"My Women's Football Team: Santa Ana (EFSAC)" by María Ruiz Arencibia (1º A Bach)

Hi! My name is Maria and I´m an amateur footballer in my free time. My team is called Santa Ana football team (EFSAC) and I play as a defender. This is the first year that there is a women's team and we always have a good time when we are playing. We are learning a lot! 

Last week we played a championship in “Ciudad Jardin" . There were five more teams. First, we played against the hosts of the Championship. We thought that it would be very difficult to win because they are in an upper level in our league. Neverthless, we were better and won 3-0. We were very happy and motivated. And as there are not so many teams, we were already in the semifinals! Then we played against a team that had played two matches previously and we won 3-1 in a magnificent game. We were hopefully in the final. 

We coudn’t explain how happy we were. I remember that the coach told us: “Finals are not played but won and we mustn’t be afraid because we are good enough to win”. I think that they were the best words that he could tell us. We trusted ownselves and hopefully we won. In fact, we won the final 5-1. We played the match of our lives because we all played very well. Maybe the championship is a nonsense for many people but we were as happy as if we had won the UEFA Champions League. We coudn’t believe it!

We are in the fourth position in the league and it is not bad because it is our first year and there are teams that have been playing for many years. We are a group of friends who met together to form the team. Our coach is the father of one of us but the training is really hard. The most important thing in the team is that we are all friends and we enjoy the training sessions and the matches.

"Social Networks: Pros and Cons" by Ana de la Gándara González (1º A Bach)

Nowadays, in the 21st century, the great technological advances provide us with lots of facilities in many areas, as for example in communication. Thanks to technology, there are numerous social networks and software programs that allow us to communicate with other people who are at the other end of the country or even on the opposite side of the world. Such thing was unthinkable a couple of decades ago.

I can name a lot of these programs and applications, like Skype, Tango or Facetime (for those who have an iphone) but in addition to these, there are many social networks on the internet that allow us to communicate through messages and photos, such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Instagram, or Snapchat. 

There are many advantages on these networks as they allow us to communicate with other people on the net, without having to pay any telephone bills, only the price of the internet. But also, there are a number of problems involved with the use of these so called social networks. The main one is bullying, that is to say, the ability to psychologically attack someone via internet without any physical contact. Cyberbullying is a very common problem in adolescents, because today any of them has a mobile phone to have access to these networks and can harass or laugh at someone with the only objective of humiliating him or her. There have been numerous campaigns to fight bullying, presented in schools in order to educate the children on the psychological problems that it may cause. For example in 2010, Cartoon Network organized a campaign against bullying in the United States, with the name of "Enough about bullying, don't stay quiet".

In recent years several movies have been filmed with the same educational purpose. They show how bullying develops, often by mocking at the way someone dresses or talks, the person's musical likes or their economical difficulties. One example of these films is "Cyberbully" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk_YSO0py7s) starring Emily Osment, which is about a girl, Taylor, who creates a profile on a social network and begins to suffer harassment on the net after her little brother got into her account and made a false publication.  

To prevent all these crimal behaviours, police officers give talks about bullying in scools in order to educate children about the impact of cyberbullying and its legal consequences, since many teenagers believe that they can write and say anything on the net, when it is not the case.

In conclusion, I want to remark that new technologies make our social lives easier but also bring lots of inconvenience if you aren't careful and responsible enough, especially among teenagers.

"PRETORIANOS, Cartagena's American Football Team" by Nacho Lorca (1º A Bachiller)

Let me introduce you all to Cartagena Pretorianos C.F.A. We’ve been Cartagena´s football team (American football, not soccer) since 2011. At the moment we have two teams of flag football and only one category of tackle football. Tackle football is like the NFL, the American football that you can see on TV. However, flag football is another kind of football, it’s like tackle but without physical contact. Instead of tackling an apponent, you have to take the flag from him. At present we have two flag football teams: a female team and a senior team. Now I am playing in the senior team of flag fotball, but hopefully next year I will play in the senior team of tackle football. In tackle football we only have a senior team and this year we are doing an awesome season. In fact now we are third in our conference league (East- Conference) but next sunday at 12:00 am in “La Asomada” (our field is there) we are playing against Cehegín Wolves and we can reach the first position. My intention next year is to recruit people in order to create a junior tackle football team. If someone is interested in joining us you can tell me, everybody is welcome!!

Tackle football comes from rugby. A football field is 120 yards long and 50 yards wide (1 yard = 0.9144 metres). The playing field is divided in lines separated by 5 yards. On both ends you have the touchdown area (10 metres long each) and the goals. The game consists in arriving at the rival’s end zone. Your team scores a touchdown when a player steps on that area holding the ball. You have four chances (“downs”) to advance 10 yards. If you don´t make it, you lose the possesion and your team start to defend. On the contrary, if you advance these 10 yards, you start another attack round with the same objective. It´s very easy!!

