1x.8 #DiscoverEU by Interrail

What if I told you that you could win a free train ticket on your 18th birthday to travel all over Europe with your friends? Wouldn't it be exciting?

In 2016, a proposal was made at the European Parliament to give away free Interrail tickets to all Europeans on their 18th birthday. The project was rejected in its initial form because it was too expensive but a new, lighter version was passed and the first 15.000 teens travelled all over the Old Continent by train for free thanks to the scheme in 2018.

But why should Europe pay for a bunch of teenagers' holidays? Can't you think of any good reasons? You can read more about it here.

Watch the following video and answer the questions on the worksheet:

Imagine you have a personal vlog - also known as videoblog - with a friend. Create a short video about the #DiscoverEU programme. Use the questions below to help you. Make sure you have read and understood all the information and the participation requirements on the #Discover EU website.

1. Present the #DiscoverEU proposal. What is it about?
2. In your opinion, is it a good idea? How do you think free Interrail tickets can help teenagers make their European identity stronger? Think of at least 3 or 4 different reasons.
3. Would you like to participate in the programme when you turn 18 years old? Why (not)?
4. Would you like to travel alone? If not, who would you travel with? Explain. Remember you can travel solo or in groups of up to 5 people.
5. What European country or countries would you like to visit? Remember you can choose up to 4 cross-border countries - in the same area - for your route.
6. What European Cultural Heritage site would you include on your route? Why? You can find the complete list here.
7. How would you tell other people about your trip? Think of at least three different things you could do to report on your travel experience.

Your video must include photographs and music at some points. Remember to include your names at the end and also use the hashtag #DiscoverEU to promote the idea!

When you finish, you can submit your videos on Flipgrid, as explained in class.

4s.7 Volunteering abroad

Volunteering abroad is a popular activity for teenagers like you living in developed English-speaking countries such as the USA, the UK or Australia.

Many of them travel to foreign countries during their summer holidays to help preserve wildlife, teach languages or get involved in local communities in different ways. Some students even take a year off their studies, that is, a gap year, to do volunteer work.

These experiences are highly valued when participants are back in their countries - some of the most prestigious universities and companies offering jobs prefer candidates who have volunteered in the past because they believe volunteering teaches people skills that are important for life.

Although volunteering opportunities are often expensive (because of flight tickets, meals, insurances, etc.) and not all households can afford them, there are some companies and websites that help teenagers and their families to find the right project. One of them is https://www.goeco.org.

Your task

Browse GoEco's website and pick a project that you would like to participate in if you had the opportunity. Take short notes and write a short text (100-120 words) about it. You must:

• Present your favourite project briefly.
• Explain why you would like to participate and why you think the project is good for you.
• Explain the things you would like to do and learn during your volunteering experience.
• Discuss any worries, concerns or doubts you have about the project.
• Take a look at the section Travel Highlights, which includes interesting things to do in your free time during your stay abroad. Explain which of them you find most exciting and why.

Remember

Before you start writing, plan your text:

• Decide what information in your notes you are going to use and how you are going to organise the information into paragraphs (introduction, body and conclusion).
• Use conditionals to talk about hypothetical or imaginary situations.
• Use appropriate vocabulary related to volunteer work and some phrasal verbs. Please recycle vocabulary from units 1 and 4 in your student's book.

Hand in your first draft to me. After you have improved the text following my feedback and using the correction code, post your edited version here as a comment. Please include your name and first surname.