English learning experience

Hi everybody!
Today is my last post in English class (yeah!), and I will talk about English learning experience. About English experience in UChile, it's very good for my development, to improve my English in my career and had a lot of works, presentations and listening with a good average (5.0 to 5.5 aprox.). I had other English classes in school and the previous university, but these classes have very well, with a lot of activities.
I enjoyed these classes, mainly presentations, because the topics of English presentations had very interesting and the results were good. Other reason is this blog. Realize this blog, for this semester was very interesting and sometimes funny. But, the blog was the better way to improve my English and interact with my classmates, and presentations were very good to have good vocabulary and pronunciation.
The most boring of English class is the written test, because didn't have interact with my classmates and sometimes, topics and texts have very boring.
The most difficult part in English class was complete words in a text. Sometimes have only one correct of 10 words or sometimes didn't finish the activity, because I needed more time to complete sentences.

Well, this is the last post. Thanks for your time to read these posts and have a good time.
Yours sincerely

Cristian Campos Valdivia.

Classmate's blogs

Hi everybody!
Today I will talk about a blog of one classmate. This blog is Revolution! of Nicolás Villalobos. I like this blog because is easy to read, interesting posts and simple in the distribution.
This blog first with a image of The Beatles, the title of this blog is "Revolution!" and it's a song of The Beatles. In the posts, have interesting images and titles.
The post which I enjoyed most is "Favorite Childhood Game", the last post of this blog. I enjoyed this post because I played the game "Galaga" in NES or flipper in vacations. I remember this game, because it's simple, not easy and funny. I played this game when I had 5 to 10 years, and always die in the 3rd level, it's very difficult!
About this blog, is necessary to improve that, principally the distribution and configuration of the page. The image of The Beatles, generate problems with space and the posts appear in the lower side of the page and it's necessary for a reader blog, scroll up to see this blog.
In some post, the text height is very, very small. This problem generates difficulty for read. Furthermore, colors of the text and different text height in different post is one of the problems that it's necessary improve.
Other things to improve are to add links of all classmates. The reason is, to generate better access to another blogs and make navigates easy.
In spite of these problems, the blog is very interesting, good choices to answer the questions and topics and other reasons to enjoyed this blog.

Favorite game when I was a child

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about my favorite game when I was a child. This game was called Nintendo. Nintendo Entertainment System is the first videogame console when I used in my life. I played this game with a color TV (I played in a IRT TV) and a transformer. My favorite game in this console is Super Mario Bros. To play this game, I needed to buy a cartridge, put the cartridge (and blow this) and finally, play this game (one or two players). It was very simple, but not very easy to connect to the TV. In this situation, I needed to buy an adaptation. The game consist in a person to pass 8 worlds, eat coins and fungus (to growth or to give 1 up). The objective is to capture the princess in a castle, in the 8th world. The man, pass dessert, pipe or ice worlds.

I played this game regularly, 3 or 4 times a week. Sometimes, in a holidays, I played all the day, until finish the game, except in February when I didn't play the game, because transport this console to another house or TV, is very difficult and dangerous, in this period.

I played this game alone normally, but sometimes I played this game with my brother or another friend. This game only plays with 2 players, because the configuration of Super Mario Bros only can play with Mario (Red) or Luigi (Green).

I like this game because it was very funny, addictive and simple to play. But, the problems of this game are the ocular problems, because the color TV wasn't very good and old, and the transformer is bad. For me, is very common to heat up the transformer and burn out and other electrical problems. During the time, have good transformers and didn't have this problems. In 1996, my parents changed the TV and bought a Goldstar TV, to see the football match, and play better the game until 1997, when I have a PC and the old NES didn't like that.

The Best Chilean: Pedro Aguirre Cerda

Hi everybody!
Today I will talk about "The Best Chilean". For me, the best Chilean is Pedro Aguirre Cerda.
This man was a president of Chile, between 1938 and 1941. He was a political figure and member of Radical Party.
The slogan "Gobernar es educar" (to govern is to educate) show this priority in government was education. He promoted the development of the technical-industrial schools and creates the Production Development Corporation (CORFO) to encourage with subsidies and direct investments and a program of import substitution industrialization (ISI). This was a basis of the industrialization of my country. In education, in this government, built thousands of new regular schools and encouraged the growth of the university system to cover the whole of the country.
For me, this is a important person, because the legacy of education keep until today (in spite of that education today is wrong, but for other reasons) and create an institution to develop industries, it remains today, supporting small and medium enterprises (PYMES) and other encourage in investigation and innovation.
If I could ask him, the question is: Create a lot of schools is great, but the quality of the class in this schools, how do you measure that? How do you encourage the quality of education? I think the answer of these questions, resolve the problem of education today, because he creates the system, but today, have to need an actualization.
Other thing about Pedro Aguirre Cerda is the chileans call him Don Tinto, because he had a farm with grapevine to create wine in Los Andes.

