Post 10

Dear all,

Today marks a day that many of you have been expecting. The day we finish the blog activity for this semester. Also, that means we're about to finish the semester, not counting this week, we only have 2 weeks left, one of class, and the last one (first week of July) with the oral and written evaluation.

Today's topic is:
"Evaluation of your Blogging Experience"



Probably for many, the complications of the semester made it difficult to catch up with this weekly activity, and some others may have found a reason to reflect on different topics so they could express what they felt about the different topics that we covered this semester.Here's other things you can mention.

> What you think about the experience in general
> How much you feel your writing skills have developed
> What you would like to include in the future
> What else you would like to write about

The minimum wordcount is 200!

Don't forget to make comments on 3 of your classmates' posts. 

Post 9

Hello!
for this ninth post, we’ll cover your last chosen topic!
That means we’ll write about travels. So here, I’ll tell you about my greatest trip J

As all of you know, I'm kind of a weird cactus grower/fan, so I'll tell you about my lastest trip, to the Atacama desert during this year's summer. 

It all began when I left my house in Curacaví to join my friend, and driver in our adventure, at his house in Olmué, fifth Region. That day we prepared everything to start early the next morning, we had a long way coming. We started the day early, at 7, and then we went out heading north to El Cobre, Antofagasta (2nd) Region. The idea was to go there and start coming back south, stopping in locations to find, photograph and try to discover seeds of Chilean native cacti. For that purpose we had the knowledge of my friend, who's been travelling to the dessert for at least 5 years now, and the help of this book, which contains pictures and descriptions of several species :)



We were true adventurers, walking for hours to find plants, climbing hills and small mountains ranges. On a normal day, we would wake up at 9 approx. And then have breakfast to start the day exploring the camping site we had chosen the night before. After that we would find a new site, and track the land to find more species. It would all finish when the sun was coming down, as we needed to find a good camping spot, and use sunlight to set the tents. 



It may sound boring for some, but this was one of the best experiences I've had, I learned and enjoyed every moment of it :) Here you have some pictures of the trip!

What do you think of my trip? Now it’s your turn!
Minimum word count is 190.

Post 8

 A Subject you enjoy studying this semester



We're in the final stage of the semester, and in the final posts. If we count this session, we only have 3 left.

 Today's post will be about: "A Subject I've enjoyed studying this semester"
I know you have very different subjects or courses each semester, most students have 5/7 courses, and they can be divided into practical courses (doing and putting theory into practise) and theoretical courses. 



Was the subject practical/theoretical?
Did you choose it because of the teacher or the schedule? 
What would you change to this course if you could?
What was your favorite aspect of this course? 

The questions above are meant to help you start writing :)

Don't forget to mention these:

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


Word Count: 180

Make comments on 3 of your patners' posts + a comment on the teacher's post.

Post 7

YES! It's the seventh post already, that means the semester is about to end!

For this post, you have to choose only ONE of these  2 options:


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



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.


_____________________________________________________


A career related website I use all the time is Word-reference.com.
I've even recommended you using it for your posts, as it includes examples of the words as well as discussion about uncertain translation and other expressions.

I visit this website on a daily basis, because as you know, english is my second language too, so I learn new words very often, also to remind myself of the spelling of words I don't use regularly. One of the most recurring situations in which I use this site, is when my students ask me technical words related to their careers.

The sight of this page is very nice in my opinion, it uses soft colors and that usually helps people to relax, also it provides links to different useful sites, as well as dictionaries in several languages that are one click away!

 

Now it's your turn.

Post 6

Favorite movies/tv shows.
Movies or series you like.

For this post, you'll be able to develop your ideas about your favorites movies or series.The idea is to write about what you like watching in general, but of course you can mention anything you like, for example: cartoons, anime, soap operas, tv series, docummentaries or movies!

I'll briefly tell you about some of my favorites :)


"You met me at a very strange time in my life." Fight club, 1999.

This is probably one of my favorite movies of all time, at least one I'd re watch and would still be enjoyable. I won't tell you what it is about because.. well, because of the first rule of the fight club!
If you saw this, you know what I mean. This is probably an intense and deep movie for some people, but that's not the only type of styles I like.

I'll tell you about some of my top 5 series! it's called The office and it was the US version of a show with the same name produced earlier in the UK. It's a mockumentary (it's filmed as if it was a real documentary) and it narrates the story of a group of common office workers. It even had a Chilean version, La Ofis, in Canal 13, which only lasted one season but was very well done. It had one of my favorite Chilean actors as protagonist: Luis Gnecco

 

There are many many other shows I've watched and liked! some recommendations I'd give you are:
True Detective, Game of Thrones, Lost, Fringe, How I met your mother, Friends, Daredevil, Weeds, Breaking bad, The get down and Orange is the new black

Now it's your time!
Tell me about your favorite series, or movies, or basically anything you like watching!!

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on my post.
- Minimum Word Count: 160 words
- Remember: NO TRANSLATOR! web dictionaries are allowed, and of course you can call me and I'll go to your seat.

Post 5

A photography you like and its story!

Hi girls and boys!
This week's post is about a photography you like, any of them! It can be one you took, or a famous one taken by a photographer of your choice.

Here's mine!

                           

 In the picture, you can see George Harrison, and Bob Marley (and two other people I don't know)

I've liked these musicians for a long time now. Harrison, former guitar player and my favorite Beatle, is also the name of my first dog. And Marley, family name of one of the greatest artists/activists I know, is the name of my first cat :)


                                                

 Here's my version of it. These are my Harrison and Marley :)

This took place in Copiapó, where I adopted Marley. She was about 4 months old in the picture, Harrison had never lived with a cat before, but he's such a lovely dog that he never had problems with her. This picture is special because it reminds me good times. It was taken back in 2014 when I lived in the Atacama Region. The reason why I chose this picture is because these animals were my family then, since I lived alone and knew nobody there. 

