°°°ABOUT ME°°°
There are many people that have met me, but they do not really know me. So who am I? I am Martha Jessica Cadengo Lizarán, but I like to be called Jessi. I was born in Aguascalientes City on February 23rd, 1990. I am 19 years old. I have a small but great family which is formed by my mom, my brother, and I. Few years ago my parents got divorced; nowadays he is living with his new wife. On one hand, my mother works in the Technological University of Aguascalientes; on the other hand, my brother, who is 24 years old, works in Jatco Mexico.
In order for you to know me better, I have to mention my likes and dislikes. Talking about what I like to eat, I like Mexican food, in special gorditas, green pozole, and tacos. What I really do not like is Japanese food, neither Chinese. Talking about sports, I love some of them, but I do not practice them frequently. I really like extreme sports; in addition, I have had the opportunity of feeling the adrenaline by practicing some of these sports. I do not like all those sports that involve fighting; it is because I am a very calm girl. Talking about hobbies and other interests, on one hand, I like to dance a lot, also camping and being in natural places; on the other one I do not like reading and being in close places.
I have had too many experiences, but now I am going to talk about two of my best trips. Last year I went with my brother and my mom to Hidalgo City; it was the most awesome trip I ever had. Everything in this travel was perfect. Additionally, I had the opportunity to “fly”; it means, I traveled by tirolesas. On July we went to a river where we practiced shot over and rafting. Then we went to Acapulco, but we did not like that place. Consequently, we went to Ixtapa; there we spent two days in an amazing hotel, all inclusive. I have to admit that Ixtapa is a paradise.
Everyone has their plans for the future; let´s talk about my near future. Firstly, I will go to the beach again, next November. My grandfather is organizing a trip, so my family will go to Barra de Navidad beach. I am really excited because I really like this places and Ixtapa trip was not enough. Secondly, it is missing just five months for my next birthday; therefore, I will have a party. My 20th birthday will take place on February 26th, 2010 in my house. I want a band, a sinaloense one, plays in that party. Now, I just have 2000 pesos to pay for this band, so if one of you wants to cooperate, it will be well received.
You already know about my near future, so I am going to talk about my future in general. First of all, I want to have a job as a teacher in a public and private school; it means that I want to work teaching children. This plan involves finishing my career which is English Language Teaching. I really want to finish it because I really like to study this, also I like children a lot. In addition, I want to have my own house and my own truck. I dream with a house with a big backyard and with a ford explorer sport truck. Another plan for the future is, from 5 to 8 years, that I want to get married and have, at least, one baby. I want to have in total three kids.
Some people already know how and who I am, but some others do not know me. All these words showed more details about me; for example, my complete name, my likes and dislikes about food, sports and interests, my life experiences, and my plans for the near and general future. Now that you know me better, I want you to know that you can trust me for everything; so I can be the friend who you were looking for!
°*°*MY EVOLUTION IN ELECTRONIC LITERACY*°*°
Nowadays, the use of electronic tools has taken importance for doing several things. First of all, it is important to mention how I started to use computers. Because of the necessity of having formality in some important documents, in secondary school, I had to start using the computer. At the beginning I did not know how to use it, but my brother taught me the most essential tools. It was not difficult because I was interested on that, so I could learn easily. Secondly, I had the necessity of starting to use Internet when I entered to high school. It was because I had to look for specific information to fulfill some homework. I faced some problems because I did not know how to use these electronic tools. My brother was the person who helped me to learn how to use them. Doing this, I found some advantages and disadvantages.
Electronic tools, as everything, have advantages and disadvantages. Talking about computers, they are really useful to keep much information related to any topics; in addition, we can have photo albums, music, videos, etc. Some disadvantages are that computers waste too much electricity; also they can cause visual problems. It is because people force much their sight. On the other hand, internet is a very useful tool to look for any information; for example, recipes, tips, fashion, jokes, pictures, videos, etc. In addition, if we want information and the address of certain place, we can use satellite navigators to locate a street or an avenue; also we can buy many things. Sometimes these two advantages are disadvantages. These purchases are not legal or true, so people are swindled. Another one is that because students have to hand in homework, there is much plagiarism. Certainly, computers and internet have been used since the past for educational purposes.
