English Language Challenges

Learn English is very important at this time, especially for me because, English is the language of the sciences, all are published in English.

I was not very good in English, this was because I was not interested in learning English at school, but not only with English, also Spanish, I was not interested, I preferred mathematics or natural sciences

In my experience learning English at the university, is good. At school, I learned the grammar but not how to speak or use English, but at the university that changed, by having classes in which I could speak and practice, English became easier, my vocabulary increased and I also have a little more ease when speaking it.
Blogs are fine, but I think a blog is not the best way to learn because I need to improve my speaking skills, I need to speak more in English, talk more, think I can do it with my father, he knows English fluently.

To improve my English, I could include it more in my life, for now, I use little English outside of the classroom. I play games that are in English (I can read English), but I do not have much time to play them since I study, I could watch more series and movies, but I do not have much time to watch it.

I know that watching series in English, with subtitles in Spanish, can greatly improve your English, and it shows, I know because I see a lot of anime, and I could assure that I have a better ear for Japanese than for English.

Changes To My Study Programme

Well, I am a student of biochemistry at the University of Chile, I can tell the experience that I have about the study plan of the career.

Last year a new curriculum was implemented for the race, according to what I was told, it was to do more internships in the study, start from the first year with the laboratories, a complete point of view, need to pass the theory in the class and then put it in practice. By the curriculum, I would not change anything.


I like the classes that are taught, in general, the teachers use PowerPoint, there is the application of u-courses (very useful). What I would change is that sometimes there is so much time that I do not spend time doing exercises or it goes by quickly and is not well understood.

A problem that often seems to be the clash of schedules between the subjects, I would like a more flexible schedule than we have, with more variety of cultural CFGs, because I consider that there are very few.

In the use of technologies, you, in addition to the application of courses, you must upload the books online, since there are no books for everyone in the library. The good news is that the university is using the technologies of telephone applications and the online library.

A faculty problem in the infrastructure, the library is very small for the number of students there, another problem is the lack of study rooms, that is, it is not a study room, we do not have a proper cafeteria to eat, with respect to the laboratories, I can not say if we need change, I'm just starting the race and I think the laboratories should be fine.

Summer Holidays

Summer Holidays is the best season the year, is the moment to rest and enjoy, the moment to do new things, visit new places, meet to friends or new peoples.

Still knowing that, in these summer holidays, I will surely go to work, but if I can visit places.

Temple of the Golden Pavilion

I would like to travel Europa or Asia. In Europe I would visit more the anything cities that countries, I would like to go to Madrid, Paris, Vienna, or Milan, travel throughout Europe. I only travel in low season (is cheaper) and know that in Europe is in winter.

Sika Deer in Nara Park

Another country I will visit Japan for her culture, Shinto temples, as the golden pavilion, the Torii doors in Shiba or visit the Himeji castle in Osaka, other activities, climb Mount Fuji that is more than 3700 meters high, go to the Nara Park (also known as the deer's park)

My plans are to enjoy Japan, experience new things. On this trip, I would do it alone, although, I do not rule out being accompanied.

Yes, tath would be the best Summer Holidays, but I know it is not currently possible because I not have money. I settle for spending the holidays playing a video game, sleep and meet my friends.
I still do not give up and know I still do not give up and I will someday go to Japan on Summer Holidays.

Addiction: From coffee and tea to drugs of abuse

Drugs, I define it as "all that substance that affects the central nervous system". From coffee to drugs of abuse, they all have different effects, but they have something in common, they are addictive.

Fortunately, I and none of my close friends have had substance abuse problems, such as cocaine, base paste, LCD, etc. At least not for illegal drugs.

According to a paper "the brain of an addict" said that all drugs activated the reward circuit, releasing a large amount of dopamine, generating pleasure. This circuit is responsible for generating good experiences, activating when you eat a good meal, have sex and even when you interact with your group of friends. The dependence of dopamine by drugs is dangerous, when a lot of drugs are consumed dopamine levels of the brain increase, which causes the brain to adapt to these levels and when the drug is stopped the dopamine levels go down which can lead to depression, to maintain the levels of dopamine is generated dependence.