                                         EXTRA!!! Just because they look so cute!

So...
What's your favorite picture?
Where was it taken?
Who took it?
Why is it special for you?

- 150 words minimum.
- Include a picture. 
- Comment on your teacher's post and 3 of your classmates’ blogs.

Post 4

Hello everyone!

Today we'll write about our favourite pieces of technology

I'll start by saying that I have a weird relationship with technology, I love it, but on the other hand I feel it causes us many problems.

Having a smartphone nowadays is a very common thing among people from our generations, and I'm not the exception. Mine is not a very advanced one, and even though it's not, it can do many amazing things, if you think about it.

To have, in one device, the possibility of doing practically anything, from taking pictures, using it as a lantern, listening to music, filming videos, writing and reading texts, to name a few options, is something that makes me wonder if we're really using technology as we should, or if maybe we're only using it as a means of instant fun.




As many of you, I use my smartphone every day, many times a day, so my life without it would be very peaceful, but I'd miss some of its functions!

Now it's your turn!

Here there are some things you can 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.


- 140 words minimum.
- Include a picture. 
- Comment on your teacher's post and 3 of your classmates’ blogs.

Post 3

Hi everyone!

Today's post will be our first chosen topic, that means you'll have to write about your main hobby (or hobbies)

My hobby, as I've already told you, is related to biology, more specifically to growing plants. But also, not any kind of plants, cactus.

It all started very suddenly, I went from not liking these plants in general to loving everything about them and their cultivation. It was thge year 2008, and I visited Viña del Mar, that was when I first bought a set of different cactus that came all in one pot. After that I separated them and my collection got started.

From then, I started reading and learning about them, but also I started to know more and more people that had been growing them for a long time, that's how I learnt all I know today, that and also doing all kinds of experiments with sowings and grafting techniques.

Here you can see a couple of examples:

In these pictures you can see groups of recently germinated cactus


Another reason to love these plants, at least in my opinion, is their forms and flowers, here a couple more examples:





I hope you've enjoyed my post, and also I hope I can read about your hobbies now!



Please leave a comment on my post!
And don't forget to comment on at least 3 of your classmates' posts.
Minimum word count 140.

Post 2

Hello Students!

Why did I choose this career?

Well, to be honest, I just wanted to be an English teacher, I didn’t really know why. I remember as a child I liked English, but I didn’t want to become a teacher back then. In those days I was interested in archaeology and later on cooking. I actually studied cooking in highschool and nowadays I’m a pretty good cook.

Even though sometimes “Pedagogia” can become “pega jodida”, I have enjoyed being a teacher: I’ve worked with different stages of education and I’ve had students of very different ages, for example first year primary students all the wat into adults that had already finished university. I worked for a year as the head of the English Opens Doors Program of the Ministry of education in Atacama, and I also had the opportunity to work in my favorite soccer team, U de chile, where I was the teacher of English for the young players of the team.

 Here with an 'I'm a future english teacher' shirt, back in 2010

Here's a plate I prepared, sauté mushrooms, onions and zuccinis, rice and fried vegan fries tortilla :3

And here as the Master of Ceremony at the Spelling Bee tournament in Copiapó, 2014.

Today's post will be about your thoughts around this question:

Why did I choose this career?

Here there are some questions that can help you start writing!

- 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 experience at university until now

- the kind of job you would like to have

 > word count: 130 words

 > don't forget to leave comments on 3 of your classmates posts and on your teacher's post as well.

Post 1

Hello everyone!


For today, and as the first post of this semester, you have to write your auto biographies.
Include:

- Birth info
- Studies info (elementary/high school/ univ)
- Family Info
- Hobbies
- Others...

> Number of words: 120 (minimum)
> Make comments on three of your classmates posts and also leave a comment on the teacher's post.

Here's my post as an example:

Victor Manuel Rubio Fuenzalida, born on April 23th 1988, in the city of Santiago. Second son of Patricio and Cristina. He studied his whole primary school in La Granja, at Teniente Dagoberto Godoy school. Later on, he continued his secondary education in La Cisterna, at the Ministro Abdon Cifuentes High School, where he studied cooking.

During 2006, and after 3 months of experience in the kitchen, while doing the internship, he decided to become an English teacher, which led him to enter Universidad Autónoma de Chile. In 2009 he applies for a scholarship to go and study abroad, and there he studied for one semester at the Iowa Central Community College.

Once he got back to Chile, he finished his career and started working as a teacher for different schools in La Cisterna, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, and Lo Prado. As a professional he's worked for many institutions such as Instituto Chileno Británico, Ministerio de Educación, Club Deportivo Universidad de Chile and currently he's working at the University of Chile.

Nowadays Victor lives alone with his pets in Curacaví and enjoys his time by gardening, his favorite hobby.
Here there are some pictures that can help you see what I've written about :)

NOW YOU GO!

My opinion

I agree with the comment on the picture. For example, to start any fight, you need two sides, so if you really want peace, then war really is over. Now I know that it is a dream to actually see countries acting like this, but in my opinion that's only because there are other interests behind wars, usually economic interests from the ones in power.

Welcome

Blog entries for this semester, TBC



LEVEL 3

1 (week 3) My auto biography: who am I?
2 (week 4) Why did you choose this career/study programme?
3 (week 5) Your favorite piece of technology
4 (week 6) Tv shows
5 (week 9) A Photograph (its story)
6 (week 10) Hobbies
7 (week 11) Career-related website / An expert on your field
8 (week 12) A Subject you enjoy studying this semester
9 (week 14)  Travel 
10 (week 15) Evaluation of blog experience