Reflection On Blog

What is a blog ? A Blog is a website in which one or more authors chronologically texts or articles published, appearing first newest, and where the author always retains the freedom to leave published creating relevant. Also usual that the readers themselves actively participate through comments. A blog can be used to publish own ideas and opinions of others on various topics. During this semester I was able to habe my own blog, because the professor assigned us created a to do some work and reflections. Having a blog is a good and useful us you expose your thinking and open yourself to know what others think about knowledge.

This semester I had the opportunity to participate in a blog where the teacher was in charge of allocating some work and we published in blog so that everyone would access him. We were doing reflections and analysis about different readings or problems that restrains society. Every which risked their viewpoint and left clear his opinion.

I had some problems at first but then be coupled to the blog system and could download an application to have access and make entries from anywhere at any time, I recommend the mobile application because it is also easier to upload photos. Since I have the application on the phone I do not go from the computer. Personally I love the idea of being able to write from wherever, whenever and everyone can read me, is very practical.

I had a very good experience with the blog, because i did not know this existed and was a great help meet this method of letting know your opinion of things at all. I think not close the blog, because it was a new and innovative experience for me. Now I have the knowledge and practice to me and let the ideas flow open to all. I found an excellent idea of the teacher use the blog because we kept in communication and acquire the practice of exposing our thoughts and knowledge no matter what. Free Expression.

Team Work = Fortunate Travelers

During the start of college we were assigned one group to work throughout the year in our class of "Journey in the Literature". The professor assigned some function for each student and we choose to put would exercise. At first we did not talk much, because we did not have enough confidence barely knew each other, but gradually we were fitting to be a good team where everyone brought their thoughts. I well remember our first day of work, are basically choose our roles and know better. We were all some what embarrased because none knew and had to do communicatiob. Manuel was the first speak. After Manuel icebreaker all began to talk and share our information for had good communication.

It was surprising as we gradually fitting better and made excellent group job. We always kept positive attitude towards every project assigned to us, it was like a challenge for us, we wanted to be the best and we always did our best to get the best grades. I thought it would not fit in with them because we were all different, but these differences were complementary and always something good came out of this. Sometimes we do not know what we are capable, I remember when I Got to draw the map of Africa hahaha I never draw before, but thanks to the support I received from my fellow group succeeds in making a good drawing, so good that it is surprised I said, "WOW i did not know who drew so well jaja." What i'm trying to said with this is that thanks to our teamwork and good communication we had always had good results. 

I personally want to thank my group "Fortunate Travelers" for always helping in any way they could. I have a difficulty with the Englis and thanks to them I could complete all my work and learn in this class, really thank you very much were excellent team. Manuel always made me laugh with his jokes and comments. Liane was the serious and mature girl, but it was an excellent classmate and helped me a lot. Valeria was the leaser, always unconsciously we made all that Valeria's jajaja, you are the leader. Antonio always talking with me, I think it was with more confidence than I have. Alessandra "WOW" I never had a NO from you, thanks for everything always explained anything to me lol. It was a pleasure working with you all, I seriously went excellent team. I hope that meet all your goals, you have the potencial.

One Day of Tourism

What is a Tourist? A tourist is a person who moves from their usual environment to another geographical point, being absent from their usual place of residence more than 24 hours and making one obernight stay in the other geographic point. That is the profesional definition, in my opinion being a tourist is simply not knowing somewhere and get to explore it.

My friends and I are very curious and tell them about the idea of becoming tourist and explore a beach that we had never visited (Crash Boat) in Aguadilla. I ask them "You want to explore?" and they said "Yes". We plan everything, the next day we left early for our journey. During the car ride we were singing and asking questions between us on the new place, we were very exited as we always wanted to go to this beach. We stopped on Isabela in a "Wallgreens" to buy everything we needed: snacks, ice, candy, chips and other things for get fun.

We got to Aguadilla and do not know the exact location of the beach so chooses ask a man riding a bicycle "where is Crash Boat?" and answered me: "After the traffic light you will find a slope, ride it and there is Crash Boat". How exciting was that slope down and ser that beautiful beach, my friends began to sream "Wow". It was very exciting to see that beautiful view of the beach. When we parked down everything and settled under the palm and we were looking at that beach and 5 minutes was something magical. We all ran to the bridge and we hit the bridge was an incredible experience.

