English & Languages

Hello guys!

In this post we talk about learning english in the university (this subject) so let's go.

First, I want to tell you some people told me, when the semester was begining, that I wasn't going to learn more english here, but I can tell that i did. Maybe we don't learn a lot, but I've practiced my pronunciation a lot with videotalks, my writing in the blog's posts, and my lexicon in every english class we have. I'll never forget what to share a flat means haha, or also you're such a pain! Even though writing posts is sometimes a  looong activity, I think my blog is now priced by me, and I see we put effort every wednesday so our blogs look cool and lovely. It's also fun to 'spam' on my friends blog XD

My pronunciation is still poor, now that i've learnt some German, i get confused sometimes with words and pronunciation! German pronunciation has something in common with spanish, so I've been a little bit further from the English one. In the last semester, I've been practicing to speak more like brittish english people, rather than the North american. I prefer their pronunciation and also their words, their expression is more simple and accurate, I even prefer european english strong language... About writing, I believe I've improved it a lot with the help of these posts, listening is also something I practiced in English IV. When I'm doing videotalks, my father always complains about my bad pronunciation, sometimes it pisses me off, because I really try to speak better.

I always try to set the language of my devices in english, I listen to music in english, I speak with myself or with family and friends in english sometimes hehe. 

I believe english is also a very useful tool nowadays if you go to a foreign country and you don't speak their native language very well. Anyway, languages (including English) are wonderful!!! In my opinion... Goodbye everyone.

'Whether we like it or not, modern ways are going to alter and in part, destroy traditional customs and values' -Werner Heisenberg

Our education

We´re all studying the Univerdad de Chile, and our university isn't a conservative one, as we should know. FECH and many students want changes in the programmes of our careers. The most disturbing thing incoming is the Law of State Universities, it has too many changes that don't help us, it means even more money to pay for us/our parents (we're paying a lot already), so some students are moving against this. We want changes.

I believe the subjects that my career includes are okay, in fact, our mesh of subjects is new from one or two years ago (I refer to Biochemistry, the career i took this year), so we're practically the 'Lab rats' for the new mesh.

I'm not feeling overloaded with a lot of things to do for my career, i believe our subjects are well balanced (at least for the months  I've been studying here).

The use of technology in our faculty is nice too, we have access to computers at 'CIQ', we use video projectors in our classes and we have a lot of different reactants in our Labs. A detail to improve in the laboratories of our faculty show be to get new tables for woking, because the current work tables are made of wood and they're damaged. A drum of distilled water is also not working well...

Some times i have needed more time to complete the tests, that's something we should try to improve. But the teaching methods of the teachers I've been with have worked for me, I've learnt well. Some biochemistry students told me that 'Ms. Naty' is the best teacher of Calculus in our faculty, and some people from other careers told me they didn't like her teaching method... I understand his classes so I agreed with my career mates! Also, some people dislike Mr. Zolezzi's temperament, but I like his classes.

To sum up, the only thing I believe our faculty could improve is the lab work-tables and the size of our entire place. And the thing that every university in Chile should improve is that they should be cheaper, also, many people believe that education is a right, so it shouldn't have price.

'Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion' -Isaac Newton

Holidays incoming

Sup' everyone, today we're telling where would we go (or will go) to on our summer holidays. There are still two months left, so this is just a plan, a plan i hope everyone can perform an enjoy :).

Same as Mr. Telha, I would like to start by relaxing at home, playing playstation and computer games, having fun with my dog and my family and that stuff. I want to be with my girlfriend too, if possible, I'd love to go to the beach with her, just us! This couple holiday will probably be in a place close to Santiago, like Coquimbo region, La Serena, El Tabo, or the Central Coast of Chile. I'm now saving some money so we stay more than three days, a week if we are able!❤

-Jack, the dog, looking fresh after bath.

She also has family in Laja, South of Chile, so if she invites me i'll try to go and stay there with her, his mom, cousins, brother, aunt and uncle. Last summer i went there and we had so much fun! We went to the lagoon and countryside.

