Post 10 : English Language Challenges

Hi bloggers!! This post is about my experience in this subject.
Unfortunately, this is last post of class but writing them was very useful, because learning English is very difficult to me, especially talking and writing. So, practice these it helps me to develop my skills English.

In school my teachers weren’t too good to explain these, they always taught us the grammar and some structure of phrases, reading texts or see some videos, but the pronunciation and how to develop some conversation never were the principal topic. Therefore, these skills always were my weakness, and I think it still being the most difficult to me L.

However, in this subject I put in practice these, although not always I participate giving opinions or
answering the questions, I tried to do it and I learn of every mistake that I made.

Writing blogs was very interesting because was an instance for talking about things related our careers, about our interest and opinions in general. It was my second opportunity to write them, so I keeping the same opinion of last semester, that it was that the blogs are the best way to learn how to develop an opinion in English.

For improve my weakness skills I want to take a course with my sister outside the university,
maybe this holidays or next year, I don’t know yet.

Obviously, is very important learn English, because all the important information and scientific research are in English, so everything that I search I have to searching in English and reading papers and documents in English ... in the end all is in English hahaha even the good series sound better in English.

Well, it is all, see you!!

Post 9 : Changes to my study program

Hi everyone!!  Today the topic is about my study program.

Personally I don’t know all the changes that have made to the program in the recent years, but I’m going to talk about of my opinion about the changes that should make.

I always complain about the few field trips that we have in the different subject, because they are so important for our professional training. It helps us to improve our communicational and observation skills, because we can learn making things by ourselves, and put into practice all the things that we learned on class.

For example, in forest engineer, when the classes start the first activity is in field, instead of us (agronomist) that we have the first field trip only in one subject, two weeks later.

Also, I think several subjects have a wrong planning. For example, “Práctica III and IV” are completely useless. The professors are so irresponsible, they never came to classes early; the classes were too boring and I didn’t learn something useful.  Definitely, these subjects should change and incorporate others topic on them, specially things more practices.

 In this semester I have “práctica IV” and can’t believe that we had 1 month learning history of Chile, instead of learning agrarian politics, something that necessary we should learn.

The same situation happens in the subjects related to economy department, like “Agronegocios” and “Gestión de proyectos y marketing”. In these subjects we view practically the same topics, so instead of have two subjects should be only one, it will be so much better and that way, could be incorporate other subjects more useful.

Finally, the study program also should incorporate subjects similar to natural resources engineering, because we are falling behind in learn about the new technologies for field management .

Post 8 : Summer Holidays

Hi guys!

Today the topic is about my summer holidays. I’m very excited for finish the classes in the university because this year have been so exhausting. Is for that reason I feel that I deserve a relaxing vacation.

Unfortunately,  because of the strike of the students, all the courses will finish the classes in middle of January. But despite of that, I would like to journey anyway, as far as I can on that month.
My idea for this summer holidays is: first, go with my family to the central coast, specifically to Algarrobo, because my grandmother has a house there near the beach, and if I go there, I would like to go for two weeks. Later, I would like to go with my boyfriend and make a tour on the south of Chile. Our plan is to know completly Chiloé and try to travel around all the island and explore all the places that we don't known yet, because we went there in 2015. We liked that place due to all the beautiful landscapes that the island has. Also, I remember that we liked to wake up and walk along the shore of the lake, it was wonderful and relaxing.

In view of the limited time of the vacations, I don't think that I can do all the things that I had planned at the start of the year. It was to travel through the "Carretera Austral" that runs from Puerto Montt to Villa O'Higgins through rural Patagonia, but I hope to make it in the next year.

Post 7 : Medicinal Plants

Hello!! Today the topic is about medicinal plants, a very interesting topic to discuss, because there are several opinions about their functionality. Some people are against the use of medicinal plants for curing a disease, whereas some other people agree to use them. I’m part of this group, because it’s a natural option and doesn’t produce any addiction.

I can say that I normally use some plants. I like drinking shakes and infusions almost every day, with ginger, mint, boldo, chamomile, oregano, etc. I use them, since they are good for my health, helping to eliminate toxins, reduces troubles related with indigestion and they also help to lose weight. These properties are important for me, because I usually suffer from stomach ache (I eat something at lunch or breakfast and immediately I feel some malaise on my stomach). For that reason, I’m used to drinking them, in the morning and evening, practically every day.

