Self Evaluation of my academic year (2009)

My academic year (2009) has been like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs. Ups and downs that taught me a lot of important things to carry on with my degree and to look up forward the future. Yes, it’s been only nine months, but it’s enough time to take note of what all this is about, and the direction that will take in some time from now. Now, why it was all ups and downs? That’s the question I’m going to try to answer in the next couple of paragraphs.

When I was told I got into this university, and this degree, anthropology, was the happiest day of my life, but I didn’t know what to expect, I knew it was going to be a whole new world, and it was indeed, but at the time I couldn’t pictured it right.
Now I’m here, and after nine months, I can say a few things about my academic year. I’m going to start with the rollercoaster:
In the beginning was all frightening, I didn’t know how the system was, I wonder how the teachers would be and slowly everything started to be clearer. Nothing was good academically; I felt out of place, like I couldn’t get right what teachers told me in class, my first grades weren’t good at all, and that was my great down in the year. After the first tests results, I get aware of my state, and I needed a change. It was really fast actually, to get into the good way, and in that situation I realized that if I have the guts and the energy to go ahead and make thing right, I would, and it actually happened! I pass the first semester with good grades; I pass all signatures without giving an exam, so it was a self growing time. Now, in this semester the rollercoaster stopped, Everything, it’s been doing right, I’m about to pass all my signatures without exams, my grades aren’t bad and I have grown like I never had.

So, in conclusion, a rollercoaster doesn’t stop its way, but when it does, is in that moment when you stand still to contemplate your progress and your errors, and when you realize the path you’ve pass through , and the place you’re stand in, everything falls in the right place, and you can see that what you’ve done and learnt it’s going to be part of you forever, and will make you go ahead, look forwards the future, and see yourself being whatever you want to be, in my case, as an archaeologist.

well... anthropology.. and the discipline in general... =)

Okay…. It’s not something I would write about but… well… I have to…
My discipline challenges are, in my perspective: to be known… I mean… really known… because every time I answer the hideous question of ‘what’s your degree again?’… And well after I answer ‘Anthropology ’… there’s a big question face looking at me… and when I try to explain what it is… nothing really changes… or they keep questioning shitty things…
In this University technology problems are big… after what I’ve heard, there’s a lot of instrumentation missing that’s essential for a good develop of the discipline… you know… we are studding to be professionals in one (or more) of three areas: Social and physical anthropology and Archaeology …. For the last two, technological instrumentation it’s very important, because we don’t work with people face to face in the essence but we work with death and ancient things, or with alive ones… and for an investigation we need analysis material… that aren’t in the faculty for example… or we can’t have access to them…
In educational terms… this degree it’s barely new in Chile, so nobody can expect it to be perfectly well organized and that what they teach it’s really useful, but we are fighting for this to change… and every year it’s getting better and the programs are well constructed and organized. The problem of education, maybe, in some cases, is the teachers who don’t know how to teach properly, some of them we can’t even understand though we try.
I think I can’t say too much about every problem respecting these matters, but… in the 8-9 months I’ve been here the ones above are some I have note a lot of times, and maybe they can change in a near further future.. I don’t know…
Anyways I love my discipline, because I believe it can do a lot for people if people wants to, and also there’s a lot of things we should know about humans, as humans we are, and about culture.. and mostly about our past.. how do we get where we are it’s the hugest question we should try to resolve… and that’s the one that made me choose this degree =)

Anthropology and Money… what about it?

As no one should know…. I hate the hideous money…Yes, of course it’s cool to have some… or well… a lot…of money… because you can get what you want and buy lots of things... You can travel too, and all that jazz… but I can’t help hating it…
I think it’s because the obnoxious state people turn into when they think about the bloody money thingy… the $$ symbol in their eyes… it’s just so annoying for me…I don’t like greedy people… I’m not greedy at all… But as the human being I am… of course I like money… But at the same time I hate it. All the problems, at least in my family, had been about money... or caused because of the money… ant that had taught me that money sucks!
So for me… money, whether is important for some things, and some people or not… for me it’s not.
In this situation, of course I chose my degree, not because the money I could earn once I start working… but because the degree itself… Besides… I didn’t choose Anthropology as a degree to be an anthropologist, I choose it because it was the only way… and because I wanted to study here in the Universidad de Chile, to study Archaeology, and being an Archaeologist… and work with the past itself… because I love the mystery that lies in it…
So, as I said… my degree it’s more important than money for me…for the moment at least… Money it’s just an impediment to do and study what you really want… and well… how will I could make money being and Archaeologist… it’s a mystery…but… I think… if you’re good at it… and you got into a good project… you shouldn’t have money problems in the future…
In the mean time… I have, for now, four more years to worry about earning and making money… right?
Right now... I don’t have a job... so of course I’m not making money for the moment, if I work, I won’t have time to study... And now study it’s the most important thing to do... and while my parents support me... and push me to not work... that situation will be fine and in order.

