Online learning modality

THURSDAY 31TH AUGUST 2023. 20:29

Hey! Hello! How are you doing? I am really glad that you are here again to read my post. Today, I will talk about the online learning modality. I am really sure that is something you are familiar with. As you know in recent years we have been studying online because of the coronavirus outbreak and recently because of the "Juegos Centroamericanos y del Caribe." I know that the beginning of the online learning modality was extremely difficult since we were accustomed to onsite courses. In fact, it was a big change for us college students who never imagined we were going to take courses online. If we talk about online learning modality, we have to mention the advantages and disadvantages of this modality, so I will mention some of them.

Let's begin talking about the inconveniences of online learning modality. (WARNING! Everything that I will mention here is based on my own experience and my own perspective, so you do not need to agree with me on all the points I will touch on and discuss. Feel free to leave your comments.) 

First, online modality had a negative impact on my physical health. Some years ago, I had a spinal cord injury, so spending hours and hours sitting in front of the computer made the pain in my back increase a lot. Last year, I had to get treatment to relieve the pain because I wasn't able to sit for many hours. Thankfully, the treatment I got helped me a lot. This was expensive, but I do not regret having spent money on it.  It was a chiropractic treatment where the doctor moved the bones that were in the wrong position (yes, it was satisfying when I heard my bones snap and move to the correct position) Now, I am doing much better with my spinal cord. Yes, I know I try not to sit for so long and I try to take some breaks and stretch my back to reduce pain. Besides the pain in my back, I usually get eye strain whenever I am working on my laptop. Literally, I do everything on my laptop from looking for information to writing and reading, but whenever I can, I print the material we have to study (I know, it can be expensive to spend money on it, but it is much better studying and reading physical materials.) I remember that last semester my right eye became red and hurt a lot because I had spent many hours in front of the computer and I was not able to use it for about three days. 

Another disadvantage is that this modality affected my mental health. Being at home every day for many months caused me social anxiety. I felt anxious whenever I was taking my online courses, and it was a horrible experience. For example, I remember taking the course Reading and Conversation II in which I couldn't participate as I wanted in the speaking practice because I always had a trembling voice, sweaty hands, and a fast heartbeat whenever I turned on the microphone to speak. (Fortunately, I overcame that anxiety of online courses. Now, I am not afraid of talking and participating). 

A final downside of the online learning modality is that I easily get distracted. Since I am at home, the littlest noise can distract me. Let me tell you that here at home my family is always making noise (for instance, they listen to the radio, they watch television, or my siblings fight for no reason). Now, I will say that I can concentrate and study even though there is background noise. I guess I am already accustomed to it. 

On the other hand, I consider that studying online has many advantages for students. To begin with, we have access to information and course materials whenever we want. Thanks to technology, we can take our courses fast and easily. I know that in the beginning, it was a little complicated because we had never used platforms like Classroom, Google Meet, or Schoology, but now we are experts using these websites. I really like online modality since I can access the internet whenever I do not understand a topic we are studying. Believe me, the internet has been my best friend in recent years. I love YouTube as I can find valuable information useful to practice my foreign languages. For example, when I was taking the English and French pronunciation course, I found a channel where professors taught you how to correctly produce and articulate English and French sounds. Of course, we also have the opportunity to review and check the recorded classes. 

In addition to that, I would also say that with the online learning modality, I have avoided traffic jams. I am sure that you will agree with me that the worst part of onsite courses is traveling in crowded and noisy buses and being stuck in a traffic jam for one or two hours. I remember once I traveled for around two hours by public transportation to arrive at the university just for the teacher to send us an email saying he was not going to be able to give the course. I mean with online modality, you can get up to ten minutes before the class starts without worrying about being late to the classroom. You can even have breakfast while taking classes, so I feel really comfortable taking online courses.   

Finally, I think that the online learning modality allows me to have better time management. Yes, I know that most of us travel four or five hours on public transport. Valuable hours we could spend studying and reviewing our course materials. Without mentioning that after hours and hours in public buses, you end up exhausted and come back home to rest and recover from your mental and physical fatigue. Fortunately, with online courses, I have more free time to do other things that are not related to college. I have more time to spend on my favorite hobbies. 

To conclude, online learning modality has changed the way students take traditional courses. It is clear that online learning modality can present many disadvantages for students because it can affect their physical and mental health, or they may not have the appropriate environment to take their courses. However, it is undeniably important to highlight the benefits of studying online like easy and fast information retrieval, fewer traffic congestion, and much more free time. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog! I really appreciate it! Let me know in the comments what you think about the online learning modality. I will be more than glad to read your comments. I hope you enjoyed reading it! 

High School.

WEDNESDAY 23TH AUGUST 2023. 20:00

Hello again!. I am really glad that you are here to read my post. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Today, I will tell you about the experiences I had when I was in high school. 