A good job

Hi everybody!
Today I will talk about a good job. The job i will like to do is a geographer, principally in coastal planification. I like this job, because this job have a relation to my career and that is the reason to study this career. I like to plan and design regulator plans, places can build a harbor or a marina and demarcate roads and track to access beaches.
I think about this job I enjoy that, because it is very interesting for me and I will work with people who studied other disciplines like architecture, engineers and many others. I like coastal planification because in my country, this topic doesn't have developed, except this year, about consequences of the tsunami in February 2010.
I will be satisfying job to do, because i give to this job my knowledge about waves, coastal morphodinamics, my experience of surfing and field works in my career.
At this moment, I don't know anybody who has this kind of job, that meet with him, but I think that many people in the state or private organizations have people this kind of job.
I really like many other jobs, like surf instructor, glaciologist or geomorpher, but during the years, this jobs will changes for I like. The reason is, to understand and enter to this job, have a different perception regarding for to know before.
Why surf instructor? Because is funny, regular paid and have well ambient.
Why glaciologist? Because is interesting, applied to my career.
Why geomorpher? Because this job not very people work in there.

Famous Person and Historical

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about my favorite historical and famous person. This man is Eddie Aikau.

If you don't know this famous person, he is a hawaiian surfer. He was born in May 5, 1946 and die in February 1978.

Even though he's dead, I will like to meet, because for me, is a heroe. He tried to rescue the boat "Hokulea", organizated by the Polynesian Voyaging Society in 1978. He didn't use a life preserver, he used a surfboard to tried to rescue all the crew. He paddled toward Lanai (a hawaiian island) on his surfboard. I like to talk to him and explains to me, the real use of surfboard in different situations, why he made that decision to paddled to an island and didn't use a life preserver, further that he was a good surfer and talk to me the real experience of big waves.

He knew about waves and I will ask to Eddie about his experience of surfing, the rescue (and motivation) and the knowledge of the coast an all necesary to know an lifeguard (I really don't like be a lifeguard, but the concepts of currents and waves is very interesting and he knew about that) and obviously, the legacy of all the surfers and some chilean surfers who want to follow his path (for example: Ramon Navarro).

His person is interesting not only for me, but all chilean people who suffer the consequences of the tsunami and explains to this people "don't be afraid to go to sea, but they must be know it well" and have a good conversation to the victims, surfers and geographers to make a decision an motivation (and responsability) to live in the coast and the real spirit of surfing.

Learning english

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about "learning english". I like learning english because it's funny, useful and sometimes easy. I think about english is sometimes easy, because most of commercial, words, concepts have in english; but, to use correct words, redaction and pronunciation is very difficult to me, because I'm talking all the day in spanish, my conversation is in spanish, that is my native language.

I think learning english is very useful, because it's necessary for understand books, papers; to communicate with other people who speak english and understand lyrics of my favorite bands and composers. But, it's not very useful to my relation with other people who speak spanish.

Will english be useful in my future profession? Of course. Today I need to read papers which the language is in english, this blog is in english and many books, relation to geography is in english, so it's very useful to my career. Many concepts about physical geography and human geography is in english. Many authors, investigators and scientist speak english. For science, english is similar to the common language, to communicate to another countries.

Finally, english is a language for business, science, and sometimes, an academic language. If I will a good professional, I need to speak english very well, write, understand and explains in english to the other people. My situation now is: I have 14 years to learn english, in different schools and universities, but, in spite of learning english a lot of years, I'm not write and speak english well (this blog probably have a redaction problems) and this blog is a tool to improve my english redaction.

Perfect day

Hi everybody!
Today I will talk about "Perfect day". An a idea for a perfect day, this day only in saturday or sunday. This day start in the morning (7 am), wake up in the house and listen the sea. 8 am, I'm going surfing in the beach, because this hour doesn't have people in the beach. I'm surfing until 9:30 to 10:00 am. I take a shower and eat a good breakfast and see in a TV only good and intersting news. A little have to rest and 12am, go to the fields, very short walking. At 2pm, I'm going to lunch, with my family in a sushi restaurant. 3:30 pm, I'm get in a car and go to the hills and listen good music in the car. 4 pm, I'm climbing the hill, and I found in a rock, a fossil and I question, what time this fossil stay here? Why this fossil have in the rock in this hill? 5pm, I need to rest, drink water (good water) and go down and take the car. 7pm, I'm going to a good cake shop and cafeteria and I eat strawberry pie and a good tea. 9 pm, I stay in a home, watching TV and my cellphone ringing... My friend invites me a good party in his house. 10 pm, I'm going to the grocery store and the cashier deal me very good, I buy some food and good wine. 11 pm, I'm going to the party, and celebrate until 2 am and the next hour, I wash my teeth and next, I'm going to the bed and sleep.
I supposed, the questions have been replied. But this perfect day, didn't have in Santiago, because this city doesn't have beach. In another place in Chile, the situation could happen.