Then I want to spend some time in holidays with my family, we try to go to a place where we can take our dog Jack with us, it's so sad to let him alone here while we're enjoying holidays :( Last summer we went to Huentelauquén, to a friend's house, there we could bring Jack with us, that made me us so happy, so it's possible that we go there again. Last time we were there on Winter so i couldn't take a dip at the beach, this time we're going on Summer, it's my chance to enjoy bathing in the beach!

'There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle' -Albert Einstein.
PD: Pancho I changed the quote :)

The silent drug

Hello! Today's theme is Drugs & Addiction.

I want to talk about something different because the most known drugs are Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, LCD and some others. But there's a drug that stays silent between us and I bet we all consume or have consumed a lot: Sugar.

Would you believe me? Then try to eat as many fried eggs as you can, enjoy! Afterwards, try to eat sweet biscuits, as much as you can. The most likely result is that you ate 2 or 3 eggs and got satisfied. But you were able to eat a lot of biscuits, without feeling satisfied, like if you always want more and more.

How is this possible? Sugar, unlike fats or proteins, distorts our appetite system, so the problem when eating a lot of sugar is that we don´t feel necessarily satisfied, and it tastes damn good! Also, it doesn't have the same notoriety as fats, so we usually don't remember to reduce the biscuits we eat.

In the other side, we still need some sugar for our homeostasis, to keep balanced our glycemia. Don't get out in the morning without having something sweet (or with carbs, e.g. sandwich), or you'll probably feel light-headedness and drowsiness (remember the Endocrine Pancreas?).

Anyway, try not to be a 'sugar-oholic'.

Now let's talk about the other drugs of abuse. Drinkink alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco (in joints or cigarretes) is something very common nowdays in many countries, in Chile, the average age to start drinking is 13, and i bet it's not far from the other countries' avgs. Drinking a glass of beer or a cup of wine daily is not really damaging, unlike smoking, an activity that highly increases lung cancer risk (9 out of 10 lung cancers are caused by smoking). Just think of this: drink liquids is natural, but inhale smoke, what the hell?

I like beer and wine, i drink a 250ml bottle of beer sometimes with my fellas or my dad (at lunch) :)

I smoke casually, but considering I do sports, it would be a good idea to stop smoking...

Now Weed! The 'bridge drug' to harder and more dangerous drugs. This little green plant has become famous around the world, nowdays it's really easy to get. I tried this drug in some parties, but i didn't get used to be high, the times i did marijuana I felt really stupid later, and stopped doing this. Some friends of mine smoke weed weekly or even daily, but i started to hate this drug, in adittion to its effect (i don't like it), it's overrated! Its price is too much money waste in my opinion.

I understand the use of drugs in patients with terminal diseases, as anesthesics, anxyolitics, etc. But i consider some of my friends addict to weed or smoking and i don't like this reality.

That's todays blog  guys, have a nice week!

'It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop' -Confucius

What to do next?

Guten Tag!

Today we're talking about our dreams on doing post graduate studies. In my case, I would like to do a Magister, or (if possible) a PhD, in Biochemistry, Molecular biology, Forensic chemistry or another science matter. I know that this decision is too ambiguous, so i must decide better...

Also, i want to achieve this in another country, maybe in Germany, England or the US. Here in Chile, science is not well valued (I believe), our authorities prefer to invest in Soccer, Politician stuff, etc.

Maybe i'm dreaming too much, before all of this happens, i will have to work, so i get my own money and i'm not dependent of my parents.

In addition, I want to speak fluent English (I think i'm well routed), German and French. Studies say that we learn better when younger, so try to learn languages before you're too old :(

If possible, i want to do an interchange with a German or British student, for some months (probably a semester). My girlfriend becomes sad when i tell her that i want to do this, but i'll take her with me >:(.

Finally, after enjoying all of this things i'm going to learn, working and having fun in my job, catching new bacteriae, understanding enzymes, optimizing what we should eat to live healthy, etc. I want to take my parents for a ride, visit awesome and lovely places such as Paris, Berlin, London, Rome and a lot more! I want to give them an awesome gift because all i've done is only possible because of my mom and dad, i love them.

That's my today's post, hoping you all have a good Thursday and Friday, i say goodbye.

Aufwiedersehen!

Chile must invest more in science, otherwise young students will migrate to countries that do this...

'It doesn't matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop' -Confucius

My future job

Hello, back from holidays!

