What makes Chileans Chileans?

It is an interesting question, because I`ve always felt we aren`t a patriotic country… until September. If you ask to the people about our history, our national heroes, our traditions, or about our native people, it`s very probably the don`t know anything, but they may feel very Chilean. And if you ask about what place they would like to know, it`s also very probably they answer places like Europe, Caribbean or U.S.A, but nothing in Chile (except Easter Island, but it is almost Caribbean). It`s a few people who can dance cueca in our national holydays, but everyone still feels a Chilean in every aspect.

Why?, What make us feel like a part of a nation named Chile, even if we don`t know about our country?. Maybe it`s the isolation of a place so far away of the world, where the foreign people is something strange. We are the southest country on earth, that`s why we`re always looking out, trying to be part of a world, but forgetting our roots. We are still trying to be “the English of South-america” instead to be the “Chileans of the world”. We are a very weird country, and maybe that´s why I like it, because when the name of our country is threaded in a soccer game, an Olympic game, or by another nation we fight for it, and support it, no matter if we know who is Carrera, O`higgins, o Godoy Alcayaga, because Chile is not history or traditions, Chile is our family, our friends, and everything we love.

And that make us Chileans.

O.k, That, and the immeasurable love for the barbeques and liquor in September.

Technology!

Maybe I have a tecnofilia, `cause I love almost every little thing that can be connected, plugged o used near my computer, I could expend a lot on technology, (if my wallet could cover it) I could buy thing like cell phones, iPods, laptops, gaming stuff, plasma monitors, but as I can´t now, I really enjoy my own stuff. From a few months ago I’m falling in love more and more with my laptop; it´s not pretty cool, and pretty stylish, but at least it let me work without crashes, and I like that. I think it´s a very good machine, it let me do the things when I want to, and where I want to.

The thing that I like most is the fact that I can go anywhere, any place (with an electrical connection) and I can work with my things, at my own way, listening my music and killing the time in the things I enjoy such as illustration, drawings, reading news, searching videos and that is a huge benefit of having a personal laptop. I bought my laptop on march with my own money and that felts very good. Maybe that makes me love it more, cause it is a product of my work, and when you pay the price of your things you know how it worth any cent you pay for it.

the bbc learning web!

As everything in our lifes, new things can be learned only when we put the new information in use, and learning a new language is not the exception and if you need tools to keep your language skills on the edge this one could be a very good resourse for those who are hungry of more and more practice.

The web site have a lot of sections like quizzes, games, articles and audio files that let us develop and improve our way to practice and learn english. One of the funniests part of th website is the flatmates, a quick short video series that let us know about four friends and their daily life routine. There´s also a section made by the comunity of readers, teachers an students who wants to share their knowledge with all the people..
Another good way to keep the english running on our head is "6 minute english" and as it name says is a short audio file with six minutes of full conversation.
So if you really want to get better on your skills don´t forget when we aren´t using our knowledge, we are losing it!.so take a seat, and enjoy the place.

:)