Yes, I met one of my friends from italki (he's American, too), and we had a great time. :)

It's true that some people are just lucky. Sure, a part of success is being in the right place at the right time. However, it's a proven fact that people who think positively and work hard to fulfill their goals and aspirations are much more likely to achieve their dreams than those who just sit around and wait for good things to fall into their laps. <img src="/FCKeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/wink_smile.gif" alt="" />

As far as miracles are concerned, I don't believe in Biblical-type miracles, but I do believe that every day brings new opportunities to better one's life and the lives of others, and, to me, that's the true miracle. <img src="/FCKeditor/editor/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif" alt="" />

Like these two fine gentlemen stated, English-speaking people rarely give their children animal names, but since your name translates to "swallow," perhaps you'd like to stick with the bird theme when choosing your english name. Robin (or Robyn, which is a more feminine version) is both a bird name and a "people name." ;)

Oh, and in response to the question, like Mytch and Sudsey said, both the mother's mother and the father's mother are referred to as grandmothers, but they can be called a variety of different names, depending on their own preference, family traditions, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, etc. Some common names for one's grandmother include Nana, Grandmom, Grandma, Gramma, Grandmother, Mom Mom, etc.

Mother's mother: Nana Mother's father: Pop-Pop Father's mother: Gramma (a form of Grandma) Father's father: Grampa (a form of Grandpa) My mother's father is Italian, her mother is a mixture of British, German, Irish, etc., and my father's parents are Polish and Irish. I'm Korean (I'm adopted), but I feel that my grandparents are my "real" grandparents, and they certainly love me as such. ;)

The team is singular. It is one thing. However, it's not just in the present perfect progressive that you'll run into this distinction. For example, consider this sentence in the present tense: "The team prepares for an important match taking place on Sunday." You wouldn't say "The team prepare for an important match taking place on Sunday," because the team is one unit. It's singular. When you talk about the team itself, you are talking about "it," which is singular. You would use "they" to refer to the actual members of the team: "The team members prepare for an important match taking place on Sunday." For another example: "France wanted its land back before it would sign the treaty." Again, even though France refers to all the French people, the country of France itself is one singular object. You wouldn't say "France wanted their land back before they would sign the treaty." However, if you wanted to use the plural form, you could say "The French people wanted their land back before they would sign the treaty." For an example in the present perfect progressive: "The committee has made a decision regarding the deal." Though there are multiple people on the committee, the committee itself is one object, so it's singular. This is a common misunderstanding that even native English speakers often have trouble with, so don't be discouraged if you don't spot the usage at first. Just keep reading, writing, and practicing, and you'll be able to tell when to use the singular/plural forms in any tense. ;)

I like "Je fais de toi mon essentiel," from Le Roi Soleil soundtrack, "Le Sourire," by Emmanuel Moire, "Quelqu'un m'a dit," by Carla Bruni, anything by Renan Luce (he's simply amazing), and most songs by BB Brunes (although their lyrics are a little cheeky). ;) These are just a few of my favorite French songs; if you want any more, please feel free to send me a message, and I'd be happy to share some more amazing songs with you. :)

No, whaling is not essential to humanity's survival, but it is important to note that whaling provides jobs and a way of life for many people in different parts of the world, namely Japan. It is not possible to eliminate whaling without providing a viable alternative for those whose livelihoods depend upon it. Since it is not likely that whalers would embrace a different form of employment, the most realistic solution would be to closely monitor whaling practices and to try to slowly introduce whalers to other jobs, probably ones involved with or in the fishing industry (although, with today's over-fished waters, that's quickly becoming contentious, as well).