My 2018 so far

What can I say about 2018 so far?

Well, this year has been very tough for me. I've had other difficult years before, such as when I decided to left my other career -Let me clear this up. after I took that choice, I was happy, but the hole process was a mix of emotions- but saddly, this time is worse because it is not only the academic part that affects me but also personal issues; and, unfortunately, that is something I can't control.

In fact, to be fair, I can't complain so much about the "academic part" because the only thing that makes me hate a little this semester, is the boring subjects, there are some exceptions such as my class called "Electivo Cultural", because thanks to it I have been attending several cultural events -something I really love- and also English classes, because I really like English and it keeps me away from "jurnalism subjects" when I want to escape from the boredom haha. 

Probably, another thing that persuade me that this was not going to be "my year" was the cancellation of  a project -a radio programme- that I decided to do with a group of my classmates. Some reasons were the lack of motivation from some of my friends and the not enough time that people of the radio gave us to make a model of the show, that brings me down.

But, once more, the academic part has been a little trouble this year, the real problem is these personal things that let me down and makes me feel blue almost everyday for several months now. I never felt this way before so I didn't expect that this would affect my academic life -not only with grades due to my lack of focus, but also in my attendance to class, for example-, it has been a hard process to fix up, but I started to take action on this matter to feel better and cheer myself up.

As we have come back to classes now, I expect to end this first semester in good terms and second semester things get nothing but better and better.

My favorite food

¡Hello everybody!

Today post is about my favorite food.

If I have to be honest, for me is really difficult to talk about food or cook, because I'm not really into it. Actually, I'm a disaster in the kitchen so I prefer to "take a step to the side" everytime I'm in a social situation and somebody needs help cooking. I'm always afraid to ruin everything or burn my fingers!!! That's why I don't really have so much knowledge about food...

But!!! Of the almost anything that I know about it, there is one type of food that I love the most and absolute won my heart since the first taste: I love PASTAS. I know, that term sound a little too wide, but that's exactly my idea, because I love all type of pastas: Spaghetti, Fettuccine, Ravioli, Gnocchis and more.

Now, you have to know that for me is not just about the pasta, but also the sauce. It doesn't matter if is Bolognesa sauce or Alfredo sauce -or any other sauce-, I believe that in a dish of this kind the delicious sauce is everything! I mean, I can handle to eat pasta without seasoning, but it's not going to be the amazing. It's boring!

People ask me why I love to eat pastas so much or if I'm not scare of gain weight in the future -because I eat a lot of it and I'm not even italian haha-, and I never know what to say... I just love it. I love this food because makes me feel good and if I gain weight, well at least my belly will be happy. 

I can't do anything about it! 

I may not be italian, but my belly defitnely is.

***

Here I left the recipe for "Fettuccine with Alfredo sauce"

Ingredients:

• 1 fettuccine package (You can find them on the market)
• 1/2 cup of butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup of whipping cream
• 3/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black or white pepper chopped fresh parsley

Steps

1.- First, in large sauce pot, cook fettuccine as directed on the package. 

2.- While fettuccine is cooking, in 2-quart saucepan, heat butter and whipping cream over low heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper.

3.- Drain fettuccine; return to sauce pot. Pour sauce over warm fettuccine; stir until fettuccine is well coated. Sprinkle with parsley.

Enjoy!

¡I love Radio!

When I decided to study Journalism, I knew that one thing it would happen, was the fact that my new schedule will be full of interesting and motivated subjects, those king of subjects that convince you that the career you are studying is the one youalways wanted for your proffesional life, and lucky me I wasn't wrong about it.

In the past two years of career I've learned and have fun a lot, something that impress me, because when you are a fresh student, you see the university as a place of "hard work and no fun" but after all you learned that is not so restrictive at all. So, if I have to choose a subject that change my life since day one, I must say "Radio" class.

Was in my second year that I found out the "Radio host" world and even when I always loved the idea of became a "Radio host" -because I love music programmes-,0                              it was not a decision completely real until I had my first day of class in a radio studio, with big headphones on and sit in front of a big microphone, in that moment the I certanly knew that will be my future work.

I'm not going to lie, at first I was terrified because I always had been a little shy when I had to do things in front of people -yes, something not so good for a future journalist- so I almost let this experience go and run away, but I didn't do it, I just face the situation and it was a fantastic experienced, and in a certain way help me to find out that I have to take risk more often and not just run away from my fears.

The entire subject last one year so, with time and the different assignements that our teacher gave to us, I started to been less shy in front of microphone and even was choose to radio host a little radio program of our class once.

