2012: End of the world coming.

Today is the last session of my English blog, and I’ll finish it with an important and interesting topic: The end of the world.

Currently everybody talks about the end of the world, is a kind of fashion, even in the TV shows people discuss about that. But, what it is mean? The Mayan calendar predicts a change of cycle. This people had a wide knowledge of the nature and the cosmos or universe. During thousand years they observe their environment and they got know it and, in a certain sense, control it and predict new cycles. But, who knows? Maybe they not refer to the “end of the world”, maybe they just saw the beginning of a new age or something similar… I don’t know very well the Maya Culture and its calendar… But I think that is unnecessary use that theory for asking about the end of the world.

Is pretty obvious that some time ago our world is experimenting dramatic changes: World wars, illness, climatic changes (global warming), develop of biological weapons, destruction of the nature, indiscriminate hunting, imperialism, etc. But the most important –I think- is that the people are reacting. We have seen world protest (the social movement of the “indignados” in Spain, Chile, Irish, and New York, between others). So, I see a “wake up of our conscious”. I see in some people the possibility of change. Or as Gandhi said: “Be the change that you want see in the world”.

I think that the central point of this is that the earth is tired. Is tired for all damage caused for human beings, and I think that is totally necessary a big change. Let’s hope the world ending and the nature gets a break, a breath… But not… we just must wait and trust in the good and active people, trust in us self and do something, of course.

Ok now, if the world ended this year, I would do a lot of things. First of all, I would travel just with a small bag (carrying just the necessary and basics things) until my money reach. And during this trip, I would do all things that never I do for the “social rules”: I would stole, I would be naked all the time, I would kiss to anyone that I like, etc… If the world ended this year, definitely this year would be the best ever!

Friends of Planet

In this post I’m going to talk to you about a topic really important at the present. I’m referring to the ecological practices.

Currently “be ecological” is almost in fashion and a lot of people stimulate the green practices like to recycle, to re-use the things, don’t throw out garbage in the street, and don’t use aerosols. Even some people and organization promote the defense of parks, natural reserves, rivers, glaciers, forests, animals, seeds, etc. And all of this –I think- emerges because of all damage caused by the big companies, which works in the area of environment, extracting natural and mineral resources. Do this means destroying and contaminate big areas of our planet, even protected areas (so… you can see that the law, at least in Chile, doesn’t work).

All of this information is in the net, scientific magazines, some newspaper and some news. From this information are followed discussions and you can find forums in the net and WebPages (for example, you can go to this link: www.greenpractice.org.au). There you can learn to be a person more ecological and to learn how to recycle or how to reduce your ecological footprint.

But, this is a topic that before never was present in the daily conversations. For example, to my parents is very difficult understand my “green practices” like recycling or to make “ecoladrillos”, they think that is a hobby or just a temporary something. But not… those practices are part of my lifestyle, is my way of think the world.

Although I have to say that I started with this practices and this conscious few time ago, a couple of years ago maybe. But this is because I don’t have the space neither the freedom for decide to do this. I lived in the apartment of my grandmother, which was very small, so I can’t collect the garbage (you know… glass, paper and cardboard, and plastic). But now that I have my own apartment I can collect these elements and save it for the recycle truck of the municipality.

Four years ago I also used my bike instead of using the public transport (taxi, subway or transantiago), but I have an accident and my bike broke up and I can’t use it anymore. I hope save money for buy another bike, because I really need one. I hate the public transport, first, because it contaminate a lot, second, because always is full and the people haven’t patience, and third, because is so slow and it hasn’t a defined horary so many times wait a bus takes a long time.

I like be an “ecological person”, but I think that I could be better, be more committed with a cause. But I don’t have much time for dedicated one part of my life to an activity like this, because that required dedication and a real commitment.

Despite this, I try to do what I can to care the planet. For example, I recycle plastic and paper, I buy used clothes and I try to walk instead of using public transport. And, of course, I try to spread to my friends and family to include in their habits some of this green practices.

The sense of Life

That is a very delicate topic. It is one of these deep questions, like “what is love?” or “what is coming after the death?”, for example. And also it is a very personal question, everyone cans response differently, everyone can define it, because precisely that can means something different for each person.

