The most remote island on earth is looking for employees

Tristan da Cunha is situated midway between South Africa and South America and is looking for farmers.

Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.



1 How many people live in Tristan da Cunha?
2 What happened five decades ago?
3 How far is the nearest mainland?
4 What animals are raised on the grassland?
5 What vegetable do they grow?
6 How far is South Africa from Tristan da Cunha?
7 How many people would return to England, according to Basil Lavarello?
8 What do people do after work?
 
It's only got 265 residents and as much coastline as you could possibly want. There happens to be a volcano too, but the last major eruption was five decades ago. And it certainly helps if you enjoy your own company, as Tristan da Cunha is situated midway between South Africa and South America. So, if you know something about tending livestock and crop rotation, the islanders are hoping this could be the place for you. They are seeking a farmer who can help them increase their food production and to make them less reliant on imports. It’s 7 days on a fishing boat to the nearest mainland. However, the work could be challenging, says one agricultural adviser who did the job a few years ago.
There's about 1500 acres of grassland on which they run cattle and sheep. And they also have a small area where they grow potatoes. But that's the sum total of the agriculture.
This is the loneliest human colony on earth.
Tristan da Cunha, a British overseas territory, hit the headlines in the early 60s when a volcano forced its inhabitants to be evacuated, first to south Africa 1,500 miles away and then onto England. When they returned, not all of them seemed happy to be back on the most remote inhabited island on earth. Islander Basil Lavarello shared his feelings in 1965.
If there were a boat now for people to return to England, I'd say three quarters of the community would return back there again.
Would you be one of them?
I would be one of them.
Basil's first cousin, once removed, is still on the island, and he maintains it's the dream place to live and work.
It's very pristine, I should say and, you know, of course there's no crime and I think anyone who comes here for a short term contract, they just enjoy it so much that they always say they would like to come back.
So now, a rare chance to find out for yourself - the salary is undisclosed, but there is a pub for after work, and of course all the view you could ever need.

Key:
1 265 
2 the last eruption of the volcano
3 7 days away
4 cattle (cows and bulls) and sheep
5 potatoes
6 1,500 miles away
7 3/4 of the community
8 they go to the pub

Talking point: Spaces

This week's talking point is spaces. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.

• Describe your room in as much detail as possible: Is it airy and roomy? Is it spacious or small? Do you share it? Is there any piece of furniture that takes up too much space?
• How important is it for you to have your own private space? 
• Describe a public space that you like or dislike.
• Describe a personal space that you like or dislike.
• Think about your present home and how you would change it to make it more comfortable to live in.
• Are there any derelict areas in your town or city that you think could be redeveloped? Where are they? How could the areas be used to enhance the appearance of the city and offer better public services?

To illustrate the topic you can watch this video on Feng Shui where expert Leigh Kubin answers basic questions regarding the study and the practical applications of Feng Shui in homes, offices, and recreational areas and how Feng Shui can make spaces more appealing, relaxing and comfortable.

The 411 on Feng Shui por fengshuiyourway

Leigh Kubin: Welcome to Feng Shui Your Way. I am your host Leigh Kubin and today we learn the basics of Feng Shui. We will shop for items that reflect your personality and activate the energy in your space.
What is Feng Shui? It literally means wind and water but as a Feng Shui practitioner to me, it means setting up your environment in a way that supports your goals. So let us take a look at the Bagua for a minute. The Bagua is the map of how chi energy that flows to your home and in turn, your life. You will align the bottom of the Bagua with your front door meaning either through the wisdom journey or helpful people areas. I am going to show you how to go into a home accessories boutique and create your own Feng Shui adjustments. We are at Simply Irresistible with owner, Dolores and she has invited us in so I can show you how creative you can get with Feng Shui.
Dolores, tell me how do you help people that come in looking for specific items?
Dolores Urquizo: Only when you come into home accessories like mine, I believe that the staff should be ready to assist you with finding a specific element you are looking for.
Leigh Kubin: Well, I am so excited to see what we have got to work with.
We are going to begin in the journey area which is about your life path. Think of unlimited possibilities. The color for this area is black and the element is water. You can activate this area by placing a black mat at your front door or by placing a water feature in this area but if you want to get more creative, find a picture that has water in it or find something that represent water like this urns.
Now, we are in the soft knowledge in wisdom area of the Bagua. This is about setting clear boundaries creating grounding in life. This is an earth sector and the color is blue. You can put pictures of people that you want to gain knowledge from in this area or find earthy pictures such as this one with squares in it that represent earth. You can also find something fiery that replenishes earth.
We are now in the family area, which represents what you think or do not think as possible for you. This sector is about your personal power. The element is wood and the color is green. You can have actual family photos here or get more creative by placing items that have the shape of wood or even a picture with trees in them.
So, that leads us to the wealth area which is about eliminating obstacles. It is if someone is behind the scenes making things workout. This sector represents the fulfillment of your life path, which is directly related to the journey area. The element is wood and the color is purple but any jewel tone will work. These canisters will be a great choice because they are purple and since they hold things, it represents the accumulation of wealth.
The fame and reputation area is the interface between you and the outside world. This does not mean you have to be famous, it just gives the way to say thank you because what you are doing with your life has value to others. Consider what you want to be known for when activating this area. The element is fire and the color is red. You can use the color red or the actual fire element or you can get creative with this triangular shapes concept with wood elements in them since wood fits fire.
The next step is to draw someone into your life, which leads us to the relationship area of the Bagua. You will find value in yourself and find someone to share your journey with. The element is earth and the color is pink but any earthy muddy tone will work here. You will want to focus on things and pairs and create the feel of what you want in your relationship.
Now, we are in the children and creativity area of the Bagua. This is the playground of life. In this energy pattern, we do not take life too seriously. Remember, if we do not have our time to play, we will not have the energy to continue on our journey. The element is metal and the colors for this area are pastels.
We are now in the helpful people in travel area of the Bagua which represents your connection with the entire community. You want to draw in this energy, who do you want to support and who do you want to support you. The element is metal and the colour is white or grey. The scenery is related to health and it should be as open as possible. When this area is balanced, it creates a balance in any other area and space. The element is earth and the colour is yellow.
Dolores, I had so much fun exploring your boutique and finding creative solutions for Feng Shui space. Thank you for having us.
Thank you for coming and I've learned so much about Feng Shui.

