WEEK 2: ESSAY WRITING (Isabel Martínez Puche)

Browse the Net and provide links to writing labs online where essay writing can be studied.

https://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/essay_tips/

https://student.unsw.edu.au/essay-writing-basics

https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/tips-techniques-essay-writer.html

Explain the major difficulties you find when writing essays.

One of the problems I face when writing an essay is how to balance the paragraphs. Despite trying to make the paragraphs about the same length, sometimes one of my arguments become much longer than the other one. I would like to write more or less the same amount of words for each paragraph. Another problem that I often encounter is to make a proper introduction. I think that introductions are one of my weaker points when writing an essay so I tend to search for tips in order to improve my writings.  In addition, depending on the topic, it is difficult to think of arguments to include in the essay. In order to avoid running out of ideas, it is useful to read a lot about a variety of topics to be more prepared to face difficult topics. 

 

WEEK 1: LANGUAGE (Isabel Martínez Puche)

I have wanted to learn new languages since I was little. I always found interesting how many different languages are spoken all around the world. It would be very good to be able to understand all of them but, since there are too many, not all of them can be learnt. Some people choose which language they learn based on their usability, while others just guide themselves by their personal preferences.

In my case, I would like to learn Korean. Since I have been listening to Korean music for a while, it would help me to understand the lyrics and the culture as well. In fact, I have studied a bit on my own and now I am able to read the different letters. It was difficult provided that the characters are not the same as those in Spanish or English. However, given the chance, I would like to continue learning this language and I have been looking for grammar books to read on my free time. It has become complicated to manage studying for University exams with learning Korean on my own but, in my opinion, a language can be learnt no matter how difficult it is if you are really interested on it. 

Week 1: Language (Paula Sánchez Morlesín)

I have always enjoyed listening to different languages, it did not matter if it was English, German or Chinese, they all seemed cool to me. That is why I started to get into music and twitter, and thanks to those tools I could improve both my French and English. Moreover, it is obvious that being able to speak different languages can be extremely useful, knowing that and my love for them, I decided to go for English and study it at a major level, that is to say at University.

But apart from liking English, I specially like Korean. I love it, I believe it sounds beautiful and that its writing also is really nice and easy to learn. Actually, I love Korea and its culture in general. After watching many of its films and getting into its pop music four and a half years ago, I started to learn how to read its alfabet so I could understand the most basic things while listening to a song or watching a tv series. I have been able to read korean since I was 15 years old, and I am able to understand many things , but not as much as I would like to. That is why I want to improve my level, something that is difficult to achieve here in Murcia, since there are no academies offering Korean nor Koreans to teach it. If you want to improve you level, then you will have to use apps, watch videos on Youtube or download some books.

All in all, I believe languages are the most precious thing we have, and that being able to speak and learn them can be a beautiful process. We all should have the opportunity to learn at least one language apart from our mother language.

Anastasia Oplakanets: Week 15 (That's all)

Well, I guess it's a

The subject has finally finished and the experince of having a blog was fine. However, having blogs where we post our 'homework' is not new for us, last year we did the same thing with another subject, cannot remember which one. I liked it, as well as I did last year, because I love editing texts and make them pretty and good looking with a tiny hint of humor. Actually, it makes me very relaxed because the entries do not have to have very serious content and I do not have to worry about it.
Two things that I did not like was the lacking constancy of the posted homework and the continuous repetition of the assignment 'Refer to all the activities you've done to improve your English', which made it very boring.

My piece of advice is to try to post more interesting homework with amusing or thoughtful issues so students do not perceive them as boring homework but rather like a way out for their creativity and passion. For example, I have really enjoyed writting Weeks 5, 9 11, 14 and others but I absolutely hated Week 10 and I had to bring all of my forces and will to do it.

For the next years and future students I would suggest to ask them to make a list or something of the themes they find attractive and interesting so they can enjoy doing their assingments; it doesn't have to be a concrete theme, it could be a review of a book or movie or whatever each of them likes, which in my opinion will appeal to them. Personally, I like my homework to be something I am looking forward to, not running away from it and postponing it every minute I can.
To finish...

Anastasia Oplakanets: Week 14 (Colours)

For this Week's assingment I have chosen the following article (click on it to be redirected to the web page), which describes colors and also gives information about Rainbows, Chakras and Auras (?)

