English at University

This year I studied English again.

An entire year had passed since I finished the school. 2009 was my beginning at the university. When I started to study Journalism I thought that I was going to have English as subject from the first year, but it wasn’t like that. I just have had this one the last and the current semester.

It wasn’t hard to take it up again (at least, I think so).

Well, I guess English at the university has been a good experience. It has been useful for me, because I have remembered a lot of things that I learnt in my years at the school.

But I think, too, it has been relatively easy for me because I like it. English is my favourite language. I love to watch films in English (with subtitles… I hate the dubbed movies), to listen to Anglo music and practice it. Of course, I hope to improve my knowledge and my pronunciation, so I guess I will take a course in some years.

Throughout this year I have came back to study this language. With the classes we have had, I have learnt to hear better, to realize which my mistakes are (especially in the written tests). Besides, although I did not like it when we started in the first semester, I must admit the blog was a very good tool to practice our skills and to “let go the hand” (I don’t know how to say “soltar la mano” :P ).

And in the classes I think we have had a teacher who has made a very good job with us. She has tried to make the contents more interesting, for example, with songs.

To finish my work on this blog (which is the first and the last I am going to have… I hope so), I will say that I think we should keep the English classes during the entire career. Because, according to my modest point of view, we must finish it with a real high level in this language. At least in Journalism, I believe we need to know a lot to be good professionals.

Books and reading

Well, if now I have got to talk about books I’ll do it, but if someone asks me which was the first one a read… I really do not remember.

Of course I keep in my mind many children’s books, for example, La bruja Mon, El dragon color frambuesa, and others.

Obviously couldn’t be absent the Disney classics: Rapunzel, Cinderella, between others. I think there is no child in the world (well, at least the occidental world) who has not read or heard about them.

But, apart from the books of my childhood, I must say that I like to read books. But not all of them, because there are many books which are truly boring or tedious, and I do not like them. I prefer to read a book of which topic is interesting for me or which story is entertaining.

Maybe somebody can think this one is for children, but I like Harry Potter. At the beginning (by the first books of the saga), I did not like it. I thought it was too fantastic and dull, but when I read the Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone I discovered a whole new world!! No, I’m kidding. The truth is a found it good. It has many characters, many stories and in every book it gets better (though there is no comparison between the books and the movies… the books are better).

I have thought many times if there is one author or more that I consider my favourite. Always I have came to the conclusion that I’ve got no one. I guess that is because I am not a fanatic of reading.

And if I have to choose what kind of books I enjoy the most… I don’t know hahhaha

Really, it depends on many things: the author, the topic, my interests, my necessities and that sort of business.

Protecting the environment...

Well, today we have got an interesting topic, although I don’t practice it so much.

First of all, according to me, people learn about environmentally friendly practices in their own families. If the parents do not teach to their children how to protect the nature, they can not know if to throw paper in the street, for example, is right or not. It depends on the education from the family and, of course, the school.

Personally, I have not incorporated recycling into my habits. It doesn’t mean I’m going destroying the environment along my life, but I am not the kind of person who always goes to special places to throw plastic or glass.

I usually use the car or Transantiago buses to go from my house to somewhere. And I must say I don’t like to have to walk every day 10 minutes to get the bus stop (from Monday to Friday), so my mom takes me, but only in the morning (though sometimes I call her in the evening… just when I am tired :P ).

I haven’t joined to any organization, like Greenpeace. Because I am not a fan of this topic. But it doesn’t mean I don’t care about it, ‘cause I hate the people and the companies which kill animals (whales, for example).

I would like to make something else to protect the nature, I don’t know what; maybe just contribute recycling materials (to start for somewhere).

Nowadays the carbon footprint is ”in”. Talking about what I have done to reduce it, I think I haven’t done so much. I know, I should… and I will try.

In our society, especially in the cities like Santiago, we need more information about this kind of topic. Most of people know the basic, but we all must take more care and protect the environment.

The truth about Rooney's situation

Ok. The task we must do today is a little harder than the others we have developed the last weeks. I don’t know what news I am going to choose to make a summer from it. I thought about some movie or something like that, but now I think it will be a sports one. Whatever, here we go…

Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United’s Manager, talked about the supposed problems between the club and Wayne Rooney. Ferguson implied the fault was not of Rooney but his agent.

The manager said that it is always difficult to achieve a deal with the best footballers, but not because of them, on the contrary, because of their agents.

