My name is Edit, and I am Peruvian-American. I was born in Peru and grew up in Lima, the capital of Peru. I moved to San Francisco, California in 2004. Two months ago, I comeback to Peru for a short time, and I am living here. I have spent a fair amount of time visiting Machu Pichu, my favorite place in the world.

 I am doing some coursework in Spanish and Latin- American Studies.  My aspiration is to have a fulfilling life where, when I get 70 years old and I look back I can feel happy with my choices I did in life. This is one of the reasons why I am planning to concentrate in Cognitive Psychology, I love to learn about how people think, perceive and learn.  

I have to say that since I was a child, I have been interested in becoming an artist. In the past, I did many plays in my school and community. I really had good time doing those public performing and also I wrote my own songs. However, due to all sorts of family issues, I changed my mind and decided to pursue a career in the psychology field.

I do not have much Internet surfing experience, but I hope to learn a lot from this course and to get the necessary skills to start a personal project next semester. One of my goals for this semester is to further my knowledge of Internet.

 I enjoy writing short novels and essays, although I am not good at it. Also, I like many different types of music, Rock, Pop, Classical and especially Latin music like salsa and  Merengue. My passions include reading, dancing, sleeping and playing volleyball, but I would say that the most significant thing about me is my desire to spend my life working hard to make a tiny difference in the life of people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently, I am working in a Peruvian Nonprofit that supports older people affected by HIV and AIDS and improves older people's access to health services.

 Free writing about the decoration of my room

If I imagine now my room, I will change everything starting from the decoration to the furniture. First, I will use a better and high speed computer like a Mac. Then, I will create a different atmosphere by buying some candles and oil essences to give a sensual and peaceful mood around my bedroom. I will buy a bigger bed and place it close to my wall because I share it with my husband now. My album of photos that I love, I will keep it on my nightstand close to me because there are all my souvenirs and pictures from my trips. I will buy another big and modern desk with many windows, and I will place under it the whole collection of Psychology books I have now. I will still paint it same color as it used to be because one of my favorite colors is pink, but I do not know what my husband would say about that. He has to agree on that. Probably, I will put away much stuff like all my old books, CDs and college notes that are there. I will buy a nice and flat TV and I will place it in front of my window and a book shelter will be just beside it my desk.

My  adolescense's room

I remember my adolescence house that was in the downtown of Lima near to the Capital of Peru. My bedroom was on the 2st floor of that house. It was a small bedroom with white walls and cute decoration, and at the same time, it had a sunny balcony. I used to spend most of my childhood’s nights there with my girlfriends from my neighborhood and school’s mates. We liked to feel the dark and cold beautiful nights and look at the big and bright starts. We talked about many topics for long time. On the right was my desk where I also spent long time studying and listening romantic music. There were two big windows on the left where I used to escape to the neighbor parties and do exercise on the parks with my girlfriends at very early times when I was fourteen. On the center there was my shelf with a lot of books, video games, dramatic films and many fashioned clothes. My small computer was next to my bed, and it was one of my best friends when I was teenager. In my small and complete computer, I used to watch movies, do my homework and play games. Honestly, I did not use the TV that my sister bought to me because I did have everything included in my computer.
 My bed was very comfortable with many white and soft pillows and they used to smell to lavender. It was a wooden bed queen size bed. It also had two nightstands around the bed, and one dresser with many drawers where I used to put my dolls and toys. My blanket was very useful for the cold winter’s nights. I loved that blanket because the smell of that blanket was sweet and especial to me. It used to make me think in the chocolates my sister used to give on my birthdays and other special occasions. When I was in my room, I used to read magazines, books, tales and hanging out with my girlfriends while reading them. We really had fun together. One of them was very shy and we used to scare her all the time just for fun. I have always enjoyed my room because it has always been my favorite room of my house because it described so many aspects of my personality and childhood’s life. 

My fevorite toy

When I was 8, I had a doll named “Give me a kiss”. It was my favorite toy because I could carry her everywhere in my backpack. While I was in elementary school, I liked to play with her and my girlfriends. It was special to me because it was a gift from my brother. I used to go camping in my school, and I often took her with me on my camping trips because with her I did not feel lonely. She was a beautiful doll with a sweet face, big black eyes and real eyelashes. Give me a kiss had her hair black azabache color as well. When someone did not want to receive her kiss, she used to cry with real tears and wet the cheeks of everyone who was able to receive her kisses. She was a slender and small cute doll that stole my heart when I was a child. She was about 3 inches and had many nice clothes that I made to her with my own hands. She used batteries to kiss and do pee and I put water into her to cry. I seem to remember that she could cry as well, and it had a series of electronic devices that made her a really complete doll. She used to keep me busy frequently because I did not want to leave her never in my home or school. I wanted to be with my doll everyday and at any moment during the day. I really liked very much my doll.

