My experience with the English

I like the English, I think that it's a beautiful language. I started to learn English since my childhood. My head teacher started to teach me English because I asked her. I was in first grade. With the passage of the time, I think that I improve my English. Nowadays I think that my English isn't the best, but I hope to continue with my learning..

In the University, I have to use the English all the time, because I have to read a lot of papers in English. I like it, because I can to practice, but also it's so slow, and the time is very important in the University.

In the subject of English, I like to write the blog every week, because I can to write about thing that I enjoy, news, etc. Also, I think that we have to take advantages of the technology.

I think that I have to improve my pronunciation, because it's so important for the people to understand me.
Also, I have to improve my management of the tenses.

I use the English every day. For example,. I like to listen music in English. Also, there are a lot of products (for example the appliances) that have parts in English. Also, this language is so important for my studies in the university, for the reasons that I explained previously.

Nowadays, I think that the English is so important in a lot of areas of the life. It's important to know other languages, but it's more important don't forget our language. It's important that we don't destroy the Spanish, because it's a beautiful language too. Also, we don't have to forget the languages of the ethnics, like the Mapudungun, Aymara or Rapa Nui. It's so worrying that the languages start to die.

Bolivia carnival: wet and wild

Bolivia is a country with a lot of traditions, and also, with a syncretism between Spanish and Indian Cultures. In this occasion, I chose a travel report of the carnival in Bolivia and I would like to talk about why I chose this report.

This report shows the different practices and traditions of the different carnivals across Bolivia.

The report mentions, for example that one of the most recognized tradition of the carnival is the use of colorful costumes and huge masks. The people that participate in the carnival spend hundreds of dollars on each costume, to strike to the tourist and the population of Bolivia. Also, the traditions of the carnivals change in the different towns. For example, there are town that have a little and simple carnivals, with songs of praise. There are others cities that one of the most relevant traditions is the water fights, using water balloons, spray cans of foam, and semi-automatic-sized water pistols.

Also, Bolivia gets already to receive to the tourist. The carnivals in this country are so important; these celebrations are even broadcast live by the Bolivian Television.

I chose this report because it’s related with the anthropology. The carnivals are part of the Bolivian and South American culture, and the anthropologist studies the culture. Also, we can see a lot of details of the traditions of the people, and we can to know a lot of them.

I would like to participate in these carnivals, because I think that are so interesting, fun and lively. I would like to see especially, the Oruro Carnival.

The link of the report: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/sep/21/bolivia-festival-carnival-february

Feet, what do I need them for If I have wings to fly.

Hello!

I have to recognize that I’m not a film lover, but there is one movie that I enjoyed a lot. It’s a movie called “Frida”. It’s a movie released in 2002 and was directed by Julie Taymor. This movie related the life story of the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, since her youth to her death. Also, related the relationship between Frida Kahlo, and her husband Diego Rivera. This movie belongs to the Drama and biographical genre.

Frida Kahlo is interpreted by Salma Hayek. In this movie, there are a lot of recognized actors, like Alfred Molina, in the role of Diego Rivera, Antonio Banderas, in the role of David Alfaro Siqueiros, Geoffrey Rush in the role of Leon Trotsky, and others.

I saw this movie when I was 10 years old in my home, because my cousin Hector recommended it to me, and I loved it. I like all the details of the movie, the soundtrack (Mexican singers, like Lila Down, Chabela Vargas, and some song interpreted by Salma Hayek). Also, I like the combinations between the life of Frida Kahlo, and her paintings. I think that Salma Hayek represented with a lot of professionalism the figure of Frida Kahlo.

It was a movie that received a lot of god critics, even was nominated to 6 Academy Awards (Salma Hayek like Best Actress), and won 2 of them (Best Makeup and Best Original Score).

Also, Frida Kahlo is my favorite painter. It’s another reason because I enjoyed this movie. If you haven’t watched this movie, I recommend that you do it!

