walls. We saw it during foggy day, which gave secreter views. Quinta de Regaleira is part of Sintra as well. The vegetation and caves is what makes this place unusual.

Casa de Alentejo is the aforetime home entertainment and depicts Arab architecture, in particular, the arches and the mosaic on the walls.

Is well-known that Portugal had a royal fleet and travelled all the world to find new earth. Therefore, we can visit Bairro de Belém with Belém Tower (Torre de Belém) and Monumento aos Descobrimentos, which represents the most relevant personalities connected with the discovery of the New World, like yachtsmen, scientists and missionaries, for example, Vasco da Gama or Bartolomeu Dias.

I'm not going to describe Cape Roca (Cape Roca) or Jerónimos Monastery (Monasteiro de Jerónimos), but I really want to mention one more attraction in Lisbon, don't miss it: Bairro Alto which forms the entertainment centre in the night. I knew it for first time. During the night, the allies is filling and people just drink spirits before they have a good time. On Sunday, there were so many people that it was almost impossible to pass through the street, it seemed like all the world had to be in the same place at the same moment.

I spent there three days, but one day I wish to come back there. Don't forgive the useful word Abrigado/Abrigada. Abrigada, for having an opportunity to visit Lisbon!!!

PLEASE, DON'T COPY AND EDIT THESE PHOTOS. THEY ARE MY PROPERTY. THANK YOU :)