After spending several hours watching I realized that life is a little different to the other side of the island. People have a different accent and act differently. I had the opportunity to talk to the man who worked in the parking lot and told me how the beach looks from their point of view. He said:"There are always different people, black, white, skinny or fat like you (referring to me) years working here and what we can assure is that they all come with the same purpose....HAVE A GOOD TIME". That man caught my attention because I could see the beach as seem from my point of view and as tourist sees a person is exposed to them every day.

As we all know nothing is for eternal and unfortunately it was time to leave. We  were very excited but also a little tired because got along all day exploring on the beach. We went to the beach because it was late and we were far from our homes. On the way back some fell asleep except me, because im drived. Along the way reflect on tourism and come to the conclusion that you can be a tourist anywere you only need to be as a child and be curious about everything around. 

                    In the Beach

          Time to go back to home.

Rum Diary

During this course we have emphasized the issue of tourism and travel, as we are traveling in the literature. We watched the movie "Rum Diary" which was based on the book by Hunter S. Thompson. This film signed in Puerto Rico has the starring Johnny Depp, who plays the role of an American journalist Paul Kemp who was not successful in the United States and Puerto Rico comes to better carry out their work.

Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) is a freelance journalist in a state of disavowal and staff lost that is in a critical point in his life while writing for the caribbean. Kemp knows Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart) who is interested in the services of Kemp to advertise a resort on an island sponsored by mobster. At the same time knows Chenault, the pair of Sanderson and falls in love with her defiance at various levels while trying to find a place among a group of lost souls aimed at self-destruction.

A tourist is a person who moves from their usual environment to another geographical point, being absent from their usual place of residence more than 24 hours and making one overnight stay in the other geographic point. Paul Kemp was a tourist when he arrived in Puerto Rico, and who knew nothing about Puerto Rico and its culture. What caught my attention in the movie was that Kemp was contracted to write about zodiacal and seeing situations Puerto Rico and interact with people, he became interested in writing about the social problems of the island as alcoholism, crime and proverty was on the island wwhere he was. Paul Kemp chages his perspective when he came to work in Puerto Rico because he saw the problems for another point of view.

The movie "Rum Diary" is a movie where you can see the roles as a tourist and can change your perspective simply survive elsewhere. The trip to Puerto Rico Kemp Changed since returning to the United States has success as a writer. Kemp understood his position and the position of puerto ricans and brought with hin a different perspective than he had when he arrived.

Jim Cooper

I read two chapters of the book of Jim Cooper "Down On The Island". The first chapter entitled "Teaching" was about as Jim Cooper saw the development of education in the department of English that he was teaching at the College of Mayaguez. When Cooper began to teach realized that it was very difficult for students to learn the English language in Puerto Rico, as it was a difficult subject for students lost interest in her English class. Cooper visited many public schools to see how their system worked teaching and realized that neither of them  English teachers masters the language; Puerto Rico was facing a huge problem with education. After realizing the deficiency given that this population had the English, Cooper design a curriculum with some curse in English languege and stories. He wanted it all ended their language problems and to take out the most of your education.

The second chapter entitled "Helping" is ehen Cooper realizes that students had implemented a method of study "Community Work". This method consisted in how students help each other through frames and copied between them. In this chapter Cooper defines the Puertoricans as a very bountiful and hospitable person, who liked to help others. Students looked to their peers both in daily work and for  exams. Jim think that students are so cooperative and hospitable becuase since s child teach them. This causes that the students depends to another students.

Jim Cooper was impressed by the attitude of students when taking a test, and that when he asked why they were copied responded "because I do not know the answer" and when he asked to let others because their role is copied these would answer: "because he does not know and I'm your friend". I think Cooper is right and that these behaviors are learned because the desire to help others may end up killing him, and he will always be a parasite and will do nothing.