"Clases de Periodismo" The virtual school for spanish journalists in the web.

¡Hello everyone!

As a future journalist, nowadays internet is one of the most important platform to express my knowledge, because for a twenty one century journalist, Internet it's not only an important tool but also a place of work. Today I'm going to talk to you of one of the websites that for me is essential for a journalist and was made by and for journalists, looking to help journalists to use this platform in the best way possible! I'm talking about clasesdeperiodismo.com.

"Clases de periodismo", is a website built in 2008 by peruvian journalist Esther Vargas, with the idea of made a place where journalists and also people interested in communications, find all the necessary information to make the best work in journalism through this technologic platform, looking to spread good practics, with a vision of freedom of the press and jounalistic ethic.

Even when the central house of the site is located in Lima (Perú), the teamwork is formed by a diversity of journalists and journalist students from all around América Latina and Spain, who contribute in favor of this big journal comunity.

The web is formed by different sections that can help you find easily the topic you are interested in, such as: 

• Noticias (News): In this section you can find the latest news about the world related to the proffesion.
• Herramientas (Tools): Here, the articles show you different information, pages or applications that helps journalism and the best way that you can used them.
• Entrevistas (Interviews): Here you can find different interviews to people who talk about some toppic of the proffesion or give you some advises.
• E Book: Here you can find a list of books -on the internet- that talks about jornalism.
• Colaboradores (Cooperatives): In this section you can find opinion articles from the journalist who contribute in the web

As the ethic is really important in this site, the teammwork always examine carefully all the content and posts, with a special care in the way that quotes are used, trying to respect the plurarity of the voices that form the team.

If you are or want to be a journalist, I invited you to visit this page,

It will be really helpful!

See ya later alligator.

About Gender Roles (In my experience)

¿Do I feel like a woman? 

Yes, I believe I do. I'm one and I've been treated as one too. Even when I know we are living in a time were this kind of "label" is being discussed, I just can't help it!!! Now, I'm not saying that it's something I hate or something I don't like but, I believe that the exageration of expect that women or men acts in a certain way is something that shouldn't be an obligation.

In my experience, I was born and rised in a family where the genre models were (and are) always very clear. For example, my family is formed by a majority of women (mother, sister, grandmother and me) and even when my mom works, in the weekends my father is always the MOST IMPORTANT for her, you know, he is the "man of the house" or the one who bring the sustent of the house, and she is always trying to served and treat him as a king. 

I absolutely hate that and is something that I've been figthing with her a lot now, because my father is all grown man and he can perfectly do his things alone! When I was a little girl that attitude was very normal.

Another example, is that since I was a little girl, my mother always buy only dresses for me to wear, and I always has to be clean and not play in the dirt!!! Well, maybe it wasn't always this restrictive. At least I was allowed to play with my friends to hide and seek and play with balloons and ride my bicycle or even play video games, thing that usually are "masculine", but in my birthdays or christmas I always recieved dolls to play with or any "Barbie" products. 

All this attitudes, formed in my mind as a child a vision of what is my "role in society", but that vision was changing as time passed, because even when I am a woman and I feel like a woman, I found out that I didn't fit in the stereotype of the "all femenine and girly girl", and even when that makes me a little sad in my teenager years, with time I've learned that is not necessarly to be all femenine or achieved certain goals to been treated as a girl.

But i'ts not something so easy just to start to thing different, even now I somethimes feels like I'm not so pretty or I don't dress so beautiful as other girls, but I've been working about it, convinced myself that I'm beautiful just in the way I am and it doesn't matter if I like "male stuff", because is only material things, all that matter is how I feel with myself.

I think is time to change that closed mentality of believe that a girl has to be this kind of job or thet a girl has to be soft and gentle with a man or man has to be strong. I want to cchange my mentality I know is a slow process because came from my roots, but I have a lot of people sourronding me tht believe the same that I do I work togheter all the time to help me and teach others to open their minds to this change. 

Especially in our cause as women while we are in disadvantage.

The story behind this photography.

¡Hello everyone!

Today I wanna talk to you about something in my childhood I usually don't speak very often... my days as a "cheerleader". Can you believe it? Well, yes, I used to cheer up people and this picture is the perfect proof.

This happened when I was thirteen. At that time, in my school was obligatory to sign up in any extracurricular activity, and for me sing up Cheerleaders was the only one thing that reeally attracted my attention -which is really weird because I've never been good working out-. From the beginning the group was formed only by females and we were very few members because the extra activities were never considerated as something important.

