Self Evaluation of my academic year (2009)

Well, this is the last post in this blog and it’s evaluated. It’s an essay about self evaluation of my academic year. To start, how everyone knows, I’m in my first year of University (second semester), and I have to say, the first semester was very difficult to me, because I have to adapt to another reality very different from school. But this semester was better and I feel better too.

In general, I am satisfied with this first year in University, like I said, the first semester was difficult to me, because I wasn’t giving the best of me, despite the fact that this career (more specific, this year) don’t occupy all my time and don’t suck my life like other carries. The subjects of my first semester were Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Methodology of the social research (I) and Contemporary world history. My grades were fine (better than I thought). The most difficult subject to me was Contemporary world history, not for the subject itself but the teacher (very frightening and strict). Besides these five subjects I took a CFG (general formation course) called Ecodesign, a very interesting subject about the sustainable development of products better to the environment.

The second semester was better to me because I’m getting use to the university life. The subjects were Methodology of the social research (II), Social Psychology, Latin American social history, Statistics (I), and Social science’s philosophy. I think (like other people) Social psychology is a waste of time and I don’t know why we have this subject, and about Methodology, if we only have to read the texts it’s fine, the important classes were where we reviewed the progress of our work in terrain. The most difficult subject to me in this semester was philosophy, to me, it’s hard to understand such a deep topic.

In conclusion, and like other classmate said, I entered to this career knowing nothing about Sociology, but now I think I know something about it.
In this career I have to read a lot, many chapters of different books and authors. Something good is I like to read, and I have had the opportunity to read about many different things and learn about different topics. This is something I like about Sociology, you can learn a lot of different things, and I know that I going out of the career with a huge culture. Until here, I’m very happy with my decision of studying Sociology.

One of the challenges my discipline is facing

To post number 11 (the penultimate! the last one is evaluated OMG!) I have to write something about the important challenges my discipline is currently facing.
Well, I want to talk about the education in Chile, I think is strongly connected with my discipline, and I’m very interested about this because (how I said it before in other post) my mother is a teacher and my brother is studying to become one…
There has been a lot of sociological studies about the education in Chile, both qualitative and quantitative (in the PNUD by his abbreviation in Spanish, the Program of United Nations for the Development, made in Chile the annual survey, and it had a particular study about education, using not only opinion poll but interviews too). Some studies describe and analyze the functioning of the Chilean school system; others study the opinions of the civil society about education. Even when it seems there is a wide agreement about the bad points of the educational system, I think there isn’t a political will to introduce improvements or simply change the entire educational structure. That’s why sociology has an important role to make known the reality of education (and that’s doing right know) and denounce the lack of interest of the authorities to improve this subject, authorities who says the way to overcome the poverty IS education; well, that’s what they say…
I think everyone agreed the bad points of education start with the education itself, and the fact that isn’t in hands of the Education’s Ministry; the career of teacher isn’t good viewed because the low salary, the vision of the schools as daycares, the lack of interest of the students in a lot of schools (and that’s a very important point because implies a deeper problem hidden in the root of society) etc, etc.
About the solutions, ufff!! It’s hard to say something, is a problem that needs strong politics to change, how I said before, the roots of society, but is really difficult to take it to reality. I hope the future government (whatever is the political party), do this at least something about this important subject. See ya!!

The things I like to do in my free time

To post 10 I have to write about my free time, what I like to do, why I like to do these things, what I would like to have more time to do, what forbidden things I would like to do and what I don’t like doing that eats into free time.
Well, that is an easy question, or maybe not, I don’t know really...
In my free time (preferably weekends) I like to sleep, yeah, sleep a lot, not until late, but to take a long nap. I also like to watch my favorite series (House M.D, Glee, Heading to the ground (a Korean series)); and go out with my family (to eat, visit some relative, etc, etc). I like to go out with my friends too (the past weekend we go to ice-skate), or just get together to watch a movie and eat something.
In my free time in the week, I like to try to catch up with the readings for classes, and try to advance in the papers we have to hand in. Well, I have to say I TRY to do these things. Many times I stay in the TRY.
I like to sleep, I don’t have a particular reason other than I love it. And like to see my favorite series too, because in the week I don’t have time! About to go out with my parents, I like it, because I very attached to them, and in the week I see them very little. And I have a lot o fun going out with my friends, especially with my best friend because now she lives far away (well not really far far away, but not in my neighborhood anymore), and it’s good to see her.
I would like to have more time to read, not only things to university but things I want to read for recreation, more time to do nothing (yeah, just to recreation, said in elegant terms), and more time to sleep!
This going to sound really nerd, but if I think about it, there isn’t forbidden/illegal things I would like to do.
Well, this going to sound contradictory, but a thing that eat my time is sleep; I know is weird, I like it and I don’t like it, but I like it most.
That’s all I can say about what I like to do in free time, I thinking seriously to find a hobby, yeah, I think I need it. See you next time!

