Post 10, Final Thoughts

Hey kids, we have finally reached our tenth post, and it is time for you to reflect upon your experience of this year so far. So what things do you appreciate, and what would you like to change for the coming semester.
Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions.
You can make a list, or a top three of your best/worst of the term.
Cheers!
So, Have you had a good year, so far?

Write about:
> Good things that have happened
> Situations that haven't worked so well
> Your achievements
> Other things you want to mention

So, for me this year has gone as good as possible. Regarding my job, I felt very lucky by working with students invested in creative fields, such as design, music, architecture and theatre. There is always a special vibe when meeting people so young and at the same time so committed to themselves and their future. I learned about the high costs of working and studying, even though I still claim that studies should keep being a priority. Still, I regret not having enough time to devote to actually know them better, and understand their own personal motivations and expectations with this course. We had a really long strike, so although we interrupted our classes, we could maintain a good working climate in the end, something that I truly appreciate.
On a personal level, well, I had to adapt myself to work very early and still keep focused in my studies and personal projects, I only wish to have more time to spend with my loved ones. Anyways, a new semester is about to begin, so I am going to make an effort to connect better with my personal and professional life.
What about you, what are your resolutions for next semester?


Wordcount: 200 + 3 comments + a comment on your teacher's post.




Wordcount: 200 + 3 comments + a comment on your teacher's post.

Post 9, Free themed post: A year-round Trip

If you had 1 year to travel around the world. Where would you go? Would you go on a working holiday? Backpacking? Working as an intern? Explain your choice and how it would benefit you in the future.


(190 words)

Post 8 .Your favourite Subject this term

Write about your favorite subject this term. Among others, include:

> Name
> Describe what you do in classes
> Mention the main contents you have seen
> Explain why you like the subject 


(You can compare among different subjects)> Word Count: 180
> Make comments on 3 of your patners' posts.

Sample: 

One subject that I enjoyed learning this semester was a course called "Introduction to Soundscape" by Rainer Krausse. Rainer is a German artist that has been living in Chile since the late eighties,being  part of the Arts Department at Universidad de Chile.He is a very peculiar character, always helpful and determined to enhance our sense of perceiving reality.

What I enjoyed the most about this subject was its unique approach to the phenomenon of sound in public spaces, and the varied options we have to create unique narratives of our lives in the city, or our relation with natural habitats. 

Anyways, the course made us investigate and record many different spaces, from rooms inside our homes, up to the specific sounds that compose street activity. Each experience was a completely new discovery about our transit and interaction as city dwellers. The final project consisted on a personal creation, that should integrate different moments and registers, in order to compose a subjective yet comprehensive "soundscape" (a landscape made of sound: including voices,found music, concrete sounds, noise, etc).

I chose to record different areas of Plaza de Armas square. I had to use different technologies (like my ordinary cellphone recorder, or even professional recorders) and create narratives based on the people and actions presented at different times during the day. 

The results, even though weren't as polished as expected, taught me a new form to understand space and human interaction. Since we are such a visual culture, having the opportunity to listen in a focused and unprejudiced way, give us the chance to connect with our environment form a direct way. I totally recomend this, next time you go out, why don't you start recording all things that sound interesting, you will be amazed on the incredible amount of information (and inspiration) that you can get outside our limited forms of perception.

If you are interested in what my soundscape actually sounds like, check the following link:

https://soundcloud.com/estradadelacruz/kilometro-0-ajedrecistas/s-0zdom


This is professor Krause's latest project, called "La Isla", you should give it a look (and collaborate, it is a collective project)

http://la-isla-reconocimiento.cl/

Post 7, Talking about your favourite website/person related to your field

Dear Students, today you have to make a choice between one of these subjects. Please take you time to read mine. And don't forget to include your comments.
Post 1 (Instructions).
Write about a career-related website that you enjoy visiting.