I always recommend to make these infusions, not only for the properties but also because they are very tasty and refreshing.

In my house, we have some plants in our vegetable garden, such as stevia, mint and oregano. They are very rustic plants, because I don’t take care of them frequently, and they are so big and good.

Definitely is good to have our medicinal plants, because is a better way to make infusions; also we can incorporate them on our food.

I hope you can try making infusions with some medicinal plants, It’s so much better!! :)

Post 6 : Postgraduate Studies

 Hello guys!! Today the topic is postgraduate studies.

I’m at the fourth year of my career, so this semester I decided to do a Master in Management of soil and water, so I had to apply to “continuous education” in September. The interview was in October and the results were in November. Meanwhile I had to choose a topic for my thesis. It was very difficult, because the topics that the professors shows in the document of the postgraduate’s website weren’t of my likes. Any of them I liked too much to choose one, so I went to talk with a professor that had topics more interesting and relevant to me. 

He shows me all the projects that he had, and I liked one related with monitoring evapotranspiration on raspberry with remote sensing. This project had something special, because the objective is help to small farmers that they are working in communities, to improve the consumption of water by different options that I have to create.

I decided to do a Master, because I think that is a possibility to learn something more related with our interests, due to the opportunity to choose freely the courses that we want. I couldn’t take some professionals elective courses because the schedule wasn’t allowed and I never had free time to take those.

So I hope that with this Master I can to develop my skills and learn more about how confront the problems of our country, with a vision more sustainable and responsible.

Post 5 : My Future Job

Hi, today the topic is about my future job, but I really don’t know exactly what I’ll do in the future.
Because agronomy has so many areas to dedicate, and each one has something special and different, that can attract your attention.
However, since entering in the career, I always came with the idea of learning more about how to make the current agricultural production had a goal beyond the production itself, if not more sustainable.

So I have tried to be focus on learning new tools, so in that way in the future my work could make small changes. I believe that in this university, the great majority of teachers have this same vision, and try to make us responsible agronomists, concerned about the externalities of our work.

Is for that reason my intention is to travel around Chile, trying to help little farmerst, doing them asessorie and help them to be more efficent in the management of the resources. I can't imagine myself working in a office, because definititily I want to work on the outdoor, in the field, or somewhere similar. In the future I would love to live on the south of Chile, and from there can exercise like an agronomist and create my own company, with the objetive of bring near the farmers to the new technologies that the world had been developed it, such as remote sensing.

Bye!

Post 4: Free topic "Role of gender"

Hi guys, today I going to write about a topic very controversial and that is “the end of role of gender”.
I choose that because I always wondered why we have to classify our beliefs, acts, likes, etc , in a category , I mean why the society have to decide for us for example what type of clothes we have to wear, is stupid. I don’t think that it’s be okey.
Besides of being women and men for our sexual characteristic, what it’s mean be masculine or feminine? You act like a man or woman? Why is the difference?
 Why we say to a little boy “that is of girls, you don’t have to play with that” or “you don’t have to wear skirts”,  I think nobody can tell you what you have to do or act or say, everyone will have to decide for itself how to be. In special when we are child, when our personality is being created and developed according to experience that we live. So if we don’t teach to children that the stereotypes of gender are wrong, and don’t leave they make their own decisions about clothes, toys, etc, we will continue promoting gender differences, instead of stopping these social expectative that nothing helped us to become a more egalitarian society.

post 3: My favorite book

Hi guys!! Today I'm going to talk about my favorite books. It’s a little bit difficult to me choose only one, because I liked a lot of books. However, I have a favorite type of literary worlds, that is the wonderful world.

This characterized for have magic and acts supernatural or illogic on actual world. So normally have some characters such as fairies, elves, mermaids, etc . A great example for understand what I say, is the Lord of de rings.The book describes places with so much characteristics and elements and you can imagine all that and feel as if you were there. I think that is one of the reasons of you can’t stop reading still you finished it. Also I like the magical realism. A big reference of this is “Cien años de soledad” of Gabriel García Márquez, and this book is one of my favorite. Some people think that his history is difficult to understand for the big family tree and all of them have the similar names, so yeah is confuse, but on that is the beauty of this book, because show the complexity and depth of the individuality of man making no character resembles another. Besides it emphasize on identity, heritage and feeling of belong.

