Take A Coffee With Me

are you with me?

Hello dear readers! How are you? I am very happy that you come back, another day, to the blog. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If, on the other hand, you are new here, hi! It’s Marta and I’m delighted to meet you. I warn you beforehand that today’s post is going to be something different than usual, so it doesn’t matter if you already have experience with me or if it’s your first time here. Followed by, I am going to address a subject that I had not mentioned yet; so quickly make some coffee and join me today.

For those who don’t know or remember, I am currently studying International Baccalaureate (IB). This modality of baccalaureate consists of various peculiarities – I plan to talk about it in more detail in the future -, among them is the CAS Folder, a fundamental aspect of the International Baccalaureate. The folder that I have just mentioned is characterized by being a folder where I save and write all my experiences and projects carried out throughout the two years that I am studying high school. It should include reflections that provide evidence of having achieved some CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service) learning and may reveal how the IB Learner Profile attributes have been developed. Imagine how important the role he plays is that without my CAS Folder, it would be impossible for me to get the degree!

Anyway, what I was going. As I have previously mentioned, in this space I will write about my experiences and projects. For my portfolio, I have chosen to write in a blog format, that is, my personal blog will also be a CAS Folder. I know, it sounds great! Without further delay, I am going to start my first CAS experience.

This story begins on Tuesday, November 15th. I was very excited, as well as being my first CAS experience, it was going to be the first outing I was going to do with my new colleagues. It is true that we had been together for some time – two months to be exact – but, this time, it was going to be very different. We weren’t going to be in class sharing a desk and anecdotes during recess, no; this time we were in an orienteering race in the middle of the mountain – yeah! That sounds exciting!

As the name of the activity indicates, the excursion was about a race where, if you didn’t know how to orient yourself, it was difficult to reach the finish line. From this excursion we tested our driving with a map. I have to confess that at first I thought I was going to be better at this activity. I had recently made a trip where I had to guide myself with a map around the city and I was pretty good at the task. That idea that I was going to be able to overcome the challenge also brought intensity to that illusion and desire to start. I repeat, I was very motivated. In addition, my partners and I had been talking for a couple of days about the groups that we were going to do for the race, how we planned to approach the activity, what we were going to take to entertain ourselves during the course of the excursion… In short, in my mind I had certain expectations for this CAS experience and I planned to make them come true.

Shall I tell you a secret? Nothing went as planned. There was a plot twist throughout the story.

When we got to the place where the activity would take place, I realized that it wasn’t what I expected – I really had no idea how that could be, but I know that I was not expecting anything like that at all -. The tour was longer than I initially imagined. At that moment, instead of seeing it as a drawback, I saw it as a good thing: if the course was longer, if the terrain was more uneven, if there were going to be more obstacles, the race would end up being more fun and competitive, no?

Once they gave us a brief explanation of how the race was going to take place, it was time to wait. Time passed and still my group was still waiting. More minutes and more waiting time. An hour passed, and we were still on our feet waiting for our assigned monitor to tell us when we could take action. To give you an idea, that morning we also tested our lower extremities and our patience. Hey! Let’s not be so pessimistic. With all that time in between, my teammates and I were laughing and chatting. I remember that the waiting time was quite long; however, my group of friends managed to make the minutes go by in the blink of an eye.

Finally, we managed to get in line to enter the tour. We had all organized ourselves to go in groups: some went in pairs, others went in a trio, I even knew there was a quartet. I thought about joining my two friends who were right in front of me, I already felt the adrenaline, from the line I could smell the good time I was going to have with them, there were only a few seconds left before my stopwatch began to show the time.

One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go!

I finally started participating! As soon as we passed the starting line, I started looking for my teammates who had just started. I started to run, I kept looking everywhere, but there was no sign of them. Apparently, I was left alone, yupiii! – note the sarcasm -. Against all odds, I kept jogging to try and catch up with one of my friends as I made my way around the course. Bad idea. At the first marker I got lost. I was interpreting the map incorrectly. In my defense I will say two things.

The first one, who the hell draws a map and marks a strip of light blue that is not a river? Same as ever, light blue is water, either a river, a lake, a sea, a swamp… it doesn’t matter. Everything related to water has always been marked in blue. Well, as with every rule there is an exception, precisely that occasion was the exception. Funny, I know.

The second one, if I have to take the path to the right, don’t put the number of the beacon on the left side! That doesn’t make sense.

After I have vented, I think we can continue with the narrative. Within minutes of being alone and getting lost, I ran into some classmates from my high school. They were in a relatively large group. I don’t remember exactly how many people there were, but it would have to be around 6. Of those possible six people, only one was my friend, another had been my partner last year in two optional classes, two people I simply knew from the things that my friends told me about them, and the others were completely new to me.