You have to:

- provide the link
- describe the website (sections, features,etc)
- say how often you visit the site
- explain why you like the site.




>Add comments to 3 of your classmates’ blogs + a comment on your teacher's post
>Word Count: 170

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Post 2 (Instructions)
Who is a person/expert on your field that you admire?


Say:

-Who she/he is. (short biography)
-What she/he has done. (examples of their work)
-Why you like her/him.
-Include his/her image

> About 170 words
>Add comments to 3 of your classmates’ blogs + a comment on your teacher's post.

I am going to talk about a very useful tool for increasing my English skills.
To begin with, I consider myself just a casual Internet user, who gets to there for very basic things such as checking my email,  read some facebook feed and reading some Wikipedia articles. But I admit that there is this pretty nerdy thing that I usually do. That is being an avid podcast listener. Podcast as a genre was quite popular during last decade, but I never felt interested in them. It was my cousin who introduced me to the world of podcasting when I visited him some years ago. I first noted that he used to listen to things other than music or the news when preparing for work. One night I asked him what kind of radio programs he was into, and he mentioned that he preferred online shows, which you could choose and download into your cellphone. I didn't like the idea at first, but after giving it a try I became addicted. The cool thing about Podcasting is that there are so many to choose from, ranging all kinds of topics and audience. For instance, if you are into Design, Architecture and Technology, you can try 99% invisible.  Or if science and great questions about Humanity is your thing, you should check Radiolab. I listen to them almost every day.
The secret of these shows' popularity is the way they are told. A good narrative is a central thing in this genre, so you would find it quite different from your regular live talk show, or newsreel. The best thing is that these shows are not aimed to an expert audience, so it is very easy to learn from them.
In my case, I strongly recommend you to check this  site https://www.radiotopia.fm/

It is home to a conglomerate of alternative shows, ranging from Music to Personal Stories, each show has its own style and personality.
If you want a small peek, please take your time tonight and choose any one.
As a side note, for me, podcasting is a fun way to keep myself informed and practise my English listening skills. So what are you waiting for?

Web Quest 1

Hey Guys, this morning we will try something different;  you have to do some research and plan a quick trip to London.

You are going to complete a chart  indicating the activities, dates and expenses among other things (this will be checked by me)

Before all that, watch the following video to make yourself an idea of visiting London as a tourist_

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F4GDdanQNA

Then visit  : https://www.visitlondon.com/ (take your time to check the options)

Here is a detailed list of activities, they are divided between half day and full day:

Half Day Outings (They take half of your day to visit)

London Eye

http://www.londoneye.com/

The British Museum

http://www.britishmuseum.org/

The Tower of London

http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/ (including Crown Jewels)

Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum

http://www.madametussauds.com/london/

The Natural History Museum

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/

The Tate Modern Art Gallery

http://www.tate.org.uk/

Full day (It takes a whole day)

Kew Gardens

http://www.kew.org/

Camden Market

http://www.camden-market.org/

For each location say:

• What day you will visit,
• How much you will have to pay to get in,
• Which Tube station you will travel to (nearest to location), and the zone it is in.

(Here's a map showing different zones) (check addresses on each website)

 

• What will you do on the rest of your days?  (Divide them between full or half day activities)

Search the web for other things to do in London.

What is the total cost? (Try to make the best out of your money and time)

Why did you choose those activities?

I hope you enjoyed this make believe activity, I am sure it will help you next time you want to plan a trip to a new city. Cheers! 

(Remember to complete your chart and give it to me)

Post 6, Free Themed Post: Paranormal Events

Today, We are writing about paranormal events/experiences. Do you think are real? Why?Why not?

Include:

Your opinion
Reasons (facts)
Experiences (or examples), you can link them in your post

(Minimum 160 words)

Post 5, An important photograph

Dear Students, this week's topic is talking about an important photograph that you consider special.
The important thing is to explain the story of that particular picture and why it is still relevant to you.

