Essay 6 - Creative text

Why?…

Why do I love you? That’s an easy thing to state,
it is a pleasure to answer since you are my eternal lovely date.

Your kindness towards others is a very appealing trait,
because being good to strangers is for me in higher rate.

When tears come from your eyes when remembering your mom,
warm feelings blossom in my heart which with you is now in calm.

You are so thoughtful and so caring and I am so blessed to have you,
my life now has been enriched and I have grown a lot around you.

"You tame me", once I told you, and you smiled at my comment,
but I was serious and I meant it and it wasn’t just the moment.

If I am sad you offer comfort, and you listen and you are there,
but you don’t try to fix my problems which I think is very fair.

I discovered that I loved you when the place didn’t matter anymore
when your presence was sufficient and it was all I was longing for.

It takes time to find your partner, and for me there was no exception
but it was a worthwhile waiting because with you there is no deception.

Practice- poem

The visit

The leaves break under my tired feet as I narrow the distance between you and me.
Sweet perfume travels in the air and provides some calm to my still fragile spirit.
Not too much to see in this place, but such a strong meaning for a lot of people.
It has been almost three years since last I saw you.
It is not too long, yet at times the weight of sorrow on my shoulders makes it seem as if decades have passed already.
I suddenly stop. I don’t want to make it there now. Tears start flowing from my eyes like water falling from a fall, but I don’t fight them back anymore.
I can hear the beat of my heart and my body shakes with emotion.
I am here. I made it. I forced myself and I am relieved.
…someone brought you some flowers…I didn’t… but I brought you my most valuable treasure… myself.

Essay 5- After comments

A three-star hotel to a four-star hotel

When going on vacation a determining factor to make this time the most pleasant is the place where you are going to stay: the hotel. Choosing a hotel is not an easy task if comfort is one of your priorities, that is why aspects like location, price, condition of the facilities and services provided are some of the aspects to keep in mind prior to booking. In the next lines I am going to contrast some of those aspects which were provided by Soberanis hotel, a three-star hotel and Krystal hotel a four-star hotel, as an aim to illustrate how the number of stars does not necessarily mean higher quality.

Talking about price and location, Krystal hotel is located at the core of the hotel zone of Cancun which is where the night clubs are found. Malls and little plazas are in that area as well, so everything is within a walking distance. Soberanis hotel, on the other hand, is located downtown, at about 25 minutes from the malls and you need to take a taxi or a bus to go there, but if the budget is a little tight Soberanis hotel location is very convenient and the prices can be more than three times lower than at the Krystal hotel.

Krystal’s rooms have the touch of comfort and little luxury expected in a four-star like the tile in the bathroom, wide mirrors, an extra sofa and a little refrigerator, yet Soberanis hotel facilities are very convenient and cover the basic needs sought in a hotel: a bed, a shower, a TV and air conditioner, which is almost mandatory in the beach. Regarding the attention from employees it is fair to say that it was good in both hotels, but still being Soberanis a small hotel the attention feels more personal and cozy.

There are two aspects that I consider important, one of course is food availability and the second aspect will be the computer services. Even though there are usually plenty of places to go and eat outside hotels, it is always nice to at least have breakfast there before you start your day. It is maybe in this aspect that Soberanis hotel beats Krystal hotel because Soberanis has a good variety of dishes at very affordable prices while krystal hotel has a good variety too but the cost is very high. Also Soberanis hotel provides a free internet hour to the guests along with two free bottles of water a day while Krystal hotel charges for the use of the computers and sells the bottles of water they leave in the room.

As you can see, picking a hotel is tricky and sometimes what you see in the publicity is deceiving, but if we narrow down our demands to what is really basic for us and what we can live without then the decision is easier. Both of the mentioned hotels are good options for having a good stay in Cancun and the final pick will depend on what you are looking for and what you are willing to invest. Whatever your decision is what is guaranteed is that you will enjoy your time in the city and you will always want to go back again.

