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Reflection #15 Last Reflection

English allows you be connected with the entire world. I heard it many times and with all these class I realised that it was true. Thanks to the video conference my classmates and I spoke and made friends with people around the world, U.S.A, Russia, and Mexico. With all these connections we could know a lit bit about them.

Although sadly, we could not have the same number of connections with the Mexicans. I really thought that the connections with them will be a disaster and fail because they speak the same language than us, but I was wrong (not at all). From a teacher perspective, they were very responsible and respectful about the no use of Spanish. They spoke English all the time. I was surprised about the students from other countries like Germany, I did not expect that.

My "Mexican partner" was a boy called Brian Oliver, he is from Germany and he learning Spanish and obviously about Mexico. He is very happy in this country and as I can appreciate, he is really polite with them. With the purpose of know more about Mexican culture, I asked him a question, and the answer will be very objective or at least will be the result of a comparison between German culture and Mexican culture. My question was the following:

How is the Mexican culture?

It could sound a little basic but you must consider that culture include the lifestyle, food, celebrations and other aspects. But I will be focused in these three, because of the answer of Brian. His answer was:

People in Mexica are very nice, they are warm. People in there are friendly and also strangers can talk. Food is delicious. One celebration that calls my attention was the "Dia de Los Muertos", they celebrate the dead, everything is orange on this day. In Halloween time there are scary things everywhere, no matter if children can see it, they really like "maiz" beans and chillies. Another celebration is the Independence of Mexico, it is very important for them so, they celebrate it on several times

I learn thanks to him and the video conferences that they are very religious and they have an interesting gastronomy without mention the delicious taste that it has. Mexicans are really nice people and they are polite with other cultures. Another thing that I learn was that some stereotypes that I was known could be true, for example, their love to the beans, chillies and tacos.

Well, it was the final reflection of the year. With all the experience that I earned in all this time, I feel ready to make friends around the world. I am ready to know more people...

#technology2

Reflection # 14

Meaning of Life and Religion... I hear to many time that little phrase, the awesome is that I always said a different answer. Today’s topic was about how everyone looks the life and how can you avoid the religion and the church?

With the Mexicans we have a nice conversation because everyone says what are their life meaning, some of us the answer, the happiness, the family, travelling have a career, complete your life’s tasks and makes your dreams real. For me? The meaning of life is that you have the power to be happy and to create happiness. I remember that I asked if the love is important in life, they say yes but fastly the conversation turn around married, we tell to the Mexicans the situation here in Chile, people do not want to get a compromise. I am not sure about it, at least I want to get married. Generally, couples prefer to live together without papers, I know but, all the Chileans.

When we started to talk about religions, I remember some memes about the “Virgen de Guadalupe”, and the bug of the curiosity stung me and I asked trying to be the most polite as possible, but I do not remember if they answer, because some of my classmates thought that I was talking about “La Rosa de Guadalupe” the TV Show.

#technology2

Reflection # 13

Did you see the Christmas commercials on the TV? The topic of today was about the traditions of each culture. My partner and I were talking about how we celebrate culture. In the beginning, both are late because I took some of my time trying to remember and searching if I was in the video conference or chatting this day. Fortunately, I had the chatting, so I could take advantage to progress in my homework and chat with my partner Brian.

He told me that in Christmas they cook a pork instead of a turkey, our ways to celebrate Christmas are exactly the same, the only thing that changes is the main dish. And then, in the next day, his family go to the grandmother house to continue eating, in there they eat a giant turkey in the company of their relatives.

Basically, it was all the conversation because both were kind of busy, I have a lot to do and I do not know how to start. I think that Brian is in the same conditions than me. So for that reason excuse me about the lack of content in this wonderful reflection I hope that the next would be more interesting.