Later on, you will understand why I put this picture at the beginning. Yes, I will talk about food. I hope that you are not hungry right now. 😂

First of all, I studied at the "Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger" which is located in Cojutepeque, Cuscatlán. Let me tell you that when I was in school I wasn't quite sure what I was going to study in high school, but luckily there were many options from which I chose the most interesting field. I studied vocational technical baccalaureate in dairy and meat. I will tell you more about it so you have a better idea because it may be the first time you hear about this baccalaureate. This is based on the production of dairy and meat products, microbiological and nutritional knowledge of dairy and meat foods, application of the regulations of the food industry, management of instruments and machinery in dairy and meat areas, etc. During all the courses we took, we learned to make dairy products like ice cream (which was my favorite), cheese, and yogurt along with meat products like chorizos, sausages, ham, and mortadella. Besides that, I learned a lot about food processing and preservation, manufacturing techniques, and machinery handling like the stuffer, grinder, ice cream machine, and vacuum packing machine. 

Stuffer

Grinder

I also learned about the ingredients, preservatives (just to clarify "preservative" is a chemical used to preserve food against decay), and processes by which dairy and meat products are made. For example, we learned to make chorizos which are made of ground pork, soy, spices (paprika, chili, garlic, onion, cilantro, and parsley), vinegar along with preservatives like salt, nitrates, or sodium erythorbate. Now, I will tell you more about the process of making chorizos at the Planta de Alimentos. First, before we start, we wash our hands and boots carefully. Then, we have to make sure that we disinfect all the surfaces of the areas where we will work. To do this, we will prepare a 100-parts-per-million chlorine solution for walls, floors, and tables and a 50-parts-per-million chlorine solution for utensils and vegetables. Once we have completed this process, we prepare all the utensils that we use (for example, knives, machines, pans, chopping boards, etc.) and we start to cut the meat and vegetables into fine pieces. We also use a weight scale to measure the rest of the ingredients. After that, we mix everything together to grind and start to stuff the chorizo mix using nylon to tie them. Finally, we put them in the refrigerator for around three days and they are ready to cook and taste. (That was a very simplified explanation of the process because it is longer and more complicated.)

Me and my classmates at the Planta de Alimentos. 

FRIDAY 25TH AUGUST 2023. 8:00

In addition to that, when I was in high school I made wonderful friends who I still keep in touch with. I mean I'm not in contact with all of them, but I still hang out with my best friends. In fact, I don't know how most of my high school classmates are doing since I lost contact with them many years ago. I have not seen them since I graduated five years ago and I do not know if they are studying, working, or living abroad. I just know that some of them already got married and have kids and others are working or studying. Honestly, I do not have much information about them, but I am still in touch with my best friend whose name is Erika Jacinto, and whom I met in high school. We have a wonderful friendship as we share similar interests and hobbies. She is one of my favorite people in the world; that is why, I will make sure that our friendship lasts forever. Unfortunately, as both of us are studying at the university, we do not have much time to hang out, but whenever we have some free time, we have lunch or go shopping together. Well, let me tell you more about my dear friend. She is studying for a bachelor's degree in Legal Sciences at the Pedagogical University. I am utterly glad because she is also in her last year of college, so we will both finish our studies this year. Yeah, it means that we will celebrate our achievements together. 💖 I really love my friend because I feel she is the only one who understands me, the one who knows me best, with whom I can share everything, spend time, and have fun together.

To conclude, before you go, I would also like to share some of the activities I did when I was studying in high school. I performed my social service in Cojutepeque at the "Embutidos La Española" (let me know if you have ever tried its products) where I learned to make chorizos and sausages ("butifarras" and "salchichón"). Moreover, I did some practice in the microbiology Laboratory at the Catholic University of El Salvador. 

Here I will show you more pictures of the Planta de Alimentos del Instituto Nacional Walter Thilo Deininger. 

That was it for today. I hope that you enjoyed reading it. Leave your comments. I will be more than glad to read them.

 

Let the writing begins.

Wednesday 16th August 2023. 19:00

Hello there. I hope you are doing well. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. So, WELCOME to my blog and I really hope you enjoy it! 

INTRODUCING MYSELF

Honestly, I am not used to writing, but I think I may be a good writer. Anyways, I will try my best for you to fully understand everything that I will tell you about. Here, in my blog, I will write about all the topics I like the most. 💗😏I think it is great that we can write about what we like because I feel that when we are asked to write about a specific topic that is mandatory, the words do not come easily to our minds nor do we find the inspiration, so writing about our interests is much better and funnier. In my case, throughout this semester, I will tell you more about myself (personal experiences like funny, sad, or painful moments I have lived 😖) and I will talk about my favorite music, movies, books, and podcasts. I will also tell you about other topics that I am interested in such as technology, economy, education, health, medicine, history, foreign languages, etc. Since it is possible to share pictures and videos, I will also share with you some of the pictures and videos I like. 🙈 I promise you that with me you will have fun and you will like to read my publications or at least I hope so. hahaha 😂

First of all, let me introduce myself. I know that maybe most of you already know me, but I will tell you more about myself. Well, my name is Iliana Ivette Rauda Hernández. Wait!. Before giving you more details, let me tell you something funny (I do not know if it is funny or sometimes it is a little awkward😂) about the spelling of my name. Most of the time, people misspell my name because they are not quite sure how to write it when I say it. Most of them will spell my first name like this: Ileana or Liliana and my second one: Iveth or Ibeth. It does not bother me how they spell it, but sometimes it can be sort of complicated, for example, when I have to get some important documents (that is why I always make sure that my name is spelled correctly). So, do not call me Liliana. Just kidding!. 😂 Leave a comment if something similar happens to you. 

