English for Diplomats

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Never forget what you owe yourself in this life

‘Never forget what you owe yourself in this life – the chance to become who you are really capable of becoming.
Never confine yourself with the strictures and structures determined by others. Spread your wings and fly as only you can – your departure is in your hands, as is your destination. With your own determination, and God’s help, even the sky can’t limit you’.

Benjamin Matthias

What are words worth? ~ Attica Tek – ‘English Teacher in Athens’

What are words worth?

I wander slowly through the crowds
With faces pained by shopping bills;
Newspaper vendors shout aloud
The headlines full of this world’s ills.
I see a beggar, on her knees,
Uttering, ‘Can you spare some change, Sir, please?’

Continuing with her plaintive whine
I drop some change and make my way
Past yet more beggars in a line
Each with their mournful plea to say.
Drooping heads and wistful glances,
Struggling with life’s odds and chances.

Their kids beside them grinned; but they
Could not bring out a smile in me,
I didn’t know quite what to say
They didn’t want my sympathy.
They gazed, amazed; I little thought
What small relief my coins had brought.

Too often now these sights I spy;
No vacant work; expensive food,
The crash has come. No wonder why
They have depressive attitudes.
It’s sad their hearts no pleasures fill
The future’s bleak – society’s ill.

~~~~

© 2011 Attica Tek – ‘English Teacher in Athens’
With apologies to William Wordsworth

‘Silent Love Affair’ ~ Attica Tek – English Teacher in Athens

‘Silent Love Affair’ ~ a poem by Attica Tek – ‘English Teacher in Athens’.
Video production by Assia Yahyaoui

This is my reading of the poem I wrote some time ago for a ‘WOWIE’ on Facebook’s ‘Global English Forum’. Already made into a great song by Jeffrey Barlian, this reading has been set to video by Assia Yahyaoui, to whom my grateful thanks.

Aicha Nezzar & Athina Press

Athina Press, the publishing arm of English Teacher in Athens, is pleased to introduce a new collaboration with Algerian author and poet, Aicha Nezzar.  A selection of Aicha’s writings may now be found on the Athina Press site hosted by WordPress.

Aicha Nezzar has already established a reputation for her unique style of creative writing and poetic expression and draws upon a richness of vocabulary to create outstanding imagery in her writings.  We invite you to visit the ‘Athina Press Anthology of Poetry and Creative Writing’ where we are privileged to showcase a selection of her writings.

http://athinapress.wordpress.com/

English Teacher in Athens – Happy New Year!

Well, the new academic year started very well for this ‘English Teacher in Athens’ and I was pleased to be meeting with my students from former years as well as welcoming new ones.  The summer of 2010 was a long one for me and if you followed my travels on my web site and blogs you will know that I had a great time travelling the Greek islands again, meeting old friends and making new ones, visiting old haunts and discovering yet more treasures of the Aegean. 

Now the summer sun seems like a distant memory – the lazy days on beaches or walking the hills and mountains seem such a long time ago – and now we’ve entered ‘winter’ here in Greece, and although the temperatures have fallen we’ve been fortunate in not experiencing the recent colder, wintry weather of northern Europe. 

My new teaching year started very well and I’ve been pleased to welcome a new group of students -diplomats and families of the Russian Embassy and Consulate here in Athens.  It’s been an exciting and challenging new venture but we’ve already settled into new beginners and intermediate English language learning programmes in the pleasant surroundings and classroom facilities in the Russian Cultural Centre.  It’s also been interesting to work with students and clients with a different first language than I’ve grown accustomed to in my work with native Greeks over the past few years. 

Another recent development for ‘English Teacher in Athens’ has been the development of the first of our online ‘distance learning’ services.  These are not the traditional online ‘virtual classrooms’ but rather the provision of voice analysis and voice coaching facilities to help students and clients with their pronunciation and use of English skills via recordings and podcasts.  First and foremost has been the creation of Podcast Services that support existing students of ‘English Teacher in Athens’.  Dealing with a range of texts and English levels these podcasts provide listening and pronunciation resources for students following the Business, Politics and Economics programmes of ETIA.  Podcasts, supported by links to the text to follow while listening, can be listened to here: 

http://EnglishTeacherInAthens.podbean.com

 Additionally, using voice analysis programs we now have online facilities to help you improve your pronunciation in Business English, Travel English, Social English and Media English, ‘English Teacher in Athens’ has created facilities with English Central.  By watching videos, listening to dialogues and reading texts you can practice your pronunciation in a systematic and entertaining way – sign up to the English Teacher in Athens class and give it a try!:

http://class.englishcentral.com/EnglishTeacherInAthens

