And Yes, The Blog Post is On!

For those of you wondering what will happen if you don't get to post blogs in class on Thursday, well, here it is: Whether you come to class or not, I think it would be a good idea for you to post the blog before the end of the week.  All the information is here (see below) and I even shared a little story from my own life (very intriguing).  So, try it.  And please do not use a translator, whether it be human or of the software kind!  And please don't forget to leave comments on your classmates' posts as well.  I will be taking a look at them before next week and I'll have comments of my own for you....

BTW (by the way), I will be in class tomorrow and so I will be physically available for any questions or concerns you might have....

Chao Pescao

Yes Folks....It's Posting Time Again

Yes folks, it's time to post....again.  This first post will be about the previous semester.  Sometimes it's good to look back and reflect on the past.  Not many people do this, I must admit that I include myself in this group, but it's really not such a bad idea as we can learn a lot about ourselves.


Last term, I was still in San Francisco, finishing up my program (in Anthropology) and thinking that the last semester at San Francisco State University would be easier than the others.  Boy was I wrong.  During the last year or so, I had been working on my thesis film, a documentary about a community in northern Chile (La Negra), traveling back and forth from California to Chile taking advantage of the summer and winter vacation months in order to complete the project.  By the way, I spent a lot of my own money to do this; I hope one day someone will give me money for at least part of my film projects!  So anyways, everything was going relatively smoothly until I showed my advisor what I thought was my "almost finished" film.  


Although he had watched part of my material before, this was the first time he had seen a complete version....and he wasn't too pleased with the result.  In other words, he hated it.  He thought that the film lacked focus since I had merely mixed together the different stories (the stories of the different community members) without finding some sort of device to link them in an intelligible way.  This was not good.  There were only three weeks left in the semester and I had to finish everything and get my advisor's approval in order to graduate.  Thinking that we wouldn't be able to finish the film in time to graduate, my advisor "suggested" I stay for another semester.  I almost had a heart attack.  Luckily, I convinced him that we could work on the film for two weeks straight and hope for the best.  He reluctantly agreed and for the next two weeks I edited and edited and edited and edited..... I ignored everything else in my life in order to finish the film.  


I went to my advisor's office every other day, dragging myself over to the campus with my hard drive in my backpack, weak from malnutrition and considerably over-caffeinated.  We managed to make considerable progress at each meeting, and luckily he ended up loving the film (and couldn't stop talking about it to the other members of the faculty).  I don't know where I got the creative energy to finish (maybe it was the coffee?) but I was very happy when my advisor finally signed my certificate of completion papers.  And when I finally graduated, I was all the more proud of myself for finishing what I had set out to do just two years earlier.  It was a good feeling.... I recommend it.


So, that's just one thing I remember from last semester....there were other things but this story is a good one for me since it had a happy ending.  I have another story but that one didn't end so good and I don't want to bore you with the details.


But I do want to hear a story from you....so get to work!
These are the official instructions...


Write about your experiences during the first term of 2010.
Describe:
- the relevant things you learned/studied
- the sports and free time activities you did
- the challenges you had to face
- Others (family, friends, etc..)
- Word Count: 200 


Also, remember to leave comments in at least 3 of your classmates` posts.

Hey, and why not add a photo or video to spice it up a little!!!!!

(I would have added a photo of myself but they are all crap)

Classes Today are Cancelled

For those of you who are still waiting to hear whether classes are on today, well here it is: they're cancelled.  Classes resume tomorrow.  Make sure you check the syllabus for the pages you need to try for next week and, in the meantime, go to plataforma and try the exercises for Unit 13 (Time Matters).  I'll see you next week!!!  Oh, I almost forgot.... stay tuned for information about the Lay-Out (preparation for the oral presentation), which will happen on September 7th..... this info will be posted here.  If you have any questions email me at trauld@yahoo.com (or post a comment).

The Magic Number

For those students who were wondering what the magic number is for this semester, well, the magic number is 8.  Don't mistake this number for a standing up infinitive sign.  That's right, if you fail to respect this number, you will oh so regret it.

Someone pointed out that the week of September 11th usually gets a little "peludo"and that classes might be cancelled or students might otherwise have trouble landing on campus for x, y or z reason.  If it turns out that way then we'll just have to re-calculate the magic number, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

First Day of Class

Today was my first day as an educator at the Universidad de Chile.  I am very happy with the experience.  The students seem great; the administration, the staff, the nice men and women who work at the Café, everyone is just wonderful. 

I left my house pretty early (because I wasn’t sure how the morning traffic would be) and arrived way ahead of schedule.  It took me twenty five minutes to drive to he campus.  I first walked around the social sciences building (to the right if you’re coming from the parking lot), past the Jose Carrasco hall (named after an important journalist who was murdered during the dictatorship), and made my way up the journalism building (where the legendary journalist Juan Pablo Cardenas teaches and where he also has his office). 

I remember visiting this campus a few years back when I interviewed Juan Pablo for a documentary film I am producing (stay tuned for some clips), which will, hopefully, be finished by the end of the year.  I remember I followed Juan Pablo with a camera as he made his way to his office and then his class.  I even filmed him as he taught his undergraduate students all about  “la crónica periodistica”.  

Judging by all the banners, flyers, and informational pamphlets that can be seen everywhere around campus, the students here at the Universidad de Chile must be very well organized.  There are countless groups, organizations, federations, clubs,etc.  There is a feeling of solidarity which seems to be aimed at various social justice campaigns.  I also noticed quite a few flyers that expressed concern with higher education.  It’s clear that the students of this university are far from apathetic and that they are taking advantage of campus life to engage with social and political struggles.

On my way into the social sciences building, I walked by a dog that seemed quite at peace sleeping in the middle of the pathway.   I noticed the same dog a day earlier.  He was just as relaxed as he was today.  I think this dog is some sort of campus mascot.  I need to find out his name!

The social science building is very nice.  There is a huge mural of Che Guevara on the first floor.   On one of the higher floors there is a beautiful rendition of Victor Jara too!  Also on the first floor there is a café.  An older gentleman sits behind the main counter and he seems like a very nice person.  He was quite friendly with a pair of professors who came in after I did.  The café’s patrons seem to enjoy chitchatting with him. 

There was some confusion when I ordered a coffee.  I wasn’t clear what the options were so I ended up simply getting a Nescafe “grano” coffee.  I had left my giant Starbucks Latte in the car, not wanting to give the wrong impression by walking into the Universidad de Chile as an agent of American Cultural Imperialism.  Then when I asked the woman at the kitchen end of the café for a little milk in my coffee, she said that the milk was extra (a lot extra) but that she would look the other way this time.  So sweet.  

After talking to Belen, my friend and colleague, outside of my class for a few minutes, I went into the classroom in order to set up my exciting powerpoint presentation.  My level 2 students trickled in one by one as I started to talk about the mechanics of the course (as well as some housekeeping issues).  Many of the students seemed quite shy but in the end, everyone participated at least once and I have a good feeling that they’re going to engage and learn a lot this semester.

Overall, my first level 2 class gets an A (so far).

Oh yeah, and I forgot that the class ends a quarter to 12PM and not at 12PM.  I already owe my students fifteen minutes!!!!