In my case, this is a question that I have asked to me more than once. But yet I don’t have an answer or a conclusion about that. I have thought that the sense of life is related principally with the beliefs of the people. Beliefs are the things that guide the life of the people. Particularly, I believe in the goodness of people (yes, I know, I’m very optimistic) and I think that the sense of the life is to live quiet, don’t disturb to others, don’t harm others, and enjoy every moment as it been the last.

For example, the catholic people believe in God and the eternal life, and they direct their life in this sense. Long time ago I lost this beliefs, and because of this, this topic is hard for me because I don’t have a clear belief, something structured that can guide my life… so I have to think in what are the things that give sense to my life. And some of this things are my family, been with them, love them, support them. Another thing is enjoy all moments of my life and learn of it.

Obviously I have to keeping develop this topic… it’s really important to have clarity about that, because is the only form in which I can enjoy and to be conscious of my life and my possibilities.

THE TRUE FACE AND DEATH OF MIGUEL DE CERVANTES

Historians and archaeologists plans to reveal the true face of the creator of Don Quixote of La Mancha, known as one of the most important writers of the western literature.

The scientific project try to found the bones of Cervantes, buried in a convent in Madrid. The scientists wonder about which was the true face of the writer, only known from a picture painted by artist Juan de Jauregui 20 years after his death. The bones study also would reveal the real cause of death of Cervantes. It believes that Cervantes died of cirrhosis, because his rivals accused him of being a tippler. But the researches also say that he was very ill late in life.

An interesting tip is that Cervantes participated in the naval battle of Lepanto in 1571, where he suffered wounds on his chest and arms. Those are two things will have left some imprint on his bones. This could help to identifying the Cervantes’s bones.

The investigation has complications because nobody knows where the bones are exactly in the convent. For this reason, the experts pretend use a methodology based on geo-radar technology to search for hidden niches in the convent’s walls and to scan below ground.

This research is especially important for the field of literature, because it is about to know the true face of one of the most influential writers from the West. Also becomes important because there are still doubts about the cause of death of Cervantes, and the study of his bones certainly could give clues about that. Although, archaeologically, I think this research is more a literary fetish than a relevant problem about the past. You can judge for yourself.

If you want to read the original article, go to this link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/jul/25/cervantes-bones-madrid-convent-search

The Black Cat

I woke up that morning feeling really strange. I didn’t know exactly what it was but then I saw on the floor the clothes that before I used for make spiritualism. I don’t understood anything because long time ago that I had left this practice. So I decided to call the woman, who introduces me in the black magic. I was desperate, because I knew that if I invoked to the spirits, this would finish very badly. It is because I had never learned to control completely my powers and the few times that I tried practice this art I made mistakes and the spirits had stayed wandering in the land making evils to the people.



When I talked with the Master in black magic, she said me if I had seen a black cat in my house during the last night… And I said “Yes! Last night, before to go to sleep, I saw a cat black on my window, which looked me attentively and mysteriously. But that didn't matter to me and I went to sleep”. “That is!” exclaimed the Master at the other side of telephone. “This cat was one of the spirits that you invoked in the past. It’s been waiting for ten years for leave this land and it went to your home for asked you a transfer to the other dimension… the spiritual dimension. Probably the black cat hypnotized to you for making a spiritualism session because in this way the spirit could get out from this land”.



In this moment I understood everything: The headache, my clothes in the floor, the mess in my bedroom, the smell of candles and incenses…

I was feeling terrible for all spirits that one time I invoked, so I decided make the last spiritualism session of my life. "I should make this", I thought. So, I collected all the stuffs for make the session: candles, incense, soft light, a table and a chair. I focused on my powers and I started to invoke the spirits who been caught in this dimension. They came to me and I said a magical phrase… And at the finish of session I felt a great relief and a fresh air entered by the window and my entire bedroom it was illuminated. Finally I was free, and also the spirits…