Essay 5- compare-contrast

A three-star hotel to a four-star hotel

When going on vacation a determining factor to make this time the most pleasant is the place where you are going to stay: the hotel. Choosing a hotel is not an easy task if comfort is one of your priorities, that is why aspects like location, price, condition of the facilities and services provided are some of the aspects to keep in mind prior to booking. The purpose of this essay is to contrast some of those aspects which were provided by Soberanis hotel, a three-star hotel and Krystal hotel a four-star hotel, as an aim to illustrate how the number of stars does not necessarily mean higher quality.

Talking about price and location, Krystal hotel is located at the core of the hotel zone of Cancun which is where the night clubs are found. Malls and little plazas are in that area as well, so everything is within a walking distance. Soberanis hotel, on the other hand, is located downtown, at about 25 minutes from the malls and you need to take a taxi or a bus to go there, but if the budget is a little tight Soberanis hotel location is very convenient and the prices can be more than three times lower than at the Krystal hotel.

The higher the number of stars means higher quality of the facilities and a better service, right? Well, not necessarily. Krystal’s rooms have the touch of comfort and little luxury expected in a four-star yet Soberanis hotel facilities are very convenient and cover the basic needs sought in a hotel: a bed, a shower, a TV and air conditioner, which is almost mandatory in the beach. Regarding the attention from employees it is fair to say that it was good in both hotels, but still being Soberanis a small hotel the attention feels more personal and cozy.

There are two aspects that I consider important, one of course is food availability and the second aspect will be the computer services. Even though there are usually plenty of places to go and eat outside hotels, it is always nice to at least have breakfast there before you start your day. It is maybe in this aspect that Soberanis hotel beats Krystal hotel because Soberanis has a good variety of dishes at very affordable prices while Krystal hotel has a good variety too but the cost is very high. Also Soberanis hotel provides a free internet hour to the guests along with two free bottles of water a day while Krystal hotel charges for the use of the computers and sells the bottles of water they leave in the room.

As you can see, picking a hotel is tricky and sometimes what you see in the publicity is deceiving, but if we narrow down our demands to what is really basic for us and what we can live without then the decision is easier. Both of the mentioned hotels are good options for having a good stay in Cancun and the final pick will depend on what you are looking for and what you are willing to invest. Whatever your decision is what is guaranteed is that you will enjoy your time in the city and you will always want to go back again.

Movie review

What where you doing in 1973?

            During an hour and 45 minutes Antonino Isordia Llamazares immerses us in the lives of three totally different characters portrayed by themselves in this documentary called 1973. Mexico City is the scenario where Rodolfo, Mafer and Alejandro never cross paths yet they have something in common that makes them get together in this sometimes confusing piece of work by Isordia, the year 1973, the year when they all were born.

            Rodolfo Escogido “El fantasmon” still smiles when he remembers the crowd cheering his name in his days of glory, but since glory doesn’t last forever when it is not honestly earned, sooner or later there is a pay off and he tells us how his rise and down happened in his life.

            Maria Fernanda Ramos Macín talks about her encounter with drugs and all kinds of abuse she went through till the day she jumped from a bridge without having consciousness of what was happening, an interesting story to follow with a surprising ending in the last minutes of the documentary.

            After listening to Alejandro Cota, your beliefs in good and evil will be challenged. A shaking and intriguing story that will bring up many questions with not too many answers from the people involved but  many from what is witnessed by the audience.

            Totally produced by the Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica and Churubusco Estudios this documentary received the JVC award for best director in the 20^th International Cinema Festival of Guadalajara and was nominated for an Ariel.

            The music by bands like Santa Sabina, B4, los Ultrasonicos and others adds a sense of uncertainty to what comes next, which is a constant in the film and is a determining factor to hook the viewer to the plot.

             1973 is a film that you will probably see only once but that time will be enough to make you get a different perspective of life and will open your eyes to a reality that some people live day by day and the rest of us will never imagine.

