Final Blog

My experience learning English at the University

At the beginning of the year, there was so much uncertainty about the English class that nobody really take it seriously. At first, we even didn´t know if it was part of our career program, (well.. we don´t know it very well yet) because it was a new class that the faculty wanted to implement. So it is supposed that this year of English was a kind of prove, for seeing if the program worked. So everything has been a chaos this year and very disorganized, but despite that, English classes haven’t been so bad…

I remember the English class started at first like a very unpleasant thing to do. Nobody wanted to take that course, even me, because we were so used to our schedule ..and well, I have to recognize that when I heard about it I thought it was going to be so bored and so useless, like a waste of time. I think we probably tend to think those kind of things because we didn´t have good experiences with other English courses in the past, or because we think it could be similar like English classes at school…and that would have been terrible!.. because in my case I remember English classes were so bored! Every single year they taught you the verb “to be”, “past perfect”, etc…always grammar, grammar, grammar… and just a few of vocabulary and other things. I know it is always bored to learn grammar, but languages are more than that!.. you know, ..you have to understand how does the language work, because it is different to think in other language, and I think those kind of things are much more difficult than learning the past participle of a verb, because those things you just get them with the pass of the time, practicing the language, so I think that is the best thing English classes at the university gave me…the opportunity of practicing.

I usually don´t practice English, because I don´t read or talk or do anything related with it …I just see some movies in English and listen to music, but nothing else, and obviously that’s not enough. You have to practice the language more often so you catch it better and you make yourself more confident on what you are saying or writing in English or in any other language you want to learn.

Well…, after all, taking the English class wasn´t so bad, because I feel that my English has improved, and because there are always new things to learn, like learning more vocabulary, clarifying some grammar doubts or correcting some mistakes that we used to make when we talk or when we write. So, finally I think it was a very good experience to return studying English, because I really like to learn more languages and because it is a very important tool for getting a job, for traveling, for studying abroad, etc.

Task 7

Next Elections:

Well, I think these next elections have been very funny... you know, there have been so much uncertainty, all because of the Marco’s candidature…because before of that, it was so bored and so incredible at the same time to see that Frei was the one to compete with Piñera. Although Marco has given to the elections a new face, I think the next president (unfortunately) will be Frei…, because I don’t believe that Piñera has all the votes to become a president. I know there are so many people who are agree with him, but I think that Frei has all the support of the government right now. Apart from that, we have to remember when Lagos and Lavin were competing, Lavin was very closer to Lagos and it seems that he was the favorite in the mass media, but then of course Lagos won, so I think it is a similar situation, even with the last elections of Bachelet. Besides, I think people nowadays doesn’t vote very well, because they just vote for the person who they think are the less worse, and because I think people aren’t very identify with a real political party. People just vote for the person, the public person, but they just forget who Piñera really is, or Frei, or anyone…and all the influence that they have had in the history of our country, wich is very important for me.

About the programs I think there aren´t many real changes, even in the program of Marco. Maybe some moral stuffs can change, but in politic or economic things they are much more similar than different. I think the most important thing of Marco is the generation change, and that is also important because it is time to pull out from the politic those old men who have been in the government since a long time ago. So, I think just Arrate have some different viewpoints about the politic programs, and he is very secure on what he say. I know people have a vision of communism that is very bad, but I really like some ideas of him, like giving more power to the state, take advantage of the mineral resources like the copper, improve on education, defend the hardworking class interests, finish with some abuses like the AFP, etc… but unfortunately I think Arrate isn’t the one to make those changes… he is so old! And when he was part of the ministry he didn´t do much.

So finaly, I don´t vote… because I am a little lazy and because there isn´t a candidate who really convince me, so I would probably vote null If I had to do it. But I really think that it is necessary to improve the politic and to create a new party if it is necessary.

