Blog Session 6: Changes to my study program

 Instructions:

Write about some changes that could be made to your study program (career). Among others, think about:
- The curriculum (the subjects you have to study)
- Workload and length of studies
- Faculty facilities (buildings and infrastructure)
- Teaching methods

- Word count: 220
- Leave a comment on 3 of your classmates' posts and 1 on the teacher's.
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Dear students,

I graduated from university about ten years ago, it sounds like a long time, but for me, it's like yesterday! 

I studied translation first, and even though we paid a lot of money for our program there were many things that I would have liked to change, some of them I know that they have changed, but I'm focusing on my study years.

In terms of curriculum, I think we had classes that were not necessary, or classes that were repeated, we had 'theory of translation' in English and Portuguese, but the theory was the same!! One of them was completely unnecessary, the class of English culture was basically a history class of the kings and queens of the UK, it was so boring, we had to memorize the book and then give presentations about it, it was a waste of time, and of course I remember less than half. What about the history of the United States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and so many other countries that speak English? Nothing.

Also, it was good that I liked English because ironically the worst teachers were from English!! I had some good ones, but I had some that were horrible, completely outdated.

I believe that the workload was very appropriate, we had important evaluations all semester, so by the end of the semester, I wasn’t very stressed like friends from other majors.

I studied at Usach, which I loved, but unfortunately, our faculty was really poor, and our facilities were very precarious, especially the toilets. The doors were falling and we didn’t even have toilet paper in them.

Fortunately, I know things have changed, and I’m glad because we have to fight for the ones that come after us, don’t we?

Blog Session 5: Personal Opinions

 - Choose 2 or 3 of these questions and give your opinions about them.

- Make comments on 3 of your partners' posts + a comment on your teacher's post.
- Number of words: 210 minimum 

What is your opinion about nuclear power?

What is your opinion about women in the military? 
What is your opinion about the legalization of guns?

What is your opinion about the immigration situation in Chile?

What is your opinion about tatoos?

What is your opinion about animal testing?

What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana and other drugs?
What is your opinion about the Chilean tradition called ‘mechoneo’?
What is your opinion about cloning?

What is your opinion about recycling?

What is your opinion about “barras bravas” (hooligans)?

What is your opinion about legalizing abortion in some cases?

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I have a very strong opinion about "mechoneo", because I hate it. I didn't like it when I experienced it and I don't want others to go through it. What's the point? To welcome new students? If you go to my house I will not welcome you throwing eggs and flour to your face, or putting a fish head to your neck, because that's what I got. I believe it is a major way of violence disguised as play, it is not humane to cut another person's clothes, take their shoes and make them walk barefoot on Alameda Avenue in the summer, with all the heat, smelling like garbage to ask money to strangers to get your bag back. 

After all that experience, I had to throw away all of the clothes I wore that day, even my underwear which had fish flour in them, they also dyed my hair and when I got home I had to shower like three or four times to get rid of the smell. One of the most disgusting experiences of my life. 

In relation to legalizing abortion, I believe that women should be able to decide what to do with their bodies, no matter the reason, I believe in free abortion. At this moment in my life, I wouldn't have an abortion, but that doesn't mean that my choice should affect the life of another woman. My point is that having free abortion doesn't mean that every woman will have one, but all the women will have the option to decide if they want one.

Blog Session 4: Postgraduate studies

 Well, as some of you know I already have a Master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages), which I got three years ago, and even though it is very difficult to get a Master’s degree I have considered getting a new one or even a PhD.

The thing is that I really like studying, I wasn’t a very good student at school, I mean, I didn’t kill myself studying, but when I find something interesting I read a lot about that topic to discuss it with my friends and teachers. I like studying because I like learning new things and challenging myself.

I’m not sure about what I would study, because I have many options, maybe I could continue with something related to teaching English, like a PhD in Education, or perhaps I could broaden my knowledge and take the leap to study linguistics in English, since I already learned it in Spanish, or perhaps something related to American or British culture because I love that topic too. The options are many, the thing that holds me back though is money, it is very expensive to study, especially if I want to do it abroad, which is my goal. I could study online, but I would love to live abroad and live the complete experience in a different country.

