HOW TO WRITE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO A PENPAL

If you're looking for penpals for the first time or have some difficulty 

writing the first letter, 

here's some tips to you ...

I know, sometimes is not easy to talk about ourselves with someone 

you never saw or talked before,

you don't know what he/she does like or no

or what will happen

1. first of all, be sincere and write what you are and what 

you're looking for... as is the first letter, you don't need to write and write

turning it so long

you don't need to tell the story of your life

2. you need to introduce yourself, so... say your first name, birthday, 
where you're from, about your profession 
or studies, about your hobbies,

you could say a little about your family, pets, your city,

about your favorite things (actors, movies, books, etc.)

3. try to make some questions about what you'd like to know 
of your new friend,

it's a nice way to start themes to talk about,

but please be polite and not disturb with so personal questions

maybe they couldn't like to answer

4. If you like to collect something, say what you like

and ask if maybe the person would be interested to 

swap...  for example

post cards, stamps, currency, magnets, etc.

5. If you're learning a new idiom, it'd be an excellent way to practice it,

one could help each other

6. Don't say lies or something rude

7. Open your mind to different cultures and remember 

each people from different country has your own tradition, 

religion and points of views that can be different of yours 
and must be respected

8. Try to use beautiful paper to write

and a good handwritting

9. you can write a letter by hand or type it in case 

you don't like your handwriting (or feel pain for writing so long)

sometimes some people don't like letters typed into computer

but I think it's not a big problem to a good and real friendship

if this is the unique and better way   

10. And you could conclude the letter in a way that leaves things open 

and invites a reply  like ...

"I look forward to getting to know you better and I hope to hear 

from you  as soon as possible... best wishes" and say your name and date

Now......... good luck !!! and keep writing !!!

⊱✿◕‿◕✿⊰

MONACO, A CONTRY OF DREAMS

Today, Monaco inspired me to write...
I could say: a country of dreams !!!

Monaco is a microstate, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe. It has an area of only 2.02 km2 and a population of about 36,370, the second smallest and the most densely populated country in the world. The capital is Montecarlo. It's specially known worldwide for the racing cars and the famous wedding between a Prince, Rainier III and one of the most beautiful hollywood actreess Grace Kelly. It was already a greece colony. During the government of Emperor Henry VI in 1191, Monaco was refounded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa. In 1419, the Grimaldis purchased Monaco from the crown of Aragon and became the official and undisputed rulers of "the Rock of Monaco".

 Fortunately I had the opportunity to visit this country in 2011 and I really keep great memories of this time. It's a charming little place with a mazing view. I visited the Saint's Paul Churche, The Courte of Justice, Oceanographic Museum and watched the changing of the guard in front of the palace at the time was under renovation for the wedding of Prince Albert II. I could walked with my mother and the group of turists on the streets, we had lunch there and after we follow to Italy in that day.

Hope to come back some soon !!!

 Souvenirs I bought in Monaco to my collection !!!
a magazine in French about Grace, magnets, post card, 
a lavande perfume, a little cat toy and a little purse

 

NEW ITEMS TO PALS

I'll be sending more letters next monday

and here are some new items to send to pen friends who enjoy

scrapbooks, stickers, little note pads

they're some of the things I like to send and receive !!!

ABOUT IDIOMS

If you are learning new idioms, there is an interesting site

you can find all idioms and practice basics phrases:

http://www.loecsen.com/

you only need to choose the idiom and click on the flag to listen the pronounces

to left side you see the words and meanings of

how to say: the indispensable, greetings, numbers, how to ask something

when you're in a restaurant, hotel, to a trip and more

I also found the Google translator

https://translate.google.com

you only need to type the words and click to translate  

you'll also be able to listen the pronounce when you click in the image

ENJOY IT !!! 

I went shopping today !!!

New stickers and notepads to use to the next letters !!!

A letter reached today !!!

I received letter today and I'm so glad for reading it !!!

