Tennis

Today next to playing matches which became the usual part of my weekly training I have further practised the hand movements. 

I have noticed that my sense of space, as of where should I stop and try to pick up the ball, is getting better. I am really happy to have noticed that as my trainer says that is one of the most important things in tennis - be on the right spot at the right time. 

Although I am aware of the progress I am making my luck in wining the matches has changed and today I lost all three of them. I guess it's just the way it is.

Amnesty International Meeting

 Today I attended an Amnesty International Meeting on which I talked about two human rights issues I found. 

First was the case against people protesting against a racist and xenophobic group in France, against whom there were pressed charges as during the protest they have crossed the boarder illegally. Amnesty says they should not be convicted as it is not the people who fight for human rights that should be punished but rather those who share hate.

The second issue I talked about was the case of hunger in Madagascar, where millions of people are unable to get food because of the famine. The government of Madagascar has no way of helping its people as they don't have enough money to provide the food from abroad and the environmental factors make it impossible to produce their own food. 

Violin Lesson

 Today at my violin lesson I started learning the Second Waltz in c minor by D.Shostakovich. 

My teacher says it will be a great challenge for me as the sheets I have are written very high. They will require me to play in 4th and even 5th position. I have never played this high before!

Although demanding, the waltz is really beautiful and it amazes me that I am able to play it in such a short time from first seeing the music sheets. 

I have yet to learn to properly change positions, but I am sure that as I practise it will become only easier for me to hit the right note without much thinking. 

Lessons with Primary School Students

 Today was suppose to be the final lesson I would have with Filip as in a week he has his final exam. However, he asked me to meet with him (online of course) two more times. It must mean that he finds his hour with me helpful, which makes me really happy.

As he is having his exam next week we decided it will be best if he tries to solve an entire practice paper by himself - this way we will see how much he actually knows.

I noticed his progress and although he still needed my help in few of the exercises I can say that he did much better than he did at our first meeting.

 

Tennis

 Thankfully the tennis court could reopen and as I came back from Spain I was able to continue my tennis adventure.

At the first training in a month I have played three one-on-one matches and have won each.

I would say that this is beginners luck all over again, united with overconfidence of my opponents who somehow continued to practise despite closed courts. 

Apart from those matches I have also practised serves, which I am really bad at. I am trying really hard to improve, however this area of tennis is very difficult for me. However, I am still working on it and will keep doing that in the future. 

Violin Lesson

Today at my violin lesson I was learning another song from a Disney movie.

It's the one I used to play on the piano many years ago - Tale as Old as Time from Beauty and the Beast. That is one of my favourite Disney cartoons so I was really excited to play it again.

The piece is harder than it looks. The main thing worth focusing on is to maintain the same pulse throughout the entire song. It's a challenge as I tend to shorten the long notes and then can't keep up with the shorter ones. 

This song is really great and it's amazing to play it.

Lessons with Primary School Students

Today I showed Filip some new techniques I use to solve math problems quicker. He picked it up and we did a couple of example exercises so he could get better at it.

After that we went back to our usual plan which is just doing a practise exam. I showed him where the thing I showed to him could be used, and he agreed with me that it lets him solve the problem faster. 

I think I, as well as Filip, am getting better and better and I also feel more comfortable talking and teaching him what I'm good at. 

Windsurfing

 Today I had my last windsurfing lesson for now, as we are coming back to Poland the day after tomorrow. I have really enjoyed it and found it a nice change from the long time spend at home due to lockdown. 

After the first lesson I have left the area close to the beach with my trainer. I have felt more free than I did in a long time and I loved the wind in my (braided) hair and the water flowing through my feet. 

I have managed to learn a harder version of the front turn, although an attempt to do that still ends up with me falling into the water. But the water is so nice and warm that it is far from being scary. 

I hope to further pursue this new passion of mine during the summer holidays.

Windsurfing!

 As I have written in the previous post this week I am spending on an Island. I have decided to spend this time learning how to windsurf. 

My trainer is from Italy (although Fuerteventura lies in Spain) and he is teaching me in English. The first question he asked was how much experience I have. I said that I have had just one lesson before but I loved it and am eager to learn more. He was surprised and a little worried as the wind was strong today, but begun to teach me. 

At the lesson I got to practising both turns - one where you move in front of the mast and the other when you move behind it. I immediately got the ring of it and although we haven't left the beach I had so much fun!

I have some experience with wind so I did not find that part hard at all. I am also very proud to say I have fallen only a few times, which I think is amazing for a beginner I am. 

After the lesson my trainer asked whether I really had just one windsurfing lesson before.

I am extremely excited to come back tomorrow!!!

Getting to the top of Volano

 This week me and my family flew to Fuerteventura - one of the Canar Islands. 

On our first day there my parents convinced me to go with them to the top of Hondo Volcano. It was a long long walk but it was worth it to see the view at the top.

I was sad to discover that you could not see any smoke coming out of it but it was still an amazing experience, and the first volcano I have ever seen so closely. 

 

Violin Lesson

 This week I had played violin for many hours and finished it up with an in-person lesson with my teacher. As we did before we used this time to play things I am already good at, focus on something else and play duets. 

The three main pieces we played were Colours of the Wind I started to learn last week, Memory from Cats the Musical, which although short is beautiful. And, finally, Pirates of the Caribbean - the piece which we started in Autumn. 

I haven't played the latter for many weeks and so I was surprised at how well I played it on the first try. After that we played it in duet and it was amazing.

I really like playing together with my teacher, both because it sounds so beautiful and because it gives much more space for improving. It helps with mastering every part of violin playing: maintaining the rhythm, right tones and teaches to listen to someone expect yourself
 while still focusing on your line.