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/03/10/index.php?section=espectaculos&article=a10n1esp                           

Essay 4-A Argumentative after comments

Adoption of children by same sex couples

            Gay married couples is a very recent issue in the country of Mexico and it has been ruled in favor just a few months ago in Mexico city. Few days after that approval, these couples have also gotten the right to adopt children, arising with this a lot of concerns and disagreements within different sectors of the population. However, there is more to consider than just two or three points of view. I am in favor of adoption in general and I believe that adoption by same sex couples can do more good than harm and in the next lines I will explain why I believe this.

            Opponents to this idea claim that children that grow up with two dads or two moms may get confused and get the wrong idea of what a traditional family is and the role of each one of the members. If the idea of a traditional family is still based on the macho man who does his will at home and mistreats the woman, then there are plenty of changes that could take place in a gay couple’s home that can be different from a traditional home. For example, would there be a man mistreating another man? Or would a woman beat up the other one? Times change and this type of home might represent a good change for the children that will have the opportunity to be adopted which the ones that are begotten by a heterosexual couple don’t have.

  They also claim that by observing this type of couple, the child will actually become gay, but if we consider this as a valid claim, then how can we explain the fact that guys who come from a normal heterosexual couple become gays? Or what happens with the children that become murderers and kidnappers? Is it because of what they saw at home and they are imitating? The point is that there is not enough evidence to prove the influence of what you see with what you become. To a certain extent they are right, our environment influences us, but studies have shown that people who have declared themselves as gays have recognized to have had those preferences during their whole lives, which tells us that they are born that way, one more reason to reject the idea about how living with a same sex couple influences the children.

The Supreme Court in Mexico (Mexico: Landmark adopting ruling for same sex couples, 2010) argues that: “Our concern should be in the best interest of the child which is to have a loving family regardless of the sexes of the family members”. Some people may disagree with this idea but I wonder if they have taken the time to look around their own city and find out how many children are awaiting in orphanages for someone who cares and wants them. LGBT couples (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) are just asking for an opportunity to show that it is time to give the next step and give the children that life they are dreaming of having. Would it be perfect? Of course not, but that is not guaranteed in a heterosexual couple either.

There is still a long way to go for same sex couples in many areas. In adopting they are gaining some ground as they already did in Mexico City but the rest of the country will be more difficult to open to this issue. Opponents to granting adoptions to gay people will keep working on finding arguments that support their beliefs but as they do that, there are others that will also be willing to offer help and support to make things as fair as possible. Prejudice should not interfere in guaranteeing family rights (Mexico: Landmark… 2010) so, are those who are against this matter really worried about the best well being of the children or is it just prejudice speaking up for them? It would be interesting to find out.

           

Essay 4-Argumentative

Adoption of children by same sex couples

            Gay married couples is a very recent issue in the country of Mexico and it has been ruled in favor just a few months ago in Mexico city. Few days after that approval, these couples have also gotten the right to adopt children, arising with this a lot of concerns and disagreements within different sectors of the population. However, there is more to consider than just two or three points of view. I am in favor of adoption in general and I believe that adoption by same sex couples can do more good than harm and in the next lines I will explain why I believe this.

            Opponents to this idea claim that children that grow up with two dads or two moms may get confused and get the wrong idea of what a traditional family is and the role of each one of the members. If the idea of a traditional family is still based on the macho man who does his will at home and mistreats the woman, then there are plenty of changes that could take place in a gay couple’s home that can be different from a traditional home. For example, would there be a man mistreating another man? Or would a woman beat up the other one? Times change and this type of home might represent a good change for the kids that will have the opportunity to be adopted which the ones that are begotten by a heterosexual couple don’t have.

  They also claim that by observing this type of couple, the child will actually become gay, but if we consider this as a valid claim, then how can we explain the fact that guys who come from a normal heterosexual couple become gays? Or what happens with the kids that become murderers and kidnappers? Is it because of what they saw at home and they are imitating? The point is that there is not enough evidence to prove the influence of what you see with what you become. To a certain extent they are right, our environment influences us, but studies have shown that people who have declared themselves as gays have recognized to have had those preferences during their whole lives, which tells us that they are born that way, one more reason to reject the idea about how living with a same sex couple influences the kids.

