POST 10

Since I was at school, English has been difficult for me. I always thought “I don’t like it and I will never learn”. Now, I think that I didn’t like it because it was hard for me to learn and I preferred easy things. It was a problem of tolerance to frustration.

In the university, I changed my opinion. English is still difficult for me but I really want to learn. One of things that I liked the most was using the blog. When I have to write a text, I have to consider many aspects of the languages. Many times I don’t know what or how to write but I search in the dictionary or ask the teacher. My main problem is the time. I need a lot of time to do it well. To finish the longest blog, I have to work at home.

There are many aspects of my English that I need to improve. I think one of the most important is oral English. I have to dare more and practice without fear of being wrong. My plan is to take advantage of the visit of my Canadian cousins. Also, I would like to continue writing blogs to practice more the grammar. Finally, to improve my vocabulary, I plan to use cell phones applications.

At present, I rarely use English. Sometimes I help to study my son but I seldom read or speak with someone in English. I would like to do it much more because I know that it is a very important tool. I hope I can do it now.

POST 9

In general, I think that my career is wood but, without a doubt, there are many aspects to improve.

POST 8

What is your opinion about the Chilean tradition called ‘mechoneo’?

I think “mechoneo” is a very bad student customs. Year after year the older students make new students feel humiliated in an initiation ceremony by the harassment or abuse in search of repeating the harassment that they suffered the previous year from older students. I think that “mechoneo” is a form to maintain power relationships that not contribute to build a better society.

What is your opinion about legalizing abortion in some cases?

I think elective abortion is a social necessity, not only in some cases. Women must be able to decide on their bodies. Today many women have an abortion independently if this practice has been decriminalised. The problem is that poor women live in serious situations where their lives are at stake. I think that the state must take action in this social problem and legalise abortion and promote sexual education.

What is your opinion about legalising marijuana?

I think legalising marijuana must be for all uses, not only for medicinal use. People consume marijuana independent of legality. If research shows that consumption can increase, legalising must be accompanied by education.

On the other hand, drug trafficking is a serious situations in most countries, where violence increase. The international experience show that legalisation contribute to stop drug trafficking.

What is your opinion about recycling?

I think our planet is at a critical moment. Capitalism has made us exploit natural resources without limits. I think recycling is very important but is not enough. It’s only a partial solution. While we don’t change capitalism, the way we produce and we consume, the problem will continue to exist.

POST 7

In this moment, I would like to meet Silvia Federici. Silvia is a italo-american writer, professor and feminist activist. She was born in Parma, Italy in 1942 and moved to the US in 1967 to study philosophy at the University of Buffalo.

I would like to meet Silvia Federici because I would like to talk about my thesis, that investigates women`s work trajectories. In her intellectual work, Silvia Federici makes a systematic analysis about the relations between wage labor, capitalism and house work from a feminist point of view and concluding that this last one is on the bases of capitalism. She makes a criticism of Marxism for only valuing wage labor and despises reproductive work. I think that the intellectual work of Federici is very interesting and it is a contribution to the discussion on the division sexual of labor and male domination.

Additionally, Silvia has participated in the feminist movement in the world since 1970. She has been critical of the use of feminism to deepen neoliberal politics and nullify the subversive potential of the women´s movement.

At present, Silvia is professor emeritus in Hofstra University, New York.

POST 6

In the future, I would like to study Latin American studies. I think that this master had a global view about Latin American problems and broadens possibilities to professional development.

In this master, I would like to study Latin American history, culture, thinking and different theoretical-methodological approaches formulate in Latin America. Also, I would like to learn more about how to do social investigation.

I would enjoy studying in any Latin American country, but maybe I would prefer Mexico or Argentina because I know yours universities and I know there are important developments of sociology. Brazil also is very interesting but I think the language could be a big problem for me because I have difficulties to learn a new languages.

I would like the courses to be part-time because I could work or spend time whit my children. I don’t like distance learning because I am more traditional and I don’t like technology very much.

Although all this is an ideal plan for me, I think that is not easy to realize. I have a big debt for my bachelor studies and I need to work to pay the “credito universitario” and home maintenance. I think that to win a scholarship in necessary to have more curriculum than I have. Anyway, I believe anything is possible and later on I might think about it.

POST 5

When I finish university, I would like to work in public politics, although I’m not 100% convinced.

There are many social problems in neoliberal societies. I would like to work in public politics because I think that sociology can provide a global view on those problems and I believe that public politics are a way to solve many things that seem wrong to me. 

I think that to work on this, it is necessary to be organized, methodical, committed and creative to invent new solutions. I believe that this last dimension could be the most difficult for me because I’m not a really creative person.

On the other hand, more negative, there are many procedures that are part of public politics. I consider many of them very tedious and unnecessary, but I`m realistic and I think that in all jobs or areas there are things that you like and things that you do not like. 

I think a satisfaction that could give me work on public politics is to feel that I am helping to change a bit the social reality. I also believe it can be a stable job and that is very important for me because I already have two children who require stability and a lot of my time and my energy.

POST 3

I don’t really watch TV that much.  But, five years ago I couldn’t stop to see Breaking Bad with my partner. This is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan.

The principal character is Walter White. Walter is a high school chemistry teacher. He is sick with lung cancer and very overwhelmed to economics problems. He felt failed and decide to use his knowledge to produce pure methamphetamine with his former student Jesse Pickman and earn more money. As story goes by, Walter get very involved in the drugs business and his character suffer an incredible transformation.

My favorite episode is “End Times”, the final episode to fourth season. Walter is corner and he knows that his only option is to eliminate his boss or die. He makes an incredible plan and he manages to get away from it.

I believe “Breaking Bad” is one of the most brilliant series in the history of television. The cast is spectacular. The script and the work of the characters are very very good and the series has memorable scenes. Happy I would see it a second time!