The things changed when, in time, we started to make a lot of presentations in the school's festivities and more girls wanted to form part of the team... as a result of that, our group started to expand. Something that I treasure of that days, is the "big family" atmosphere we created with my teammates, it was a group surrounded with love and team spirit.

Once we formed this big family, we were ready to bring more difficulty to our routines and our teacher, Miss Macarenaa, thought that we were ready to sign up in a BIG  competition! So, the photograph I choose is from the day we had that first competition. I remember that the picture was taken by my dad and the event was in Ñuñoa's Polideportivo. 

Ok, now that I'm older i can see that the event it wasn't thaaaat BIG, as our teacher told us at that time. But, it was big enough for us, because a lot of schools from Santiago were present that day and a lot of them were already familiarized with whis kind of competitions, while this was our first try and we were really nervous!!! Especially me, as you can see in the picture...

But everything ends well, after all, not only we made it great in our first try, but alsowe won the second prize, YAY! Not so bad for the rookies. 

That was, definitely, one of the best of my life! And I must say... that day I learned that you are capable of doing great things if you want to, the only thing you have to do is always believe in yourself.

See you later alligator!

This is why we need legal and safe abortion, NOW!

Hello everyone!

Nowadays, women started to have a big infuence in the society. Saddly, the reasons of this situation aren't the best ones, because with our participation and movements, we are looking for a way to being listened, about different reasons such as our right to live in peace with ourselves as women, rights that must of the time are violated. Is something so basic, but yet, we had to wait a lot of time to became aware of how big deal this was.

In this sense, analyzing the chilean situacion, one of the principal issues which society and government had been paying attention these past years, directly related to women's rights, is abortion.

Chile had been one of a few countries with an abortion ban -until recently- in all circumstances. This law was put in place in 1989, during Augusto Pinochet's dictatorhip, supported by conservative parties and the Chatolic Church, same ones institutions opposite to liberalize one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world.

But, this change -a little bit- in 2017, when, after a heated debate that takes almost two years, with the approval of the judges in the constitutional court, the chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, has pushed trough a bill that will allow abortion but under three exceptional circumstances:

• When woman's life is in danger
• When a fetus is unviable
• When a pregnancy results of rape

A lot of people believed in this results as a progress in the "women's rights territory", but, ¿does it means a real progress?

I believe that, even when we can see this little progress as a "small vistory", the abortion still remains as an option for a girl or woman who don't want to be a mother, and proceed to abort her baby by illegal and dangerous methods. The situation is more complicated that only reduce to "three conditions".

¿Why chilean women are still treated as criminals? I -as a future journalism- know that one of the principals responsibles of spread this "conservatory point of view" is social media, especially with the lack of care in the treatment of the information.

They show a reality, in a way to show you how guilty is the girl or woman who choose abortion as an option, perpetuating the classic speech "you are carring a perfect, complete and finished baby on you, deal with it...", while in the other side of the world, the countries that approves the abortion, allow it in a period of twelve or fourteen weeks, a period when this creature is still an embryo lack of any human form.

You know why this happens? Because, as a country, Chile is short of knowledge in the matter. Because is a "too much controversial theme", and sexual education is off the tables, is tabú, most of the time -especially in home and shools, places where the young girls shoul learn about the care of themselves-  ¡We need to investigate and inform ourselves in a better way! If the big countries can do it, ¿why we can't?... ¡¡¡We practically lived copying them in every singe matter!!!

If our government legalize abortion, not only this will be a big step and resulted ina a better and safe future for the pregnant woman, but also, this step will avoid the future of a kid growing up in a place such as Sename, because the mother couldn't support and take care of her child product of her age or her economic reality, a truly desperate situation.

A woman needs rights, needs the liberty to find out what she wants for herself and for her own safe. The govenment manage almost everything in out lives, but our body is ours, ¿right?, so, the only ones who must choose what to do or what not to do with it, is ourleves as women. It's time to move on, ¿Don't you think?

See ya later alligator!

My camera, my favorite piece of technology.

¡Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to talk to you about my favorite technological element, the one I love: My camera.

Me with my camera, took by a friend.

Photography has been one of my favorites hobbies since always. My love for it began when I recived my first camera at 14. In that time, I had one of those compact cameras -the classic little one that take digital photos- and take a lot of pictures of my school classmates. Always in a funny way, never seriously.

