My experience learning english at University

I started my English course this year at University. This English classes are separated in two parts, the oral one and the writing one. I think this is very useful for someone like me, I mean, a simple student, because you can develop in two important areas. This course has been very significant for me and I think that’s why it is compulsory: one of the requirements for living and working in this modern world is that you have to understand, speak and write English.

This year began later because of the earthquake, so English III course were shorter than this one (IV). We were like 20 students in it, but along the weeks we were only 10. That semester I enjoyed it more than this one, because I had better and interesting signatures and I had good times with my friends attended to classes. Despite of I was only with Trini in English III, I think we had fun and we got bored too, but the main thing is we learnt a lot, specially in the oral part, because we could develop a long conversation in English and we could talk about what we wanted because not everyone understood what we were talking about.
Afterwards, I have taking English IV because I want to finish this class and have certified that I can speak and write English in my studies area and in every way it is possible. This semester I learnt very much, but this time at the writing area. Teacher corrected me many times so I have understood the structure of English in its grammar. This time I attend with a lot of my friends to the course, so I have a good time this semester too. However my other classes have been a little bit boring, so I think I’m not in the mood for participating very much. Instead of it, I appreciate the value of the course and I will make an effort to finish it with good marks.

Finally, I have to say that English classes at University have been a good experience in different ways, specially in increasing my knowledge about this language. I appreciate new ideas like writing in a blog, I think it is a modern and funny way for learning English because you can interact with your friends commenting their blogs. Furthermore, I think my final English level will be appropriate for future, because I want to travel abroad and continue my studies in a foreign country.

Money

Hello, today I'm going to talk about money...

Well, I don't really know If I would like to be wealthy, on the one hand, I could make a lot of things I like, like travelling and eating very much. But, on the other hand, I think I like being the way I am now, I have a comfortable life and when I finish my career I would like to have a normal life, like a middle-class people and to be comfortable. I think it is not necessary to be wealthy for doing things I like, besides, throughout my life I have adapted to every different situation we (my family and I) have had.
If I inherit a lot of money and I don't have any idea how to spend it, I think I would save it to buy a house maybe or for my future studies. Furtheremore, I would spend a part of it travelling. I love to travel and there are many places I would like to visit.
I think money is very important for everyone nowdays. We almost can't do anything without it. I have to use it everyday, for eating, transporting, laundry, etc. We have become more dependent on money, now you are required to pay every stuff you buy, or you have to pay in installment. I apreciate that today my parents can give me the money I need for living and for giving me a little bit of pleasure.

How Green I am

Today I'm going to talk about environmentally friendly practices. I think people can learn about these practices in some institutions that promote the environmental care in all its ways. I haven't really incorporated these recycling habits, but in my apartment, people can sort cardboard, plastic and glass things out from garbage and cleaning people give it to people who collect it or send it to recycling sites. Besides I don't throw away white paper because I sell it. About my transportation, I almost always walk, because I live near the University, so I have the privilege of being close from where I study. But, as I don't have anything else than my legs, I use bus or subway when I have to go far away.
I haven't supported or joined any eco-organisation, I think that maybe I don't have the enough consciousness yet to do that, instead, I do try to reduce my carbon footprint using an electric calefactor in winter. Besides I always try to reduce my water consume, making my showers shorter, disconnecting all electric appliances, recycling paper, walking in the way is posible, etc. Also I would like to recycle all my trash and I would like to have a bycicle, because it is good for envirnment and for my body and health too. I think all people should do this kind of things in the way they can, because we all know the resources are becoming scarce and the Earth is getting smaller for humanity.
In this city I think people could be more environmentally friendly, and institutions could make more public this kind of practices. I recently heard about these "green buildings" that architects and construction companies are constructing. I think this is a very good idea to start environmentally friendly practices from each home, so as people can make future generations's lives healthier.

