City tour for Santiago

If I had to recommend someone a city tour for Santiago, I would say to go to these places: 

First, I would start the journey early in the morning going to Parque Bicentenario. This green area, located in Vitacura, is ideal to start the day doing sports, walking your pet or breakfast on the grass with a loved person. There is also a pond, they walk some flamingos, along with games and lots of trees. It should be one of the most beautiful parts of the capital and also one of the quietest and safest areas. Perfect for charging of good energy and breathe some fresh air, a luxury among such pollution.

At noon, to kill hunger recommend the Tirso de Molina. This is a large shopping center, two floors, located in the neighborhood of Cal y Canto, steps from the metro station of the same name. Although it's also located near the Mercado Central, I am inclined by Tirso because there live people of many countries (peruvians, colombians, haitians, dominicans, etc.) and on the second floor sells typical food from their countries and Chilean dishes, all very delicious. In addition, on the first floor it's a kind of fair, sold vegetables, fruits and much more. It's one of my favorite places in Santiago, I always go with my girlfriend to eat there.

After lunch, the tour continues with a walk through the historic center of Santiago. After a short break in the Plaza de Armas and tourist attractions nearby, invite them to walk to the palace of La Moneda and then the two hills in this city: Santa Lucía and San Cristóbal. The first one is smaller and does not have great appeal, but it is a very nice, with a beautiful view of the city. The second, however, has a zoo, two swimming pools, a cable car and much more.

To rest after all that, I would say go to Las Tejas. This is a restaurant located on San Diego street, near the Alameda and steps from the station Universidad de Chile subway. This place serves the best terremotos in Santiago, a typical chilean alcoholic beverage. I disagree with those who say that the best are in La Piojera, another restaurant visited by tourists. If they say that is because they have never been to Las Tejas. Nothing better.

And the evening would end the day with a visit to Barrio Lastarria. It sets near the subway station Universidad Católica and is a very beautiful place to visit at night. It has a great nightlife, and can be found there from cinemas, cafes, theaters and bookstores. All very bohemian, clean and sophisticated. It's a neighborhood as european city. It has nothing to envy to Paris or London, very pretty.

My future job

Although I study Public Administration, I don’t want to work in the public sector. Or maybe yes, but for a short time. Just to raise money and find a better job or study a master. In this case, I prefer to work in a small government institution as a municipality or something like that. The reason for this is I rather work directly with people, really helping to change and improve their lives. In huge institutions you have to work in a small process without contact with people, without knowing the impact of their actions.

But if I could choose, I would work in an editorial or something related to books, like a library or a bookstore. I prefer my work to be in a closed but great place. I don’t want to feel suffocated by working in a small place.

Undoubtedly, after university I will like to make a master in Philosophy or Literature. In the best case, I would be a university professor. I don’t know if I would like to travel a lot. I prefer to settle in one place and be happy in it. I think I don’t like to will have to travel around the world without rest or without a stable place to live.

About salary, I don’t care so much. Where I finish work, I just hope to earn enough to live without luxuries. I do not agree with that idea successfully installed in the unconscious of people. It is inconceivable the possibility of failure and the way forward is to buy an apartment, a car and have a huge garden. At the end become slaves of money and work. I don't want that, it's too superficial. I am content to never stop learning, I think that would make me happy.

My semester

My semester was very tiring. In university I had many matters I don't like, very technical, and it made my energies were consumed. In addition, the suspension of academic activities made me feel on vacation and back to the class meant a small trauma for me. 

On other things, one of the greatest things of this semester was Publicaciones Ornitorrinco. This, as I said in an earlier post, is a project that I started with some friends. It consists in a plataform on Facebook and Wordpress, and we publish literary and academic creations, of people who voluntarily submitted.

Winter holiday plans

In winter holiday I think I will not travel. It has been a busy semester and all I want is to rest. But if I had to choose a place to go I would go to Chiloe as last year and observe, for second time, the beautiful landscapes of this huge island. The South of Chile is always a nice place to travel for a few days. However, as I said, in this time I prefer to rest in my house with my family, with company of my girlfriend, my cat and a couple of good books.

I also take a moment to see some friends I have not seen for a long time. Perhaps we meet at a party or around a table, talking and laughing as always.

Of course, winter evenings are always more enjoyable when they are with someone else. With my girlfriend Victoria we will see some series and movies that have outstanding and go out to eat something delicious: pizza, sushi, chinese and thai food.

For this winter holiday I don't have thought about working. A few days ago i bought on a website Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and they sent him from Mexico. I'm thinking read it, although it's very long. I have in mind some book of Michel Houellebecq, a french writter that I love, and one of Ernest Hemingway, a classic of always.

Until another time. A hug.

My favorite technological object

My favourite object is my IPad. I have it more than two years ago. It was a gift from my dad for Christmas 2013, because I did well in college and I passed all my subjects. I use it regularly, almost every day, to read the texts of the classes, review the power points and check my e-mail. Also, in my free time I use it for play and distract, for example to check my Facebook. I like it because it has many functions, many applications can be downloaded and take pictures. I can use it to study both to play and watch series. Addition, its design is small and comfortable, I can carry to every places. My life without this object would normal and I would have to use my computer more often, not terrible but is less comfortable.

A beautiful peruvian girl

This photograph was taken by me, in the village of Santa Teresa, near Machu Picchu. Maybe picture is very simple, it shows a small peruvian girl smiling at the camera. However, it has great sentimental value for me, because that photo was taken during my trip to Peru with my girlfriend Victoria: my first time outside of Chile. The smile of that child summarizes the best that Peru has, which is your people. For every place you pass someone smiles at you or offers delicious dishes. In our three-week tour, we met the cities of Tacna, Arequipa, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puno, the main tourist sites of southern Peru. It was a wonderful trip.