While listening the song “Listen to your heart” performing by Roxette, I remembered some events from my honey moon in New York. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I have many pictures about it with my husband. We had a great time eating, dancing and visiting very interesting and amazing places. Since that day I loved the United States, and I told my husband that I would love to live there, but at that time, we did not know that we will move one day to North America. I think it was a kind of future augur that we were not aware of. On that trip, something unusual happened, the day we have to visit the Statue of Liberty from a hotel in Manhattan, I woke up late and we lost the boat cruise and the tickets. My husband could not believe that I missed that exciting quick trip. Anyway we spent a lot of good time in the Time Square which is extremely stunning at night. We also had fun in the mystical and unforgettable Chinatown. We took many pictures in the city of New York enjoyed and walked around the skyscrapers.

The most incredible and unforgettable experience was in a disco from Miami, Florida where at first we could not get in because the safeguards thought that I was under the age of 21. We laughed in that moment because I was twenty four at that time. They did not let me in until I showed to them my passport. It was a very funny experience really.

The memories of an old woman who have lost her husband


Her hopes and expectations of growing as a woman have come back to her life today, but everyone around this old woman with a rough appearance that shows her lack of interest for life are given her compassion. They are trying to help and support her in her grief, but Rosaline is not sad anymore. Instead, the frustration and anger she feels now is product of those tortuous years of marriage, and of course, they are reflected in her very blue and vague crystal eyes and no enthusiastic face. Her memories of the most beautiful years of her life that are gone and will never come back to her join in her fragile heart today. After everyone from her house is gone, this is a perfect moment to feel depressing and lonely in her small wood house that is placed in an isolated place far away from the suburbs, Rosaline says to herself. For a while, she instead sees all the colorful and satisfying days of her life before getting married, after that the only lights she can remember were the moon’s lights during the very dark and cold nights and violent daymares that used to woke up her during the days and years her marriage lasted. For the first time, today, after several years of mistreatment, the night that was dark one day is becoming white and brilliant to her. She can inhale the smell of freedom and her eyes blue and crystal are shinning for first time. All her frustrations and sufferings seem to be reaching to its ending today. The feelings and senses of life which gives pleasure, give happiness are still unknown experiences to her because she feels like a baby exploring a new world and meeting intense emotions. The happiness and peace have decided to visit Rosaline today, and they are advising her to put out all kinds of tensions and stress of marriage away from her mind and body. They seem to be saying “Let yourself be my dear Rosaline”. At the moment, she heard it from her friends, the happiness and peace, there was an explosion in her own inner self and a powerful illumination in her mind and heart. Now, her vision of the world is clearer, and a natural and wonderful landscape is approaching to Rosaline’s imagination. Her life has changed and she sees the present time most opportune for a realization in her nature as a woman and to achieve her life's most important matters like truly love and sex which will not only help her to have a happy life but also allow her to live a peaceful and satisfied life. This new beginning has replenished her empty old spirit, and she sees her new start as a heaven where she can live for herself only. In this heaven or landscape, there is not more personal and social obligation like used to be in that hell, but there is a commitment with “Mr. Freedom” to both live her own life and remain single for the rest of her time in the earth if she wants. Rosaline’s vision today is of two clouds but one is resting along the swan mountain and the other cloud is ready to enjoy the goods of life. She says to herself, this is the moment I had been waiting for, ever since I got married, forty years ago, and the fresh and dry air of the mountains is steaming around me and I can feel the breeze of the rivers across my fatigued body and foot fingers and cheeks. Everything around her was new and perfect over the night. She also sees a purpose and mission in this new paradise where the leaves of the trees of sorrow do not exist anymore but trees of life with abundant health and cero violence are everywhere. In this heaven, the water is pure and crystal and the river that look like tears are of life instead, and they flow reaching the eternal happiness in her weak heart, and Rosaline finally tries to keep her spirit alive to enjoy it. Suddenly, she see herself recovering the years lost and takes this opportunity to bring to the surface her true self. 

A story of an old woman whose violent husband has just died.