High school and Education

Hello everybody, today I'm going to talk about my experience in high school. I can say that my subjects were like in any other school, I had basic subjects, and then I chose the elective subjects, that were Biology, Chemestry and algebra and functions. I think the education in my high school wasn't bad, but since it changed teachers, the education level went down. I had nice teachers, older and younger ones. I studied in a private school, so I did have acces to technology, like computers and internet. I think the education level I had was mean and a little bit dispersed, because of this teacher change. The elective subjects wans't really well distributed, for example, I was in the biologist course and I had a subject with mathematicians, because the school had not more subjects or teachers to fill our curriculum. That's why I considerate that the education that my school provided me wasn't important to take future desitions, i think it was more meaningful the values and the service spirit they gave me, because it was a catholic school. I would recommend to the authorities to improve the subjects curriculum, because you are learning some useless things, and there are others missing. Besides, the education levels comparing public and private schools are very different and poor people studies in publics school that are often very bad, so, at last, you can't move up in the social scale.

Well, I think individuals are important till the point they use what they have, to be responsible of your marks or things like that, but I still thinking about how difficult is to move up today and achieve a better life or education. Today, the responsability is focused in the ability of the person to take advantage and doing something to survive and improve its own life. But I think this "encouraging" point of view is just realising an entire state, goberment and public policy from true social problems of the neoliberal system

News: The paradox of middle-class aspiration

America is a very unequal society and it has been this way for decades. The Great Recession was a positive event in a way it focus politic and economist's attetion in social unequality. Economist just started to worry about the middle-class situation, wich is the most injured sector of american society. Besides, politics and polocies generally damage middle-class people.
Real wages have not been increased or went down and income inequality has been regularly rising in the US since the 1970s. The recent census shows that the median income was down about 4% last year and the number of families that earn less than 25,000 increased by 1%.

In the attempt to solve this unequal situation, the Republicans wants to increase taxes of rich people in $700bn dollar. But the problem is many americans, from all social classes are opposed to raising taxes for the rich. One posible explanation of this position is that people belief you can ascent social scale or that they may one day be rich themselves. Therefore, this is the "American dream", the one politics tell you, but actually this is not as probably, considering US has the lowest social mobility of any industrialised nation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/sep/30/taxandspending-republicans

Nothing Hill

I am not sure which is my favourite movie, but It is the movie that I have watched the most. It is called "Nothing Hill" or "A place called Nothing Hill", directed by Roger Michell, realeased in 1999 in U.S.A . The main actors are Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. It is a love story that happens in London, England. He (William) falls in love with a famous actress (Anna Scott), almost unreachable for him. He is a normal man who works in a travel bookstore in the traditional neighborhood of Nothing Hill and one day this famous actress comes to his bookstore to buy a book. They started knowing each other because of life circunstances. She, with the showbiz behind her, and he with his simple life, with a complicated roommate. I like the part when William told their friends and family when she asked him, sincerely , to love her, instead of all the things that have happened, and then he told her he didn't want to, because it was a strange thing to be with her. So, all his friends and family starred at him like "Oh man, you are a complete idiot" Because she was a beautiful and good woman, who wanted to date him and love him. Well, I said It was't my favourite movie, but I realize that I have watched it a lot of times, and when it is on TV I watch it again, and I am not the only one, because I watched it with my dad, who likes it too.

Visiting Santiago

If a foreign turist comes to Santiago and If I would be his tourist guide, I will recommend him to visit like Bellavista neighborhood, which is a night-typical neighborhood. There you can go for a drink with your friends, accompanied with good music, also you can go to a disco and dance all nitgh long!. Santa Lucía's hill is another beautiful place to visit and recall the colonial times. Other historical monuments like La Moneda or the National Library have an antique arquitecture. He should walk and tour this old streets of Santiago, he should visit the Lastarria neighborhood, when you can find a lot of Bar- restaurants and coffe shops. Also you can buy antiques like old books, vinyls, old discs players, etc. In this cosmopolitan city, you can find a lot of shopping centers like malls or ferias, too, like Patronato with many cheaps clothing stores.
I think this city, like many on this country, have a lot of history in temporal terms, a thing you can find in its streets and its old and colouring houses. Furthermore, there are more antique communes like Ñuñoa or Providencia that are near of Santiago's center and you can visit too. Besides, I would like to add another final place, that I think deserves to be visited. Cajón del Maipo is a place where you can find beauty and peace, both in contact with nature. There you can camp or rent a hut and spend a nice time with your friends, family or partner.