The Supreme Court in Mexico (Mexico: Landmark adopting ruling for same sex couples, 2010) argues that: “Our concern should be in the best interest of the child which is to have a loving family regardless of the sexes of the family members”. Some people may disagree with this idea but I wonder if they have taken the time to look around their own city and find out how many kids are awaiting in orphanages for someone who cares and wants them. LGBT couples (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) are just asking for an opportunity to show that it is time to give the next step and give the kids that life they are dreaming of having. Would it be perfect? Of course not, but that is not guaranteed in a heterosexual couple either.

There is still a long way to go for same sex couples in many areas. In adopting they are gaining some ground as they already did in Mexico City but the rest of the country will be more difficult to open to this issue. Opponents to granting adoptions to gay people will keep working on finding arguments that support their beliefs but as they do that, there are others that will also be willing to offer help and support to make things as fair as possible. Prejudice should not interfere in guaranteeing family rights (Mexico: Landmark… 2010) so, are those who are against this matter really worried about the best well being of the kids or is it just prejudice speaking up for them? It would be interesting to find out.

           

Essay 3- My living room

My living room

            It is unbelievable how we can spend a lot of time in a place everyday and yet we get so used to it that we do not pay attention to the details that make it unique and interesting anymore. That is the case of my living room. A little dark and gloomy, this room is very picturesque and one of a kind. Today I want to share some of the details that I happened to start noticing back and that, in a way, made me open my eyes and the rest of my senses to what surrounds me.

            As you enter the room, a suggestive poster of the always beautiful and missed Marilyn Monroe salutes you. Her gracious smile invites you to come in and feel welcome. A jubilant and glamorous Jorge Negrete is by her. His arms hold a colorful rooster that seems to be wisely posing for the photo. A sturdy brown case is hanging on the top rear end of the wall, the shinny guitar inside has been waiting to be played for a while already. By the guitar, a bulky “guitarron” seems to be hiding in its green fake leather cover trying to get away from the copious, never ending dust.

            As we move into the room, the wall on the right shows us a little bit of the history. Red, wooden frames are in charge of keeping the already yellowish photos, safe. The breaking plastic cover of my parents wedding is an indication of the effects of time and a cry for some cleaning. On the other hand, my older sister’s wedding photo stands there by theirs evoking a sense of calm and hope for the future. The pet of the house stands on a table always wearing its captain’s cap and its broken shades; this plaster dog has been on that spot for years and it still seems to have the charm of the time when my dad first bought it.

            The grey metal bench in a park was the perfect scenario for the photo on the left wall. My sisters and I took single pictures of us in the middle of the big charming park that day and now they are part of the history as well. The fresh air that winds its way through the cloth shield that protects us from the unpleasant mosquitoes, is always a bliss that comes in a breeze. At the end of the wall the smirk smile of a political candidate that belonged to a three-colored party has been sitting there for so long already that it has become part of the family portraits, to my despise.

            As you can see, my living room is a vivid combination of posters, photos and some pieces of worn out furniture. The gray pale walls seem to be longing for a much deserved layer of paint of any sort and the glistening light that gets its way through the roof skylight is barely enough to make it bright, but despite that, this is a little sanctuary for me because here is where I do my assignments everyday and I enjoy the view a lot. Anywhere I turn my head to get some relaxation I come across the face of a loved one, and that for sure enlightens the rest of my day and makes this place fascinating.           

Essay 2-A after comments

My internet experience

            There are many fantastical worlds that we create in our imagination and where we can do almost anything we can think of. There is one, though, that is quite alive and tangible and that is the internet world. As anything, it presents advantages and disadvantages and even some difficulties at times, but it cannot be denied that it has been very useful in education. This aspect along with the influence on my L1 and L2 and my expectations regarding electronic tools will be reviewed in the following lines in order to immerse ourselves in this world that is a living fantasy.