But that changed when I turn 21. That year, in my birthday, my parents (knowing my love for take pictures) bought me as a gift, a camera Canon and it was much more big than I was used to. Is a reflex semi-professional type and it's called reflex because it reflex the reality "imitating the human eye function", reason why in this camera you can also change the lents, is really cool. 

But! Let me tell you as an advice, the clue with this type of cameras is always used it in manual mode, because, even when there is a automatic way to use, you really learn to used it when control it by yourself.

The thing is that the same year when I started to use my new camera, I sign up in a photography course just to try... and that is when I find out a new way to look photography, not so much as a way to have fun and "take pictures just because", but a way of expression...

Someone says once that "it doesn't matter how good is your camera, if the photos you take did not express an idea or your heart, are worthless" (or something like that)

Since then, I'm constantly using it in a lot of events, whit my friends, my family (in fact, my family refers to me as the official photographer of he family haha), in journalism events for my career or when I just want to distract myself.

I learned to have a special connection with natural landscapes photos. It helped me to appreciate the beauty of nature in a more profound way and I believe that is a marvelous thing, cause, I found out that the most minimal thing that surround us can have an infinite beauty.

Anyways, I really love my camera, maybe it's not something indispensable in my life if tomorrow's break or something bad happens to it, but definitely makes my free time more happy and let me keep to myself the thing I want to remember for always.

Here are some of my pictures:  

    Amanda, my older niece.

Antonia, my younger niece.

I took this shoot with timer and the one with the light

 is one of my best girlfriends, Catalina.

Hope you enjoy it!

See ya later, alligator.

Journalism, the career of my dreams (or at least, that I hope...)

¡Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to tell you the reason why I chose to study journalism for my life career! 

But first, you have to know that before I got into journalism I was convinced that my dream job was to teach... I was three years studying to become a history teacher because when I was younger I loved history class very much, so once I left School -with the pressure of finding something to do with my life- history was the only thing that came into my mind like a future job...  

Sadly, years later I found out that I couldn't be more wrong about that choice because what I really want to be is very very far from that...

¿Why I chose to study journalism? I think I will have to thank music to answer that question... Since I was a young girl, I always loved to listen to music on the radio, and loved music magazines (especially 'Rolling Stone' magazine)... and that feeling made me wonder myself one day: "What would have happened if I had chosen to be a radio host, or a journalist in a music magazine... ¿Wouldn't that have been awesome?", and that question haunted me even more at the moment when I was unsure about my History career...

That's why, one day, after lots and lots of thinking about it, I took the big choice of leaving the teaching career and started a new path in journalism to become a radio host and keep working with something so beautiful in my life as music... 

Plus, I have even learned more aspects in journalism that I like very much! I think studying journalism is the best choice I could have taken so far...

Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I'll change my mind again... I hope not.

See ya later alligator! 

A little about myself

¡Hello, everyone!

My name is Alejandra Martínez Ugalde, i was born on may 25th of 1991 in Santiago, Chile. I live with my parents and my grandmother. I'm the second child, the youngest one, and my big sister's name is Carolina, she is a publicist and is the mother of my two beautiful nieces, Amanda (8) and Antonia (1).

I studied yeaaaaars ago, in a school named Colegio Liahona in El Bosque, and nowadays, I'm studying journalism at ICEI or "Instituto de Comunicación e Imagen". I'm in my third year and everything is going better than I expected, because what i've done until now has been really entertaining... For example, last year, I learned to be a radio host, and I knew since the first moment i had to do an assignament, that is was gonna be my future profession <3

This is not my first time studying at university, i studied History once, also at the Universidad de Chile, but, that didn't fulfill my expectations... but now, i'm really satisfied with what i'm doing! :)

One thing i love to do when i'm not reading or studying is drawing... Ever since I was a little girl, I really love to draw, it helps me a lot to distract myself and practice something different. Even when i don't have a unique way to sketch, i usually copy my favorite anime characters and try to make it more with a personal style... and yes, i'm an anime fan .///.

Another thing i usually do -and i love- is listening to music! 

I'm a big fan of English music, especially British. My favorite band since i was a child is The Beatles, i really love them and the way they grow up throughout the years musically, they are fantastic! I really like music from the sixties and seventies, contemporary bands such as like Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin... But, also love bands that appear in the nineties, because the britpop era it's my favorite one! 

In fact, tonight i'm going to a concert of a band called Radiohead, one of my favorite nineties bands and I'm really, really excited!!! :D 

Well, that's a little about me! I hope you enjoy reading it...

See you later, alligator. 

This is one of my sketchs! Is a Sailor scout from 

Sailor Moon Series.

The Blog is ready!