Breaking News: school suicide

The last news I heard was this morning. It was about a school boy who commited suicide. He decided to kill himself last friday, in Puente Alto, where he lived. It was a very shocking news because he did it because his school's inspector insulted and treated him badly, so he took the decision and ended up his life. His family didn't know about the bad treatment from his inspector, but his classmates did. So they told the news how hard was this man with the boy. This is a very awful situation, on the one hand this man should not be rude with the boy, but on the other hand, I think he never imagined what his words and bad attitude could cause.
I think that the impact this situation caused is very strong, every mother thinks about what is happening with her kids and maybe would result that mom and dad or closest family will be more worried about their children and spend more time with them, talking, having fun, being affectionate, etc. Furthermore, every kid is different and you don't know if they are living a depressed stage or if they are more sensitive than you believe. This is the second scholar suicide in two weeks, so it is a very worring situation.

Well, about things I would like to hear in the news, there are that inequalities finally finished, that every people could have decent vacations, that justice is done quickly! or that we care about our enviroment.

France

Talking about knowing and visiting new places, I would like to go to France because I really like its culture, architecture, language, etc. I have heard that in this country there is a lot of art development, as well as music, because this place was the origin of it. Before going to France I would like to learn French, because, like I said before, I love this language and I think It won't be the same If I can't communicate with French people.

Once I get there I would like to take some interesting tours to Paris and then visit nearby areas in the capital. I would like to know the principal monuments, like Eiffel tower and Versalles Palace. The thing I would love to do, would be to attend to music festivals (specially jazz) and go to museums, like Louvre museum.

Being really sincere, I would be very happy studying, working or living there, clearly any option seems good to me. I wish I could go there to continue my posgrade studies. After that I don't know if I'm going to come back to Chile or stay there... It is a dreaming trip for me and for now I can just imagine and speculate.

My last semester

The first semester of 2010 was a little bit different for a lot of reasons. I think, in generally, it was not bad, but neither an excelent period.

First, I didn't lived the earthquake because I was in Antofagasta, but I was very worried about my family in Concepcion and my friends and family in Santiago.

Personally, I started the semester doing new things like having a dog, she is a very good partner and I appreciate her companionship. Also, this year I am more accompanied by my boyfriend and friends, they were an important part of me (and remain it). However, I always miss my family that lives in Antofagasta, but I really spent a lot of time with them this summer and I usually visit them.

At University, I can say that my grades were good or regular but not all of them were satisfactory, in spite of this I think I learnt a lot and I grew up in many different ways. I think it really helped me to know how to do things right and to think a little bit more before doing or saying something.

However, I liked first semester because I experimented new things and learnt about personal and non-personal stuffs.

My Blogging Experience

Having a blog and writing posts is a new experience for me. In this english class I learned how to create a blog, design it and write about themes. I found it interesting, sometimes funny, depending on the subject we had to write about. Also, is good to write in english, because you can learn new words, the grammar, or the structure of some sentences, etc. I think it helped me to improve my english, specially to know words I did not use before. Besides that you can start a process to think in english, a not-common language in your daily life, but also very important in these times.
Another advantage I found, is when we had to write about anthropology's topic, because that is when you start knowing technic concepts that can be useful for your studies. Blogging in the Englisg class, is a interactive way for learning english, also is a kind of "free way", because you can write opinions or whatever you want about something using new techonologies, like internet and blogs, characterized by the personal "stamp" that they have.
Furtheremore, as you have to read your clasmates's posts, you can start know them and know better your friend(s), what they think or what have they done.You also have to comment to their posts, so you can start having a conversation about a subject. This is the funny thing.
Like a disadvantage I can say that, due to it's a free writing, you can be a little confused or disturbed about how to write in english or if you're using a good grammar, etc. I know the teacher correct you at the end, but that not ensures that you're going to write a correct post.
Well, having and writing a blog is an incentive to express your ideas or anything in english and to lose fear of make a mistake when you talk with a foreign.

THE WORLD CUP!

These days are very exciting because it is taking place The FIFA World Cup. I like football soccer and I'm going to watch it in my home, I think with my boyfriend and maybe with some friends, too. I'm very happy about this event, because I think people all over the world are feeling motivated for something that is a passion for them, that can distracted them from the routine.
Chile's participation is very important and makes me feel proud about our soccer team and its coach. They are going to World Cup with good and young soccer players that deserve and opportunity to experience a challenge with this features, with the objective of acquiring experience and learning qualities. It is our first participation since 1962, how you can see, it is a very long time that chilean people were waiting to enjoy a world cup match. So, of what I've heard, I can say that our country is very ansious and excited (of course, there are many exceptions). Also, like I said, this ocassion let people feel effervescent and passionate, and that is a thing that is very strange in Chile. People use to be daily more seriously and formal, away from recurring celebrations. Besides, the quality of this matches makes me feel entertained. It is a luxury because (being sincere) in Chile we have not the same level or quality at all.

I hope Chile will get good results to the enjoyment of fans and the rest of the world. I hope teachers like football too and let us miss class for watching the chilean matches, like in other universities that also have modern TVs for it (I know that's not possible).

Photograph!

Hi! I don't think this is my favourite photograph, but It is special for me. In this photograph appear my friends and I. It was took it by Paulina Jara, one of my clasmates in last September. I choose this picture because I am with my friends, that I was starting kwnowing them and making more closer each other. I think they are really gorgeous people. Two of them left the career and I haven't seen them. One of them (the girl with the yellow scarf) went to study arts to Buenos Aires and the ohter one, the girl with weavy hair, froze her studies and go to a Pre-university. In that photo, we were having fun at University after class and I remember we were all laughing at what ever. Besides, It was an special moment because I was feeling so happy about sharing with people I liked. To make good friends is not an easy thing, specially when you come from out of Santiago and you don't even know the city. You're totally alone, with yourself, but you realize you can find good people that can bring you happy times and experiences. I think friends are so important because they don't judge you (I mean very good and loyal friends), you can share a lot of stuff and interests with them. Here in Santiago I can say I found friends like me, I mean, in my city I have my bests friends, but they are certainly different from me, we have different interests. Finally, I would like to have a lot of moments and pictures like this, where you can see happines, a little bit of madness and the consecuences of confidence, that you can built with time.

My favourite trip

I did my favourite trip when I went to Brasil last summer. I traveled with my family: my dad, mom and brother. I visited the cities of Buzios and Rio de Janeiro. I really liked this country, It is quite different from Chile, it has a different weather so people has customs that chilean people hasn't like walking on swimsuit along the streets, or blocking the principal avenue next to the beach on weekends for people could trot, doing exercises or walk early in the morning. Besides, I liked to be with my family and have a good time, I could spent time playing with my little brother Felipe and sharing with my parents for two weeks. First, we went to Buzios, that is a Rio de Janeiro's city with a lot of trees that form a kind of tropical rainforest next to the beach. Clearly, a beatiful and lovely landscape, nevertheless, the only handicap was there were a lot of insects, an one of them bite me and my leg turned purple. After that, we moved to Rio de Janeiro, a more urban city. When we arrived until we left this city, the days were very sunny and warm, but in the evenings we were afraid of brave electric storms. There, we went to Copacabana beach everyday after having breakfast, so we four get a good tan. I visited differents craft fairs and buy some souvenirs and stuff. I also went to shopping centers but they were too expensive. The best thing of all, were all the food I ate, from different salads to delicious pizza.

My favourite musician: Fito Páez

My favourite musician is Fito Páez, who was born in Argentina on March 13th in 1963. He is a musician and singer of rock and pop. He is also director and screenwriter. This singer was born with the name Rodolfo Páez Ávalos in the argentine city of Rosario, he was only child in his family. His mother Margarita Ávalos was a concert pianist, so I think he inherited his talents for playing piano from his mom. At the age of fourteen, he started taking piano lessons. He began to get interested in folklore, then he moved to rock music. His influences are Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Charly García, etc. In 1981 he entered to Juan Carlos Bagglietto's band, like keyboardist. Then almost every song was composed by him. Fito and his band started to make concerts in Buenos Aires playing this songs, successfully. In 1983 he joined to Charly Garcia's band. But the next year he signed a five-year contract with EMI like soloist. With this, he edited his first LP called Del 63. After several LPs, Fito toured for Latin America and later, signed a contract with WEA (Warner Music Group).
I liked Fito Páez since I have 12 years old, so I can say I grew up listening his music, I specially adore his lyrics because they are very poetic. I also like the evolution he has had. On his firsts LPs you can find a critical and psychedelic style, then, with the years he turned to a more poetic and serene way to write music.