Her hopes and expectations of growing as a woman have come back to her life today, but everyone around this old woman with a rough appearance that shows her lack of interest for life are given her compassion. They are trying to help and support her in her grief, but Rosaline is not sad anymore. Instead, the frustration and anger she feels now is product of those tortuous years of marriage, and of course, they are reflected in her very blue and vague crystal eyes and no enthusiastic face. Her memories of the most beautiful years of her life that are gone and will never come back to her join in her fragile heart today. After everyone from her house is gone, this is a perfect moment to feel depressing and lonely in her small wood house that is placed in an isolated place far away from the suburbs, Rosaline says to herself. For a while, she instead sees all the colorful and satisfying days of her life before getting married, after that the only lights she can remember were the moon’s lights during the very dark and cold nights and violent daymares that used to woke up her during the days and years her marriage lasted. For the first time, today, after several years of mistreatment, the night that was dark one day is becoming white and brilliant to her. She can inhale the smell of freedom and her eyes blue and crystal are shinning for first time. All her frustrations and sufferings seem to be reaching to its ending today. The feelings and senses of life which gives pleasure, give happiness are still unknown experiences to her because she feels like a baby exploring a new world and meeting intense emotions. The happiness and peace have decided to visit Rosaline today, and they are advising her to put out all kinds of tensions and stress of marriage away from her mind and body. They seem to be saying “Let yourself be my dear Rosaline”. At the moment, she heard it from her friends, the happiness and peace, there was an explosion in her own inner self and a powerful illumination in her mind and heart. Now, her vision of the world is clearer, and a natural and wonderful landscape is approaching to Rosaline’s imagination. Her life has changed and she sees the present time most opportune for a realization in her nature as a woman and to achieve her life's most important matters like truly love and sex which will not only help her to have a happy life but also allow her to live a peaceful and satisfied life. This new beginning has replenished her empty old spirit, and she sees her new start as a heaven where she can live for herself only. In this heaven or landscape, there is not more personal and social obligation like used to be in that hell, but there is a commitment with “Mr. Freedom” to both live her own life and remain single for the rest of her time in the earth if she wants. Rosaline’s vision today is of two clouds but one is resting along the swan mountain and the other cloud is ready to enjoy the goods of life. She says to herself, this is the moment I had been waiting for, ever since I got married, forty years ago, and the fresh and dry air of the mountains is steaming around me and I can feel the breeze of the rivers across my fatigued body and foot fingers and cheeks. Everything around her was new and perfect over the night. She also sees a purpose and mission in this new paradise where the leaves of the trees of sorrow do not exist anymore but trees of life with abundant health and cero violence are everywhere. In this heaven, the water is pure and crystal and the river that look like tears are of life instead, and they flow reaching the eternal happiness in her weak heart, and Rosaline finally tries to keep her spirit alive to enjoy it. Suddenly, she see herself recovering the years lost and takes this opportunity to bring to the surface her true self. 

This long and beautiful summer is almost over. Today, I woke up and I saw trough my windows and the morning was fuggy and blurred. Often, I feel sad when the summer ends because I like to enjoy ice-creams, ride my bike and go out to the beach and have dinner with my husband. Really, it is being an intense and hot summer. At the same time, I am a little excited because the temperature has risen at the end of the afternoon, and it is perfect to spend a few hours on the beach but I cannot do that because I have homework to do :). I can feel the warm and moist air from over the adjacent rivers that are close to my neighbor. I am thinking that after doing my assignments, I could go to relax and take a walk with my dog during the sunset close to the rivers or maybe be just in the forest talking with some friends. I do not know really, but I know that I should take some rest at some time of this hot afternoon.

I just want to share my personal analysis of the story “Good Country People” by Flannery O’ Connor

  

The writer makes of this story a compelling and real piece with his craft, and it moves and engage the reader from the beginning to the end of the story. For instance, Joy’s personal traits seem to be very real in the story. First, the author portrays Joy as frustrated and angered woman of 32 years old, but later, the author by providing details of her personality and using direct and simple dialogues between Joy and the bible sales man, the writer achieves a particular and attractive character with strong personality, but at same time, she portrays a girl who tends to hide her true feelings of the rest of people. One can assume that it is because of her disability and medical condition. To me the writer does a good characterization with Joy and the bible sales man, especially because she gives to the reader a strong sense of her characters' personalities and tells a lot of information about their different views of the world. This makes her characters vivid and fascinating. Flannery O’ Connor does an excellent description of Joy’s behavior and interests and provides a vast of details of Joy way of thinking. When I read that Joy was a disabled person with one leg, I quickly understood the way she speaks and behaves with her mother and her surroundings.

At one point of the story, there is a heart breaking dialogue between Mrs. Hopewell and the bible sales man. It was a very appealing to senses dialogue I guess. She invites him to dinner because she realizes that Joy and the Bible sales man have same heart condition and she wants to cry but she holds herself of doing that and instead she invites the sales man to have dinner with her and Joy. To me this part of the story is so real and complex to achieve. I think that the writer portrays her character’s thoughts and motivations using this dialogue and also allows the reader to immerse in the character’s ideas and the reader is able to understand whether the character’s words reveal something important about her or his personality. Also, the writer gives her characters names that are funny, but at same time, they are meaningful names and these names are related to her characters way of thinking and behavior. For instance, in the case of Joy or Hulga, these names seem to have an oppose meaning to me. I think that Joy means happiness or enjoyment, but the reality is that Joy does not honor her name because she behaves rude with her mom and the Bible sales man and looks unhappy to the other characters of the story. At first, it is truth that she does not seem to care about herself, but at the middle of the story her behavior changes and the reader meets a different girl. Hopefully, the author uses some adjectives to indentify her characters, so the reader can easily know who is who. In the case of Mrs. Hopewell, the writer conveys the message that she is a friendly and open mind person and with a genuine kindness toward her daughter Joy, I guess. Like I said before, this story really touches me. A very nice and interesting piece!

This is a fictional story I wrote last week

What I could never tell you when we were in our honey moon trip in New York, and we were eating fresh grapes and waiting for the wine at the balcony of our hotel room was that I was two months pregnant. You avoided me and did not look at me when I was trying to tell you my secret. At one point, I thought that you may not be interested in hearing the truth. When this happened, I felt relax and it was like you had released myself from a huge and heavy dark shadow I was carrying on my back for two months. So, I said to myself it‘ll be easier if we do not talk about it tonight. I had the perception that he was telling me with her face gestures and eyes “I know what you want to talk about” and I said what to him? Umm…. he murmured in his mind! For a moment we were talking through our minds and eyes and after that, I felt that he wanted to say something to me, but he did not know how, so he remained in silence all night. I wanted to say to him that I was ready to talk, but I did not know if he was ready to listen my big truth. Then, for a moment, I found myself thinking about his reaction after telling him my secret, and I thought it can’t be that bad if I tell him this, but then I said what I’m going to do if he for some reason decides to leave me or get divorce from me after I reveal to him that I am pregnant!! Then I realized that I was no ready to say nothing never to him, so I chose to keep this secret with me forever and enjoy the night with him like it would be our last night together.

