English Language Challenges

Hello classmates!! today is the last class of English and today I going to write about the of English class in the University and the English language. I am not sure about the English because I feel the pressure to finish the subject  however actually I like the English blog because I might to say my opinion about different things and how I must to write in English I think better my ideas about the things and in many times I am thinking or investigating more about the topic.

Well, today or in my daily life I am not using English permanently, but when I am investigating about different topics of anthropology for my thesis or in my work  I always find the papers, news, or information in English, the mos part of the information of world is in English, for example I remember to search information about of a doctoral dissertation of a Chilean student about spatial segregation in Santiago and his topic were very important for me, however I didn't find the dissertation in Spanish  I remember be searching the original paper about two o three hours, and I never found this document and finally I read the doctoral dissertation in English. I want to read in Spanish because my reading comprehension is better and I need to understand perfectly the concepts. Not only in the work or academic world I am using the English also in the entertainment thing for example the music or  TV (dear and hate TV) and the internet! the majority of the interesting things in the internet world is in English...

This is the reason why I know that I must learn better my language. I think that my reading comprehension and my handwriting in English is sufficient to survive in the English world, buy I know that to talk an to listen in English is a skill complicated for me and I am not sure how improve this. I think that I think that I can study more years in a academy and starting for the basic things but my people (family, friends, boyfriend) tell me that I must dare to speak in English.

Have you had a good year?

Well, It's difficult to me to talk about this year because I feel that the days, weeks and months fly and Yesterday was the December of last year. Although I think better, I remember the different things that have happened me month to month. I started my year in Tierra del Fuego, south of south, in the house of a friendly family. I didn't have electricity, internet, gas, etc. This New year for the first time I ate a lentils soup for the good luck or fortune in the life. Actually I don´t believe in this things, but in conclusion this year was or is a good year.

I traveled to different places: In the summer I went in a trip to south of Chile, then I traveled to the Peru and Bolivia, I can travel alone and I knew different people. Well, later, when the academic year started I was working in my project of dissertation and  I worked to earn some money and now I was working in my internship. Although I didn't have achievements when this year started. I think to finish the last year of my career was a priority and a responsibility. 

Other thing! In the winter vacations, I visited a friend in Pica and We participated in Fiesta de La Virgen de la Tirana. Actually was a excellent vacations: Sun, relaxation, party, culture etc. 

I don't know about things didn't go so well, but There was one thing marked the life of my family, and produced different feelings, well my grandmother (mother of my mom) died the last September and even if it cause we some sadness, It produced we tranquility because We know  that now she is in peace.

Well I don't know more interesting things that happened me this year...that is all I have to say..maybe the next year

Money

Today I am going to write about the money...Well I think the exchange is one thing very important in our life of human, big part of the humanity was built one the exchange, the civilization, the technology, etc.The money is a recent form of exchange. Through common factor as the money the people would be able to get things that are not able to produce. 

Well, personally money is very important for me, because money allows me to buy different things or services, trips etc...although money isn't the happiness allows to get different things. 

I get the money from different people, I receive money from my parents for daily expenditures, the food, transport, photocopies, the things I need for the university, and money I receive for little part time works surveys, transcriptions, etc, for others expenditures but I prefer to save the money for my holidays and trips. Actually I prefer to save all the money, because I recognize myself as a stingy person. 

Actually I don't have a definite budget, but I have an idea of how to spend my money and rarely I don't accomplish my mental budget. Well, sometimes I spent more than I could afford but I never have a big debt.  

If I had unlimited money as Farkas I think that..I don't know... I would travel around the world, I would buy a kayak <3. I suppose that rich people get used to live a life with money, They are Buying big things aren't asking about the price, with a luxurious life..etc. Actually I wouldn't like my life to change because I like my modest life. 

Well, I wouldn't like to pawn any of my belongings, but if This is necessary I will have to pawn my...cellphone, because I have other things with its functions, the computer, mp3, etc. But I don't know if someone pays for it. 

