Summer plans

For this vacation, first of all, the first two weeks of December I will work near Curico in the cherry harvest because it is not a complex job and it is very well paid, after that I would love to visit my grandmother who lives alone in a hill close to Curepto, and where she has many animals such as chickens, baby pigs and very friendly dogs, is surrounded by trees and has a vegetable garden, also the Laguna Encantada and Laguna Los Patos which are two beautiful waterfalls located in Vilches, I have loved the place both times and it's very quiet. I would also like to visit Valparaíso, since I always enjoy a lot when I go, I would also like to visit the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve in the Los Ríos Region for the second time, and visit other cities and natural reserves of that region.

On the other hand, regarding free time when I'm resting in my house I would love to enjoy the leisure while I eat a watermelon and other summer fruits, while I watch the movies that are on my giant list of movies that have recommended me and I want to see , in the same way with the list of readings that I have. Also go out for a walk with my dog ​​Max and ride a bike in the afternoon when the sun goes down, I would also like to join my friends in Talca to have a good time as there are many that I have not seen for months.I hope you can make your summer plans and have a great time. 

Postgraduates studies

Regarding my postgraduate studies, I still don't have much clarity, since I have not yet identified any specific area that I like about anthropology, nor in what area I will work or if I will effectively practice my profession, however until now, in general terms I like the issues related to some kind of conflict whether social, political, cultural or environmental, more specifically I am interested in conflicts of relationship between the State and ethnic communities, or the State with prison or educational or environmental policies.

And I think that the best way to approach these issues is with direct work, that is, with ethnography, so I would be interested in studying some postgraduate studies in ethnography and data collection, if I dedicate myself to a more practical area, as well as Latin American studies to understand better the context of our continent if I devote myself to a little more theoretical study with application in reality.

In the first of the cases I would like to go abroad but as much as possible in a Spanish-speaking country, such as Spain or Mexico, which have a lot of development in anthropology, since I believe that studying in another language is always an extra impediment to studying and I think that more than focusing on the study should also consider the possibility of having time to know the country and its culture, even more being an anthropologist. And in the second option I would prefer to study obviously in Latin America either in Mexico or Argentina. However, there is still time and things to clarify.

Changes to my study program

 Currently in social mention of anthropology a process of curricular innovation is carried out that will be implemented from next year, a process that takes years and that despite the participation of professors and students in different instances, it’s very questionable in terms of the orientation that is continued giving discipline, since courses of great importance for the contextual comprehension of our society, as Social history and Latin American history were eliminated, on the other hand there a null attempt to give a more practical emphasis to anthropology in which the “fields works” are active instances of learning in direct relation with the communities.

Therefore from my perspective I would first implement courses and readings that are geared towards more practical learning as well as integrate teachers who have a commitment to social problems and not only with the generation of theoretical knowledge that is trapped in the academic sphere. Likewise I would avoid that the classes only consist of listening to the teacher for hours without any kind of interaction with the students, who only have to obey and uncritically repeat the knowledge that has already been done. Moreover, I find it absurd that for economic reasons and lack of resources each year should allow the entry of more than 100 students of anthropology as well as other social sciences, to be supported by tariffs, when in reality the labor demand it’s not related to the number of students graduates. And finally, implement programs that allow more clarity to students about anthropological work since it’s a relatively unknown discipline and many students drop out because they don’t know enough about the career. 

                                                  

Anti-commemoration October 12

Yesterday was 525 years since this continent was invaded and since one of the greatest tragedies of European colonialism began on October 12, 1492, the date of the beginning of a long process of colonization that we could say, continues to the present, where hundreds of thousands of people were murdered and enslaved in different regions of the continent, forced to abandon many of their beliefs and cultural practices, abandon their ancestral languages ​​and knowledge, ending with peoples and cultures even of more social and political complexity than on the European continent, implying the introduction to force of its conception of welfare, justice, progress, work, education, and its conception of the relationship with the environment, and the relationship between ourselves as people.

They are all those factors and many more, those that have influenced our conformation as a Latin society and our identity configuration, in short, a lot of foreign elements that until today keep us colonized and in the practice of social models that are not typical of our ancestral cultures, and which contribute to the accumulation of wealth of the privileged sectors. However, in the course of more than five hundred years, there are peoples who have resisted and still struggle for their territory and autonomy, as is the Mapuche people, but as a result of which it has been violently and cowardly repressed by the Chilean State, as has been seen in recent months in Araucanía.

October 12 there is nothing to celebrate, nor to commemorate, it's not the encounter of two worlds, it's the violent invasion and looting of one over another.

My future job

At present I’m studying in social mention of Anthropology, because since I was in high school I thought an interesting career and I chose the social mention because every time I began to like more social topics instead of the most exact sciences, so I like anthropology and I wouldn’t like to study another career in a near future, nor another when I graduate. But not for that reason I love the labor field and what the anthropologists commonly do, in other words an institutional job and very framed or limited by the contacts one makes, and the idea that I had regarding the anthropologist’s job was much related to a social role and not so guided by the interests of the State or private institutions.