Now I want to read “King Kong theory” of Virginie Despentes, but I can’t found it anywhere  This book belies the myth of woman submissive that the society tries to impose, deposes taboos and demystifies the supposed ideal of perfect woman, talking about how is the change of transformation of old model of gender and sexuality.

Post 2 : The best concert "SOAD in Chile"

Hi everyone, today I will tell you about the best concert I ever been. It was in the “Bicentenario de la Florida” stadium on 7^th October of 2011, where the American band “System of a down” made the performance.

I went with my sister Constanza, in that time I was 16 years old and she was 12 years old.

We had bought ticket to upper circle too away of the stage, but when we came at stadium my mom talked with the security guard of the queue and he let us into other queue more small, so after that the guards checked us, we got a big surprise because we were on sector VIP or “orchestra section”, too near to the stage.  That was awesome, I mean we could see Serj Tankian (vocalist) and Daron Malakian (guitarist) in front of us.

Before the concert a Chilean band was on the stage, and suddely started raining, so we were completely wet. After that SOAD started to play, and all the people got crazy, we started to jump and singing all the songs, my sister film his favorite song but she could film only one because it was so difficult stay still. We had an amazing time, was so fun and crazy. Besides, this band it’s one of my favorite, so was a more special experience. 

Post 1: A country you'd like to visit

                                    

Hi everyone!! What countries I would like to visit, it’s a question very easy to me, because always I wanted to know the nordic countries like Iceland, Norway or Sweden and the celta territory like Ireland.

In the fantastic movies always showed up the landscape of that countries, like the woods, lakes, glaciers, mountains, houses, castles, Northern Lights, etc, and I think are amazing, and that it’s one of the reason because I like to watch this type of movies. The colours, diversity and life of the nature it’s something that I love. I can imagine who I feel seeing that, so pure, so small, absorbing all the good energy of the nature.

Besides, all these countries have a mitology so special and magic,  with stories about celts and vikings, and I think that it's so interesting, I really I would like to visit these places for know more about his history and mitology.

When I work I’ll hope save a lot of money and go there in my vacation, I would like to visit all the places that I can, and with that I’ll feel so complete with my self, because this it’s my biggest dream of my life.

About me

Hi everyone my name is Catherine Vargas, I'm 21 years old.I'm studying agriculture in "Universidad de Chile", and now I'm at the fourth year on my carrer. Next year I want to do a master of management of soil and water to continue my studies, so I applied this semester and I hope that everything goes well. 

 In my free time I like to play videogames , watch TV series, draw mandalas on my sketchbook, and in the weekend  I try to go out to natural places. 

Post 10: Evaluation of blog experience

Hi guys!! Unfortunately, this is last post of class, I enjoyed write about some topic very interesting, like pets, food, music, technology, etc. Besides is an instance for share opinions and feelings about these topics, created a discussion about it, and that way we can learn from the comments and the opinion of the other person that I don’t know.

Writing an English blog’s, was very productive to help me to develop much better my English skills, because constantly we must to create a new post, and we force to try to figure out how translate some words and Chilean expression’s and that it makes sense. Actually, it was little difficult to me, because I forget some rules and words that I learned in school, so I had to retake the notes, watched videos on youtube and asking for help to my sister that who has more knowledges on this.

 Therefore, I think it’s a tool so good for implement in this type of course, as long as the subject that we must to write, will be interesting and actually, by which, it’s more easy inspire us for write more and practice our writing giving opinions.  For that, I guess maybe will be incorporate topics like politics news, TV shows, subjects related with our career, etc.  

Post 9: Pets

Hi everyone!! This post is the most enjoyable, I think the pets are the main happiness of the home, they always get us a smile. 

Well, my first pet was a dog called “Titin”. My cousin found him in their neighborhood and he decided to stay with him for 3 or 4 years. Then, when my family and I, went to live at grandmother’s house, we care him still he died. Practically he was with me all my childhood, he was incredible playful, very obedient, very loyal, and I loved him so much. When he died was very sad for all my family, because his death wasn’t our fault. The dog in front of my house was so savage, he escaped and entered to our garden, attacking my nanny but when my dog defended her, Titin was seriously injured. Next day in the veterinary, he died at the night 31th november of 2007… as you can imagine all my family were too sad and rage. The owners of the dog weren't interested in anything, like the cost of the veterinary or preoccupation for our dog, they not even asked for his health or give us an apology … nothing ... 