I am sure that if they had proposed to me to join them at the beginning of everything, I would have politely rejected the proposal. However, at that time the context was totally different. I was aware that if I wanted to get home safely, it was better to accept the invitation than to continue alone. Pride didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that I didn’t consider everyone friends. Despite the saying, it’s better to be alone than in bad company, on that occasion they were good company, besides, no one knew if it was an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of friendship. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t the case.

Anyway, as I was saying, I joined their group. I saw that this was not only an opportunity to team up with (relatively) strangers, but also that I was going to learn from the mistakes I had made interpreting the map while alone.

The race continued and I continued with them. After a while, I separated from them along with a colleague who, until that day, I did not know of their existence. We both agreed that, with everyone in the group, we were falling behind a lot and, since we were participating in a race, we preferred to speed up the pace to reach the finish line sooner. As we were overcoming obstacles and getting ahead of some contestants, I remember trying to talk and get to know my partner a bit more. As I have previously mentioned, for me he was a totally unknown person, I could not know if I was missing the opportunity to meet a possible friend. Spoiler: no, after that day, we haven’t gotten back together… But, hey! I have to say that the two of us work very well. Together we overtook many friends of mine; however, I preferred not to join them thinking that they would delay me. That morning I saw that it was more important to reach the goal than to have a good time walking through the mountains with the company of my friends.

Everything was going well until we reached a certain area. The problem boils down to the fact that we got confused on our way and almost ended up crossing a road that separated us from a town in Malaga. When we realized that we had made a mistake, I called some friends who had told me that they had already finished the race. As I was talking to them for help, I realized that we had strayed a long way from the marked route. I wanted to cry, I was lost in who knows where, I was hurt because my friends had all gone together and I had been left alone, it had already been over an hour and I still had more than half the race left… all wrong. Although I knew that being pessimistic was useless in this situation, I began to get overwhelmed. Error number “I lost count of so many errors a few years ago.”

Was it going to help me regret the situation? Was I going to achieve something positive by sitting back and doing nothing ? No and no. I had to change the situation, so I decided to start over from that exact moment.

I started to call my friends again to help me. After several messages and the occasional call, they came to rescue me – I must clarify that they also helped the rest of the lost people who were with me -. Once I met them, they stayed with me for the rest of the race. They made sure that I managed to reach all the controls, that I did not take the wrong path and that I felt accompanied during the rest of the journey.

After a long walk, we all reached the goal together. There, the monitors let me know that I had been one of the last to arrive, but, honestly, despite the fact that I would have liked to have reached a higher position or other, having crossed the finish line was enough for me.

For me, that excursion was pitiful. All my expectations had been trampled, I had felt abandoned, I had preferred to listen to my competitive instincts rather than the company of my friends… Previously, I did not like to remember that day, it did not bring me very good memories.

Now, once I reflect with a cool head, once all those thoughts that flooded my mind had gone away, once any feelings of abandonment and sadness had disappeared, I was able to realize that I kept making mistakes that day.

When a group of my friends had come to help me after getting lost in no man’s land, I preferred to continue going fast and passing the vast majority of them than to go all together, taking a nice walk. If you only knew how sorry I am for having made that choice. I don’t remember if I managed to thank them or apologize, although what I do remember is that a certain friend reproached me that, since they had done the favor of retracing what they had done long ago only for me, I could have gone with them enjoying their company and not having gone on my own with a friend. When he told me, I felt bad. I felt that it was just what I was doing because, in the beginning, they had been the ones who had left me on my own. Now, I feel like a complete jerk.

I didn’t know how to value my friends. I didn’t realize what they had done just to make sure she was safe, healthy and calm. All this just for wanting to be in a good position. What does it matter to be first, fifth, fifteenth or last in a race if I’m not going to be able to have fun with my teammates!

Well, what did you think of my first CAS experience? Have you taken note of any aspect? After that day, I learned many things. To be honest with you, if given the opportunity to do orienteering again, I would not hesitate to take the opportunity if I make sure that next time I will put my competitiveness aside and focus on what really matters: have a good time with my friends.

Soon I have to say goodbye. My least favorite part of when I write to you. But hey, let’s try to see the positive side. It’s song time! For this occasion, I am not going to wind up explaining the reason for the song, you alone are going to understand why I have chosen that song and not another.

Someone to face the day with make it through all the rest with someone I’ll always laugh with even at my worst, I’m best with you
I’ll be there for you – The Rembrandts

I hope you have been able to learn, at least, a minimum thing. I hope that in the future you won’t be like me and make so many mistakes when it comes to friendships. Friends are one of our greatest treasures, it is clear that we never get to show them how much we appreciate them.