 ‘English Teacher in Athens’ is also pleased to be working directly with individual clients for specific language skills and pronunciation and we welcome new students and clients from Africa and Europe.  If you have a specific requirement, please do contact us at EnglishTeacherInAthens@Athens.vc or call us on: 0030 6940 878106

But now we must turn our attention to the new year ahead and start making plans for the future.  It’s going to be another exciting and busy year for ‘English Teacher in Athens’ and there are more exciting developments to plan for, so I’ll end by wishing you a productive, healthy and peaceful New Year, and every success in your English language studies and exams!

Happy 2011 !

 English Teacher in Athens

English Teacher in Athens – Back to School!

English Teacher in Athens – ‘Back to School’! (+30) 6940878106 or visit: www.athens.vc
Email: EnglishTeacherInAthens@athens.vc
 
Well, it’s been an amazing summer travelling the Greek islands but now it’s time for ‘English Teacher in Athens’ to return to a busy teaching schedule – the new term has started and it was ‘Back to School’ this week.
 
I’m happy to be seeing my students from last year again, as well as meeting new students for their first English lessons.  I teach children from 5 years of age, senior school students, and many others from colleges and universities.
 
I work with companies, executives and professionals, and their staff, and I will also keep mself busy with new areas of interest from clients in international and diplomatic relations.
 
If you’re looking for an English teacher, please contact: ‘English Teacher in Athens’
on (+30) 6940 878106, email us at EnglishTeacher@athens.vc , or visit our website: www.athens.vc

English Teacher in Athens – back in Athens! (+30) 6940878106

English Teacher in Athens – back in Athens! (+30) 6940878106 www.athens.vc sbg@athens.vc

The summer travels of an ‘English Teacher in Athens’ have taken me to some wonderful locations in the Greek islands of the Cyclades.

My outward journey to the island of Amorgos took me past the islands of Milos and Naxos , the stunning scenery of Santorini (Thira), the quiet small islands of Folegandros and Koufonissia and many other small uninhabited islets en route until I reached my destination, Katapola, the southern port of the beautiful island of Amorgos.

I first travelled to Amorgos many years ago and it has lost nothing of its uniqueness as a tranquil island with a mountainous spine that stretches the length of its long mainly rocky, arid landscape.  Although it caters well for the tourists that visit all year round, it retains its feel of Greek community life at its best.  Welcoming and hospitable, the island’s 2000 residents are mainly clustered in the towns of Chora, the island’s capital; Aigiali, its northern port; and Katapola in the south – the base for my stay.

I had planned my visit to coincide with the celebrations of The Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ on the 6^th August.  My mission, to capture on video the wonderful festival of music and dance in Chora that I had first chanced upon 8 years ago – I wasn’t disappointed.  With the help of Vaggelis Despotidis, one of the organizers and singers at the event, I secured a good vantage point to capture on video some wonderful Greek dance by groups of both adults and children.  Filming from the roof of the police station, I had a bird’s eye view of the dance area as well as an overview of the hundreds of residents and visitors who had packed the main square to enjoy a feast of music, dance, good food, beer and wine, and the locally prepared speciality ‘liqueur’ of raki, honey, with a hint of fruit, cinnamon and cloves.  Most of all, for me, it was a celebration of community life and tradition, rich in culture and heritage.

My videos have been uploaded to YouTube, and I invite you to have a taste of this wonderful event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdoYAml7ghU – further videos of both adult and children dance are available in the same YouTube account: EnglishTeacherAthens.

Away from the festival, which I’m told went on through the night, I found the tranquillity that I also remembered so well, and during the next couple of days I captured images of Chora, Agia Anna and  Katapola.  These I have uploaded to a new facebook group: ‘Amorgos – Greece 2010’ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=130616140316045&v=photos&ref=ts

I love the architecture of Amorgos, the whitewashed buildings, the flat roofs, the balconies bedecked with climbing plants and vividly coloured flowers, the narrow labyrinthine passageways of Chora.  And, in stark contrast, the deserted arid landscape, the mountains and cliff faces.  One of my two sadnesses on this visit was being unable to fulfil my planned trip to the Monastery of Panagía Chosoviótisa which clings to a rock face on the east coast of Amorgos, near Chora.  The weather on the day was bright and sunny but alas far too hot for this Englishman to attempt the long hike up the pathway that leads to the monastery.  With temperatures in the mid 30s and a powerful sun beating down on the unshaded pathway, the climb, for me, may have proved to be my last attempt at reaching this holy place – I shall save my visit for another day in a cooler season.  You will see from the facebook photos exactly where this monastery is situated and understand my hesitation in attempting the steep ascent.