These two important tools, computers and internet, have been really useful. I have used them since secondary school. Nowadays, I have the opportunity to see many improvements about computers and internet; for example, dictionaries, translators, etc. These agents have helped me to improve my knowledge about learning English language. It is because through internet and computers I can look for information about the language, also I can practice it. It has influenced in a positive way because surfing the net I could practice and learn better another language. Some of my strengths using electronic tools are that I know how to use some tools that computers and internet give us; such as blogs, mails, word processors, etc. On the contrary, there are some weaknesses that do not permit me have a good development using these tools. It is because there are many improvements in computers and internet, so I do not know everything that these agents offer.
Talking about word processors, they are kind of complex. On one hand, there are the ones that almost every computer has. That is Word, Excel, Power Point, etc. These tools are really helpful for several things. Using them, we are able to hand in homework with a good presentation; we can make mathematic calculations, presentations to show any topic, etc. Sometimes we do not know all the tools that these processors have; they are infinite. On the other hand we have e-mails, chats, blogs, etc. These spaces are useful to communicate with any person. To illustrate, we can be chatting with a person who is in the other side of the world, with blogs we can be seen and known by any person. I have to mention that it could be dangerous.
It seems that electronic tools are still improving, so we have to be prepared for the future. Researchers from the Technological Institute of Georgia have found that this is not all about computers, and that something better is going to come. They explain that computers are going to be faster that now and that word processors are going to be better. I expect that we improve next to these electronic tools, so we have to deal with these advances. I have been thinking that online courses, masters, degrees, etc are essential to improve my L2, so I will consider taking one of these courses because it is something that sometimes is free.
In short, electronic tools are common nowadays; we did not have the opportunity of using them in the past. As it was said, I have improved my electronic literacy during the time, but I think it is not enough. We could see that computers and internet have advantages and disadvantages and the usefulness that they have. Additionally, these agents have improved and influenced my learning of a new language. It was said that word processors have lots of tools to make us do good homework, presentations, etc. Finally, it is important to take into consideration that internet offers us hundreds of opportunities to improve our knowledge. I think that this technology is going up every day. To conclude, we have to be prepared to face all the advances and surprises that electronic tools have to offer to us.
*DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY*
*°*°A GIFT FROM GOD°*°*
Have you ever been in a place where you imagine that everything is perfect and you want to be there again? This is what happened to me when I visited Tolantongo cave. I felt over the moon when I was there. Tolantongo cave is a pleasant place to spend some days if you want to be relaxed or have an extreme adventure. This place became very important for me because I love being in touch with nature, so I could feel that air touching my cheeks. Additionally, the whole state of Hidalgo is unbelievable.
Tolantongo Cave is located in the state of Hidalgo where nature is like the heart of this state. A human being could not live without a heart, so Hidalgo could not have a life without one. This state has several gracious little towns. Each one has its own people, atmosphere, and customs. This is said because the towns which I visited were diminutive in size but gigantic in spirit. People were attentive, thoughtful, and cordial. They made me feel in a sweet bubble where I could take all the candies I wanted. These towns took me to another time in the past; a time where man-made lights were not needed, where horses were the transportators, and were life was easier. Also the way to arrive to Tolantongo cave was admirable.
The route I followed to arrive to Tolantongo cave was a branch of a fruit tree in which the apple was the best prize. This place was the delightful apple that I was anxious to taste. At the beginning of the roar it seemed to be an abandoned way, also without smell, color, even without life. It was a giant strong person but a miniature and shy one; in addition I could not imagine that a gorgeous place was going to appear under the giant´s shoes. As it is been said, after a storm, calm is coming. It was a desert road; there were no trees, plants, animals. I never thought that a glamorous and colorful paradise was waiting for me.
