Goodbye Mad-Lib

See you all tomorrow on the Costera bus to Kristal's place! Call me or send a message if you want to all get on the same bus. We can go all the way there, canchero style! Haha.

So here's one of our goodbye Mad-Libs, created by you. Thanks for an amazing year!

Well, it's been quite an admirable year! We started out with fifty students and now we've been run down to two. Those of us who still stop our birds every class are only only the smallest!

Charly and Kristal come from a dirty country, a place where people like to put water on their chili, wear long or dumb clothes, dance to rock and roll music, and jump wild poops.

We will certainly fly them madly after they play away in their truck, but we know they will always have smelly memories of our dark country, the Smooth Republic of Argentina.

Soon summer will arrive so we can go on vacation to our homes in Mar del Plata, Junín, or Río Cuarto, or even the Bahamas or Tajikistan. After that we'll be back to the Hairy University of La Plata, loud and fuzzy, ready to mock again.

See you later, radiators!

Ultimate Goodbye-Party!!!

Hello all,

As most of you know, we're almost all done with the práctico sections of English 3 and Charly and I are getting ready to leave Argentina as our Fulbright fellowships come to an end.  We have had a fantastic school year with you and have learned a great deal from you.  Every day after class, I leave Humanidades so thankful to have had this opportunity to get to know you and to learn about your lives and experiences. I hope the learning experience was mutual and that you also enjoyed our time together. 

Anyhoo, we're throwing a big goodbye-party (no, there's no snazzy word in English for "despedida"- just Goodbye Party, or Going-Away Party).  We hope that you can all come.  Also, everyone from English 3 is invited whether they are still attending class or not, so if you have friends that left the class, please tell them about the party!!!  It's on November 15th (that's Saturday) and it starts at around 10:30 pm (but come any time after that). It'll take place in my famous subsuelo an San Telmo.  I know, it's a far journey for you to go to the Capital, but it's really easy to get to my place using the Costera Chevallier bus (with the rose on it).  Come either "por autopista" or "por centenario" and get off at the first stop in the city on Juan de Garay.  You'll be on the corner with Paseo Colon.  Cross Paseo Colon, and my building is the first one there with a mural painted on it.  The address is Juan de Garay Nº223, depto 1.  If you come by car, there's usually parking available in front. We hope you can come share our last night in Argentina with us.  Feel free to bring friends and whatever you like to drink.  We'll have the beer bong ready for you (heehee)!

Love,

Kristal

Fiesta HALLOWEEN!!!

A thousand thanks to all of you for the best party since... haha, ever!!! Your costumes were amazing!

Photos will be up on Facebook soon.

Fiesta Halloween

Alright, you already know, but

HALLOWEEN PARTY
Costume Party!! Fiesta de disfraces!!

Tonight, Friday, Oct. 31

@ Wadoo Wadoo Cantobar, Calle 54 Número 632 e/ 7 y 8.

22hrs - pizza, beer, live music, CD pre-release of Charly's "Musical Travel Journal"
Right after that - Karaoke
~2 am - baile: hip hop, electrónica, etc etc etc

Any questions, concerns, comments, queries? chuckabbo@gmail.com or 011-3251-9018

Attendance Make-up Day

Just a reminder...  

We're having our attendance make-up day this Friday, that's 10/10 at Antares on calle 56 entre 11 y 12.  We'll be there from 19:30 to 21:30.  You don't have to buy anything to eat or drink if you don't want to, just come hang out!

Any questions?  Email Charly or Kristal.

The Left Hand of Darkness

Since we've been dedicating some time to "The Left Hand of Darkness" in our class sections, I think it's only fitting that we have an online discussion board for anyone who wants to further explore the novel here.

I'd like to start the discussion by posting a few links that might be helpful when reading the book:
The Wikipedia entry
A map of the planet Gethen
An online book review from Slashdot.com
A short biography and interview with Le Guin on The SF Site
A glossary of terms from Le Guin World, a website dedicated to the author

In our next class discussion, bring in a list of any "alien" words that appear in the book and we can define them together.

*A correction: In the first class incorrectly stated that "shifgrethor" refers to a personal struggle to save face. This is actually a definition for the phrase "playing shifgrethor". The word "shifgrethor," when used alone in the book, refers to "social prestige" or "prestige-rank". In the novel it is explained that the term means "to cast a long shadow" in the Karhidish tongue.