A song related with the topic...

 

How green are you?

Well Today I'm going to write about one of my favorite topics of the world: Save the environment!!

In my house, We install three different things to help environment. First, We replaced the old bulbs for others of  low consumption, like this, we save money and save the environment. Also, We implement a recycling system with three container to save glass bottles, tins of beer or other drinks and pieces of paper or cardboard. This last one, recently applied we save the organic waste of the kitchen or the garden and collect this in a plastic container to use it as compost (fertilizer).

Where did I learn about environmentally friendly practices? Actually I don't know exactly, but I suppose principally  from my friends or my family. Also, as Internet  is the "mother of knowledge" nowadays and in a topic as important and contingent as the environment It is the best learning tool.

Well, Unfortunately I don't participate in any eco-organization, because I don't have initiative, but just today I am seeing in different websites or Facebook, different organizations near my home to defend the nature, and other organization about community vegetable patch. Where different people work the land and the plants and the gathering is for each and every one of them. Well I am seriously thinking  in joining to this organization. 

Well, Today in Santiago We have a big environmental  problem: pollution. This thing is produced for various reasons, the geography of the city, a big hole surrounded mountains and hills  and thermal inversion, for the factories and the cars and  the majority of public transport. I try to do my contribution to change this problem. I try to walk as possible as i can and to use the public transport, to use the bicycle to go to the  place near my house, but it is difficult because I don't live near the center of Santiago or the University or any place.I hope with this little things I reduce the carbon footprint. 

Election Day

Well, today I  going to discuss about the contingent topic: the vote. In November,  the Chilean citizens must choose the next president, the members of parliament and COREs. I understand to vote is important and a part of the democracy (not all, of course). I going to vote the next 17th November, I register when I'am eighteen years old, but I will not vote for the candidates for president. Why? Easy, Because I don't believe anybody. 

I can listen the electoral campaigns, and listen the long list of promises, progress in health, education, AFPs, etc. Even I am O.K  with this, but  I don´t believe not one of candidates. Even more, I am embarrassed  watching his political material. They are selling oneself for votes, as a thing. The campaign don't have ideas, only smiles, clothes, maternal attitude. They create a character and they sell this. The politic party share out posters in the streets, pamphlets contaminating the city and spending millions. The question is ¿Are political the  problem? or The politic system and the interests transform a good people in bad political?

I think a good political must tell the true, They must know his people and his problems. He or she, must to be a consequent, His promises, his project's law. 

Well when I was a girl I want to be a political, but because I want to earn a lot of money. But, today I think that the politic is more complicated, It is a power game, and to change the things and the system is difficult but isn't impossible. There is the little politic, the neighborhood politic, little social organizations, ONGs, little institutions would be able to change the bad things 
Here, part of electoral campaigns

Article from the Guardian

The piece of news I selected is called "Regenerative urban development as a prerequisite for the future of cities". This article is about notion of sustainability and how we are thinking the cities in the today's world. For this we must change the concept of sustainability that until this moment is vague and unambitious and transform in concrete things, for example and is the topic for this article, the regenerative urban development.  I think that the problem of the concept of sustainability is in the notion of tomorrow, of to keep and to take care resources for the future. This idea prevent to watch the problems today. In other words, the problem isn't in the concept or his intentions, but in that the humans don't act for to progress and to change.

This type of development (regenerative) aims to working in the progress and "actively working towards regenerating soils, forest and watercourses". This process is a step by step, It is to change the shape of the cities, renovating old builds and built new constructions with efficient and renewable energies etc. This article puts the example of Wilhelmsburg, a district of Hamburg of 55.000 residents that has regenerate the city. Introducing new technology and inversion for to transform the city right now. 

The Nazi Bunker converted in a plan of renewable energy. 

The author of this article shows that the change have a politic side, It is the most important thing that we must to change for to make a regenerative cities, the public, the private and civil population must agree for a best present and future.