Well, that’s it for today’s post. If you’ve come this far after the scroll I’ve written, I’m very sorry, although I’m glad to know that, despite everything, you’ve stayed here.

XOXO

the pleasure of travelling

Hello again adventurer! A new day, a new opportunity to share my thoughts with you. I know it’s been a long time since I last wrote to you. I know I’ve been a bad hostess… I don’t deserve you – I pick up a handkerchief and start crying dramatically*** -. In my defense, I will say that I started writing this publication two weeks ago, when I was on vacation in Barcelona, but I did not finish it because I did not like how it was staying. So that you can see that even when relaxing, during my short vacation, I think of you!

All in all, after so much drama, we can go on. As you’ve read, I have been a couple of days in the capital of Catalonia. All the experiences I lived before, during and after the trip, inspired me to talk about this hobby that I like so much as many other people.

Today I would like to talk about traveling and how you can organize a trip to make it unforgettable. If you like to visit the corners of the world or have planned a journey soon, I know that today’s publication will interest you.

Traveling, what do we travel for? It might be for work issues, to visit someone you miss, for personal celebrations, to take a break from everything, to know the world, for leisure and entertainment … On my occasion, when I traveled to one of the most important Spanish cities, it wasn’t for work reasons, but for my own necessity. I needed to break with my routine and change of scene leaving everything behind just for a short period of time in order to come back with more energy.

Also, I felt I needed some time with myself, I wanted to have a “me and just me against the world” moment. That’s why I thought that going away for a few days would be like the ring on one’s finger.

I recently read that traveling gave you wings and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. Traveling transmits freedom, allows you to know the singularities of the world, gives you the chance to break with the routine changing airs, teaches you life lessons. When we travel for pleasure, that is, because we feel like it, we return from the trip being different people. Let’s see, Marta, how do we come back different? What exactly do you mean? Give me a moment and I’ll explain.

One of the many peculiarities of traveling that I love so much is that, by traveling, you improve yourself personally as well culturally. When we visit new cities, we discover different traditions to which we are accustomed, different beliefs, different values, different expressions, other completely different lifestyles and much more, which, at first, turned out to be totally unknown for our person. In short, if you plan to travel, be sure of you will most likely discover endless things as well as you will enrich yourself culturally, developing your own self-knowledge.

One never becomes aware of everything that is lost or everything that underestimates a culture or nation until one takes a flight, a train or the desired means of transport, to stay, for a couple of days, in a completely different place than one is used to.

In addition, not only is traveling beneficial in the field of knowledge, but it also turns out to be one of the most recommended proposals if one wants to rest or take a break. Being bored with routine is normal and natural; That’s why a change of scenery by taking a small getaway feels so good at times like these.

One of the only objection that this hobby implies is about the economic cost and environmental impact. Depending on which means of transport is used, the carbon footprint will be higher or lower. I’m not going to enter into a debate with the money that one can spend because it’s a fairly autonomous issue. Traveling is not free, but depending on the person and the ideas you have, the total amount of money you could spend will be higher or lower.

If soon you have a pending trip or want to make a trip and you would like to make the most of it by enjoying it to the fullest in order to have unforgettable memories, I recommend that you continue reading.

SPACE AND TIME

The first thing is to choose the destination. I know it may seem obvious, but it is quite relevant to choose a good destination: it’s not the same to spend a couple of days in a coastal place than in a city place. To do this, do not trust what is fashionable. Pay attention to your conscience and go where you want it most. You can choose a city that you have already visited claiming success or, on the contrary, choose as a destination a city that you have never seen before. Make a choice with which you know you will be comfortable and can satisfy your purposes, tastes and interests. Hold on one second! Remember to consider the time before making the final decision. For example, if you plan to enjoy the tranquility of a city, think about non-holidays to try to find less hustle and bustle.

DURATION

Remember, less is more. The duration of the trip is very important, because if this is very long you will end up exhausted the end days, these will seem tired leaving a nasty taste in your mouthat the end. Don’t overlook jet lag either. Keep it in mind when calculating the days and choosing the destination, jet lag is quite decisive for certain routes.

LUGGAGE

When packing, make sure you bring everything you need, not what you would like to take, but what you know is necessary. It doesn’t matter if you spend many days outside, it doesn’t matter if you do not have a luggage limit … Really, it doesn’t matter. Yourself will realize that it’s better to carry only the essentials. In order to know how to separate between the necessary and the dispensable, I recommend you think sensibly about the use of the things you are going to put inside the suitcase – if you see it necessary, you can make a list pointing out the pros and cons -. Later you will thank me when you buy many souvenirs and they fit perfectly in your suitcase.