We all are Dreamers

Dreams are the esperience of envisioned images, sounds or other sensations during sleep. Dreaming are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntary in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and porpuse of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a tropic of scientific speculation, as well as a subject of philosophical and religious interest, throughout recorded history. Dreams arouse many feelings and most times reflect your mood. Most of the time we dream of doing asleep, but I think you can daydream all depends on your desires and your focus.

Sometimes we dream of things that just have in mind before sleep, sometimes not even dream of things that make sense or just things you do not know, understand dreams can come very complicated. Sometimes dreams connected with events that are happening in your life or just people around you. Often wake up and not remember dreams or you forget some part, this is normal. But we all like to remember our dreams. I was practice an exercise that maybe some people serve them and want to share; you just habe to write in a notebook every detail you remember from your dream to remember waht you dream.

I was practicing the activity of writting my dreams, as it is my art class and had sone good results because now easily remember the dreams that I have. I thinkd it's like game with your own mind to collect the pieces of the puzzle, in a way its fun. Sometimes we esperience different feelings through is worth remembering dreams and feelings and transmitted entirely by them. We all like to dream, because dream is what keeps our hopes alive and my opinion to succeed in life you must be a dreamer with big and powerful dreams.

My Journal, My Therapy

During the beginning of class the teacher Cynthia Pittman presented us with a work about writing in a journal about your situations and different moods. In this work, the student should not worry about spelling and meaning errors in sentences, only had to write about their minds for 10 minutes without stopping. I think it is a very useful and practical project because people can delve into situations and see things from another point of view. Some people are not decisive and act with insecurity, I think that this therapy can write their situations helps anyone to make better decisions. This project helped me grow as a person because whenever I wrote about my situations I reflected on the decisions that I had to make. Write every day about my personal affairs did much to improve and fix some things that were wrong in my life. I think it helped in my personal development and my development as the student know that I could make mistakes without any
punishment made me realize my mistakes indirectly. This Journal was very useful during and while using it because I could download on paper all my thoughts, could vent without having the need to tell someone. I think that is an good exercise everyone should practice because it is a good method to deepen decisions has much weight in our lives. I think this exercise will practice a little more time for me and helped me realize many things in my life. I like the exercise because there are no rules you only write what you have in mind or, in concern of typo errors and the sense that each sentence should be. I call it therapy because it is my time with the language (English). In my case I'm very bad at English language and I fear me ah done much because I know I can make mistakes in punishment makes me realize them indirectly. These are the reasons of why I like this exercise so much, because is my internal therapy.

Identities

Identity is what defines us and describes as subjects or communities. Everything you do, say and think is part of your identity. It is a set of features of an individual or community. These features define and describes  the subject or the community against the rest. Jamaica Kincaid want the world to know the true identity of Antigua in his book. Antigua is a small island, but attracts tourists. Before, there was racism and traffic. Jamaica wants to remedy these perceptions, and what can be seen as the past affects the present.
  I think one of the most shocking things that Jamaica is the aspect of language because the government impose a new language and when you’re changing your language you’re changing their identity. She had no control over this and not realizing the government changed its language and today is the language she uses. Government changes her identity.
in her case I felt I had no identity, incomplete. as long as the government wants to implement things to communities without care about our identity. In a way I feel identified with Jamaica because like Antigua in Puerto Rico want to implement the language (English). A language I do not master a language that is not my language, a language that I do not like. After so many years with some established customs and habits you want to change who you are and how you are. These chapters can make people reflect on their identity. People know what they are, but you never know when you cease to be. Wise Jamaica who was born in Antigua, but did not imagine I could come to feel so lost as tourists without identity. Identity is something that the world doesn’t gives you, but if you Neglect the world can take it away.

