Your experience learning English at the university / A general reflection

The Faculty of Social Sciences of Chile University, it’s located in the Ñuñoa district. The faculty of Social Sciences includes the careers of: Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology and Preschool Education.In the case of these four careers, the undergraduate curriculum has had to adjust to changing labor market. In this way, the faculty has implemented in our university and faculty “not optional English courses” for all the students with the objective that students have a basic level of English to help them in their studies, this is why the English course comprises four levels of difficulty: Starter, Beginner, Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate.

When I entered the year 2008 to the career of Anthropology, had to take the Pre-Intermediate course and this year I have to take last level of the course: Intermediate. I believe that the number of students per course is ideal, because it allows us learn in a better way, but I have to say that the initial screening method for the distribution of students by level is ineffective, because I’ve see that the courses have been formed quite heterogeneous in terms of the their English level of the students.

The course of Pre-intermediate and Intermediate level I think it has a great organization, because the units help to the teachers and student to organize the contents of the course, producing an order in terms of complexity of each thematic unit.
The experience of taking these courses has been pretty good, because even in the case that we have seven curricular courses in the year in which we also have to had regular marks to pass them, the teachers have shown great willingness to teach us, despite we have been a little irresponsible with some homework’s.

I had English courses when I was at school, but this one -at university- was very useful, especially for my other subjects, because we have to read a lot of English papers and this kind of course was a very practical tool for us, like students.

In conclusion I think that the english language is a major academic and professional tool that improves the performance of a professional of any career and in the same time, - especially because English language has positioned it worldwide has as a universal language- opens many doors for studies of any kind –like doctoral studies- in other countries where their native language it is not even the english, like German, Japan or New Zealand. So I think that the implementation of Thus I think it was a good idea from the faculty of Social Sciences, the implement of non-optional English courses for each career.

Challenges in your discipline

Well as the world has changed, the discipline of anthropology has had to adapt to political, economic and social changes that have happened in the world and especially, here in the country.
In the case of Social Anthropology, work areas and job performance are quite wide, for which the challenges for being a good professional has steadily increased.
In the case of the technological area, the career of anthropology has had to develop new programs that implement the utilization of statistical programs -SPSS- for the formation of integrated professional, not requiring the "outsourcing" of other people for the elaboration of quantitative research methodologies.

In the area of social issues, anthropology has had to evolve and adapt to the context of modern society, changing many times its object of investigation,, I mean, referring not only to the study of "exotic societies" or ethnic people -as Geertz or Malinowski-, but -as I set the Political Anthropology- develop research on problems of modern society, such as public policies on health and education.

With these new problems, the study methodologies have changed, trying this time to address groups of people on a "macro" level, to generate answers that can generalize and solve global problems that are developing in society. However, these changes have resulted in"an Anthropology" that often does not have her limits very clear.

I believe that, in despite that anthropology had lost its "identity" is necessary due to "disciplinary context" that this discipline uses supplementary tools that social sciences can deliver. For example, the sociological approach within anthropology is a good complement to the social and cultural analysis of certain patterns of behavior - regarding such an issue-contingent in Chile- the theme of "public safety" as part of public policy of the country and even in a global level.

The importance of these challenges and improvements that have appeared, I think that are trying to give to the labor area a “concrete anthropology”.

It's a long hard road and we as students have a lot to do, however, must be done if we want to be good professionals in this new context both locally and globally.

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"The New Wealthy Person"

I can say that money can not buy everything, but in this “capitalist” world where everything runs through money - which also sustains the power of certain people-, we can find advantages and disadvantages of being wealthy.

To better understand me I will present an example with their advantages and disadvantages: for example, could be the case of a person of low or medium socioeconomic stratum who has had a life of struggle and sacrifice, who suddenly wins “The Kino”, in this case this person could become in a very wealthy one.
In this context the advantages of being wealthy would be that in this case the money will allow to this person use it in primarily or basic things that previously could not give to his or her family like: better education, health, quality of life or maybe - with a prior existence of "social conscience"- could result in economic a “macro level” aid in the area of education for certain groups that do not have enough resources.

The disadvantages could arise in the waste of money on superficial things such as cars, mates, swimming pools, tours to Disney World, etc. that do not allow ultimately a social and educational advancement; in other case the disadvantages of the “new wealthy person” could be that this people forget “were did they come from” and how hard it is to emerge today and do not help the progress of social project that provide basic resources for primarily necessities -as they had in some time-.

In conclusion, I believe that money is not everything, but rather a tool to produce happiness in us and in other people; this tool is certainly a "double-edged sword”, because if it has an inappropriate use, can produce the opposite effect, causing harm to others and finally disappearing quickly from our hands.

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locked in a bathroom

In first place I must say that today few things make me ashamed, because I have learned to overcome what "others think", so I do not get complicated by stupid things; however I did have a few years ago a moment quite shameful for a birthday party of my little nephew.
My nephew was fulfilling that day four years old; we were celebrating together with his friends and family on my uncle’s house, which is located in La Reina, Santiago - is one of those old houses that have "parquet" floor and doors quite old.
I remember that in one moment I had to go to the bathroom, when I get there I realized that -as a typical old house- the door was quite far from the toilet, so for fear that some of the children opened the door as a joke, I decided to put key to the door, in that way nobody could opened by surprised. When I intended to leave the bathroom I realized that the insurance was quite hard and do not turn, I tried to stay calm and I kept trying to open the door; after twenty minutes trying to turn the insurance, I started screaming and pounding on the door, but nobody listened, so I sat for another twenty minutes waiting for someone “miss me”.
I sat in the bathroom resigned and boring, suddenly I heard my uncle touched the door and wondered if “I was OK”, I said no!!, I told him that I was trying since a while to unlocked the damn door and there was no case of open it; to bad luck, the person who had to remove me from the bath was big nephew of my uncle, who was quite handsome, his name was Ignacio.