MEMORIES

Do you want to be able to remember the trip in the future? Take something with you that you can keep and create memories with. Do you like to write? Take a notebook with you and turn it into a travel diary. Do you like photography? Burst your mobile gallery with photos and videos of your favorite moments and the places you would like to immortalize. Do you have a more vintage style? Instead of using your phone’s camera, use a disposable camera. Do you also like to be detail-oriented and crafts? Reveal the photos you like best, print them out and design an album. Last but not least, create a playlist with songs that remind you of the trip. Every single song that reminds you of the trip, every song you’ve heard during the travel and automatically becomes a part of the journey, add it to a playlist. When you miss those days when you were in a different place, let the memories come back to mind listening to that playlist.

COMFORT ZONE

If you are going to see a new place, you are going to know new things, people, customs, etc … why not take advantage and also do things different from what you usually do when you are in your comfort zone? By trying new habits you can discover countless things. Then, once you return to the ordinary routine and repeat an action you tried while outside, it will automatically make you remember those good old days.

Traveling, a quite curious hobby. As you have noticed, I love to travel, what about you? I personally believe that, whenever you have the opportunity, travel. It doesn’t matter if it’s near or far from your home. As long as it helps you take a break and break with the habit, it is ideal.

Well, this has already become a bit long, so I’m afraid it’s time to say goodbye. If this is not the first time you have passed through here, you know that there is still a little thing missing. If this is your first time – by the way, nice to meet you -, I recommend you keep reading. For this entry, I have chosen a song that reminds me of the feeling of being free traveling and seeing amazing places. I feel that this song, in one way or another, fits with today’s theme, what do you think?

I did it all, I owned every second that this world could give. I saw so many places, the things that I did

I lived – One Republic

Do not stay with the desire to do something. Dare. Make sure your life is memorable. Enjoy. Get to know the world. Get out of your comfort zone. Breathe fresh air. Fall in love. Feel life. Be able to say that you lived.

Treat yourself by visiting a different city, breathing a different air, discovering a different custom, living with completely different people, possibly listening to a different language, living an unusual adventure… Simply, the pleasure of traveling.

xoxo

the bravest act for a woman is to think for herself and out loud

Bienvenidos otra vez, ¿qué tal lleváis el día? El capítulo de hoy va a ser un poco más diferente a lo que os tengo acostumbrado. También, como os habéis notado, este capítulo lo estoy escribiendo en mi idioma, español. No sé si en el futuro lo traduciré, por ahora no lo sé.

The saddest thing a woman can do is play dumb to like a man
Emma Watson

Este miércoles 8 de marzo ha sido el Día Internacional de la Mujer. Es por ello que no veo mejor ocasión de hablar sobre el papel de la mujer en la actualización de hoy. Tienes todo el derecho de irte si no te interesa este capítulo, pero creo que todos deberíamos de aprender un poco sobre esto. Espero de todo corazón que os guste mis palabras, pues para hoy he escrito un discurso sobre el valor de la mujer.

“Un nuevo informe de ONU mujeres, que analiza los avances en los 17 Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, alerta sobre la persistente discriminación de las mujeres y niñas en todo el mundo.” Noticias ONU (Naciones Unidas), L. Quiñones 2018.

“Aproximadamente 2400 millones de mujeres en el mundo no tienen los mismos derechos económicos que los hombres.” Banco Mundial 2021.

“Pandemia retrocedió décadas de avances en la igualdad hacia las mujeres. Estudio de la ONU dice que, al paso que vamos, faltan unos 300 años para lograr la igualdad de géneros” La Teja, R. Sandí 2023.

Tres titulares correspondientes a tres noticias, escritas en tres años desiguales entre sí, basándose en estudios que tienen en cuenta datos de tres distintos lugares del mundo. Hoy, señoras y señores, me dirijo a ustedes con una idea entre manos que pienso compartir.

Probablemente, gran parte de los presentes compartimos un propósito: poner fin de una vez por todas a la desigualad de género. Me es por ello requerido acudir a ustedes para que participen en esta causa la cual lleva siglos obstaculizando alcanzar una sociedad equitativa. Acerca de este conflicto, hay infinitos aspectos que deben de ser solucionados. A pesar de todos ellos, hoy pretendo informaros sobre un problema en particular. Para ello, no veo más oportuno recordar el inolvidable personaje del escritor español Fernando de Rojas. ¿Saben de quién estoy hablando? Si no es así, ¿qué tal ahora si les menciono “puta vieja”?