On "Small Place"

"Small place" is a book written by Jamaica Kincaid, the speaker in this book on a small island that has a large tourist activity. I had the opportunity to read the first two chapters and I found it very interesting because it talks about things that we always see, but never analyzed.
      Tourists are people who travel to other places for some reason. Tourists always have an idea or perspective of where they may think proper as it may have a wrong idea. Most of the time have a wrong idea as only set in the tourist areas of the site. For this reason, the bad reputation of a place is created.
      In these chapters the author criticizes the perspective of tourists and as tourists ignore the social problems of the places they visit. In this respect I was identified as in Puerto Rico this happens very frequently. The tourists will spend their good time and see the beautiful places in the country they visit, ignoring the problems and needs of Puerto Ricans. Tourists come to enjoy the natural beauty, leaving aside social disasters. Most of the time the tourists do not know anything about the place of sight-they are only aware of tourist areas. For this reason, described Jamaica as tourists lost ones who go in search of something that maybe there is not.
      During these first two chapters I was able to see that Jamaica is trying to open his eyes to the world and especially to tourists. She talks about this problem because she lived it, as a child witnessed incidents of racism, it's basically the same except that when her was little and now with a country. Jamaica basically what it does is expose tourists and open your eyes. Just like each country's history and perspective that deserves to stop the tourist ignorance. Surely you change your way of seeing tourism when you read these chapters.

My Island, My Identity

      Identity is all the traits of an individual or community. These features are the subject or the community against the other.Identity is what defines a person, by his behavior, as it is expressed and where it comes from. People define you by your cultural aspects is that we all have two identities, the real identity of ourselves and the identity that others have about us.People judge you by how you express yourself and the way you speak, the language is part of your identity. Identity is something that everyone should care because in my opinion your identity is the perception that others have about you.

        I read an article about identity written by Peter Roberts. This article talks about identity and perceptions that people have about identity. Communities like people have a particular identity. The identity of a nation is judged by the identity of its people, its food, customs, beliefs, etc. I was looking for information about the perception that has the world on my island (Puerto Rico) and the world has a misconception about my country. People say that Puerto Rico is a very violent country and nobody is safe here. I am an expert in Puerto Rico because I have my whole life living in Puerto Rico and I know what the world thinks is false.

       Puerto Rico is a beautiful island, where I was born. Puerto Rico is a small spot on the globe, but over time we have become known. Puerto Rico is a very happy country that celebrates everything. Foreigners are determined to put the name of Puerto Rico in the soil and cannot be. Tourists come to Puerto Rico for a week and depend on what happened this week judge Puerto Rico.  Much of them say is Hell and others said it is Paradise, in my opinion both are wrong because they do not research or analyze Puerto Rico. I am Puerto Rican and my duty is to protect the identity of Puerto Rico, because if my country loses its identity I lose mine.

Neil Perry

The dead poets society was a group of students who met secretly to read poetry. This action was banned in school because parents paid for their children to be professionals and not artists. The dead poet’s society was composed of a group of friends who decided to follow the footsteps of his teacher, who was one of the founders of dead poet’s society along with other students.
    During the movie I saw many internal and external problems, but the character that caught my attention was Neil Perry. Neil Perry is a student who belongs to the "Dead Poets Society”. He is the one that had an external and internal journey at the most, because he wants to be an actor but his parents wanted him to become a doctor and not an actor. In his internal journey Neil wanted to be an artist, because there was nothing he liked more than that. But in his external journey he knows that is difficult, almost impossible serious because his father did not like the idea of became an actor. In this external and internal fighting, Neil decides to take his own life because he cannot stand the pressure of his father.
    I think that Mr. Perry (Neil’s father) is actually responsible for his suicide because he as a parent didn’t wanted to listen his own son on what he wanted to do and Mr. Perry forced Neil to be a doctor, something that he didn’t wanted. In my opinion Neil took a drastic measure to take his life. Even though it was a very hard situation to Neil, I think that was exaggerated kill them just for a problem. In the case of Neil, I had spoken to my father to come to some agreement and if he refused taking other measures such as escape, but never kill. Sometimes we let the problems get caught without seeing the solutions, just think of the consequences of the problem. Often addiction problems remain unresolved because we always do as Neil seeks the most drastic measures, because they are the easiest. The problems must be solved reaching some agreement where no one gets hurt.

Piece of myself.

         Sometimes we do not know who we are, sometimes we do not know where we came from, and sometimes we do not know where we go. Sometimes we know a little bit, or just think we know. Sometimes I feel lost, so lost that I did not recognize myself. Is difficult to decipher the code of life, but who said life had a code? The greatest mystery of life is to know who you are and why you are here.