There are drugs that are more dangerous than others, those that produce less damage are tea or coffee, but like everything in life always in moderation, all excesses are bad, drugs of abuse are dangerous, not only for the person who becomes addicted, also their surroundings, addicted people stop working only think of their drug, if they do not have the drug they will get it by any means.

But everything in drugs is not bad, marijuana is used in medicine to relieve pain, coffee and tea keep you more active and alcohol (in moderation) is used to encourage parties.

Your Future Job

Thinking about a future job is difficult, there are things that you can do, I don't have clear than do with my life, what kind of jobs I would like a job to have? How I do imagine it?

Reflecting on myself, I did not want to job in an office with a lot of papers or job that are monotonous, for me that is not life. I've always thought about working on something important, what people are saying "wow you have a great job". One day, I saw on YouTube a video about Spanish people on the world, one of them worked in a lab, research about proteins, so in my mind, I thought "why I don't work in the lab must be fun". So I searched about careers that allow me working in a lab, until that I found the career of biochemistry, I saw its mesh and I like. Always I liked sciences, the biologic is the subject that never bored of study and the chemistry and physic are interesting.

At the beginning I would like job in a lab, doing experiments and research new proteins or play with the DNA, but now I realise that biochemistry is a career with various work feels and I´m not sure what I want to do, I would like job in toxicologist or proteins or biotechnology, many things that I can do.

whatever it is that I choose, I want a dynamic job, travel the world, for me, that's all I need, I do not care much about money, I prefer a fun job that one job bored even although I won a lot of money.

lately, I have been more tempted to do the speciality in biotechnology, to make a company. There are not so many things I can do but I think I will need more experience.

Old and new Hobbis

Hobbies, what would we do without?

When we are weary or boring and we want to get out of that state, we distracted with the hobbies.
For me, the hobby is a happy distraction, something that you enjoy doing. So in my case, I collected stickers, all juice box or chocolate bars (sweets ) they came with stickers of all kind: small, big, long, and were usually about cartoons or animals, even I had others kind the stickers about wrestling.

I remember that stuck the stickers to the sides of my bed, I have had hundreds of them, but when one moves to another house and lose all stickers, you do not want to continue collecting :(



Today my hobby is seeing anime on the computer, is more simple that collect stickers since I only depend on the internet to see anime, I started to see anime in the 20013. My dream is to see one thousand!! animes and I going for a good track, to date I sew more of five hundred animes.

Another hobby derivative of see anime is downloading the opening and ending of animes that I liked the most, also download images, it's similar to collect stickers but what a computer, actually I have already downloaded more than 20000 images about anime.

In the future, I would like to collect figures about anime (is another level) but are very expensive and I don't have money so it will be for the future when I earn money.

I think that the hobbies they must be fun, that does not damage the health, one hobby that I would not do a hobby that would not do those have to do something dangerous, for example of jumping between buildings

The amazing the our encephalon

The encephalon for me is the organ more important of the human body, why??.
Because the encephalon is the coordinating center and effector of the body.

The encephalon from ancient greekconsists enképhalos, “within the head”. Consist of three main parts: brain, cerebellum and brain stem, all of them is located in the head, inside the skull.

Each part of the encephalon has its own function:
-The brain stem is responsible for involuntary reflexes, besides, regulates breathing, heartbeat, digestion; controls the minimal processes necessary for life. The brain stem is under the brain in front of the cerebellum.
-The cerebellum is responsible for fine movements and motor coordination of the body, for this reason each neuron of the cerebellum is united to another thousand neurons!!!
-The brain is the more interesting, because of him not much is known yet, it divide in four lobes: the occipital lobe at the back of the skull, related with vision, the parietal lobe at the top, related with voluntary move, the frontal lobe at the forehead, related with logical thinking and the temporal lobe at the sides of the brain, related with memory.

The brain is medium organ, with about 1.2 kg, but is the organ that consumes the most energy, about the 20% of that produced by the body.

For being the more important organ, we must take care of it, do exercise, eat healthing, not smoking, and to learn a lot, for to reduce the likelihood of disease, such as: Alzheimer, Parkinson, depression, etc.

