1 . Four of the Best Riverside Stays in Europe

Anna Biesbosch is a small log house in De Biesbosch national park, a wetland near Dordrecht. There’s a wood-burning stove (炉子) for heating, cooking and hot water, and electricity from solar panels on the roofs. Swimming is prohibited in front of the house because of the beavers (海狸) there, but there is a swimming spot a short walk away.

From €999 a night for two adults and a child.

Gut Uselitz, a 16th-century house on Rügen Island, now houses seven modern holiday apartments. The apartments, which sleep two to six, can be rented separately, or the whole house can be hired. The nearest beach is Streler Sund, a 10-minute drive away, and guests can go boating and sailing nearby.

From €140 a night, sleeps two.

This Portuguese farmhouse is in hills close to the Funcho River, with five double bedrooms and a family bathroom. There is a big pool and birding areas. The property is on the Via Algarviana walking path, and you can go surfing. It is a five-minute taxi ride from the train station.

From €190 a night, sleeps 10.

The Old Oak House is a restored farmhouse on the banks of the Korana River. The three-storey house has three bedrooms, a natural spring, and woodland in the grounds, where guests can best enjoy parties with several friends. Mountains and the towns are a short drive away.

From €1,050 a week, sleeps six.

3 . Living- Learning Communities at The University of Tampa

The Living- Learning Communities are designated (指定的) residential environments intentionally focused on promoting student learning and a stronger connection with the campus community. Our living-learning communities each have a unique experience for first-year residential students to engage with dedicated faculty and staff early on in their academic careers in their residence hall.

First-Year Wellness

The First- Year Wellness Community will promote activities that enable students to commit to their own health and wellness. Most community members will participate in a wellness-themed first-year experience course. Through participation in academic activities and residential curriculum events, residents will learn about health practices to personally develop their own physical, emotional and social wellness. First-Year Wellness is housed in Jenkins Hall.

Honors Program

Created for students enrolled in the Honors Program, this community is designed to provide an academically enriching environment. Students on these floors have access to special events and programs that enhance academics, build community and promote engagement. Past events have included coffee conversations with famous authors, book talks with award-winning scientists, sand volleyball games and much more. Applicants must be current members of the Honors Program and maintain that membership to live in McKay Hall.

Living Well

The Living Well Community is an opportunity for students who prefer to live in a community where the effects of alcohol and tobacco are reduced to the lowest possible level. Members of this community are committed to their own health and wellness by quitting drinking and smoking. Through participation in academic activities and residential curriculum events, residents will learn about wellness-related resources and practices. Living Well is housed in Jenkins Hall.

New students can apply by checking one of these options on the housing application. For more information on living-learning communities, please contact the Office of Residence Life at realife@ut.eduor (813) 253-6239.

4 . What makes sharks unique also makes them vulnerable (脆弱的). Fortunately, many conservation organizations are committed to rescuing and protecting these vulnerable creatures:

· PADI AWARE Foundation — The world’s largest diver training organization, PADI officially launched its global conservation charity in 1992 to promote cleaner and healthier oceans. One of its goals is to reduce the amount of sharks and rays threatened with extinction by 25%. Data collected from its new Global Shark & Ray Census will help with ongoing and future efforts to protect vulnerable species.

· Shark Advocates International — Founded by veteran shark advocate Sonja Fordham, Shark Advocates International is a project of The Ocean Foundation. The non-profit promotes science-based shark conservation policies such as fishing limits, species-specific protections, and finning (鱼翅业) bans at the local, national, and international level.

·WildAid — Known for its high-profile media campaigns, WildAid fights the global illegal wildlife trade by changing consumers’ attitudes through awareness of the multi-billion dollar industry. Its anti-shark fin campaign in China featuring NBA legend Yao Ming has been especially successful, seeing an 80% drop in shark fin consumption in the country. Through its WildAid Marine Programme, the non-profit also helps protect sharks around the world, including the Galápagos Marine Reserve, home to the densest (密集的) shark population on Earth.

· WWF — With five million supporters, projects in nearly 100 countries, and one iconic (标志性的) panda logo, the World Wildlife Fund is one of the largest and most well-known conservation organizations on the planet. WWF has partnered with the international wildlife trade monitoring non-profit TRAFFIC for a joint shark conservation programme with local projects all over the world.

5 . The National Reading Competition

Each year the Jamaica Library Service encourages hundreds of enthusiastic readers to compete for the top positions in this exciting competition, which provides attractive prizes and a platform to share their love for reading with the wider Jamaica.

Objectives

·To encourage and develop the reading skills

·To promote an appreciation of books

·To increase exposure to highly rated literature and aid continuing education for adults

Organization

The National Reading Competition is organized annually over a five-month period, April to August. The preliminary round for children is held at individual service points/libraries. Following this, the top performers compete at the county level. County Champions are then selected for each of the three age groups: 6—8, 9—11 and 12—14. In 1999, a category for adults was introduced, involving persons who were 15 years of age and over.

Testing

Testing at each stage includes a mix of oral and written elements such as letters, book reviews, and puzzles. The competitors' ability to read, understand and interpret set books or excerpts (节录) of books are the main determinants for the selection of winners. The adult section of the competition is run concurrently with the children's section and emphasizes the reading of mainly West Indian literature. The final stage begins in mid-July and culminates (达顶点) in the National Reading Competition Quiz Finals held at TVJ Studios at the end of August. One National Champion emerges from each category after these very competitive sections are completed. They are the individuals who, when all scores are counted, gain the highest marks in their respective age groups.

Judging

Judging at all stages of the competition is carried out by an independent team of experienced educators, local authors, and librarians.

6 . Craft Memorable Characters

In this lively interactive course, you’ll learn:

How to craft an emotionally engaging protagonist (主角)

How to make your supporting characters original and multi-dimensional

How to use conflicting motives to drive a more dynamic story

How to keep all your character relationships fresh and unpredictable

How to use character relationships as your story engine

This two-week course is fast- paced and fun; it’s a mix of brief lectures from professional instructors followed by individual and team writing exercises where you get to apply the skills you’re learning right away. There’s no need to take notes, as each class includes materials you can keep for reference later.

You will be able to participate in live class meetings via Zoom videoconference. To attend classes, you’ll need a phone, tablet or computer and access to the Internet. Before class, you’ll receive an email from The Writing Salon with more information about Zoom and your remote class. If you have any question about remote learning, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at hello@writingsalons.com.

Cancellation Policy

2 days or less before the start date for the course, the registrant will not receive a refund (退款).

3-9 days before the start date for the course, the registrant will receive a refund minus (减去) a 30% fee.

10 days or more before the start date for the course, the registrant will receive a refund minus a 20% fee.