I think this kind of articles are useful for people who believe in things like horoscopes and astrology, dream meanings, bad luck and evil eye, etc. Although it is interesting to know what different colors mean, in my opinion the only thing that matters is the meaning you give to them. For example, my favourite color is green and for me it may have a different connotation than to other people.  At the end of the day, colors are very powerful, they are present in absolutely everything (or not?) and they carry a different emotional meaning to every person. So, these articles are fun to read, especially if you are looking if your favourite color matches your personality or your zodiac sign, but it were people who had given them these definitions so it does not implies any credibility nor accuracy. 

Regarding the second task of this Week's assingment, I have chosen the picture above for two main reasons: 

· the matching with the blog's colors 

· its incredible beauty 

Personally, I am obsessed with aesthetic and I love when colors match well between them; I love seeing people dressing matching colors in their clothes, make-up, accessories, etc. It gives me real visual pleasure. Besides, blue is my second favourite color so this picture was perfectly fitted in my blog. The peachy orange of the sunset and its reflection in the lake is perfectly combined with the cold blue of the snow and the trees. 

The other reason behind my choice is that  winter has come  and I adore winter. I grew up in Ukraine and I have always loved snow and cold weather, and when I saw this picture I was astonished by its beauty and it brought me memories of my country. 

Anastasia Oplakanets: Week 13 (Making decisions)

This Week's assingment is a review about a film I have recently watched but I will do it about a series. It is called '13 Reasons Why' and it's been poping up a lot lately. As I read the book on which it is based many years ago, I did not want to watch it, I was afraid it was going to be cheap and bad. I must say it has surprised me a lot! Although it does not follow the original plot perfectly, it was more than worth watching and I think it matches very well the subject of this Week because is all about  'making decisions'.

In short, the series is very simple, it tells the story of a girl who commits suicide and leaves a series of tapes where she pre-recorded her story. She explains why she decided to end her life, saying that it was due to thirteen reasons, thirteen people who, as she thinks, pushed her to the end. As the first person receives the tapes, he has to pass it to the next person and so on.

In my opinion, her reasons weren't as strong as to do what she did. I feel very sorry for her and for anyone who had ever went through all the problems shown in the film, but still, no reason is justifying enough to commit suicide. I understand that being young means taking things way far to heart but everyone has problems and life is about overcoming those problems.

Regarding the second task of this Week's assignment, here are some pictures of my two favourite books, which are simply amazing and if you haven't read them you should but be prepared for very strong emotions that will mercilessly break your heart.

Some pictures of my favourite films though I have tons of them. Actually, all of Leonardo DiCaprio's films are my favourite.

 

And my favourite shows, Vikings and Game of Thrones, have both great stories and brilliant acting!

 

Anastasia Oplakanets: Week 11 (You live and learn)

Studying abroad?

This Week's assignment is to find out different online ads on studying abroad opportunities and make comments on the convenience of getting involved, trying to use participle clauses.

My opinion about abroad studies is very positive. Thinking about it, I would not go studying abroad partly because of cowardy, but mostly because there are too many obstacles and things that tie me strongly to Murcia. Although I'm not sad about it and I have never been, I love Spain and I love my city so staying here is absolutely fine by me.
I think studying abroad has countless advantages but countless disadvantages too. People always say good things about studying or working abroad and they are right but that doesn't mean that people do not have to sacrifice a lot of thing to do so. Yes, it is a great life long experience, you meet new people, people with different cultures and customs, languages, opinions, etc., your mind opens up and your personal growth is inmense; but you also leave behind your family, friends, your home, your whole life. Of course you will make new friends and have a new home but the new ones cannot replace the old ones.
In my opinion it takes determination and strong will to live or even study abroad. Not everything is good and rainbow about it as people make it look, especially at an emotional level, but if you really want to you can do anything so these things don't have to stop you from achieving whatever you want. Taking the previous disadvantages into account, in this moment I wouldn't travel abroad to study nor to live, but in the future I am sure I will.

This past weekend I went to a wedding but unfortunately I did not know many people there and one of my relatives introduced me to a very nice Australian couple. We talked a lot during the night and I really enjoyed their company. Although they were a bit difficult to understand because they talked very fast, plus they had an unusual accent. After I went home I realised that it was a great experience that improved my English skills.