Tal y como todos los personajes de la tragicomedia de Fernando de Rojas se referían a esta sabia mujer, “puta vieja” quedó impregnado en la historia de la literatura y del desarrollo de la sociedad. En la actualidad, tanto “puta” como “vieja” son dos términos despectivos y denigrantes. Si hoy una persona utiliza una de esas palabras para referirse a una mujer, esta última se la toma como una ofensa; en cambio, la reacción de la Celestina resultaba ser completamente opuesta.

Para la ya mencionada alcahueta, ese término que para nosotros parece despreciativo, para ella era una inmensa honra, un hecho para presumir y regodearse. Ninguna mujer podría llevar con tanta gala el término de “puta vieja” tal y como lo hace la Celestina. Orgullo, pudor, satisfacción y honra. Así se siente el personaje escrito por Fernando de Rojas. No teme hacerse conocer de tal forma, pues con la cabeza bien alta responde cada vez que por las calles de la ciudad se hace retumbar aquel apelativo.

Si alguno de los presentes no le ve el sentido el por qué la mención de la Celestina en este evento, dejadme que os lo explique. Puede que en la novela no tuviese el alma más pura e inocente, pero lo que sí que tuvo fue la mente más prodigiosa y sabia de todas. La figura de la Celestina, a pesar de ser codiciosa y sin escrúpulos, es un ejemplo a seguir.

Es verdad que la Celestina contaba con características negativas y perjudiciales; sin embargo, también cuenta con peculiaridades a su favor que la hacen ser un prototipo de mujer empoderada. La alcahueta era una mujer libre despreocupada por las críticas de las personas. Hacía todo aquello que quisiese. Ayudaba a los que pedían de su cooperación a la hora de propagar y facilitar el goce sexual, un acto que para la época característica de aquel entonces no era bien visto.

Pero volvamos al presente, señores. ¿Por qué en la actualidad parece tan insultante que nos relacionen con alguna de las dos palabras del apelativo de la alcahueta? Nos pasamos toda la vida temiendo por envejecer, intentando evitar las arrugas y las canas, queriendo mantener ese aura de juventud y belleza. E incluso “puta” se considera una expresión malsonante tanto ofensiva como grosera. Eso sí, bien que a toda honra se hacía reconocer de tal manera la Celestina sin temer y sin vergüenza alguna.

Dejemos de permitir que la repetida expresión siga siendo agraviante. Seamos como la Celestina, no permitamos que nos afecte. Y si la palabra todavía resulta odiosa, piensen que lo importante no es la palabra sino la idea y la ambición que la respalda.

Si poco a poco cada uno pone de su parte, seremos muchos los que contribuyan. Si poco a poco todo el mundo añade su granito de arena al montón, conseguiremos un enorme y formidable castillo de arena. Si poco a poco hacemos pequeños cambios, sin darnos cuenta lograremos un gran cambio. Si poco a poco las pequeñas voces se juntan, obtendremos una más grande y potente voz.

Muchas gracias.

Bueno, ¿qué tal os ha parecido? Sinceramente, creo que es la mejor publicación que he hecho. He de admitir que, después de escribir el discurso, me quedé con ganas de hablar más. Esta lucha es constante. Quienes hayan vivido aquellos menosprecios, aquellas desigualdades, aquellos comentarios degradantes e irrespetuosos saben de primera mano que aún falta mucho por mejorar.

Como de costumbre, voy a cerrar el capítulo con una canción de la cantante Dua Lipa. Tenía varias canciones candidatas para esta ocasión, pero tras debatirlo internamente, decidí esa. Me gusta mucho lo que dice la compositora en su canción, por eso pensé que era buena idea enseñároslo a vosotros. Os recomiendo escuchar la canción estando atentos a la letra. Sin más dilación, Dua Lipa:

If you’re offended by this song
You’re clearly doing something wrong

Boys will be boys – Dua Lipa

No hay canción más apropiada que esta para una ocasión así. Pero he de decir la verdad, al principio pensé que sería mejor elección la canción de Bebe llamada Ella. La letra escrita por Bebe es sabia e inspiradora, os sugiero que la escuchéis a conciencia.

Ser mujer debería de llenarte de orgullo, no de inseguridad. No permitamos que personas incoherentes e insensatas, cuya mentalidad carece de compasión y sentido común, nos digan cómo tenemos que ser, qué tenemos que hacer, si es nuestra culpa o no que suframos abusos, nos hagan sentir sin valor alguno y dependientes a alguien. No permitamos sentir miedo de una persona así, que ellos teman de nosotras por ser inteligentes, bondadosas, independientes…

Una minifalda no es una invitación, ni un escote, ni un pantalón corto, ni ninguna otra prenda. Una mujer no es puta por llevar algo corto. Una mujer no es un marimacho por no llevar ropa ajustada a su cuerpo. Tampoco un hombre es un marica por llevar una prenda de ropa rosa.

