This is not the last!

For some time, I ´ve been expecting this moment. The time when I finally finish my course of studies. In my five years at teacher training college I´ve met amzing companions, inspiring teachers and have aquired a great deal of knowledge. I´ve dicovered my passion for teaching for grammar and language. I ´ve learned to read between the lines, to admire great authors, the classical ones, those that some people would consider boring. I´ve learnt how deep and moving can interpretations be whan aided by feminist criticism parameters . I´ve learnt that a text is not only a text when you can fint the global meaning, the subsidiary ideas, and the implications some words have. I found out how rewarding is to write a text, one that is coherent and makes you feel proud of.

I still have a long way to go though. I still feel there is so much out there to be learnt. I see that the goals I ´ve achieved, have made me pursue others, much bigger ones and far more challenging.
Once one teacher told me:

"Your Guardian Angel will take care that you accomplish all your dreams. Trust yourself, you're a special soul, a transparent person and I'm sure a trustworthy professional-to-be. Don't ever stop until you reach the sky!"

I´m sticking to that now, to keep on studying and learning and to become a good professional.

I´ll miss college lessons. Teacher training ones. Those that make you think in terms of the students, in terms of the authors and give your view as well.

For my dear friends, the ones thar will always be part of my life I have to say that I´ve learnt so much from you. Not only english, but values. I love you all.

Although this is the last post we have to comply with, this will not be the last.
I planning to keep on with my blog. Both in Spanish and English. I still have many things to say...

A sad Reality

The scourge of unemployment is one commonly faced by countries worldwide. Neither developed nor underdeveloped nations are free from it. In some places, unemployment is the result of lack of preparations and qualification ; in others, however, hoards of newly graduated are thrust upon the labour market only to find themselves as highly qualified though unemployed professionals. What measures should be taken to revert this serious situation?

Many factory and company owners claim that high level professionals are not as needed as simply skilled workers are. High positions are usually occupied by senior and experienced workers who remain there for years. as a result, graduates who have spent years at university, end up working in posts that probably demand half of the preparation they have taken.
What is more, in the las decade, more and more companies have added to their requirements working experience and age limit. This system expects their employeed to graduate, do postgraduate courses and have at least four-year experience in the field by the time they are thirty. which turns out to be to the applicants virtually impossible to comply with. All this leads to fierce competition among newly graduates and undergraduates for the very few positions available. Such competition is disloyal since undergraduates are paid far less for the same jobs.

In the light of the seriousness of this situation a definite course of action should be adopted in the short run. There are some measures to be implemented in order to improve this situation. To begin with, shorter and much needed courses of studies should be offered. Companied together with the government could guide teenagers into practical courses of studies. In turn, workers will be offered the possibility of advancing in companies and the chance of being further qualified.
Furthermore, company requirements shoul be more down to earth. Companies should thus allocate and invest money and time to train workers who might eventually become managers. Finally, undergraduates should also be given the chance to get both expetience andqualifications without running the risk of neglecting their studies.

In conclusion, though some of the measures above metioned may sound expensive and time consuming, they represent the most reasonable step to take if an effective and productive economy is to be fostered. Making the most of people´s time and abilities is the key so solve the unemployment predicament we are caught in today.

Smarter or Wiser?

Over the centuries, technological advances ahce considerably aided human beings. Every problem was treated with such care that the most amazing idear surged to give a solution to such plights. Nowadays technology have reached unprecedented levels. Transportation, building, communication and food production are now quick and efficient processes, nevertheless, we are still caught in predicaments we cannot solve.Has our copacity for invetion reached its limits?

Since the industrial revolution, technology applied to industry has maximized its production at very low costs and at half the time. This occurred at the expense of millions of workers who were unemployed or even worse, who were deliberately exploited and absolutely deprived of their rights by factory owners. A very similar situation took place in rural communities and farms. There, teams of oxen and ploughs were replaced by tractors and crawlers, which required only one man to do the job that in former times was done by fifty farmers. This change, in turn, could meet the factories need of raw materials.

