Gifts and Consumption

Gifts always have been a difficult issue for me, Because I'm not used to giving and receiving gifts, situations such as birthdays, Christmas, children's day, mom`s day, among other dates bother me. especially when it`s an obligation to give something, for example in christmas. The truth is that I don’t really like the christmas, mainly by the social consequences and manipulation of people by advertising. Mindless consumption is the main feature on this date, and the idea about the solidarity and love are in second place. People buy, buy and buy gifts for social rutine and they don`t see the consequences, because, first translates the love to the material objects, second, they don`t reflect about the advertising present everywhere, Third, in many ocasions, people spends money that they haven`t. So, they lose the tranquility in the rest of the year paying a debt. Finally, people are united only at Christmas but all year is individualistic and selfish.
In my home, we don`t give many gifts, because, with my sister and my cousin are in disagree with the celebration of Christmas, only we have a dinner, where we share during all the night, is a good space for talk and enjoy.
I haven’t idea about on how to choose gifts, always I ask for help, for example, in the last christmas my girldfriend bought somethings gifts.
For me the mining of gifts is lost, because other values ​​are installed, now the act isn’t important but the gift as such, in other words, quality, image, object status and price are the fundamental.
Gifts are definitely a strange situation for me, so I try to stay away from those parties where the main thing is the consumption.

The importance of environment

Actually is very dificult to learn about enviromentally friendly practices, because society isn’t really the issue concerned. Then find a good teaching space is reduced to the enviromental gruops and the knowledge in the universities, in the government there is a contradictory in public politic, because they promote the rationalization of energy consumption, but also contaminated with energy projects.
I try of incorporate recycling in my habits, for example, I generally divide the garbaje in my home. I have three dumps that separate the organic food, the tetra packs and the plastic. So I’m going to a cointainer next of my house for deposite the things that can be recycled. Also I sometimes uses the bike to go to university and I walk for come to the house of my girlfriend. Finally, I re-use the plastic bags when I go to the free fairs, is very cheap and nice to be these.
Is very important to care the enviroment, because is fundamental for the life, not only of human beings but also of all the species that exist. In this sense, I would like to participe of eco-organisations, because I feel connected with this beautiful and just cause. The main difficulty is the short time that I have, but I will try some day of do it.
In the future I want to install solar panels on my house to harness clean energy from the sun. This is a form of reduce my carbon footprint. I also intend to be more rational in recycling, energy consumption and have more information on the subject.
I think that in Santiago we are wasting too much energy, for example there are lights on all night unnecessarily, in the malls sometimes the air conditioning is too strong, we should begin to take action.

Back to nature

The theme of this blog is one of my favorites. Because, although I have traveled very little in my life when I do I enjoy it too much, every time I get on a bus, I feel free and happy waiting for a new experience. Everything gets better if I travel with my girlfriend.

Travel in my opinion are divided into three stages, the first deals with the journey itself, that is, when you're in the car, bus or plane. However, the best are the trains and buses. From there you can see the entire landscape, I am the type of passenger who is looking out the window all the way, nobody can take off from there. The second stage is to stay in place, personally I love places with natural surroundings, with lush vegetation and a traditional culture, so the south of Chile is my favorite place to travel. The third stage is the return home, usually one is already satisfied, but there are times when you just want to go home.

In particular when I go south I forget all the problems, I connect with nature, I feel part of it and don’t want to go back, the last trip I went to Coñaripe which is a small town near Panguipulli, in these localities I’m knowing and touring the area during all the day, I don’t like to stay in one place knowing that there's a new world around me.

Europe, not empire: Britain's foreign policy challenge

I chose an article history from The Guardian called "Europe, not empire: Britain's foreign policy challenge", this text is too long, therefore only I will say the most important.

Here is link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/05/europe-empire-britain-foreign-policy

The article begin to talking about the difficult situation of britain related with the international political and also the national organization. For example, the United Kingdom, it may not fragment en the near future-but it may. And if a majority of scots do vote for independence, this will have international, not just domestic, repercussions. A break-up of the UK would affect the deployment and strenght ot its armed forces, and play havoc with the ownership of its overseas consulships and embassies.

There are multiple prospects like a possible weakening simultaneously of atlantic, European, Commwealth and domestic associations that the politics maintain in a public silence. The problem is that the british politicians believe that britain is the best country, so they don`t see the problems related with the interior and exterior politics. In the global world all countries must have alliances and good relations with other countries in Europe or on another continent. Following the same topic, the future of Britain needs to search for new alliances and rehabilitation of old relationship in Europe.

Finally the article concludes that although there are no empires if there are powerfull countries and associations with which it is necessary to relate.

The senses of music

Music is very important for me, because since that I started to listen it I can’t live without it. Music isn’t only a harmony but also it has a meaning social, cultural and sometimes politic. When was child I don’t understand of this form the music, only I listen it, however, in the adolescence the feelings that cause me some types of music was very strong, because these were related with my states of mind.
Rock and metal were my favourites types of music at that time, but I changed. Now, I like mainly two types of music, first are the international bands of post rock music or experimental music, for example, sigur ros or radiohead. This groups I really like, because they mix various kinds of sounds in the same song, in this sense, they create a beautiful harmony that moved me to other places simbocally. I remember that in first year of university I went to cinema with dominique and katherine to see a documentary called Heima by Sigur Ros, it was spectacular; landscapes and songs were woderfulls. Other type of music that I listen is the chilean folklore, Violeta Parra, Los Jaivas, Inti illimani are artists that I really like. They have cultural and political elements very importants for me.

Books and my life

I always liked to read. However, the books that I enjoyed have changed during my life. For example, when I was in elementary school, I surprised the book Demian by Herman Hesse, because It introduced elements of philosophy and psychology unknown for me at the time. In adolescence I destinated my free time to read latin american writers like Gabriel García Márquez, Ernesto Sabato, Julio Cortazar, among others, and his most important books, and therefore which I read with interest are One hundred years of solitude,The tunnel, About hereos and tombs and Hopscotch.

Finally, in college, sociology and philosophy texts are my passion, it's amazing how this institution opens the door to an spectacular amount of work of this kind, in contrast with the availability and access to knowledge that gives the school. I think It is necessary that the knowledge. I believe that the knowledge possessed by the university should be present in society and not be exclusive to an elite.

I love Mountains

Actually there are many countries I would like to visit. In this sense, instead of talking about a specific country prefer to talk about a region. This region is the andean region of south america and includes the countries on its territory containing the Andes Mountains. I love the mountains, climates that are generated there, vegetation and wildlife, the panoramic view of the valleys and snow and finally its subsequent transformation into rivers, which are the source of life.

Peru and Bolivia are the main countries I would like to visit, because they have the geographic characteristics that I seek. On the other hand, are andean countries with a tradition of centuries, the Inca people settled here, so I would like to know the remains and culture, both architectural as symbolically.

Although I really like these countries I wouldnt stay there to live, study or work pheraps, but it isnt a permanent residence, I would travel as tourist to explore and experience new cultures. Im happy in Chile.

In clases during the summer

I honestly didn't think that we go back to classes, at least, this year. because after six months to strike the government didn't consider the demands of students and society. I think that if there are achievements at the level of awareness and a higher level of organization, very important aspects to give continuity to the social movement. On the other hand, strikes wasn't to being an instrument of pressure as effective as before

In relation to back to classes, I havent problem in studing in the summer, however, it is difficult to have two months of classes, test and exams that are considered for five months. Also the heat, the parties of crhistmas and of new year, are factors that make this period isn't friendly

I hope that this short period is productive in terms academics and of personal development.