Snow White and the Huntsman

As already disclosed here and here after having spent the morning at the IH Coimbra, we headed to the mall to have lunch and then a flick, but this time students didn't even know what I had in store for them - it was a complete surprise, first for them who reacted with some protest and even disdain when I told them we were going to recall our childhood stories (?) with Snow White, and then also for me once it proved better than expected.
"Snow White and the Huntsman" is a modern day fairy tale: among other examples, it still includes the proverbial "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" but "in a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen." Check for yourself this good movie: great visual effects, good acting (though a much "fairer" evil Queen than Snow White), awesome landscapes, not like the Disney films we are used to.
I'm not going to tell you much more about it but just for you to have an idea, check this stunning "Breath of Life" music video from the soundtrack of the movie:

You might also be interested in checking my resources for the movie in my next blogpost :D

Visit to IH Coimbra

Some years after our first visit to IH Coimbra, once again in the morning of June 1st the doors were opened for us / our students and as always we were warmly welcomed by all - teachers and staff.
Dave, Jenny and Ben had planned three different activities for our students and they were split into 3 groups that swapped every half an hour. Dave had planned an activity on movies I found awesome (both the film and the activities), Ben had planned a very interesting activity on music and Jenny on computers. Wow! I can assure you that all were FUNtastic and students loved every single bit - check for yourselves in the pics they are about to share here.

There are no words to express my gratitude as a teacher to IH for always being there for my / Soure students no matter their ages. I've already lost track to the number of times that IH and Dave Tucker have been welcoming "kids from Soure" and last year (as published here ) there was even a most generous offer of a summer course to an adult learner of mine. As for the school, both colleagues and students were amazingly helpful: Helena helped with the bunches of flowers, Isabel and students baked the cakes we were to offer in the morning before leaving, Isidoro and students built a "Metal Dave" (Dave's words) as well as a "Metal Jenny", Filipe brought all the flowers and Marco two bottles of home-distilled aguardente from 2010.
Many, many thanks to all!

Summer Courses for all

This is not the first time that I write a blogpost about International House and surely won't be last! In the past, Dave Tucker and all the staff at IH Coimbra welcomed me and my students for interactive sessions and last year there was even a most generous offer of a summer course to an adult learner of mine as posted here.
Soon I'm planning to take there my vocational students (among them are some lucky ones who met Dave and Jenny 4/5 years ago and just can't wait to see them again) but, in time, I'll write about it; right now, let me call your attention for some mail/info I got from them.

(Please click on it to enlarge)

The end of the school year is approaching and, as you can see, there are many different courses suiting all ages and needs: English for kiddies, teens, adults, intensive courses, exam preparation, business english...  IH also offers online teacher training - check ihlondon.com/online-training but why don't you go to R. Antero de Quental, 135, 3000-032 Coimbra, see for yourself and ask all the questions you want to ask???