Furthermore, while in the past people managed to cope with domestic tasks manually and without electricity, today everyday chores are carried out by little devices designed to make our lives easier Eventually, we have grown completely dependent on them. We have fallen prey of technology to be informed, entertain and even educated. Finally, mayor advantages of technologies such as the Internet, satellite tracking system and technology applied to science have all been blurred by its appication to inhuman and cruel ends. For instance, in WWII billions of dollars were invested in the improvement of the machine gun and the gas chamber.

All in all, on the one hand, technological advances have contributed to making our lives easier and more productive. On the other hand, however, we seen to have lost the respect for experience and good judgement. By no accounts quick thinking can be compared to wisdom, if the dire consequences technology have brought about remain unsolved.

Teaching - a blessing in desguise?

For years, the teaching profession has been a prestigious and valued occupation. Teachers were regarded as role models both by children and their parents. Their authority was undisputedand the role they played in society was an indispensable and noble one. However in recent times, teachers´virtuosity has been reduces to a mere assistencialist position.

In asociety ruled by purchasing power, teachers, whose salaries are extremely low, are not considered respectable professionals. On the contrary, the choice of a teaching carreer is now regarded as an unwise one. Furthermore, due to this lack of prestige neither parents nor studentssee teachers ar role models any longer. Parents thenselves being professionals expect their children to choose hhigh earning courses of study eventhough they might overlook their own vocations. The media, in turn, has also become a source of "role models", filled as it is now with uneducated, though incredibly rich sports people or notorious female celebs.

As a result of these detrimental factors, behaviour problems in classrooms did not take long to appear. Naughty and noisy children are a must in today´s schools.
On top of it all, teachers have been deprived of their right to impose discipline . Instead, they are expected to passively acceptbeing mistreated and abused by seven year old kids. What is more, in several occations, teachers who have tried to use a disciplinatory measure have been taken to court , or even worse, have been dismissed from their workplaces.

In conclusion, in spite of all the current negative aspects of teaching there are still young people who go for it. It seems to me that the task of providing children with guidance is both invaluable and rewarding. No matter the drawbacks currently faced by the teaching field, working on your chosen profession is undoubtly a blessing.

Fluorecent adolescent

Being a teenager has never been an easy task, neither fifty years ago nor now. However,while in those days teens fell into mischief without bringing about any dire consecquences, these days the young have become prone to criminal behaviour. Which are the causes that have contributed to such and increase in juvenile delinquency?


Over the last decades crime among the younghas raised dramatically. It is often alleged that the government has failed to provide a solution to this serious problem, which has now reached unprecedented levels. In addition, the predicament these teenagersare caught in is far from a fairy tale.Households made of single or divorced parents who have been unemployed for years; whole families living on welfare; parents unable to provide their children with the basic school material, clothing or even food.
Furthermore, high schools are governed by the lawthat states that you are what you have. For those teens who cannot have the latest "stuff ", it is like throwing them into a lion´s cage where the only way of getting what they think they need is crime. Finally, it is clear the educational system falls shotof its potential. Added to the problem infrastructure and materials, discipline and low marks are commonplace. Teachers find it almost impossible to give students a lesson thus classrooms are chaotic places in which critical thinking cannot be fostered.

Clearly, this situation must be reversed as soon as possible. New policies as regards employment should be applied. Instead of having people living on welfare, which can be degrading, the government should invest funds to activate the country´s productive line which, in turn would generate employment.
Concerning teenagers, schools should be equipped with a psichological and pedagogical department to aid students both emmotionally and academically. What is more, school timetables should be enlarged, giving students the chance to learn a craft, play an instrument or practise spots. In that way, these teenagers will be definitely kept out of the streets.

In conclusion, social and economic problems have led to juvenile crime yet solutions are at hand. To copoe with this plight effectively we need to ensure the young have a model to look up to both at their homes and schools. Athough all the suggestions above mentioned will require a long-term investment both in social policies and education, it is high time we startedthinking about teenagers´future which happens to be also ours.

The Anatomy Lesson

The Anatomy Lesson by Rembrandt is the picture that I have chose to portray the scientific and technological advances of history. In my opinion, all the advances of humanity in every field of science, from psychology to medicine are the result of humans´ inquisitive minds and curious spirits.

