Experience learning English at the University.

I have always been interested in this language, of course I would like to learn other ones, but English have always been the most important for me because nowadays is the world’s language and you can communicate with almost anyone using it, no matter what their nationality is. It was the only foreign language taught in my school, and it really is an easy language for me to understand but not so much to talk and write. I think that’s because I used to share my bedroom with my sister when I was a little girl, whose 5 years older than me. So when I was like 7 and she was 12, we used to dislike each others favourite’s TV shows. My favourite ones were the cartoons in Nickelodeon and her favourite ones where the series in Warner Channel and Sony and of course, we always ended up watching her shows. That’s how I started to get used to the English language and also started to relate sounds to their meaning in Spanish. I think that’s the reason why I don’t have much problems understanding it… almost everything I see on TV or listen on the radio are in English. But speaking and writing, that’s what I’ve learnt here. English this semester has been very different from the classes in my school, I relate a lot more with the classes because we talk about things that are going to be useful for my studies and also because we really try to communicate ourselves and understand what the other ones have to say, no matter what we’re talking about. I have lost the fear of talking and making mistakes. Also we have been doing these blogs that has helped me with my writing and expressing my thoughts. These English classes have been really useful, now I’m more secure whenever I talk or write. And now, I think it's a lot more interesting and funny to learn.

Eat, Pray, Love

Last weekend I saw the movie “Eat, pray, love”. It’s about a women who’s a successful writer and is not happy with her life and her marriage so she decides that’s it’s time to make a change in her life. The whole story starts when she takes a trip to Bali, India to write an article for her job.  There she meets a man who tells her that one day she’s going to come back to India and study with him and also that she’s going to have to marriages and that one of them it’s not going to last a long time. When she comes back home, she starts to question herself if she is happy with her life and marriage. That’s how she decides to end her marriage and take a trip out of the country to find herself.

To be honest, I didn’t like the movie’s central theme very much, but what I really loved about it was the places of the world that it showed.  She traveled to Rome and India, and both places seemed like paradise to me. I have been a little stressed with the university, so seeing these kinds of movies makes me desire to be in ANY place of the world but Santiago. But now, there’s no other place in the world I would rather be that India. Maybe the movie showed only the pretty places in there, but I don’t want to go there only because of the beauty of it but also because I want to know a different culture, different beliefs and I want to do things that I wouldn’t do normally in here.  If I think it again, maybe the thing that made me like the movie was this whole thing about doing different stuff and learning new things. I’m not sure if want to make a spiritual journey, but I do want to visit new places in Chile and learn how to surf. I think that I really need the summer vacations! I sure I’m not the only one dreaming about it.  

Dealing with stress

I have to admit that sometimes, mostly during finals or mid-term exams, I feel that the pressure it’s so high and unbearable that I feel really overwhelmed. When I’m stressed I feel that I can’t enjoy anything at all knowing that I have to study a lot and that I don’t have enough time to do it. Because of that feeling I don’t let myself waste time doing the things that I usually do and like to do that helps me to relax, so when I’m stressed I do nothing but homework and study. I know… I’m very boring and lame, you don’t have to tell me. And the worst part is that whenever I feel stressed, I get cranky and sensitive. It’s like having PMS for me, so imagine that.

Well, it’s in time like this that I try to do anything to deal with the stress. How do I do it?

The first thing that I try to do is listen music. I love listening music and singing. It’s actually one of my favorite things, and it’s also very effective to relieve stress. I don’t know why, maybe it liberates bad energy, but it works like a charm for me.

The second thing I try to do is get myself around positive people, the ones that can make me laugh and have a good time. I avoid negative people and comments that could make me angry. I believe that getting into a fight when you’re stressed it only makes things worst. Another things I do it’s be organized and manage my time better so I can do some exercise and watch comedy TV series.

Well, I hope my tips help you whenever you feel stressed!