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Write about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future. Include:

-        Reasons to do the course

-        Subject (s) you would like to study

-        Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)

-        How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)

-        Any other relevant ideas

Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher’s post

Word count: 190 words

Blog Session 3: My future Job

 

As some of you know, my first major was translation, when I thought about studying this I imagined a glamorous life of traveling around the world, going to conferences and interpreting for important people. However, the reality was far from my imagination. The real job of a translator is to translate written texts, the interpreters translate orally and you have to study a different major for that. The real life of a translator is being at home working non-stop on the computer with zero free time when you have work to do, and the rest of the time is finding work to do.

The life of a teacher is a bit different. I also spend some time on the computer, planning and preparing classes, but the most important part happens face to face, when I get to interact with students and have discussions with them (you) and learn from them at the same time they are learning from you. Another similarity is that I have to go and find work, not as often as a translator, but the reality is that in my case (and most university teachers) we need to look for work each semester, talking to the coordinators and finding enough classes to have the amount of money we need or want, and always remembering to have enough money to save for the summer, because we do not get a salary during those months.

What about you?

Write about your future job, include the following information:

- What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it?

- Outdoors /indoors?

- Would you like to travel a lot in your job?

- What about the salary?

- What major are you studying / are you thinking of taking?    Explain why

- Add any other related ideas.

- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

- Word Count: 180 words

Blog Session 2: The best holidays/concert I've had

 

Hello everyone,

I’ve been to many concerts, I love them, especially rock concerts, I’ve seen Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons, I also saw Queen when they came with Adam Lambert, so it’s very difficult to choose only one. However, this time I’ll choose the concert by The Killers.

The Killers is a rock band from Las Vegas, in the United States, they are very famous and have won several awards.

The concert was in the Movistar Arena, about four years ago, I had wanted to go to that concert for a very long time, but I didn’t have the money, so I thought “whatever, next time”, but on the day of the concert my husband calls me like two hours before the concert, it was a Tuesday, and he said, “I won 2 tickets for The Killers, get ready”. I was so happy! The thing is that he won VIP tickets, we were so close to the stage that I could see the band very closely.

It was one of the best concerts, they sounded just like on the radio, Brandon Flowers’ voice was amazing and the concert had a bit of everything, lasers, smoke, balloons, and confetti. I had the best time and I always thank my husband for it.

Holidays:

- when it was
- where they went
- how long it was
- people they went with
- things/activities they did
- why it has been the best so far
- any other relevant info

Concert:

- when / where it was
- the artist they saw
- a bit of info about the artist
- describe the atmosphere during the    event
- describe how they felt and why they  enjoyed it
- any other memories about it



>>Worcount: 170
>>Leave comments on 3 of your classmates' posts + comments on the teacher's post.

Blog Session 1: A country I'd like to visit

 Hi everyone,

Today I would like to write about Japan, which is one of the countries I would like to visit in no more than 5 years’ time. I believe its culture is completely different from ours and the architecture is also very different. I studied Japanese for a couple of years, and I found it very difficult, but I also had classes of Japanese culture and it was so different that I was fascinated by it.

I would like to visit different temples there, parks and also go to the capital Tokyo to visit famous locations there, I would like to eat a lot of food, buy many kawai things, like presents and clothes.

A few years ago, my husband and I decided we would go there in 2021, I hope we can do it, you never know what could happen, but before I travel there I would like to learn Japanese again, I forgot almost everything, and I want to be able to speak a little before I get there.

Other places I would like to visit are Italy, Vietnam, Ireland, and many others, but we’ll leave that for the future.

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Instructions:

Write a post about a country you’d like to visit; you have to refer to the following:

- Which country would you like to go to? Why?
- What do you know about it?
- What would you like to do there?
- Would you like to study/work/live there? Explain.
- Upload pictures
- Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post
- Word Count: 160 words

Welcome to writing!

 Hello dear students!

This semester you will write blog entries to practice and be evaluated on writing, I will be explaining the topics every week during class and you will always see my post first as an example for you, and then I will see your own texts.