Vera’s goals by Vera Costa https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c en-us 2022-09-12 13:29:50 UTC 2025-10-19 21:03:58 UTC hello@padlet.com Learn vocabulary related to tourism veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2298296025 In the future I want to work with tourism, that‘s the reason why I have to study more vocabulary about this subject. There are more and more international guests, who visit us in the alps, so it‘s very important to be able to communicate with them.

What can I do to improve this?
  • Read an article about  tourism, an interwiev or a website of a tourism destination, once a week
  • underline the new words
  • Make a table on word and write down the words in english and german or create a Quizlet with the words I do not know and play it every second day
  • Read the table every second day and try to remember the words

]]> 2022-09-15 13:39:09 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2298296025 Talk, talk and talk… veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2298329028 It‘s a little bit difficult for me to speak english fluently. I often have some words in my mind, but it‘s hard to form sentences and to express myself. It‘s very important to be able to have conversations with people and to understand them. Not only while I‘m working but also while I‘m traveling.

What can I do to improve this?
  • Watch movies, series or youtube videos in english once a week 
  • Summarize them with my own words to my boyfriend or roommate (they are both very good at speaking english, so they will improve my mistakes)

 
]]> 2022-09-15 13:56:36 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2298329028 Video: KONY 2012 veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2310969613 Activity:
On YouTube I watched the video KONY 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Documentation and reflection:

I heard about this film long time ago, but I never watched it or knew something about it. That is the reason why I chose it. 
The film is about Jacob, a little child, his brother was killed by Kony. Jason Russel, one of the founders of the organisation “Invisible Children” who wanted to capture Kony, promised Jacob that they will do everything to “Stop Kony”.
This documentary film was very interesting and shocking at the same moment.
At the same time I summarised the  video to my boyfriend who did also learn something new, because he didn’t know anything about Kony.

Time spent: 
50 min]]> 2022-09-23 18:55:51 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2310969613 Article: Tourism in a Post-Pandemic world veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2323310088 Activity:
I read an article about tourism called: Tourism in a Post-Pandemic world

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2021/02/24/na022521-how-to-save-travel-and-tourism-in-a-post-pandemic-world

Documentation and reflection:
As we can already see from the title, the article is about tourism during and after Covid. In other words it is about impacts in tourism in countries like Costa Rica and Thailand after the pandemic. 
Especially that countries that are far away from Europe had no tourism during Covid. Fortunately there are more and more people traveling to such countries this year, but I am sure that they will feel this effects for a long time.
 
The language in the article was good to understand, nevertheless there were some new words for me. I wrote these words down and translated them. Lastly I downloaded a “Quizlet” app and created my own flashcard, I played the game about 3/4 times last week. Here I will also add the new words from the next exercises.

Time spent: 40 min
]]> 2022-10-03 07:51:12 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2323310088 Exercises: Comma placement veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2329000616
Activity:
Comma placement - exercises

http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/comma_placement_ex1.htm

https://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/quiz_results.asp

https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/exercises/Answers/AnswersComma01.aspx?

https://www.uwosh.edu/faculty_staff/maguirem/quiz.html.htm

Documentation and reflection:

In the last weeks I realized that I have difficulties with the comma placement in english. That‘s why I decided to do some exercises concerning this topic. First of all I searched and read some important rules for comma placement.
After that I did some exercises.
I made some mistakes in the first exercise, but I also noticed, that it went better and better each exercise.

Time spent:
4o min






]]> 2022-10-06 08:43:35 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2329000616 Video: KONY 2012, Part II veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2337309716 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Ue6REkeTA

Action:
I watched the second part of the documentary KONY 2012

Documentation and reflection:
When I realised that there is also a second part of the documentary KONY 2012, it was clear that I will watch this too. I was very curious to see, how the documentary would continued.
The second part of the video shows, how the organisation “Invisible Children” went around the world and told stories of the people in Uganda, Kongo and Sudan. They tried to inspire especially young people in schools. After a short time they build up a big network of young people fighting for liberty and against Kony. The politics has also promised to help the organisation to stop Kony.

I found the language in the second part a little more difficult than in the first part of the documentary. I had to listen some parts twice, but than it was understandable.
Than I told my boyfriend about se second part of the documentary to train my talking.

Time spent:
45 min

]]> 2022-10-12 16:15:35 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2337309716 Article: Amazon celebrates 25th birthday veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2337596653 https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/business-economy/amazon-celebrates-25th-birthday.htm

Activity:
I read an article about Amazon’s 25th birthday

Documentation and reflection:
I found this article about Amazon’s 25th birthday and I found the title very exciting, that’s the reason why I decided to read it.
The text tells about the development of the largest internet company in the world. At the beginning Amazon was an online bookstore, since the last years it dominate the online commerce worldwide.
But the company also got critic,  for instance because of law payment and poor working conditions.

It was easy for me to understand the text, nevertheless there were some words I didn’t know. I added them to my quizlet App on my phone.

Time spent:
30 min]]> 2022-10-12 19:32:33 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2337596653 Video: The impact of terrorism on tourism veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2338394156 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyYo6quHZss

Activity:
I watched a documentary about the impact of terrorism on tourism

Documentation and reflection:
The documentary called „The impact of terrorism on tourism“, is about the terrorist attacks in Tunisia, Egypt and Turkey, which happened few years ago.
Al tree countries were very touristic, but as you can imagine, terrorism had left a big shock in mind of tourists. Terrorist attacks are even now influencing the chosen destination of many europeans.
In the video there were also many interviews of local people who talked about there experiences. A hotel owner for instance told, that she only survives because she owns other hotels anywhere else. Another man who was selling souvenirs on the market told that he is still not able to cover the costs without European tourists.
It‘s very, very sad to hear such things and I can‘t understand why people want to ruin others.

The documentary was not the easiest for me to understand, but I watched some parts with subtitles, this was much easier.
I also wrote down some new words.

Time spent:
1 hour


]]> 2022-10-13 08:45:24 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2338394156 Video: The 3 Magic Ingredients of Amazing Presentations veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2361366289 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoD8RMq2OkU

Activity:
I have watched a video called “The 3 Magic Ingredients of Amazing Presentations

Documentation and reflection:
The video was posted on the YouTube channel of TED Talks and as we have our presentations next week, I thought that if could be a good and interesting video to watch.
Phil Waknell, the speaker explained the most important aspects of doing presentations. First and foremost he talked about the audience.  The presenter has to be informed about who the audience is and about what the audience now. Following questions are important: Why to the care? But also  why do I care? Secondly, he explained that it is also important beyond informing, to transform the audience. To change what the audience know, but also what they feel or for example what they do.

The video was very interesting and helpful for my presentation. I am going to try to address the mentioned aspects in my presentation

Time spent:
35 minutes]]> 2022-10-29 08:43:28 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2361366289 Website: Ski World Cup Val Gardena - History veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2371993671 https://www.saslong.org/en/races/history/

Activity:
I read the history of the ski world cup in Val Gardena

Documentation and reflection:
As alpine skiing is one of my biggest passions, I was very interest in knowing more about the Ski World Cup in Val Gardena and his history. For this reason I read their website, which was very fascinating.
The first ski race in Val Gardena was in 1969 and already one year after the little village hosted the Ski Championships.
The ski world cup was a good start for the valley as a ski resort. New lifts and infrastructures were built, who helped Val Gardena to become a very successful ski resort.
The most spectators, about 40.000, were experiences when Gustav Thöni and Ingemar Stenmark were fighting against each other on the Saslong. But there are still lots of viewers also these days.
The text was very good understandable, after reading I told it to my brother, who corrected my mistakes while talking.

Time spent:
35 minutes ]]> 2022-11-06 20:44:33 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2371993671 Reflection on my progress veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2381591455 2022-11-13 14:50:43 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2381591455 2. Semester veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2513380205 2023-03-12 19:27:45 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2513380205 TED talk veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2513426502 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jPQjjsBbIc

This week I watched the TED talk called “How to stay calm when you know you’ll be stressed.” 
Daniel Levitin is talking about mistakes made in stressful situations and and how to avoid them in different situations.

To be honest it was difficult for me to understand the video. There were not many difficult or new words but I had difficulties in understand the context. I watched the video twice, one time with and the second time without subtitles. Then it was clearer. 

Time spent:
45 minutes]]> 2023-03-12 20:59:03 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2513426502 „Balance leisure activities“ veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2532019529 This week I read a chapter from the study of Ms. Stadler. The study is about leisure in families and how important it is for the well being. Above all, the they are also talking about the importance of events in leisure times. What I liked really much about the text were the interviews to the different family members and to read how different people spend leisure time and if they are spending more time in Core or in Balance leisure activities. Core leisure means that there are regular activities which are usually repeated several times for instance having breakfast together. Balance leisure activities are special events which do not take place so often, this are mostly bigger events for example concerts or festivals .

The text was really nice and understandable to read, there were some new words which I translated but in general I understood it very well. After reading it, I summarised the study in some sentences to my boyfriend.

Time spent:
50 minutes ]]> 2023-03-26 20:11:27 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2532019529 Netflix Serie: Alex Schwazer - Running for my truth veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2564359789 Over the last two weeks I watched an english series on Netflix. It’s called “Alex Schwarzer - Running for my truth”. 

Alex Schwarzer is a South Tyrolean athlete in walking. He won the gold medal at the Olympic games in Beijing in 2008. After this success, his life consisted only of training, eating and sleeping. 
After some time during a race, Schwazer found out, that several Russian athletes were taking doping. This made him very insecure and so depressed, that he decided to travel to Turkey to take doping as well. The Italian sport was shocked by this news, which was not a secret for long. Schwazer could not participate to the Olympics in 2012, he was banned.
He immediately realized that the doping was a big mistake and tried to fight his way back to the top with a lot of training. His objective was the olympic games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
The doping controls after had always turned out negative, but suddenly, just before the Olympics, the shocking news: Schwazer was again tested positive on doping.
He assured that he had not doped a second time, but the court did not believe him. A few days before the race, the court got the proof that the blood test was faked. The court, however, decided to ban Schwazer for 8 years, the Olympic dream was finished again.
The only positive news Schwazer received during this difficult time was that his wife was pregnant.

I remember  years ago when the scandal of Alex Schwazer ran in the media. But I never really followed it. Now with this series, many facts have been uncovered that no one knew before. I liked the series very much, even though I find it terrible how unfair things often go on in this world.

Time spent:
5 hours

]]> 2023-04-22 20:45:59 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2564359789 TED talk veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2569065281 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6n3iNh4XLI

This TED talk hold by the reporter Celeste  Headlee is about having good conversations with other people. 
A good conversation required a balance between talking and listening. According to a study of the PEW Center, a third of American teenagers send more than 100 text messages a day and prefers to write instead to talk to others mouth-to mouth. 
Headlee is talking about some different points that should be followed while having a conversation:
1) Don’t multitask: be present in the moment and don’t be half in, half out
2) Don’t pontificate
3) Use open ender questions (who, what, why): the response will be much more interesting
4) If you don’t know, say that you don’t know
5) Don’t equate your experience with theirs: experiences will never be the same, for instance if someone tells you that things are not working good at work, don’t compare it with you
6) Don’t repeat yourself: it’s boring for the listener
7) Stay out of the weeds: people don’t care about names, dates,…
8) Listen! : is the most important thing. If you’re not listening, you’re not in a conversation
9) Be brief

I found this talk very interesting and there were also some points in it, which I will remember for my future. 
I watched the video twice, but than if was good understandable. 

Time spent:
45 minutes

]]> 2023-04-26 16:27:32 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2569065281 TED talk veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590123736 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKK7wGAYP6k

In this TED talk the cognitive scientist Lea Boroditsky told how languages shapes the way people think. There are more than 7000 spoken overall the world, but every language has different accents, structures and nouns.
Ms. Boroditsky  showed some examples:
In one area of Australia, people speak a language where there is no left and right. They only orientate themselves to the directions north, south, east and west.
Or another example. In English there is a word for the colour blue. In a Russian language, however, there are several words for the different shades of blue.
And no matter what language we grow up with, we tend to understand things the way we have always known them.
I've never really thought about this myself, but this video made me realise that different languages make people think und unterstand things differently.

The language in the video was relatively easy to understand and I also understood the content of the video well the first time I watched it.

Time spent:
40 minutes]]> 2023-05-14 16:05:16 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590123736 Podcast: Is the British Monarchy still relevant in 2023? veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590206915 https://open.spotify.com/episode/626ecK6LQSsFyoeLXNhWLq?si=Mfumthr8QxaXsn9zQDsl_Q

I listened to a Podcast on Spotify regarding the topic if the British Monarchy is still relevant in 2023.

Last week there was the coronation of King Charles III. This was a moment of where many people started to think if a Monarchy is still relevant nowadays.
It was the time after the Second World War, when Queen Elizabeth got crowned. At that time the coronation was a sign of a new beginnings and hope. In all her years as queen, she was always loved by everyone because she never spoke badly of others. However, it is different with her son, Charles. Many people are sceptical and don't like him, especially because of his history with Diana.
Those who were against the monarchy criticised the high costs of the coronation, especially now in a time of crisis.

Vocabulary:

Monarchy: A system of government with a king or queen as the leader

Eccentric: A person or behavior that is unusual, strange, or different from what is considered normal

Underwhelming: Not impressive, exciting, or satisfying; disappointing

Time spent: 
45 minutes]]> 2023-05-14 18:25:06 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590206915 Article: Artificial Intelligence and the future of humans veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590991434 https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/12/10/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-humans/

In the last few months, artificial intelligence has drown lots of attention to the people. At the very beginning people thought that this kind of revolution would bring just positive aspects on humans everyday life. In fact, in many areas AI does really make it easier. However there is the danger of getting used to it and that people can no longer reflect of think about something without AI. It is especially a danger for the young generation, for the kids who grow up with. I think that also schools have to rethink and to analyse how to manage AI, when does it really make sense and at what point is it harmful?
Personally, I am sceptical about artificial intelligence. AI knows anything from everyone, therefore I asked myself where does the information come? This made me think again that it is very bad to give my own data everywhere and without thinking. I am convinced that people who own data will have great power in the future and that AI will present us big challenges that we cannot yet predict.

Time spent:
50 minutes]]> 2023-05-15 08:41:50 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2590991434 Reflection on my progress… 2nd Semester veracosta440 https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2593398705 2023-05-16 16:46:01 UTC https://padlet.com/veracosta440/lxu18lro3g9axc1c/wish/2593398705