The best Holiday

Holidays? I don't have good holiday since eight years ago because my parents work much, also the economic situation has not been good. Before everything was better, in those time I was living in "The Salvador" is a miner town very small in the third region of Atacama, one thousand kilometres from Santiago, the life was very good and the holidays were wonderful. Every weekend we were travelling with my family to "Bahia Inglesa" in Caldera third region. Others times, we camped the weekend on the beach.

I like to go to the beach, I have good memories, but Bahia Inglesa is special because is a beautiful beach, with turquoise waters, white sand and warm waters. You can do many things, camping, kayak, obviously swim, diving, near there restaurant and hotels.

About five kilometres this natural reserve "Pan de Azucar", where you can fishing and adventure tourism, where I saw otters, sea lion, whale, etc.

I've done everything, except diving, I was too young to dive. I would like visit again Bahia Inglesa because I have not been there for eight years.

A country you would like to visit

Cathedral "Sagrada Familia" in Barcelona, Spain

Well, I would like to visit many countries, I like the geography and history, that's what I would like to visit a place with a lot of history, for example, Europa or Asia. In Europe I would visit more the anything cities that countries, I would like to go to Madrid, Paris, Vienna, or Milan, travel throughout Europe. See wonders and historic neighbourhoods. Sometimes I think of living in Europe, specifically in Spain, because speak Spanish and culture is similar.

Asia is the other places I would like to visit, for their so exotic cultures, the more interesting country for me is Japan, because is the place that more know, Japan is amazing, is an archipelago composed of three thousand islands, with their own culture and language, is a good country, is where the anime manga is born (I love anime). I would like a visit for a long time, but not live there, because Japan is one of the countries where most work, also is very difficult get the visa, for a foreigner living in Japan is complicated.

My blogging experience

Well, the blogs are a good experience, but I did not feel that I had made much progress with my English, at first it is difficult to express, but one gets used to it and you start to write more. It's easier to write when you have a topic that you like, I would like to write about interesting things for example animal, history, science, tardigrades (I love tardigrades, I would make a whole blog of only them). Some of the blogs I liked to do are "From the invisible to the visible world and back...", "A Photograph You Like"(because I could talk about tardigrades) and others...

For me, it was not all fun to write, the ones that cost me the most were "Getting to know each other..." or "Person/Expert you admire". The reason why I did not like is that I do not like to talk much about myself, I do not even know much about myself, I am rather a reserved person.

In the future a like to include more topics, it would be good that we can choose a topic and talk about it, but I know that this is not possible because a general guideline is needed for all, It's never to dream anymore.

From the invisible to the visible world and back...

Well, the microscope is a wide world, there are even many kind of micro or nano worlds, for example: the world of bacteria, the molecules, the atoms, etc... But the micro or nano world that I like more is world of molecules because is the base of the all cell processes, very important for understand the life, is one of the reasons why I choose biochemistry.

The one that I consider the most incredible and mysterious molecule of all is the DNA, this molecule has the code of life. The interesting thing is that we can modify it, creating new characteristics in an individual, is a branch of science called "genetic engineering" is based on transferring genes from one species to another, improving or generating some missing characteristic.

Genetic modification is important for biochemistry because is the most studied subject, since DNA is the most important molecular of life.
Genetic modification example: modify vegetables to better withstand drought, to make bacteria produce insulin by entering the gene that can produce insulin or transferred DNA from tardigrade to human cells, to increase its resistance to radiation.

But not everything is good, the genetic modification is a powerful tool that if not one carefully can be used for evil, either using it to create deadly bacteria, or modifying species giving it a more advantageous feature than other species causing the extinction of these.

Genetic engineering remains a developing science that can responsibly improve the quality of life of people.

The most enjoyable subject ...

Well, I chose biochemistry, because I love science, I like chemistry, biology and physical. One day I thought about studying something that has related to science, and then I found the biochemistry career.
When I looked at the mesh, I said "this is what I want to study", and I'm here.

The subjects that more caught my attention were cellular physiology, organic chemistry, general biology, and all the laboratories. So the subject that I found to be more fun is general chemistry laboratory.

