The Servant

Glenyse
Black, poor, struggling, servant
She was taken away from her parents and put into missions
Working for a family that doesn’t treat her nice
Too bad for her that she’s not smart and wise
She is a young girl, trying to find her place in the world
But someone found it for her, making her wash floors and do other chores
She’s a servant filled with homesickness and grief
And asks herself; can life get worse than this?
Ward

The Stolen Generation

Devastated. Broken. The worst thing happened today. I was taken away from my family, dragged into a car, driven away. My mom, my aunt and my grandmother were standing at the outside knocking on the route, yelling and screaming. That was the last time me, my brother and one of cousins saw them. And I miss them so bad. We were placed in different families, told that we were going to work and go to school. It’s a Christian school, and we learn about God and his kindness and love for human beings. But I ask myself, how can something like this happen if God is so kind and loving? I’m a Aborigine, not a Christian. I’m colored, not white. I don’t belong here. I want to go home.

Goa - Travel Blog

I’m now in Goa, one of the most popular travel destinations in India. With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Goa is not only a place for tourists from foreign countries, but also people that live in India travels to Goa for a vacation. I’m now sitting in a beach bar drinking a fresh orange juice enjoying the view. The beach is filled with people. Some are sunbathing, some kids are building sandcastles and playing beach ball, some are swimming. The Indian women are standing at the shore lifting the veil on their sari while dipping their feet in the cooling water. Even dough India is getting more and more modernized; it’s not a matter of course that an Indian woman shows more than a bare leg in public. But of course, some of the young girls are wearing bathing suits and bikinis just like Norwegian youth.

There are a lot of sellers on the beach trying to get me to buy. Some of them can be really annoying, and I just turned down an offer from a jewelry seller for the sixth time today. But of course, some of the things they are selling are really nice, so it can be a lovely gesture to buy from them if you find something you like. I’m amazed by how they manage to always keep their head up high despite their tough and competition orientated working environment. You’ll always find a smile on their mouth!

I really look forward to spend some more time in Goa, and I think it’s a lovely place to end my stay in India. After a filled up schedule, a lot of impressions and a country that has touched me in so many ways, it’s not hard to picture that I’m a little exhausted! It will be nice to just relax on the beach, do some yoga, take a massage, and read a good book. I have really enjoyed my stay in India, and I’m definitely going back some day! I absolutely recommend you to visit this amazing country if you’re up for an adventure that will stick with you for the rest of your life. I will remember this trip forever!

- Iphigenia

Holy cow! - Travel Blog

Taj Mahal was as amazing as I had pictured it would be! I’m serious when I tell you that for a second I thought that I was staring at a picture when I first got a glint of the amazing building. No wonder why it’s mentioned as one of the most beautiful masterpieces in the whole wide world, It’s breathtaking!

I’m now sitting in my hotel room in Agra drinking chai and listening to the noise outside. A huge row of cars are crowding up outside my room because a cow is standing in the middle of the street blocking their way. Since the cows are preserved in India, they’re not allowed to do anything more than to use the horn on their vehicle aggressively hoping for the cow to get out of their way. For the people that live in India this is quite normal, but for a foreigner like me it’s really strange, but yet funny.

I’ve got a few more days in Agra before I’m heading towards the south to visit Goa. Yesterday I was at a marked where they sold beautiful silk fabrics, scarves, jewelries and a lot more. I got totally stunned by all the beautiful colors and exciting things there were. One thing I just had to buy as a souvenir was the national dress called a sari. Every woman in India owns a sari, and they often got one for casual use and one for dressing up. I bought a dressing- up sari, which is a little more exclusive and pretty than the normal one. The dress is divided in two parts, one skirt with a 6 meter long veil attached to it that you’re supposed wrap around you in a special way. The top has a beautiful handmade embellishment with pearls and glitter. It’s so unique and elegant, not like anything I’ve seen before!

But now I have to go to bed, sleep is important in a country where you don’t get time to hear your own thoughts!
- Iphigenia

Travel Blog - Taj Mahal

I’m now heading towards Agra to visit one of the eight wonders of the world, the amazing Taj Mahal. It’s getting colder and colder as I get closer to the north of India. The climate here is a little different from the south. In the south you’ll find beautiful beaches and a warm temperature. Here in the north you need to wear a lot more clothes to stay warm.

I really look forward to visit Taj Mahal. I’ve read a little about it, and it says that it took 22 years to build it, starting in 1631. It’s built in white marble, with beautiful architectural structure Taj seems to glow in the light of the moon. The masterpiece is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love between the man who created it, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

But now I have to go, I don’t want to be late for my guided tour. Bye!