P. S.: My imagination is too poor in this moment... Sorry!

New Zealand

When somebody ask me “which country would you like to visit?” my mind travel around the whole world and I can’t decide where begin. There are so many places that I would like to visit. But, first, I think that it’s necessary to know very well my own country and Latin America before travel to another country. I would to know my own culture and my Latin-American roots before to visit another country, because in this way I could share with the foreigners my traditions, my knowledge, and the different American languages, between other things. But, I think that travel around South America it’s relatively easy for me in this moment (we say "in a short period"). But if somebody tell me “Camila, I give you all money that you want” I would use that money for travel to New Zealand. Why New Zealand? The answer is very simple: The Lord of the Rings. I read the trilogy of Tolkien, but when I saw the movies I hallucinated with the landscapes. If I had the possibility of to travel to New Zealand I would like to take the "Lord of the Rings Tour" at Auckland and to know “The Shire” and the main locations of this movie.



Well, really I just have a touristic interest in this country, I didn’t would like to live there o studying, but undoubtedly it must be an amazing place for stay a season.

All you need is love!

Hello everybody, today I’m going to talk about love <3
What is love? I think that we can analyze and interpret this thing in many different ways…



For me, love is the driving force of our life. Love can do everything! The capacity of change anything is only possible through of love… I think that this is one of the most important characteristics of this feeling.
Of course, there are many different ways to love: friendship, family love, love of neighbor, love of nature, love the simple things of life, couple love, love of knowledge, etc.
If each human being could practice some of this ways to love every day, undoubtedly this world would be better.
So guys, remember always make love not war!

Cheers!

Hello classmates!

Today I talk you about this semester and my expectations for the end of this academic year. As we know, this year has been very special because we have been witness of the most important social movement of the last twenty years: the fight of people for a free and high quality education.

After of six months of fight, our university (and the majority of the higher education institutes) decided return to the class, so… here we are… Honestly I would have preferred don’t back to class for respect with the secondary students who still protest for the public education and because the Government don’t give us guarantee of an improvement in the educational system. But I should respect the institutional decision.

For me, study in summer is terrible, because I hate climate of Santiago and I’d like stay in my parent’s home for the Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. But in this scenario I expect the semester to be good, and I hope that the time pass very fast because I’d take vacations in February.

Besides this is my last semester, so I took just two subjects: Taller de Investigación and Prehistoria de Chile Central. When I finish these subjects, I will be archaeology graduate.

I hope you have a good semester too… Lucky!

Cheers

It's over

Hello classmates!

Well, the semester is finishing and is important make a balance about the importance of the English class in our academic formation.

This class has been a pleasure for me, especially because I’ve lost a little fear to the language.The English of my secondary school was not good, and the language learned at the university was practically to force because I was must reading the texts in English. But, the classes and above all the blog resulting very important for the improvement that today I see on myself.

Personally, I feel very satisfied with the modality of the class: they are dynamics, entertaining and relaxed. Although these aspects could seem “silly things” I think that they are really important to the learning. Is necessary an atmosphere of trust, where oneself dare to talk or write, fearless to make a fool of oneself. In this sense, the idea of make a blog seemed very good, because it allowed us talk with simplicity about topics of our interest and comment with trust the blog of our classmates.

I realized that the exercise of writing in English, every week, was very significant for my learning, because every time it was more easy thinking and writing in English. I have also noticed it in the reading. In my career most of the literature is in English, and lately I’ve been reading a lot faster and translating articles without resorting too often to the dictionary (or google translate, oops, anymore, I swear!).

Now, the writing and reading English are relatively easy for me, but there is still much to improve in listening and speaking, these abilities are still very difficult for me. But I’m convinced that we can learn well the language =)

Thanks for all. And I hope see you in the next English level.

My best regards.

Camila

"Emma", by Jane Austen (1815)

Hello everybody,

Today I’ll talk to you about the last book I read. The last book I read was “Emma”, was write by Jane Austen. This book is a comic and romantic novel, published for first time in 1815 and it’s about the risks of misinterpret the romance. I read this book in the summer and I chose it because I wanted to read something simple and entertaining. Besides, I know this author and I know how she write. I found “Emma” between the books of my sister in the house of my parents.