My other sadness was having to leave the island – an island that holds so many special memories for me – and to leave friends I have known for many years and the new friends made on this visit.  The joys of this island with its natural beauty, rugged landscape and amazing white cubist architecture are matched by the genuine warmth and hospitality of the people who live and work there, and who made me feel so welcome and my visit so enjoyable.  Without people like Vaggelis who arranged my filming, Monika and Voula Beach Studios who looked after me so well, and the great company of Suzannah, Georgia, Vaso and Foteini my visit would have lacked that something so very special about Amorgos, for it is the people that make the island what it is – a gem of the Aegean.  Add to that the other vibrant, thriving communities that are scattered throughout the island and the holiness of the churches and monasteries and you will have a glimpse of what makes Amorgos such a great place to visit and so difficult to leave.

English Teacher in Athens

(+30) 6940 878106

Email: sbg@athens.vc

www.athens.vc

English Teacher in Athens – in Paros! (+30) 6940 878106 email: sbg@athens.vc

English Teacher in Athens is currently on vacation on the Greek islands of the Cyclades. If you need to contact me use the details above – I check my mail, and phone as regularly as my swimming and sightseeing allow!

It was with a touch of sadness that I left the beautiful island of Amorgos yesterday. I had been treated to a feast of delights: Great company, the renewal of old friendships and the creation of new ones; stunning scenery and geography; superb traditional architecture and a wonderful sense of ‘community’ and family.

I’ll be adding pictures and video just as soon as I can find an itnernet connection strong enough to handle the uploads.

Yesterday afternoon I packed my bags, said my goodbyes, and embarked on the next leg of my trip – a visit to the island of Paros. The ‘hub of the Cyclades’ it has much ferry traffic but that doesn’t spoil what is a usually calm and peaceful place to stay. I’m in the town of Parikia, the main port, but in a hotel within sight and a ‘stone’s throw’ from the beach and away from the ‘busyness’ of the portside.

I’ve already met a couple of old friends – I’ve been visiting Paros for almost 20 years – and I’ve settled in already. Now’s the chance to start writing the postcards from Amorgos(!) and get them into the post before my holiday travels end!

In a few short days I’ll be on the move again, back towards Athens, home, and another year as the English Teacher in Athens. I still have the island of Aegina to visit but that, alas, will only be a short exploratory visit to check out the location for some photographic studies.

I hope to have your company for a little while longer as I travel the Cyclades – if you need to contact me please do call or write.  (+30) 6940 878106 or email me at: sbg@athens.vc

More soon from an English Teacher in Athens.

🙂

English Teacher in Athens – in Amorgos! (+30) 6940 878106 sbg@athens.vc

English Teacher in Athens – in Amorgos!  (+30) 6940 878106 sbg@athens.vc

Being an English Teacher in Athens is fun, enjoyable, and rewarding, in more ways than one.  But when it comes to summer, and the intense heat of Athens, it’s always nice to get away for a relaxing break and to find the relative cool of the islands in the Aegean.  I love to explore the amazing diversity of the Cycladian islands, and enjoy the history and culture of lesser-known places than those that attract the hordes of tourists that I, and many other Athenian dwellers, have made room for in Greece’s capital city.

My travels this time have brought me to an old favourite, the island of Amorgos.  Situated far off in the south-eastern boundaries of the Cyclades island group, Amorgos is a long mountainous island where the goats that wander the arid terrain seemingly outnumber the island’s 2000 inhabitants.

I’m here for a celebration on the 6^th of August in Chora (Χώρα) that brings the residents and scattered family members together for a wonderful evening of music and traditional dancing.  I hope to be posting some pictures of this year’s annual event along with breath-taking images of the islands geography, villages and people.  Of course, the island’s trademark is the beautiful monastery of Panagia Chozoviotissa (Παναγία Χοςοβιότισσα) which is wedged into a huge rock precipice, 300m above the coastline immediately below.  I hope to provide some stunning images of that holy place too.

The island’s history is long – in 1985, excavations revealed that organised life existed in Amorgos Greece (Cyclades) from the 4th millennium BC, at the end of the Neolithic age.  But I’m here to look at the island’s life today, to record what I experience both in text and with images; I hope to have your company as I do so.  From Amorgos, I will travel to the islands of Paros and Aegina; I’ll be adding further information about my exploration of these islands too.

In a few short weeks I will back at work as an English Teacher in Athens, teaching children, young people, professionals and executives running their businesses.  If you need my services, please be patient.  You can call me on (+30) 6940 878106, email me at sbg@athens.vc, or visit my website, English Teacher in Athens at http://www.athens.vc, it would be good to hear from you, whether your interest is in Amorgos or the services of English Teacher in Athens.