Technology at "La Escuelita"

Well, use of technologies are part of the modernizing state process, and is the best tool to do everything faster and simpler. It’s excellent to execute the principles of our statute like transparency, efficiency and efficacy, and of course, helps to the public information.
Internet is the best tool to get information, and that is part of technology, in almost every home people use computers with internet, that’s the basic technology, you can reduce long distances and know new realities with just a “click”
Of course we think that us, as future governors of this country, leaders and authorities, and of course, for been in the best Chilean university, we are giving the guidelines abut technology and public systems, but the reality is too far.

We, as school of government we don’t use a lot of technology, our computers are very old and slow, specially the ones that we are now using in this room make really hard to work with this kind of subjects. It’s better to bring our own laptops, but even wi-fi works awful, It’s hard to get a good connection.

The subjects that I have studied this semester don’t need much technology, just a few programs (Like Word and Power point) and internet to do some papers, and teachers use slide projector… that’s all the technology that you will find in this place.
People who’s are preparing to studying in another country have video conference with people from the foreign university that their expect to go, but there’s a few of them, and is not a common activities.
We use plataform, from www.plataforma.uchile.cl to do some exercise in English, u-cursos to send information to our classmates and teachers, and they usually upload our marks or studding material but of course, not everyone use it. We also use alumnos.uchile.cl as platform to get information about our final academic situation, our debit situation.

It’s hard to say anything else about the use of technology in our studies, I feel a little bit pathetic because we have not the basic, the minimal to make the most with the recourses that technology and modernity gave us to work better, faster and to make us integral professionals.
I think that is important to add to our resumes some courses about the incorporation of technologies and the use and the tools that it gave us, our career is characterizing by the multidisciplinary approach, but in fact (in that area) I can’t see it.

Something important at news...

It’s hard to pick just one, but I think that the most shocking new this year, was Michael Jackson’s dead, not because it was relevant (I mean, it wasn’t something that change de course of our life) but it was shocking for everyone, the news and the papers were many weeks with this theme. I remembered the sentence “The pay of Chile” because when someone dies everybody recognizes who died as a hero or someone great, but it was a foreign “business” and this sentence was useful too.
Michael Jackson was a great artist, a singer who was really successful at the 80’s he began to work really young, with his brothers and sisters, his father tried him very bad, he was very demanding and Jackson seems have not a nice childhood, but when he began to sing by himself and became in an icon for his time. His life starts to be really hard because he was related with pedophilia and he was changing his appearance to an insane level, he just stop singing and began to have a really extravagant life.
This new I heard it when I was at the school hall, Javier called me and says: “Michael Jackson has just died” and I was surrounded by people (was Juanín, Ju, Cony Faune too) and everyone were on shock! We couldn’t believe it… Then, when I was at home, I saw in the news the impact of his dead; thousands of people were just crying his dead around the world, television was full of programs about his life, news were 24 fours at day with news from Los Angeles.
I think that it has not much relevance for us or for the world, but with this, Michael Jackson’s fortune has increase a lot… just like Elvis. But when something can get so many people together is an event worthy to know.

Challenges in our discipline

Recently one paper says that our discipline, public administration, his one of the new most demanded careers, so I suppose that is because finally we are being more recognised as an important discipline and an important work to the new social needs.

About technologies, this is an important element and a kind of tool to carry out our work, we have a lot to principles to obey, like transparency in the information, efficiency and efficacy, and obviously, technology is part of the modernization of the State process.
Maybe we need to teach to the common citizen how to use this technologies, to be informed, because technology is to help us as public employed, but also is to help to the society in general.
About social matters, the fist thing that I’ve learned in my career, was that the State is at the service of people, and It’s a State responsibility to satisfy public needs as a priority, so we are in our legitimate right to demand…
About education is very closed at the last two points, because as I’ve repeated in almost all my last blogs, in this country there’s not civic education!!!! And we need it so much! People almost don’t know what is a citizen, have never read or know our Constitution, and in school don’t but we don’t teach what a hell to do with that! (excuse my language, please :P) and It’s part of our responsibility as well informed and well educated (as far as possible) people to do this civic education works, for our own welfare, to do a better country and a useful public system.

So I think that the most urgent challenge is to teach people, civic education, civic education… CIVIC EDUCATION! Or all the efforts will be a waste of time if people have tools, but not know how to use it.
It’s an enormous responsibility that we have in our hands, but it’s a personal challenge to help to make this country a better country :)

My "Faculty"

Currently the situation in my faculty has been apparently normal, a few weeks ago we just choose new directive to our student centre. Now are some rumors about change the location of our School of Government to another faculty, but nobody’s confirms this information… so for the moment are just rumors.
Well, our building is really old, but I think it’s really beautiful, It just need some maintenance. Last year we have some improves about infrastructure, now we have air conditioning, and more computers, we have a lovely study room (I know he have a small space) but definitely we need a lot more.
I’m not sure about how we can find a solution for this, because I think it’s a long process to get a remolding because this building historical patrimony.
I hate the dinner room, and the food here is to expensive and not to good… since we have new concessionaire I haven’t eat here, I prefer bring food from my house. About that… we need a new concessionaire, but we are not much students, so it’s hard to find a good concessionaire.
The real benefits of these improves, talking about infrastructure, will be feel better with our School, more comfortable in our “second home”. I think that few people knows the importance of our career, and it’s hard to give a good impression with a building that is falling to pieces, you must really love our career to study here, we not even have a good library!!!!

