Post 10: English Challenges

Hi! Today is my last blog session and I have to talk about this English subject.

First I have to say that I appreciate to learn new languages at University, because I believe that University has to serve to learn new things, not only things about our careers and languages are one of the other knowledge that University have to bring to us .

Also, on my career Anthropology I always have to read papers in English for Prehistory or Archeology, because always the new studies or theories come in English, so learn it is really useful for that.

About this subject I think that was a good subject, but I think that maybe we could learn more vocabulary about our careers. Anyway I believe that this subject is good because prepare us to understand English, to talk in English and also to write, because of that I considerate very important the blog, we can express our ideas or things that we have done, because we are prepared to talk or write in past of future.

I practice my English watching movies in English without subtitles and listening to music in English and looking for the lyrics. Anyway I think that for learn English we have to be systematic for always learn more and more.

I hope in the future could travel to other countries and I think that know English is really important for that, for communicate with people that don't speak the same language because English is like the universal language. 

Post 9: 2015 Reflections Have you had a good year?

Hello! Today I have to talk about my year.
First, I have to say that this year is ending very fast, maybe I think that because I did a lot oh things this year. Despite this, I think that this has been a very good year  but also a very tiring year.
In the University, this has been a quiet year, I think that I will pass all my subjects.

Also, I participate in a organization with some of my neighbors, this year we began our free football school, this has been a great challenge for us, because it involves much constant effort, we do the classes two times a week. This has not been easy, but is gratifying see the progress of children and see their smiling faces.

This year also has been a year of new learnings, I learnt to do "serigrafía", so now I'm participating on a brigade. Also I'm doing a class to learn "mapuzungun".

Also, this year I could travel a lot to watch Colo-Colo matches, I traveled to Antofagasta, Talcahuano (two times) and Valparaiso. I hope that Colo-Colo would the champion this year.
This year I could go to many concerts like Kevin Johansen, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Jorge Drexler, Damas Gratis and more.

This has been a really good year, I did a lot of things but all with support of my boyfriend and family.
And I can say that all the things that I did during the year made me very happy.

Post 8: Summer Plans

Hi! Today I have to talk about my summer plans. 

Really I am not sure what I will do this summer, but I know that I would like to rest a lot, because this year has been really tiresome, so I have not had much time to rest. Also, this holiday will begin later than usual so I am waiting for it eagerly. My holidays will begin after Christmas because I have a mandatory exam a day before. I will celebrate Christmas with my family and the New Year with my boyfriend, we will go to the beach to celebrate.

In January I think that I would travel with my mother and my dad, maybe we will go to Peru, because I have family there so we could stay a couple of weeks there.

In February I would like to travel and spend time with my boyfriend and friends. Maybe me and my boyfriend will go to the south because he has family there and he wants me to meet them.

Also I would like to do activities here in Santiago, things like go to the cinema or Theatre, go to the swimming pool, go to the beach and do all the things that I can´t do because I have to study. Because of that I won't work or study in summer, I believe that holidays are made to rest and travel, if you can.

Finally, when summer ends I will celebrate my birthday, first with my family and at night with my friends. I expect to finish my summer in the best way.

Post 7: My Best Friend

Hi! Today I have to talk about my best friend, well, first I have to say that I'm very lucky because I have two bests friends that have been close to me for so many years.
One of my bests friends calls Macarena, I met her at school when we were four years old, so we have been friends for like sixteen years. I consider she like on of my bests friends because we have been always together, in good and bad moments she is like my sister, I can trust in her and I know that she will be always with me. Also, now she lives very close to my house, so when I need to talk with someone I know that she is there for me.I think that the best memory that I have with her I when we were to Brazil, It was very nice to know a new place with her.
When I changed from school I met Constanza, my other best friend. We have been friends for five years, but I feel that we met from all ours lifes. She is very similar to me, we listen the same music so we always go to concerts together. I think that the best memory with her were when we went to the south.
I'm very happy to have two bests friends in my like, I know that I can trust in them and they can trust on me.

Post 6: How Green are you?

Hi! Today I have to talk about environment and how protect it. First I have to say that I think that this is a very important topic today because global warming progress so we have to do something for stop it.

I think that the best place to learn environmentally friendly practices is first our homes, is important teach our kids since they are little to protect the environment. After that I believe that the school is very important, because is a place in which we stay a lot of time.
In my case I have incorporated recycling in my habits, in my house we separate the garbaje and we do fertilizer with organic waste. Also, on mi house we prefer use reusable bags when we go to buy something.

I don't participate in any eco-organization because I don't have time, but in the future I would like to participate in a community garden near to my house.

For reduce the carbon footprint is important to use clean energy and try to dont't use the car when is not necessary. In my case, when I have to go to a near place a prefer use my bike.
To end, I think that it's very necessary create public politics for protect out environment like recycling projects in all us neighborhoods. Also is important to build bikeways to promote a healthy lifestyle that also help the environment.

