My experiencie in English classes

I don’t could to define in an only word, my experience having English classes in the university.

This semester my English classes has been very good. In this classes I have worked in team with my classmates in activities very funny, but others years my English classes has been very boring because all the classes was for to discuss about of abortion, gay marriage, education in Chile. Reflect on these things is important, but in a moment became routine. 

For me to write blogs in English was very difficult because grammar is very different to of our language and although I not am good in this activity, I am satisfied considering that I managed to improve my vocabulary and of course grammar. I know that there are many things I need to learn to write my blogs in English well, but I think that continue writing on my own it will help me in this.

I had fun making this activity because on reading my classmate’s blog I managed to meet them more. I don’t speak to them much during class because for me is difficult to speak in other language.

This semester I am having a subject called “Deepening behavioral neuroscience” and all the weeks my classmates and me read an article that is written in English for that in the next class one of us should expose the course. 

It is clear that I need lots of practice for speak and read English fluently, but I downloaded books of English, and now I listen only music in English (before Chilean bands or classical music) for learn out of the class and  also I’ve gotten the material for study English in the summer.

My 2014

This year has been very good for me. So far, in the university I have obtained all marks above of 5,7 and this semester has been different because I chose my subjects and this and this made me happy because I have a liked a lot. I hope so perform any test.

One of my more important achievements was to be accepted in the Laboratory of Experimental Psychology of my university because this has allowed me to learn more about of the area that I like of my career.  So far, I have not had great participation as a new member but, it has been valuable to me.

My personal life also has been very good. I have had time to rest and to pass time with my family and also I am excellent with my boyfriend. This year we fulfill two years. Also with my friends I spent beautiful moments. For example this week we went to the cinema, the movie it no was entertaining, but thanks to this we laughed quite a lot.

I think that one of the few things I have not been very good this year is my health. I am doing a diet for fat, but has not given me results so that, I has brought problems in the family and several visits to the doctor to rule out things.

Between the things that I have not done yet are to study for my following tests or assessments, to think that I will in my birthday the next month and me a makeover.

The best day of my life

The best day of my life actually was a week. My friends of university, my boyfriend and me travelled for five days to Colbún. This place is located in south of our country in the Región del Maule and we went the last summer a day after the last exam of the university. 

Before arriving at Colbún we travelled to Talca to Daniela’s house and there we played wii while other friends went to buy food for a week. When we arrived at Colbún, we used a boat to go around the lake and we paddled in canoe, but I didn’t go into the water because I don’t know how to swim but I hope learn to swim someday.

I remember that the other days we made barbecues or we made a campfire for eat marshmallows and drank playing truth or dare. At night we watched two terror movies, I must admit that I found it funny I see the reaction of my friends that watched the movies.  This same night watched Sherlock with my boyfriend. Also I remember that at night we played a board game called “Cranium” until the 5:00 A.M. because 10 players and we woke up between 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. for go to boat ride again. 

For me this travel was the best day of my life because it was the first journey only with friends and also the first journey with my boyfriend. 

Into the Wild

I can not choose one movie as my favorite, but I think that between my favorite movies is "Into The Wild". The director of this movie was Sean Penn and was released in 21th September, 2007. This movie is based on the book also called Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer in 1996.

The book and therefore the movie, is based on the real story of Christopher Johnson McCandless (starring Emile Hirsch), a youth of 24 years that in 1992 after graduating in Anthropology and History decide to donate all  his savings ($24,000) and he becomes separated from his family and friends to live alone like a nomad at Alaska. In this travel he changed his name by "Alexander Supertramp".

He survives with help of people that know him in Arizona, California or South Dakota, but always he left. He wants to live only with that natures provides for example hunting animals for to eat. Alexander related all his adventure in a diary of life (used  to write the book) that was found with his body. It is said that Christopher died by eat a poisonous plant and malnutrition.

In my opinion, it is a of my favorite films and I totally recommend it because it is interesting to see how a person prefers to abandon his well- off life to try survive without material resources endangering his life. 

My future job

If I graduate as a psychologist, I would like that my future job be in a laboratory, either of cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychology, ethology or a scientific area of psychology because yet I don't imagine seeing patients at least as a clinical psychologist.

I think that not only a psychologist can help by a therapy, but also a psychologist can better the quality life of the people in emotional field and other fields for example by the progress of the science.

To devote myself to one these jobs, first  I should study a postgraduate, so that if I don´t feel trained to work in one of these jobs still, I imagine working in other area of psychology, but independently for example working as an industrial psychologist consulting enterprises or doing  vocational guidance to students in some high school or at a pre-university.

If I could to finish of study the postgraduate, I imagine doing research with a team for publish in a recognized journal for example Nature for then travel to present our study and listen to important conferences. In this laboratory, I don’t imagine an office only for me, but also one large room in where work with the other team, not only psychologist.

This idea about of my future is very ambitious dream, but if I try hard enough I can achieve this goal.