            Teachers can pretty much be grateful for the evolution of electronic tools like the internet. It has opened a wide door to them and it has offered a world of possibilities to access exercises and techniques that can be applied in the classroom. Students are not less lucky because they have the opportunity to reach information from almost any part of the world and learn about cultures and things in general. Used with attention and caution the internet can really help make a difference in education, it might just be guidance what is needed to make a good and proficient use of this tool.

            My experience with the internet is basically recent but I can already say that it has made a difference in my L2. I hardly ever use the internet to look up something in Spanish. I have found many websites that offer a lot of exercises in English to either just practice the language or learn it from scratch. In other websites information about the news and any topic help me acquire new vocabulary and be informed at the same time. I must confess I do not like to use the computer a lot because I have trouble reading the screen after a while; however, I have to recognize that nowadays the computer, along with the internet, is an indispensable tool for the students.

            My expectations about electronic tools in general are to really learn to use them. I need to be more computer literate because I usually struggle a lot when the time comes to make a project. Regarding the internet itself, I want to have the skills and the software needed to download videos and create web pages. I know that all that knowledge comes from taking some courses and from exploring on our own, which is something I do not do very often, but I intend to concentrate in doing some study and research that will help me do a better job in my future projects and assignments.

            There is no doubt that when talking about electronic tools, and the internet in specific, we know that we are talking about a world that seems to have no end, and this is just the beginning. As I mentioned before, it seems to be tangible even tough we know it is not, but just by being able to reach it through a computer it feels somehow alive and already an almost indispensable tool in our current lives. Whether we know how to use it or not, the internet came to stay and we need to get acquainted with it as soon as possible if we want to continue feeling as part of a modern society.

Essay 2- My internet experience

My internet experience

            There are many fantastical worlds that we create in our imagination and where we can do almost anything we can think of. There is one, though, that is quite alive and tangible and that is the internet world. As anything, it presents advantages and disadvantages and even some difficulties at times, but it cannot be denied that it has been very useful in education. This aspect along with the influence on my L1 and L2 and my expectations regarding electronic tools will be reviewed in the following lines in order to immerse ourselves in this world that is a living fantasy.

            Teachers can pretty much be grateful for the evolution of electronic tools like the internet. It has opened a wide door to them and it has offered a world of possibilities to access exercises and techniques that can be applied in the classroom. Students are not less lucky because they have the opportunity to reach information from almost any part of the world and learn about cultures and things in general. Used with attention and caution the internet can really help make a difference in education, it might just be guidance what is needed to make a good and proficient use of this tool.

            My experience with the internet is basically recent but I can already say that it has made a difference in my L2. I hardly ever use the internet to look up something in Spanish. I have found many websites that offer a lot of exercises in English to either just practice the language or to learn it from scratch. In other websites information about the news and any topic help me acquire new vocabulary and be informed at the same time. I must confess I am not a big fun of the computer because I have trouble reading the screen after a while, but I have to recognize that nowadays the computer, along with the internet, is an indispensable tool for the students.

            My expectations about electronic tools in general are to really learn to use them. I need to be more computer literate because I usually struggle a lot when the time comes to make a project. Regarding the internet itself, I want to have the skills and the software needed to download videos and create web pages. I know that all that knowledge comes from taking some courses and from exploring on our own, which is something I don’t do very often, but I intend to concentrate in doing some study and research that will help me do a better job in my future projects and assignments.

            There is no doubt that when talking about electronic tools, and the internet in specific, we know that we are talking about a world that seems to have no end, and this is just the beginning. As I mentioned before, it seems to be tangible even tough we know it is not, but just by being able to reach it through a computer it feels somehow alive and already an almost indispensable tool in our current lives. Whether we know how to use it or not, the internet came to stay and we need to get acquainted with it as soon as possible if we want to continue to feel as part of a modern society.