In my case, I am going to present you a picture I had half-forgotten from my facebook photo folder.
In there, It appears Pedro Cid (R.I.P.) and myself, many years younger. The reason I wanted to talk about this picture is to pay homage to this young man, with whom I belonged to a short-lived band. I cannot say that I was close friends with Pedro, we just met during rehearsals and what not, but It is a strange bond the one that it is formed between band members. He was the DJ, and I played bass. Even though we came from different worlds and lifestyles, I can say for sure that we always enjoyed sharing our views on music and on life. He was a very serious and driven musician. During the rest of the time, he worked in odd jobs, and also in outdoor activities.
Well, regarding the picture, It was taken in Cine Arte Alameda, in Santiago, during the winter of 2009. I think It was the first time for us playing there. I was quite inexperienced and nervous, but I remember Pedro keeping its cool at all times, he was a very reassuring person, and you can tell that on how concentrated he is at that moment.
We played for a few years, and when the band disbanded, we lost contact. Some years ago, I received the news that he was gone, he had died in a very tragic event. So, getting together as a band again is impossible. Nevertheless, The music and the memories remain.


Don't forget to comment below. Also, check and comment on your partner's posts (3 at least)

Post 4: (Free themed post) What is your take on...

Dear Students, since we are facing a period of sit-ins and student strikes, which imply a great social and cultural change in our University. It would be a great idea to share your thoughts on this topic. What is your opinion on the feminist movement in our day and context? What are the current challenges in our shared spaces?
Try to write as much as you like, 140 words at least
Feel free to include references (images, audio or video)

Post 3. My favourite piece of technology

Hi guys, Today we will discuss on Technology, not in the big sense of the word, but on its low-scale, day-to-day use.

Please check out my Post to get an idea for the Topic:

 I used to think that I  didn't care about technology at all, but currently I consider it a very important topic.
On a personal level, I check my e-mails daily and carry my phone at every time. I think I have a healthy relation with the internet, but anyways, who  wants to admit to be hooked on something?
If I am completely honest, I have to say that I depend a lot on my personal computer,
I use it to both work online and to learn a lot of stuff from it.
It is my main source of information, gathered from news sites, articles at specific sites, and social feed. I also enjoy listening to podcasts, It is a great way to improve and update my english.
I believe that learning to create and program in a computer is a great way to achieve a deeper understanding of technology today and its possibilities.
Regarding my work, I have done some visual pieces, using programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Processing. Still, I am not saying that I am a tech geek; I can barely work on them at a user level.
When I was very young, I actually had computing classes where teachers taught us a bit of programing. I don't know if kids today are aware of this.
To sum it up, My favourite piece of technology today is my personal laptop, I would be completely lost without it. It is my main source of information and communication. I prefer it over mobile phones due to its bigger work power and its storage size.
Also, I can constantly update my English vocabulary and grammar.

Finally, I want to share a video that shows some uses of the Processing programme, I hope you enjoy it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT7We17o4zU

So, What do you think of the use we make of technology? Please share your thoughts.

Write about your favourite piece of technology (it doesn't have to be very fancy, just keep it simple and honest) ;)

Say:

What it is.
When you got it.
How you use it.
How often you use it.
Why you like it.
What life would be like without it.




- 130 words minimum. (no less than this please)
- Include a picture.
- Comment on your teacher's post and 3 of your classmates’ blogs.

Post 2 Why did you choose this career/study programme?

Since we started  giving opinions last class, let's put into practise some of the tips we just saw:

Opinion
Reason
Example
Opinion (Restate or Summary)

Why did you choose this career/study programme?

First, check out my post:

As I see it, one should strive for the things that give you great pleasure, and at the same time become useful for other people. Only a minority has the time or means to actually choose what they want to be. For that reason, one should take the time to be honest to yourself, and make an extra effort to get involved in the activities you really love.