General chemistry laboratory is a fantastic subject, where you do practical activities, work with reagents, and see how they change color. One activity more beautiful is the crystallization of cupric sulfate which is blue.

The interesting of general chemistry laboratory is to make reactions and know how they reacted, also the teachers is good and classmate is friendly. I have many partners about 50 peoples.
What I least like about subject is the reports and test are very stressful.

Thanks to this subject, I have liked more and more the career, though I already passed the subject.

Person/Expert you admire

I admire Alexander Fleming, hi was a microbiologist, pharmacologist and botanist. He was born in Scotland in 1881, son of a peasant family.

 At the age of thirteen, he moved to London with a half-brother who practiced there as a doctor. He obtained a scholarship to St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in Paddington, He worked as a medical microbiologist at St. Mary's Hospital in London until the first world war, enlisting as an officer of the Royal Army Medical Corps in France.
Fleming's name is associated with important discoveries: lysozyme and penicillin, the first discovered in 1928 for an accident. Inspecting their crops before destroying them, he noticed that the colony of a fungus had grown spontaneously, Fleming interpreted that the fungi release an antibacterial substance, the lysozyne. Fleming later observed the plaques and found that the bacterial colonies that were around the fungus (Penicillium notatum), the penicillin.

Fleming did not patent his discovery, because he thought that thus it would be easier to spread an antibiotic.

He received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945 and was a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Fleming died in London in 1955.

I like Fleming, because I consider a great scientific, thanks to your observation and experiments has saved the lives of millions of people in the world.

My Favourite Book and Film

I am not a great reader, I don´t read a book in months, but I like read.
The kind that the book I like are: science fiction, magic, historic, action, fantasy, etc... thinks that make you wonder.

Exist one type the book that call light novel, this was created in Japan. It is about novels very easy to read, can have more than 20 volumes, with more than 300 pages each one, even so you can read a volume in an afternoon.

There are many light novels, the one I like the most is "To Aru Majutsu no Index" in English "A certain magical index" written by Kazuma Kamachi in 2004.

Toaru Majutsu no Index is set in Academy City, a technologically advanced Academic city located at western Tokyo which studies scientifically advanced superhuman students with powers, but is also set in a world where magic is real. So Kamijou Touma (the protagonist) is in the middle of a conflict between magic and science.
I like this light novel because, has many kind of genres that I like, science fiction, magic, action, aventure. at present reading volume 17 of 22.

The kind that the film I like are the same as books (science fiction, magic, historic, action, fantasy, etc). I like a lot of films, for example, The lord of the rings, War horse (2011), Transformers (2007), generally all of the Disney and Pixar.

Well, I don't favourite films, but the last movie I have seen was "Koe no Katachi" also known as "A Silent Voice" is a 2016 Japanese anime drama film produced by Kyoto Animation, directed by Naoko Yamada and written by Reiko Yoshida,

The film is about Shoya was a kid who upset the new Shoko girl for being deaf. The taunts continued until Shoko changed schools. Several years later, a tormented Shoya seeks to reunite with his ex-partner and redeem himself.

I recommend this film, because it's a very beautiful and emotional story, a story to ponder.

Extra data: this movie will be released in Chile on June 17.

A Photograph You Like

I like kind the photograph about animals, plants and cells, yes cells for example: neuron cells, bacterias, or protozoos. It is part of my, I love the microscopic world. If I would can take one photograph microscopic of everything, I would do it.

A light micrograph of a tardigrade.
The photograph was taken in November 23, 2015,  By: Sinclair Stammers

Shows a tardigrade in an environment with lichens

This photograph I liked, because shows how beautiful are the tardigrade, It´s my favourite animals. This animals is amazing, the only animal known to survive the extreme environment of outer space.

Snowflake December 17, 2015, By  Ken Libbrecht

This photograph shows the amazing structure of a snowflake, ice crystals form six-sided shapes around the speck of dust, getting larger and larger as they fall.

This photos are wonderful, It shows how amazing it is the microscopic world. That's why I like these photos, they show us a new world that we cannot see or feel.
Makes me think of how little we know about our world and how much we should marvel.