Bye.

my faculty and the microwaves issue...

My beloved Faculty?... I like but not love it… It has a great lack of things situation… and the most important at the time…I don’t care if it’s shallow…It’s MICROWAVES!... you know.. a lot of people, including me, use microwaves to heat up our food… I don’t know what you’re thoughts are… I don’t freaking like cold food… when it’s supposed to be hot. Like spaghetti or rice or meat!... I don’t know… but it f*king sucks not to eat because of the microwaves… ok ok, I’m overreacting… I can survive eating only salads and cold food… but sometimes warm thing are really good!...And besides, before the TWO microwaves that we used to use where broke it was awful to have to wait soooo long to get you food heat up… Yes, it’s a complaining-full-of-shitty-shit blog, but my imagination went out since the last one… so… deal whit this one!
All right, the microwaves thingy it’s something that need an improvement because there’s a lot of people who need to warm up their food… and TWO are not enough…My first step would be buy like 4 microwaves for all the studentship, for all of us to get our foods decently heat up… The benefits will be just immediate… because everyone will be happier with brand new and more microwaves… and we will have more time to eat, rest and have a fun time with our mates and friends in the lunch hour… Next steps from this one???... Just to have a peaceful lunch… =)

MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC! ♥♥♥

Once again… MUSIC…
I think I’ll never get tired of writing or talking about it, it’s so much powerful than me the feeling that traps me when I pronounce the word…

Above all things I like Rock music… it’s on my veins… It’s the one kind I’ve heard since I was born… and even before that. Actually, if I have to name a song that means just too much to me, I wouldn’t think twice to say: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, By Led Zeppelin, the best rock band of the Twentieth Century. The reason of the importance of this one is that when I was a baby girl, it was my lullaby; it’s so deep inside conscience that every time I listen to it, a feeling of warmness and melancholy surrounds me and overwhelms me… I can’t help it. And I must add the feeling it’s delicious. But that song and that band aren’t my very favorites… They’re just the most special ones. I can play Guitar, I’m not so good at it but, the time I’d be able to play Stairway to Heaven, it would be the best day of my life.

My Favorite Band and Song so far, unlike what you can expect since one of my first’s blogs… is respectively, Good Charlotte and their song: Hold On. I don’t care what you may think of them, I have always admitted that they’re not too good, not even close to other ones I love, but to me…they’re special. This band it’s truly important to me, marked my life the first time I watch the video for Hold On…in 2002… yes, it’s pretty much a new band, but it was special… Besides the song just tells people to never surrender, and never let the world put you down… because we are all the same thing… and nothing and nobody is better. At the time, that touches me, because I was passing through a depression period on my life… I was twelve, and the song encourages me to go out from the hole I was into. The next thing that made me love the band to hell, was their concert on November 30th, 2005, it was a magical thing, my friends and I made a canvas out of fabric, and we paint it by ourselves, we were something kind of a Fans Club, and we put our name on it, which it’s too embarrassing to named it here. The magical thing was that the vocalist, Joel Madden, Named us!!!...So it was a wonderful experience…

Going to concerts it’s the best thing that can ever happen in my life, It’s such a relaxing, adrenaline and thrilling experience that nothing could ever exceed one. I have been to over twenty concerts in my life, and I have to name here the best ones, a top 10, I’m letting a lot of concerts out… but… the next ones deserve a spot on my list:

1.MUSE (July 26th, 2008)!!!
2.Los Jaivas (Every single Time)
3.Los Bunkers (June 13th, 2008)
4.Ozzy Osbourne (April 1st , 2008)
5.The Hives (September 10th, 2008)
6.Good Charlotte (November 30th, 2005)
7.Simple Plan (September 22nd, 2005)
8.La Ley (November 3rd, 2003)
9.Backstreet Boys (March 1st, 2009)
10.Avenged Sevenfold (May 27th, 2008)

So, that’s it… enjoy... =)

what a treasure!

