THE BURREN

Just three months ago, I traveled to Ireland for a month in order to improve my English. It was not in the strict sense, therefore, a leasure trip, but a travel for study: I pretended to get an immersion in the language of Shakespeare, while I lived with very welcoming Irish and I knew their customs and traditions. If, besides, I had the chance to meet some corners of ancient Hibernia, the objectives of my trip could be considered more than satisfied.

My partner, who went to Ireland to visit me for a week, and I rented a car, and we finally found some lovely places: the Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands (where people still speak mostly Irish Gaelic), Dublin... But the place that caught our attention was the Burren region. Located in the east of the island, this area is now a national park, and suddenly stands among Irish meadows and fields, as a not very steep karstic massif, which forms a distinctive landscape.

Actually, we went to that area because we heard from a perfume factory receiving visits, while had a small shop, a very nice coffee shop, as well as another facility from which we had no news then.

This facility was actually a garden with three different areas for dissemination, carefully designed and maintained —for aromatic, medicinal and culinary herbs—. The three areas were clearly marked, far exceeding its educational objective.

It was at that moment when I thought about the range of possibilities that would offer a similar place to teach my subject, which would be, in the case of Valencia, its Botanical Garden (the ideal for everybody would be to have a garden like that in high school, something currently impossible due to lack of funds).

This session would be conducted in English, which would require special preparation of words as the name in this language of species, in addition to the preparation of botanical vocabulary. Students also have to take into account all questions, concerns, etc. should be submitted in English. Thus, an interaction between the teacher and themselves in a real environment and referents would be achieved.

THE BEST TEACHER I´VE EVER HAD

His name was Pepe Lluch, he was my math teacher in high school and my pre-university course, and had a decisive influence on my training. It was, by far, the best teacher I had. Why?

Firstly, because he had a deep knowledge of his subject. That´s not all: he also knew how to make it attractive; or, in other words, he taught it very well, separating the wheat from the chaff —which was unusual, unfortunately, in teachers I had—, and while at the same time teaching math understandable to all students.

Moreover, although he had a strong personality, he was easy to get on with, although he wasn´t a mate at all. No. He knew that he was the teacher, and we were on the other side. But he also understood that his task only made sense if we acquired knowledges he explained to us, for which we had always his help.

Other important aspects that pleased me very much were his fairness in marking; how he liked his work (unlike most other teachers); their ability to transmit values (effort, sacrifice, work..); the fact that the tests were strictly conformed to the class explanation; and, above all, how he was the only teacher who really knew how to make us see the relationship between what is studied and what would be our daily lives; and how he tried that we thought for ourselves.

In short, Pepe Lluch was a complete professional, who had all the qualities we wish a teacher gathers, to whom we appreciated. Frankly, I've been real lucky to have had him. On behalf of an engineer, thanks for everything! :-)