Ok… The principal character is Emma Woodhouse, she is a younger, rich and genteel women that live in Georgian-Regency England. Emma thinks that she will never marry anyone, and she is convinced that she has a gift for conjuring love matches. The main interest of Emma is helping others to live a life so perfect like yours. In this way, Emma starts a strategy to get possible suitors for your new friend Harriet Smith. Harriet is a young and modest woman away from the life style of high society. Emma persuades Harriet to refuse an advantageous marriage with a younger and respectable farmer, Mr. Martin. The aim of Emma is that Harriet marry with Mr. Elton, a younger and rich man. But the matchmaker instinct of Emma is wrong when she realizes that Mr. Elton wants to marry with her. Thereafter the story becomes more complex, appears new characters and the story transmits to the reader a lot of excitement about the ending.

In the other hand, this book has been adapted for the screen in different times: in 1972, with Doran Godwin as Emma and in 1996 with Gwyneth Paltrow as Emma. Here I share with you a video trailer of the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WpLozLqLZ0

A nice pic!

The photograph that I choose is very special. To be honest, I don’t know who took it neither when, but I found it because always I have been interested in the art of the Body Paint.

Particularly, this pic I like very much because it could have many different interpretations. Firstly, the corporal art is a topic that personally I love it. The body permanently is communicating things, and I think that the exploitation of this quality through of the body paint is very enriching and it has many contents.

I choose this photograph because it shows a scene, which meaning achieve materialize a feeling that often I have feel. A desire to blend with the world. Introspection.

Another aspect that can be read in this photograph is the simplicity of the human being as “entity that occupies a place in space”. We are one part more of the environment.

In addition, the beauty of this photography stands on the female figure. This is interesting because, while her body is part of this wall, which it is inert/barren, this in turn comes life/fertility through female body shape.

And as last feature I would like mention the techniques of the painter. The degree of reality that he achieved with just a brush is amazing. Look at the crack that appears in the right arm of the model, is very real! Or the corner of the window across her chest… the mixture of colors is perfect and really does the body is a constitutive part of the object.

Finally, perhaps the most interesting of this photograph (and of the paint basically) is that it is highly dynamic. By this I mean that the interpretations, meanings and descriptions of the scene, could be infinites because all this emerges from the subjectivity of each observer.

Greetings!

One of the best days of my life

I think that is very difficult define one complete day as the best, because the life is a mosaic of good moments that alternate with others not-so-good. But, I will try.

In general I think that the trips always are a great experience, and although I made a few trips, all has been very significant. I really enjoyed happy moments in each of them.

I remember one day when I was in Easter Island. Actually, every day in this place were really amazing. But one of the most exciting things was dive between chorales and goldfishes. This day was really nice, because with my friends get out early morning to Hanga Roa. There we contact with a diving center, where made us a previous instruction class. Then, we went in a motorboat into the sea, in at a point where we were at 10 feet deep. Each of us had accompanied by an instructor, so dive was not so difficult. It was the 20 minutes most beautiful of my life: Clear waters, white sands, beautiful colored fishes… an underwater landscape amazing! The only ugly were our faces with the diving suit, glasses and the oxygen tank… we looked awful hahaha.

I totally recommend diving, furthermore it’s not so expensive… If you really want to do an unusual and exciting activity, could save money for the next summer and look for a diving center. I’m sure you will like.

Blessings to all

The technological objetc I'd like

The technological piece that I would like obtain is a camera. I hope can buy it on next month, when I receive my salary. Furthermore I would use this piece not only in my spare time, but also as a working tool. In general I would use the camera to photograph social situations like celebrations, meeting friends, landscapes and events (for example concerts, spectacles or social marches). At the work, the camera would helps me to photograph the artifacts that it found in excavations or in surface, or also the landscape that gives contextual information.

Probably I would use the camera frequently, because I'd carry it everywhere.

I believe that through photography is possible to save important moments for the future. In addition, trough the photos can share these moments with others. In this sense, the photographs function as a memory device that immortalize moments considered as important or beautiful.

So far I survived without having a camera, but I think it is time to buy one. Especially because my memory is terrible! Having a camera, I would like to take a photography course to learn how to take good pictures and share them with other people as well.

Regards!

Tierra del Fuego

The place that I’d like visit is the Chilean Patagonia, particularly Tierra del Fuego. I have been in different places of Chile, but I've only reached the Isla Grande de Chiloé.