My 'beloved? faculty

Today, for post 9 I have to talk about my “beloved faculty”, I don’t know if I have to say something about the faculty itself (I mean the building and facilities) or the careers given in Social sciences (anthropology, psychology, sociology and education), or some institutional aspects.
I going to talk about the faculty’s facilities, well, it’s not a very old building (was built in the first half of the 90s), it has good classrooms, a very good computer rooms, with brand new computers.
But the faculty has a lot of things that need improvements. Starting with the problem of the library, well, actually is a study room and a library, with old computers, most of them turn off, and the others are break down or infested with viruses. There isn’t open shelf, the books are in a mysterious, dark, chamber, located who-knows-where, and protected by a little, hunchbacked, man who can’t see the daylight... (actually, this is my image of where go the books…); the library doesn’t have armchairs where to seat to read…I envy the library of philosophy an humanities’ faculty!!it has two floors, it’s so big, with great computers, you can´t enter with your bag, and it has lockers if you want!!I think Social Science deserves a library like that one.
The cafeteria it´s too little and needs more microwaves; something funny: the students ask for a new study room, and guest what room became one…
Despite the brand new and last generation computers of the computer room, always are missing of computers (in the way that there are not enough for everyone), due to the English class. It’s important to recognize that were placed more new computers, but I think is not enough…
I think the first steps to dealing with this problems is let know to the authorities of the faculty our (in this case, my) uneasiness, well, for that I’m paying for (and a lot of money), and if we aren’t heard, we have to radicalize our stand…jajaja…that sounds revolutionary…
The benefits are many, about the cafeteria, everyone can lunch there, and the people who heats their lunch, don’t have to skip clases to reach to use the microwave before all the others, and to not waste your lunch time waiting to warm your meal.
Well, I would say a lot of others benefits but I think I passed for much the 300 words. See you next time!

A film that I like: Star Wars

Hello everyone!! For post 8 I have to talk about a film, and this is an evaluated post so I will do my best!
Well, the film I chose was STAR WARS, all the sage (the six movies). Since the day I saw it, I loved it.
It’s not a film that have a lot of contain, it’ s not so deep, and the three first ones were of low budget, but I like the storyline, the war between the dark and the light side of the “force” and how the main character has to struggle with his own inclination for the dark side to not go through the same path as his father who was seduced by the dark side and became a evil man (Darth Vader), but in the end he had redemption. I like the battles with light sabers (in the first movie, the special effects were very bad) too. But in the last three I think the director use too much special effects by computer.
The storyline starts with this famous phrase: A long time ago in galaxy far far away…
Like the phrase say, the film is set in another galaxy, where live a civilization more advanced than ours, and one of the most important components of life is The Force and the people who have a strong presence of the force in them, can become a Jedi, a Jedi is a knight who can control the force and use it, the Jedi knights are the guardians of the Republic, and preserve the peace in the galaxy, they are good people with noble intentions.
One of the Jedi, Qui Gonn, finds a kid who has a very strong presence of the force and he suspects he may be the Chosen One who will bring balance to the Force. This kid is Anakin Skywalker, and he is a slave of Tatooine planet, thanks to some circumstances, Anakin is released and starts his path to become a Jedi, trained by Obi Wan Kenoby ; and the Sith Lords (jedis who use the dark side of the force, people full of hate and anger) reappeared to destroy the Republic and bring darkness to the universe . By the time Anakin is a Padawan (an apprentice of Jedi) he falls in love of Padme, a senator who in the past was Queen of the Naboo planet, and they married, but Anakin have a dream were Padme dies, in his try to avoid that, he is seduced by the dark side of the force, and he become evil man, full of anger, and he fight with his own mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi ; he loses, and becomes Darth Vader, but he can avoid the death of Padme when she was having two babies (the sons of Anakin): Luke and Leia.
When Luke grows up, it’s trained by Obi Wan Quenobi to become a Jedi (the sith lords exterminate them, destroy the republic and establish an Empire) and fight with the resistance against the empire. In the end, Luke has to fight with his own father to eliminate the Emperor (an awful man), Dark Vader, when see his son suffering in hands of Emperor, he become good and eliminate him. In the end, he dies like a Jedi, and the Republic is established again.
Well, the director is great, George Lucas made a excellent job, and the actors too, but a lot o people think that the last three movies were worse than the first three, I don’t care what others say, I like it.
The music is incredible, I love it, I have it in my cell phone as my ringtone.
This is all for today, see you next time.