Armand, a successful architect, but with identity problems and a shy man want to sell his properties after getting married with a sensual but strong woman named Larisey.

One night, Armand come back from his office as usual and directly went to his bedroom and when he was hiding some pictures and a woman dress, her wife opens the door slowly. Immediately, Larisey asks him what are you doing, Armand? What are you hidden there? Show it to me! she says. Armand turns around and with a lower and panicky voice says to her “NO” I won’t show you or say to you nothing tonight.

Armad, An insecure and fragile man with low self- esteem and embarrassed for what he was hiding from her on that moment.. Say to her, Please let me alone just for tonight….. I am not hiding anything. Larisey, a woman of strong individuality and with higher neuroticism, respond to him.

Larisey: I won’t leave from this bedroom until you show me what you are hiding in that closet. Open it right away, she says. After luck the closet, he runs away from the bedroom leaving her wife alone in the marital room. Since she was a strong woman, she follows him outside of the house, and he was there close up to the front door of the house, but he was afraid like child hiding himself in a small rock.

Armand : When you came to me you were almost a girl, and I could not tell you my secret because you maybe could not understand it….I could not hurt you by telling you my truth at that moment.

 Larisey, A woman with enough confidence, and loudly voice, says….

Larisey: I am not a girl anymore…. You can say anything to me now.

Armand stared at her and begin crying in an incessantly way.

Armand: It is not that easy …You know I have been keeping this secret for long time with me, and I thought I will die taking it with me.

Larisey: Don’t be stupid are you a man or what? Stop crying and tell me what’s going on!

Larisey, an intolerant woman with a dark past with his stepfather, want to show rudeness and strength in front of Armand even she also suffers inside of her for what his stepfather did to her when she was a child.

 Larisey: You are mine and I am yours… You know it very well, no, Armand? Tell me are you okay or are you messing with me?

 Armand: I do not understand you….. You treat me rude and also bad sometimes and now you say you love me ?.... and at the same time, you are accusing me that I’m messing with you !

Larisey: Yes, for the last two months, you have been so weird, and I do not want surprises from you, so you’ll better tell me your truth now.

Armand: Why do you love me? I am a mess like you say …

Larisey: Well, I love you are a mess, she says. Armand stared at her for a while and smile and give to her a small box with a ring.

 Larisey: What is it? What it means

Armand: This is all I can give you before I left the country… You know I am selling my properties… I’m sorry, sorry.. Sorry… thousands of times I ‘m sorry for it …. You do not deserve this … , but this feeling is strongest than me, so I have to leave you, Larisey.

Larisey: Look at me, Armand. Have you lost your mind? … What it is the matter with you?…… Please tell me…. Do you still trusting me or not.

 He moves down his head and could not look at her directly.

Larisey: What a woman should do when her husband want to leave her without saying nothing? Can you respond to me? Can you be in my shoes for a moment, Armand?

Armand: Raised her head and says I am sorry again, but I have to go, now, and we will talk about this tomorrow early, I promise you…. You have suffered a lot already, and I do not want to hurt to you.

Armand: You never ever told me what did you stepfather did to you anyway…. And what were the reasons you have to take many pills for depression in your adolescence and run away from your home at very young age.

 Larisey: Do not talk about my past okay!! … I hate that… You know that I hate that…. And stop with this, now.. My stepfather did nothing to me okay. Please do not change the subject … Do not be so smart…And put my past in the past.

Armand: I can’t, he says to her. When I met to you…… You were having a hard time with him… I know you need help, as well.

 Larisey: Do not be ridicule and an emotional man..…You are the only one who needs help hereeeeeeeee!!!... Now, we need to come back to you, Armand… Tell me…. What do you want to leave me????

Larisey: I thought we were friends and also a couple…. Yes, we do, he says to her. But, but , but talk to meeeeee, now, she says.

Armand: I promise to tell you about it but tomorrow… And let me alone now, please.. I need to be alone to think how I’m going to tell you my tortuous secret.

Larisey: You are scary me really but okay, we will talk tomorrow about it… I am going to sleep now.

 Armand: Okay , he says.

 Larisey, left the room and not happy with what Armand said to her, she could not sleep that night at all. So, she came back to her husband room again, and he was not there anymore. She took advantage of Armand absence to check closets and the whole marital bedroom. Sadly, she found a lot of sexy women’s clothes, women‘s make ups, women’s underwear, women’s shoes and women’s wigs. She went downstairs quickly thinking that Armand was cheating on her. Happily, she could not get on him. On the following early morning, Armand, comeback to his home to talk with her wife and tell her his secret, so he get in the house thinking that her wife was sleeping , but she had been awake all night waiting for him. Larisey, hardly could see the shadow of a woman throughout her bedroom window , and she got in shock when seeing a tall woman with a familiar face entering in her house, she could not believe what she saw on that morning. Her husband was getting in the house alone but very happy like ever before. Larisey, asked to herself I can’t understand in what he has became!!!! For the first time she met the other side of her husband face and personality!