Footballers can play in different positions, like in any other team sport: Wide Receiver (the fastest players of the team, the ones who receive the pass), Quarterback (the leader of the team, the one who structures the plays and throws the passes), Guards and Tackles (the biggest and stronger players who stay near the QB), Full Backs, Corner Backs, Safeties, Line Backers… Each position requires specific physical and tactical conditions.

Well, I hope you like this short review about this awesome sport. And remember to contact me if you are interested and want to give it a try. We would be delighted to see you around!!

No pain, no gain! My experience on the Camino de Santiago, by José Jumilla Roca (2º B Bachiller)

It was the 9th of July 2013, 7:00 o'clock in the morning, and a group of about fifty young people, who came from different Franciscan churches all around Spain, started a long trip, or maybe I'd say an unforgettable physical and spiritual adventure. 

Anyway, it was long and exhausting, 153 kilometres to be precise. As a group, we had set some goals for this spiritual journey, such as tireless hiking and walking, meditation, teamwork achievements or fellowship among others. And, most importantly, arriving in Santiago de Compostela safe and sound! Some of us were old friends and others were meeting for the first time.

The way was going to be hard... and now I can tell it was plenty! On top of the long distances, we had to carry our heavy bags, which were fully equipped. We could visit some beautiful and interesting places and small villages. We walked across and we spent night after night in some beautiful villages like Triacastela, Sarria, Portomarin, Palas de Rey, Arzúa, or Pedrouzo. And obviously Santiago de Compostela, whose magnificent cathedral was our finishing line. On the "Camino de Santiago" you can also meet lots of unknown but nice people that you probably won't see ever again. And yet, they help you as if they've known you for ages. That is, in my opinion, one of the most wonderful parts. 

The daily routine was practically the same. We slept on hostals and got up at about 6:30 in the mornings, feeling more and more tired every day. However, there's some kind of magic about it that gives you power and energy to carry on. Next, I used to have a good breakfast and I tried to get dressed quickly and pick all my things up as tidily as possible to start walking soon. We used to walk and average of 27 kilometres per day while seeing amazing landscapes and views. We used to get at the next hostel at about 9:00 pm more or less and then we had lunch together and talked about all the things we had seen during the day. After that, a little free time until approximately 11:30 pm, when we usually went to bed. In my free time, I used to go for a walk to see the village we were staying in, but sometimes we all played football or simply took a nap.

In conclusion "Camino de Santiago" is something you should consider doing before you pass away. The best thing I will always remember was the fastantic group of friends we made there. And if someone ever asks me if I would repeat the experience, I'd say "Of course! Without a doubt!"

Seven days following a yellow arrow on stones and posts... Insane, don't you think?

School Trip! by Daniel Conesa Fernández (2º A Bachiller)

Every year, on the second grade of bachiller, we have a school trip to Italy and we stay there for around a week. The trip is a bit expensive as it includes the flight ticket, the hotels, the meals, the coach and, on top of that, the money you spend as a tourist. But all in all, I honestly think it’s really worth the money.
The first day is really exciting. You are in the bus with your classmates on your way to Valencia’s Airport knowing that the next week is definitely going to be the best week of the year. For some people, it was their first time on a plane, and they felt quite nervous…
Well, on the trip you can visit the cities of Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano, Sienna, Assisi, the town of Spoleto and finally Rome!

Pisa is cool and there you can take some very funny photos at the Leaning Tower. But in my opinion, it’s the worst city on the trip. I think Florence is the most beautiful and fascinating place, it’s like a city-museum. There are lots of sculptures in the streets and the renaissance architecture is amazing. San Gimignano is a beautiful and small medieval town in the Tuscany. There you have spectacular views of the typical Tuscan countryside. Next you visit Sienna with its fascinating architecture and the famous Piazza del Campo. The cathedral is also breathtaking… Then you travel to the city of Assisi, which is divided in two: the old Assisi and the new Assisi. We enjoyed the medieval constructions and learnt about our dear San Francis of Assissi’s hometown. 

The trip had some improvised visits, one of them was the town of Spoleto… But, you know, the best part of the trip is the visit to the city of Rome. You stay there for three days. In Rome be ready to have long walks through the city visiting the most important spots. It is absolutely exhausting! Luckily, the beauty of its monuments is worth the effort: the Fontana di Trevi, the Colosseum or Saint Peter’s cathedral are simply unforgettable!

The girls especially loved the shops along Vía del Corso, with the most important fashion design brands. But if shopping, make sure to visit the market of San Lorenzo in Florence!

In conclusion, if you have the chance to go on this school trip, you will surely have one of your best trips ever and will fall in love with the spectacular Italian landmarks.

Daniel Conesa Fernández, 2º A Bachiller