Task 4

My faculty:

Well, in fact I like my faculty, but I think that the first time you come here you think it is not part of the university haha because it’s very different of other faculties, you know…it doesn´t look very modern, and it isn’t a big building…But, anyway I like that, because it’s a very familiar place where you know everybody, from the people who clean the classrooms to the teachers, and you almost know every people who study here, because we aren’t so many students.
I also like all the grass and trees and nature that we have haha because other faculties abound in concrete, and that sucks…because you can´t lie back in the grass an get relax or spend a good time there with your friends after a class…

By the other hand, I know there are lots of things to improve, like some workshops that are in bad conditions. For example, on winter some classrooms get wet, or some stoves don’t work well. And well, as everything is getting so old, you need to repair lot of things…
Bathrooms are another thing that sometimes annoys me, because there isn’t some basic things like toilet paper or soap.

Anyway, I like my faculty because even though some workshops need to improve, we have a lot of tools to work and many different workshops that not every art faculty has, like big ovens for ceramic and goldsmith, or a big press for engraving, etc..
So, art faculty is good… but it can be better !

A country you'd like to visit

Well, I really love traveling, so it´s difficult for me to choose just one place for going! If I had a lot of money, I would spend it crossing the whole world haha…
I really want to travel to Latin America with friends, and knowing different cultures and foods!, love to try different foods of other places, and well.. I love the beaches too and the weather that Latin America has. On the other hand, I would like to travel to Greece. I have a friend there which I would like to visit, because I see her just once a year when she comes to Chile, and well.. I would like to go there of course to know more about the country too! My friend says food is good haha...and that there are so many beautiful places to go. Greece is so near to Italy that definitely I would go to Italy too haha.. I would like to go there because I want to improve my Italian and I don´t know.. meet some remote familiars hahah and spend a lot of time there.. work in something, I don´t know.. The same with the States, I would like to go there for a few months to improve my English, work , earn some money haha and return! Haha...Well, that´s all !.. nothing too exotic for now... haha..See you next time!

Blog 2... News

Well, looking to the arts news I chose one called "Banksy artwork painted over in Hackney"
This is about a Banksy graffiti that was painted in the side of a block of flats in a city of London. This artwork has been there about 8 years ago, but now a council wants to remove it. It is told that Banky's artwork is very recognized and that his works have been sold for a lot of money, so people was upset of what was happening, even the owner of the building says that when she saw that the graffiti was beeing removed she couldn`t believed it and she wanted them to stop eraseing that piece of art. But obviously the council doesn`t care if it is a piece of art or not...they just wanted to "clean" the streets, they've said.
Well, finaly.. the journalist say it is not the first time that Banksy artworks have been removed.

So, I chose this article because this kind of things almost happen in our country...an authorities doesn`t care about art in the streets, so I found interesting to know what´s up with this in other cities.

Here is the link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/sep/03/banksy-artwork-painted-over-hackney

Blog1 ..II semester

Hi everyone again!
Well, There are so many things that we can talk about… In my opinion, I think it could be a good idea to write sometimes about present things, you now… and give our opinion about present topics that have been treated during the week on the newspapers, television, etc… just for talk some trivial things that you almost talk with anybody, like friends, family, etc, so we could write about different situations of real life and we would know the different viewpoints of everyone in the class. By the other hand, it would be funny to write about some personal experiences, like an anecdote of a funny situation you have lived lately, or a terrible shame lived in the past! haha… And well, finally, I think we could write about our likes, for example our favorite movie or book, and express and justify why did we chose them and recommend them, etc…
Well, that´s all!. Hope you like it!