Talking point: Places

This week's talking point is the places where we live and the quality of life there. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily when you meet up with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.

• How has your town or city changed in your lifetime? Talk about immigration, public projects, new housing developments, shopping areas, means of transport, cleanliness, crime, traffic.
• What do you like about the city or town where you live?
• What would you change?
• How would you describe the people who live in your area?
• What kind of facilities do you have in your area?
• Do you think your area has improved or gone downhill?
• What do you think is the best place to live in your country?

If you had to move to another city or country, which factors would be the most important to you? Rank them in order of importance (1 very important - 7 the least important)
-Not having to travel too far to you place of work/study
-Being near parks or green spaces
-Lively cultural life and entertainment
-Good public services: education, leisure, sport facilities, public transport, cycle lanes
-Nice or cheap housing
-Feeling safe: a low crime rate
-No pollution and no heavy traffic

To illustrate the point, you can watch the Speakout video Society, where people talk about the place where they live.



I've always enjoyed living in cities. I like the mix of people and all the different things that you can do. Not everyone feels like me, though. Some people prefer the peace and quiet of the country. How about you? Do you enjoy city life?
No, absolutely hate London. Much prefer the country.
Yes, I love city life. I mean, London’s such a vibrant, active city. There's always lots of things to do.
Where I live is very, very central and it's inner city. So it's what I'm used to and I enjoy that I can get everywhere really easily.
I enjoy it. It’s a - it suits me. I think it suits my personality.
I really enjoy living in London. It's a great place to be. There’s lots of people around, lots of things happening. Where I live, there’s lots of art shows, and photographers.
I do like city life. I think London especially is very vibrant, and there’s always something going on.
What are the good things about living in a city?
London is such a large city. You know, you can never tire of it, really.
I think there's always something to do. Always something to go and see. And there are lots of events and culture, and you can never be bored.
Obviously culture. I live right next door to the Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern so … theatre is terrific. Huge choice of restaurants, of course.
The good things about living in the city is, the tube, which is really amazing. It's cheap and it's really frequent.
I think transport is one of the best things. The fact that you can live, probably miles away from your friends - and you can all sort of, get to the same place fairly easily, and fairly quickly.
You're so central. Everywhere’s close at hand, there's always lots of people around so you feel quite safe.
What are the main problems in cities?
Traffic is horribly congested.
Sometimes it can be difficult to get round the city quickly, and that can be frustrating.
I think there's always very much of a go-go attitude- that you have to be on the go the whole time. And there isn’t the time just to chill out or take time out. And if you're not doing something, you're missing out.
The main problems I'd say, are probably crime, and just not feeling safe.
I think the crime. I think that the crime’s a huge problem in city life.
I think that we should be trying to encourage more sort of green transport so, cycling, and encouraging people to walk, and use their cars less.
I think there’s not much that you really can do about crime. Because I think it's a social issue. So if people are - you have to, kind of, address why people are committing crimes before you can do anything about it.
I think a city’s a city. You either want to live in a city or you want to live in the countryside, or by the sea. And I think it’s your choice.

Listening test: The VIP Islands

In this week's listening comprehension test we are going to practise the multiple choice kind of task. Listen to some people talking about The Sanjuans, the VIP Islands, and choose the option a, b or c that best completes sentences 1-7. 0 is an example.

listen to ‘VIP Islands’ on Audioboo

0) The San Juan islands are
a a long way away from the continent.
b easily accessible.
c near San Juan of Puerto Rico.

1) The Orca whales can be seen in the San Juan Islands
a at any time of the year.
b in the spring, summer and autumn.
c in the autumn and winter.

2) Orcas Island in the San Juans is so called because
a it was one of the names of the Mexican viceroy who discovered them.
b of the Orca whales that can be seen there.
c the Mexican viceroy came from the town of Horcasitas.