Essay 1-A after comments

Knowing Margarita Jimenez

Would you like to know a dreamer? Well, that would be me, Margarita Jimenez, but I am not only a dreamer but a maker as well. Today I want to share with you some of my dreams in the past, my achievements and the dreams I still have for my future. A quick trip through my life and the experiences I have acquired in order for you to get to know me a little bit more.

Let us start with some dreams that I had in the past. As a kid I wanted to become a secretary. I used to fold the edge of a sheet of paper and then tap on it as if it were a writing machine and I enjoyed listening to the sound coming out of it. As I got older I became involved in the world of the English language while in Secondary school. I then started dreaming of going into a country where English was spoken and I wanted to be able to have a conversation with a native speaker. As a grown-up, I started dreaming of getting into the university and being able to say one day: “I have a bachelor’s degree”.

How many of those things did actually come true? Well, I did turn into a secretary, a bilingual one, and that gave me the opportunity to get my fist job. I started teaching typing and shorthand. After four years of teaching the opportunity to go to the United States presented and I took it. That meant the fulfillment of my long wanted dream and it was a clear and determining turning point in my life. Already back in Mexico, my interest to get into the university came back and I decided to try to get into it. It was not an easy task but I was so proud of myself when I found out that I was accepted. All these achievements have marked my personality and have given me another vision of life.

What dreams do I have for my future now? Apart from knowing that it is uncertain, there are some things I still hope to happen. I would like to finish my studies and work in another country. I want to have my own house, a two story house with a big front and back garden, and many rooms where I can have my space to practice my hobbies like handcrafting and sewing. I would also like to contribute in developing a device that could help in having less painful mammographies and more accurate results for other diseases. I know that many of these things sound unrealistic, but I guess that is why they are called dreams.

As you can see, I have had the opportunity to achieve many of my dreams and life has given me the chance to keep aiming for more. I do not know if this gives you a better idea of who and how I am but one thing is for sure, I am a dreamer and I hope I will always be, because for me to have dreams is synonym of having hope and that is essential for me in life.

Essay 1- Knowing Margarita Jimenez

Knowing Margarita Jimenez

Would you like to know a dreamer? Well, that would be me, Margarita Jimenez, but I am not only a dreamer but a maker as well. Today I want to share with you some of my dreams in the past, my achievements and the dreams I still have for my future. A quick trip through my life and the experiences I have acquired in order for you to get to know me a little bit more.

Let us start with some dreams that I had in the past. As a kid I wanted to become a secretary. I used to fold the edge of a sheet of paper and then tap on it as if it were a writing machine and I enjoyed listening to the sound coming out of it. As I got older I became involved in the world of the English language while in Secondary school. I then started dreaming of going into a country where English was spoken and I wanted to be able to have a conversation with a native speaker. As a grown-up, I started dreaming of getting into the university and being able to say one day: “I have a bachelor’s degree”.

How many of those things did actually come true? Well, I did turn into a secretary, a bilingual one, and that gave me the opportunity to get my fist job. I started teaching typing and shorthand. After four years of teaching the opportunity to go to the United States presented and I took it. That meant the fulfillment of my long wanted dream and that was a clear and determining turning point in my life. Already back in Mexico, my interest to get into the university came back and I decided to try to get into it. It was not an easy task but I was so proud of myself when I found out that I was accepted. All these achievements have marked my personality and have given me another vision of life.

What dreams do I have for my future now? Apart from knowing that it is uncertain, there are some things I still hope to happen. I would like to finish my studies and work in another country. I want to have my own house, a two story house with a big front and back garden, and many rooms where I can have my space to practice my hobbies like handcrafting and sewing. I would also like to contribute in developing a device that could help in having less painful mammographies and more accurate results for other diseases. I know that many of these things sound unrealistic, but I guess that is why they are called dreams.

As you can see, I have had the opportunity to achieve many of my dreams and life has given me the chance to keep aiming for more. I do not know if this gives you a better idea of who and how I am but one thing is for sure, I am a dreamer and I hope I will always be, because for me to have dreams is synonym of having hope and that is essential for me in life.