NOMOPHOBIA

14 Castelló d'Empúries

Girona

18th April 2017

Dear Xènia, 

How are you doing? Hope you are really good. 

I just have deided to write you because I think you should know how your mobil phone addiction is affecting you and I would like to talk to you about nomophobia. I think you are constantly topping up your battery life, you are always checking your phone just to make sure you don't have missed messages or calls, you are worrying about losing it and even you feel panic and anxiety when you are separated from it. 

What I would recomend you is to try to leave it apart and try to stay for a week, minimum, without the phone. If you need to contact someone and talk to them, you can send a message to meet them and leave it again. Also, you can try to entretain yourself by doing some activities like outdoor sports, watching films, reading books or chating with your friends or family members. 

After all, you just have to want to overcome this nomophobia beacuse if you don't put all your effort, it will be wasted advice. 

So, I'll see you next day and hope you take into consideration what I've told you. 

All the best, 

Kisses from Aina. 

NEWS

NORTH KOREA HAS NEARLY COMPLETED WORK ON ITS ADVANCED SUBMARINE MISSILE PROGRAM

A United Nations report suggests North Korea has made 'rapid developments', so it is believed the country is developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles and North Korea has said missile tests will be carried out at least once a week.

I’ve tried to summarize the news a much as I can because I just want to focus in the fact that power positions are occupied by mad people. On one side, Trump and on the other hand Kim Jong-un (EEUU and North Korea). 

It means that an argument between them can lead the world into a disaster and I’m sure that if a war take place, the entire lands will be devastated and the majority of them will suffer innocently. 

As I said in the last posts, we have progress in lots of aspects that can help our society lead it into a better world with new medicines, new ways of communication, etc. But at the same time, progress can fall in evil hands and it can be use in a painful way. 

I think society must change nowadays and we have to start thinking what can happen if we don’t stop these situations, if we let mad people stay in the power. We can’t not wait until all ends and we must avoid any disaster because, at the end, changing or not is in our hands.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4429746/North-Korea-nearly-completes-work-missile-program.html

NEWS

A HOLIDAY FOR THE FILTHY RICH

The much-anticipated XXII Carat holiday villa complex in Dubai is set to be finished later in the year. There are 22 seven-bedroom villas on the market, each with landscaped gardens and a 24-hour concierge. 30% of the luxury properties - costing between £8.5million and £19million - have already been snapped up.

This is one of the reasons why I wanted to study something related with hotels, but is also the reason why I realize that just few people can afford it and while they waste their money in sleep over the most comfortable MATALÀS in the world or in having a bath wrapped in gold, hundreds of millions of people are trying to find any shelter to rest the night.
Hotels show really good the difference that has come up between rich and poor people and it increase every day a little bit more. 1% of population has the 99% of the world wealth while 99% of them has the other 1% and it must be one of the change proposal along the history. However, I consider it is something that will never happen taking in consideration that money corrupts people and it makes them greedier.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4433058/Holiday-villas-Dubai-come-complete-1m-bathtubs.html

NEWS

EXHAUSTED LONDON MARATHON RUNNER

Just 200 yards before the finish line runner David Wyeth's legs turned to jelly but Matthew Rees, of the Swansea Harriers, stopped running and turned around. He grabbed him and supported him across the line as race organizers stepped in. 

Viewers on social media have heaped praise on Rees, calling him a hero. 

What I can say about this news is that sometimes sport can contribute to make people more solidarity and even though it’s difficult to renounce competition and ease the loss of the first position, people learn to grow up developing some other aspects and values that makes them more winners than those who gets the first place. 

I think that one activity that helps boosting solidarity and respect and lots of other values is sport. We are used to hear that group sports are better than single ones, but today we have an example that shows it doesn’t matter which kind of sport you practice is just what you learn from it what  you can apply in real life.

Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4437374/Exhausted-London-Marathon-runner-collapses-carried.html

NO MEN BEYOND THIS POINT

“In a world where women have become asexual and are no longer giving birth to males, a quiet, unassuming housekeeper named Andrew Myers finds himself at the centre of a battle to keep men from going extinct.”

I must say that while we were watching the film we all feel a little bit estrange about it because we were, and we aren’t nowadays, used to imagine a world without men. But, however, it has been interesting to see how the world would change in this situation.

When you watch this film you realize that men are most of the time the main causes of many problems we have at present. Their nature is usually more aggressive than women’s character and it brings them to start wars, arguments, gender-based violence, and threats, among others. And it doesn’t end up here; women are usually more organized than men and they really know how to share a flat, to show solidarity with the rest, be helpful when they are called for help, respect themselves and the life space of everyone, etc.

After all of it we could say that maybe a world without men would be a great idea and it will eradicate numerous troubles we have today. But if I had to choice which world I would prefer I wouldn’t have the hesitation to choice the world with men; nevertheless I would like to signify that men should value much more what women do for them and they should take in consideration all the great ideas that women can have and how useful they can result, letting them to hold a position plenty of responsibilities, like president.

And according to the film, the best way to make them realize about all of this stuff is to reach the borderline and it would be then, when they are going to react. As is often said, you don’t realize about what you have until you lose it. 

ABOUT LONDON

1- Locate our hostel  "Safestay Elephant and Castle" in google. Check out the facilities and regulations of the hotel. What you can do and what you mustn't do. 