This time it was from my new friend Kalliopi (Athens/Greece)

I met her from Interpals site and it arrived so fast that surprised me !!!

I entered in this site only 1 month ago.

Hope it's only the first of many others we'll swap !!!

I'm already replying it

⊱✿◕‿◕✿⊰

 

THOUGHTS

It is no coincidence that people come into our lives, 

there will always be a reason.
All are important, even those who do us harm,  

they'll be teaching us to be strong, to face the world differently.

There are people who just pass, others stay and mark our lives forever.

But no one pass without leaving something of themselves  

and take something with them ...

ITALIAN - 3ª lesson (adjective | aggettivo)

READY to 3ª lesson ?!?!

today we'll see about THE ADJETIVE / L'AGGETIVO

The adjective serves to qualify a noun. Your gender and number agree and depend on with the noun to which it relates.

Maschile (men’s)		Femminile (female)
Singolare/Singular	Plurale/Plural	Singolare/Singular	Plurale/Plural
o	i	a	e
e	i	e	i

Example:

ragazza studiosa (studious girl) = ragazze studiose (studious girls)

➪  when the adjective refers to genres and different numbers nouns, is usually placed in the male plurarl

Example:

La revista e i libri sono nuovi (the magazine and books are new)

➪  Adjective position : the adjective can be placed before or after the noun, but remember, the meaning can change depending on the position

Example:

Un uomo buono / Un buon uomo ( A good man)

➪ Adjective degree:

  ✼ comparative superiority: piu + adjetive + di/che

Laura è più magra di sua orella = Laura is thinner than its Orella

 
✼ comparative inferiority : meno + adjetive + di/che

Mario è meno ambizioso di Giorgio =  Mario is less ambitious Giorgio

 
✼ comparative equal : tanto/così + adjetive + quanto/come

Questa machina è tanto cara quanto quell'altra = This machine is so dear as that other

 
✼ superlative degree: relative | absolute

relative: É il più bel quadro (It is the most beautiful picture)

absolute: Una persona celeberrima (A famous person)

 
 

501 CITIES BOOK

This collection also is very interesting !!! I already saw an english version of this book to those who are interested to read more about other cities and learn curiosities of trips. There are a lot of beautiful pictures and informations.

LONELY PLANET BOOKS

I consider fantastic these collection, I already got these 4 about Europe, Italy, Venice and Istanbul. An excellent guide for those who like to travel and learn more about history and tips on accommodation, attractions, restaurants and transport.

⊱✿◕‿◕✿⊰ Now, let's enjoy them !!! ⊱✿◕‿◕✿⊰

My Collection from Turkey

As I'm talking a lot about Turkey today, I'd like to show you some things I've ever received from Turkey. I'm so thankful to my friend Emel that sent all these things to me some years ago, I still keep all and use them sometimes (magnets, keyring, coins, bracelet, little purse). And also Büşra sent to me these beautiful post cards.

Turkish torte

INGREDIENTS

6 eggwhites
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1 cup (125g) almond meal
500g chocolate halva, chopped (see note)
150g pitted dates, chopped
Grated zest of 2 oranges
120g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
2 tablespoons edible dried rose petals (see note)
2 tablespoons slivered pistachios (see note)
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
Small mint sprigs, to serve 

METHOD

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease and line a 24cm springform cake pan with baking paper. Beat eggwhites with electric beaters until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly, then beat for 5 minutes or until thick and glossy.
Step 2
Fold in almond meal, halva, dates, zest and chocolate until just combined. Spoon mixture into the cake pan, then bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until dry and firm to the touch (the cake will still be moist in the centre when tested with a skewer).
Step 3
While hot, poke several holes in the top of the cake with a skewer. Pour brandy over cake, then cool completely in the pan.
Step 4
Meanwhile, for the glaze, place cream and chocolate in a pan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stand for 30 minutes or until a thick pouring consistency.
Step 5
Remove the cooled cake from the pan, transfer to a platter and pour over the chocolate glaze, allowing it to drip down the sides. Decorate with rose petals, nuts, pomegranate seeds (if using) and mint.