Las Meninas

My favorite piece  of art is the painting “Las Meninas”. This painting is of the century 19 and was painted by painter Spanish Diego Velázquez. 

At first sight, looks a painter, doing a portrait of the princess Margarita de Austria with her Meninas (maids) that they had visited of the workshop of the artist. I like this painting because has various details interesting and therefore, various interpretations.

One of these interpretations is that the painter that appears in this painting is Velázquez, creator of this painting, so that there is a self Portrait and portrait, but this portrait, that is, what appears on the canvas are Margarita’s parents: the king Felipe V and the queen Margarita de Austria, this can be observed looking the mirror of the wall. This detail is very interesting because for drawing to the king and the queen so small, this shows that they had him a great confidence to Velázquez. Finally, it is know that this mirror is not a painting because in the wall of the workshop appears paintings that actually exist.

My favorite concert

My favorite concert was on 28th November 2004, the day of my 11th birthday. This concert was two blocks from my house specifically in the patio of my school of primary, because it was organized by the municipality for the day of music. The band present was Sexual Democracia.

Sexual Democracia is a chilean band of rock popular that is known by songs like “Los chicos Buenos” Sudamérica Suda, Los pitutos, Profanador de cuna, and others. Last year this band fulfilled twenty-five years.

I remember that I went with my sister; my mom couldn’t go because my little brother was born the day before.  This was sad because I know Sexual Democracia from her listening to it all the time. 

For the majority the concert was unexpected. The people believed that in the patio of the school were only putting their music very strong besides of start late at night. In general the place didn’t have more than thirty people. It felt like a private concert for the day of my birthday. It is fun remembering that my sister and I were the only girls.

 My favorite music

I have no favorite music, but recently I listened to many songs of classical music. While these songs do not have lyrics, you can have different interpretations of their composers, this is one of the reasons why I like this type of music. Another reason very related to before is that I can be reading calmly some texts for the university and at the same time I can listen to classical music because it is not distracting. Also the songs of classical music are long enough but the rhythm is not the same during the song because they are not monotonic so for me are not boring.

In places like the Teatro Municipal, Centro cultural GAM and even in the faculties of my university they do concerts of classical music for an accessible price or free.

I mainly listen to songs of Rachmaninoff, Chopin and Beethoven but I think that my favorite composer is Tchaikovsky with his Violin Concerto in D Major song but he is famous for his songs Swan Lake and The nutcracker. 

Brazil

A country that I would like visit  is Brazil because I like the culture of this place. For example, the carnivals that they do in the streets are very fun. The samba and the Brazilian songs in general are lively, ideal for these celebrations. I think that in part because the Portuguese is beautiful.

Beside of  music of this country, I would like to visit the Cataratas de Iguazu, the Cristo Redentor and also go to a beach like Copacabana. I imagine that to be in this place is very relaxing. I most admit that I know some of these tourist places because they appear in Brazilian soap operas that I like very much.

Brazil is in South America, near to Chile because it an accessible place for people of our country. I do not doubt I will go someday. 

My experience writing blogs

For me to write blogs in English was very difficult because grammar is very different to of our language and although I not am good in this activity, I am satisfied considering that I managed to improve my vocabulary and of course grammar. I know that there are many things I need to learn to write my blogs in English well, but I think that to continue writing on my own it will help me in this.

For me to write blogs, made me to reflect about some topics because, for example, to write good about a topic first, you need to have your ideas clear and I sincerely did not think too much before making this blogs.

 For example, on writing blogs, I discovered that I did not have a favorite song and I searched songs which lyrics could identify me.

I also had fun making this activity because on reading my classmate’s blog I managed to meet them more, I don’t speak to them much because it is difficult to speak in other language.

I think that in the future I would like to write about of a more specific topic of  psychology, for example some approaches, about therapies or of prejudice that people have of psychologists and use this blog for answering their more common questions (219 words). 

Chilean and Finnish educational system

In my opinion, (and could to say that for most of chileans) the speak about of chilean educational system makes to think in the debts that in a future the student will have.

Regrettably, in Chile, the socio-economic level that the family of the student have, predicts most times quality in education that will receive student considering that particular schools are expensive in comparison to municipal schools which have less resources for teach. Also in Chile superior education is very expensive.

A situation different there is in Finland because all service educational in that country is free, for example the alimentation, the school supplies and even reimburses the cost of locomotion of student if it exceed the five kilometers between the house and school.

Besides of to criticize our system educational, also I criticize to most parents of the Chilean students by think that teachers are the first or even the only ones responsible of the education of their children. The work of the teacher is fundamental and I think that not anybody has the personals characteristics for to be an excellent teacher, but the parents also have that to encourage in home that pupil acquires study habit and good manners.

In Finland, the education of the children is until the 6 years in the house. Their parents receives official support for that they can to educate of their children, to difference of that happens in our country that the parents have that looking for options by his own account if is that they decide not enroll to their children in kindergarten.