It disgusts me, because it’s something that still going on, and the people don’t take preoccupation. Even when they reared aggressive dogs, it’s annoying me too much ... I actually don’t understand, I think the pets are part of the family, not only “animals”.

Now we have a “new brother” called saqui. He is a golden retriever too adorable. My uncle gave to us when he was 2 months, and now he has 2 years. He's very playful, strong, tender, pretty , I love playing with him, is too funny … we are too happy with him, it’s part of my family, just simply like that.

He is saqui :)

 
  He is titin with my little syster :) 

Post 8: A subject you've enjoyed studying this semester

Hi guys!! This semester I have 6 subjects, included English, and the most I’ve enjoyed is “farming systems”. This course is searching that the students can learn how interpreting the main flows of productive interest in the farming systems, like flows of energy, water, organic matter, etc; and that way, they give us different judgment for the decision making, and thus establish a sustainable management of the production system. For that reason, the program of this subject, start with systems analysis, then continued with the balances of main flows, like I previously mentioned. After that, they show how to get a sustainable management of the systems, incorporating the efficiency of the use of resources.

Also, every friday we worked in Excel, analyzing predictive models about some flows. I think, this is the most important and more interesting, because is something that I haven't known before this course, besides it’s too useful, because we can quantify the variable income of the systems, and evaluate his behavior over time. And that way we can to get more efficient management.

Finally, I consider that this course has helped me a lot to understand in a more generally way all the system's production. Also, it has given me a more sustainable perspective.

Post 7: "Cultiva"

Hi everyone, I hope that you're well!!
The topic that I must write this time was very difficult to decide, because I had to choose between talking about website or an expert, related with my career, so none of the both topics I really liked, because actually I don’t follow many sites where people can discuss about agriculture, so I don’t have many options to choose.

However, today I will telling you about an organization that I follow since last year, it’s called “cultiva”. Maybe isn’t too related with my area, but I try to look at it like an opportunity to reflect on the protection of environmental, and and get relevant information about environmental… and that is very important to me.
I don’t frequently access to this website, because I only follow they on facebook, so, in that way, I can find out all the news and activities that they realize.

This organization was created in 2000, looking for stimulated people to participate in “green activities” like reforestation, building of green areas in schools, etc. Besides, they trying to generate environmental awareness in the people, making groupal workshop explained the climate change, the benefits of incorporated green areas in the city, what big is the pollution on Santiago, and more topics like these.
Well, you can visit the website, and here you can looking for more information, like it's history, how to collaborate, the programs, etc.  http://www.cultiva.cl/
I only have participated one time. It was on this year in the summer’s vacation with my sister, and we go to a park in Peñalolen, where we plant trees, and decorate some bench. Definitely, it’s a great activity that all of us must to do someday in our life.

Follow them on "Facebook" : @cultivacorporacion

Post 6: Music!!

Hi guys!! This post it's about music. I really liked listening music every time, when I'm in the bus, in my house, when I playing games, etc, because I feel that the music relax me and takes the stress away.

I used to listen all of types of music, I don’t have a particular favorite style, because I only focus on the lyrics, the rhythms and especially in the voice of the singer. For example, some of my favorite bands are social distortion, black label society, Amy Winehouse, tiger army, queen, Michael Jackson, the beatles; and all of them have a thing so particular that it caught my attention.

In the last time, I listen social distortion, and his principal singer is Mike Ness, he got a voice that it’s make me crazy, it’s so deep and strong and I really love it.

Also, I like Chilean music, like Nano Stern, Camila Moreno, papanegro, but particularly the funky music. The greater artist of this type of music and one of my favorite bands is Chancho en piedra. The songs that they have are so amazing, so funny, with a rhythm so characteristic. I mean, if you listen one of his songs (no matter that you don't know that song), only by the rhythms and sounds you will know is Chancho en piedra.
 Always that they have a concert I try to go, because I enjoy his music so much … I totally recommend go there.