My free time

I think that people have not free time, because they must work on their jobs, work on their houses (doing homework, of course) and waste a lot of time moving to one place to another (moving by car or public transport) and the technology available maybe make work easier and faster… but now we are too dependent to technology.
We are too dependent to technology, to entertainment too, people seems to love wasting their time just playing on video games or watching T.V.
I have not too much free time in this season, because we are ending the second semester, and this is shorter than the first one, time run faster when you have too mucho to do.
This week, and the next three weeks, I must forgot what is free time, definitely. But generally I think that I have, no more than 4 hours at day, I have a lot of free time on weekends, if I have not much to study to the next week.
I usually use my free time, firstly, to sleep all that I want, and then, I rest watching some T.V., I love watch old movies and listen some music.
When there is not much to do, I use internet to chat with my friends, or play in facebook…I know that is a waste of time, but I love be a little bit idle once in a while.
I love jogging or make some exercise everyday, I like cooking with my mom, read something new about anything related with my career, all of this is part of my daily routine and how I use my free time.
When I have rest enough, I like go out with my friends, go for a movie, or go to a party, go out by myself and take some photos, but this happen just on weekends
If I had more free time, I would like take some courses, maybe belly dance, salsa or French, and learn to drive, but is to expensive, is not just that I have not time. If I have more free time I must visit to my grandmother more usually, spend more time with my parents and share a little bit with them.

Parliament and free speech: The right to know

This article is very interesting, because talks about a situation similar to our own situation, free speech is based on “The bills of rigths” and it says that "Freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament".
I think that, in those cases when the parliament is elected by the citizens, it clearly a citizen right to be impeached or questioned when is not the representative opinion, when is not what most of the people wants. The case of Chile is like that, “supposedly”.
But, what we can do when the law forbid questioned whom represents us, even when their decisions go against what people need?
Maybe, the situation that this article describes, is more similar than our reality , more than we thought.
What happened about “The day after” pill?? Is the authority who decides even the most of the people is disagree.
All decision is able to be questioned, is the base of a State of Right, is the Free Speech consolidation.
The article mentions that British lawyers seem to have forgotten what people can do for defend their rights, and of course, the press too, because it exist the Press liberty, and the right to be well informed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/14/parliament-free-speech-trafigura

A World of Sports!

The importance of sports for individuals is obvious. Sports are an excellent way to realise stress and the competitions make you stronger, and sometimes it can make you more secure about yourself and make you improve.
For a nation, it’s even more important, because you’re working with the nation pride, with the image as a country who supports its own sportsman and sportswoman. And, when we have an important competition, we are closer like brothers and sister of the same nation, sports makes us more patriotic and when we get a triumph, happiness is in the streets too.

I don’t practice any sport, just do some aerobic two times at week, and do some bicycle every days too, I feel that is very necessary to get off the bad mood and stress, and keeps me fit.

I think that Chile needs to invest more recourses in our sportsman and sportswoman, and to invest in children with families without means of support, it’s an excellent way to stimulate the desire to better oneself in young people
I would encourage other people to do sport talking about the importance for a good health, talking about the benefits of a healthy routine, and the benefits for the mind that a healthy body can brings.
Well, I’m against of “Rodeo a la Chilena”, it’s a cruel activity and is not a popular sport, because only high society goes to that kind of activities, it should be eliminated as national sport, or as a traditional sport, because we can’t be celebrating when an innocent animal is hurt.

I think that this is the only sport than most be eliminated, because we have a society so sedentary that we have to make Chilean people move

Places to visit in Santiago

Santiago is a really nice city if you know where to go.
For tourists I think that our Cathedrals and our museums are great, they can know about our history. Also they can visit Mercado Central to taste our typical food, and to know our culinary customs. They can also visit La Piojera, because is an historical place, many presidents and politics used to go there.
Tourist should visit Bellavista’s at night, is more dangerous than before, but taking precautions you can have a nice evening with friends.
If they are in Santiago, they have beaches and mountains near, so a quickly visit to the see the sea, or to see some snow is not a bad idea.
I usually visit (1) Forestall Park with my camera, I just love to take pictures to the autumn, I love its colours! I think than is a romantic place, and sometimes are street artist, very lovely. And also you are next to (2) Bellas Artes museum so you can visit it too, and there are many café’s too. In summer is really nice to lie down on the grass on a park, like (3) Parque Araucano or (4) Parque O’Higgins, these are places to visit with the family, because are big green areas, very relaxing and great for play.
(5) San Cristobal’s hill is nice too, you have a swimming pool, but you have to take the railway to get there, also to go to metropolitan museum, but it’s a really beautiful view. Also you can visit Santa Lucia’s hill if you want to enjoy the view and walk a lot, but is important to go after the rain or in summer, because the smog cover the city and you can’t see anything.