Stress at College

By the end of every term, the ghost of stress hovers above college students. Lost of studying, sleepless nights and careless eating. Do they ring a bell to you? Exams are one of the most stressful situations we have to cope with yet there are a series of steps to follow to get over them.

Most of us believe that the more hours we study the better. This is a common misconseption though. When it comes to studying quantity outweighs quantity. In order to works at is optimum potential our brains need both oxigen and fresh air . We need to keep our blood circulating an the only way of achieving this is moving. Go for a walk. Meet your friends: Leave your place. Devote a fraction of your time to relaxing and ensuring all that reading finally becomes knowledge.

Undoubtedly, long studying hours is not the only factor that can result in stress. All the anxiety and nervousness our bodies are exposed to may inevitably lead to insomnia. This is a rather common symptom of stress. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about it. As the saying goes: if you can´t beat them, join them. You could take advantage of those peaceful hours at night and study or just relax. Make the most of your time- do not try to avoid it since once your exams are over, your biological clock will return to its normal rhythm.

Finally, your eating can play a decesive influence on your performanceduring the exams periods. Try not to neglect your eating habits. Keeping a balanced diet will aid both your body and your mind to successfully undergo the exams period.

We are all well aware that a stress free end of term is an unattainable task. However, we are convinced that following the suggestions mentiones above you will be a ble to overcome the stress fuelled by exams and get the best results. At this time of the year your well being is as crucial as studying. Give it a try!

You look just like your mother!

More than once, I can assure you, you´ve heard someone saying: "you look just like your mother!" - Do I? Well, fortunately for me, my mother rocks!

Among the infinite possible gene combinations, there is always one (or some) that we cannot get away with. Either my dad´s nose or my mum´s legs...It seems I´m a copy of them. Darwin and Mendel have explained in a convincing way why my eyes are brown, however they haven´t done much to explain why I burst into tears when I can´t manage a situation (just like my mum) and I tend to avoid every confrontation (just like my dad).

How is it that our characters are shaped? Is it a genetic question? Is it a background question?
After some reading I came to know that as well as our parent pass us physical traits, they also transmit character or rather hints of it. It’s our private social interaction with our families and later public social interaction which help us develop our characters. There are many theories,for instance, evolutionary psychology claims that "At birth, everyone starts from scratch, with a unique genotype, some inbuilt instincts (including a temperament), and a pre-wired capacity to learn certain kinds of behaviours". So then, according to Freud, who based his studies and theories on Darwin´s work, we are in fact shaped by our backgrounds. High on top of the list being our parents, the ones we mostly interact with in the early stages of our life.
As a conclusion, I can say that, although we are likely to inherit some characteristics from our parents, society does influence the way we think and behave. This fact reinforces the view that portrays human beings as unbelievably complex and flexible creatures.

Tough Enough

When I had to think of a topic for a cartoon, I wanted it to represent me and how I feel: This is my cartoon
In this cartoon I try to represent something that sooner or later we are all confronted with: that is independence.
As this is our last year at college, I wanted to portray the fears and insecurities that we all feel now that we are about to step into adult life.
Once we get our degree, the first thing we need to do is to get a job. Even though most of us already work, supporting ourselves is by far a differet thing. Luckily for English teachers job opportunities abound. We might be offered jobs in private institutes, schools, even our houses can be places of work. However working conditions vary, and there are many people out there who might want to benefit from both our capacities and inexperience. I have to confess that the name "tough enough" came up rather naturally. I quite often find myself saying that.

As regards the experience of being a cartooninst, I really enjoyed. The idea came up almost immediately, the dialogues though, were more difficult. I guess that it is because we are always so concerned about our writings, finding synonyms or fancy words that when it comes to simple language we just have to think twice as much!

What´s in a word?

As master Shakespeare puts it in his lyrical tale "Romeo & Juliet" :


"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."



What´s in a name if not an arbitrary concept? I can´t help wondering why some words are regarded as “just ugly” and others are “simply lovely". Quite often you avoid buying something or refuse to eat something because of its name, think of “guacamole" and "kidney pie" . First, let see what a word is. According to the Merriam Webster´s dictionary a word is "a speech sound or series of speech sounds that symbolizes and communicates a meaning usually without being divisible into smaller units capable of independent use" .