Armand: Went upstairs to look for her wife and called Larisey !... Larisey…. where are you… You have to see my secret now…. Where are you, Larisey? He called her wife’s name many times, but she did not answer to him ever. After forcing the bedroom’s door, Armand found her dead in their marital room. He blamed himself, and after crying on her wife’s shoulders, 

Armand took all his women’s clothes her wife found in the closet and set on fire all his belongings and his own house with him and her dead wife inside. His last fate was.. We will be together forever!

 Armand: You are mine and I am yours like you said, Larisey.

When I was doing this assignment, I have discovered an interesting and useful web application that let you manage and make your own online projects and magazine!!! The name of the web application is formatpixel. It is a publishing tool that allows you to create catalogues, portfolios and more. I am so exciting with this web application because one of my short term goals is making my own magazine and with the formatpixel editor, one can write texts and design page based projects and upload and customize many types of images. Tonight, I signed up and did my first project about psychological topics. It was an incredible new experience for me using this application. I really enjoyed inserting my images and moving my project to other pages of formatpixel. I am also very interested in doing some research about other web applications mentioned in the class.

http://www.formatpixel.com/go/en/index.php

Tonight, I went with my brother to his university to escape from all my problems and stressful day, and he started talking with his classmates and professors about his course and while I was there waiting for him close to the university grass, I took a look at the sky and I realized that the moon was dying slowly through the night. I closed my eyes and let myself absorb the fresh air of the summer night, and the wind over my face and hair gave me a relaxing time tonight, but the moon almost dead called my attention because the deep blue sky was replenish of starts spreading across with occasional patches. Although, the moon was almost dead, it was a wonderful night, so I said to myself what a lovely sky! , and then I remembered the phrase the “The moon is dead but in spring will come back to life” (poet F.G.Lorca). So, I was not sad because it will come back to life on Spring ! This phrase inspired me to take a walk around the campus and since it was almost empty and my brother showed no sign of being around, I came back to my home walking side to side close to the sidewalk and I passed many front yards with two dogs barking as well. As I approached to my home, the air of the forest carried the scent of strawberries and banana close to my nose, so I stand at the avenue close the forest, and it was so dark. I took at look at the sky once and the moon was totally dead, then I heard a strange sound among the trees and I saw something small and dark moving between the trees and leaves. It was a raccoon and it looked mad at me with his brilliant red eyes. I was two blocks from my home, I tried not to make any noise and run to my house quickly because it scared me a lot.

I am planning to paint and buy some cute pictures to embellish my home this coming week. A soon as I woke up this morning, I talked to my husband about my new ideas of how to remodel our house. He promised me to buy some paints and new portraits on weekend. I hope we can do this because we have been so busy these last days and since we came from the U.S we have not been able to make any home improvement to our house. I also was thinking on looking for some advices from home improvement magazines in order to get some ideas to enhance both my living room and bedroom. Few days ago, I read an interesting article about the significance of Colors in Feng Shui , and I also watched a video about this theme. It was interesting to know that some colors are able to enhance people’s environment by giving vibrant energy and feeling of love and passion to their lives. For instance, I read that it is important to have creative and enthusiastic colors in each room of the house. It says that having a white lily in one of the environments of the house can touch people’s soul and led to serenity, and a red rose evokes joy and happiness in people’s life. In same manner, these Feng Shui mystical colors and great advices can transform people’s lives, help them to achieve their life’s goals and also create equilibrium between individual’s good and bad energies to elicit people’s personality and the house’s harmony.

I consider that styling my website was very valuable experience for me. I did not know how websites look colorful and with different fonts and sizes. Going though every change a font color or a background color and refreshing the website were an exciting experience. I have to say that working on that has trigger my curiosity to learn more about styling, I plan to improve my website shortly.

I have spent time last week with a very nice person, and I just want to share it with you. I met her at the church I attend every Tuesday. She is a 36 year-old, a divorced woman. The first time I saw her, she was praying. She called my attention because I had the impression that she was suffering a tortuous pain inside of her, but I was wrong. After she was done with her praying, I asked her whether she was okay. She smiled to me. I got surprised about her shift in mood. I felt chilling when she stared me for a while. She started telling me many things at once. I listened to her first until I realized about her skin rashes and red spots on her neck and head. She told me that she was sick with an advanced stage of HIV. While talking with her, I noticed that she was exhausted, and she also had some problems of muscle coordination when she wanted to be closer to me. After a while, she asked me to tell her something about me and what I am doing for a living, and I told her that I was just beginning my Spring semester at the university. I invited her to talk outside of the church and she accepted. We decided to take a short walk for five minutes and walk together around the forest that is close to the church. It was a bright day, but with high humidity. The sun was in its full plenitude and the birds were chirping all the time. While walking, I remember the heavy smell of the green leaves from the tall trees. We could not take a seat close to the trees because the sunlight filtering through the trees, so we took a seat close to a beautiful blue but small water fountain of many colors, we bought an ice-cream for each other and decided to continue our conversation for a while. It was a very interesting and rewarding experience. 