When I left the bathroom, I was so embarrassed and nervous because it was a silly situation: I was trapped in a bathroom and that was the most entertaining situation of the party!!!!, I felt like chimpanzee in a zoo when my uncles were shouted me through the window that “ I should stay calm” –and I was-, while Ignacio was trying to open the door, was son embarrassing!, the good thing is that I never saw him again and that this incident today is a good anecdote.

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Improving your faculty facilities.

The faculty of Social Sciences it`s located on the campus Juan Gomez Millas, in Ñuñoa Santiago.
This faculty contains four careers: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and Basic Education; where the number of students should rise to about six hundreds.
A current situation in this place occurs in the “casino” of the faculty at lunchtime, due to de lack of microwaves to heat lunch of all students of the place and because the two microwaves that exist for all students do not working properly; so the results of this situation are: large rows, a lot of time waiting, less time for lunch, problems to time the microwave and even to get food inside – most of the time the gates of these artefacts do not open and student lunch stays inside- is such a mess”!!!.
I think that the faculty needs to implement better and more microwaves for the students; because in first place we pay a lot for study here and I think that these tools are basic to us and in the other hand, for us bring to college our lunch it means a great saving of money, instead of spend it every day buying it at the “casino”, that also it’s very expensive!!!!!.
I consider that my first step could be talk with the anthropology student center (CEA) and then arrange with other student centers a possible meeting with the director of the faculty with the objective to talk about this problema and find the solution by implementing more microwave -which otherwise are not even expensive- and if that doesn’t results, maybe organize a student level collect to buy more microwaves -that would directly benefit ourselves -.
The benefits would be reverse the situation of the "lunchtime", that puts us all quite hysterical.

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Easter Island residents fear ruin over tourist ruling

Due to the increase of tourists -70,000 visitors to the island every year- in Easter Island, Latin American correspondent Rory Carroll discusses the problem that has brought this factor to the environmental and cultural heritage of the place –that has been denounced by the islanders of Rapa Nui to the Chilean authorities- and the debate around this problem.
In this case there are two positions around the issue of environmental damage and property.
In the first place the residents of Easter Island complain that the gradual increase in the inflow of tourists, has increased the damaged of the environment, because the island it is not able to sustain so many residents, as well the lack of cultural education has affected many of the monuments –moais- that have been damaged or destroyed by these tourists.

Thus, the islander wants more control over the movement and the places visited by tourists; however to the Supreme Court, this type of request it is unconstitutional because could break the law on "freedom of movement"; so the final decision was that "passes" that will detail the path of every visitor to the island will be optional
The paradox which I propose is this: Rapa Nui is part of the monument of Chile and the seven wonders of the world, but the Supreme Court of our country has not been able to make stricter laws for tourists and higher fines for them -which so far have been ridiculous- as a way to help reduce the deterioration of the place, specially the destruction of heritage; so what it´s going on here?.
for me it is obvious that beyond this unconstitutional kind of law, there are strong economic interests for the money that Easter Island brings through its tourism to our country, this view of the problem it seems ridiculous; since no measures to protect the site, very soon will be not attractive to the foreign people and will generate an irreversible damage to the heritage and identity of the islanders.

If you want to read more, check the original place of the new:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/11/easter-island-tourist-card-ruling

Favourite movie

Im going to talk about one of my favourite movies: Billy Elliot; this movie is from England, was recorded in 2000 and directed by Stephen Daldry; Billy Elliot is included it in the category of drama.
In 2000 won a lot of awards like: British Independent Film Awards, Best director, Best Newcomer –Jamie Bell-, etc; awards from countries such as United Kingdom, Norway and USA

The movie starts with a boy of eleven years old called Billy Elliot -played by Jamie Bell- who lives in a litle town in the northwest of England, called Durham in 1984. This place is a “labor camp” and the base of financial support it’s a Mine. Billy’s dad –Jackie Elliot- and older brother –Tony Elliot- work there.
Billy’s life is goes between home, school and box, but for Billy his real passion is dance, thus he starts practicing in secrecy, for his father and old brother this is a shame – a men practicing ballet-; but Billy keep trying to purse his dream.
After a while Jackie Elliot realizes the true talent of his son, so he decides to help him financially so he can study dance at The Royal Castle in London. Ten years later, Billy Elliot will be the main dancer on the Swan Lake.

I like this movie because it has a strong plot, that reflects the socio-political context and the values of the conservative society of England, especially in the area of gender and homosexuality.
Billy Elliot represents the “the breakdown” of the stereotypes and the traditional view of the gender roles –what it’s made for men or women-. He allows us to see how the prejudices act, when some people get out of what the "rules" sent as correct; this kind of movie makes us wonder, what is really right and who has the right to marginalize us for being different?, that it’s something that we have to consider.

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