That picture was taken when we returned on foot from the ruins of Machu Picchu. In addition to the fatigue of the previous days, we were so exhausted after walking for three hours along the last stretch of the rail line that runs from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, a tiny village located at the foot of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of world. We walked that path carrying our heavy backpacks, in hot weather and difficulty stepping between stones and rails.

A van picked us up at the Hidroeléctrica, which ended the walk, and left us in Santa Teresa. There, they said, we would be waiting another vehicle to leave us in Cusco. It did not happen. We hope a long time in Santa Teresa, without really knowing what would happen to us. We were tired, angry and excited, when suddenly appears that beautiful girl, with a bent old woman and a puppy. She sat shyly at one end of the long bench where we were sitting and looked at us askance. As looked so pretty, I went and told him that he would take a photo. He was very embarrassed, but it was only a moment, it caught my camera, smiled and your image stayed in my memory as one of the most beautiful moments, the simplest of all, during our journey through the beautiful country of Peru.

Three things I love

I can say that I love three things: my girlfriend, my cat and writing. Writing is the most irrelevant among them. But it's my favorite hobby and I would like to tell you about it.

I write during a great part of my time. I especially love writing stories. However, I also write poems and papers for university. I discovered my passion for writing about seven years ago, when I left school. Since then I write periodically, with periods when I write a lot and other nothing. In fact, almost two months ago, I created with my friends a page where we publish writings of anyone. His name is Publicaciones Ornitorrinco and has, in this moment, more than 80 contributions of all kind. We also publish some things. I am very happy to see how people are motivated to write. I see in all a great nead to tell your experiencies and his testimony about events that marked your life. Even a person told how she was raped by one of your classmates. This story struck us all.

Ornitorrinco motivates me, especially because it encourages others also write.

The concept of politics in Hannah Arendt

The study of Public Administration needs a politics study. Meanwhile, a vision of politics is based on basic philosophical ideas, like what is the best form of government or the more just political system. This is the responsibility of political philosophy, reflecting on these things, asking the same questions since Socrates and Plato. 

Hannah Arendt, german political theorist, has a special look about politics. She sees politics as the most perfect human activity, in which we get the excellence and the human condition. The public space, for Arendt, is place of liberty. The action and speech always start something new.

Arendt is thinking a world against totalitarian governments. Absolute power led men to the extreme in the concentration camps, almost to animality, and killed millions of people. They banned the political dimension of humans.

For Arendt it’s politics, language and living in community what distinguishes humans. She uses as an example the idea of politics of the ancient greeks. They met in the agora to discuss and talk about problems of the polis. In this space they were all same to participate, but different to express their point of view. However, was a slave city. Only a few participate in politics: the aristocrats. In addition, women and metics were excluded. This is the biggest problem of greek democracy and makes it impossible today.

However, Arendt opposed to representative democracy and prefers direct democracy, with citizens organized in assemblies, where everyone has a voice. Arendt books are calling to reclaim public space and exercise of politics. It is our mission to create a democracy based on participation, in the power of people and a new meaning of politics.

My dreams as a child

As a child I want to study dinosaurs, to be something like a paleontologist. I also wanted to be and astronaut, and study the stars, galaxies, planets and all the mysteries that hides the universe. Like almost all childrens also wanted to be a footballer. I played everyday with my friends of the neighborhood and my idol was Marcelo Salas, which at that time was the scorer of my favorite team.

Over the years I discovered my love for History and also by reading. My options of careers, for the same reason, at the moment of enter to university, were Archeology, Journalism, Law and of course, History. Finally, I went to study History, as told in the previous entry of my blog. That lasted only three years. Then I chose to study Public Administration in the same university. 

My experience in the university was been excelente. I have many friends and I have lived very good moments. I would like to work in any good institution of State, and then study a master or doctorate.

Little story of my life

Hi. My name is Bastián Pérez Pavez, I'm 24 years old and I was born in Santiago, Chile, on September 30. I lived all my life in this city, with my parents, sisters and my cat. I was a quiet child and I liked to read books about planets and dinosaurs.

Throughout my life I have studied at two schools: in first place, Villa Jesus school and, after, the Manuel Arriarán Barros lyceum. I was always a good student and my favorite subject was always History. For this reason I decided to study the career of History in University of Chile. It is a beautiful  career, with great teachers. But I had doubts about workplace so I studied for only three years and then I left. I went to study Public Administration next year, 2013. It was a happy decision. I love what I study. In their classrooms I met my girlfiend, Victoria. I love her with all my love.

My two preferred things

Hi. I want to tell you about my two preferred things. Before, however, I have to talk of me. My name is Bastián and I was born in Santiago, the capital city of my country, Chile. I lived all my life in this city with my family: Cristian, my dad; Jacqueline, my mom; Hayleen and Alexandra, my sisters; and Isaura, my cat. I study in the University of Chile, the career of Public Administration.

Well, for not be boring, I go to the point. In first place, one of my preferred things is read books. Kafka, Dostoiesvky, Hemingway, Hesse and Faulkner are some of my favorite writters. That explains the name of my blog. In that sense, one of my dreams is to become a writer. Therefore, I have other blog, in spanish. It's very difficult write thoughts and ideas, presenting them as funny and entertaining stories.

To be continued...

My other blog: https://entrecertezasyantinomias.wordpress.com/