One feature that might make a work ugly or nice it’s the sound. Not because one sound is better than another but what they connote can be more or less pleasant for our ears. If I think about the word "guacamole" I cannot help thinking about disgusting things such as gush or gob.
And that is due to the / g / at the beginning.

Another feature which can contribute to a word´s "appeal” might be its cultural or historical background. For instance, "Nazi" or even "che". The former gave a name to a political party, however the horror of its ruling over Germany rendered it almost an insult. The latter, a word which is so popular in our country, can connote revolutionary feelings for other people .In a country like Venezuela can be considered heroic. I wonder what connotations it might have in Belgium.

Finally, I will focus on the length of words.

• God, faith, love, mum, foe, hate.
• Circumlocution, anniversary, onomatopoeia, characteristics, facilities, observation.

Let´s take the first words of each group. God has three graphemes while circumlocution has fourteen. What a difference! Let alone some of us do not even know the meaning of circumlocution. On the other hand, we are all well acquainted with God.
No matter how long or short words are the best way to express ideas and thought. Human are the only blessed creatures that have this gift. I´ve found some gifted people...read:

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Mother Teresa

Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.
Maya Angelou

Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.
Mark Twain

The words of truth are always paradoxical.
Lao Tzu

You can stroke people with words.
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Song of himself

I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.
I loafe and invite my soul,
I lean and loafe at my ease observing a spear of summer grass.
My tongue, every atom of my blood, form'd from this soil, this air,
Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,
I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death.
Creeds and schools in abeyance,
Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten,
I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard,
Nature without check with original energy.

This is the first stanza of Song of Myself, the first poem of "Leaves of Grass", the collection of poems by Walt Withman.
This American author is my favourite one . He was not only a poet, and that is not a minor detail, since he worked as a journalist and fiction writer for many years before he became one the most famous poets of American literature.
Walt Withman was born in 1819 thirty years after George Washington became the first president of the United States. In a way, Walt’s character was influenced by American spirit of freedom patriotism and opportunities. This certainly contributed to what later came to be his masterpiece.
As mentioned before, Walt Withman started his career as a poet late in his life while most of the romantic poets he looked up to such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats and Byron had done their most important works by their thirties.
The following verses considered, as many others, autobiographical expose this fact.
“I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,
Hoping to cease not till death”.

We are all addict!

It seems that people living in this century can´t get away without an addiction, and that is because these addictions are commonly accepted practices which have gone to extremes.
According to Neus Colomer, professor at University of Barcelona, 21st century addictions are to be found everywhere. And the laymen are the ones to suffer from them. You may be asking yourself: what are 21st century addictions?
Paying too much attention to your appearance, over cleaning your house, feeling wrath, buying compulsively, among others are hints of abnormal behaviour.
Psychologist Colomer outlines the fact that these addictions may be unnoticed, which doesn´t mean they are not harmful for those who suffer from them. We tend to regard alcohol, drugs and gambling as the most pernicious conduct, although this is undeniable the new addictions may pose an emotional, interpersonal and economical danger.
Though common nowadays, workaholics are considered addicts. They not only work a lot but also create bonds with people at work, and their lives and family life depend on that job. These people are incapable of communicating, thinking or living outside of this vicious circle that their career has turned into. Imagine some of the consequences of this “addiction”: no family or friends, divorce, health problems just to name a few.
Another peculiar addiction is that related to the cleaning of your house. Psychologist Colomer believes that people who suffer from this addiction think others judge them both personally and professionally according to the place they live or work in. This addiction is particularly related to that of having always the best appearance. Most people nowadays buy clothes compulsively and not only this, they even resort to plastic surgery in order to have the perfect figure, or face.
Most worrying of all is the addiction to wrath. Probably due to a communication problem, wrath is extremely common. People react violently with almost no reason. How many times have you sworn in a supermarket queue? Or reacted badly to a criticism?
We are getting less and less polite and we are also being slowly and unconsciously dragged to some of these new “addictions”. So watch out you might soon became and addict!