Post 5: My Future Job

Hi, today I have to talk about my future job. Could be weird, but I dream with a job that has not connected with Anthopology. I would like to work in something independent in which nobody say to me what I have to do. Also, I know that I want to work in my house, maybe doing something with my hands, like clothes, books, or even cooking something. I'm always searching workshops to learn new things. 
I would like to have an little business with my parents or friends, because I believe that the better is always work with dear people, with who exsist confidence and affection, so this way work would be something fun. My dream is someday have a place with my mother in which we can do things and algo sell it, because my mom weaves really beautiful things.

In case that I have to work on Anthropology, It has to be something outdoor, because I hate close spaces. Also, I would like a job in which I could travel a lot and visit different and far countries, knowing new and different people and cultures, because I like to interact with people and learn new thing of themselves. I think that te best way to learn something is traveling and living new experiences so what better than work on this.

Post 4: Election Day

Hi! Today I have to talk about elections.
First I have to say that I've never vote for elections, because I think that vote has not importance, because always wins the same people. Especially here in Chile, because we have the "Sistema Binominal" so always wins someone from de two big coalitions. For me to vote is participate on this farce in which they want to convince us that we are free for choose who govern us.
I think that is more important participate in ours spaces like universities or in ours neighborhoods than only with the elections in which we participate only once a year (or less).
So because of that I won't vote in the next presidential election.
About the electoral campaigns I think that are a lie, because politicians say always the same things but the never do changes that benefit the people who need. Also, they fill the streets with advertising that after transform in trash.
I've never consider becoming a politician, because I prefer do changes in my everyday, in an horizontal way.
Finally, I think that a politician has to be an outgoing person and has to be confidence in himself.

Post 3: A day to remember

I think that a remarkable day in my life was on April 2014. This day my team called Colo-Colo won a championship, the number 30 on their long history.

Colo-Colo played with Santiago Wanderers at 12:00 in Estadio Monumental. I remember that previous days I couldn't sleep, and I thought a lot on the match. When the day came I woke up really early, I couldn't eat anything and I went to the Stadium with mi friends, all of us were really nervous.

The Stadium were full of people eager for watch the match, It's the time that I have seen the stadium fullest of people.

I don´t remember details of the match, but I will never forget the goal of Felipe Flores, I ran to hugged my best friend. The second time of the match was eternal, when finished I started crying because I couldn't believe that we were champions after bad times. It was emotional see so many people crying of emotion for the same reason, and were the same people which I pass bad moments.
After the match I went to celebrate with my friends to my house.

Post 2: The Best Concert I've ever seen

Hello, today I have to talk about The Best Concert I've ever seen. It's not easy choose only one.

Mi favorite kind of music is Ska, and I have two favorite bands. First I like a band called Skatalites, their are one of the legends of ska-reggae. My other favorite band is Skalariak,  they aren't together now but their singer Juantxo sings in another band called The Kluba.

In October 2014, Skatalites celebrated their 50 years, so they came to a Concert in Teatro Caupolican in which they came with a lot of ska bands, between them Juantxo, Desorden Público and Los Pericos. Me and my friends buy the tickets well in advance, because we knew it would be a good concert.

There is the best concert I can remember. I've seen Skatalites many times, but this was the best.

Also, I had never seen Juantxo, because two years ago he cancelled a concert.

See Skatalites  with Juantxo  was a dream come true .

It was  a full afternoon of ska with my friends, we dance a lot. 

Post 1: A country I would like to visit

Hello. Today I have to talk about a country I would like to visit. I love traveling, and there are so many places that I want to visit, but the country that  I most like to visit is México, for many reasons.
First of all because the history there, also I would like to visit the beautiful beaches.
About México I know about its history, because I had a subject last semester about Mesoamerica, so I know a lot about Mayas and Aztecas.



I would like to visit the pyramid on Teotihuacan, and also the ruins on Chichen Itza, because there are places that I know only for what I have read.
Finally I would like to visit the Azteca Stadium, and go for a match, because this is the biggest Stadium in México.


I think that México is a good place to visit, but I wouldn't like to live there because it is an unsafe place, here we hear about crime, kidnapping and drug trafficking.

Welcome

Hello, my name is Ana, I'm 21 years old. Now I'm on third year of Anthropology at Universidad de Chile. I live with my parents in La Florida. 

I think that my weakness in English is the oral part, because I don’t have confidence when I have to talk.

About my strengths I know grammar and vocabulary, but I have little problems with irregular verbs in past simple.

For this English class I expect to speak more and reinforce verbs in past.

Blog session 6: Challenges in Education.

It is common to hear that Chile is one of the Latin American countries where neoliberalism is most advanced. This becomes visible when we see that our basic rights are commercialized. We can see this in the health, education and housing.