A shop I like

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about my favorite shop. The name of this shop is "Surfers Paradise". This shop is in Santiago, in Apoquindo 4900 (96-98) in the Omnium Shopping Center. This shop sells surfboards and accessories for the surfers (leash, fins, decks, wetsuits and many others) and body boarders. Clothes don't sell in this shop, because in the east side, have a shop that sells clothes for surfers and public in general.

Why I like it? Because this shop is near my house, the accessories were very cheap and the service is very good.

The first time when I went there is in 2007, that looked up to surf schools near Santiago and gave me a surf school in Maitencillo, V Region and other visit when bought a wetsuit.

I visit this shop irregularly, 2 or 3 times a month or 2 times a year or 5 times a week, it's very irregular my visit for this shop, because sometimes I needed only a wetsuit or boots, but this year in march, I visited 6 times a week, because I have a volunteer for the recollection of clothes and food to the affected to the tsunami and earthquake.

The last thing who bought in this shop is a boot, because I had problems with the cold water in winter and need to cover my foot.

This kind of shop I like, because is a technical shop, sells only accessories for surfers, surfboards and body boards and all the necessary for to go to the beach and go surfing.

My favorite "Fiestas Patrias"

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about my favorite "Fiestas Patrias" memory. Today, I can write in my blog, because I have problems with my Google Account, sorry for my delay.

My favorite "Fiestas Patrias", I don't remember the year, but i have good memories for that. This party was realizing in my grandmother house, in Tomé, in Biobío Region. This party was funny and I ate a lot of seafood, meat (in barbecue, obviously) and the best of that, this celebration had to get together to all my relatives, parents and friends. This celebration had not only seafood or meat; I ate many potatoes with mayonnaise and carrot, other salads and fruits and a good dessert (cake). The place is beautiful to have celebration, because many people celebrate in their houses in the day and the "Fondas" in the night.

But, why this celebration it was so memorable?

Because this is the last celebration where all my relatives were present, except last year and today, I can't celebrate the "18" with my relatives other years, because the money who spent for to travel to the south of Chile is a lot, and this celebrations I spendt money in kebabs, barbecues, wine (good wine, not "Cartoné" or wine in a Tetra Pak), punch ("Ponche") of peach, pineapple or strawberry ("Borgoña"), "Vino Navegado" (Hot wine, with skin of orange and cinnamon) and many other drinks, like "Chicha".

The last year, my family tries to get together with my relatives and this celebration was good, but today, the ambient is very different to the last year. The reason is, the last earthquake and tsunami was affect to my relatives and the city (Tomé) and the place that I stay (Pingueral). The landscape is very different to the last year, I saw the destruction of the tsunami and the reason for the celebration in the south of Chile is to meet again, after the earthquake.

Students demonstrations

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about student demonstrations. This week and the last week the students of my faculty, had a demonstration of education politics of the government. I really don't like explain this topic, but it's an obligatory activity...

These students voted stopped academic activities in the FAU, and some students had a march in the center of Santiago. The consequences of this march, in the last Thursday had a strike with the police and they shot paintballs to inside the university and tear gas.

Leopoldo Prat, dean of the FAU, wrote a public declaration and explains all the situation of students, point of view of the strike and the reason of this demonstration. After, Víctor Pérez, rector of Universidad de Chile, wrote other public declaration, who explains a preoccupation of this situation, suspended a meeting with the general director of the police and set a meeting with Rodrigo Hinzpeter, Ministry of the Interior.

Personally I think these demonstrations always generate problems, strikes between students and government, doesn’t generate dialog with 2 parts and don’t resolve the problem of education. Refer to I need to participate of this activities; I don’t like that, because I don’t like to generate problems with the police.

But the reason of in this Blog, don’t explain more about my opinion of this demonstration, because I have a lot of problems with my classmates with this topic, about classes suspension and all of this meeting of faculty and I really, don’t like to explain more of this topic and all the readers of this blog and the teacher understand my decision.

A good book

Hi everybody!

Today I write in my house, because I can't enter to the faculty... but the english activity continues.