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Enjoy it !!!

Greetings in Turkish

TURKEY | TÜRKIYE

Turkey is a fascinating country. I was searching more about this country so, 
I decided to share informations here, hope you enjoy reading it ...

HISTORY

The Anatolian peninsula, comprising most of modern Turkey, is one of the oldest permanently settled regions in the world. Various ancient Anatolian populations have lived in Anatolia, beginning with the Neolithic period until conquest of Alexander the Great. Starting around 1200 BC, the coast of Anatolia was heavily settled by Aeolian and Ionian Greeks. Numerous important cities were founded by these colonists, such as Miletus, Ephesus, Smyrna and Byzantium, the latter founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 657 BC. 

Anatolia was conquered by the Persian Achaemenid Empire during the 6th and 5th centuries BC and later fell to Alexander the Great in 334 BC, which led to increasing cultural homogeneity and Hellenization in the area. Following Alexander's death in 323 BC, Anatolia was subsequently divided into a number of small Hellenistic kingdoms, all of which became part of the Roman Republic by the mid-1st century BC.

In 324, Constantine I chose Byzantium to be the new capital of the Roman Empire, renaming it New Rome. Following the death of Theodosius I in 395 and the permanent division of the Roman Empire between his two sons, the city, which would popularly come to be known as Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

The House of Seljuk was a branch of the Kınık Oğuz Turks who resided on the periphery of the Muslim world, in the Yabghu Khaganate of the Oğuz confederacy, to the north of the Caspian and Aral Seas, in the 9th century.[53] In the 10th century, the Seljuks started migrating from their ancestral homeland into Persia, which became the administrative core of the Great Seljuk Empire.

In the latter half of the 11th century, the Seljuks began penetrating into the eastern regions of Anatolia. In 1071, the Seljuk Turks defeated the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert, starting Turkification of the area; the Turkish language and Islam were introduced to Anatolia and gradually spread over the region and the slow transition from a predominantly Christian and Greek-speaking Anatolia to a predominantly Muslim and Turkish-speaking one was underway.
In 1243, the Seljuk armies were defeated by the Mongols, causing the Seljuk Empire's power to slowly disintegrate. In its wake, one of the Turkish principalities governed by Osman I would, over the next 200 years, evolve into the Ottoman Empire, expanding throughout Anatolia, the Balkans, the Levant and North Africa. In 1453, the Ottomans completed their conquest of the Byzantine Empire by capturing its capital, Constantinople. Topkapı and Dolmabahçe palaces were the primary residences of the Ottoman Sultans and the administrative center of the empire between 1465 to 1856 and 1856 to 1922, respectively.

In 1514, Sultan Selim I (1512–1520) successfully expanded the Empire's southern and eastern borders by defeating Shah Ismail I of the Safavid dynasty in the Battle of Chaldiran. In 1517, Selim I expanded Ottoman rule into Algeria and Egypt, and created a naval presence in the Red Sea. Subsequently, a competition started between the Ottoman and Portuguese empires to become the dominant sea power in the Indian Ocean, with a number of naval battles in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Portuguese presence in the Indian Ocean was perceived as a threat for the Ottoman monopoly over the ancient trading routes between East Asia and Western Europe (later collectively named the Silk Road). This important monopoly was increasingly compromised following the discovery of a sea route around Africa by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, which had a considerable impact on the Ottoman economy.

The Ottoman Empire's power and prestige peaked in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. The empire was often at odds with the Holy Roman Empire in its steady advance towards Central Europe through the Balkans and the southern part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.[60] At sea, the Ottoman Navy contended with several Holy Leagues (composed primarily of Habsburg Spain, the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Venice, the Knights of St. John, the Papal States, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Duchy of Savoy) for control of the Mediterranean Sea. In the east, the Ottomans were occasionally at war with Safavid Persia over conflicts stemming from territorial disputes or religious differences between the 16th and 18th centuries.