Today, I would to talk  about an awful personal experience, the Tarata Bombing in Lima, Peru. It was a terrorist attack by the Shining Path guerrilla group. It took place in the city of Miraflores few years ago. I live a few miles from the Tarata Street where two bombing cars exploded at the morning of 1992. The sound of the cars explosion, the aftermath and the deaths are still in my mind. So, today I decided to paint this sadly and memorable Peruvian event and portray it in a portrait. I moved everything from my room and while organizing my oils, acrylics and choosing and picking up my paints of various dark and light colors, I went back to the past and try to picture the morning of that day. I woke up with a lot of energy on that day. I opened my room windows and it was a beautiful and bright day and the sun was shining in the morning and the sky was in a beautiful shade of blue like ever before with natural white clouds and the birds were chirping around my terrace. On that morning, I decided to take a walk with my dog, Leo. We went to the park close to my house and we saw many people happy and enjoying talking about the beautiful day. There were some musicians around the park and they played a very relaxing melody. While enjoying all these good things of life, my dog was very nervous and anxious, I felt like he wanted to come back to my house, but I did not pay attention to him because I thought he was trying to annoy my day. Soon after, a huge and very prominent and crackling sound paralyzed everything along with a wave of an immense gaseous and obscure cloud that covered the entire park. At first, I did not know what happened because the pressure of waves pressed my ears and I just remember that it was like the sound of many debris breaking up and sprinkling down around me. I could not understand and hear very well what was happening, but I saw the beautiful and bright day becoming in hell on fire. Everything was dark and people were yelling and running desperate in opposed side and back and forward, not knowing where to go. After I was helped by the firemen and some people around, I could understand that two cars have exploded in the Tarata Street. Happily, the park was a block away from that street, so the worst part was not there. The portrait I did was very vividly as it was this writing and used many natural colors to draw this experience as real as I could. On the left of the portrait, I portrayed the two bombing cars and on the center I painted a multifamily house partially collapsed and a ruined building on the right.

Since the invention of internet, there have been huge and interesting changes on entertainment. I think that the introduction of the internet has impacted the world of entertainment, positively and negatively. First, many entertainment companies has had millionaires revenues selling digital music, songs of famous singers, films, violent video games and pornographic videos online. Second, for people of all ages, today they are able to share photos, funny emails with peers and connect each other in a easy way with members of their families all over the world. Finally, people have been able to create a new virtual life in a game called second life in the virtual world. These stuffs have made a revolutionary change on entertainment and have impacted people’ lives. 

Today, people can buy and get everything they need online quickly from a sexual accessory to a film award of Hollywood. Furthermore, the availability of cheaper creative tools, software design, over the internet is immense. These tools that were once too expensive for average people are now accessible to anyone. It is impressive how the industry of entertainment has grown up in the last decade and many entertainment products can be downloaded via internet. Accessing almost everything through the web has benefited and made easy the lives of many people; however, it has also harmed many serious industries and other individuals. For instance, piracy is a serious issue in the landscape of the Internet, but many unscrupulous people and illegal web sites still offering to download entertainment items like movies, music and adult video games to teens even when they do not have the legal right to do so. In fact, these illegal activities have expanded all around the word in the last years. Furthermore, many adolescents have become addicted to aggressive and violent video games. Although video games are not considered the main risk factor in promoting violence in youth, it does not mean that we should ignore them. Most video games feature ghastly crimes, killing, abuse of drugs, disrespect for authority, obscenities and even massacres, yet they are given to teens as a fun recreational activity. Participants are rewarded for each shoot, kill or crime in points. Most of violent video games have become very sophisticated and realistic. Some games are directly connected to the computer, which can allow any teenager to play violent video games with strange people, and it can give more opportunity to teens to play them without any supervision by their parents. Many youths spend a great deal of their free time playing them on internet, to the detriment of healthier activities like sports, camping and socializing. Since shooting and massacres that have occurred in colleges, families and schools have been associated with violent video games, it has become a controversial topic and concern for authorities and parents. Similar situation happens when people engage with an avatar and get addicted to the famous second life in the virtual world. Some of these people forget their families and day to day responsibilities to create the most realistic simulation possible. I have few friends that are involved in this computer game and their wives and husbands are complaining about them often. In short, Internet has played an important role on entertainment, and it has clearly had a negative impact on musicians, families, teenagers and the industry of film, but it's had positive side effects too on the means that people from many backgrounds can go through thousands of websites, offering every possible kind of entertainment to get relaxed.