In spate of the depressed road, my attractive destination was the most brilliant gift ever given. Tolantongo cave was really alive that I could breathe the clean atmosphere. This splendid place had exquisite colors. I could notice tremendous green trees with lots of jovial arms that kept jolly birds singing happily. The ground was a touch of an angel because it was really soft. It had a cute brown color that made me feel on a piece of coffee. Tolantongo cave had a pure environment which had a superior smell that made me feel inside a beautiful flower. The weather was a touch of the sea; I will not forget the breeze touching my cheeks. The main cave was really colossal, ancient, and stunning where I could stay my whole life. It was like being on a charming cloud. The river was an arm of God because being in the water was like one of his hugs. The river had a wonderful blue color; I have never seen a blue color as the one I saw that day. The entire river had a very special smell; it was a natural fragrance, but with a benevolent taste. The water has an exquisite temperature; it was hot and cold at the same time. The water was the sky in its liquid form.
In short, I am almost sure that you have visited a place in which you want to stay long time, and maybe you have felt like I did. I think that everyone should consider visiting Tolantongo cave; I am really sure that you will not regret. I hope that you had gotten what I wanted to express; I mean that you had had the opportunity of going to that place through this text. It is important to mention that Tolantongo cave is a natural place; it is not a man-made cave. To conclude, the experience that I had about visiting this place was really sensational; I keep my fingers crossed because I want to go back and feel what I felt. Without a doubt, Tolantongo cave is a lovely gift from God.
*ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY*
°°DRIVERS USING CELL-PHONES°°
Are you of those people who drive and call by cell-phone at the same time? Do you know what the cause of some car accidents is? Cell-phone use in a moving vehicle can be a dangerous distraction. There are those among us that are afraid of answering these questions. Sometimes we think that we are able to do several things at the same time, but we never think about what we can cause if we do not pay attention on what we are doing. It can detrimental no just to the other people, it can affect us too.
Many people state that it is possible to multi-task while driving; also they say that there is no problem if they drive and call at the same time. We do not know when something will suddenly happen and that just may be the moment when we need to pay attention to the road. Some people argue that the hands-free is really good. With this device our hands can be on the wheel, but our mind is on the conversation we are having with our boss, spouse, etc. An investigation done in 2002 showed that more than half of the population in the United States have driven and called by cell-phones. Highway safety researchers estimated that 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents were driver/cell phone-related accidents.
Some people say that the use of hands-free is the best solution. They say that they do not need to hold the cell-phone, so they will have their hands on the wheel. In addition, they are obligatory in many countries while people are driving. Now, hands-free devices have replaced phone's own speaker and microphone; it is not needed any more. These technologic objects remove and/or reduce the noise levels, so the caller is clearly understood. A person who is making a call using a hands-free while driving will introduce large levels of noise into the call. This situation is really complicated because the software does not remove the noise around him, but it makes that the voice sounds clearly and loudly to whoever is connected to him.
There is another argument that drivers using cell-phones say; accidents are not caused by them. They argue that most of the accidents are caused by people who is drunk, not by them. Alcohol causes about 17 thousand car accident deaths in the United States each year. Drunk driving is involved in 39 percent of all fatal accidents and about 70 percent of all crashes in the US. So, these people state that they are concentrated when they drive and call, not as drunk people who are not responsible of what they are doing.
Now, do you think that you are really concentrated when driving and calling? Do you think that hands-free is enough to stop this problem? Many investigations have demonstrated that the level of distraction is caused by the intensity not whether the phone is hand-held or hands-free. To conclude, why do not we pull over to the side of the road if we have the necessity of making call with our cell-phone? Just reflect about it for a while and concentrate on the road.
*COMPARE-CONTRAS ESSAY*
°°HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE°°
Do you want to study in high school or in college? These two options are very dissimilar, although in both you can learn a lot. These differences include homework, tests, and attendance polices.