From the beginning of the 19th century onwards, the Ottoman Empire began to decline. As it gradually shrank in size, military power and wealth, many Balkan Muslims migrated to the Empire's heartland in Anatolia, along with the Circassians fleeing the Russian conquest of the Caucasus. The decline of the Ottoman Empire led to a rise in nationalist sentiment among the various subject peoples, leading to increased ethnic tensions which occasionally burst into violence, such as the Hamidian massacres of Armenians.

The Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers and was ultimately defeated. During the war, the empire's Armenians were deported from Eastern Anatolia to Syria as part of the Armenian Genocide. As a result, an estimated 1,500,000 Armenians were killed. The Turkish government denies that there was an Armenian Genocide and claims that Armenians were only relocated from the eastern war zone. Large-scale massacres were also committed against the empire's other minority groups such as the Greeks and Assyrians. Following the Armistice of Mudros on 30 October 1918, the victorious Allied Powers sought to partition the Ottoman state through the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres.

Interesting Documentary about the History of Turkey :

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GEOGRAPHY

       Turkey is a contiguous transcontinental parliamentary republic largely located in Western Asia with the portion of Eastern Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and the Black Sea to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia. Turkey's location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.

Turkey is divided into seven census regions: Marmara, Aegean, Black Sea, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia and the Mediterranean. The uneven north Anatolian terrain running along the Black Sea resembles a long, narrow belt. This region comprises approximately one-sixth of Turkey's total land area. As a general trend, the inland Anatolian plateau becomes increasingly rugged as it progresses eastward.

Capital: Ankara | Area: 783,562 km2 | Currency: Turkish lira  
Population (2014 census): 77,695,904

TOURISM

Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts. In recent years, Turkey has also become a popular destination for culture, spa, and health care tourism. Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. There are thousands of hotels and other tourist-oriented industries in the city, catering to both vacationers and visiting professionals. 

Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has a number of major attractions derived from its historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Pera Palace Hotel. Istanbul has also recently become one of the biggest shopping centers of the European region by hosting malls and shopping centers, such as Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall, which is the biggest mall in Europe and seventh largest shopping center in the world. Other attractions include sporting events, museums, and cultural events.

Antalya is also accepted as the tourism capital of Turkey. Major resort towns include Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Çeşme, Didim and Alanya. Lots of cultural attractions elsewhere in the country include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, House of the Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Trabzon (where one of the oldest monasteries is the Sümela Monastery), Konya (where the poet Rumi had spent most of his life), Didyma, Church of Antioch, religious places in Mardin (such as Deyrülzafarân Monastery), and the ruined cities and landscapes of Cappadocia. Diyarbakır is also an important historic city, although tourism is on a relatively small level due to waning armed conflicts.

IDIOM  

The Turkish is a language spoken as mother tongue, about 70 million people worldwide, 3 4, mainly in Turkey, but also in northern Cyprus, Bulgaria and , outnumbered, Greece, Armenia, Romania and Macedonia. The Turkish is also spoken by millions of immigrants in the European Union and America. This language originated in Central Asia in the area of Mongolia and Siberia, with the first written records dating from about 800. In the West there was the expansion of the influence of the Ottoman variant (which preceded the current) of Turkish domination during the period of Ottoman Empire, with the reforms of Kemal Ataturk in the early Turkish Republic, came in 1928 to replace the Ottoman alphabet by a phonetic variant of the Latin alphabet. More recently, the newly founded "Association of Turkish Language" started another reform to eliminate the words of Persian and Arabic origin, replacing them by the words of Turkish origin.

