Diana Blog.

Welcome! My name is Diana Maldonado I am Foreing Leguages student and I like french fries and ice cream. I like books and poetry, I like vintage clothing, photography, and old films. I like to make art and write poetry. 

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

A 10 minutes performance by groups of 3 people (Women inspired awards).

This is another speaking exercise, we had to create a kind of ‘‘role-play’’ an awards program. Here, we had to choose a famous character and nominate him/her for a special award (science, art, music, sports, TV, etc).  

To watch the video you have to click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2wx0aJPBPY

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Reading exercise – cheating

This is another podcast exercise, I strongly believe that this kind of exercises can be useful to improve three important aspects at the moment of speaking, such us: Intonation, pronunciation, and punctuation.

To listen the potcast exercise you have to click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PWcQM6kpJ0&feature=youtu.be

SCRIPT:  (Listen and practice)

HAIR:  I once saw a short film about a young man being shaved. He sat very close to the camera and stared, he hardly blinked at all even though the person shaving his hair was a little rough at times. I could just see an orange cloth around his neck and there was smoke drifting up in front of him from an invisible source. The young man was obviously going to become a monk and his head was being shaved in preparation. By the orange robe I assumed he was a Buddhist rather than a Christian monk, and the smoke was coming from incense sticks - I could almost smell them! His blank stare seemed to suggest some holy trance or meditation.

When he was completely shaved the barber brushed the fallen hair away and then removed the cloth - I was a little surprised because I thought the monk was wearing a robe rather than having a protective cloth draped over his shoulders. The camera drew back and I was surprised even more. He wore a tight, white t-shirt tucked into jeans that were held up by a pair of braces. He also wore large, black boots.

He wasn’t a monk at all - he was a skinhead. He was still staring as he leaned forward and picked up the smoking item - not incense sticks at all but a cigarette. He put the cigarette into the corner of his mouth and took a drag. His non-stop staring became menacing. The shaven head no longer meant a peaceful existence, but an aggressive one. The film cleverly showed the strong, but opposing, symbolism associated with shaved heads. Why do both monks and skinheads shave their heads when their attitude to life is so different? For monks a shaved head is a sign of renunciation, giving up worldly things and putting aside vanity. Early Christian monks had their heads shaved in order to make them appear less sexual, so the act of shaving the head symbolizes chastity. And not just for monks - it is the custom for ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish women to have their heads shaved before marriage. This comes from the traditional idea that they will then be attractive only to their husbands. However, it is also now usual for married women to wear a wig or a head-covering rather than having their heads shaved. In many cultures, long hair is considered feminine and sexy so that women who chose to have their heads shaved, or have very short hair, often havetheir sexuality questioned. But skinheads have a different motive to monks. They recognize that a shaved head can send out a negative message. Hair, and what you do with it, can make you more attractive so by removing it the skinhead is saying: I don’t care. It’s a rejection of society and it’s traditional values rather than the monk’s rejection of vanity (skinheads do, after all, care what they look like). So, the act of shaving the head symbolizes rebellion. It is linked to extreme right-wing politics, male aggression and football hooliganism. There is a big difference though between choosing to have your head shaved, and having it done against your will. Shaving all over the world is a sign of renunciation but enforced shaving can be shaming and humiliating. Criminals are usually shaved in prison, and women who were thought to have collaborated with the enemy during the Second World War in Europe were marched shaven-headed through the streets. People who are controlled are shaved: soldiers, not necessarily completely shaved, are made to have extremely short hair - they are expected to take commands unquestioningly. Long hair also has strong symbolism. Ironically, in the West, hippies in the 1960s grew their hair long as a rejection of traditional values - especially contemporary views concerning war and the use of atomic bombs, and sex. Hippies led an alternative lifestyle and their hair was grown long to express new social, political and moral values - so the act of not cutting hair symbolizes rebellion, too! In contrast, just as the monks shave their heads as a spiritual gesture, Sikhs do not cut their hair for the same reason. In Sikhism, hair is considered sacred and so removal from any part of the body is forbidden. Uncut hair is called Kesh and is one of the five holy Ks. For Sikhs this signifies the acceptance of the natural form given by God and they point out that the prophets from the past all had long hair. Especially for orthodox men who wear turbans, it is a way of marking them out from other people. So what is it about hair that can make it so symbolic? Why does its length represent our religious, political and cultural beliefs? Perhaps this is because hair has some strange properties. Firstly, it’s the only part of the body that does not register pain, except at the roots - we can do all sorts of things to our hair and it doesn’t feel anything. Secondly, it outlives us - a locket of hair can be kept as a remembrance long after someone has died. Thirdly, it’s not alive but, as it can remain in the same state forever, it doesn’t seem to be dead either - it’s immortal. So the next time you go to the hairdresser for a haircut consider the significance of what you are having done and what your chosen hairstyle says about you!

