either: ya sea
though: aunque
instead: en vez

English Language Challenges

Considering that I study film studies, for what is better for me to learn English now is to watch movies and understand what they say without subtitles. In addition, most of the programs for editing and the "set up" of the cameras are in English and it is better to learn the terms in both languages, because it will always appear in one form or another. On the other hand, I do not usually use English in fluent conversations with other people. I am a waitress and sometimes foreigners come to the tables but eager to speak Spanish! so my English is limited to saying things like "another glass? or do you want to pay?"

Making the blog was difficult to me more for the content than for expressing it in English. Questioning so many things about the future that I do not want to answer now was complicated, and because of the blogs of my colleagues, for everyone now the future is somewhat distressing, they are things that can be answered with certainty.

I think what I find most difficult are the irregular verbs and conjugate them in the past or participle quickly when  I speak. I think it is very useful for the university to demand a certain level of English from the professionals who graduate, but sometimes I feel it is more useful to learn it by speaking more often with people whose mother language is English. Surprise how much you are able to express when you have the pressure of someone who is anxious to understand you! While practicing English in guides and exercises sometimes you forget fast. Anyway, I think that this semester I learned a lot and reviewed several things that I had forgotten!

Changes to my study programme

After five years in this career of course I think that many changes are needed, some related to the lack of funding of our institute for the unfair distribution of resources by the University, and others related to the lack of will of the highest authorities - all journalists- to understand cinematographic work as something very different from journalism.

In the first place, although the theoretical contents about mass media theories are necessary in our office, can not be extended for four years of undergraduate. In my opinion, at most four semesters, and taking care always that it is related to cinema and journalism in equal parts. Currently, many contents in the curriculum are repeated year after year. Secondly, the time invested in filming and editing increases more and more as the demand increases according to the level, however our current study programme does not consider this time outside of classes, much less in particularly demanding semesters in which we have the double of theoretical subjects. It is also unkind with those students who seek audiovisual works outside the university. To this is added that the assistantships, instead of being help courses, are like another subject.

Finally, it is quite outrageous that we have one of the most expensive fees in the entire university and we have deficiencies in the cinematographic equipment or we do not have access to technologies that are being used at this moment. It is also hard to believe that only this year will resources be awarded to student projects when all film schools finance at least part of these jobs.

Summer holidays

Like every summer, my plan is to stay in Santiago because I use summers to work and save money. This summer I must do my internship so it will not be different. But since a time I have been thinking about what it would be to do a trip with no date of return... I mean, just take my bag and my camera and travel around our country or our continent... 

As I said few post before, I would like to visit Cuba on a working holidays program, but not this summer because of the internship, but in May, when it is the second trip of the program. This travel counts like a summer holiday, in Cuba is always summer!! Then, when I came back to Chile, I would like to travel with no defined return and forget about the future and schedules. Places I would like to visit: Elqui Valley, San Pedro de Atacama, Cuzco, Machu Pichu, Amazon Rainforest, Rio de Janeiro, Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia, Torres del Paine and more. I would like to visit all these in one big trip without touristic buses or guides, spending as little money as posible. 

Of course I would like to make a documentary about this trip with light equipment and my own style, not like a tv show. A friend of mine who did a trip like this told me about all different people you would know, so I would like to film the diversity of Latin America!

Best party ever

When I was 20 or something, with two of my best girls friends in that time, suddenly decided to go to Valparaíso for one afternoon and night. When we arrived to Valparaíso we started to walk on the streets and hills and suddenly we saw a guy sweeping the entrance to a house that seemed empty, and asked him if there was going to be a party that night and he just looked to us and said "Maybe".

At night went to bar La Playa, where they played classic rock and we danced until the place closed, and we remembered the house where "maybe" could be a party. There were a very nice party with 90's techno and pop songs. Also there were FREE BEER, all over the guy who were sweeping the entrance that afternoon.

In a moment of the night that I don't remember, one of my friends met a guy like in a romantic way, and at the sunrise we started to go down the hill with him, so the guy told her something like he already had a girlfriend or wife, so my friend became really crazy and agressive (she had hungry I guess) and started to screaming at him "YOU F*CKING UNFAITHFUL" in the middle of the streets. The guy vanished in the night and we laughed and tried to calm down to her. We took the bus and slept until arrive to Santiago.

I remember this night because it was very crazy and unforeseen, we were drunk like TWELVE hours. It took me two days get out of the hangover!

Post-graduate studies

If I would take a post-grade it would have to be next to 2018, because I really don't want to continue studies next year. I'm tired to go to classroom, sit in a chair, take notes, reach hand when teacher pass the list, study, do exams, etc. I don't want to do this in many time. I think I can not adapt to academy discipline, I like so much more to learn doing things than reading things, so I want to work on my job at least for a year and then think when I want to come back to a classroom. Also, a post grade is too expensive so I have to seriously study the options and see which one will let me study without the money presure.