#technology2

Reflection # 12 Uregionmontana first videoconference

How do you feel if you have to speak English in a country that everyone speaks your native language? This feeling is the feeling that I expect to have during the presentation, but something unexpected happened, some of the students are from other countries, from German. From my perspective it is very interesting because I will sure that my partner will not use Spanish in the chatting, another benefit that I consider I could have is the contacts, I will be in contact with people from other countries, and probably I could meet more people of German and their neighbour countries.

Sadly for the first time, we could not stay with our teacher, and someone had to be the leader for this time and I decided to take this place the best possible, so I tried to guide the conversation, I was very nervous this time, because I felt that all my classmates were depending on me. That day I realised that the internet was never the problem to could understand the people behind the camera, the problem was me. For no reason, I think this experience in video conferences will be a little hardest compared with the other ones. I hope that this experience will be great.

#technology2

Reflection # 11

Finally, the last day came. Today was the presentation´s day, the day when everyone is praying waiting for a good connection, to could understand what are the people behind the screen talking. Dasha, Marcelo and I were working very hard on this, and like in the last time with the East Carolina students, when I had the presentation with Ari, the global question was a little bit confusing. In the beginning, Dasha did not trust in me about the collaborative way to answer that question. But when Rod said: “The global question is something you have to do together”, Dasha´s face was showing an indescriptive face of happiness. I hope that our answer was that our teacher wants.

My relation with Dasha was very good, in the beginning, was hard to establish a good relation, like all the relationships, and now we talk as good friends. The negative part of our relationship, was from me because I was a little lazy, she started very soon the presentations, and I did not pay so much attention, and with the time I get lost. I am very grateful of her behavior, and I am regretful of my behavior.

With the presentation, I learned that Russians are passionate in the same way like us when they have hockey or soccer matches. I am not an expert on sports for that reason this presentation was very interesting for me, another detail about sports that I learn was the environment, the environment could have an impact in the sports that you could practice. In the Global question we talked about elders, elders sometimes do not have ways to have fun, especially elders that live in a special house or in an asylum.

Every culture has specials things that make the cultures specials, my classmates talked about this topics too, one of the topics which called my attention was the Proverbs and sayings. Chileans have a lot of sayings, some of this sayings do not tell a story or are in relation to a historical fact. Nevertheless, the Russian sayings and proverbs can teach you a little bit about history, because it has their origins in the ancient written sources. For Chastushka, for example, is a traditional type of short Russian humorous folk. I think that the Chastushka is the Russian´s “Paya” because it has rhymes as the same our dear “Payas”.

Russian and Chileans shared several things in common, I did not expect that, I thought it was hardest to explain about our culture, but they could understand usI am very impressive about the Russians, I was totally wrong about how they are, this time I was blinded by the stereotypes that I read and knew about countries with a cold weather. Dasha shows me that the stereotypes are false, she was very polite and nice to me, and the rest of her classmates too.

And again is time to say goodbye. Спасибо за все дорогие друзья.

#technology2

Reflection # 10

Every culture has different stereotypes, and Russia does not escape of this phenomenon that society has. Russians have some stereotypes in the same way than us, they have stereotypes of the people who live around them, in the nearest countries or cities. In this video conference, we told to the Russians our own stereotypes, the fun part of the video conference was that they did not know about our neighbors, so we had to explain and teach them a little bit about Sud-American countries.

I could notice the hard work you have to do when you have to explain to a foreigner some unique facts of your countries, an example of that was when spoke about "Flaites", who could you explain to a Russian the meaning of Flaite? Our definition that we and our teacher gave to this was: " young men who wear like a gangster". Could you notice the difficulty of the explanation of it?

Personally that day I felt very bad and confused because I could not understand what our Russians friends were talking about. I do not know if my knowledge is poor, or definitely my English too poor. I hope to have a better comprehension in the next time.

