An ex-anglocentric reader

A couple of months ago I created a reading list and I quickly came up with 30 books I want to read (now the list has gone extremely long!). I also realized that my knowledge of literature was basically anglocentric, not that I was an avid reader anyway (which is changing now). But in that list, though it first started to be filled with anglobooks, I made it polyglot: a couple of books in SP, PT and FR will be coming up.

So I just started reading off that list and I am on my third book now. I'm really excited and looking forward to filling up my little shelve with tons of books but mainly excited about all that I will be reading!

Spanglish by Ilan Stavans

This is such a great book!

20 facts about me

1. I love travelling.
2. I am an extrovert and an out-of-the-ordinary person.
3. I speak four languages (up to now, 2014): English, Spanish, Portuguese, French.
4. I am an interpreter.
5. J.S. Bach is my favourite composer.
6. My hair is curly and I love it. When I was little, I did not know how to deal with my hair, and hence I did not like it. Now, I love it: it is easy to comb, and if I want it straight I can have it.
7. I tend to write without contractions (in English). After immersing myself into the Cambridge English exams world, I had to get used to not using contractions, and now I just do so.
8. I am a terrible dancer.
9. I love my family.
10. I do not like coffee.
11. I am learning to play the guitar.
12. I once played the piano as a child, and regret having quit.
13. I like wearing dresses.
14. Jane Austen is my favourite writer.
15. I wear glasses, I have been tempted to wear contacts, and have I have thought about getting the laser surgery.
16. I lived in Thailand and loved it. I lived in Brazil and loved it. I lived in Canada and loved it. Now I am in Mexico and would love to live abroad.
17. I am vegetarian.
18. I would love to travel to Africa one day.
19. I play violin, viola, and timpani.
20. I love petrichor–the smell of rain.

One Person Who Has Had a Positive Impact on My Life

It may be a cliché to say that mothers are the most influential people in one’s life; however, I believe it has a lot of truth in it. My mom has had far beyond a positive impact on my life. She has been a role model, and example and my encouragement at all times.

My mother has gone through a lot of tough moments, but that has not stopped her from achieving her goals and setting new ones. At a very young age she was sent to a boarding school because my grandmother believed that to be the best for my mom. However, very soon they discovered that the school fees were out of their possibilities, so my mom had to work hard to pay for her education. That made her learn the importance of working.

When my mother finished high school, my grandmother persuaded my mom to go back home because they could not afford a private university for her. Nevertheless, my mom decided to risk it and work hard to get the education she was dreaming of. The result: she finished her undergraduate degree with honors.

I recall being a child and seeing my mom going through her master’s program as well as working part time and taking care of my brother and me; all that, of course, with help from my dad. She knew she wanted to continue with graduate education and she did it. Then it came the time for her docotral degree. It took her a longer time due to some health problems, but with determination and lots of prayers she finished it. I was very proud of her, and I still am, because that was just the beginning of a new stage in her life. She did not finish there; now she is committed to research and continues pursuing more goals in her professional life. She has set the goal very high herself, and that has made me think that I should not settle for less.

Also, her determination to change her lifestyle made a great impact on my own lifestyle. After three months of a very aggressive health treatment to try to eradicate a stomach illness, she decided to give a 180º shift to her life. She became vegan, started to do more regular exercise and be more careful in her eating habits. She had already stopped eating red meat a while before this decision, but this time was radical and she was convinced it was the best for her health. Now, apart from not eating meat and dairy products, she does not eat greater portions of food than what her body requires and her meals are well balanced. These are just some examples of what she does to take care of herself and her body.

More than the change she made on her diet, what awes me the most is her perseverance. Ever since, she has not given up a single time, and she encourages people to be more careful with their bodies and their health. Without any pressure, but rather by example, she helped me decide to do something for my own health.

Most importantly, she has influenced the way I see things in life, especially the difficulties. She always tells me to look at the positive side of things. That is one of her mottos, to be positive and to always find the good side of every situation. Whenever I feel sad, tired of trying or disappointed, she tells me to keep it up and to be positive. That has helped me to go through a lot of troubles and apparent failures.

So, I know there is no need to go far back in time or far away to a foreign land in order to find one of my heroes. She is right there, within my very own family.

This text was first written for one of my classes, but wanted to post it here.

"Dancing with him"

Here it is a text I just wrote at my English Composition class today. It is the first time I try a personification, so I know there are better ways to do it. However, since I was very content with the outcome, here it is.

"Dancing with him"

He started speaking to me as if he wanted me to know that he was pouring his emotions all to me. The moment he struck the first note of that old song, I felt he was whispering to my ear.

All of a sudden, the auditorioum seemed empty as if it was only him and I. Then I closed my eyes and started dancing with him. He was right there, beside me, his right arm around my waist and his left arm holding my arm.

His voice is deep, but sensual. Every time he tells me something, every time we dance together, or just every time he sings to me, I feel as if he is seducing me with his sweet deep voice.

Then I open my eyes again, to the sound of a crowd congratulating me after playing my cello. That is when I realize that the sound of this beautiful instrument makes me travel and think is a handsome young man by my side.