Es verdad que hoy es el día de la mujer y que la canción habla acerca del empoderamiento de la mujer. Tal día como hoy se dedica a la mujer porque somos nosotras las que la mayoría de veces hemos sufrido, sufrimos y seguiremos sufriendo las injusticias del mundo. Pero que quede claro, seas del género que seas (hombre, mujer, no definido), no permitas que alguien te pisotee; no te quedes callado o callada cuando veas una injusticia; si ves que la voz de alguien es pequeña, únete a ella para que suene más fuerte…

I myself have never been able to find out what exactly a feminist is. I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express feelings that differentiate me from a doormat”
Rebecca West

Que ser mujer no signifique inferioridad, debilidad, sumisión… Soy mujer, pero no por ello he de ser una puta.

xoxo

a dreamer about to be swallowed by his dream

Performance. Life. Music. Extravagant. Oddness. Cinematographic magic. Do you want to know more? I hope you do because today I’m going to talk about a film that I really like. To be more exact, in this chapter I’m going to do a review about the very same musical The Greatest Showman. Make the pop-corns, this is about to start.

Take number one: action!

The Australian film-maker called Michael Gracey makes his debut as director of The Greatest Showman, an exceptional story which, with the aim character’s enthusiasm, explodes into a boldly imagined fictional kingdom, filled with catching songs, glamorous dances and a celebration of being able to be yourself despite your own peculiarities as the ideal material to give shape to the magnificent spectacle that the film has ended up being.

Michael bets for his project on the Australian actor Hugh Jackman who, after saying goodbye to Wolverine, character of the saga X-Men, came back to one of his beginnings: the musicals.

The Greatest Showman is a biographical film that lets us know the controversial live show’s father, Phineas Taylor Barnum – played by Hugh Jackman -, a recognised businessman from the 1830s. After losing his office job, Barnum decides to use the family savings to put on a museum of curiosities in New York city which, after the lack of public interest, he chooses to turn into a live show lead by extravagant characters played by a cast full of multifaceted talents such us Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Kaela Settle…

Along the way, there will be a torment of emotions that go through the expectation of undertaking something totally new. On the one hand, the show offered by Barnum captivates and fascinates a large part of the public. However, the showman’s vision is revealing and ahead of the times, so the fact of seeing a show where the protagonists are different and of non-ordinary physiques is not well received by another large part of society – I mean, there’s rejection and discontent along with bad plays and critical looks.

But hey! Do not expect an exact reproduction of Barnum’s life since you will be disappointed with The Greatest Showman. In the play’s script, Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks (film’s scriptwriter) have added some non-existent drama in Barnum’s real life as well as overlooked others.

What you can actually expect is the story of a dreamer, who fights tirelessly against the wind to guarantee his family a dream life.

The noblest of arts is making others happy.
Phineas Taylor Barnum

All of this will be possible as a result of the success achieved by his attractive but revealing idea for those times when more than one finds it impressive. Finally, we’ll see how that internal thirst to achieve more and more success will be able to put an end to everything Barnum had achieved until then: his family, his friendships, his show…

Although the musical is set in an America at the height of the Industrial Revolution, Michael Gracey opts for a choice of songs which, instead of continuing with the characteristic attitude of that time, completely transform the story through inspiring and revolutionary messages.

Own songs of the film are one of the key elements of the work. They make us fall in love with the show. Unforgettable, emotional, impressive… This is how I would define the soundtrack of The Great Showman.

By way of music, the show promotes valuable and emotional messages about the power to transform, diversity and prejudice. It’s the outstanding musical numbers that give us goosebumps. A musical obviously stands out for its songs; but without a shadow of a doubt, the musical numbers of The Greatest Showman aren’t simple songs, they are hymns.

The Greatest Showman is not a biopic but a musical daydream, an ode to dreams.

“This is me”, one of the hits of the musical, was born as a hymn to self-improvement at the same time it reclaims a much-needed concept today: differences make us better. “This is me” is a masterpiece that has earned a place in the hearts of us, the audience, and the cast of the film itself.

But it doesn’t just stop there. The Greatest Showman also deals with other issues more directed to the time in which the film is set.

According to the director’s own words, the main idea of the film was to teach that the true wealth of oneself corresponds to the people you surround yourself with and love.