But I think that what happens with education is the most important, because education is one of the foundations of a society, is precisely in schools where values that are considered fundamental are transmitted to our childrens, Neoliberalism transmits values such as competition and individualism, ignoring that the foundation of all learning should always be collective.

In Chile, this start after the military coup on 1973, from there our education has been privatized more and more.

Because of that, over the last years young students have protested, stopping their activities and siting their schools or universities.

Because of that, over the last years young students have protested, stopping their activities and siting their schools or universities for ask other education that should understands them like critical subjects and not just recipients of knowledge.

For me there are two principal challenges. The first is pass to the request to the proposition, the education movement has been characterized by going to ask for free and quality education, waiting for an answer from the State, but there are things that we can start building from now without anyone's permission.

The second challenge is understand that the problem is with a system, so problems are not only on education, also this system affect workers, teachers, etc. So we have to struggle together.

Blog session 5

Hi, today I'm gona talk about an expert on Anthropology that I admire. But first I have to explain  whats  is Anthropology:  Anthropology is mainly based on the study of culture, diversity and critical analysis of societies, is responsible for studying the reality of the human being through a holistic approach.

One well-known expert on this was Pierre Clastres, he was a French anthropologist and ethnologist. He was director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris, and member of the Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Sociale of the Collège de France. He joined the anarchist ideology and was actively involved in the events known as the French May. He was well known for his field work. He worked with Guayaki or Ache Indians from Paraguay and Brazil. Died prematurely in a car accident in 1977, leaving his work incomplete and scattered. Pierre Clastres opens the discussion of power and statehood in societies where the state is not present.

I admire Clastres because he was one of the first to focus on stateless societies, assuming its importance and studying them as they were, not from a ethnocentric

point of view. Also, I believe that your work has been so relevant that has affected not only anthropology if not philosophy, anarchism and political economy.

Blog session 4: Free themed post "My favourite music."

It's difficult for me choose only one kind of musica, I listen to music every day, but sometimes I want to listen one kind of music and sometimes other,depends of the thing that I'm doing. The kinds of musica that I listen more are ska,cumbia and reggae.

 I listen ska when I'm at home or in a party, I like dance it a lot. Mi favorite ska band is Skatalites, It's a old band, last year I went to the celebration of their 50 years. I have gone to see them many times, but last year was the best because the played with Juantxo Skalari, who is my favorite singer.

I like to listen cumbia when I have to sort my room, o before to go to the stadium every weekend. Because of that, I started to listen cumbia since 9 years ago when I went to the stadium for first time. We think that if we listen this music our team wins. Mi favorite band is Damas Gratis, I went to see them last year. There was a lot of people because they didn't come since 5 years.

Finally, I like to listen reggae when I'm reading or studying something. My favorite reggae band is Natiruts, they are from Brasil. I went to see them last year at Frontera Festival, there they play with Cafres, Attaque77, DosMinutos y Calle 13, there was a nice day.

Blog Session 3: "My favourite piece of technology."

Hi!

Today I have to write about my favourite piece of technology, I think that my favourite piece of technology is my mp3, because I like listening to music a lot and with it I can do that every time.

I use it everyday. When I’m at home I connect my mp3 to speakers, because I like that always sounds music at home, also I use my mp3 at bus especially when I have to do long trips. At university I use it when I have to read, because I think that I focus better with music.

I had a mp3 a lot of time, since I left the school but a couple of months ago I lose it, so I spent a few weeks without music. These days were very quiet, but last week my aunt gave me one mp3 for my birthday. I love my new mp3 because the battery never ends, and has 8GB so I can put a lot of music.

Blog session 2: Expectations for a new semester!

This semester I start the third year of Antropology, this year will be harder than the other years because I chose social anthropology’s mention, so introduction subjects ended. Because of that these semester I have 7 subjects, no 5 as before, so I will have to study hard for pass all my subjects, I hope not to have to give final tests.

At University, I participate in Colectivo La Laucha, with them, we do classes in different places, I hope to start to do classes in La Florida this semester, because I live there. 

Also, I would like to return to play soccer, when I started university I stop playing because I didn´t have time, but now I’m looking for a place to play that. 

Blog session 1: My Autobiography

Hello, Mi name is Ana García Contreras, I was born on the 5th of March of 1994 in Puente Alto, at Sotero del Rio Hospital. My father's name is Gilmer and my mother's name is Ana, just like me.  I currently live with both in La Florida. I am only daughter of my parents, but my father has a son who lives in Argentina, his name is Jose Alonso and he's 30 years old.

I went to Santa Maria de lo Cañas school, then I did a year of Bachillerato and now I’m studying Antropology at the Universidad de Chile.
I love soccer, I like playing and watch it, so I go to stadium every weekend with my friends to support Colo-Colo, also I like listening to music, my favorite kind of music is Ska  because is a good music for dance and listen.

I have not much free time, but when I can, I like walking with my dog or reading and interesting book.