The first difference is homework. In high school most teachers will assign you to turn in your homework late if you give them an excuse such as "I left it at home" or "It is in my locker". In contrast, in college if you give your professor one of these excuses, they will say "Too bad" and you do not have another opportunity.
Another difference is the tests. There are also a lot of tests in high school; usually, there is a test every week or two. Although in college there are more tests, the work is not hard. Most of the time you will read aloud in class or go over every point of the homework so, there is no question of what you have to do.
The last difference is the attendance polices. In high school the teachers are always on you about attendance; that is, if you miss too many days, you can fail, so if you are not in class, they want to know why; in addition, they probably call your parents and let them know that you were not in class. On the contrary, in college the teachers do not care whether or not you are in class; it means that if you are not there, you are going to get a failing grade, so you have to be responsible to succeed. It is up to you.
To conclude, the main differences between high school and College are the assignments, exams, and absences. The high school´s teachers teach the students the responsibility by making them to do their homework and monitoring their attendance and college students are expected to have it. So, in my personal opinion I prefer high school because I need more attention.
*CREATIVE ESSAY*
°°°LIKE HIM, NO ONE°°
Do you think that a real and sincere friendship among a boy and a girl could be possible? What do you think about some people that think that these friendships are something else? This kind of relationship is really common and possible. This is said because I had an experience with a boy, Uriel, my best friend ever. It is important to mention that he was my neighbor; our walls are one next to each other; our friendship was as thick as brick. He was a very handsome boy; he was 20 years old, he was slim like a model, tall as a tree, and he had a very especial character. In addition, he was an authentic womanizer. I knew almost everything about him, we trusted each other. There is a song called “When you´re gone” by Avril Lavinge which seems to be completely dedicated to him because everything that the song says is showing my feelings and ideas.
He was and is very especial and important for me because he was my best friend. We shared lots of things such as feelings, emotions, talks and coffees in the middle of the night, etc; our friendship was as good as gold. I am not so social, so I do not have somebody else to trust. It did not matter the time, we were there when we both needed. Unfortunately, he died like a flower without water few days ago, now I feel alone even though I have many people next to me. He liked to go to dance and drink everywhere, so one day he went to Teocaltiche. When he came back he suffered an accident; he suffered serious hurts. He was hospitalized some days but his light turned off, he could not recover.
“When you´re gone” is a song which I already knew, so when this tragedy happened I associated it with him. The first verse of the song says: “I always needed time on my own; I never thought I'd need you there when I cried. And the days feel like years when I'm alone, and the bed where you lie is made up on your side”. All these words are pretty related with my situation because that is what I feel. About the bed, it was true too because he slept in my bed when my family and I went to the beach; it means, he was in charge of caring my house. “When you're gone the pieces of my heart are missing you; when you're gone the face I came to know is missing too; when you're gone the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it OK, I miss you”. This part of the song describes completely what I would have liked to tell him now that he is not next to me.
I have never faced an experience like this; I mean that this is the first time that I lost a person too important for me. When I needed an advice, I wanted to cry, or just talk, I just needed to make a call or knock his door. These days that I have not seen him became sad; when I am in the places we were, those beautiful moments come to my mind, every single moment I remind him. All these matches with the lyrics of the song which say: “I´ve never felt this way before, everything that I do reminds me of you… I love the things that you do”.
In short, there are people who cannot see a friendship among a man and a woman as normal. They think that they are hiding something else. But when they face a situation like mine, they will understand what a friendship like this means. I think that I will not find a friend like him; I do not why but I always have said that there are no friends in this world, the unique one was Uriel. Now I do not have him, I do not have a shoulder to cry on. I know that with crying he will not go back next to me, so I have to stop crying. I really miss him… Uriel, my angel, I really need you. Now it is time to let you go… Rest in peace my dear friend… I love you!