3) Robert Moran, the former mayor of Seattle, lived on Orcas because
a he had been told that he only had a short time to live.
b he wanted to retire somewhere quiet.
c he wished to escape from people who wanted his wealth.

4) Moran
a came from a privileged family.
b came from a very poor family.
c had a typically middle-class family background.

5) The most important fact of the 'Pig War' was
a that Germany played a role in the peace process.
b that new border lines were discussed.
c the low number of victims.

6) Sandy Playa says that the number of residents in the San Juans
a are mainly retired.
b has doubled in recent years.
c has increased more than 10 times.

7) Carl Burger says many famous people live in the San Juans because
a they want to escape from the public eye.
b it brings more glamour to their lives.
c they share similar interests and can work from home.

Only a short drive and ferry ride away from the North American mainland, the ancient evergreen forests, quaint farm valleys, romantic coastline and amazing wildlife of the San Juan Islands attract many visitors. From April through October, Orca whales can be seen here, but Orcas Island, the largest and most spectacular of the San Juans, did not get its name from the whales. When a Spanish expedition led by the Mexican Viceroy discovered the San Juans in the 18th century, each of the larger islands was given one of his names — `Horcasitas' was one of them.
On Orcas, lovers of the old-fashioned lifestyle can stay at Rosario Resort and Spa, which is full of antique teak and mahogany furniture and arts-and-crafts design. Part of the hotel is now a museum. It was built 100 years ago as a private residence by shipbuilder and former mayor of Seattle, Robert Moran, who moved here after being told by his doctors that he would be dead in two years. In actual fact he lived for another 38 years. In order to celebrate, he would wake his guests up at 6 in the morning with a splendid self-playing Aeolian pipe organ, which is still in operation today [sound of organ music] Moran sounds to have been a lucky man: a native New Yorker, he had arrived in Seattle as a penniless 18-year-old in 1875, before going on to build a vast fortune.
The San Juan Islands may not have that many inhabitants, but they do have a colorful history. In 1859, for example, Britain and the United States, which both had claims to the area, nearly fought `the Pig War', after an American settler shot and killed a British pig. Fortunately peace came about, after mediation by Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm, and the pig was the only victim. More importantly  perhaps, the border between Canada (then a British colony) and the USA was subsequently re-drawn.
At the start of the 21st century, the San Juan Islands face challenges  of a different kind. Sandy Playa, who runs the beautiful timbered Spring Bay Inn on the eastern side of Orcas Island (with her husband Carl Burger) explains.
Well, I think the big change has been brought on by technology. You know, now the internet and cellphone access has enabled people to live here that would only be able to vacation here in the past. I think all probably remote areas are going through that kind of change.
When we first  moved here, there were about 2,500 people and now there’s about 5,000. But even so, that population when we first moved here was mostly made of retired people, some families, but mostly retired. And then kind of the whole dot com thing, you know, was going, just, bananas and... so lots of people were able to be consultants and live here and work from their home here and then they'd maybe have an apartment in Seattle or whatever city that they were based in.
The dot com bubble has burst, but the islands still have their fair share of famous residents. The co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen, owns one of them. Here in the San Juans, however, VIPs can live a quiet life, says Carl Burger:
Part of the personality, I think, of the county is that so many folks are here trying to underplay or downplay or stay below the spotlight. We have some very high-powered people who live here, either full-time or part-time, but who want to be, I was gonna say, recognized just for the people they are, rather than the personalities that they are. So there's... there are film directors here, there are authors, there are people from the technological world, there are consultants, there are politicians, but around here, they're just island residents.

Key:
1 B, 2A, 3A, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7A

Talking poing: Where you live

This week's talking point is about the place where we live. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand and ideas come to mind more easily when you meet your friends.

Where do you live?
How long have you lived here?
What do you like most about the city/town where you live? Why?
What don't you like about where you live? Why?
Have you ever lived in a different place?
If yes, where was it and what was it like?
If yes, why did you move here?
If you've lived in more than one place, which did you like best? Why?
Would you ever consider moving somewhere else? And abroad?
If yes, where and why? If no, why not?
If you could change one thing about where you live, what would it be?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city or in the country?
What makes a city a pleasant place to live?
If you had to design a city, how would it be?

To illustrate the point, watch this Speakout video where some people talk about the advantages and disadvantages of living in the city.



The video clip is part of a new textbook published by Longman, Speak Out, which stresses the importance of authentic materials in language learning.

You can read a transcript of the video here.

Speakout Advanced: Places

We are posting a new installment of the Speakout advanced video podcasts, from Pearson Longman. This week's video deals with the topic of places in a general.

Watch the video podcast and note down the answers the different speakers give to the questions below.

Do you have any holidays or trips planned?
Do you have a favourite place to go on holiday?
Do you have a regular haunt that you like to visit?



Now it's over to you. Answer the questions above about yourself. Try to use some of the expressions and vocabulary you could hear on the video.

You can read the transcript here.