Concerning my family, I have two siblings. I have a brother who is older than me. He is studying at the University of El Salvador in the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy. I also have a sister who is younger than me. Although I am older than her, people tell me that I am the youngest in my family because I look younger for my age. In fact, people do not believe that I am 23 years old. They say I am eighteen or nineteen years old. (Should I worry about it or should I feel blessed for eternal youth? 😂) For example, when I go alone to the hospital, doctors ask me If I came with my mom or dad, but I tell them "no, I am already an adult." hahahah 😅 It is sort of funny though. 

Besides that, I live in Cojutepeque (La Ciudad de los Chorizos) which is a really well-known city in Cuscatlán because of its chorizos and the sanctuary of Fatima´s Virgin. So, I truly recommend you to visit my city. I am really sure you will love it. Now, let me tell you more about this popular sanctuary. Here you have a pic of it. 

 

It is a religious place dedicated to the Fátima´s virgin, where devotees make pilgrimages or prayers for the intersection of a miracle or because they want to thank her for something they receive from God (I'll show you a wall full of thanks for her intersection). Many people come to this place, especially, on the 13th of May, which is the date when catholic devotees celebrate the appearance of the Virgin in Fátima, Portugal. 

Thursday 17th August 2023. 20:00 

If you are not a religious person, you can still visit this beautiful place. I will mention other activities you can do in the Cerro de las Pavas. For example, you can appreciate the stunning view of Ilopango Lake from there (Yes, I will add some pics later), you can eat typical sweets, you can go to the restaurant "El Soñador", you can go hiking, or you can just spend some time in the middle of the nature, enjoying the view and the chilly weather. (It sounds great, doesn´t it?) In my case, me and my family usually go to this place on weekends. We really enjoy spending time together there. I hope you can visit it someday as well. (If you visit this place, do not forget to buy a souvenir). 😌💗

After this short advertisement, I will tell you more about myself. As you already know I am studying in the foreign language department at the University of El Salvador. I am really proud of myself because I am going to finish my college studies really soon (I am really sure that you are proud of yourself as well, you should be). It has been absolutely difficult to get to this point in the major, but I have enjoyed this journey. It has been a great experience because I got to know many amazing people there. I have met good friends, teachers, and classmates. Besides learning languages, I have other interests like listening to music and podcasts. I usually listen to alternative rock, pop, and electronic music. 🎵 My favorite songs are In the End, Lost, With You, and others. Let me tell you some of the podcasts I usually listen to: "Les pieds sur terre", "Transfert" "Émotions", "BBC News", "Nature", "The Moth", etc. My favorite podcasts are ones about real-life stories. I love listening to the life experiences of strangers. I consider it a good way to understand people better because it really helps you to see and experience life from a different perspective. Through these stories, you can realize how different life can be depending on your social background, location, religion, or beliefs, so I recommend you to listen to the podcasts I just mentioned above. I am really sure that you will enjoy them as much as I do. 💖😎

Friday 18th August 2023. 8:00

In addition to that, I use social media almost every day (okay, yes, you caught me, I actually use them every day). My favorite one is Facebook because I love watching videos and posts on interesting pages like TV5monde, Ecorevolución, Nation, National Geographic, etc. After that, I use WhatsApp where I receive tons of messages (yes, from our university groups, the only ones I receive every day 😢), but I still like it a lot because it is really easy and fast to send messages, videos, images or documents. I have a Twitter account too but rarely do I use it. I even think I already forgot the email and the password. The last social media but not the least important is YouTube which I love a lot. You can literally learn whatever thing you want by watching amazing videos other people have created. The amount of information that we can find on the Internet and how easy it is to access it is amazing.

I try to practice foreign languages on a daily basis since I consider I need to improve as much as possible, so whenever I use social media I make sure I use it in English or in French. I seldom listen to music, read books, or watch videos in Spanish. If I want to learn something new or look for some information on the Internet, I do it in a foreign language. Being able to understand and speak three languages is already a huge advantage we have (don´t you think?) because we have the ability to immerse ourselves in a new culture, meet new people, read research that is not available in our native tongue, and many other advantages, so feel proud of yourself!!. 

That was a little bit of myself. I hope that now you get to know me a little bit more. Sure, I will tell you more about myself later because I have so many things to share with you. 😊

Well, I really hope you enjoyed reading my post. I'm sorry if I didn't make myself understood or if I forgot some details. I promise I will improve my writing for you to understand everything.