About the Grammar... Turkish is an agglutinative language and frequently uses affixes, and specifically suffixes, or endings. One word can have many affixes and these can also be used to create new words, such as creating a verb from a noun, or a noun from a verbal root (see the section on Word formation). Most affixes indicate the grammatical function of the word. The only native prefixes are alliterative intensifying syllables used with adjectives or adverbs: for example sımsıcak ("boiling hot" < sıcak) and masmavi ("bright blue" < mavi).

  

INTERESTING SITES ABOUT TURKEY

https://www.goturkey.com/

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey

http://wikitravel.org/en/Turkey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_language

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❃ ❃ ❃

TURKISH TV SHOWS

 

TV SHOWS 
The Turkish tv shows are becoming more and more popular woldwide. In almost ten years the dramas shows got a very development in their stories, technology and special effects. The show has nonetheless proved to be highly popular both in Turkey and internationally, being broadcast in 43 countries and watched by over 200 million people. Now America also has the oportunity to see their productions. Will soon begin airing the serie Binbir Gece (One Thousand and One Nights) from March in Band channel in Brazil, I just can't wait. 

I'ver ever seen some on Internet and I'm fascinated with the stories and actors, like...


Binbir Gece (One Thousand and One Nights)
The story is about Sehrazat, a talented architect who works in Binyapi, a construction company owned by Onur Aksal and Kerem Inceoğlu. She is the mother of a five-year old boy who suffers from leukemia and needs an urgent and very expensive surgery. Onur is a successful businessman and Sehrazat desperately tries to find ways to borrow the money she needs for her son's very costly surgery, a bone marrow transplantation, because her little son's life is in danger. Only her boss Onur, who is secretly attracted to her, accepts to give her the money on condition that she spends one night with him.

Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne?
Fatmagül Ketenci is a girl who lives in a village on the Aegean coast with her brother who runs a dairy. She is engaged to marry a fisherman called Mustafa Nalçalı in a month's time and dreams of getting away from her nagging sister-in-law who hates her. Kerim Ilgaz is a well-mannered blacksmith apprentice who lives with his aunt Meryem Aksoy known affectionately as "Ebe Nine" ("Granny Ebe") who is a healer of herbal medicine. The big event of the season is the engagement of the area's richest and most influential businessmen Reşat Yaşaran's son Selim to the politician Turaner Alagöz's daughter Meltem. Kerim meets up with his old friends Vural, Erdoğan and Selim. After the engagement party, all four of them go on a drinking and drug binge to celebrate whilst Fatmagül is off to see Mustafa off on another fishing trip and accidentally comes across them. Erdoğan, Selim and Vural gang-rape her, with Kerim passed out with no recollection of the event.


EZEL
In 1997 in Istanbul, Ömer Uçar and his family lived a comfortable lower middle-class life, until one day his life was changed forever. Ömer had two best friends that he had known for years, Ali and Cengiz. Ömer worked with Ali as a motor mechanic, and Cengiz when Ömer met and fell in love with Eyşan. Ali and Cengiz soon become convinced by Serdar Tezcan, who is also Eyşan's father, to rob a casino. Serdar devises the whole scheme, and figures that it will require four people to pull off a successful robbery. Cengiz was up first in the plot to rob the casino, he was the mole and was working there in order to gain access. Ali comes into play next as the ruthless killer on the night of the robbery. The third accomplice is Eyşan, the skilled con-woman who manipulates men for their money as a career and this time her victim would be Ömer. In Serdar's plan, Ömer would be the fourth person to complete the job. Ömer is blamed for the robbery by way of implanting false evidence, misleading the police and ceasing all other investigations on the matter. Serdar's primary motive was the money, though his love for a good con also played a role.

I'll continue watching and searching more about these tv shows (Ask-I Memnu, Suleimán, Karadayi, Kara ParaAsk). I think an excelent way to learn more about the culture, point of views and specially see beautiful views of Turkey.

♥ ♥ ♥

If you're interested, you can see some episodes
in these sites:

http://seriesturcas.blogspot.com.br/

https://www.youtube.com/user/SeriesTurcas/playlists

 ♥ ♥ ♥