Talking about me is a tricky issue, because I really love writing, even in English, the language I'm working to improve, day by day, with baby steps, sometimes and by leaps and bounds, others. 

First of all, my name's Maria Luisa, but for short, my friends call me Magüicha or Magüi or something like that. It's so funny to mention it, because Publio and Pepe, two of my theater mates from the Totum Revolutum group, call me Magüichi. 

I've lived in Ponferrada, El Bierzo, since July 2017, but I'm from Caracas, in Venezuela. 

Do you want to know my DOB? Let me tell you in a crafty way. I was born the same day that Shakira did it but eleven years before. Actually, I was born in the year that England won its first and only one Football World Cup. Have you guessed it? No, you didn't. Did you? Definitely, you have homework to do. Ha ha ha. 

I'm an only child. My parents are from Spain. My mother was born in Bembibre, El Bierzo and my father in Alcazar de San Juan, Ciudad Real. They moved to Venezuela in the 60's, when Venezuela was the best countries to live in. My father used to be a technical draftsman in a landscape architect office and my mother ran a boutique with my auntie. 

During my childhood I shared my spare time with my cousins at their homes, my aunt was an easy going and a great cook. My mother was absolutely picky and she never enjoyed sharing time with me to play and she didn't like other kids at home because they messed up the house, she said to me. 

On the other hand, my dad was a child and chatting person and pretty friendly with everyone. He was an amazing storyteller, even when he was talking about WWII. All my friends love him, at present. He lives in our hearts and in every memory. He passed away in June 2021. He was my bestie, I miss him so much.

I studied a special education degree in Venezuela and a technology for education postgraduate in Salamanca, Spain. 

When I finished my studies in Salamanca, I returned to Venezuela and I applied for a job at a distance education university. I worked there from 1993 until 2015 as a postgraduate faculty professor. 

The Open National University (UNA) is similar to the Open University of the UK. To tell the truth, in the late 70's the foundation professors were trained in the Open University in London. I really loved my job and all the stuff I did. I learned from the best professionals in the distance education field, not only in Venezuela, but also other countries when I participate in conferences, workshops, classes, etc.  

Currently, I'm keeping in contact with my colleagues, students and special buddies by social media channels, email and videoconferences. 

In 2015, I decided to move abroad because of the Venezuela economic, social and political situation. My parents, my son and I are Spanish citizens and I made the decision for all of us to leave our home country, looking forward to a better future for my son and a better old age for my parents. 

To be continued ... 

María Luisa Arias Ferrero

B2.1a

November, 2023

EOI de Ponferrada

PROFILE

María Luisa Arias-Ferrero

My name's Maria Luisa Arias-Ferrero, but my family and friends call me Magüicha. I'm Spanish but I'm not from Spain, I'm from Venezuela. I was born in Caracas, on 2nd February 1966. My parents are Spanish. In fact, I'm Venezuelan and Spanish. My mother's name's Esther, she was born in Bembibre and my father's called Luis, he was born in Alcázar de San Juan -Ciudad Real- By the way, I'm an only child. 

I have a son, he's called Daniel. He's an only child too. He's 22 and he lives in Manchester, in the UK. He works in a warehouse near Piccadilly Gardens. He studied performance arts at Pendleton college.

I'm a specialist in technology for distance learning and special education, but I'm unemployed at the moment. I've been living in Ponferrada since 2017, a city in the northwest of Spain, the capital of region of El Bierzo. My skills are technology for distance learning, teaching and taking care of people with special needs, storyteller, acting, and communicating with people. At the same time, I truly love reading and writing. I'm a volunteer at AFA Bierzo as a storyteller and I'm studying English and Italian at Official Languages School of Ponferrada. Actually, I'm a member of Totum Revolutum the OLS's theater group. 

I think my English is improving day by day. I read much better than I can speak, actually I have a really peculiar English accent, it’s a mix between American and British accent with "a pinch of" tropical flavour.

The website is for fun to communicate and share adventures, stories, photos and more with my family, friends and other people from all over the world. Let's do it!

Name

Maria Luisa Arias-Ferrero (Magüicha)

Nationality

Venezuelan and Spanish

Date of birth

2nd February 1966

Home address

Ponferrada Leon. Spain

Job

Unemployed / Volunteer / Storyteller / Amateur actress

Skills

technology for distance learning, teaching and taking care of people with special needs, storyteller, amateur acting, and communicating with people

Languages

English A2 Italian A1

Type of website

For fun to communicate with my family, friends and other people from all over the world. 

Writing A1

Read your friend's email and answer it telling them about your own holiday in around 70 words. 

____________________

Hi!

How are you? I'm fine and I'm with Pedro and Julia. We're on holiday in El Bierzo and it's great! There are a lot of things to do. Today we're in Las Médulas. Look at the photo - it's amazing! https://www.instagram.com/p/BuYKOSuhL2l/?igshid=9n3nmooob94k

Yesterday we went to Carucedo and swan in the lake. It was beautiful. 