A Blog Experience

For me it was very pleasant to participate on this. I love writing, so it wasn´t a problem for me to write about different things. I appreciate our teacher for taking the time to read all of our stuffs and correct us, because there were many mistakes that we used to make even when we talk. I really I liked the topics too, because they had to do with our interests, so that make it more amusing. I think this way of teaching is very useful because nowadays we have to take advantage of technology and do this kind of things to learn in an easy and different way. Anyway, I think one of the disadvantages that blog has is that If you have a doubt you can´t ask immediately, so sometimes I wanted to know why some phrases couldn´t be said in one way or another, but then in a few days you forget it and you don´t ask hahah… Anyway, I learned a lot because sometimes you write and write and write and you forget some grammar details that are also important, so blog’s activities have obviously helped me to improve my English. I usually don´t practice English, sometimes I try to see movies in English without reading the subtitles, but that is not enough hahah.. you need to practice the language more often so you catch it better and you make yourself more confident on what you are writing or saying in English or in any other language that you wanna learn. I really like to learn more languages so I think the interest that you have is also important because you want to be better and you want to know the other language as well as you know Spanish, so I think that’s why I tried to do all the tasks, because I really wanted to improve my English…and well, I think it has worked..

Painting

Who is the best in my area?

What a difficult question!. There are so many artists around the world that it is hard to me to choose one. Anyway.. I was thinking about it and I think I’ll have to say this time that Roberto Matta is one of my favorites. I don´t know if he is really “the best” but he is one of the artists that has been in my mind since a long time. I also remember when he died, even I was a little girl, but I remember it wasn´t a looong time ago, and I already knew him as an artist.

So well, I know there are many geniuses painters, like Picasso, Dalí, Vang Gogh,etc! But for me Roberto Matta is closer to me in my experience with art. I have seen some works of him in museums and those big paintings are amazing! He is definitely incredible, honest, ironic, critical and so great as a painter. He has also many influences of other genius, as Dalí, as I said before, because he also had to do with the surrealism movement, which I like a lot too.

"La vida Allende la muerte"

"Ojo con los desarrolladores"

Future

Well… I really don’t like to plan things in a long term, because life can change in any moment. Life always surprises you with unexpected things, in a good or in a bad way, so I prefer to live and enjoy the present! Although, it is inevitable to make up an idea of what will you be doing in a few more years.
In 2 more years I will have finished my career, Art. Then, I think I would choose one of this three options:…to continue studying something else, immediately; start to work ; or just take a break and..i don´t know, travel? Hahah..or work in something momentary to earn money and then go on a loooong trip!.. I would love to live in another country at least one year!, just for fun and to get some new experiences, work, meet new people, etc. By the other hand, I would like to finish my career and then work and study something else, like psychology but always related to art and pedagogy. Apart of being an artist, I really like pedagogy; work with teenagers and with the creativity process, therapy art, etc…everything that is related with people and their minds, so experiment with that and join those things with art. So, I think in 5 more years, I would be probably doing art classes and producing art in my free time to emerge as an artist too… Personally, I think I will not be married or with kids or something like that!, I would be so young for that, you know! Haha…I will be living alone..So well, If I had the opportunity to travel, I would probably take it too! But sooner or later I think I would return to my country to make my life here…well, If destiny doesn´t say the contrary!… haha.

Sir Ken Robinson´s talk...

Well, after a long struggle with my internet, finally I could watch Sir Ken Robinson’s talk! Haha anyway..Very interesting and funny too! I think as Sir Ken Robinson says, “we are all interested in education”, and when it’s time to talk about it everybody has an opinion, because we care of it (we must to!) ‘cause it shows how children are being prepared to future; you know… it is supposed that we are educating people for life, for living in a best world and to contribute on it.I really agree when Sir Robinson says that humans have an extraordinary capacity of creativity, but unfortunately schools don´t improve on it. I almost think that creativity is as important as other subjects like Math, Literature, etc. but it is obviously that in this system engineers, for example, are more productive than artists, as well as you know, because we aren’t so helpful in the economy of a country, for example, and that’s what the state is interested in!. If it isn´t, the state should invest more money in art and culture, but they don´t do it. Anyway, I think that’s one of the reasons education is in a deep trouble, because it is part of a monetary system (mercantile?) that needs people in the future to produce what the system wants to.