:::::::

Music in My Life

I know music since the beginning of my life, remember the first song I have listened was the "song of joy" by Mozart, yes is classical music, my father put the song every morning as an alarm, him like the classical music.

I like music, I used to listen any music that sound good, I don't prefer any kind of music.

In all my childhood I don´t listen to music on my own, I listened to other people's music, the my sister, my father, my friends, so I'm an illiterate of music.

When I was in high school I beginning watch anime in the computer, I noticed that music is very important for the anime, I like them so much the music of the openings and endings, that I starter to download them, since them I have found several kind of music, rock, metal, classical music, pop, jpop, I used to listen nightcore, that's the only thing I know about music.

My favorite instrument is the piano, the guitar and drums, but I don´t know how to play

Extra work (Giving Your Opinions)

What is your opinion about smart phones?

I think it is a great invention; no one can live without it

What is your opinion about women in the military?

I think it's good, because it generates gender equality.

What is your opinion about the Chilean politicians?

Chilean politics is well compared to other Latin American countries.

What is your opinion about violence on television?

I think it´s good, I like the violence.

What is your opinion about fortune telling?

I do not think fortune telling exists.

What is your opinion about soap operas on Chilean TV?

Nothing, I don’t watching soap operas on TV.

What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana?

I think it´s good, reduce drug trafficking.

What is your opinion about climate change?

It´s difficult problem, but I think humanity could overcome it.

What is your opinion about cloning?

Well, I think it´s tool that can help us in the future.

What is your opinion about recycling?

It´s very good, will help us fighting climate changes

What is your opinion about “barras bravas”?

I do not like barras bravas, because they only do damage.

What is your opinion about legalizing abortion in some cases?

I think it's ok, as long as they are the three cases, unviability of the fetus, problems in pregnancy and rape.

Your favorite piece of techings

When I was children, I loved TV, that was the best thing in the world,  I watched TV all the time, especially cartoons, remember  TV channel for example: Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Fox, Jetix (now Disney XD).

When I entered the high school, I got a laptop, it completely changed my life, I could do many things, especially internet, I can play games, see You-Tube, do work-home, enter Facebook, etc. So  long apply to the laptop that I did not watch TV, I only saw it if there was something interesting, in new channel TV (History, Discovery,..).

Today I use the laptop all the time, arrived at home and take the laptop until I fall asleep, I don´t imagine the life without the laptop, I could not work-home, enjoy, and more important could not play games, I would be nothing, a boring life.

Well, I just hope they never take my laptop.

Why did you study your career?

Well, since then I have been here enjoying the fun of this career :)

Well, the decision of my career, it was a long process, let's start from the beginning. When I was at primary school I liked studying, especially math and natural sciences, where I was very good in these subjects but I hated language, I don´t understand, almost repeat first grade for not knowing how to read, although eventually I learned slowly. At that time I don´t thought of wanted to study.

When I was at fifth grade, there was a change in the subject, natural sciences was divided in three subjects (biology, chemistry and physic), I love the these subject, especially biology. Music and lenguaje I was not interested, except the plays in the theater it´s the only thing I like about language, I thought to becoming a actor.

When I was at high school, develop an enormous curiosity I liked learn from everything (history, politic, physic, geography, biology, except lenguage, music or english). I thought constantly that wanted to study, what I knew was something related to sciences for example medicine, until one day I saw in a video of you tube someone who works researching proteins, so I said "hey! if I work on that too". I found the career of biochemistry, I said "this seems like fun, why not try it?".

Getting to know each other...

Hi, my name is Jose Aramburo. I have 19 years old, I was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. I am youngest the three brothers, my father and mother  are engineers, they studied in Cuba.

I lived in Cuba until my 5 years, after I moved to Chile in 2003, the first place arrive was Salvador in the third region, in 2010 I moved to Copiapo city, where I studied in Catholic of  Atacama high school, it was an important moment, because there I discovered my fascination with the sciences.
 In 2013 I move to Santiago city, where I live to this day.

My fascination with the science continues today, that´s why study biochemistry in the university of Chile, In the future I want to be a researcher and decipher the mysteries of life.