Blog 8: A subject i enjoyed studying this semester 😍

Hello :D !!

Today, in my last blog, I want to tell you about my favorite subject of this semester. In fact, it is one of the subjects that I have liked the most of the career. It is a transversal course of the faculty called: "Transversal FAU: Territorial perspectives on vulnerability and housing inequality".

This course is about how territorial administration can positively or negatively affect the condition of people and their social development. It is mainly focused on explaining in more depth how some phenomena, such as poverty, inequality, etc., can be enhanced or remedied with an adequate urban and housing policy. It also deals with related issues, but all in relation to territory.

The main contents we deal with are:

• Poverty
• Vulnerability
• Inequality
• Exclusion
• Housing precariousness
• Public policies

Within the activities that we develop in class we can observe and comment on theories and points of view of some authors, see graphic material that shows the impact of some factors on the territory or vice versa, we dialogue and comment on what we have seen in class or particular experiences, we exemplify current situations in the country, etc.

I love this subject because it fully explains these phenomena, showing that they are much more complex than most people think, and gives rise to a series of positions on the subject, which can lead to solving or improving the situation of a large number of people. I also like it because it is interdisciplinary and helps to enhance the work between architecture, geography and even sociology. 

Finally, having this course opened my eyes to many things and helped me to see how architects can remedy many social problems that are related to the territory. One of my objectives when I entered university was always to contribute to making a better world and this course makes me appeal to that vocation and how I can approach it from what I am studying, so I am very happy to have taken it as it is not a compulsory course.

Blog 7: A Career-Related Website OR an Expert in my Field

Hello everyone, I hope you are feeling well 😊 . Today I will talk about two websites that are quite used in my career:

The first website I am going to talk about is ¨Plataforma Arquitectura¨ (https://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/cl), this is a chilean website that contains a big database related to architecture. You can find a lot of useful information, such as architecture projects, news, architecture competitions, architects, referents, projection tools and even products, materials and new technologies in construction, among others.

It is a very popular website for architecture students as it is one of the most complete websites in this area and it is constantly updated. I personally visit it almost weekly to look for information about projects that we have to analyse or to look for inspiration to design my own projects. It is very practical and very useful.

The other website I am going to talk about is ¨Bibliocad¨ (https://www.bibliocad.com/), it is a virtual library of CAD and BIM files, one of the largest in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a database that is of great support to us in the professional field, as it allows us to download and exchange AutoCAD blocks and 2D and 3D BIM objects applicable in design and construction industry. 

I use this website mainly when I need urban plans or furniture blocks, in general it is one of the first places to consult when I need this kind of documents. I don't visit it as often, but it is a great resource when it comes to planning.

I like these websites because they are a great help for architects and architecture students. They are born from a great initiative of collective work and mutual help between people who develop in this area. I love to think that we are all a great team trying to make a better world 😊.

Blog 6: How Can My Major/Career Make the World a Better Place

Hello everyone. Today I will talk to you about how a major in architecture, with a specialization in sustainable urbanism, can make the world a better place.

The field of urban planning is in charge of planning the development of cities in terms of the elements that will be built. It designs the layout of housing, equipment and even the streets and the route of streets. A good urban design can help to improve the quality of life of the people and the development of communities.

If urban projects are approached from a sustainable point of view, the quality of life can be improved even more, and not only that, it will also help to reduce energy consumption and pollution. Eco-neighbourhoods can also be created, where sustainability is taken to a new level and community living is enhanced on a larger scale, generating many benefits for people and the planet.

In the future I want to develop in this area, working on public sustainable development projects. I would like to work in municipalities, which is where people can be helped the most and where there are more possibilities to implement this new way of generating a healthy development of cities.

Blog 5: My Favorite photograph 💜

Hello everybody :D !!!

Today I will show you my favourite picture 😊. I have many photos that I like a lot, but I really love this one 😍.

I took this picture with my phone on Halloween 2015 👻💀. My daughter, Isidora was about 5 years old. We have always loved this holiday and that year, besides the costumes, we also decorated the house. Before we left we took pictures and we were excited about the whole atmosphere. When we went trick-or-treating we also scared some children 😈.

I love this picture because Isidora was so into her evil character and she looked great with the gestures she was making, she was definitely the star that day 😁. My sister, who is the child next to her was also motivated to play along. The lighting and the colours of the decor reflected in the window helped with the gloomy atmosphere 👻. 