Saint Alberto Hurtado

Hello Everyone!

Today, I would like to talk about one of the Greatest Chilean of all the times.  He is Alberto Hurtado. His complete name is Luis Alberto Miguel Hurtado Cruchaga. He was born in Viña del Mar on January 22, 1901. He belonged to an aristocratic family of Basque origin.

He studied laws in Universidad Católica, and he graduated in 1923. This same year, he entered to the Jesuit Novitiate. In 1933, he was ordained priest.

The objective of his job was to bring the Church to the younger and poor people. His preoccupation for the poor people generated the creation of Hogar de Cristo, in 1944. It is a benefic foundation that is worry of the people who live in street situation. Nowadays, it is one of the most important benefic foundations in Chile, because Hogar de Cristo also help to elderly, people addicted to drugs and terminally ills.

Padre Hurtado, was very recognized for his green pickup truck, because in this vehicle, he rescued a lot of child and poor from the bank on Mapocho River. Nowadays, the green pickup truck is a great symbol of his work.

Alberto Hutado died in Santiago, on August 18, 1952, because of a pancreatic cancer. After his death, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II, on October 16, 1994, after to recognized him, the miracle of María Cabezas that was cured of a cerebral tumor.

 On October 23, 2005, he was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI, in a big Mass in Saint Peter Square. He is the second Chilean Saint, after Saint Teresa de los Andes.

If I could to say anything to Padre Hurtado, I would like to show how his work is very important nowadays in Chile.

It’s all for today!

Bye!

A birthday gift

Hello Hello!

I was of birthday last October 7th. It was a rainy day. My friends said me that they would do a celebration to me, but I never thought that this would become in one of the best gifts that have given me in the recent time.

My friends Claudia, Consu, Doris and Cata Lindis, organized a big birthday party, with balloons, confetti, a great piñata with a lot of candies, a lot of food, like sandwiches and snacks, beers and gaseous, and Karaoke. Also, they made a beautiful cake with their own hands, with a lot of sweet and delicious ingredients. It was really amazing.

I liked this party, because my friends strove a lot, and I felt very happy. In this short time that I’ve lived and shared with them, I think that we’ve made a big friendship. I think that this party was really awesome.

Also, Cata Lindis gave me a figurine with the shape of a parrot. It is so cute. In the party, we compete in a Karaoke challenge, and of course, I was the best. However, my friends sang very well too.

I think that the best of the party was share with my friends, and had a lot of time to laugh and be happy all together.

I will remember this gift forever...

How language transformed humanity

Hello everyone!

Mark Pagel, in his video called “How language transformed humanity”, says important and interesting things about develop of the language across the History. 

I think that the thought of Mr. Pagel about the language is a piece of social technology for enhancing the benefits of cooperation it’s true, because the language is an important mainstay in the relationship of the humans. I think that the cooperation is essential for all the areas of the life, because it allow new ways of interactions with the environment, and also, allow the development of most advanced societies, with ways of life more complexes.

I think that the future of the language is like Mr. Pagel said: our destiny is to be one world with one language. I think that the idea have good and bad consequences. It’s good, because the existence of an only language allow a most quickly and easy communication with all the people. But I think that with only one language, would be a cultural loss. The language is an important quality of a culture, which with the standardization of the languages, would lose.

It is my opinion about this interesting and relevant topic.

Have a good time! Bye!

Viva Chile!

Hello everyone!

Today I would like to talk about Fiestas patrias. This year, I come back to my home, in Alto del Carmen, to celebrate with my family and also, I could rest.

The mean place to celebrate was my Grandfather’s house, because it is so big, and there are a lot of rooms to receive a lot of people. I shared with my aunts and uncles, my parents, my grandfather and my cousins.  My uncles did the barbeque; my aunts did traditional food, like choripan con pebre, empanadas and mote con huesillo. I remembered my childhood, because I played the Trompo with my cousins, I it was so shameful, because I failed. But I recovered my honor, with the emboque, and I defeated to all my relatives. 

