My first challenge: "The danger of a single story" by Chamamanda Ngozi Adichie Today a friend of mine introduced me a marvelous novelist called Chamamanda Ngozi Adichie, who had published several talks’ videos in TED.com web platform. My friend asked me to write a summary about one of her talks. So, I will try to do something. This writer is talking about "the danger of a single story", I mean, she is explaining the World´s common History. A single story is a point of view of conquers, is an incomplete view about cultures and people. It´s the position of economy power, a stereotyped view of money and homogenization of human been. A lot of examples are exposed by Chamamanda, she took them from her own experience: a partial look of Africa like a “country” poorest and a region full of catastrophe, without consider that there are millions of Africans people whose hard working and potential is complete unnoticed, as well as their own stories. Instead of that it is common to see the prevalence of a single story that make people believe that all stories, for example, are only from white persons or power’s men, and the world is organized and respond to this guidelines. Therefore, social and ideological institutions like family, language, school, religion, governments, state, literature, politics, etc., can promote and protect this single story, making very comfortable the world to official historians and power men who defend their single point of view. I said before Chamamanda´s talk is about the World´s common History. The Human beens´ homogenization and neocolonialism is clear dangerous to diversity, to the plurality of stories, to the respect to the differences between people, to the linguistic variety and imagination…, and this is supported by the construction and diffusion of stereotypes that become and destroy, at once, our thought and damage our relationships with others human beens. I liked Chamamanda´s speech very much, it is so hopeful and critical. Her words question the status quo. And they have motivated me enough to read it in her fiction books. Does anyone knows where I can download her novels? And will they be translated into Spanish? Thanks.

El filólogo Ángel Rosenblat dijo: "la juventud es una enfermedad que se cura con los años" ¿Tendría razón? Opinión personal del filólogo Ángel Rosenblat

Learning English My first interaction with English was in the high school. Before of that, I had never thougth about English. Of course, I had seen movies and heard songs, but I read the subtitles and hummed pop music. At the school, I had serious difficulties to study this language. So, my parents thougth thah I needed a tutor. Therfore, I met Louise, a English teacher who was friend of my mom. She helped and taugth me a lot, but, chiefly she prompted my curio and interest to learn English culture. Loiuse´s daugther, Sara, became a friend of mine; both of them were a influence positive in my life and studies, because both of them talked English and rehearsed this language daily in their quotidian conversations. This was at the 90'. In 1994 a took my first English conversational course with a teacher called Raymond. Then, I studied at Carabobo University Foundation, where I learned some aspects about English grammar; in this institution a I took and completed the basic conversational course during a year. Later, I took an avanced conversational course in the same place, it was in 1996 or 1997. At the university, when I was finishing my master's degree, I took an instrumental English course. I have never applied any language proficiency test, I think that if I should do it, the results would be at intermediate levels, because I feel that I need a lot of practice and more vocabulary. Now, I have discovered Italki and I think that is a great opportunity to resume my English language practice, especially at the time of reading, speaking, hearing and writing in the Shakespeare´s language.

Acá en esta hora Vivo en una ciudad calurosa, llena de gente cuyas personalidades suelen ser alegres y amables. Sí, hablo de Maracaibo, Venezuela. Una ciudad históricamente marcada por la explotación petrolera, la bonanza económica a causa de ello generó durante el siglo XX que fuera una de las regiones venezolanas más prósperas, tecnificadas, progresistas, en las que la arquitectura, la manufactura, el arte, las comunicaciones, el comercio lacustre, la construcción, la educación se han desarrollado sobremanera. Maracaibo es la capital del estado Zulia. Acá el majestuoso puente sobre el Lago de Maracaibo ha atraído las miradas del contienente, especialmente por el potencial del Lago, único con salida al mar Caribe a través del Golfo de Venezuela y el más extenso de Suramérica. Esta reserva de agua salobre ha servido como vía de comunicación para la empresa petrolera e igualmente para todo tipo de relaciones comerciales. Cuentan los viejos que antes de la creación del Puente sobre el Lago de Maracaibo, el antiguo puerto libre de esta ciudad se engalanaba con las principales atracciones y novedades del mundo entero.