This is the link of article enjoy it!

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/regenerative-urban-development-future-cities

My favorite Band

Hi classmates, Today I'm going to write about my favorite band of life, because I always have a singer or band i like for a short time, a month, a year or a week, in fact right now I'm listening to Nano Stern (I love his music). But I have a band that I can listen to them all the time and all the situations. This band is Pink Floyd, I don’t remember exactly when I began to listen them but I think that in my home they were played constantly, because my big brothers love them. 

They were an English Band that started their career in the 60's (last part of this decade) It was characterized to play a progressive or psychedelic rock. They were the creators of various emblematic songs and discs such as "Dark Side of the Moon", "Animals", "The Wall" etc. By the end of the 60's, Syd Barret (vocalist and leader of the band) left the group, and the leadership was assumed by Roger Waters. Their music was a bestsellers, for example "Dark side of the moon" had the record of being more than 803 weeks in the Billboard 200 List.
In the 80's, the band  and Rogers Waters started a soloist career and demanded rest of the band for copyright for the name of Pink Floyd and a big part of their discography.  Recently (2005) they met again in a concert in London. 
I like this band for several reasons: I started to listen to them very young with my brothers, and I listen to the band at all times, in my house alone, with my friends, walking on the streets, on the subway, on the Transantiago etc. 

It's difficult for me to choose a song of all works, but I put a video of "one" of my favorite song, for the sounds, the mix, the contrast etc..

A day to remember

Well I am going to write about a remarkable day in my life... I always try to remember this event on the holidays in "Torres del Paine" (five years ago, 2008) to save in my heart and my mind during the academic or work year and survive to this. 

Me, my brother and his wife were walking for seven hours (the maps told us that maximum the trekking was maximum five hours) and we were late to stay in the camping sites because the majority of them were use by other campers, in addition, our things were very wet because it had rained the last three days. We had to camp far away from basic services (bathroom) and the lodge (for the people with more money) in a site in the middle of a forest with a little area to install the tent. The place was wonderful but not the most appropriate for camping.  

We prepared our food, I don't remember exactly what there was, but I think that there was Asian noodles (typical in this situations). My sister -in- law went to buy a carton of wine (for the price) and shared with other people, Mexican and Chilean people we were talking about everything, the long walk, the country, the landscape, politics, etc.We didn't have a bonfire because in the National Parks is very dangerous, obviously the night was very cold,  but we enjoyed the life, finished the long way and the sharing with other people in the nature.

Well, it is a typical message, but this situation in my life helps me to remember the important things, the food, the drinks of course, the family, the conversation, the people, the nature etc.

Second term 2013

My experience

Hi classmates! Today I am going to write about my experience blog in the English class his semester. This semester was weird, because we had two periods of class: before of strike and after of strike (little period). But, in generally the experience was good, I learn different things including to explain the topics I know in Spanish and translate to English for my classmates understand them.

My writing skills have development in the conjugation, new connections words and  the time that I take for write one post (slighty less that the class). But I know that the more difficult skills for me in English are to talk and to understand. Then, in the future, I like to development my pronunciation, and more important, the personality for speak and write in English and I mistakes, because today is very difficult for me dares to speak with my classmates or with any person. And I think that the English is very important for new times, because all is in English. The English to be as well help in my studies. As an illustration, many papers and text be in this language, and I can to read thank my knowledge like this blogs. At most, in some years I hope travel and take a postgraduate course, and this language to be a support in the moment when I want communicate with the people around And the top it all, English it’s not only useful in the studies, as well a big help in daily things. For example, when I go to the cinema or I see the television whit movies and series in this language, I understand better the dialogues.

I would like include mores dynamics things and maybe and more relation with the first class (12 o’clock). And I would like to write about of different places of Chile and Santiago, of course, anthropological topics, and in generally current news that can to produce discussions in the blogs. In the discussions or controversy you can know the people.