Also, I went with my family to see a folkloric show, and I could to dance cueca with a lot of beautiful “Chinas”. I love to dance cueca, because I think that it is a beautiful dance. Also, we could see the traditional games, and I supported to my cousins, because they participated in them. My cousin Scarleth, won in 3 competitions: Pillar el Chancho, carrera de ensacados and gymkhana. Also, my cousins Nacho and Mauricio, won in Carrera de tres pies. It was so funny, and I enjoyed a lot all the activities. In the night, my grandfather won the mean price in the raffle. He won a Cabeza de Chancho. It is a typical price in raffles of September.

I enjoyed a lot my nationals holidays, and also, I could see to my friends.

It’s all for today!

Have a good time!

Bye J

Hi again!

She is Camila Barrera

She is my best friend. She comes from Vallenar, but today, she lives in La Serena, because she studies here.

She is known for all the people like “Kuky”, but I prefer say her “Barrera”. I met her in 2008, when we enter to San Francisco High school. We have a lot of things in common. We love spend a lot of time laughing and talking of important (and irrelevant) things. We used to make ridiculous things together, but now the distance does not allow this. In classes, we always invent silly songs and we did the work together. I miss her a lot.

Nowadays, I can see to Barrera only when there is a long weekend, because in this time, we are in the same city. I would like see her every day, but we can’t.

She is Maite Rojas. 

She is my best friend too. I like to call her “Maydora”, although she hates it. She lives with Barrera in La Serena, because she studies here too. With Maydora, we do the same activities, many of which we do with Barrera too. Is the same, I met her in the high school, and she became quickly in a good friend. I miss her too.

I love so much to Barrera and Maydora. I hope the summertime to recover all the time that we lose.

                         

I'm back!

Hello everyone

Today, I would like to talk about my first term of 2012. It was my first term in the university. I remember that I was so nervous for my entry to a new stage in my life. I started to study Anthropology in Universidad de Chile. The last year, I endeavored studying for the PSU, and the result is here. I loved my career, I think that the anthropology is for my.

In the University, I met a lot of people, and I did good friends quickly. With them, I did sport activities, like climb San Cristobal Hill very continued. Also, we took to know new places of Santiago.

While I study in Santiago, I live alone in an apartment. The first term was so hurt, because I missed a lot to my family, although my mom visited me in several opportunities. But in July, when the semester almost over, my Grandmother Rita died. Her death was so hurt for me and all my family, because my grandma was a mainstay in my family.

But nevertheless, I finished my first semester with all my subjects approved, and so happy to be here, with new friends and starting one of the most important stages in my life. 

Banana Song

Hello, hello everyone!

Today, I would like to talk about a stupid video. It is the video “Banana Song (I’m a banana)”. In this video, you can see a scene in a kitchen, when a man says to a woman: I’m a banana! Then, the man appears with a banana costume, and starts to dance a funny choreography, while he sings a funny song who says: I’m a banana, I’m a banana, I’m a banana, LOOK AT ME MOVE! and a lot of others incoherences.

I like this video, because I think that is very simple and stupid. Also, I like the steps that the man uses to dance.

Also, this video remembers me my last English Summer camp, on 2011. In this Camp, I met a lot of people, and I could make new friends.  I remember that we crated choreographies with this song and we danced all together like a crazy bananas. The people who showed me this video was Caleb Shoop, an American volunteer who was my monitor in the English summer camp. He danced of a very funny way, and he created a lot of new steps every day.

When the English camp finished, we organize a “talent show”, when the people could sing, dance or show any talent. I danced with Caleb and all my friends the Banana Song, without scary or embarrassment.

I remember with a lot of nostalgia the English Camp.

This is my story, I know that the video is really stupid, but I like it! Also, it is one of the main reasons because I like it!

It’s all for today!