I think that Internet has hugely changed the way people communicate. Definitely, internet has brought people to be closer to their friends and families. My older sister tells me that before internet, there was no way to communicate faster with her brothers that were living in England at that time. She had to wait long time to get a letter from them. She thinks that internet has been a huge achievement in terms of communication. Internet made her possible to be in touch with me while I was living in the U. S. She did not have to wait much time to get news from me as she did with her brothers in the past. Also, in many opportunities, my young brother helped her install Skype and get a webcam, so I was able to see their faces and hear their voices over the internet all the time while living abroad. I could to be close to them in the most important days and moments of their lives like birthdays, Christmas, New Year and etc. Furthermore, I was able to get in touch in an cheaper and easily manner with my high school friends. I think that without having internet, this frequent communication would have been impossible. Moreover, social networking sites like Facebook has allowed me connecting with old friends that I did not see for long time after I moved to the United States. Using Facebook, I was able to find and know more about them through online.

On the other hand, I think that in some way internet have made family relationships more impersonal as well. My father thinks different about internet; he complains all the time that I did not call him anymore. To him a written and formal letter has more meaning and works better in a family relationship. Emails do not work for him. When I tell him that I already wrote to him a quickly email, he gets mad with me because he do know not how to use the computer and he does not like to be a dependent person of young people to get in touch with me. I think that for some traditional older people internet may be a problem or headache, especially when they do not know how to use it. When I encourage him to use it with his friends, he says that many of his friends are low income families, and they cannot access to internet to communicate each other because they cannot afford the cost of internet. So, neither emails nor Skype works for my father because he thinks it has made me a cold and distant person with him.

I would like to talk about a friend of mine. She is a transgender person, and she is originally from Ecuador. Her interaction with two different societies has made the difference in her professional and academic life. She is an engineer, and she is currently pursuing a master in statistics.  My friend is a very lovely and smart person. She has faced much persecution, age and job discrimination because of her gender and age issues, but she has a good attitude toward the life and people around her. Four year ago she got sex reassignment surgery and from a man to woman. After this fact happened, she faced a lack of alternatives and unequal treatment in her job environment in her original country, Ecuador.

            This  picture is just from the internet and her picture is public. She is not my friend, but she is a transgerder person as well. I just using this image as a sample for the homework.  Her name is Amanda Simpson. She is a· Program Manager, Engineer  and Transgender Advocate

  I met my friend 8 years ago in the Dominic Republic, on vacation trip, and since that day, she has become my best friend and life adviser. We meet once a week and spend some time talking together about her experiences and life at the senior center in my community. On some occasions, she makes me laugh with her stories and on others days makes me cry. She started telling me about the great decision that changed her social and professional life. Today, I got her permission to share part of her story.

     One day she got tired of the maltreatment and abuse in her work environment and the isolation she was suffering in Ecuador society due to her transgender status, so she decided to ask for asylum in the States. She was granted the asylum status, and after three years she became permanent resident in America. Even though she received a lot support from friends and the government, her life transition here was not easy. She had to start all over again with her professional life. First, she started looking for a job in a very actively manner, but her language, foreign education, lack of good references and health disadvantages were an obstacle at the beginning. The possibility of getting a good job with good medical insurance was low. She realized that she had to go back to school and improve her English and professional career in order to get a job.

     She was not young any more, but her commitment to herself and her strong spirit helped her to achieve her goals. After she learned English and updated her professional license to work in the States, she got a job with low wages, but with fair medical health benefits. It let her survive and rent a small apartment for four years. However, few years ago, her economic situation changed, and she is facing huge social challenges because of her gender and age now. Also, she lost her job two years ago. Despite her current situation, she is an actively learning and is trying to get a new job. Sometimes she tells me that she does not have the same energy she had five years ago to continue with this hard life, and she feels fear about the age discrimination at her work environment, because she is older than many other younger people who are also waiting for new job opportunities in these hard economic times. She has gotten a little depressed in the last six months, because she has to wear a male clothe for her new job interviews. She said to me that, ¨I have to wear male’s clothes because some interviewers see me as something strange when I use make up on my face and wear shoes of heels¨. She said ¨ I have not been lucky in finding a job, and I cannot sleep well at nights because my bills do not stop coming¨. Despite of all her life challenges, she still studying and getting more academic knowledge. She is still trying to get a new job, and she is doing her best to face her gender and age issues, but she is currently facing much social age issues, and job struggles and her life is not easy at all.

My insight about the "Quest for Fire." film

I saw this movie two weeks ago for first time, and it offered me a good insight into many of real life’s survival issues. It was amazing to watch how the human beings in its beginning had to face many life challenges in order to survive in a very hostile environment. The “Quest for Fire” film gives us great reflections on human being wild’s life and the origins of our species. Also, this movie shows many interesting real life values. For instance, a team works to achieve a single goal that is to find the fire for its comfort and survival. This movie shows two different tribes, one that is more civilized than the other one. However, both of them had a purpose of life that is the everyday survival a dangerous environment with enemies’ attacks. Of course, they do not know how and why they are on the earth, but these primitive Homo Sapiens find a way to communicate things through the body language such as visual and facial expressions. I think this movie is great to figure out what is the truth of the human is being origins. 