Teeth of Navarino Trekking

Today, I'm going to write about a a wonderful photograph. I like this photo because of the scenery, the mountains, the sky and clouds and the magnificent colors: blue and white and the contrast in them. I love the photos that transmit emotions or feelings through an image.

In the next photo you can see a landscape of  Navarino Island, near Cape Horn. Specifically, the sixteen or fourteen (I don't remember) landmark of "Teeth of Navarino Trekking". The photo was not taken by a photographer (obviously), but it was taken the last summer, on 7th January, by a Polish friend with our camera. This photo was a "mistake" because the original photo should have showed my trekking group (my father, my brother and me). You can see a frozen lake, mountains, hills and supposedly behind the far mountains is Cape Horn, traditionally "the last point of the American continent". 

The only thing I don't like of this photo is the date in orange on the right corner of the picture. But it is compensated for the wonderful scenery, the emotions and the memories that this photo shows. I remember the last summer, the experience, the long walk, the tiredness and I wish I could be there now.

Well, this is the photo.

Kindle Touch

My favorite piece of technology is Kindle touch. “The Kindle is an e-book produced by Amazon devices enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media via wireless networking” (Wikipedia, 2013).

My Kindle was a gift of my parents (or my dad, I don’t remember.) for my birthday one year ago. I use the Kindle, almost every day as much as for my texts for the university or literature. I can read many of my favorites authors using up little space.  

I like the kindle because various reasons: First, The kindle saves the paper, so save the nature, considering that the paper is product of the forest. Secondly the kindle allows read many books in the same space without the distractions neither high prices the other piece of technology with identical function (read texts) as a tablets, notebooks and smartphones. Finally I like that the kindle is portable wherever I go; on buses, subways, trains, airplanes, etc.

My life without the kindle, would be similar to the one with the device.  Instead of reading from it, I would read from real books, therefor, this type of technology adds up to a certain lifestyle, but it is not indispensable. 

Inequality City

Well, I born in Santiago and I always live in this city, so today I'm going to write about this place and a procces .

In first term, Santiago is the totally reflection of a society inequality and we can to watch this in the spatial configuration identically that others cities of America Latina like Lima, Buenos Aires, Mexico D.F, Rio de Janeiro, etc. 

In the city of Santiago, the inequality shows in the difference between districts (comunas) or specific areas (for example "north-east of Santiago" or "south area") in relation to green areas, access, population density, quality of life, levels of salary, etc defined as a "spatial segregation". And his difference generally produced a difference between the people of this places, avoid the contact between them. I think that this procces is a tendency in the all cities and the countries, but I think the goverments must to reduce this problem by means laws, regulation maps, etc.

A definition of segregation is "grade of spatial proximity or territorial agglomeration of the families belonging a same social group defined in etnic, age group, religious preference, or socioeconomic terms" (Sabatini, Caceres & Cerda, 2001)...

This topic is important because...

Welcome

Welcome!

Hi!! My full name is Natalia Constanza Vernal Hurtado.  I am 22 years old and I am in fifth year of the social anthropology career.

I am born in Santiago, the day 20^th of June of 1990. I live with my parents all my life. I am the last daughter of two brothers: the big brother, Patricio, is 37 years old, he is a philosopher and currently he studies engineering career. The second brother is Pablo, he is 32 years old, is a cellist and agronomist and at present is married with Odette. They have a daughter of 18 months; called Amaya, the most beautiful baby of the world. I am spending my time playing with her several days of the week. The last member of my family is a puppy called “Yagán” of five months old, it destroy our garden but glad our days.

I have various hobbies, different from one of another, I like play volleyball with my friends of my secondary school, I love walking in the nature, with my family or my friends, I enjoy very much the rhythm of life produced for to walk and to be in direct contact with the nature. Finally since the past summer I have a orchard, and for this winter we will build a glasshouse for to farm vegetables.

Well, is everything for today.