The Simpsons’ obesity drive

The health department thinks Homer and family can promote healthier lifestyles. D'oh! Or should that be DoH?

For post number 7, I had to select a new from guardian.co.uk related with my carreer, and write a summary of it.
Well, I chose a new that connects my career with one of my favorite series: The Simpsons. This is a article written by Neville Rigby.
The government's official obesity campaign is turning to cartoons capers in a way to persuade everyone to make our kids take up healthier eating and exercise. The Department of Health took £640.000 to Change4life to sponsor The Simpsons. The public health minister, Gillian Merron said that Homer gives a good message to kids and families about “simple ways of improving their diet and activity for a healthier lifestyle". Some things they forget it is that obesity is symptomatic of some fundamental and structural changes in society that have gone on over many decades and have had a quite marked adverse impact, and the government prefers to promulgate a "public health announcement" besides search the causes of obesity.
In the 90s one of the most popular chapters of The Simpsons was when Homer became obese to obtain a disability dispensation to work from home; but he succumb to ill-health due to his weight, and being a victim of the all too familiar discrimination suffered by obese people.
Nothing proves that chapter helped to make conscience about obesity. Actually, the obesity rates have risen 50% in the years since the programme first went out.
But Homer's dumb expression will take on a new meaning from now on – DoH (Department of Health).
Well, this is the new I chose, I found it very interesting because the obesity, like the article says, has its roots in the structural changes in the society, and I don’t think that a campaign with fashionable cartoons can make the difference.
That’s all for today, see you in the next post!!

The link of the new is http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/06/simpsons-health-obesity

The current situation in Honduras

Hello to everyone!!To the post number 6, I have to write about the current situation in Honduras…
Well this isn’t a easy topic, because almost everything what we know about what is happening there, we know it by the press, and there a lot of things we don’t know.
Some people say that what happens in Honduras was a true coup d’ etat, others say that was a legitimate way to protect The Constitution.
The situation was this: The president Zelaya decided to hold a referendum to introduce changes in the Constitution of the country, one of them was allow the president to be reelected, this was considered by the parliament as Zelaya was trying to perpetuate in the power. Because the parliament denied to allow to hold the referendum, the president ordered to the country’s top military leadership to carry out the referendum, he didn’t want to, so Zelaya fired. After that, Zelaya was arrested in Tegucigalpa and taken to Costa Rica by force, and the parliament named Roberto Micheletti as the head of state, approving Zelaya’s dismissal.
After some intents of Zelaya to come back to his country, he was sheltered by the Brazil’s embassy in Honduras (until where I know), to not be arrested, because the government of Michelleti says he has to be judged for his aiming to go against the constitution.
The American States Organization is trying to find a solution to put an end to the conflict in Honduras, because it’s no more a politic problem, it’s social too. I’m afraid of a civil war…
About Michelleti I don’t have a particular opinion, neither of Zelaya, but about the deposed president, I think he is making a media circus, when he crossed the frontier between Nicaragua and Honduras, and then came back, or the picture of him sleeping in two chairs in the embassy of Brasil, etc
Well, this is all for this post…See ya!!