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

TED talks: The power of women anger

• Let’s talk about emotional intelligence

This video let us to show a feminism based on what woman figure out about themselves value not only as individuals but also as female gender, moreover I strongly believe that this video is pretty interesting and could be useful to be applied into our own life.

To watch the video you have to click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcXXXMMprFs&feature=youtu.be

Please remember to let me know in the comments of what you think about this video,

Nice day!

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Improvisation activity in class- Problem at the airport (baggage changed by mistake)

Here you can watch another exercise which is done during our English class, this is a type of improvisation exercise, and this can be useful to improve your speaking skill using real contexts of life.

To watch the video you have to click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhuk2Dohync&feature=youtu.be

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Let’s talk about my most valuable object!

My Grandfather was a kind of father to me, he was my best friend, so this object represents a lot of things to me.

Here you can watch the video, or you can click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00qGTltU3Js&feature=youtu.be

 I hope that you enjoy this short performance, Thanks! 

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Selling a Product

Selling a Product!

Here you can watch an exercise which is done during our English class, this type of exercise can be useful to improve your speaking skill.

By groups of 3, we had to sell and present a product which can bring benefits for society.

To watch the video you have to click or copy the link below to go directly to the page. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tnFqhuarW7e_P1bVoxEsnGB5LZDrYA1Z/view

I hope that you enjoy this performance, Thanks! 

[philosophybits]

Education is an admirable thing. But it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

Oscar Wilde, “A Few Maxims for the Instruction of the Over-Educated” (via philosophybits)

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Here you can watch an exercise which is done during our English class, this type of exercise can be useful to improve your speaking skill using a variety vocabulary and different grammatical topics.

In this case we used topics such as: Enterprise, stocks, Brands, etc.

Here you can watch the video, or you can click or copy the link below to go directly to the page.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=219&v=g7PPZIDCuxw

Enjoy the video!

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Christopher has been a big influence in my life and helped me to discover more about myself, I hope that you enjoy this short performance, Thanks! 

Feel free to keep watching! 

Here you can watch the video, or you can click or copy the link below to go directly to the page. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-hsStykyl0

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Let's talk about brands and advertising!

Please remember to let me know in the comments of what you think about this video.

Nice day!

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

First of all, what you really need to know about me is that in my adolescence I used to listen many of Hard-core bands such as Bring me the horizon, Bullet for my valentine, Pierce the veil, Silvestrein, Asking Alexandria, but one of those which influenced my life the most, is «A day to remember» This band started in 2003 in Ocala, Florida. His singer Jeremy McKinnon started playing in, different groups in the Ocala music scene before the band was created, they are known for their unusual sounds of metal-core and pop punk. I pretty sure of this because the band completely changed the way I listened to music in, because rarely did I listen to romantic genres, when I heard the song ‘‘Have faith in me’’ what I liked the most was its sounds, screams, guitar solos, Jeremy’s voice and the support feeling, since that moment this one became my favorite song.

I did get to know this song by my best friend Camila, when we were at High School. We used to listen this song every day, we were so vulnerable by situations which had been happening in our lives at that time. For example, she broke up with his boyfriend and my parents get separated, this song helped us pretty much. Each time this particular song was played, our hearts jumped of happiness and hope. For example, in a specific part of the song says ‘‘'Cause there are things in the streets I don't believe, so we'll pretend it's alright and stay in for the night what a world, I'll keep you safe here with me’’ This part made me feel powerful and supported, Nowadays this song has the same effect on me, it gives me brave to do my best even the hell which life could be. Hardly did I stop listening to it at time but nowadays I am still getting support of it when I need it.

Finally, as a curious fact «A day to remember» has its own Music Festival called ‘‘Self help fest’’ moreover Jeremy McKinnon says that his girlfriend said that most people who go to his shows respond ‘‘Like it’s more than just a concert to them, his songs save lives’’ and it is true, his songs saved my life.

Listen to it and enjoy it! 

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Hey you! Here you can know the ways in wich I learn English faster, listen and use it!

[coqueelicott-3-blog]

Why to be an English teacher in Colombia?

Being an English teacher in Colombia has many rewards and benefits. For example It is an exciting country which we can find full of opportunities to get a job in this specific laboral sector. All this is because Colombian Society are recognized this profession as one of the most important, moreover one of the most important advantages of be an English teacher in Colombia is that you can connect with different cultures around the world, In addition to this  the strengthening and the control of a foreign language is, without a doubt, a basic tool of competitiveness in a globalized environment and is a fact that English is the language of global communication. Nevertheless, there is a long way to achieve being potency of education, some disadvantages of this profession is the salary. Nowadays Colombia has one of the most low salary in Latin America affecting the profession of teacher, also the laboral stability had been afected by the laboral competency.

Summing up being an English teacher in Colombia is a good idea, and as you can see working in this country is a truly rewarding experience.

[thepersonalquotes]

[absinthundblut]