Today we're talking about our future jobs.

I would like to work in a lab, because i'm going to be a Biochemist. It doesn't matter if i study microbes, toxins, proteins, alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease or whatever; i like all that stuff a lot! I really love science and how it can make us advance, have better lifes, fight against viruses and bacteria, and take care of our dear Earth. This last thing is becoming very important in the last years, humans are being more conscious on how to save the Earth from ourselves :(. We pollute too much, and clean energy technologies- solar panels, eolic windmills and stuff- are getting more famous around the world. If someday i am the owner of a lab, i'll try to use only clean renewable energy systems, i want to take care of our home.

I don't believe a lab can be outdoors, so my possible future work will be indoors. If i have to go to jungles or forests to find something cool, i'd totally do that.

Worse than travelling too far, to me is getting up too early. I cannot get used to it! So if my job isn't near, that would not be my real problem. I will try to find jobs that need to get up after 7:30 a.m.

If i have to travel due to my job (to foreign countries, for example) I will!

Money is not really important to me, i know we need it to live, so if the salary is enough for my life, education of my kids and a home for my family, it's okay.

I would like to do an interchange, go to Germany or England in the few next years. Maybe i'm going to do a Master in Biochemistry,  toxicology or something like that. I believe that a Bachelor degree is not enough for my mind!

Goobye, see you soon :)

Please save the Earth.

Happy September 18th!

Every one has a different hobby/hobbies, because we´re all different from each other, but sometimes we've got a hobby in common with friends. In my case, I like being alone, so my hobbies can be done by myself (some others need a group to be done, such as many sports).

Hmm... i really love music and need it every day, so i like to play guitar in my free time. I do it at home, and i try to learn a lot of songs, no matter if it's rock, pop, reggae, classical,etc. If you like to play classical guitar, you should give a try on learning 'J.S. Bach's Minuet in G Major'. I play it almost every day xD my brother must be bored of listening to that.

Classical guitar

He plays the bass so we play together- but that's not so often...-I tried to write some songs too-because i like to sing-but no one is finished yet :c. I started learning to play the guitar about seven years ago, but i'm not a guitar-pro, i think i do it well :).

I also like to solve Rubik's Cubes, 3x3x3, 2x2x2, Mirror, Pyraminx and Crazy Cube! I should move on to next step: 4x4x4... They're very good friends when doing long trips and travelling, when I'm in the subway on my way home, i can solve it a lot of times. It's fun to compete with friends, who can solve it faster.

I've always done sports in my life so i would consider sports as my all-time hobbie ☺.My favourite sport is Basketball.

I've been learning German in my free time, so it's a hobbie too! But a different one, i want to go to Germany soon.

I'm not sure if studying is a hobbie but i like studying a bit in holidays.

I've been idling a lot this year in Kongregate, free online games, i love it hahaha.

Crazy Cube

I believe that hobbies keep us healthy (talking psychologically) because when doing them, we are enjoying it, our mind is flowing free from our obligations, maybe that's why we keep doing that even if it seems to be absurd, It makes us feel free!

I like drinking alcoholic beverages too, but don't look at me as if i were a junkie haha, i like sharing a beer or a glass of wine with friends, or even at lunch with my dad. But alcohol is not something to abuse of, I now my limits, i don't get drunk!

When i'm a Biochemist, i will have hobbies like looking for new cells and proteins i guess, doesn't that sound awesome?

Tardigrade

Good bye :) Happy 18th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QTZsQlpdiM Osas has returned...

The Endocrine Pancreas

Almost everyone knows about the stomach and the intestines, but the Pancreas is not as famous as them in our society. We must know how important its function is, today i'm going to talk about it.


First, we must know it is a long gland located deep in our belly (behind the stomach), and it has an Endocrine tissue as well as an exocrine one. But humans are most interested in the endocrine portion because of its role in our system.


-In the image, the 'corn looking', long and flattened gland, is the Pancreas.




Now let's talk about the most important: Its function.

The exocrine tissue secretes a fluid wich contains an aquous part(carbonate rich) and an enzymatic part. This secretion helps us to digest food, and also neutralizes the acid fluids in the duodene.

