Halloween

Yes, I know this is too big!

I was going to write a few things about Halloween but then Martina Cabrera did a very good job of it on her blog so I'm just going to link to it (with her permission) so you can see for yourselves. There are very interesting facts about Halloween I bet you didn't know.
Here's her post on Halloween
Another interesting link:
Halloween at the history channel

Do you remember I told you about a Film entitled The Rocky Horror Picture Show? and that there is a scene in Fame, a movie you saw last year, where they dance to one of the songs? Well, that song is Time Warp and Here's a great link where they use the song (and video) to teach English. Enjoy!

Time Warp (Rocky Horror Picture Show) at the Multimedia English Classroom

 Here's the Glee version, I think you may like it. I don't care much for it though (too soft), I much prefer the original. Judge for yourselves, What do you think?

This post is to apologize to those of you who are still waiting for my reply to your e-mails: I've been pretty busy these past few days but I will get to it tomorrow, even if I have to stay in all weekend :(

Leif Erikson Day

We have already covered Columbus Day and Native American's Day and now it is the Vikings' turn.

Although it is a few days late, let me tell you a little bit about Leif Erikson Day (October 9th):

Though not a public holiday, this day is dedicated to the first European ever to set foot in North America.

Christopher Columbus was not the first European to discover the New World! This commonly held belief is wrong. Columbus didn't reach the New World until 1492, 500 years after Leif Erikson's arrival in 1001 AD. Historians have been able to put this together based upon records at the time. However, Leif Erikson made no maps of his journey. Physical evidence of his travels are lacking.   

Leif Erikson was the first European to set foot in the New World, opening a new land rich with resources for the Vikings to explore. But for some unknown reason, the Vikings only made a few voyages to the New World after Leif. Unfortunately, this caused his discovery to remain unknown to nearly all of Europe, which was in the midst of the Crusades. 

Native American's Day

 David Mann Native American Fine Art titled:"Peace on Blue Lake - Native Americans"

As Raquel Cardona pointed out to me,  not all states celebrate Columbus Day.

The coming of Columbus, and the rest of white Europeans after him, represented oppression and genocide for the Native American People. That's why some people are against the celebration.

Instead, they celebrate other events on the day. For example, South Dakota's official holiday on this date is Native Americans' Day (also known as Native American Day), while people in Berkeley, California, celebrate Indigenous People's Day.

We can celebrate it too by reading about Native Americans and listening to a Native American song, Cherokee Morning Song:

Happy Columbus Day!

Tomorrow is Columbus Day!

Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century but did not become a federal holiday until the 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus' achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. Throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have appeared in recent years.

Since 1971, the holiday has been fixed to the second Monday in October. It is generally observed today by banks, the bond market, the U.S. Postal Service and other federal agencies, most state government offices, and some school districts.

Here’s a video from The History Channel explaining how Columbus Day came to be celebrated: