Fiestas del Pilar

 

This is Zaragoza's largest and most famous festival and has been declared a festival of National Tourist Interest by the Spanish government. Starting around the second week of October with the opening ceremonY called " el pregón" the party goes on for nine more, authentically Spanish, festive-filled days. 

Highlights of the week, like most festivals here, come from a strong religious tradition. The first is "La ofrenda de flores" (the flower offering) to the Virgin on the 12th. This offering of thousands of flowers from people all over the world is definitely a sight not to be missed. Don't worry, you'll have lots of time, as the procession itself takes about 10 hours all together. Different groups gather near Plaza España, where they start their march towards the basilica. Donning traditonal regional costumes, they line the streets holding elaborate, carefully crafted bouquets made especially for this day. They slowly make their way towards Pilar Square. Once in the plaza, they patiently await their turn to lay their offering in front of the Virgin, the patron saint of both Zaragoza and Spain. The flowers are then taken to be woven into a beautiful, colorful and extremely fragrant cloak for the statue of the Virgin. The other two processions are the Offering of Fruits and the Glass Rosary, which is held on the evening of the 13th. 

Before, during and after these processions, the city hosts a number of concerts, theater performances, exhibitions, markets, contests, sporting competitions, bull chasing, bullfighting and much more. Jotas and traditional Aragonese folklore performances can be seen in Plaza Pilar and in other important squares of the city, such as Los Sitios Square. For more modern music, check out what's on at Espacio Zity. The most anticipated and probably most dangerous event is the famous "Vaquillas", where people chase, or are chased by, bulls in the ring. 

If you still have energy after all that, you may find it fun to be chased by the "gigantes" and "cabezudos", papier-mache giants and big heads , a favourite event among Zaragoza's children. They made their first official appearance around the year 1659, and have been running the streets, shaking sticks and taunting children, ever since.

Again, like almost all Spanish festivals, the action of the week would not be complete without an enormous display of fireworks.  Get to the stone bridge early for a good spot to watch this amazing end to a fantastic festival.

Fiestas del Pilar

 

This is Zaragoza's largest and most famous festival and has been declared a festival of National Tourist Interest by the Spanish government. Starting around the second week of October with the opening ceremonY called " el pregón" the party goes on for nine more, authentically Spanish, festive-filled days. 

Highlights of the week, like most festivals here, come from a strong religious tradition. The first is "La ofrenda de flores" (the flower offering) to the Virgin on the 12th. This offering of thousands of flowers from people all over the world is definitely a sight not to be missed. Don't worry, you'll have lots of time, as the procession itself takes about 10 hours all together. Different groups gather near Plaza España, where they start their march towards the basilica. Donning traditonal regional costumes, they line the streets holding elaborate, carefully crafted bouquets made especially for this day. They slowly make their way towards Pilar Square. Once in the plaza, they patiently await their turn to lay their offering in front of the Virgin, the patron saint of both Zaragoza and Spain. The flowers are then taken to be woven into a beautiful, colorful and extremely fragrant cloak for the statue of the Virgin. The other two processions are the Offering of Fruits and the Glass Rosary, which is held on the evening of the 13th. 

Before, during and after these processions, the city hosts a number of concerts, theater performances, exhibitions, markets, contests, sporting competitions, bull chasing, bullfighting and much more. Jotas and traditional Aragonese folklore performances can be seen in Plaza Pilar and in other important squares of the city, such as Los Sitios Square. For more modern music, check out what's on at Espacio Zity. The most anticipated and probably most dangerous event is the famous "Vaquillas", where people chase, or are chased by, bulls in the ring. 

If you still have energy after all that, you may find it fun to be chased by the "gigantes" and "cabezudos", papier-mache giants and big heads , a favourite event among Zaragoza's children. They made their first official appearance around the year 1659, and have been running the streets, shaking sticks and taunting children, ever since.

Again, like almost all Spanish festivals, the action of the week would not be complete without an enormous display of fireworks.  Get to the stone bridge early for a good spot to watch this amazing end to a fantastic festival.

The Beginner | John Lewis & Partners | Christmas Ad 2022

Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree (Official Lyric Video)

Merry Xmas, Everybody!

The English had many festivals during the winter, way before the birth of Jesus and some of our (now) Christmas traditions even go back to that time. Here are a few of the things you might come across if you visit England in the run up to Christmas:

Christmas Cards

The Christmas craze begins weeks before, when Christmas cards are sent off to relatives, friends, loved ones and business contacts. According to the history books, this particular tradition dates back to 1840, and every year more than one billion Christmas cards are sent in Great Britain - December is decidedly not the easiest month to be a postman in England.

The Nativity Play
Another eagerly awaited event in the run-up to Christmas is the nativity play: each year hundreds of thousands of school children act out the story from the Bible about the birth of Christ. They dress up as Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the shepherds and the three Wise Men - and occasionally children get to do ox and donkey costumes.

The Christmas Pantomime
Equally popular are pantomimes: cheerful musical interpretations of classic fairy tales that are performed by professional or amateur actors . Pantomimes became popular in England in the 1500s. There are Pre-Christian roots to the pantomime, most notably the playing of men by women and the other way around. This probably stems back to the pagan winter festivals, where roles were reversed in plays: males would play females; masters, servants and children would play parents.

The Christmas Tree

Not the oldest of traditions, the Christmas tree may have originated in Germany, but it is very popular in England, too. Legend has it that the first Christmas tree in England was the one Prince Albert, the spouse of Queen Victoria, placed in their royal home. There are lots of trees in public places as well, the most famous being the huge one in Trafalgar Square.

Mistletoe

The English don't stop at pine trees: holly and mistletoe are equally essential natural Christmas decorations. Mistletoe's popularity obviously has something to do with the custom of kissing the person with whom you stand underneath it - a tradition that allegedly dates back to ancient Roman times, when enemies who met under it were said to have to give up their rivalries.

Of course twinkling lights and gift giving are great, but one of the easiest ways to get into the Christmas spirit is still tasting Christmas spirits: mulled wine is a definite seasonal favourite, as is that rich, creamy yellow drink called EGG NOG. Mmm…

You will find further information about the origins of Christmas, evolution of Santa or about the Christmas Tree clicking on this link 

Do you fancy some listening comprehension exercises about Christmas gifts?

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
Click on the flags and find out about their traditions.

HOW TO MAKE A DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS PUDDING 
(Follow the recipe step by step)

Spanish people eat twelve grapes on New Year's Eve when the clock strikes midnight but what do British people do?

They join hands and sing AULD LANG SYNE

WATCH A CHRISTMAS VIDEO FOLLOWING THE LINK

• VIDEO   

 

 

"Remember, remember

the fifth of November

gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason

why gunpowder and treason

should ever be forgot..."

BONFIRE WEBQUEST

The Gunpowder Plot

Bonfire night is an event to celebrate the anniversary of a famous event in British history.

Visit this website www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15351828 then answer the questions below:

1. What do people burn on their bonfires today?

2. What did Guy Fawkes plan to do?

3. Why did Guy Fawkes and his group put gunpowder in the parliament?

4. How did people find out about the gunpowder plot?

5. What happened to Guy Fawkes and his group?

6. What was the reason behind the gunpowder plot?

This is Halloween

Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn't you like to see something strange?
Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night
This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat 'til the neighbors gonna die of fright
It's our town, everybody scream
In this town of Halloween

I am the one hiding under your bed
Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red
I am the one hiding under your stairs
Fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween, Halloween
Halloween, Halloween

In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song
In this town, don't we love it now?
Everybody's waiting for the next surprise

'Round that corner, man hiding in the trash can
Something's waiting now to pounce and how you'll scream
This is Halloween, red and black, slimy green
Aren't you scared? Well, that's just fine

Say it once, say it twice
Take a chance and roll the dice
Ride with the moon in the dead of night
Everybody scream, everybody scream
In our town of Halloween

I am the clown with the tear-away face
Here in a flash and gone without a trace
I am the who when you call, "Who's there?"
I am the wind blowing through your hair
I am the shadow on the moon at night
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween, Halloween
'Alloween, 'alloween
'Alloween, 'alloween

Tender lumplings everywhere
Life's no fun without a good scare
That's our job, but we're not mean
In our town of Halloween
In this town, don't we love it now?
Everybody is waiting for the next surprise

Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back
And scream like a banshee
Make you jump out of your skin
This is Halloween, everybody scream
Won't you please make way for a very special guy
Our man Jack is king of the Pumpkin Patch
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now

This is Halloween, this is Halloween
'Alloween, 'alloween
'Alloween, 'alloween

In this town we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song

ENJOY THE LONG WEEKEND

 This is Zaragoza's largest and most famous festival and, like Semana Santa, has been declared a festival of National Tourist interest by the Spanish government. Starting around the second week of October with the opening ceremonies called "El Pregón" the party then goes on for nine more, authentically Spanish, festive-filled days. 

Highlights of the week, like most festivals here, come from a strong religious tradition. The first is "La ofrenda de flores" (flower offering) to the Virgin Mary on the 12th. This offering of thousands of flowers from people all over the world is definitely a sight not to be missed. Don't worry, you'll have lots of time to catch it, as the procession itself takes about 10 hours all together. Different groups gather near Plaza España, where they start their mini-pilgrimages towards the basilica. Donning traditonal regional costumes, they line the streets holding elaborate, carefully crafted bouquets made especially for this day. They slowly make their way towards the heart of the historic center. Once in the square, they patiently await their turn to lay their offering in front of the Virgin of Pilar, the patron saint of both Zaragoza and Spain. The flowers are then taken to be woven into a beautiful, colorful and extremely fragrant cloak for the statue of the Virgin. The other two processions are the offering of fruit and the offering of the Glass Rosary, which is held on the evening of the 13th. 

Before, during and after these processions, the city hosts a number of concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, markets, contests, sporting competitions, bull chasing, bullfights and more. Jotas and traditional Aragonese folklore performances can be seen in Pilar square and in other important squares of the city, such as Plaza de los Sitios. For more modern music, check out what's on at Interpeñas or Valdespertera. There is also a very successful street performers competion held on Independencia Avenue, an international trade fair, and a market on Gran Via Avenue. All kinds of concerts and sporting events are held at Principe Felipe Pavillion, near the city centre. The most anticipated and probably most dangerous event is the famous "Vaquillas", where people chase, or are chased by, bulls in the ring. 

If you still have energy after all that, you may find it fun to be chased by the "gigantes" and "cabezudos", papier-mache giants and big heads , a favourite event among children. They made their first official appearance around the year 1659, and have been running the streets, shaking sticks and taunting children, ever since.

Again, like almost all Spanish festivals, the action of the week would not be complete without an enormous display of fireworks. Smaller displays are held throughout the week in different neighbourhoods of the city, with the biggest and most important one being held on the last day behind  Pilar Square on the River Ebro. Get to the stone bridge early for a good spot to watch this fiery end to a fantastic festival.

Happy Mother's Day

A special Mother's Day in self-isolation.

Best present: stay away

Some people will not see their mothers or grandmothers in person after the government said those over 70 were most at risk .  Giving your mum a hug and a kiss on Mother's Day is something many of us take for granted, but what most would consider a normal gesture has now become an impossibility for millions due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Sunday celebrations will be very different this year as people are warned the best present they could give their elderly mother or grandmother is to stay away from them.  A GP, Dr Sarah Jarvis, tweeted to say "I recommend the best present we can give elderly mums for Mother's Day is to cancel big family lunches and buy them a device with Skype or FaceTime - then use it regularly."  The PM said that people "should really think very carefully" about it, saying: "It doesn't matter necessarily whether they're over 70. The issue is whether they are in one of the vulnerable groups.  "Think very carefully about the risk of transmission of the virus and follow the advice, look at the medical advice"  Different on Sunday due to the coronavirus pandemPlanned celebrations at restaurants for lunches or afternoon teas have been cancelled after the government ordered cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close for the foreseeable future in the latest move aimed at halting the spread of the virus. During a briefing on the deepening crisis this week, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked about whether people should see their mums on Mother's Day and if he would be visiting his own mother on Sunday.  "Our advice is that elderly people, people with serious underlying health conditions and people in the later stages of pregnancy have to be careful about the transmission of the virus.

THE HISTORY & TRADITIONS OF MARDI GRAS PROMO

MARDI GRAS

HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!

 

ON SHROVE TUESDAY ...

Pancake races are held all over England. The object of the race is to get to the finishing line first whilst flipping a pancake in a frying pan a pre-decided number of times. The skill lies not so much in the running of the race but in flipping and catching the pancake, which must be intact when the finishing line is reached.
The most famous pancake race takes place at Olney. According to tradition, in 1445 a woman of Olney heard the shriving bell while she was making pancakes and ran to the church in her apron, still clutching her frying pan.
The Olney pancake race is now world famous. Competitors have to be local housewives and they must wear an apron and a hat or scarf.
Each contestant has a frying pan containing a hot, cooking pancake. She must toss it three times during the race that starts at the market square at 11.55 am. The first woman to complete the winding 375-metre course and arrive at the church, serve her pancake to the bell ringer, and be kissed by him, is the winner. She also receives a prayer book from the vicar.

Black Friday

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the USA. It is a busy shopping day and a holiday in some states.  It falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November.

What do people do?

Many people have a day off work or choose to take a day from their quota of annual leave on Black Friday. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the Christmas season.

Shopping for Christmas presents is also popular on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers and lower their prices on some goods, such as toys.

Public life

Black Friday is not a federal holiday, but it is a public holiday in some states. Many people take a day of their annual leave on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Many organizations also close for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Public transit systems may run on their normal schedule or may have changes. Some stores extend their opening hours on Black Friday. There can also be congestion on roads to popular shopping destinations.

Background

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.

The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.

READ THE NEXT ARTICLE FROM TIME MAGAZINE:

WHAT BLACK FRIDAY WAS LIKE BEFORE IT WAS CALLED BLACK FRIDAY

COMPULSIVE SHOPPING

CHRISTMAS IS ROUND THE CORNER

The English had many festivals during the winter, way before the birth of Jesus and some of our (now) Christmas traditions even go back to that time. Here are a few of the things you might come across if you visit England in the run up to Christmas:

Christmas CardsThe Christmas craze begins weeks before, when Christmas cards are sent off to relatives, friends, loved ones and business contacts. According to the history books this particular tradition dates back to 1840, and every year more than one billion Christmas cards are sent in Great Britain - December is decidedly not the easiest month to be a postman in England.

The Nativity Play
Another eagerly awaited event in the run-up to Christmas is the nativity play: each year hundreds of thousands of school children act out the story from the Bible about the birth of Christ. They dress up as Joseph, Mary, Jesus, the shepherds and the three Wise Men - and occasionally children get to do ox and donkey costumes.

The Christmas Pantomime
Equally popular are the pantomimes: cheerful musical interpretations of classic fairy tales that are performed by professional or amateur actors . Pantomimes became popular in England in the 1500s. There are Pre-Christian roots to the pantomime, most notably the playing of men by women and the other way around. This probably stems back to the pagan winter festivals, where roles were reversed in plays: males would play females; masters, servants and children would play parents.

The Christmas TreeNot the oldest of traditions, the Christmas tree may have originated in Germany, but it is very popular in England, too. Legend has it that the first Christmas tree in England was the one Prince Albert, the spouse of Queen Victoria, placed in their royal home. There are lots of trees in public places as well, the most famous being the huge one in Trafalgar Square.

MistletoeThe English don't stop at pine trees: holly and mistletoe are equally essential natural Christmas decorations. Mistletoe's popularity obviously has something to do with the custom of kissing the person with whom you stand underneath it - a tradition that allegedly dates back to ancient Roman times, when enemies who met under it were said to have to give up their rivalries.

Of course twinkling lights and gift giving are great, but one of the easiest ways to get into the Christmas spirit is still tasting Christmas spirits: mulled wine is a definite seasonal favourite, as is that rich, creamy yellow drink called EGG NOG. Mmm…

You will find further information about the origins of Christmas, evolution of Santa or about the Christmas Tree clicking on this link 

Do you fancy some listening comprehension exercises about Christmas gifts?

CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
Click on the flags and find out about their traditions.

HOW TO MAKE A DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS PUDDING 
(Follow the recipe step by step)

Spanish people eat twelve grapes on New Year's Eve when the clock strikes midnight but what do British people do?

They join hands and sing AULD LANG SYNE

WATCH A SERIES OF CHRISTMAS VIDEOS FOLLOWING THE LINKS

• VIDEO 1
• VIDEO 2
• VIDEO 3  

BLACK FRIDAY

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in the USA. It is a busy shopping day and a holiday in some states.  It falls on the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November.

What do people do?

Many people have a day off work or choose to take a day from their quota of annual leave on Black Friday. Some people use this to make trips to see family members or friends who live in other areas or to go on vacation. Others use it to start shopping for the Christmas season.

Shopping for Christmas presents is also popular on Black Friday. Many stores have special offers and lower their prices on some goods, such as toys.

Public life

Black Friday is not a federal holiday, but it is a public holiday in some states. Many people take a day of their annual leave on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Many organizations also close for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Public transit systems may run on their normal schedule or may have changes. Some stores extend their opening hours on Black Friday. There can also be congestion on roads to popular shopping destinations.

Background

Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days in the USA. There are two popular theories as to why the day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday. One theory is that the wheels of vehicles in heavy traffic on the day after Thanksgiving Day left many black markings on the road surface, leading to the term Black Friday.

The other theory is that the term Black Friday comes from an old way of recording business accounts. Losses were recorded in red ink and profits in black ink. Many businesses, particularly small businesses, started making profits prior to Christmas. Many hoped to start showing a profit, marked in black ink, on the day after Thanksgiving Day.

READ THE NEXT ARTICLE FROM TIME MAGAZINE:

WHAT BLACK FRIDAY WAS LIKE BEFORE IT WAS CALLED BLACK FRIDAY

COMPULSIVE SHOPPING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY

Many stories of Thanksgiving start with the harvest celebration of the pilgrims and the Native Americans that took place in the autumn of 1621. Although they did have a three-day feast in celebration of a good harvest, and the local Native Americans did participate, this “first Thanksgiving” was not a holiday, simply a gathering.  The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast – including 91 Native Americans who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true “thanksgiving” observance. It lasted three days.

Governor William Bradford sent “four men fowling” after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term “turkey” was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.

Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. But the feast did include fish, berries, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.

This “thanksgiving” feast was not repeated the following year. Many years passed before the event was repeated. It wasn’t until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed.

A hundred years later, in October of 1777 all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair. George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson opposed the idea of having a day of thanksgiving. In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision cause the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

What does St. Patrick's Day mean to you? For many, it means being honorary Irish for a day. It means a large parade with marching bands, floats, and folk dressed in green top hats and tails. It means green beer, and a lot of it. In Chicago, the river is dyed green. In New York, 150,000 marchers participate in the parade. And in Dublin, the party lasts for five days! The holiday honors St. Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland and believed to have died on March 17th. He lived in the 6th century A.D., and came to Ireland to convert its people to Christianity. Much of his real life has been mixed with legend and stories, though, and scholars disagree on many points. For example, some say that Irish pirates captured and enslaved Patrick as a boy. Or, according to legend, he herded all the snakes out of Ireland and into the sea, even if scientists now know that Ireland has never had any snakes. In fact, some historians boldly state that the St. Patrick we know today is actually the composite of two people who lived in the 5th and 6th centuries. Besides Ireland, in countries where the holiday is celebrated, many people of Irish descent usual live. In the U.S., for example, New York, Boston, and Chicago all have very large Irish communities, and so the cities have a long tradition of festivities. But Munich in Germany, Birmingham in England, and even Moscow in Russia celebrate the day, too, as the holiday has become more and more commercialized and common. It's in Dublin nowadays that you can find the largest goings on. Not too long ago, the Irish celebrated St. Patrick's Day as a religious holiday only. In fact, all the pubs were closed on March 17th in observance of the day, which didn't change until the 1970s. Since the mid- 1990s, though, the Irish government has used the holiday as an opportunity to display Ireland and Irish culture to the world. Specifically, they wanted a festival that equaled the best celebrations anywhere in the world, provided motivation for people of Irish descent, and portrayed a positive and accurate image of the country. What began as a one day festival in 1996, became a three day festival the next year. In 2006, it lasted five days! And green is the theme of the day, of course. The nickname of Ireland is the "Emerald Isle," due to the rich green of the countryside. People often wear a shamrock in their lapel or cap, as well as a green, white, and orange badge in honor of the Irish flag. Let's not also forget the beer, an important tradition to any St. Patrick's Day celebration, which gets a squire of green dye. So now, what does St. Patrick's Day mean to you? And do you have any plans?

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

WHAT WOULD A DAY WITHOUT WOMEN LOOK LIKE? READ THE ARTICLE AND FIND OUT.

VALENTINE'S DAY

SLANG WORDS TO TALK ABOUT LOVE

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

ARE YOU DETERMINED TO IMPROVE YOUR LEVEL OF ENGLISH?

A FEW TIPS MIGHT HELP YOU

Don't be in too much of a hurry. You're setting off on a long journey and there'll be delays and frustrations along the way. Sometimes you'll be in the fast lane and other times you'll be stuck.
There are many ways to improve your level of English, but only you can find the right way for you.

• If you are not motivated to learn English you will become frustrated and give up.
• You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.
• Do your homework.
• Read a book or a comic every month.
• Learn a new word every day.
• Read a news article on the net every day.
• Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
• Watch an English film at least once a month.
• Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.
• Travel to an English speaking country.
• Keep something English on you (book, newspaper or magazine, cd or cassette, set of flashcards) you never know when you might have 5 spare minutes.
• If you are too tired to actively practise just relax and listen to an English pop song or talk radio station.
• Get onto Skype. Start networking with other learners / native speakers / teachers (don't just restrict yourself to seeking out native speakers.