Music in my life!

Well, music in my life is like the soundtrack of my day, and it’s an escape for the routine, it’s the best company for a walk for Santiago’s streets, or my daily travel in subway, or just lay down in the bed and do nothing.
Always are some songs to send to a friend or someone especial, to say your feelings, because with music, your words are not necessary.
I have a very varied taste about music, I love 80’s because I grew up with that music, my dad use to woke up us on Sundays with Duran Duran, Pet Shop Boys, George Michael, Toto (In fact, my name is Pamela for a great song from Toto), Michael Jackson, even Maddona. But also he teaches me a lot about Chilean music, Vìctor Jara, Violeta Parra, Inti llimani, Congreso and many others. The love for this kind of music nd the emotions than this song’s produces me are a gift from my dad.
90’s music obviously was very important, I use to listened the new cd’s of my favourite aunt, she is like my older sister, and we loved Cristina y los subterráneos, The Cranberries, Javiera y los imposibles, and many others.
Now I listen a little of everything, but have a few favourite bands like everyone, Snow Patrol, Tha Fray are my favourite right now, and singers like Denisse Malebrán.
I like music in english because it helps me to practice my english, my pronunciation, my listening, and my vocabulary, also french song’s. I also like Arabic music because is an intense experience, I love to listen it and just imagine.
.
Well, when I’m sad, the best company is romantic music, those songs than bring memories, when I’m happy, I prefer dancing music (yes, sometimes reageton jajajajaja..) and when I study I like listen instrumental music (Amélie Soundtracks, or Caramel Soundtracks are just perfect)
I get my music from Ares to put it in mi Mp3, but I prefer listen in Spotify, a british program to listen on line.
So, as you can see, music fill my life.

(Now listening: The Fray- Look after you)

My experience with Transantiago

I almost never used public transport systems until I got to college, my school was very near from my house, and my friends live really near too.
But in 2007 it was in my last year of school, and It was the beggining of this new transport system, I used to use just the subway, but it was so packed, than I preffered use buses and walk a little bit.

It was very confusing, I hardly could understand the maps, and my orientation it was awful.
Now I have to use the subway every morning, so I try to get up earlier and get the subway not so packed, so I get to college when nobody's is there!!!
But there's a lot of new bus routes, and are really useful to go to my college's friends, my orientation is better, and I supposed than I just get used to this new system... but definitely there's not civic conscience, people don't let the seat to elderly people, and don't let more space to get the bus or the subway... and now people is always on a bad mood, you can't read because is too crowded, just hear music...

We need more buses and more subway carriages, but it’s more important to create civic education, people have to know how to transportate taking care of the system, not bothering each other, respecting to everyone, try to make the “trip” a little more comfortable and easier.

Regards!

I would love to visit Switzerland!

I really want to travel to Switzerland, because my mother's best friend lives there since five or six years ago, so everytime she comes to visit us, she talks about her new life there, she says than is a very cosmopolitan country, it's a country with an excellent standard of life, it's near of many countries than I want to visit (France, Germany and Italy), and It's a complete culture, they talk many languages, and it's characterized to be an important headquarter of international organization like IRC, UNO, WHO, and many others, I think than this country is an excellent option to work when I finish my career, it has a good public system. So perhaps I can live or study in Switzerland one day... to bring many new and better ideas to chilean government.
There is Laussant University, It's also an option to make exchange, our university has a lot of agreements with european colleges.

I know than it's an neutral country and has an civil army, they have a public health system, public education system than really works, and of course, they make the best chocolate in the world!!

The weather there is really cold, my mother's friend, Jessie, lives in Ginebra, we always see her photos on Facebook, you can see beautiful white mountains, landscapes covered with snow.

My experiences this semester...

This year has been rougher than the last one, the new subjects are very interesting, and I'm more sure about this career, now I'm sure about what I want.

I been working as volunteer in "International Amnesty" but the most of the activities are on Saturday's morning, and I'm really tired in the mornings... so this is an activity that I have to quit. It's hard, because I learn a lot about different realities than happens in our country and nobody see.
I have meet great people, and I really like my proffesors, I think than our "Escuelita" is a cool place, very charming. But I'm still having troubles with mathematical subjects like Macroeconomics, Accounts and Statistical Studies, are not so hard, but they're really boring!

Now I'm devote only to study, but I'm more organized than the last year so I have more time to go at gym after class, to meet my old friends from high school, and to go parties with my friends.
I also participated on a World Congress of Political Science, this year, and I think than now I'm thinking in big, it was a motivating experience... Now I really want to travell more, visit another countries to specialize in Political Science and Governement; learn more languages, etc.

I'm glad to be in this class, because is a great challenge, I hope learn more vocabulary and get a better gramatic, more trust in my self and my knowledge.