Anyway, I think creativity is in everywhere, don´t matter who you are, so the thing is that schools are educating people out of their creative capacities, so when Sir Robinson talks about the fear to be wrong, he’s telling that the absence in children’s creativity tend them to be not original, because they are afraid to be wrong. So, schools forget that intelligence has many different views, and that it is not only mathematic or science, it is dynamic and interactive too, so schools don´t give too much importance to the capacity of singing, dancing or painting. As Sir Robinson said; “we (referring to schools) focus on their heads”, (and jokes about some people that use their body just to transport their heads and for nothing else!), “they live in their heads!”, he says, and they forget they have other tools to think and express themselves.

Anyway… I really liked the way Sir R. insisted in the importance of education and future. As I said in the beginning of this post, we have to educate children for the future, to face it, helping them and educating them, using the “gift of the human imagination” in a wisely way, because original ideas are really helpful to reinvent some things. We all need the capacity of innovation that children and young people have. So.. Do schools kill creativity?..mmm.. maybe yes! So, leave the kids alone! Haha…and let them show us their talents and all their ideas in other ways.

My favorite piece of technology

Well, I’m not a very fan of technology, but I have to recognize that some pieces of technology facilitate our life. Sometimes when I watch the TV I see how technology is growing and I feel so small ‘cause the most “fantastic” technology thing that I have I think is the computer. I have a pendrive for listening to music sometimes, because it’s handy when you’re outside, but I’m still loving the CDs, and even the cassettes! Hahaha, and well I bought a digital camera just one year ago, and my TV is so old, nothing to do with plasmas!... hahah..
Mmmmm I think technology world is amazing, but … I think we will be reduced into a chip in some couples of years too!.. haha Anyway, …I think my favorite piece of technology is the computer. My parents bought me a notebook last year for my birthday. Before getting it, we used to have one computer for the whole house, but it was a little stressing, because everyone needed it for doing works or just for fan, but the truth was that everybody needed internet.

I think a computer without internet on these days is very useless. You want to be connected all the time, chatting, checking your e-mail, downloading music and movies, searching things, discovering some new sites webs, and having a world of information of whatever you want.

When I was a child, internet wasn’t a big thing; you know…not everybody had internet in their houses, even me. I remember I didn’t know what internet really was. Children of these days have an e-mail, a messenger, facebook,etc.. and they love it! When I was a child I remember we used to play with toys, go out to the park, go to friend’s houses and play with the “Atari”or games like “La gran Capital” …hahaha I don´t know!, but really…never with internet! Anyway… I don’t think those things are bad, but times are different…

Well….Finally, I think I can live without my computer, but ….. not for a long time! Life without computers would be so slowly, I don’t know... stressing…because you get used into this way of living, so modern and so fast. So, computers can gather so much information in an easy way, and well, with internet you can be connected at every time, everywhere! and that’s also important for a lot of people.

ASSIGNMENT 1:

What a difficult question!... This year I really like all of my subjects, because I chose them!, but I think this time I´ll have to say that drawing class is my favorite one. I think it is because I get a really good time there, time goes so fast when you are drawing! And, well, I had never drawn human figure before, so that makes it more interesting and entertainment. Our teacher is Patty Vargas and she just teaches human figure, the whole year. I think that´s good because you are practicing the technique all the time and you can learn it very good. The class consists of drawing a human model which can be a woman or a man, naked of course. So you start measuring a part of her or his body to make the draw and have a proportion related to the whole body, so then when you have an idea of the structure you can start drawing the human figure, always starting from the head of the person, and always making sure of the proportion you have used.
I think I have learnt many things in this class, and I hope I continue learning more and more, ´cause I know there´re many things I haven´t learnt yet!, but I´m sure that when you work hard on something you have good results…and it is much better if you enjoy it!, so I´m really glad of what I´m doing there…

Guuuys !

Hi guys !.. im pamela. I really hope that this blog help us to meet each other talking and discussing lots of topics. I have never used this before but i think it could be a nice place for practicing english and have fun.
Kisses !