I now pronounce you

In the past months, the same issue has prevailed on the first pages of the newspapers and in the news: The gay marriage law. And after such a long debate, after trying to figure out this new reality in our country I still find it difficult to answer myself the question : Is this right? 54


The struggle for the legalization of homosexual marriage is a very resent one , however it has reached parliment and raised a controversy as regards the rights and obligations gay couples are now granted , on top of the list being the right to adopt a child. People against the new law have exposed their arguments basing themselves in religious beliefs, values and morals.
They would claim that children have the right to mother and a father, probably without thinking about the countless number of children who grow up in "non traditional" households.
Another arguments was the influence homosexual parents may have on their children´s sexuality. I can´t help wondering : Why are there so many gay people who were brought up by heterosexual couples?175
Among these trains of thought appeared the most despicable hypothesis. A bizarre idea that gay couples might adopt a child in order to subject him or her to sexual abuse.
The truth is that this law has come to contemplate behaviours that have been taking place since decades ago. And, though accused of hypocritical, a part of sopciety is still reluctant to accept this fact. 240

On the other hand, no matter how open minded we might be, for some of us same-sex marriage is still shocking. Its not because we do not respect their rights, is that having been raised in "traditional " families, our schema is not ready to put up with such a new reality. Luckily for us, the new generations will surely accept this sitation as commonplace. Society needs time to analize the real step we have just made as a nation.319
The world press published this 14th july : "Gay marriage law : Argentina is the First Latin American Country to Approve Same-sex Marriage".
On the world´s eyes, we seem a nation which is paving the way to a most just and egalitarian society. In my persoanl view , we still have a long way to go. Health and education systems need to be improved. People in the government have to look after EVERY CITIZEN´S RIGHTS. 391

In conclusion, I´d like to quote senator Norma Morandini:

""What defines us is our humanity, and what runs against humanity is intolerance"

I do believe in tolerance and respect as the basis of our society.

Actions speak louder than words

Proper social behaviour is ideally learned at home, at early stages in one´s life and these rules are to be followed and respected throuout it. Unfortunately, sociologists and psychologists in our country are more and more insistent on the lack of values experimented by modern societies.

But when have we become so disrespectful?

It seems that we have completely lost the respect for both common property and other´s rights.
People puffing away in train or bus stations have become commonplace situations and whenever a brave defender of civil law dares speak to them, they recieve scornful and even violent responses. Eventually, these people get away with their wilful behaviour.

Our parks and streets are scattered with litter and although the government may provide some cleaning service, we do not contribute with it. People still drop their waste, chewing gum, cigarette butts , probably thinking " I will not make any difference".

Clearly, here is where the big problem lies. No matter if you are a child, a teenager or an adult; reminders are always necessary. Society is asking for a change. Rules need to be obeyed and authority respected. Social and moral values are in crisis. Society has moved from too strickt to too light rules. We need to strike a balance between our rights and other´s. Moreover, we also have realize that our responsibility and respect may move mountains and make other people change as well.

Return to Paradise

I do not consider myself a critic. I read because I like to. I wanted to share a piece of my mind about a short story. "Return to paradise" by Eliza Riley.

Looking forward to get inspired I decided to read another short story,which by the way I tend to like. I thought of romance, and this is what I got.
A nicely described picture of a beach, a woman in a dress, wind blowing, blue sea and a man staring at her. A marriage, a nasty episode, an attempt of divorce and as usual reconciliation.
Do all women enjoy this? Drama ,drama ,drama.
This story is so corny and revealing. No mistery, do not even dare ask for an unexpected end.

The linguistic Original Sin

As David Crystal put it in an article in 1966 "...the findamental role language plays in the practical understanding , expresion , presentation and furtherance of any set of religious beliefs..."

How fundamental is this role?
If we think about a language as a science that can be studied, you´ll undoubtedly think about linguistics. For the past 150 years, the main interest of this science was the study of language in relation to its context, organization and its external functon(i.e. the connection to reality). As is decribed by Crystal: "Language must be studied in its corect social perspective as the most flexible and potentially subtle form of communication"
For him, the uniqueness of human communication and the power of discourse are particular important when it comes to the analysis of speech.