#technology2

Reflection # 9

What is the meaning of life? This a question which has several answers depending on the point of view that the receptor has. This time with Marcelo Daria and me, discuss it and with the company of Maria, Karen’s E-pal. In the beginning of the dialog we tried to answer the meaning of life, with the develop of the answer we discuss religion and all the elements that the religion offers us like, soul, the life after dead. It was a very enjoyable conversation, especially because when someone asks us if we exist?

I can not forgive that question easily, I know we exist, we are real, we are not a fantasy of someone, we are real. But the point is: How could you answer that question with proves? I did not answer it, I only maintain the silence (In fact I did not write because it was a chat) . That kind of questions always makes me think about the life in general, I'm scared about awake some day and be a child, with the, remembers of my entire life. I always think about it, I recognize I always have crazy ideas but think this: How would you feel if you wake to be a child, but with all your memories and nobody knows you?

#technology2

Reflection#8

Families around the world have differents traditions and different values and all these traditions are supported by a family. In the session about family and traditions, we could notice that Russian families are very similar to Chilean families because they take care of their sons till 40 years old. Obviously, it not happens with all the families but it happens like in Chile with our adults with 35 years old who lives with their mothers, like in the currently TV Show "La Vega" in this program you can see that many lazy people continue living with their parents, but I am not saying that all the adult people live with their parents but I am only saying facts to support it.

The conversations with the Russian are so interesting, we have some traditions in common like the things we do in New Year, we walk around the street or we eat grapes for good luck, they do things very similar to us to have good luck. It breaks my think about the Russians will be a little impolite because I read when the weather is too cold it changes the personality in people quieter and sometimes rude, but it does not happen with them.

Could the Russians be different that all people think?

#technology2

Relfection#7 LMSU

Talk with people from other countries is something like and English speaker has to be normal. Thanks to the technology class these situations are becoming easy, in my first time it was very hard to say something and I was paralyzed in front of the camera and I did not introduce myself very well, now it was easy and I spoke very calm in front of the camera. I hopefully wait for a good communication with our Russian partners. I am really worried about how to speak with them because I read they have certain kinds of behavior and way to think very different than us. I do not want to be impolite with Daria, my new partner.

I like the idea to meet people from Russia because they have another native language and learn English with different accents could be very helpful for me as a teacher and like an English Speaker too because we have to know the most accents possible to could understand and speak with people around the world.

I am waiting for know many things about the Russian culture, especially their behavior, I read a cold weather like in Russia have an impact in the way to be and how they socialize with people, I want to know if it is true or false. Can the weather change people's mind?

#technology2

Reflection#6

How could you expose a presentation with a partner who is far far away? It was my first question and the reason to be a little nervous before the presentation, especially about the internet quality of the Internet from my college. The typical feelings you feel when you are making something new.

While I was waiting for my turn I observe my classmates when they were talking, the way how they express their selves, how they interact with their E-pal behind the camera. The thing which calls my attention was the good connection that day, it calms me a lot. Besides these personal appreciations of the situation, I could notice the similarities between our culture. We are not so very different as I thought. We share similar points of view about the topics which we expose that day.

Talking about my own experience exposing, was so calm and alone, because sadly, the time for exposing ended, and this day I was the last one to connecting and chat with our E-pal from East Carolina University.

The time with them was so nice they were very polite with us, sometimes very quiet. For the next time, I will consider have all the questions ready and practice my questions to have a great conversation.

It was my first experience talking with students around the world. My personal; appreciations about it that were nice, but sometimes sad and almost terrible, because Ari clearly have another economic reality, honestly I felt like a pauper when she asked me If I traveled on a cruise or out of Chile. I do not travel so much. my trip more extensive was when I traveled to La Serena, I am a Chilean medium class, the differences are huge.

All the topics were fun but only one call my attention. This topic was the independence do they have after to be an adult, it has a huge contrast between there and here because sometimes men leave the parent’s house to the 35 years old, but they could live by their selves very early. I admire that Indepence which they have, here in Chile I think you can do this, but if you do it will be very difficult and if you do not have a great work or a house for you will be a nightmare.