But the endocrine tissue secretes two of the most important hormones for us to keep the homeostasis:

-Beta cells: They secrete insulin, hormone needed to take the excess of sugar from the bloodstream and store it inside cells as glycogen.

-Alpha cells: They secrete glucagon, hormone needed to transform glycogen in sugar again and send it back to the bloodstream, when necessary.

When the insulin receptors from other of the body cells fail, the person can suffer from Type 2 Diabetes, but don't worry, this disease can be fought back.

However, when Beta cells don't produce insulin, the person becomes an insulin dependent, and the cure for this disease is still in progress...

So if you suddenly faint or start feeling dizzy because you haven't had breakfast this morning, then you haven't given your pancreas the tools to keep your blood sugar levels fine. Eat a sweet snack!

In the other case, if you love sweets, biscuits and cakes, don't abuse! If you already do, your poor pancreas is in trouble :c

Finally, if you are feeling thirsty, with a recurrent need to pee, dizzy, or with less energy than usual, go to the doctor and see if you aren't close to suffer a diabetes disorder. Don't wait until it's too late!

Bye, Camilo.

The city that never sleeps

Nowadays, we can't miss holidays, otherwise we usually 'get stressed'. I believe that every human living in our society needs a few days (or weeks) to go out of the daily routine, keep knowing themselves and let the brain fly away from our 'to-do list'. It's not possible for us to do some things we want during the year, because we have a lot of things we must do. Holidays are a great spot to do all of this stuff, like playing instruments, sharing with friends and idling.

But for many people, the best you can do in vacation is to travel somewhere you want, know a new place totally different to your daily life, a place that can be in another country, or in Chile...

⏩I'm a lucky boy, i can tell. I had the opportunity to travel to New York, the city that never sleeps, with my parents and my brother! It was like 7 years ago, we traveled there by plane. We stayed there for a week. It was long ago but still one of my favourite vacations, I remember we walked a lot at the city, because we didn't rent a car. Healthy, huh?

The weather was warm and nice for us, it seems like my dad chose the best time to go there.

We visited Times Square at night and the Museum of Natural History, we traveled by Metro, we visited Central Park (a small part, it's really big), and we went to Staten Island. I was by the side of the Statue of Liberty! It's damn high... At Times square, we visited an entire M&M's store, there were all colours and shapes of M&Ms for us to eat 'em😄. Then we went to a toy store called Toys r us, it's the best toy store i ever visited in my life, there was almost every toy you could imagine. i really recommend to visit it.

We also got to the highest place of the city, the Epire State! Such an awesome urban landscape.

At the museum of natural history, we saw a lot of embalmed animals, such as bears and mapaches, also the bones of a Sabertooth Tiger and a dinosaur (The one that appears on the movies).

It's a city you can always keep knowing, i recommend to travel by bike there, it's the healthiest way. I hope to visit it again, next time with my son and daughter...

Please visit New York before you die, you can't miss it.

A country i'm willing to visit

I would really like to visit Germany, doing an exchange with another student, so I can study there. I hope to travel there in the incoming years, it would be nice to start living in the capital: Berlin, or studying at Lepzig University. I like the German culture, language and lifestyle, they seem to be straight, and try to do things good, not like Chilean people, mostly trying to evade direct questions and answers, so messy often. I also like a lot Beer, Meat and Kuchen! I can´t miss Oktoberfest haha.

Also, this country is famous for its history and the ‘Nazi Germany’ period, due to this many people don’t like Germans, but I know this is no longer valid and Germany is now one of the countries with best Life Quality. I want to know from first source about this history, and visit museums, what’s left from the Berlin Wall, visit the south of this country, cities like Ulm or the well famous Munich.

People usually say that german girls are pretty, but I’m not really going there because of that; I have a girlfriend and I’m so in love with her… She must go there with me someday!💘

I’m getting ready to visit Germany, I’ve learned ‘ein Bisschen deutsch’ and been listening to some videos in German to get used to it, but I’ve found that I need to have a B1 certificate for German language if I’m going to do an exchange, that’s not easy to achieve! I’m trying my best to learn as much German as I can this year.

If I have vacation there, I must visit England, or France...Europe will become closer to me when I’m there, so I gotta take advantage of that.