I will talk about a good book. The book calls "Mala Onda" and it was by Alberto Fuguet.

I chose to read this book because it is obligatory text in my school (this book read in 2004) and all of books when I read, it's the best.

Obviously, I enjoyed this book. This book refers the context of young man’s in 1980. They have a good economic situation and the author explains all of this adventures, the process in the capital city Santiago and the problems of the curfew. I enjoyed this book, because all of the topics, context and situations are interesting and relatively near to my life, but... in 1980!

This book read in my house and school library. But, the good place to read this book or another books in the beach or in the toilet. The reason is: In the beach, the sound of broken waves or wind was perfect for concentration and in the toilet, because it is necessary to didn't boring.

Read is a good activity, but the difficult situation is read a book, a newspaper or magazine. Sincerely, I like to read magazines, academic books or newspapers instead of novels, best sellers or other narrative books. The reason is, all of this books only reads when I call to read and now, I can’t feel to enjoy this books.

That is the reason that I don’t like these books now.

Chilean miners' families pitch up at Camp Hope

Families, friends and curious people live in theis camp. 33 miners have at 700 meters below the surface and 2o days trapped. "I can breath easy now. There's no doubt" say Pedro Segovia, one of 33 miners trapped.

http://bit.ly/cRFFV7

3rd Surfestival 2008. An a surfing exhibition.

Hi everybody!

Today I will talk about 3rd Surfestival in 2008. This festival have an exhibition of surfboard, surf movies like "Chile Oculto" or "One Track Mind", an music. This festival was realize in december 2008, the first week in many places. I visited this festival in Mall Sport in Santiago de Chile. The festival traveled to Iquique, Maitencillo, Pichilemu and Puertecillo. The last Surfestival was cancelled in Santiago, because it had problems with the earthquake.

I really enjoyed this event, because it is the moment who disconnect to the routine and test (I visited this festival after PSU) and I really interested about places to surf in Chile and another places in the world. As well, I visited the surfboard exhibition, when have many designs of chilean shapers (Shaper: A person who design and create a surfboard) or world shapers.

The negative point of this festival is the bad experience in the mall, because the place closed at 10 pm, and the festival closed at 11:30 pm, so I trapped, because all the doors was close with padlocks and chains. Solution: I ran to the parking lot in the underground an I escaped to the street to go to the bus stop.

I decided to go to this event because it's free, near to my house and the topic is interesting and... I needed to relax after PSU. This festival didn't have many people but enough to the develop of the festival.

The music of this festival was good, because the brazilian singer sings covers of Jack Johnson or other singers or bands and his songs in portuguese.

Snowboarding, an activity that i would like to do.

Hi everybody!

Today, in the 2nd semester, I will talk about something interesting I would like to do. This activity is snowboarding. But, what it is?

Snowboarding is an activity very similar to surfing, but it isn't realize in the sea. Only practice in the snow (that is the reason of the name snow-boarding). But, board in the snow? Yes, the board isn't made up with wood, but made up with aluminium. The first snowboard was create in 1968. In Chile, in the 90's is the first practice in the ski resorts (Lagunillas and Valle Nevado).

And why you would like to do it?

Because, it's similar to surfing. I tried to have classes of snowboarding in 2005, but in the school group, I was the only person interested to practice this sport, all of the classmates like skiing. The most important reason is, practice snowboarding is very useful to practice surfing, mainly balance and legs moving.

This activity is interesting because it's funny, similar to skateboarding, surfing or other board sports. In my case, the place do I will practice, is near to my house, because I live closer to the mountain.

But, I think this activity is to be good to practice, because i have experience in surfing (not very good, but i practice something) and snowboarding is very similar. I think it's is not complicated to me and i learn very quickly. The problem is, this activity is very expensive, to have equipment and to go to the ski resorts.

A work of art: Die gelbe Kuh

Hello everybody!
Today i will talk about a work of art i like. This painting is "Die Gelbe Kuh", in english: "The Yellow Cow".
This painting was created by Franz Marc, german painter. He borned in 1880 in Munich and he was died in 1916 in Braquis. He created this work in 1911 and it's the second work. The movement of this work is the expresionism, because the colorful cow and landscapes identifies this movement.
I like this painting because the use of colors, to use to paint a... cow? The gesture and position likes very funny, shows the pose of the cow.
I saw this painting the first time in 2006, when i had a subject in the last university says Expressionism and Surrealism in Europe. When i had a work of another painting, i choosed this work. Next, i investigated this work and i need to realized a essay for this paint. For my fortune or my good choice, i had a good mark.
What makes this work special?
This work makes special because this paint is funny, gracious and interesting. I like the gesture of cows, when the cows running (yes, it's very funny) and this painting shows this movement and obviously, i like this paint. Another reason is, when i realized this essay, i have a very good mark in this subject in second semester 2006. Now, this subject can't validate of my actual career, Geography. Because, Geography and... Expressionism and Surrealism? don't have any relation.
Well, if you like this painting, please comment of this blog.