My insight about “The Lion King” movie

This film has an interesting and meaningful message to everyone. I think that positively, “The Lion King” movie reflect many human values very well. In the movie, the family values are passed from generation to generation. The Lion king is the boss of his family and that is important for his land. It is amazing how these lions work together for a common purpose and for their society. On the other hand, the Lion King’s son lives his live in a free way without responsibilities or concerns about life. He lives a free, spontaneous and easy life until he learns that he has to come back to his responsibilities and become the king. This movie also shows how the father of the little lion after death communicates with his son to tell him about his responsibilities to his family and society. I think this is a great movie that really has a meaning in each individual’s life and send the message that each person can decide what to be or not in life and like the famous saying says " You are the architect of your own fate and life" ( Philosopher St. Augustine  ) 

A better aging perspective

My thinking about life is that people should have an optimistic attitude toward life issues. Everyone should take for granted and appreciate the little or a lot thing they have in life.  

A friend of mine considers herself as a lucky woman because she has a great physical and mental health. Without mentioning her real name in order to keep her privacy and with her permission, she tells how she did to be a healthy woman even her age. Currently, she is a 68 years old woman. When she was a child she had anemia for a period of time, and her sister always called her the sick lady. Also around 20 years old after she got pregnant, she started losing weight without any reason. This fact made her to reflect about her health and eat better.

She got conscious about her health after she started doing research about nutrition issues and strategies to have a better quality of life. By this time she also met her boyfriend, who is a gourmet cooker, so he also helped her to improve her health in many aspects. First he advised to her to eat lot healthy food like vegetables and fruits instead of fat meals. Second, he thought her to cook very well her every day diet and also advised her to practiced yoga and exercise two hours every day.  Her good health is due to the sport she love to practice, which is swimming. These are the main reasons why she currently does not have any chronic disease and functional limitation. She said, “I can perform every physical task without problem, I can touch my toe, swimming, jogging, work long hours and etc”. However, after her 50 years old she became a little lazy, and she is not exercising as she used to do it. Therefore, currently she is experiencing decrease in energy. She thinks that she looks better than other women of her age.

She is an active worker. She works long hours every day as tutor. She drives long distance from one city to other every week in order to provide her service. She love work with people with different background because it is the gratification of her job. Because of the economic recession, she is working more hours than usual. Therefore, she does not have enough time to have a social life. However, when she needs some emotional support, her family members are the best social support she has. She has good cognitive skills, so it let her to be a physical and emotional independent woman in all dimensions. Her great mental health is mainly due to her good education, work and academic training.

Today, she is her own boss and she makes more money than when she was an employee. She feels happy with her current busy schedule, and job. To her this economic recession is not harder than the great depression she mentioned. My friend knows that she is not young anymore, so she is more conscious that she needs to care about her health, lifestyle and family. She thinks that she has vast life experience and knowledge of world events. In addition, her wisdom has expanded. Since her mental and physical capacities are okay, she wants to continue doing what she likes to do it. She does not like people tell her what to do or how to do it because she has learned to survive over the time in this difficult life by herself. She has strong personality, but she is very friendly with people around her. 

She asked me to interact with more older adults of my community, because it will help me to understand better what aging process is and how it can occur at different rates in different people She feels that the keys of her successful aging is due to her active life and the support of her family. Her advice to women of her age is to eat healthier, exercising a lot, working and a good diet in vegetables, fruits and salads.

 I got a message from this story that I want to share.  First,  my fear to become old has disappeared. I understood that aging is a normal stage of our life, we all going to become old one day.  Young people should not depreciate older people because most of them are very wise persons. The key of successful aging is in our hands. If we exercise a lot, have an active, social and eat healthy we may enjoy our aging. It depends on our life style and family or social support we receive in hard moments. It also depends on our good or bad attitude toward the life challenges. I think that It necessary to read life stories like this in order to have a better aging perspective.

My name is Edit, and I am Peruvian-American. I was born in Peru and grew up in Lima, the capital of Peru. I moved to San Francisco, California in 2004. Two months ago, I comeback to Peru for a short time, and I am living here. I have spent a fair amount of time visiting Machu Pichu, my favorite place in the world.

I am a junior at UMASS Lowell majoring in Psychology; also I am doing some coursework in Spanish and Latin- American Studies.  My aspiration is to have a fulfilling life where, when I get 70 years old and I look back I can feel happy with my choices I did in life. This is one of the reasons why I am planning to concentrate in Cognitive Psychology, I love to learn about how people think, perceive and learn.  

I have to say that since I was a child, I have been interested in becoming an artist. In the past, I did many plays in my school and community. I really had good time doing those public performing and also I wrote my own songs. However, due to all sorts of family issues, I changed my mind and decided to pursue a career in the psychology field.

I do not have much Internet surfing experience, but I hope to learn a lot from this course and to get the necessary skills to start a personal project next semester. One of my goals for this semester is to further my knowledge of Internet.

 I enjoy writing short novels and essays, although I am not good at it. Also, I like many different types of music, Rock, Pop, Classical and especially Latin music like salsa and  Merengue. My passions include reading, dancing, sleeping and playing volleyball, but I would say that the most significant thing about me is my desire to spend my life working hard to make a tiny difference in the life of people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently, I am working in a Peruvian Nonprofit that supports older people affected by HIV and AIDS and improves older people's access to health services.