         My name is Hector Luis Padilla Piñeiro, I was born on March 30, 1995, in Rio Piedras. Before birth the doctors told my mother I was a sick baby, my mother did not believe and trust that I would be born healthy. I was the largest and heaviest baby around the hospital with only 7 months. The doctor says that it was a miracle. With each passing year I grew healthy and strong, like a normal child. The doctors told my mother I need to be medicated, but my mother said that the medicine is not necessary because she believe in God. I had a perfectly normal childhood, my mother handed the situation perfectly. Do not know what would happen to me if my mother had taken different decisions that her took. During my teenage years I had a few incidents where I lost the patience and reacted in an aggressive manner, but over time I learned to control myself.

        I grew up with 2 brothers. My brothers are very different from me. My sister is the oldest of 3, was the first and only girl. She had some advantages that my brother and I never had. On the other hand my brother never liked school. He always said he would not go to college, and he didn’t. However I always had good grades and everything I do is for my parents so they could be proud of me. They deserve it. Be the baby is not easy as people think. Your parents overprotect you to not make the same mistakes they made and not do the mistakes that your older brothers have committed. In my house were all of us were raised the same way, but each one decided to create our own way. My entire family expects great things from me, since I’m the only one who is in college.  I hope to not disappoint anyone.

Reflection "Running Brave" 2

Identity is a person's conception and expression of their own and others' individuality or group affiliations. Identity may be defined as the distinctive characteristic belonging to any given individual, or shared by all members of a particular social category or group. At the last class we saw the second part of the movie “Running Brave”, in this part of the film we see how Billy's life begins to change.  Coach begins to change the running style of Billy, people are mocking about his identity. Billy felt that the coach would not let him be the same, because the coach wanted to change the way he run. The coach was saying that the Indians liked surrender, and Billy said, "I'll do just what you said, I'm out". Billy got tired of holding on and decided to resign. Billy asks his girlfriend to go away together, but she refused and Billy returned to the tribe he came from. I think Billy left because he felt it was not the same, he felt he were stealing their identity and forced him to have another identity. In the tribe were surprised when they saw Billy, because they believed that would never return. Billy returned to his brother's house. He practiced some activities with his tribe and he could see that he had not forgotten to be Indian. I could see in the movie was that identity is something that each of us carries inside and whatever happens, you will always be what you are, because that is your identity. Always going to try to change who you really are, but that will not be possible because what's inside of you is your essence, your soul, your culture, is you. I think the message of this movie is that you know who you wherever you go and always be the same. There will always be obstacles in the way, but you must remember who you are and where you come from, because that's what defines you as a person.

Reflection on "Running Brave"

On Wednesday, August 20, 2014 in the class “Journey In Literature” I saw the film “Running Brave”. This movie is about the life of the Billy Mills, the second Native American to win an Olympic gold medal on 1964 in Tokyo, breaking the Olympic record with a time twenty eight minutes with twenty seconds. The story of Billy Mills impressed me because despite all the problems he had, he found the way to overcome them. During high school Billy Mills got prepared to complete his dream and goal of getting the opportunity to run in the Olympics games. In the movie shows how he won a high school cross country competition. After that race the coach of Kansas University was interest on his performance and took him to run in his team. At the University Billy suffer many discriminated incidents, but that didn’t stop him. During college they refused to go to the Olympics games, but Billy did not surrender until he fulfilled his dream of running in theOlympics and won.At the internal journey of Billy Mills I could see that despite all the problems around him, he never gave up. Billy had economic and emotional problems, economic problems took their father to fight for money and those fights cost his life, leaving Billy orphan. I think that these problems helped him to get motivated, and thanks to his suffering he had the courage to achieve his goal.In the external journey of Billy Mills I could see that all things were around Billy not discouraged him. Racism and discrimination were never an obstacle to Billy, though sometimes lost the control. Although Billy was not chosen for the first time for the Olympic team he don’t stop, until finally he got to be part of the team and won the race breaking the record. Billy Mills is an example for all to follow, shows that everything can be possible if you really wanted.