17-18 October
Comfortable and Uncomfortable Moments
Is comfort important to you, and when and where do you usually feel comfortable?
Tell us about the moments when you felt very uncomfortable (e.g., military service, public speaking, etc.) and why you felt so uncomfortable.
Tell us about the moments when you felt tense. Why did you feel that way?
Where is the most comfortable place for you to relax?
What is the most relaxing activity for you?
What is the best way for you to relieve stress and feel comfortable again?
When was the last time you felt truly relaxed?
Related Words: comfort, discomfort, relaxation, tension, stress, ease, calmness, anxiety, nervousness, pressure, relief, peace, balance, wellbeing, environment, safety, security, rest, quiet, confidence, control, stability, mood, feelings, experience, situation, coping, recovery, inner peace, reassurance
Watch the video above and discuss what you learned from it during your Spoken Cafe session.
Days of the week are originally from planets and Nordic gods
Roman gods are Nordic weekday names
The Romans named the days of the week after the Sun, the Moon and five planets, which were also the names of their gods.
The gods and planets were Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn.
In the Nordic countries, the Sun (Sunday) and the Moon (Monday) also became the first two days of the week, and the Roman gods became four of the Nordic gods with similarities:
Sunnudagr – Sunday, the day of the Sun
Sól is a goddess in Norse mythology. ‘Sol’ means Sun. Over time, the day of the sun became Sunday.
Mánadagr – Monday
The name Monday is related to the moon. It means Moon Day.
Tysdagr – Tuesday
Mars is a god of war, and so is the Nordic god ‘Tyr’ or ‘Tír’.
It is Týr who has given his name to Tuesday. In Norse mythology, Týr is known as the god of war.
Óðinsdagr – Wednesday
Odin can be compared to the Roman god Mercury, so in the Nordic tradition, Odin (also known as ‘Woden’) gave his name to Wednesday. Odin is particularly associated with war luck, royal power, rune power and wisdom.
Þórsdagr – Thursday
Thor is Jupiter, as they both deal with lightning and thunder. So this day of the week became Thursday. The name Þórr (Thor) is related to the word ‘thunder’. In the past, courts were on Thursdays. In the court, judges used a wooden hammer like Thor’s.
Frjádagr – Friday
Venus is the goddess of love, and so is Frigg (and maybe also Freya, as they may have originally been the same goddess). Frigg is Odin’s wife in Norse mythology. She was perceived as the goddess of marriage.
Laugardagr (sunnunótt) – Saturday
In Latin, the day was named after Saturn (Saturni), and we can recognise it in the English language: Saturday.
Watch the video above and discuss what you learned from it during your Spoken Cafe session.
READ/SPEAK
Do you like mythology? What is your favourite story in mythology, or your favourite movie or TV series with a mythological story?
What is your favourite day of the week? Why?
What do you usually do on Sundays?
What day of the week is the busiest for you? Why?
In your country, do the days of the week have special meanings or traditions?
LEARN THE IDIOM AND SPEAK
Where do you live? Do you think your neighbourhood fits your personality? If you don’t like your neighbourhood, where would you like to live?