FACILITIES
- Central city location
- Bar and restaurant
- Key card security system
- Full CCTV coverage
- 24-hour reception
- Free Wi-Fi in public areas
- Laundry room
- Social areas including TV and chill-out rooms
- Private garden at Kensington Holland Park and Elephant & Castle
- Private terrace at York
- Great social spaces at Edinburgh

REGULATIONS

- At Check-in, groups are required to leave a security deposit of £250 (£500 for Stag and Hen Parties) to cover any damages caused during the stay at the hostel. The deposit will be returned on departure subject to no damages being reported or detected. The deposit is payable via cash, debit or credit card.

- The comfort of all of our guests is of paramount importance. Any guests who in the opinion of our staff compromise the comfort, safety, or security of other guests, staff or local residents will be requested to leave the hostel premises and will not be issued a refund.

- On arrival, at least one leader will be required to sign a statement of intention to uphold the rules set in place for groups upon arrival. The group leaders must ensure that all members of their group behave in an acceptable manor.

- The group leader will be responsible for any wilful damage that is caused to the rooms, furnishings or hostel, for any theft of hostel property by any member of the group or in the case of guest complaints due to the behaviour of the group. Damages will be deducted from the security deposit paid and remaining costs will be required to be paid, or a payment agreement reached prior to departure.

- Should damage come to light after the group has departed, we reserve the right to make a charge to the group's credit / debit card, or send an invoice for the amount to the registered address. We will however make every effort to rectify any damage internally prior to contracting specialists to make the repairs, and therefore will make every effort to keep any costs that the guest would incur to a minimum.

- Smoking is strictly forbidden anywhere on Safestay premises. Any group member found smoking within the building will be charged a fee of £250.00 in order to cover the extensive cost of restoring the room to a smoke-free condition. Further failure to comply will result in the group being asked to leave the premises immediately and will not be offered a refund. If you wish to smoke please ask reception staff about designated smoking areas on arrival.

2- In google maps:

What can you visit near our hotel? (30 minutes on foot)

How far is the hostel from the center Piccadilly Circus?

How can you get to the center by bus and by tube?  UNDERGROUND

SAFESTAY ELEPHANT AND CASTLE

BIG BEN

LONDON EYE

GERALDINE MARY HARMSWORTH PARK

Piccadilly Circus is about 52 minutes on food and 17 minutes on underground if we take it in Bakerloo.

2. How can you get to the restaurants for dinner? and from the restaurants to the hostel?

On the 4th of April: LEICESTER ARMS (844 Glasshouse Street, Picadilly)

On the 6th of April:  ZETLAND 82 Bute Street, kensington)

To go to the first restaurant, we should take the underground from Bakerloo until Piccadilly Circus Station. And the same to go back to the hostel: take the underground from Piccadilly Circus Station to Bakerloo.

The second one, we should take the underground from South Kensington Station until Westminster Station and then take the underground from Westminster Station Bridge Street (Stop H) until Larcom Street (Stop A). So this is the way from Zetland to our hostel. 

3. Look for 3 must-see landmarks in London you definitely would like to visit.

Write 50 words about each landmark and how to get there from our hostel by bus or tube.

LONDON EYE → The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, it has also been called by its owners the British Airways London Eye, the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, the EDF Energy London Eye and, as of mid-January 2015, the Coca-Cola London Eye. 

BIG BEN → Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower as well. The tower is officially known as Elizabeth Tower, renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012; previously, it was known simply as the Clock Tower.

LONDON TOWER

1066 : William the Conqueror establishes the Tower to keep hostile Londoners at bay.

1080s: Work on the White Tower is under way.

1101: Ranulf Flambard, the first known prisoner at the Tower, makes a daring escape.

1155: Thomas Becket, keeper of the works at the Tower, carries out repairs.

1220s: Henry III starts a major expansion of the royal palace.

1251 : A polar bear joins the Tower menagerie.

1263: Henry III surrenders the Tower to Simon de Montfort.

1275-79: Edward I builds St Thomas’s Tower and the watergate now known as Traitors' Gate.

1360 : John II ‘the Good’ of France lives in great splendour as a prisoner.

1381: Simon of Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, is dragged out of the Tower and murdered on Tower Hill during the Peasants’ Revolt. 

1389: Geoffrey Chaucer, clerk of works, oversees completion of Tower Wharf. Chaucer is better known for having written The Canterbury Tales.

1483: The Princes in the Tower disappear, presumed murdered.

1485: Henry VII founds the body ofYeoman Warders or 'Beefeaters'.

1536: Queen Anne Boleyn is beheaded on Tower Green by a swordsman brought especially from France.

1554: Lady Jane Grey, the ‘nine days queen’, is executed. Princess Elizabeth, later Elizabeth I, is imprisoned in the Tower.

1605: Guy Fawkes is tortured at the Tower following the failed Gunpowder Plot to assassinate James I and blow up Parliament.

1671: Colonel Blood attempts to steal the Crown Jewels.

1780: The last hanging takes place on Tower Hill.

1826: Duke of Wellington becomes Constable of the Tower and appoints Yeoman Warders based on their exemplary military service.

1835: Tower Menagerie closes. The animals are transferred to the new London Zoo.

1841: Crown Jewels are saved from fire.

1850: Koh-i-noor diamond is presented to Queen Victoria.

1952: East end London gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray are held at the Tower.

2012: The Crown Jewels exhibition opens.