Good Bye! 

Rayen's Correction

Original

Hi classmates! Today I’m gonna talk to you about my little brother… Ok, he is not my little brother, he’s my pet. Some people understand that a pet is not a pet, but is another member of the family.

My little brother is a cat called Gino Paolo. He is a beautiful cat. His pur is so soft and has black spots in his back, in his tail and in his head. These last ones are separated with a white line, so cute.

My cat has six years old, I don’t know the equivalence to the human age, but his behavior is like an old cat: he rest all day long (and all night long)… He is a lazy cat and a fat cat, I don’t know why. I really think that he has stomach disorder or something; it’s not normal that a cat eat three times at day and continues to put on 1 kilo everyday, hahahaha. I’m sure that he had manic depression… sometimes he loves you, and sometimes hates you and hit you… or maybe his disorder is caused for the excess of fat in his little body !

I think that Gino is very important to me, because he arrived to my home in a year of changes in my family. He was my company last year, when I had to study for the PSU… he always was there when I needed. He is a very good brother.

At next, a picture of my Gino. He is so adorable.

Correction

Hi classmates! Today I’m gonna talk to you about my little brother… Ok, he is not my little brother, he’s my pet. Some people understand that a pet is not a pet, but λ [he] is another member of the family.

My little brother is a cat called Gino Paolo. He is a beautiful cat. His pur S [fur] is so soft and has black spots in his back, in his tail and in his head. These last ones are separated with a white line, so cute.

My cat has WW [is] six years old, I don’t know the equivalence to the human age, but his behavior is like an old cat: he rest all day long (and all night long)… He is a lazy cat and a fat cat, I don’t know why. I really think that he has stomach disorder or something; it’s not normal that a cat eat C [eats] three times at day and continues to put on 1 kilo everyday, hahahaha. I’m sure that he had manic depression… sometimes he loves you, and sometimes λ [he] hates you and hit C [hits] you… or maybe his disorder is caused for the excess of fat in his little body !

I think that Gino is very important to me, because he arrived to my home in a year of changes in my family. He was my company last year, when I had to study for the PSU… he always was W.O [was always] there when I needed λ [him]. He is a very good brother.

At next, a picture of my Gino. He is so adorable.

The things that I want to learn

Hello everyone!

In my short life, I wanted to learn a lot of things. But there is one that I would like to learn to do very well. It is the work of a craftsman jeweller.

I would like to learn all the techniques that the craftsman jeweller use to doing beautiful pieces of jewelery like earrings, rings, bracelets or pendants. Also, I like the life of the craftsman, because they are artist that have a quiet life, without preoccupations.  I would like to learn to work with a lot of materials, like metals (gold, silver, copper), precious stones (diamonds, ruby, etc), and vegetable materials (seeds, fibres, etc). Another thing that I would like to learn is the smithy. I would like to learn this work, because it is disappearing, and nowadays there are a little of people that are working in it.

There is an activity that I started to learn but I stopped. It is to milk cows. In the summer, I said to my grandfather that I would like to learn to milk cows, and he said me that he could teach me. One day, we went to a farm of grandfather’s fiend, and he taught me how to do it. But I can´t does it. Then, when I wanted to practice again, my grandfather said me that the cow was in another place far from there. And my dream was ruined. This is my sad story. But I swear that one day I will become in the best farmer of the world.

Is all for today!

Bye 

My career :)

All pictures were taken by my cousin, Héctor Mondaca

Hi Again!

Today, I would like to talk about myself, specifically, about my career. I’m studying Anthropology in Universidad de Chile, and it is my first year.

The story about why I study this career is very simple, but very significant for me.