The news Item was…
Largest Ever Hoard Of Anglo-Saxon Gold Found In Staffordshire (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/24/anglo-saxon-treasure-hoard-gold-staffordshire-metal-detector)


Right know I’m going to talk about a treasure found by an amateur metal detector called Terry Herbert, in july. The article, write Thursday 24 September 2009, starts with these words: “A harvest of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver so beautiful it brought tears to the eyes of one expert, has poured out of a Staffordshire field - the largest hoard of gold from the period ever found.”
We are talking about amazing things here like weapons, helmets, coins crosses (Christians of course), 1500 pieces! And lots of gold, and as we can read “may be the swag from a spectacularly successful raiding party of warlike Mercians, sometime around AD700.” And that’s the greater part of this kinda cience called archaeology… you can find thing from thousands and thousands years back, and you don’t know what can you find until you dig in the tight place.
“The gold includes spectacular gem studded pieces decorated with tiny interlaced beasts, which were originally the ornamentation for Anglo-Saxon swords of princely quality: the experts would judge one a spectacular discovery, but the field has yielded 84 pommel caps and 71 hilt collars, a find without precedent.” Is written in the article, and I said it was a treasure, but it’s more than that! The pieces are dazzling… amazing and overwhelming.. if you watch the video in the page.. or some pictures… you will be able to agreed with me…
In the mean time investigators have problems with dating.. but there’s a lot of thing undiscovered besides that…
That’s the magic archaeology has…
And that’s why I love it!

Food food foood!!!

Food... I don’t know what are other people thoughts about foods but I believe that eating it’s the best thing in the world… Of course I’m talking about foods that are delicious like pizza or cakes or cookies. Ok, well then, I love love pizza and hamburgers and fast food in general, but those aren’t my favorite foods. The number one in my list should, in all the cases, be potatoes in salad, with scallion and coriander, grilled meat and multiple salads like tomatoes and corn. I usually enjoy these foods with my family on weekends, and it’s just a perfect moment. My perfect three court meal would be, at first some mango sour and potato ships, then would be the main course, the meal I list before, and for dessert Ice cream fills my perfect lunch.
I love cooking; my specialty is rice (with lots of vegetables) or spaghetti with tomato sauce and lots of vegetables, or cakes… mmm yummy! =). When I eat cakes, or cookies (I just loooooooove cookies!♥) I recall a friend and my sister when we met and watch a few movies and just eat sweet foods. =). Eat rule the world, and I would necer understand people who doesn’t like to eat a thing!

In Santiago... Places to go...

For me, as a fan of cathedrals, that would be one of the first places to recommend a foreigner who come for the first time to Santiago. And well, now you’re there, just in centre of the city, right in Plaza de Armas, you have plenty of places to visit and things to do. Take a decision and choose go north, northeast, east or south and you’ll find three places you must, as a foreigner know: fist if you go north, the road will take you to one of the most traditional places in Santiago: Mercado Central, where you can eat seafood, traditional food and just enjoy the spectacle of weir and odd people while you’re there, just to enjoy the view. Haha. Then, if you take the second way, that road will take you to an amazing museum, one I like a lot: The Bellas Artes Museum. Just in the middle of the Forestall Park, there you can find precious paintings, sculptures and any kind of art you can imagine. Then on the straight east way you’ll find the Santa Lucía Hill, in there you’ll see such a great ancient architecture made of stone and the amazing view of Santiago when you are in the top of the hill, It’s just something you cannot miss!. And well, going south, a place, that’s a must in you visit to Santiago, it’s to visit the Cousiño’s Palace, and That’s! an amazing place to visit, is soooo over the top and all the decoration inside and out it’s just something unseen elsewhere in this city.

I'm addicted to...MUSE

What’s my addiction?... that’s a difficult question… but I think an idea it’s coming up to my mind…
I am a huge music fan, kind of a music lover… I feel music fills my life someway no other thing does, it can makes you fly, and be pretty much high without anything else, only one good song can make your life a bit better…
There’s a band that makes all of this and so much more… and that’s a British band called MUSE.
Before them I have never listen something alike, something so magically amazing, a music that’s so perfectly well done… and makes you feel…
The first time I listen to a Muse’s song, which was Hysteria from the absolution album, I immediately fell in love. There was such power there I couldn’t ever have imagine. Nowadays when I go in the bus to the university or back home… or I travel anywhere they are the first choice in my music player… I cannot live without those lyrics, that music, the sound of the vocalist voice, Matt, the piano, and the guitar, or without the amazing pair that Chris and Dominic are in the Bass and Drums (respectively)…the harmonious melodies they create to make me fly and just enjoy… pretty much in a state of ecstasy… they are just great!
Now I’m just listening to their new album and it’s just an amazing piece of art!
I don’t think I can ever beat this addiction, because it is so great that nothing can keep me from listen…and my advice for the people who hasn’t ever listen a single chord from them, if you don’t want to get stick to them… don’t listen to them. But, let’s be realistic here… I believe nobody should die without listen at least once a song… one single song…
They deserve be loved and admire by everybody… I had the chance of watching a show of them last year… and I can say… after that my life change… for me they ARE the BEST live SHOW I’ve ever seen… and I can compare them with big ones like Ozzy Osbourne, or U2… and they kick their asses! That day change everything… that July 26th was THE best day of my musical life… I fly, scream and sing as I never have…
Well that’s my addiction… and as I listen to “United states of Eurasia” I’ll tell you that… THEY ARE THE BEST!
“Don’t be afraid of what your mind conceives you should make a stand…a stand up for what you believe…and tonight we can truly say… together we’re INVINCIBLE” – Invincible – MUSE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDDCieKfrvY

the so hated transportation system...