Studying the prehistory of this region, I thought that this part of world must have been really amazing thousands years ago: a virginal place. The first human groups were very fortunate to have seen this pristine landscape. Now I think that this place still preserve some of its original features. Moreover still remain a place free from pollution, noise and people... only the world and you.

In spite of this place is very beautiful and interesting, definitely I would not like to live there. I think that after a long time, Tierra del Fuego must become a very solitary place and away from it all. And I really like to have the possibility of moving easily toward any place, in any time.

This is a trip that I'd like make alone, because it would be an experience to find a sort of “spiritual balance” and reflect on transcendental things.

I have some money saved to travel, but I think that travel to this place must be very expensive. But I hope know this place soon.

Music for the soul =)

In general, my musical tastes are very miscellaneous. I listen with major frequency latinoamerican music like salsa (Rubén Blades for example), vallenato, tango (Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzola, for example), music with african roots like Totó y la Momposina and Petrona Martínez. Also I like the instrumental music, particularly some albums of Yann Tiersen like “Rue des cascades”. Generally I listen the latter when I study; is really good for concentration and motivation.

I don’t know if I have a particular musical taste for sad moments, but I can tell you that the last time that I felt sad I listened to Frou Frou, Joaquín Sabina, John Coltrane, a disc of “Putumayo” (Presents Paris). Recently I have been listening andean music, like “saya”, is very lively! My favorite group of saya is Kalamarka. I think that my music help to cheer up and feel happy.

I don’t recommend listen sad music in sad moments, because the distress feeling is reinforced through of lyrics. Long time ago when I felt a loving deception, I listened to Alanis Morisette and definitely don’t helped me, it made me very sad. So… Now I only listening lively music, that make me feel happy and quiet. Here is a videos of a songs that I really like! I hope you like it too!

Rubén Blades (Decisiones): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyhwmZAQB-Y

Totó y la Momposina (El pescador): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAPh04Ay_0Q

Frou Frou (Hear me out): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qkeiREEh28

John Coltrane (My favorite things): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6xkVRWzCY

Kalamarka (Cuando florezca el chuño): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsj4BPkPHJA

Kisses!

Do you know something about of cultural patrimony?

If you know some news about cultural patrimony of Chile, you must visit the website of the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales (CMN): http://www.monumentos.cl/. There you can find update information about the landmarks that have been declared as monuments. This websites present several links with important information: “Who we are?” where you can know the vision and mission of the CMN, the history of this institution and its organization: The function of the CMN is… “To practice the protection and tutelage of the cultural and natural patrimony that have monumental characteristics, watching for its identification, official protection, supervision and conservation, promoting its contribution to the identity and human development” Also you can use the searching link of monuments. There you introduce the data of your interest (region, province and kind of monument: historic, archaeological, typical place or sanctuary of nature), and the website show you a list with every monuments declared for this region. It’s very useful and easy! Another remarkable link is the program “SITUS, Archaeological patrimony”. With this program, each investigator can upload information about the archaeological sites that have been registered in their investigations. In this way, SITUS generate a database that can be used by any archaeologist for knowing the totality of archaeological sites of Chile. I usually visit this website because it provides important information about interesting topics related with my career. And I use the searching link of monuments to know the cultural patrimony declared in the region that interest me (II Region of Antofagasta).

Like movies?

Today I’ll tell you about films...

I love movies, but unfortunately I don’t have time to go to cinema frequently. BUT! last week I met with my cousin, who felt like seeing “Black Sawn”. So, we went to Cine Hoyts of La Reina.

I liked very much the movie! It has a good plot, also the acting is amazing! I think that the most interesting of this movie is the atmosphere of tension that projects to the audience. And the last scene! So dramatic!

I totally recommend you! But hurry up because soon it will remove of showing.

Regards!

Welcome!

My name is Camila and invite you to visit my blog. In this space I’ll publish notes about movies, books, music and some things about my career.

The name of my blog is a combination between “rhodopis” and “callopistes”, scientific names of hummingbird and wall lizard. These animals live in the north of Chile, a region where I work as an archaeologist.

I hope we can share interests and entertaining tips about anything.

See you!