My relationship with Ari was very quiet, we only chat or speak in class or when we had homework, she was so quiet. But that short times were great because she was nice to me and she shows interest in my answers. We did not have problems with our culture, I mean problems in the way to see the world from our cultures, the only thing that I could admire and notice was her grandmother knew how to make a call by herself, personally, in my family, it not happens because my grandmother do not know that and she get angry when the signal is bad.

#technology2

Reflection#5

What is the best person in this cases: a man with a smoking or a man with their coloured hair and a black jacket? I do not want to discuss the answer to the question because it is clearly a problem with stereotypes. Everyone have stereotypes with all and everybody. And in the video conference, we discuss that, nobody can escape of stereotypes easily, it is something unconscious which born on us by several messages offered by media or our families beliefs.

Even though stereotypes consequences are so bad for our society we discuss that in a fun way, like a typical Chilean.Obviously for our partners in East Carolina was difficult to understand our reason to laugh when we told them our problems with Peruvians, Bolivians or between Chileans because these stereotypes are own. With that, I can get a conclusion very different from the typical and obvious which will say that stereotypes are bad because you can not judge people. I could conclude the stereotypes are part of our culture, it is part of our lives, unconsciously, for example, you will not want to give money to a young people in the street because he will buy drugs with that. It is a typical another example is when you know in some part of the city they steal the wallet of a person and you will never go to this place.

Could stereotypes beeing part of our culture?

#technology2

Reflection#3

What will happen if your parents told you: Now you are an adult, so you need to live alone by yourself? Maybe for more of us, that notice could be a nightmare or the end of the world. Although younger adults in U.S.A lives alone without their parents, they are very independents it does not mean their parent's chase out of the house, is the custom there to live alone when they are adults because they have opportunities and they can do it. When they go out of the house they usually go to a Campus, because they start the college life and there, their independent lives begin.

When they go out of the house they usually go to a Campus, because they start the college and there their independent lives begin. In contrast with our culture, it happens with some families with specific reasons, but we do not go to a campus because we do not have Campus in all the Universities.

In Chile young adult do not start to live alone and independent, here families take care of their sons until the 30 years if it necessary, they prefer to have their families together the most possible. Obviously, if that young adult could live alone they will do it, is not very common to live alone when you have 18 years old, Chileans start to live alone when they have a good economy, It is usually when they are graduated off their major or when they have a good job. Around 25 years old, Chileans start to live alone.

Are you ready to live alone right now?

#Technology2

Reflection#4

Today I learnt so many things about U.S.A culture but the first thing which I learn was I need to have my questions to Ari because she asked all the time and I did not have my ideas clear. By the way. I learnt that all the people in U.S.A go to a church depending about their believes they will go to a church. They are very similars about the customs do we have, like the dresses, ceremony music and all the things which compose a church.

I listened North Americans were strong believers and in these times they are not believing, but Ari told me they are believers. So with that conversation, I could note the youth in U.S.A is worried about the religion, something very opposite here in Chile. Some fun things that I asked were if they have churches like the Dr. Hibbert in The Simpsons and she answered me that they do have them, and as an extra information, I could conclude The Simpsons shows the reality of the U.S.A.

Ari believes in God but she does not assist to a church, something very typical here in Chile, and me? Well, I assist to a Church.

#Technology2

Reflection #2: East Carolina First Connection

Is interesting how do you connect with other people around the world, before I chat with other guys from another country, but when I am in front of a camera, all is different. In my personal life, I avoid the cameras the most possible, for that reason when I was speaking with my E-pal I felt so nervous, and I did not know what to say, so I say the first thing that I thought, I consider I did not give a good impression about myself. At the other hand, is very interesting how the people on the other side of the screen are worried about you and make questions about our culture. I have to train my personality for being in front of a camera, like an English Teacher, I think it will be normal in a near future. About the chatting time in Ice Chat, I have problems with the server, I do not have problems chatting because that is my area. When we were talking the conversation was so fast and fluently, answer and questions, a good way to start. Talking with Ari I could infer he has more money than me, I hope it will not a difficult. The economy in the U.S.A is different than Chile, right?