Favorite Website: Surfline

Hello Everybody!

Today I will talk about my favorite website. This website is Surfline. (http://www.surfline.com/)

Surfline is a website that talk about surfing.

I visit this page about 2 or 3 times a week. Somedays, when i stay in Pichilemu or other places in the coast, i visited 2 or 3 times a day.

This page shows about surfing photos, forecasts, videos, surf sessions, surf discussion, and all about waves.
I found this page in the summer, when i need to know about waves in the coast in this week and I heared a recomendation from my friend for this page.
I like this page, because it's useful, necessary and interesting for to go to surfing. Besides, i the last week it's necessary of my work in Sea Geography.
The best thing about this page for me is forecast. This section have a good forecast of central Chile and the beachs (or spots) to go to surfing, in details.
The problem when i don't like it is the language. This page have in English and the measure units have in imperial, not in metric. Besides, the surf cams doesn't have in Chile, because the resources to put the webcams in the beach is very expensive and the broadband (8 to 10 M/Seg) doesn't have in all chilean territory, mainly in the coast of south of Chile.
My other friends don't like it because the language don't understand (not only english, the technical surfer words), my friends doesn't interesting about surfing and prefer to visit other websites.

If you have interested about the conditions of the coast in central Chile, please visit the Surfline Gadget, in the right side of this blog.
Well, that is all my post.
Bye
Cristian Campos V.

Second free post: Parral

Hello everybody:
Today I will talk about my field work in Parral, VII Region. In the last thursday, I prepare the luggage to going to Parral. This work concern to the subject: Cultural Geography. I was going to Parral about 4 days. The idea of this field work is to get back artistical and cultural heritage, and the building patrimonial. My field of study is the center of the town, historic quarter. Why the name is "Historic Quarter"? Because this is the functional center and it's the oldest part of the town.
This zone have many shops, banks (one and the most important bank is destroyed), churchs, administrative buildings, municipality building, public library, public high school, notary's office, theather, primary school and many adobe houses, when the last earthquake, many houses was collapsed. After the earthquake, many adobe houses was replaced with shacks or huts. In Parral, 15 people died and the Hospital have structural damage.
The high school have structural damage in the second and third floor. The windows was broken, the structural rods was bended.

My best holiday!

Hello everybody!:

Today I will talk about my best holiday when I remember. This holiday was in august 2006. I had visited Brazil an travel to Búzios. This days in Brazil is the coolest days, but, for me is normal and nice temperature. I traveled with my brother and my sister and I stay in a "Pousada" for one week.

First, I have a scale in Sao Paulo for 45 minutes, and next, I arrived in Rio de Janeiro. Next, I take a tourism bus to Búzios. These days I enjoyed the hot sea waters in the beach, yellow sands and drink a lot of Caipirinha (but, I never felt drunk, yes, really). I visited beaches like Joao Fernandez, Ferradura, Tartaruga, Forno, and all the beaches was different. One have calm, other have more waves, other have hot waters, etc.

In the night, I visited restaurants, but discos didn't open. Only live music and sang bossanova.

The town is beautiful and the people nice.

I remember this holiday, because is the most different than other holidays. Naturally, I have holidays in february and september, but not in august. My normal holidays travel in Chile in a car, bus or train. This time is the first time to arrive to a plane and fly, first time to going out to Chile and the first time to have holidays in august! Yes, this holiday have more first times, and that is the reason when this holidays didn't forget.

That is my best and significant vacations in Brazil.

Mistakes and fails of my presentation

Hello everybody!

Today i will talk about my english presentation. The topic of this presentation is surfing. I talked 4 minutes aprox. I brought magazines and an object with the surfer needs to surf.

But, my problems about my presentation are my pronunciation and I forgot some words and order to the words.

When I explained about accesoires of surfing, I forgot more words, because I didn't have notes.

The topic was interesting, but the magazine distracted to the classmates. I think, this magazine is more interesting than my presentation, and that is the problem.

About my presentation in MS Powerpoint, the slides are good, but not clearly to the classmates. I need to improve my english fluency and don't forget words in this presentation. Sincerely, the concept of surfing it looks a tongue twister.

Well, I don't saw other problems about my presentation. I will expect with your comments about my presentation, because I need a feedback.