I know that I have much to learn before I graduate but I imagine a job committed to the different social problems and not work only for individuals interests so if in the future I don’t find the work space that I hope, I have no problem with no exercising as anthropologist because for me it’s no make sense to do something that I don’t like or interest. As well as I would like a job that doesn’t imply feeling enslaved, also I would like to live far from the city which would make it difficult for me to work as an anthropologist.

I love bikes, cars are a plague

I don't know exactly since when but I have always liked the bicycles, in my opinion I think that the bicycle is probably among the best inventions of the human being, not counting others more important like the internet or writing. Although I learned to ride and got a bike, maybe later that the common children, using the bike of my dad which was very large, like at 9 or 10 years, once I learned that there is no stopping. First, I had a classic mountain bike Bianchi, which over the years I changed some parts to practice Downhill, and by time issues and why I injured a shoulder at age 17 I decided to sell it and continued using the old road bike from my dad.

And the first thing I did when I arrived in Santiago, I searched and bought a bicycle. I go out on my bike very often, to any place and to new places. I love cycling because it makes me feel more relaxed, free and I also love speed and hate Transantiago as a means of transportation, so I usually go anywhere on a bicycle, and although I have a driver's license I would not have a car or motorbike because it is not comparable to being locked in a car or travell without the effort comes from me.

My favourite movies

I like so much watching movies but I don’t watch as many as I could, therefore I have difficulties to choosing my favorites movies but in general terms I enjoyed for example Whiplash featuring Miles Teller, and it’s about an ambitious young drummer that enters a prestigious music academy to fulfill his dream of becoming one of the greatest known drummers of all time and my favorite scene is when in the climax of movie Andrew trying to arrive an very important and decisive concert and he had an accident in the car that drives. Also I like the film Enter the void Also, I like the film Enter the void that tells the story of a French young man who is living in Tokyo with his sister and survives economically as drug dealer until during a struggle with the police he dies of a shot and begins a terrible trip through the city with chaotic visions. Finally, I consider The Truman Show a very interesting movie to tell the story of a man who lives in a totally controlled reality, as well as to raise the issue of the morbidity of society and reality shows, besides for the good Jim Carrey's performance.

Peña for the Wallmapu

At the beginning of June I attended to gig in benefit of mapuche political prisoners in the SINTRAC CND’s headquarters when were presented different artists, like Tata Barahona, Paisano, and other troubadour singers and mapuche rappers. In this event they sold empanadas, “navegado”, sopaipillas, wine, coffee and others prepared foods to withstand the cold, and the atmosphere in this place was so nice, friendly and and the companionship of the assistants was remarkable. I enjoyed each of the artists in special Tata Barahona and Paisano. I attended to this gig with my friend Franco who always accompanies me to all kind of events or hobbies, and in this occasion unexpectedly we were finished sharing with Tata Barahona, talking and smoking weed, I also met a teacher who was working in the organization and I know him for taking an education course. In brief was a very good gig even more to feel that one contributes to a good cause that is to fight for the freedom of Mapuche people who are constantly oppressed, so I prefer go to gig in benefit with more friendly atmospheres and with proximity to the artists instead of great concerts with high prices and in which you will not necessarily live a good experience.

A place I would like to visit!

I'd like to visit Italy because I think it must be a very interesting country because of its geographical position, especially its peninsular zone towards the south by the contact with other cultures, for example in cities like Naples, Palermo and Catania where I have read and seen some videos that possess a rich gastronomy and particular architecture. 
I know very little about more particular things, but I dream of being able to tour many places especially the coastal areas, to enjoy the weather, the sea and to be able to talk to people to know the stories they have to tell. I would also like to enter more natural places to know the vegetation, animals and different landscapes. 
I consider Italy an interesting country but I don't think it would be my ideal place to live but only to visit, since if I were to live in another country I would like to be a Latin American country. 

Hi, my name is Urbano Saavedra, I´m 21 years-old and my birthday is in november. I'm from Talca, Seventh region of Maule, Chile. But since I study anthropology in University of Chile, I live in Santiago with two friends, occasionally traveling to Talca, to visit my family, where I live with my parents and my sister who is 25 years old. And we have a dog which is called Max, is two year and a half and it's very energetic and loving.
About me likes, I like so much the nature, listening almost all kind of music, take ride bikes and visit new places. I also enjoy spending time with my family and my dogs and other animals, reading lots of different things that interest me, in special of social science and a little bit of literature. I like watching documentaries, series and films but I don`t give much time for it. Moreover I hate social injustices, consumism and conformism people when something affects them, and I can't bear arrogant or fake people and lack of empathy really bugs me.