#Technology2

Reflection #1: Foreign Impressions about Chile

Today we were watching videos about Chilean customs and the several opinions from foreign were so funny, everyone thinks we are small people, happy and living with llamas. One of the videos I enjoyed the most was "THINGS TO GET USED TO IN CHILE" some aspects of Chilean culture, living among friends and in the neighbourhood. With that video, I felt represented as a Chilean and I remember some scenes of my life, definitely that video was my favourite this morning. The first thing to consider about mainly attributes about Chile is the food, not because foreign confuse Chile with chilli because our food is not so common around the world. The second topic which we are famous is the football thanks to Alexis Sanchez. The videos I watch today were representative in a certain way, people around the world can identify some aspects of our culture, however, they have a wrong concept about us.

#Technology2

Reflection #8: Cooperation in Teacher and student’s challenges.

As a challenge, the first problem does students have is the shyness because, for teenagers generally, it is very ashamed stay in front of an audience and acting, it is very common in Chile’s high school, obviously exist exceptions.The main challenge for the teacher will convince the students to participate in a good way.

Perform in public is helpful because students will improve their expressions skills and step up their personality. Talk in front of public will be difficult the first time, but if students practice it many times, when they will be in front of a public they will express themselves easier, and can express ideas clearly. The same for teachers, they always are talking in front an audience, or students if you prefer to say in that way, they should know how to express clear ideas for the public.

A great way to include students to participate could be brought to them, topics and situations interesting and common for them. The teacher could ask the class for some topics or situations to they like to perform in front of the class. Teachers could use games which require student's ideas, for example, games like: follow the story or sculpt the scene. With that games, students will use personal experience and personals experiences of them.

The cooperation in these class is very important, cooperation is when a group of people, in this case, teacher and students, work together for getting something in common. In the classroom, the objective is to give knowledge and the tools necessaries for students to follow their dreams or ambitions. It is important because we are in a society and they need to know how to work in peace and harmony with the diversity to society has. All need to be motivated to work efficiently, the teacher needs to know how to motivate his or her students.

For achieve the cooperation all the students need to work with different kind of people inside the grade, share ideas with everyone in the class because everyone has a different point of view on a topic in common.

#Drama Class

Reflection #7

Performing in front of an audience.

Performing with friends in a relaxed environment could be easy but, what happens when you need to perform in front of an audience? It could be a problem because, you do not know, generally, the people in front of you, it could be a disadvantage if you are a shy or if you do not ready to act.

The first thing you need to do is stay in calm and relaxed to present your performing, a mind in peace brings clear ideas. You need to breathe and oxygen your mind and get relaxed. And think it will be a fun activity and do not focus in do perfectly, you need to do a great perform but, if you are under pressure yourself you will be really stressed. Practice before with partners or five or six people, this is the best way to get prepared.

While you are presenting your performance you need to be careful with your body language and intonation. Body language is a good tool in these cases, especially if you want to express emotions, feelings or actions, try to use your body the best way possible to express yourself. The other point important is the intonation, the intonation gives sense to your words, it plus the body language catch the attention of the audience. Finally and remember always while you are presenting: NEVER GIVES THE BACK TO THE AUDIENCE!

Remember, trust in yourself first, keep calm and do as you know. Be careful with your body language, use a great intonation, speak loudly and scream if it is necessary, help your mates if they made a mistake, support if it happens with improvisations. Use all these tools to catch the attention of the public. Never gives your back to the audience, never show your nervous and if you made a mistake do not repeat your words and do not speak without cohesion. Consider all these points to have a good perform in front of an audience.

#Drama class

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