Since I was very little, I always had a fondness for learning. My favourite activities were reading books and looking at illustrations. My mother had a great children's library at her job(she worked in a nursery school). So my first memories are related with the act of reading. I remember many classics, such as 'Hansel and Gretel' or 'Goldilocks and the three bears'. I loved these stories, many of them included wonderful pictures. By being close to these books, I  started to wonder if someday I could also make pictures that could tell stories in personal and innovative ways.  

As time went by,  I became interested other kinds  of narratives, from novel to chronicles and essays. I had many interests, and I was not able to make a choice between my academic ambtitions and a personal need for self-expression.
During my last high-school year I was a bit of a mess thinking about my prospects.

What should I study? Should I follow my dreams and needs? Or should I study something more practical and sensible ?

Many people tried to give me proper advice, but I only found their own hopes and fears projected 

on mine. In the end, I decided to follow my gut and let my  natural curiosity do the work: 

I decided to study English Literature  (and Linguistics), a career that I thought would help me continue studying many different subjects.
I didn't know anything about Linguistics at that point, but  I really wanted to read all the English classics in their original language.
In the end, many things turned out to be different for the better.

I learned a lot about Linguistics, which is a unique science that has influenced many areas of knowledge and culture up to these days.
For that same reason, I learned  how to study and write at an academic level, which is one of the best skills you can learn at Uni..

When I was 18 I wasn't really thinking about earning a living (silly me), but I must recognize that things have gone pretty well. Today, I have a teaching position, I can interact with a great deal of  interesting people (that means you!), and  knowing a second language has helped me a lot in my art projects and studies.

Early inspiration.

You should give them a try

So what about you? Don't forget to comment!

So, Now is your turn!

You can write about:

- your dream jobs when you were a child

- other career options that you had at the moment of applying to University

- what made you decide in the end

- your life at the faculty

- the kind of job you would like to have

Remember

You should write at least 120 words. 

Don't use a translator, use an online dictionary  instead.  (www.wordreference.com)

(Feeling a bit blocked? Relax, write first some key words for each step, and then start writing.)

Post1: My autobiography

Hey guys, this is our first official blog session, so I hope you can have some fun and learn a lot about yourself and others. Today you have to provide an autobiography.

Here you can see an example:

Daniel Alejandro Estrada de la Cruz was born in Santiago the 19th of March of 1985* . At an early age he showed lots of interest in reading stories, learning languages and drawing characters and comics. He started his elementary education in San Miguel. He has fond memories of his early years at a small primary bilingual school (Ashell English College); he learned his first words in English there.

He finished high-school at Liceo José Victorino Lastarria in Providencia.he took the decision to continue his studies in both Literature and the English Language.  Both his parents studied careers related with education and humanities in state Universities, so the choice was clear to him.

He entered to the Universidad the Chile in 2003, finishing his first BA in 2006. During those years,she met his current couple, who is also an  English educator. 

Since then, he has worked in different institutions, teaching English to young and adult learners. In the meantime, he decided to pursue his other passion, the Visual arts.

 Consequently, he applied to the same University, this time obtaining a second bachelor's degree in 2016. He really likes reading, painting and ocassionaly playing the bass; he used to be in a short-lived band at the end of the last decade. 

 He is currently a teacher and he is starting his Master's degree in Media Art . Now he spends most of his time teaching, studying and sometimes working on several art projects. It is a busy life but it is worth the trouble!

*(or March the 19th  of 1985)

 Here are some pictures of my life as a teacher and student:

Now, It's your turn!

Write an autobiography, using the 3rd person singular (She/He) and include the following info:

- Birth info

- Studies info (elementary/high school/ uni)

- Family Info

- Hobbies

- Others... (pics for example)

> Number of words: 120 (minimum)

Make comments on three of your classmates' posts + a comment on your teacher post as well.

(This is very important in order to complete the task!) 

You can use a dictionary if necessary, but do not use translators, they are impersonal, inaccurate  and above all, very BORING!

Have fun!