My favourite piece of thecnology

My favourite piece of thecnology is an external hard disk device, that I got at the beginning of last year. I use it for saving and store different kinds of files, like documents, presentations, music, videos, photos, etc. I'm almost always using it, like every day, because it is there where I keep all the information I need for University, besides I have all my music there, so I think it is really useful for me due to my computer it doesn't have a large storage capacity. On the other hand, I love it because it is transportable and I can take it to my friend's houses and share my music, photos and videos with them. It is also useful when you are having a party and you want to play your own music. That's why I'm really happy with it.

If I wouldn't had it, my computer will be saturated of information and files and it won't be useful for me to having a computer. It won't be able for me to do works, mailing or chatting. Furthemore, maybe I wouldn't listen all the music I got and that I enjoy so much. I wouldn't expend a good time with my friends or family, neither.

My favourite food!!

My favourite food is my mom's tuna pudding. I don't know where it is from, but I like it a lot because It remembers me Mom, and I love the way she cooks.

For cooking this, you will need:

• 2 tuna jars,



• 4 eggs,



• 1 large tomato



• 1 onion


• 1 paprika piece



• butter


• oregano


• breadcrumbs


• salt


• pepper


• grated carrot


• You can add grated parmesan cheese if you want

First, you have to remove the crust of bread, put it in a cup, secondly add whisked eggs, milk, butter, salt and pepper, minced onion. Mix well or liquefies everything; running smooth. Then, put it in a buttered pie pan to the oven and cover the surface with breadcrumbs.

The cooking should be ready at 20 minutes. You can eat it alone, hot or cold, or you can also add salad, rice or mashed potatoes. I love it because I like tuna a lot and also, tuna mixture and baking bread! Besides, with baked parmesan cheese you get a unique taste.

I know when I come to visit home, my mom will cook for me a tuna pudding... just like she knows!

Antonio Gramsci

He was a philosopher, marxist theorist, political and italian journalist. He was born in 1891 and he spent almost all his life on prision, because he was a communist militant in Mussolini's times. Almost all his works were wrote in jail, like The Prison notebooks and other ideas of marxist theory, he also wrote Historical materialism and the philosophy of Benedetto Croce (1948), The intellectual and cultural organization (1949), etc. I like him because he was very clever and he suscribed to materialism. He developed concepts like hegemony or hegemonic bloc for explanning the domination of certain social class in society, starting from the historical materialism of Marx. He was also General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party. In 1937, Antonio Gramsci acquired full freedom, but he was very sick, so he spent six days at hospital and died because he had a cerebral hemorrhage. His brother told that before he died, he converted to catholicism.

Movies

Hi there!, I want to tell you about the last movie I watched. Last thursday I went to Cine Arte Normandie in Santiago to watch "El secreto de sus ojos" that it is an argentine movie that won an Oscar this year to the best foreign film. It was directed by Juan José Campanella, based on the novel "The question of their eyes" by Eduardo Sachieri. It is starring up by Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Pablo Rago and Javier Godino.This film is about a criminal case and a detective that insists on find the truth of what happened to a girl that was raped and killed. I really liked the movie, because it had a intriguing plot, but even more is the end of it. I think I went out of the cinema like a kind of sad, because besides the tension of all along the movie, it had a few striking images that you won't like watch them.

27.02.2010

I want to tell you about my experience at earthquake.

Well, i don't think I have something important to tell, because when the earthquake happened, I was in Antofagasta (the city where i came from), so I didn't lived it. When the earthquake happened I was sleeping in my house when I heard my mom talking. She was awake watching TV, and she told me what happened in the South of our country. She was worried about my grandmother that lives in Concepcion and because she hadn't know anything about her. So i stayed with her all night long until the morning, and I didn't go to sleep wondering how was my grandma or what happened with her house. Around 2 pm of the next day my grandma called up and told us they were all OK including the house. So my family and I were calmer, however, we got so sad when we watched images on TV of Santiago, Talca, Concepcion or other villages that were affected.

Task 1

Hello, I am Karim Campusano, I am from Antofagasta, Chile. I came to Santiago for studying Anthropology at Universidad de Chile. I started with this blog because I think that today we have a lot of ways of communication, people are using computers because it is a need. Furthermore, internet offers to people a lot of information and opportunities to access to, like free downloads, watching videos, listen to music, read books, etc. You can expend your free time in the internet and found new things. So this is a way to let people or anybody know about me, my interests, my view or feeling about something.