English language challenges

My experience learning English at university is limited to the Preintermediate and the Intermediate. I can say that it was a good experience, because I didn’t had English lessons since school, so I forgot a lot of stuffs about this language. All this years I practice very little, only speaking with another peoples in other countries, but it was a very few little moments. They told me that my English was good, but I knew that I had to learn more. So, this two subjects of English teach me more about this language, with two good teachers.

About the use of blogs, it’s a practical task that help to the students to be more creative about writing in English. Also, the internet help us to find the words we think in Spanish and is difficult to traduce them. I hope that these thing be part of our knowledge, and not forgot them.

I think that I need to improve my speaking of this language. Writing is easier, and I can take my time doing this. But in the speaking I need to think more quick, and improve more. First, I have to think the words in English, and then I can speak. I hope that in the future I would improve those things speaking with other peoples, especially in my vacations, because there’s when I can know foreign people more frequently.

Outside the English class, I use my English only when I’m reading papers for the different subjects of the university. I can say that I understand those papers, but when is too scientific is more difficult, because they use concepts too specific. Also, I listen the series of the television in English. It’s the same situation of the papers: I can understand them, but some things don’t. I need to learn more about English. 

2015

This year I had good and bad stuffs. The bad are especially in my personal life, but at this time of the year I could solute them. So, that solution is a great part of the year. The other good stuffs happened in things related to the university. For example, I went to a congress of archaeology in Concepcion where I met a lot of people of the discipline, and some of them offered me some subjects for my practice and thesis.

Also, in this year I had three great fieldworks: one in Chug-Chug, other in Chada, and the last in Huatacondo. The first of them is a site near of Calama, where a lot of geoglyph, like 500, and the place are too beautiful. The second are ruins near of Picarquin, and there I had a lot of hard work, but it was useful to my career. And the last of them was a fieldwork where we stayed with a quechua community, Huatacondo, but the fieldwork was really in a near place, called Quebrada Manin. This was a great fieldwork, especially because we participate in a religious celebration of the community and we met a lot of nice people.

The subject that I most enjoyed this year was Zooarchaeology. This was a good course because we could learn about the anatomy of actual and prehistoric fauna. The final test was to work with a set of bones, the most of them of guanaco. We had to recognize them, make a database and try to understand the implications of that set of bones. I enjoyed it a lot.

Finally, this was a good year. I had my lasts subjects of the university, so the next year I have to do my practice and thesis, and I hope to get my title soon. 

Summer Plans

This summer is going to be the last one until I get a job. So, there are my lasts long vacations. Because of this I expect to visit a lot of places and be with friends, relatives, families, etc. First, I would like to visit my relatives in Curicó. This city is near to where I live, Santiago; therefore, it’s not difficult to travel there, I go whenever I want. On the other hand, I would like to go with my girlfriend to Puelo to visit a few friends there, and do trekking in Cochamó for a week. There are great natural places to see near of those towns. An activity that I’m thinking of being part is a fishing trip in Futrono. Every year I go with my uncles and cousins, and we stay about a week eating and drinking well.

Furthermore, I’m planning to work in the summer. I would like to go to a fieldwork in the North or in the South of Chile. I have a few contacts of people working in the North, but it’s not the same in the case of the South. I have only one contact of a person working near of Puerto Montt, but I don’t know her, because a teacher gives me her e-mail. This could be a good experience if happens, and I would like to go there. Plus, I would like to start my practice of the university on January, to can advance and get my degree the next year, if I also finish my thesis. 

Post 7: I love music

It’s a great company in every moment. That’s my opinion about music. All week I have to travel at least one hour and a half to go to the university. So, when I’m not studying or reading papers of archaeology, I’m listening music to enjoy that time. This help me to enjoy more my travels.

And I like all kinds of music, especially rock and funk. And about it, I think Chilean rock it’s okay, but Chilean funk it’s pretty well. For example, I like Los Tetas, and Papanegro, Chileans bands that plays funk. And if you ask me, I prefer international rock band, like The Strokes, Queen, or Articks Monkeys. In the future, I would like to go to a concert of The Strokes or Articks Monkeys; they are great bands.

Also, I’m a fond of the radio, and not only to listening music: hear radio programs it’s a pleasure to me. And I think it’s not bad the law that obliging the radio stations to play a certain amount of Chilean music every day, but, in my opinion, that law don’t speak well about the Chilean music: they are obligating to play that music. That situation would have to be naturally, a spontaneous thing.

And finally, life without music would be a horrible thing. Music is one of my favorite things, and I love it when I’m alone and when I'm with other people. It's nice to hear music alone; but it's nice to listen it with other people. For example, go to a concert with friends. 

How green are you?

I can say that in Chile there're a few institutions or places where a person can learn about environmentally friendly practices. For example, when I was in School my teachers never teach me about this practices, and in the university is the same. There're no subjects about environmentally practices. The only things are environmental initiatives like put different types of garbage dumps, but they not teach about how to use it. They only hope that the people would use this in a good way.

I don't have incorporated a lot of recycling habits, because I don't know much about recycling. The only thing that I learned I see them in the internet. I try to not use plastic bags, and near of my house there are a place where I can recycle glass. I prefer move to using the public transport, because I live too far from the university.

The only eco-organization that I have joined is Puelo Sin Torres. This is an organization that wants to stop the construction of an electric company in the Rio Puelo that would destroy the ecosystem of that place. I joined Puelo Sin Torres because this place is too beautiful, and I went there a lot of times, and I want go there again and again. In the future, I would like to support more organization like this, to preserve the ecosystem everywhere.