I think that the Chilean system educative have many disadvantages and I doubt that someday be equal to Finnish (286 words).

Iván Pávlov

 The person that I admire is Iván Petrovich Pávlov, a russian physiologist. He was born on September 14st, 1849 at Riazán. First he began their studies of theology, but he quit this career for study medicine and chemistry at Saint Petersburg state university. Here he specialized in intestinal physiology and circulatory system. In 1904 by their work of gastric juices, Pavlov he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology. Finally, he died of pneumonia on February 27st, 1936 at Saint Petersburg.

 In a one of their investigations Pávlov discovered the classical conditioning. This work is very important because he managed to show the existence of the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus. He trained dogs to react in front of stimulus whose had no effects previously. An example of unconditioned reflex is to make to salivate a dog after of listen to one sound instead of show him their food.

 I admire to Iván Pávlov because in spite of not to be a psychologist, he managed to make experiments that influenced the behavioral approach.

Sensorium

I have that admit that I have not a favorite song. Neither I am attentive of the lyric because I hear the instrumental songs. However, a song that to me identify is “Sensorium” written by the band Epica.

This song reminds me that sometimes I am sad by insignificant things, but also I have seen this same situation in other persons above all in child. By example is usual to see a boy crying because his parents do not buy him the toy that he wanted, when the pain of that boy is incomparable with the problems that would can have other boy of his age. The people says that there that enjoy the infancy because after in adulthood the problems are more complicated. I think that this is true.

Also in the lyric of this song it mentions that each one is own of their destiny. For me is how a reminder of that I have that to be responsible of my actions and I not have that give up to my dreams or goals. (178 words).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxWHrHC2Qe4

In a museum with my friends

In this photograph I am with my best friends from the university. That day we visited Museo Interactivo Mirador. We decided to go because my friends that are from other regions had never gone. Although we are very old to visit it.

The photograph was taken by my friends Valentina and Daniela, the girls that are on my left and they shot an enormous mirror in front of us.

This photograph was taken recently, about two weeks ago. I like it because I reminds me when I visited this museum with my classmates from primary school, although the resolution is not the best.

That day was very funny for me and my friends, but we couldn't visit the museum entirely because we arrived late.

I wait visit it with my youngest brother and my little cousin because I know that to they would like see all there in this place. (150 words)

Films

I like drama films because you can always have a reflection about a topic, but my favorite actor is Johnny Depp. He is a very versatile man. I love how he plays Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean” and Edward in the film “Edward Scissorhands”.

The characters that have inspired me are Chris Gardner and Billy Elliot. Chris Gardner (performed by Will Smith) is the main character of the film “The Pursuit of Happyness” and Billy Elliot (performed by Jamie Bell) is the main character of the film with the same name. Both demonstrate that perseverance is very important to achieve the goals that one sets: Gardner escaping from poverty and Elliot deciding to be a dancer ballet despite that his family initially disagreed.

The last film that I watched was “Into the Wild” that is based on the real story of Christopher Johnson McCandless, a young that decide to donate his savings and to live alone like a nomad. In my opinion, it is a of my favorite films and I totally recommend it because it is interesting to see how a person prefers to abandon his well- off life to try survive without material resources endangering his life. (201 words). 

My favorite piece of technology

My favorite piece of technology is my notebook. I bought that computer when I got into university. I use my notebook for a lot of things for example:  to do my homework, to read files in PDF format, play games on-line, to chat with my friends in Facebook and sometimes to listen music.

I use it everyday, but in my holidays I use it less. I think that if my notebook would not have internet I would not use it much. I like my notebook because it is small and I can take it to the university, besides is of my favorite color.

I think that my life without it would be very difficult because I principally use it  to do my homework, and since I don’t have a cell phone I also use it  to send messages. (138 words)

Expectations for a new semester.

This semester I have six classes in the career of Psychology. These classes are of introduction to different specializations that the students of psychology can choose. For example: Educational Psychology, Legal Psychology, Clinic Psychology, Community Psychology and Labour Psychology. Besides, I have a class of English. In my personal opinion, many of these specializations are boring.

I think that this semester is stressful because there are many group works and I prefer to take tests because I am the only responsible for my mark, but I am enjoying spending more time with my friends from the class. 

The good of this semester is that the timetable is nice because all the classes are in the morning (except English).

My extracurricular activity is called Integral Yoga and I think that is very funny.

My expectations for this semester to know more of these specializations because it is important for me to decide that I want to do like a psychologist.

(164 words)

My biography

My name is Aracelli Cañete. I was born in San Miguel, Chile in 1993.

I live in La Granja with my family. My mom is paramedic, my big sister is a film and television student and my younger brother is an elemental school student.

I studied at Instituto Politécnico San Miguel Arcángel in San Miguel. In that school I received my technician accounting title and I graduated in 2011.

In 2012 I started to study psychology at Universidad de Chile. 

In my free time I like to visit my friends, and watch films with my family and I like to play Kenpo Karate and play juggling.

(108 words).