When I had to choice to be Humanist in my high school, I had to do a work about the humanistic careers. I remember that all my classmates included traditional careers, like laws, psychology, pedagogy, but I wanted to include other too. One of this was Anthropology, specifically, Archaeology. I found out about it, and I discovered that it is a great career, that fulfilled with a lot of requirements that I had of my dreamed career. In this moment, I discovered that I wanted to be an Archaeologist. Since my childhood, I had had a relationship with the past. I started to collect antiques since child, and I collected testimonies and stories with the old people of my family and my hometown only with the eagerness of to know about the past of my community, and also, my own past.

Parallel, in the field of my father, we discovered some stone walls in the inside of a ravine. There were also, little piece of pottery in the floor. This called my attention immediately and I wanted to know all about it.

I think that the archaeologists contribute to society, because thank to them, we can to know about one side of the past that is very interesting. Also, they can to help to reconstruct the past with thing that for anyone is trash. Today, I enjoy a lot my career, and my favorite subject is Archaeology.

I think that the principal tool that an archaeologist needs in the future is the vocation, because we can’t to be a great professionals, if we haven’t this attribute.

Today, I hope to become in a great Archaeologist, and work in my homeland, and inform to the world that Alto del Carmen isn’t only a pisco, but is a very interesting place that hides between their colorful hills, a rich historical and archaeological heritage.

It's the heritage of my homeland

This is all for today!!

Regards!

Bye Bye!

Marca Chancho

Hello Everyone!

Today, I’d like to talk about one popular phrase used by the Chileans. It is “Marca Chancho” (Pig Brand)

The pig is an animal that is using for a lot of thing in the Chilean vocabulary. For example in the domino, to name the card that has both sides the same number (in Spanish “Chancho 6”,), or like a synonymous of a belch (in spanish, "tirarse un chancho").

                               

Specifically, “Marca Chancho” it’s a phrase to use to describe an article that it brand is unknown or it is of bad quality.

There are many theories that explain this phrase. One of these say that the term "Marca chancho" would come from an economic beer sold in Chile in 1830, and apparently, was the cheaper and lower quality. The bottle would have been of clay, and the people would compare it with the popular pigs of Pomaire.

But the fame of the phrase would arrive in the first half of the XX century, with a cigarette brand. It is “Marca Chancho cigarettes” that showed in the label a funny pig wearing a suit. Also, in the label there was a note who said: “Aseguramos que estos cigarrillos valen mucho más de lo que cuestan” (“We ensure that these cigarettes are worth much more than they cost”). No doubt that there is a direct relationship between the concept of “Marca Chancho” and the cigarettes.

I have a collection of old cigarettes labels, and fortunately, I have one of these labels, that are very limited in the market of the collections.

I hope that you enjoy this little part of our Chilean history!

Regards!

Bye!

My favorite web page

Hi everybody!

I have a hobby that I practice since my childhood. It is the collections. I collect a lot of things, like coins and banknotes from Chile and the World, antiques, old keys, old postcards, old cigarettes wrappers, sugar sachets, etc.

I have about 500 coins and 100 banknotes in my collection. I like it because we can see the different cultures expressed in the money.

When I decided to order my collections, I searched information about it in Internet.  I felt the website www.numismatica.cl. This site has a lot of information about Chilean numismatic (collection of coins and banknotes), like a catalogue and curiosities about the coins and banknotes of the history of Chile. This page is manages by Gamalier Varela, that is one of the most important numismatics in Chile. I visit this website approximately 4 times for month, to check if there is new information.

Also, I love the website foro.coleccionismototal.com.ar. It is an argentine forum, dedicated to the collections, mainly to numismatic. In this page there are people from different counties like Argentina, Chile, Spain, Mexico and Venezuela that post about their collections. I like this website, because I can know people that are collectors like me, and I can  show my own collections to other people. I visited this forum every day when I studied in high school, but nowadays, I haven’t time, for this, I visited the website only 6 or 7  times for month.

It’s all for today

Bye!

El otro yo

Hi Everybody!!!

Today, I would like to talk about the music. I spend a lot of time listening to music. In each free time I listen to music, like in the Metro, in the bus and in my home, when I haven’t to study.