The Ferguson’s declarations were after the victory of United over Stoke City (2-1) the last weekend. Besides, the manager said this triumph must be continued with other conquests on the next matches from now to Christmas. This was under the context of the third place of Manchester on the Premier League.

After that match, Ferguson told to the press that the Mexican Hernández’s goal was one of the best of the season. It was very celebrated by the fans and by the footballers too.

Although Gary Neville, Manchester United’s defender, had not a very good performance (because the referee could have shown him a second yellow card and, therefore, a red one) he was eulogized by the manager because of his play.

Finally, a spokesman for the company of Rooney’s agent did not want to talk about Ferguson’s comments.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/oct/24/sir-alex-ferguson-wayne-rooney

An amazing movie...

Well, as our teacher wrote in her own blog, I have written about my favourite movie too. It was on the first semester, for the blogs too. In that opportunity I said the film I like the most was “The Lion King” and I keep it.

But this time I am not going to talk about the same movie (though I could copy paste it… but I won’t :P ). In this occasion I will write about one movie that I saw some time ago. And it was: “Shutter Island”.

My brother has bought it (not the original, cause it was still on the cinema :O),so I watched it at home. I loved it because of many reasons. First of all, because the actor who is playing the main character is Leonardo Di Caprio… and I love him!! I don’t care if some people say he does not act very well, cause he is one of the best for me and that’s all I care.

But, besides, the director of this film is really good. Martin Scorsese has made many excellent movies, for example, “The Aviator” (with Di Caprio, too). And in this one he obtains an amazing story.

“Shutter Island“ is a psychological thriller film based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same name. The main character is investigating a psychiatric jail located on the island with the same name. He goes there with his assigned partner to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who apparently vanished.

The entire movie seems to be one, but at the end it is completely different (I won’t tell you why, if you have not seen it). Scorsese achieve his objective: he makes you believe something and then it is not what you thought (though I wasn’t really sure of it on the last scene).

Actually, it is one of the best films I have ever seen.

My favourite tv show, though it is not anymore

This time I must write about my favourite TV show. I really don’t know which one I can choose. It is truly hard!!

I like many series, for example, Friends, Sabrina (though they both finished many time ago), The Simpsons, Doctor House, Disney series (I know, I still have got my child side) and other ones.

But I am going to write about “Aquí no hay quién viva”. This is a Spanish comedy series, which takes place in a build. It is shows the stories of all the residents, from a boy to ancient women. There is all kind of characters: a housewife, a lesbian, a homosexual couple, young people, adults… everyone.

I like this series because it is too much fun. I started to watch it many years ago (when Chilevisión transmitted it) with my mom and my brothers. I waited all the week till Saturday, to watch it eating delicious things, like crisps, nachos, etc.

“Aquí no hay quién viva” is not like other series. It has got the Spanish touch, their humor, their idiosyncrasy, their point of view. I think it’s really well done.

Another good aspect of this series is that all characters have almost the same prominence.

The first time this series was on air was in 2003 by the Spanish channel Antena 3. It had only five seasons, because there were some problems between the producer and the television station (some workers moved to another channel, Tele 5, where they started a similar series).

Sadly, for me, Chilevisión did not transmitted it anymore =(

And a year ago or so, this channel began to show the Chilean version… I have not even watched a piece of it. And I guess I won’t do it.

Every time I have the opportunity to watch the original (on Antena 3) I do it, but the bad side is I have lost many episodes. But it doesn’t matter, because it is funny anyway.

Sailor Moon

I remember a lot of cartoons I have seen in my entire life. For example, every Disney’s cartoons, Knights of the Zodiac (I was obliged to watch it, because of my brothers, but I liked it), The smurfs, Dragon Ball, He-man, The Flintstones, the Jetsons… and many others that I better don’t mention, because I would en tomorrow.

But if I had to choose one of all of them I would prefer Sailor Moon.

I made this decision because I watched it all the time. I was a little fan of these caricatures. I don’t remember very well how old I was when it was on TV, but I suppose I should have been 5.

I watched these cartoons with my two brothers –sometimes, because it seems to me they did not like it so much (at least not like I did)-. And, of course, I thought I was one of the characters: Sailor Mars (I think… I’m not sure).

The best thing about Sailor Moon was the fantastic characteristic of the plot. The super powers, the clothes they wore, the series’ song. Besides, there was an entire merchandising, which was one of the best things :D

Anyway, I keep very beautiful memories of my childhood. And, of course, I remember with special affection the cartoons I used to watch.