Travel Blog

This is my travel blog. In this blog you will get the chance to read about my journey as I visit the amazing and exciting country India.

India is a country with over 1, 1 billion people, which is quite much! It’s a country of contrasts. In India you will find both beautiful historical buildings and dilapidated houses. You will notice a remarkable difference between the poor people and the upper-class, and it’s a strict line that separates the slum from a more wealthy part of an area. The official language in India is Hindi, but English is also a widespread language. This makes it a very tourist- friendly country.

I am now in Bangalore, and it is here my journey starts. Bangalore is a city with millions of inhabitants, and is an important center for industry and technology in India. When I arrived I got a little shocked because I’ve never seen so many people at the same time. My driver saw my reaction when he opened the door to the vehicle and welcomed me to India with the funny, but yet charming Indian accent. He said that I should get used to the mass of people at once, because in India you will always be surrounded with people.

India has really made an impact on me already. Here I am, in one of the largest countries in the world, sitting in my hotel room trying to digest all the new impressions. The smell is just one of them. Its so many different smells everywhere, you will never get bored. The smell of spices, dirt, human smell and food are some examples. And the food is also so different from what you get at home. Exciting spices and really spicy food is typical Indian, curry is an example of a usual spice. India has many different national dishes, but one of them is tandoori chicken which you serve with bread like naan or puri.

But now I have to go, I’ll write more later.
- Iphigenia

The disappearance of the pen

Yesterday I was so frustrated because I had lost my new pen. I told my best friend that I believed that she was the last person to use it before it disappeared. She said that she didn’t know what I was talking about. “I haven’t taken any pen!” she claimed, raising her voice. “Go jump in the river, I know you used it.” I said with a bit of irritation in my voice. “Have you lost your marbles? If I took it, I would have said so!”

We kept on going like this for a while until the student sitting in front of us turns around. “I can’t help to notice what you are arguing about. It couldn’t be the pen that is lying under the desk you guys are so frustrated about, could it?” “Hold on” I said while taking a little break. “Have you known ALL the time?” “Yes” he said with a little smile on his face. “And you just let her keep going like this, claiming me for something I didn’t do?” “Jupp” his smile grew bigger as he turn towards the blackboard.

So, there I sat, feeling stupid for pressing charges on my best friend for something she didn’t do. I looked at her, regretfully. “Sorry” I said, “it won’t happen again, I promise”. “It’s okay, I forgive you”. She smiled at me, and we gave each other a big hug. We haven’t argued about something that silly since.

Butterflies

This is a good analysis because it has some really good reflection. The analysis writer has tried to figure out what the text is really about, and I think he has proven a lot of great points. I also think the analysis showed some aspects that weren’t that clear in the actual text. So, in that way, I got a deeper understanding of the plot of the story after reading the analysis.
It was also good that the writer of the analysis brought up his own opinion, and that he showed that the story can be seen from both sides, both the grandparents and the teachers.

How English influence me in every- day life

I think English influence my every- day life a lot. For example: When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I usually do is to go to the bathroom and put on the radio where they are playing music with English lyrics. Since most of all song texts are in English, this is something that has an influence on us. A lot of the information on the internet is also in English. Since the internet is something that I use on a daily basis, this definitely has a big influence on me. I’m not sure that it is just a good thing, because much of the English that is used on the internet is so-called “chat- language”, and has a lot of incorrect English.
But most of all, I think the English/American TV- programs has most influence on me. While we listen to what they are saying, we can read the underline texted in Norwegian. This makes it easier to understand, and I think it’s a good way of learning English.

This is me

My name is Iphigenia Hellen and I’m 16 years old. I study at a high school called Adolf Øien, which is a very good school. In my spare time I work out at a gym, and I also dance at a dancing studio called Step By Step. I dance hip hop, and I absolutely love it! The part I like the most is when the trainer puts on some good music and we all dance together. You just can’t stop smiling, and it gives you a feeling of happiness and freedom!

Another thing I like to do is to hang out with friends. I live at Sverresborg, but I’ve got a lot of good friends in other parts of the city too. Since I go to school, I spend a lot of time doing schoolwork, so in the weekdays I haven’t got that much time to spend with my friends. But in the weekends we hang out. We do things like partying, go shopping, go to a café, make dinners together or just watch movies and relax.

In the last English lesson I made these fantastic mind maps.
Here you go, enjoy!

Different learning strategies

Why we need to learn English