In home I try to turn off the electric things always, because this is a way to reduce the carbon footprint of my family. This kinds of things help in this issue, and I see that the society don't do this. There a lot of missing in our society, but the most important thing is that there are no environmental initiatives in Santiago that teach about this practices. 

Post Blog 4: All food is love

I always eat at a fixed time. I try to not change this times, because i listened that is not healthy to have meals in different times. But, when i have hangover, i skip the breakfast. It’s my only excuse to not have this meal. In other way, about the try new foods and drinks, i usually like to try different things, and not only new foods but also new recipes, because it’s good to discover new flavors in old meals. I generally don’t cook, but i like to help in the kitchen. So, if someone ask me to cut a vegetable, or to prepare a bologna, i do it.

About healthy eating, i do not know very much. I never have been in diet, because i never have problems with my weight. I always try to do exercise and play sports, especially soccer and tennis. I like to eat not only at home but also at a restaurant, because each one have good meals. But, i prefer to eat at home, because i know that all meals are going to be good. And if i were in a death row, i will request a lasagna. It’s my favorite meal. So, if i go to an Italian restaurant, i will always order a lasagna.

Facing problems in archaeology

Before I explain the problems I could face finding job in archaeology I have to say that it’s depends on the area that I wanted to work. If is the private area, it’s more easily, because there are a lot of jobs offers and the salary is higher. If is the public area, it’s difficult, because this types of jobs are oriented to the research, like Fondecyt and to do them archaeologist have to win projects with public funds. So, this is the kind of job I wanted, the public area, and it’s requires too much experiences to win a project. I have to participate in a lot of places to win experience and can win a Fondecyt in the future.

Also, I would like to work in the North and South of Chile. This is a bit difficult, because the most of the archaeologist dedicate their jobs to only one place. Although, there are other, a few, that work in different places, and they are an example to me. This requires great skills to understands and learn the different context and knowledge of each place. And this not requires of interviews, because this needs to participate in different fieldworks as volunteers when we are students. When we have the diploma, we can expect some salary for participate in this projects. Finally, I don’t have fears for working in the public area, because it’s depends in my own capacities, and so far I have joined in different projects. 

A great job but no my ideal job

I always thinking that archaeology is a great job to me, because I wanted to travel a lot to different places. I enjoy working outdoors, and I can do this with this career. But the problem is that the most of the archaeologists dedicate their jobs to only one place, like the north of Chile. I don’t want this, because I would like to mix the places and not stay in one location. I would like to work in the north and the south of Chile. I’m thinking to take a mayor in Anthropology in the future, in San Pedro de Atacama, because that can allow me to understand better my profession and do a great job. Also, I’m not thinking what type of salary I wanted in the future. While I have a satisfaction with my own job I will be happy.

So, I’m saying that archaeology is fine to me and allows me to travel a lot. But, I’m not saying that is my ideal job. I prefer to travel a lot but not in a professional/career context. This is a problem to me because any job I could choose it’s the same:  anytime I travel it’s in a professional context. I would like to travel a lot to enjoy it without this context. Although, archaeology it’s a great profession, and I’m only starting in it.   

My favourite piece of technology

I have to say that any technology that allows me to listening music is my favorite. I use the radio, mp3, mobile, notebook, television, etc., to do this anywhere. In my home I specially use the notebook to put some music when I’m studying, cleaning, eating or when I’m boring. And when I’m travelling, to the university or somewhere else, I always carry my mobile or mp3 to listening music. But I prefer one of them: mp3, because I can listen to my music or put the radio if I want it. The mobile also can do this, but its battery lasts for a short time if I use it to put some music, while with the mp3 I can carry some extra batteries. So, wherever you are, you can always listening music if you have a mp3 and have extra batteries. Despite this, i imagine my life without of this, as long as i have other technology that allows me to listening music. 

My best holidays ever

My best holiday ever was one in the year 2014 in the south of Chile. That holiday lasted about a month and a half, and I stayed in different places: Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas, Cascajal, Río Puelo, Tagua Tagua, Futaleufú and Argentina, but the most of my time I stayed in Cascajal. I went to these places because my girlfriend had to do a fieldwork of two months for the university, and I wanted to go with her only one month. Here I knew a lot of nice people and friends, and they invite us every year to visit them.

The other part of the time I was with my relatives in Tagua Tagua, a lake that is near to Río Puelo. I was with two uncles, two aunts and two cousins, and the reason that we went there is because that site is one of the most famous lakes to fishing in Chile. And the last week of this holidays I went with my parents and sister to a location in Argentina called Río Rivadavia, near to El Bolsón and also in the south of this country.

I consider this my best holiday because I traveled to a lot of places with important people of my life. Also the most of these sites have beautiful natural landscapes, with a lot of things to do. And one of them that I love to do is fishing, activity that I practice every year.  

A little part of my life

¡Hi everybody! My name’s Javier, I’m studying archaeology in the University of Chile and I live in Santiago. I’m from this city, but I don’t like it very much, because it’s noisy, there are too much traffic and it’s too pollute. But there are good things too, like my relatives, or my friends, and there’re also good places to visit, like parks, museums, stadiums, restaurant, etc. A city that I like is Curico, because all my relatives live there, and we make fishing trips to different places, and one of them is Futrono, or Puelo. This is a little part of my life, and there are many other things that I have to talk.