Yes, I’m talking about Santiago's transportation system: TRANSANTIAGO.

At least in my point of view it works, the real problem is that is hard for people to get used to something new. It's been like three years since these buses started to work on the streets of the city, and at that time, everybody was quite excited because it was supposed that it was going to fix all the problems that we used to have with the famous Yellow Buses. Once this public transportation program began to work, everybody thought that was going to work fine in the first moment, pretty much magically. But of course it doesn't. The big change of paying with those freaking obnoxious coins to start using a card instead (one you have to charge money in to use it... pretty difficult ah?) was such a problem, because nobody was still ready for such a change!

Well, now it's been a large while, and people keep thinking things will be instantly and magically perfect from the start. But all of this it's a process we all might pass through, and after all, finally people it's getting used to the change. Of course nobody likes to travel in a hideous and full to top bus everyday, even more when you have a long way to go, nor you have to travel an hour just to get home, or university, I don't like it either, but that's life, you can try the Subway, but is just the same thing.

It's Magic...

If you ask me which place in earth I would like to visit, and not only that in strict rigor, I would get speechless, because for a moment I couldn’t be able to choose where would I really like to go!
Well, of course I have a few places in mind.
Starting here in South America, going then to the Mesoamerican area, then all the way to Europe and Asia… Do you think this plan is a bit unrealistic? Well, maybe…but it’s a dream I really want to make true and one I will make true, in the near or not too far, I hope, future… Yeah… these places are so worn out, and everybody want’s the same and blah blah blah… But, like now, I’ve never care about what people think of the most amazing and beautiful places of the world… So…if you don’t like it…I don’t think it’s right to type what I wanna tell you all…
Alright, as I said I’m gonna start with South America, and of course one of the most magical places in the territory now known as Peru, of course, I mean The Inca’s city of Machu Pichu. The reason behind this is that that place is just full of amazing energy and myth, mysterious beliefs and the most wonderful view and architecture constructions full of mystical significances for the unbelievable culture that once, not so long ago lived there.
Let’s change the place, and let’s travel to Mesoamerican area of Yucatan, where the great Maya culture lived their greater times of imperialistic force all the way down from the now known as Mexico’s Caribbean area to the actual Honduras. Yucatan is the principal Maya religious city, the one full of magic and power. The temples there, are mostly covered with grass and plants, are the giants buildings with the form of a stagger pyramid, where they made their cults for the moon, the sun and most of their gods. The thing I love about this is that first they lived in a period where in the present nobody believe it was possible such amazing constructions nor civilizations as Mayas within whole lot of others, and I firmly believe, despite what anyone would say that the past was so much better than the future in so many aspects I couldn’t name most of them.
I wanna see and experience that magic, that power, that great and unrealistic energy that those places have inside, and all the things they keep in secret I want to be able to discovered them, as an archaeologist, and that’s why I spect for my degree, and then my career…
I decided that today I’m gonna write just about those two places, maybe in another day or time I’ll finish this, for now I’m gonna stay with that…

First blog, the first half of 2009

First Blog, first thing I will write here, and I don’t even know where nor how to start. I will just make things easier, and I will begin with the first thing in the list of things I must write about: The first half of the year in College.

At first, I didn’t know what to expect, and it was hard for me to adapt my mind to the college speed, well after a year off, of course it was going to be hard. Anyway I approach every purpose I have made and every promise I have made to myself. It was a hard work but it worth it. I learned a lot about what Anthropology was about, some little thing about how to work with it, and started to fell in love with Archaeology which is THE one specialty I’m looking forward to, why? Is not something I can tell clearly right in this moment, maybe in another blog...

The past half year went on so fast I couldn’t realize nor even get noticed about everything I have done, nor everything I approached, but right now I can say that it was a lot of thing going on my head to even get aware of a bunch of important things. Everything changed in four months, and everything will still going to change in the next for and so on, and I now, now that I think about it why everything went too fast. The one and only reason was that besides of being adapting myself to the college speed, I was adapting myself to the fact my sister start college too, but farther away from Santiago, to Valdivia, so it was a very difficult thing to stay and be without her to think about all the things I did or dedicate to not think about her being away.

So that’s it, what else can I say?