Barnum took people rejected and discriminated against by society and brought them together. With the excuse of putting on his own show, Barnum gave them the opportunity to show everyone who once judged them that it doesn’t matter where you come from or who you are – much less how you are. We all have our differences and similarities so let’s stop trying to hide them. Let’s be proud of ourselves, just the way we are. Barnum, after effort and hard work, got all of that and as a reward, a second family.

I risked much, but I made much.
Phineas Taylor Barnum

Opinions aside, it’s true that a professional in the field of cinema (a film critic), may find the plot of this story a little bit predictable and superficial.

The Greatest Showman, somewhat inspired by the man who brought the first circus to New York and had the most popular circus show in the United States, serves its purpose of entertaining. Nevertheless, all the characters that enter and leave the thread of the plot lack the greatest vital development of the leading showman without leaving a trace that reaches to impress the public.

Even if our leading role Hugh Jackman is excellent in his role, the rest of the characters, despite being played by outstanding actors, their scripts revolve around the showman without letting us see beyond their lives. They seem one dimensional. Characters like Charity Barnum, played by Michelle Williams, are terribly wasted. They leave us intrigued to learn more about them. All of them lack an all-important narrative arc.

In addition, during the film several problems arise that are solved in a matter of minutes.

The Greatest Showman has a determined and precise plot, P.T. Barnum doesn’t let anything or anyone ruin his dreams. In the film everything is shown directly and without going into complications.

Therefore, more than one spectator would have liked to know more about Barnum’s offstage life and the rest of the circus participants. There will be another opportunity for us to know this exceptional story in more detail – less is more.

Have you watched the musical? If you do, what do you think about it? And if you don’t, what are you waiting for? Quick. Go and watch the film.

I know that this chapter might be unexpected. I have to admit that I didn’t expect to write this kind of entry either. In my defense, it was for a school activity. But let’s be optimistic and let’s see the positive side. As a song of The Greatest Showman, from now on the blog will have more variety of sections.

As a habit, it’s time for the song. In my opinion, it would be a total lack of respect to recommend to you a song which doesn’t belong to the music score of The Greatest Showman. So, after thinking about it a while, I’ve finally chosen one among all of them.

When everyone tells us what we can be, how can we rewrite the stars?

Rewrite the stars – Zac Efron and Zendaya

Honestly, it has been very difficult for me to opt for a song this time. Since This is me had its moment of prominence before, I thought of putting the spotlight on Rewrite the Stars.

I had never paid attention to the lyrics of this song before, so those two phrases stand out when I read them. As Zendaya says, how can we decide for ourselves what our life will be like if we allow people – known and unknown people -to tell us how to be, how to act, what to say, etc? I think that the answer is obvious. Reflect on it and you will know what to do.

xoxo

little things

I don’t know about you, but for me it’s not the same to feel the sun’s rays on my skin in winter than in summer. What do you think? Before anything else, hello everyone! How has your week been? As the title of this new chapter indicates, today I would like to talk about the little things and their value.

The other day I wasn’t in a good mood, so I decided to go for a walk while I was listening to music. I had been wandering the streets of my city aimlessly for a long time, lost in the lyrics of the songs I was listening to at full volume. Suddenly, the sky cleared up and I began to enjoy the Sun’s rays. Right at that moment, my favorite part of a song that I love began to play. It was then that I drew a smile from ear to ear on my face, feeling radiant and pleasant after a long time, wanting to start dancing in the middle of the street in front of the gazes of thousands of strangers. When the song ended I stopped feeling so euphoric, although I was still happy to keep the Sun’s touch on my skin. That’s when I began to reflect on what had just happened. A minute before I was lost in my thoughts overthinking… But the fact of listening – who knows how many – certain seconds of a song and noticing the rays of the Sun which had been hiding behind clouds for a long time, made me feel happy and full.

So many feelings just for a series of little things, which could be ridiculous to anyone but me.

With the previous example as context, I think I can get to where I want to go. Small details make the difference. These are the ones that characterize someone or something. Those details that can go unnoticed but are really quite valuable because they make us unique, they make us feel (happiness, anger, anger, melancholy, sadness…) when you realize their presence, they make us miss them when we lack them… These little details are so minuscule that, if you are not careful, they are insignificant.

Why do we refer to them as little things when they really mean a whole world to each other? Well I don’t know.

However, what I do know is that it is infinitely better to live well aware of your surroundings. Don’t look at the world, contemplate it. Don’t hear a sound, listen to it. Finally you will begin to be aware of what surrounds you and you will be able to give it its corresponding value. If you are one of those people who already lives day to day in such a way, keep it up. You’ll never know what you’re missing until you find out.