There are other principles though, for instance that all language implies intellibility. An intelligible message is one clear enough to be understood. There are simple strategies to make your discourse more or less intelligible, the use of simple or complex lexis is one of them. Secondly, The influence of context. It´s usually said thet there are as many interpretations as people who read the message. And this statement is true since backgroud knowledge,the ideas and preconceptions in their minds are different.

Having said this, you might be wondering: what all this has to do with religion?
Well, let me tell you that the discrepancies in intelligibility are most often trivial in everyday speaking but when more presicion is needed and personal and emotional associations arise, as in the case of religion, these connotations can "prove fatal to constructive discussion" (David Crystal).


(to be continued)

Wine- Fashion or taste?

In recent years, it has been discovered that the history of wine spans thouthands of years and that its production is closely related to the most ancient civilizations known. Why is it then that nowadays people gather in clubs and meetings to dicuss the qualities and characteristics of this peculiar drink?



Historical evidence proves that in ancient Egypt, grapes were cultivated and wine was used in religious ceremonies. More recent in time, during the Roman empire, the cultivation of grapes and drinking of wine was not only popular in Europe but also spread to every corner of the empire. The Romans played a key role in wine production, they were the first to create a wine press and to store it in barrels. Not to mention the fact than they also cultivated different types of grapes which paved the way to the enormous variety of wines available today.



Although the decline of the Roman empire affected wine producton.In Europe, the catholic church adopted wine to celebrete the holy mass.(163) By the fifteenth century,the popularity and production of this drink had outlived a devastating pest (Phylloxera: a Fly that affects grapevines) and its production bloomed all around the world.



Along with the Spanish and Portuguese colonies came the wine and the wheat. These two elements were needed to provide the natives with the Holy Eucharist (A christian sacrament, representing the last supper) . So, in what later came to be known as Latin America, only two countries, Chile and Argentina, were apt to cultivate grapes and thus produce their own wines.(220)



In Argentina. Malbec is considered the embematic grape. And Malbec wines produced in this country are exported around the globe because of its quality and similar features it shares with the French.



In the end, are we really intersted in wine? In it´s complexity of flavours and aromas ? Or Are we guided by fashion? The truth is we can´t deny the fact that people knows much more about wines nowadays then they used to. And all that knolwdge available make us even more curious. (



Fashion is always about change. As a consequence, wine is far from fashion, since now we know its been around for at least 4.500 years.

The Ushuaia Rabbit

This Short Story has been written by Fernando Sorrentino. I found it interesting mainly due to the fact that its author is Argentinian. I don´t know you girls, but since I was a girl I ´ve known short stories as an "English Genre". Well, this story is certanly not a common one. It describes a bone created between a man, appatently a scientist, who comes accross an extint animal. The funny thing is however that this creature,which is in theory a patagonic animal, is found in the middle of the city. No forest or woods or cold weather but Buenos Aires. There is also an aura of mistery in this story, thanks to a weird girlfrind. But, trust me, have a go with the Ushuaia Rabbit. It takes no more than fifteen minutes to read. And I can assure you that You´ll find something to remember from this very well written but still peculiar story.

My personal findings are:

"You can´t expect blood from a turnip", Which is an idiom I personally wasn´t acquainted with.

Well,
Hope you read the story and let me know what you think.
This is the link( just in case)
www.short-stories.co.uk/

Great language lesson last moday. I loved the topic of oriental culture and realizing the may be more than one way to view things. I kept wondering...and reading. I found out that Since 1995 in China there is a five-day education system.It used to be six day. That teachers and Students were very much in favour but parents weren´t since the were worried about their chilcren being "behind" in their education...

New in Blogger

Hi everyone,
Well, this is my fisrt publication in my blog. Although I ´ve created this space because of college, I´m glad to have a new space to say things..share....and find out about other people.

Here is a present for my college partners. Girls ,that like me, mind learning and the way in which we could improve it.

"Be curious, not judgmental". Walt Whitman. ( one of my favourite authors)


Regards.