Specifically, I would like to talk about one of my favorites groups of music. They are “El otro yo”. They are a argentine band, and the members are María Fernanda Aldana (voice and bass guitar), Cristian Aldana (voice and guitar) Gabriel Guerrisi (first guitar) and Ricky Rua (drummer). Their style of music is the alternative rock. They have 9 studio albums,  but the first was launched in 1993 in cassette format.

I like this band, because I love their music, because it contains a strong lyric, whit a strong message too. I like the way that they plays music, because it isn’t common and the voice of Maria Fernanda Aldana is amazing. Also, I love Maria Fernanda Aldana, because she is a good painter. Her pictures are great.

I like all the songs of “El otro yo”, but I think that my favorite is “No me importa Morir”, included in “Abrecaminos” album (1999), because this song remember me one part of my childhood, when I listened to “El otro yo” with my cousin, in the vacations.

Enjoy it!

This is all for today!

Bye :)

Taken by my camera!

Hello everyone! I’m come back!

One activity that I like to do is take pictures all time. I like take pictures in the urban places and in the nature. One of my favorite topics in the moment of take photos is the animal life. For these, when I see a wild animal, and I have the possibility to take a photo, I do it.

Specifically, I would like to talk about this photo that was taken by me.

 I took this picture in December, 2008, in the garden of my house, in Alto del Carmen.  And their story is very simple. My mother watered the garden in a normal day and a special noise called her attention. When she wanted to discover the origin of the noise, she can saw two little birds that shout very high. She said me that there were two little animals in the garden, and I took my camera and went to the place of the action. 

...and I took this amazing photo...

I believe that the birds that appear in the picture are Zorzales.

I love these pictures because it shows the fragility of the nature. Also, in the picture we can say the beginning of a new life. The nature gives us a big treasure, and is a privilege that we have to see it, and capture for the future too.

It’s all for today! Have a good time!

Bye 

My guitar

Hello everybody!

Today, I would like to talk about my favorite piece of technology. It is my guitar. My guitar was a present that my father gave me.

I have used it since when I was 9 years old. My father is a really good player of guitar, but I’m not. However, I like a lot to play my guitar.

I love my guitar, because with it, I can play my favorite songs of my favorite singers. It is a complete instrument that develops my fine motor functions. Also, I think that the guitar a musical instrument that can be used in the most different situations, but I like to play only happy songs. Also, I like play guitar because I like to sing (though I think that I do it so badly)

When I lived in Alto del Carmen, I played guitar every day, because I think that the only way to improve is with the practice. But now, I live in Santiago, and my guitar is to 703 kilometers of me. I hope that when I travel to my dear town, I will bring my guitar with me.

I love my guitar essentially because I love the music.

It’s all for today!

Bye  !

With all the magic of the south...

Hi everyone!

Today, I have to talk about a place that I had visited.

A place that I love is Saltos del Petrohué. This place is located in Los Lagos Region,Llanquihue province into Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Saltos del Petrohue, is a group of waterfalls in Petrohué river. They are very attractives because they have a beautiful color and are located in a amazing environment.

I went to Saltos del petrohué in January, 2011. I went with my high school classmates, while we made a tour for all the south of Chile.

In this place, I sailed in a quick launch, and I took a lot pictures. It was a really good experience.

I love this place, because the combination of colors is perfect. Also, I like de landscape, the color of the water and the way that the people received me. The components of the environment, like the river, the volcano, the trees, the birds, etc., are faultness.

I would like to return to this place.Saltos del Petrohué is a national wonder, that we have to safeguard and shared with all the world.

Have a nice Day! Bye Bye  :)

Hello! I'm a cat with scarf!

Hi! My name is Rolando Gonzalez :) I come from Alto del Carmen (yeah, where make the pisco) but now I live in Santiago. I study Antropology in Universidad de Chile. I like the cats and the scarf too :) and I'm happy :D