Santiago

To talk about Santiago I must say first that I was born and lived in Calama, at second region, so I came from desert weather. I came to live at Santiago when I was 18, so maybe that could affect my perception about the city, making it different from those who have lived here during all his or her life. Also I must say that I haven’t lived in other cities or countries, so I have not other places to compare about living in Santiago.

Although I used to visit Santiago sometimes, live at the city is something very different. At first I was scared of get lost, because I didn’t know about names of streets, and especially because nobody had a clear idea of the rout of Transantiago!! So, one of my first impressions was the idea of a chaotic place. Besides I thought that Santiago was a big and complicated city, it takes a long time to arrive to places. I didn’t like to use subway because there was always a quite crowd, and about using buses, I think people was just beginning to become accustomed to Transantiago. In spite of this, my first year at Santiago was very nice, maybe that’s because I lived with my uncle at La Reina, in a very quiet and safe place. I liked to walk around there because the trees, especially in autumn, or go to visit places like Forestal Park, or Cerro Santa Lucía or San Cristobal hills. Besides, my best friend also came to live here, so I wasn’t alone; and I met very nice people here, my new friends.

In general I think Santiago is a nice place to live: there are many beautiful places and buildings, and I have to admit that in Santiago is where all happens: concerts, theater plays, and more; something that is not very usual in other regions of Chile. But I have to say that I hate pollution and acoustic contamination. I also dislike the fact that everyone is always stressed or hurry. I think people should take more relaxing their life, and authorities must do something about the contamination, all for make Santiago a better place.

Greatest Chilean ever!!

To decide about somebody who could be the greatest Chilean of all time is very difficult, especially because there are some many anonymous Chileans that have done a lot of important and significant deeds and besides that, is because of this people that we have an idea about what is to be Chilean, I mean, they represent the “Chilean identity”. Some examples of this anonymous Chileans are: the original people from Chile, rural people who work the land and that have created the image of “huaso”, people from the working class, especially miners or fishers, and more; everything that comes to your mind when you think about Chilean people. 

For all this things I think the greatest Chilean of all time is Violeta Parra. I think she’s the greatest because somehow she represents the Chilean identity, expressed in arts. She was a poet, musician, singer, painter; she made sacking, and a lot of other things. And in every one of her creations she expressed all this anonymous Chileans deeds and ways of lives. When you hear Violeta Parra’s songs, you realize how she integrate sounds from aboriginal people and how in her lyrics she is talking about Chileans, and also she is denouncing injustices and expressing her politic compromise for make a better society, because she was a very compromised and politic person. I think somehow she’s talking for those who have not voice, and she was listened not just in our country (maybe too late); she was also internationally recognized: She exposed her sacking at the Louvre!! 

Other thing that I admire from Violeta Parra is the fact that she was a self-learning artist. She didn’t study at university all the things she knew, so maybe that’s why her art is so human and warm. And because of it I think we could say that she was a visionary and an avant-garde person, and the greatest Chilean ever!!

Chinese zodiac

I’m thinking about to become a superstitious person today. This morning I heard about Chinese zodiac in TV, and by coincidence (or destiny?) this is the topic of the blog. Well, by chance or not, we are going to start Chinese year and about Chinese zodiac this is the year of the Dragon, so this year is my year! 

According to description of Dragon in the website, people who have born under Dragon sign are very independent, risky and passionate in all they do. Besides, it says that Dragons can be possessive and ambition persons; and they prefer to be alone, because they work better and are more successful by their own. About me, I agree whit the most of the thing that it says about us: I think that I’m a very independent person; I always try to help other but never ask for help and I’m very passionate in all the things that I do, even if this makes me fell exhausted. 

About the things that it says about careers and job, I agree that we prefer careers where we can express our creativity and where we lead. Maybe that’s why sometimes we feel unfulfilled about our careers or jobs, and we get exhausted very easily. And talking about relationship, I agree whit the website’s description: I won’t give up my independence. Finally, about Chinese zodiac I’m an earth dragon, so I’m more rational when I have to take decisions and I’m a level-headed person. 

I really agree whit Chinese zodiac in a lot of things. I think I believe in zodiac and astrology stuffs, like astral chard. I think there must be some relation between our lives and the universe because stars and planets are part of our environment, so they must have a bearing in our lives and character traits.

Drug-driving law

The British government is evaluating the possibility of set up a law against taking drugs and drive. For doing this, the Department for Transport is assembling a panel of experts, composed by academics and scientist, to decide different aspects about this law.

The idea of a drug-driving law comes up after lasts figures that show a large increasing in fatal accidents involving drug use during the last decade. Some figures show that around 30% and 50% of road accidents in lasts years are related to use of drugs like a contributory factor. Besides that, there are many cases where drug -driving is combined whit drink, but without a drug-driving law only drink-driving is penalized.

But one of the problems about this law is how to proof the use of drugs in drivers. Some experts suggest applying a roadside drug tester kit, something similar to breathalyser. This “drugalyser” works whit a saliva tests that can detect illicit substances presents in some drugs. This is already being used in Australia, but there are some limits related to its use: some experts mention that drug tests can be positive even one month later the use of drug, so it will be more difficult to judge if drivers are whether using drugs or not.

Besides that, the use of a roadside drug tester kit will means to establish an universal drug level accepted, and that’s contradictory in case of taking about illicit substances, like most of drugs are.

Other point that will be evaluated is to apply this law to motorists.

Finally, the panel will meet in spring for evaluate this and other points, and to decide if this law could rules or not in Britain. What do you think about this law in Chile?

(Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/04/law-drug-driving-roadside-tests )