They look perfect in this picture! 

It was a lot of fun and we had a great time 👻💀😈😍😁😊.

Blog 4: A Meal or Food You Really Like.

 Hello everyone. I hope you are having a nice day 😊.

Today I'm going to talk about a food that I really love, this food is a traditional Chilean dish and it's called Porotos con Riendas.

Although many people don't like this food, especially children, I've always liked it a lot, even many times I go near the pot to eat, no matter if it's cold or hot, I love its taste.

This dish is prepared as a kind of soup. I personally prepare the beans with pumpkin, a fried onion and garlic with all the seasonings and finally, almost at the end, I add the noodles. When I turn off the heat, I add a little oregano. Traditionally, fried pork skin, pork rinds, meat or sausage are added, but I personally don't like to add these things because I love the taste of the vegetables on their own. I just make sure that it tastes good with the seasoning and that the soup is thick, that's my favourite way to eat it.

In general, I like all pulses, the ways my family prepares them make them really delicious, but beans are my favourite. I don't know why I like them so much, but their taste is really delicious, even addictive. I don't prepare them more times a week just because they are slower to prepare than other foods and because I try to eat a variety of foods, but I would eat pulses every day.

From a nutritional point of view, it is a dish that is high in fibre and protein. This makes it, in fact, a much healthier dish than the meat or animal sausage version. It is a really nutritious and complete dish, and eating it in moderate portions is quite healthy. All these virtues make me like this dish even more.

Blog 3: My favorite piece of technology

Hi!! I am talking about technology :D

The programable computer is definitely one of the best technologies of the twenty century, it’s one of those pieces of technology that set the way of the humanity to the modern world, today we use it almost every day of our lives sometimes we don’t even notice when we are using one of them or being part of a computer data base, the computer has many uses in the modern world such as smart vehicles or even smart fridges! but my favourite of all computers it’s one of the most common ones, the laptop.

The main reason why the laptop is my favourite piece of technology it's because his flexibility and easy to carry design, I frequently use it to learn, study, communicate with others and also to entertain myself I definitely believe that the laptop is the best device for such tasks there are other devices like the cell phone or tablets but I think the laptop is the most complete and comfortable of all. my laptop is one of my best tools for everyday tasks such as study and learn new things. 

I recommend using it because in the modern world if you don’t have a smart device like a laptop, you are in a serious disadvantage in a world where almost everyone has one smart device in his home or even in his pocket.

Blog 2: Why did I choose my career?

 

Hi everyone! 

Today I'm going to talk about why I chose the career that I'am studying right now.

 

When I was a child, I like to draw, and I remember what I wanted to be a landscape designer or a painter, but in that time I don’t thought in those things so much. I always knew that by the kind of person that I was, I don’t wanted a job where I has to deal with people every day, definitely didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer or nothing alike it.

With time, with my mom we recognize that I liked to build miniature cities and houses. This is why architecture was always an option for me, but when I thought in draw blueprints Instantly I felt overwhelmed, that's why I always discarded it. For my math and physics skills I was leaning towards other careers.

At the moment of applying to university, I wanted to study some kind of civil engineering, I was able to get in, but not in the university that I wanted. That's why I wanted to enter to Bachillerato at the University of Chile to get a chance.

For things of destiny and life, I decided to leave Bachillerato to study architecture in the same university.

My experience studying architecture at university until now was shaky, because initially due to personal problems and mental health I had a very bad time. Over time everything has improved and every time I like more my career. I would like to work in the area of urbanism, working in some municipality and carry out sustainable housing and urban planning projects.

 

Blog 1: Autobiography

 

Hello!! This is my autobiography.

 

My name is Valentina Díaz, I am 27 years old. I was born in Santiago, Chile. My dad is from Santiago and my mother is from Osorno. At present they are divorced. I have one sister and one brother, younger both.

When I was a child, we lived in different cities and towns, until we moved to Santiago, where I lived for a long time. There I studied in Merryland School in Puente alto. We then moved to Purranque, there I studied in Preciosa Sangre School and I finished the twelfth grade.

I studied Bachillerato in the University of Chile. Actually, I am studying architecture in the same university.

I have a 10 years old child, her name is Isidora, she born in 2010 when I was 17 years old. Today I live with her, my father, my sister and my cat “Truffa”.

In my free time I love to listen to music, watch series and play videogames with my daughter, my syster and my boyfriend.