Post 7: SPORTS (leisure activities)

-Since this is a free post you have the chance of writing about current or past sports and/or  leisure  activities you have done.

-Most of us had physical education classes at school so If you don’t like the idea of doing any  sports please explain the reasons why in detail.

-If you have never had the chance of doing a sport before you can write about one you would  like to do in the future and state the reasons why it is appealing or interesting for you, please  write about it in full.

-If “sports” are not your “cup of tea”  think that we all have had leisure activities from the  simplest to the most peculiar ones so don’t be shy and share your experiences with the rest!

Remember:

• organize your ideas well
• express your opinions or experiences in a coherent way
• your writing must have a guiding thread
• divide your composition into paragraphs
• Add some pictures

*Comments: leave a comment on my post + 3 of your classmates posts

*Word Count: 230 words

A friend of mine who had recently come back from her vacations in Europe told me that she was really surprised to see the large amount of people riding bicycles there. After some talking, she convinced me, very easily by the way, to start going biking.

First, we went up to the top of San Cristobal Hill for training every weekend and after we got used to that we decided to face a new challenge going up until Parque Mahuida.

Nevertheless, I was hungered for more therefore I start looking for bike groups until I found “Los Ciclistas Furiosos”.

I participated in many bike trips with them from Santiago to Lo Vazquez (round trip), and to San Antonio, Viña del Mar and Valparaiso (outward trips) full bicycling. Even though those were tiring sports experiences I accomplished them very well so my hunger for biking increased even more and I ended up being part of the “DRAKKARS” Team.

We weren’t that many but we were all really passionate about biking and since it was a mountain bike team I had the chance of knowing beautiful places in Santiago and other regions such as Quebrada de Macul, Aguas de Ramón, El Huinganal, Lagunillas, Embalse el Yeso, Cerro el Roble, Santuario Alto Huemul, among many others and of course competitions became part of my biker’s life. My favourite one was “Desafío Trek Subaru”, I participated 4 times and in spite of never wining a podium I can proudly say that I always improved my timing.

Nowadays, I’m practically retired from bicycling but a new sport is part of my life and it is Karate Wado. I have been doing it for a year and a half now and although it’s hard I don’t feel like giving up.

POST 6 - POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

v  Write about a postgraduate course that you would consider taking in the future.
Include:

ü  Reasons to do the course

ü  Subject(s) you would like to study

ü  Where you would like to study (Chile or abroad)

ü  How you would like to study (distance learning, blended system, part-time course, etc)

ü  Any other relevant ideas

v  Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.

v  Word Count: 220 words

As mentioned before on my previous blog, I'm currently working on my master thesis, the name of the postgraduate program is “Magister en Educación con mención en Inglés como Idioma Extranjero”. It's kind of a long name for a master's degree, isn’t it??? It is an on site class program and since I finished and passed all the courses I can say that I am a master candidate.
Going back to the past, I remember that as soon as I finished my pregrade program at university I started to recieve job offers from schools and after teaching at 2 institutions for almost a year I realized that it wasn't what I wanted to keep doing with the test of my life because it was very hard and difficult to deal with adolescents who didn’t want to learn and saw the teacher as their enemy.

However, a colleague of mine and former university classmate recommended me for a job at a profesional  institute and since then I never stopped working in higher education; some of the places I worked at were IP La Araucana, CFT Manpower, IP Los Leones, CFT Santo Tomás, etc.

After some years and because I was making a career teaching in the area I realized that a master's  degree was necessary to ensure my continuity. 

My first option was a Master in Education at The University of Auckland in New Zealand but only if I won a CONICYT scholarship. Unfortunately, I couldn't apply in the end and in order not to lose more time I decided to study it here in Chile at Universidad Central.
I don't regret that decision because it was a good opportunity to refresh some knowledge, learn some other and keep up with current teaching and learning methods and approaches. Besides, nowadays it's almost mandatory to have all competences certified. 

Regarding the future I’d like to study a "Diplomado en Fonética Inglesa"; there was one at Universidad Santo Tomás but it was a classroom training program in IQUIQUE!!! Although I have family there who would gladly receive me, travelling back and forth an entire semester it would be something to meditate on most definitely!!!

to study it or not to study it?

LEVEL 4 - Post 5: My Future Job 

• What kind of job would you like to have? How do you imagine it?
• Outdoors / indoors?
• Would you like to travel a lot in your job?
• What about the salary?
• What major are you studying / are you thinking of taking? Explain why
•  Add any other related ideas.
• Make comments on 3 of your classmates’ posts + a comment on your teacher's post.
• Word Count: 210 words

It is difficult for me to think about doing another job different from the one I do now since I love teaching; it has been such a rewarding job even though the payment is never good enough in comparison with other professions.

Modesty aside XD

However, I remember that when I was younger I made an attempt to work at a cruise company. It did not work out but I imagine that if I had gotten the job, it would have been a great opportunity for knowing beautiful places of the world and interesting people of different nationalities; apart from that, the idea of staying on a cruise while being in the middle of the ocean has been until now something very appealing to me.

Of course I would have had to work very hard, probably during long shifts and for sure I would have ended up really tired after finishing work but according to what I know the salary is good; nevertheless I think that it had been an advantageous learning experience which would have made me grow professionally speaking as well as in personal matters.

On the other hand, thinking about the future, I would like to work for the Ministry of Education. Having an office work it would be just fine, taking into consideration the benefits of a steady job with a contract and salary stability. 
Nowadays I am finishing a Master (working on my thesis) but maybe I would need to study a Doctorate in order to get a position in the ministry... or to have a really good “PITUTO”!!!