I would like to know more about cinematography or script. I think photography and lighting in this school is too basic and with digital technology it's very necessary to deepen knowledge time to time, because it changes very fast with new formats and codecs, so I must always take training courses. I would like to take a post-grade in cinematography in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There is a National University of Arts that offers a master in Media and technology for painting process, and also a master in Combined artistic languages, and it is included photography process and cinema. I would like very much to do a master that forces me to make things over read things. 

I said before Buenos Aires because I know this city, but one of my dreams is to visit New York. I would like to take a fast course with Robert McKee, a master of script, in NY and live in the city for a month or something... Also I can take an internship in a movie working as assistant's assistant and learn all the filming process from the masters.

hooking: enganche
hassle: molestia
whether: si
sneak: furtivo
musty: rancio, húmedo
lurk: estar al acecho escaped springs lurks: resortes salidos
jarring: discordante
pried off: arrancado
spilled: derramado
giggling: riendo
squirm: retorcerse

The future

One of the reasons I studied Film studies was because I didn't want to be 45 hours a week in the same desk in front of the same computer doing stuff... I like to move and know new places... and I love to be in filming. But to be almost getting out from this degree and realize that my job would be so inconstant and freelance that I would like to start with a regular job with place and fixed working time. Also next year I want to buy my own equipment, take more pictures and make some money doing this.

Mi ideal job would had to have a combination of fixed schedules and goals, and freedom to reorganize my working time according with my other projects and do sports. Also I would like to travel from time to time filming things in Chile. 

I don't want to continue studying next year because I'm tired to, actually I have never could to adapt to academy. Maybe after 2019 I would like to study a major in Cinematography or Script. Also I have been thinking to go to live to some city with better air, because the smog in Santiago makes really bad to my heath, so I think I will looking for a master in other city or country. 

My pet

I've always loved animals and pets, particularly cats because in my dad's home have always had many cats and for a strange reason, cats love us too. For this cause I love so much my two little kitties Soon and Clowny. My mom had never liked animals because in her point of view, the are dirty and messy, and I never brought a cat at home because of the time, money and the the relationship with her. 

But since a time ago I started to think that home was so quiet, lonely and a little bit sad, and it would be worst when I would finish my degree, get a job and leave home, that I decided to adopt first a female cat, Soon, and to see what happened. Soon was so tender, funny and clean that my mom loved after two weeks... but then I started to think that Soon was so lonely in this big house and she was too good to play... so I brought Clowny, another female kitty and also I contributed to help in my dad's home because they had NINE cats after a female cat had babies. 

I love my kitties because they are so funny, cute, clean and quiet company. I love the delicacy and secrecy when they move, their shyness and also their pride. At the first moment that they met, Soon hated Clowny, she was so jealous because of the attention and territory, but also Soon have always loved to play and run that she couldn't resist to pursue Clowny who ran alone for all the house. Now they love to each other, and Soon always clean to Clowny when she needs a bath. They love to play wrestling, hide and seek and run I get you. Soon is more quiet and obey the house's rules, Clowny is more messy but also more innocent and scary. I love them!

An artist you love: The Beatles

In my family there is a kind of tradition to love the Beatles. My uncles, siblings, grandmother and nephews are fans of them and in my dad's home always have been a picture of the Fab Four. He's their number one fan. I realized about the great band that they were when I was a teenager, at sixteen years old. I loved Come together when I listened to it in the radio and one day I heard it in Abby Road and I just fell in love.

The Beatles were a band of four young men from Liverpool, United Kingdom: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their first album, Please please me (1963) released a teenage fever for The Beatles with rock and roll covers and original songs. Later, with the flower revolution in the 60's, the Beatles became into more hippie band, with experimental songs, playing new instruments like zither, and lyrics about political compromise or drugs experience. I love the two ages. The Beatles took the name from the beatniks, a 50's literary movement led by Jack Kerouac, a writer who John Lennon liked. My favorite albums are Revolver, Abbey Road and The White Album, all of them from the experimental age.

For me, The Beatles represent the sixties's spirit, by far the most rebellious youth with the will to change the world. I love the liberation from old and repressive customs that the youth took care of, and the evolution of rock that accompanied these decade, with artist like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin or The Mamas and The Papas.

Best holidays ever: auto stop in the south

In the summer of 2014, me and one of my best friends, Marcela, traveled to Chiloé for visit to Camila, our school friend. I liked so much this holidays because the improvised and crazy trip. We went with no maps or plans even, and we traveled around Chiloé about a week. Camila invited to us to a marriage that lasted three days! Also we went to a heavenly beach named Duhatao, and the Chiloé National Park. For these days was the Moon Party in Cucao, and people left so much garbage that a camping's owner allowed to us stay at the place if we helped him to clean. 

Duhatao beach

After we took many trucks, we arrived to Villarrica and met with our old school art teacher, Tatiana. We went together to Licanray and we got in a mapuche place. Also we went to a thermal baths lost in the mountains, it was beautiful. Tatiana's cat, Chulki, had recently have four adorable little kitties, who spoiled and pooped everything around them. Also, Marcela broke almost all the dishes by accident, it was so funny! 

Marcela and Chulki's daughter