In my opinion, discovering those carefree details seems extraordinary. For me, Defenseless, a song by Louis Tomlinson, is one of my little details; I don’t even know how, but it’s able to cheer me up and make me overflow with energy. There’s also my friend’s tick of scratching her thumbprint with her finger when she’s nervous. The habit of going through a small space between a traffic light and a signal every time I return from the institute I no longer think is a little thing of mine, because this mediocre habit has become a crucial and vital fact on my return home after high school. Lastly, the background sound of a piano during 5SOS’s Ghost Of You is addictive – honestly, I could spend hours listening to the song just paying attention to how the presence of the triangle transforms the mood of the song.

All these, among many more, are the small details that I pay attention to. I’m sure you also have your own.

If someone, while reading this, thinks that what nonsense and that they really aren’t such a big deal, how do you feel when a friend shows you, through actions or words, that they have thought of you? For example, when an actor or singer that you like is named and someone looks at you or says something about how famous you know him; or when someone plays a song or movie in a group knowing that it is one of your favorite songs or movies; or when, out of nowhere, someone gives you something because he thought of you when he saw it; or when someone sends you a photo or tells you something that he has seen or heard because he reminded him of you…

I could go on narrating situations, but I think you understand what I mean. I wholeheartedly hope that every single of you, readers, has experienced one of the above scenarios or another similar one. We feel important, we feel loved, who doesn’t want to feel affection? Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re special enough for someone to remember you?

There’re so many acts, so many words, so many signs that we go unnoticed and do take for granted. And all of that is just for a simple little thing.

I think I’ve talked enough, so it’s time to say goodbye. But before putting an end to this chapter, time of the song.

I have to be honest. For this chapter I didn’t know how to choose two songs. At first I was going to decide one of One Direction as a result of having mentioned Louis Tomlinson previously. But I feel that the most suitable for this occasion is the other one, so here we go!

Because you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you've been high when you're feeling low
Only hate the road when you're missing home
Only know you love her when you let her go

Let her go, Passenger

I know this song is typical. I know. That’s one of the reasons why I wasn’t entirely sure whether to choose it since I prefer to recommend songs that are not so well known. Having verses in the song, I feel that, in some way, it is the fragment of the song that most represents what I wanted to reflect on today.

Now I say goodbye. I know I’ll be back here soon, I have a little surprise for you!

xoxo

come on and know me!

Hello world! Welcome to my personal blog, I hope that you like it. I’m Marta and I will be your new friend.

The aim of this blog is to create a personal and comfortable space in which I can tell about experiences, lessons, opinions, some tips for self care and for dealing with stress, and much more… All this will be in the future because firstly, I would like to devote this beginning as an introduction of who I am. Aren’t you curious to know who is the person behind so many words?

As I’ve already said, my name is Marta, Marta Gil Martín, I’m 16 years old – if someone is interested, my zodiac sign is cancer – and I’m the youngest of my family. I love reading and listening to music: I listen to music wherever at any time. I live in Spain but my dream since I was a little kid has always been to go abroad and get to know the world. It can be said that I feel attracted to the unknown? I don’t know, what do you think? I really value what I have – I don’t want to create misunderstandings, I like my life and I love my family and friends -, but if I had the chance to travel, grow as a person and know different cultures and new cities, I would go flying if it’s necessary.

Beforehand I mentioned, I love my friends. Without a shadow of a doubt, they are a pretty important part of my day to day. A fun fact is that I have known many of them recently, thanks to high school. In the present, you can find me studying International Baccalaureate, which is a little bit more difficult than the common baccalaureate. However, knowing that we can count on each other, makes me go on and see that it’s not actually such as hard if we keep together. I don’t want to be sickly sweet, but the few memories that I’ve been sharing with my school friends are incredible and unforgettable…

By the way, if someone is wondering about it, I have more friends and life besides International Baccalaureate – although I do not believe it either –. About “aibi”, just like my schoolmates and I name the International Baccalaureate, I would like to talk in the future, attaching this topic to tips for studying, dealing with stress, knowing how to organise your responsibilities, etc…

I still have a lot to tell, but time is over and this is getting too long to be just an introduction. So to end the introduction properly, a very mine ending, I’m going to recommend you a song. Considering that I had been talking about my friends and how important it’s to count on someone, the song of this chapter is “Count on me” by Bruno Mars. As the song says

“And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me, every day I will remind you”

Do not forget to remind your loved ones and friends how much they mean to yourself… you might take for granted something that someone doesn’t know or imagine. At least but no less important, never forget your own value and how important each one of you actually are.