Well, here I put them a few of my favorite songs J

Angel's wings-Social distortion 

Discojapi- Chancho en piedra

Post 5 : A Photograph You like

Hi bloggers, today I will talk about photographs. I really like look photographs on the family album, especially when we gathered my cousins, uncles, and my family in general. It's very funny remember those moments and spend good times with them looking at the pictures.

It's complicated choose one favourite photograph, because there are many pictures that remember me a special moments, but exists a picture that I really like to look when I miss my grandfather. It is a photo where I was with my grandfather and my little sister in his birthday, this photograph was taken by my mom in September of 2001, and was the last birthday that we spend with him before he died, so it’s very special to me.
Also, this picture remember me at the time when we lived with my grandparents. The house was very big and the garden much more, for that reason, my sister and I played all days with my cousin around all those places and in the house. I can remember that everytime we were running at the house the floor made a lot of noise,because it was of wooden and my grandmother always told us off. So even when we were walking the ground was creaking.

Post 4 : Food

Hi everyone, today I'm gonna write about one of the things that I most love... the food.  My favourite food are the sweet food, I eat a lot of these, like lemon pie, brownies, cupcakes, muffins, cereals, etc. Actually I'm always eating that type of food, for example, when I’m studying, playing games, watching TV, in my class, among other moments. For that, I can say that I eat this food especially when I’m boring.
But the sweet food that I most love  and I can't live without it, are the cupcakes. The cupcakes are very sweet and I love it, mostly when are stuffed with nutella.  Besides, I cook cupcakes with my sister all the time for our parents. However, this type of food it’s too bad for my healthy, so I’m trying to not eat it in excess.    

Also, in specials ocassions I like eating italian food, I think this food is too delicious, and I can say that the ravioli stuffed with spinach cream is my favourite dish. 

My favourite piece of technology.

Well, I can say that today the technological devices, which I practicly use everyday like my computer, cellphone and TV, are very integrated in my life.
For example I use nearly always youtube for watching movies, videos, among others things that I like. Also, I use the application Spotify on my cellphone to listen to music on the moments when I'm at the public transport or sometimes when I'm in my home.
But I think that between all the technological devices, I prefer the game consoles. In my life I've used them since I was a little girl, because I really like play videogames, such as “Metal Gear Solid” that is actually my favourite game. I got it since I was 12 years old, so, nowadays I use recurrently the “XBOX 360” to play this incredible game in my free time. The reason because it caught my attention, was for his history, music and characters that are amazing.
I've followed this saga for a long time and I will continue doing it.

Why did you choose your career?

Well, hi everyone. Today I gonna talk about my decision of why choose my career. Since I was a teenager I started to have real interest of the problems of the environment, I always liked learn about this things, specially searching for solutions to change the problems that the people make, so I began to looking careers where I could make a little difference,to contribute to stop damage of natural resources. Because of that, I found agriculture and natural resources careers, and I couldn’t decide in between both careers.

Then the last year of high school, I went to many college fairs to know about these careers, and that moment I started to interest more on agriculture, because I realize that I like so much the farm, and the fact that earth can give us our own food, makes me think that I must to do the thing right,trying to find a balance between the welfare human, economy and nature. Consequently I think we don’t have to do more damage to the only source that give us life, the earth. 

Well now Im studying that and I love it. 

PD: Always this song it's inspired me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivWY9wn5ps

My autobiography

Hi my name is Catherine Vargas, I was born in Santiago at 17th of february in 1995. In 2002, I styudied two years in Coquimbo and after of three years , we moved to Santiago with my family. I finished my primary and secundary at the "Nuestra señora del Carmen " school when I was 17 years old. Then I entered Universidad de Chile for studyied agriculture, and now Im at the fourth year. 

My family is not very big, Im living with my mum Mariluz, my dad Marco, my sister Constanza, my grandmother Luz María and my dog Saqui. My mum is a teacher of Languaje and Arts, my dad is accountant. My main hobbies are rollerskating, sleeping, watching movies, I like cycling in the park, and cooking dessert. 

Hello, my name is Catherine Vargas Castro, Im 21 years old and I live in Maipú, Santiago. Im studying agriculture and Im at the fourth year in my career.
I like to be in the nature, and enjoy of the sounds of that. My hobby is play in rolling and I love it, I play every day I can. My favourite music is rock an specially social distorsion.