Tomorrow we're going to visit a winery in Cacabelos. 

What about you? 

Love, 

Mayte

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Hi Mayte! 

Thanks for your email. I'm glad you're ok and enjoying your holidays with your friends. I'm fine, too. I'm with Magaly. We're on holiday too on a fabulous Mediterranean cruise. There are a lot of things to do in and out of the ship. 

Today we're in Rome. This city's an open-air museum. Art and history for everywhere. 

Yesterday we went to Villefranche Port, Nice. I met my German friend Marc and his beautiful daughters, his friendly partner and his lovely parents. I had spoke English with them, because I don't speak German, ha ha ha. Was a lovely and exciting meeting. The last time we met face-to-face was 22 years ago in my home country. 

Tomorrow we're going to Barcelona port. My friend Yliana will be waiting for us there. We meet after 11 years. I can't wait to see and hug her. 

These holidays are a touching and lovely reunion of old friends. Look at the photos - they're amazing!

Let me know more about your holidays.

Love, 

Magüicha 

PD See more photos on my website https://maguinenglish.simdif.com/page-194309.html

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The John Ryland Library

I really love The John Ryland Library. It's in Manchester, in the UK. I love this building because looks more like a castle or cathedral. It's a masterpieces of Victorian Gothic architecture. 

When I get to Deansgate Road in Manchester, and see this building, I feel in a Harry Potter’s book. It's amazing, big, old, beautiful, and interesting. All in one. 

Inside the building, you can find a café shop, books store and rare books. 

__________________

Imagine you are in another country. Answer the questions:

Where are you?        

London in The UK

Is it a nice place?

It's a beautiful, great, multilingual and multicultural city. 

Why are you there?

Ricky Martin concert and visiting the city

Who are you with?

My friend Valentina

Are you in a hotel?

We’re in a hostel

Where are you now?

At/on Platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station

Hi, Ana. I hope you're well. How are things in the Language School? I'm in London for four days. I'm here with my friend Valentina. We're here on holiday for the Ricky Martin’s concert and to visit the city. We're in a hostel near to Euston Station. It's very cosy and cheap. We’re visiting some landmarks in London: St. Paul's Cathedral, London Bridge, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge, London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, HMS Belfast Museum on the River Thames, The Shard, Buckingham Palace, City Hall, Big Ben, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, and Palace of Westminster. 

London’s a beautiful, great, multilingual and multicultural city. Usually people say, “Oooh, London is very expensive!!!”, but it's got a lot of free admission museums and galleries, free city tours, lovely antique book stores, fantastic street activities, amazing parks and the wonderful British Library. 

Now, we're on platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley to catch the Hogwarts Express with them. Ha, ha, ha, ha. 

Look at the photos on my Facebook account. We're really enjoying our holidays in London.

Message me soon, xxx

Magüicha

HI Bernardo!

Thanks for your email. How are you? I'm in Ponferrada in León. It's a little city near Galicia. I get to Santiago train station tomorrow, but I don't know what time. By the way, I don't know your home address, neither. Is the train station near to your house? Do I walk from there to your place? What's your phone number? My mobile phone number is 666 666666.

Can't wait to see you! 

Love, 

Magüicha 

Ponferrada PHOTOS I taked.

________________________

Manchester (MRC) is the third most important city of England in the northwest of the Greater Manchester. The Industrial revolution was born there, Cottonopolis was a 19th century nickname for Manchester. It’s a singular, eclectic, multilingual and multicultural city. There are around 550,000 people. There are a lot of thing to do in this city. 

There are a lot of attractions in Manchester, many different kinds of museums, parks, cafés, beautiful libraries, big shopping centres, national and international banks, cathedrals, cinemas, shops, supermarkets, a huge and large transportation system, two big universities, two famous and rival football teams -Manchester United and Manchester City- and their football stadiums, and two famous international festivals -Christmas Market and Manchester International Festival (MIF)- Aaahhhh, I almost forgot, there is a Comic Con, too: Manchester Comic Con.

There is a beautiful and unique library, Manchester Central Library (MCL) in front of St. Peter Square. Its architecture is modern in and a little old at the same time, because it was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. It is the second largest public lending library in Britain. In this particular library, there are a lot of facilities: a reading room, free computer WiFi service, activities for people of all ages, a kid’s room, free books for tourists, a café with unusual tables with tactile multimedia information. MLC’s café is my favourite and special place to meet with my friends and son.

There are little and beautiful towns and villages around Manchester, with Victorian (architecture) houses in the middle of the forest.  

The Bee is the symbol of the City of Manchester, because it represents hard work and people working together. The people born in Manchester are called "Mancunians". There isn't enough space in one piece of paper to write about this amazing and historical city. 

Hi