Announcements

BORDER LITERATURE/ CHICAN@ LITERATURE
Did you like our reading of "How to Tame a Wild Tongue" by Gloria Anzaldúa's book Borderlands/La Frontera? Good! Off the top of my head, here are a few more authors you shouldn't miss:
Sandra Cisneros
Rudolfo Anaya
Tino Villanueva
Here's a list of Mexican-American writers compiled by Wikipedia.

Also check out performance artist Guillermo Gómez Peña.

Due to the exam schedule, MOVIE NIGHT has been cancelled this week and next week (Sept. 25).
There will be no "official" (read as: organized) party for the English major this weekend, but we have reserved a place for our OCTOBER 31 HALLOWEEN PARTY! Start thinking of what your costume will be this year!

Those are my updates for now. If you have any questions, queries, comments, or concerns, you know how to reach me.

And now, here's your Moment of Zen (don't worry, it's "The Onion", a comedy fake-news show).

-Charly

Want to be a Fulbright Scholar?

I'm forwarding this message to all of you. I'll also leave flyers in the department. Please tell everyone you know who might be interested. I can tell you from experience that it's a great job!


Visite nuestra página en:
http://www.fulbright.edu.ar
www.me.gov.ar/dnci/becasint.html


BECAS FULBRIGHT- MINISTERIO DE EDUCACIÓN

BECAS PARA ASISTENTES DE IDIOMA
2009
Objetivo: Se otorgarán hasta 17 becas a profesores de inglés argentinos para desempeñarse como Asistentes de Idioma en universidades públicas o privadas de los Estados Unidos.
Requisitos:
Nacionalidad argentina.
Título universitario o terciario de Profesor/a de Inglés de carreras de cuatro años como mínimo.
Promedio mínimo: 7 puntos.
Experiencia docente.
Un mínimo de 21 años y un máximo de 29 años al momento de comenzar el programa en agosto de 2009.
Puntaje de 213 (en computadora) 0 550 (en papel) en el examen TOEFL
Capacidad e interés en vincularse con distintos sectores de la comunidad anfitriona y de difundir la cultura, historia y costumbres de su país de origen.
Los becarios no podrán llevar familia.

Beneficios:
Visa J1.
Estipendio mensual.
Seguro médico.
Pasaje de ida y vuelta.
Costo de cursos obligatorios que deberán tomar los Asistentes de Idioma.

Documentación:
Presentar las solicitudes completas en inglés (dos juegos) y en español (un juego) disponibles en: http://www.fulbright.edu.ar/esp/becas_1_3.asp o en http://www.me.gov.ar/dnci/becas06.html. También una de cada una por correo electrónico a award@fulbright.com.ar
CV y certificado que acredite experiencia docente indicando si su cargo es titular, interino o suplente.
Cartas de recomendación.

Plazo: Hasta el 10 de noviembre de 2008.

Duración: un año académico de 9 o 10 meses comenzando en agosto de 2009

Los formularios deben ser entregados en:
Comisión Fulbright:
Viamonte 1653, P. 2, C1055ABE, Buenos Aires
Tel.: (011) 4814 3561/62; info@fulbright.com.ar

Importante: El otorgamiento de la beca y el comienzo del programa, estarán sujetos a que los candidatos sean admitidos por las universidades receptoras en los Estados Unidos.

S'Mores and Movie Night

Hi everyone!

This week we continue our MOVIE NIGHT "Cine Casero" film series with the international film
BABEL

and dessert: Indoor S'MORES - I'll teach you how to make the classic North American camping food

Where? Charly's apartment - Calle 58, No. 819, 6A
When? 9:30 pm, this Thursday, September 11th

Please contact chuckabbo@gmail.com if you're interested in coming! See you there!

Donnie Darko!

Hey all,

If after seeing Donnie Darko, you're as bewildered and confounded as I was the first time (okay, let's be honest... everytime I've seen it until I did some research), check out these websites for extra information.  As I mentioned, this is considered a "cult" film, so die-hard fans who seem to have a lot of extra time have written extensively on this movie.  Look these over before class next week, and then come prepared to talk about Donnie Darko.

Here you have the film's page from the Internet Movie Database.  This page comes complete with a message board of confused victim's of Darko, as well as some experts, and of couse, emo kids arguing about what it all means.

This page is the official website of the movie, created by the director, Richard Kelly, himself.  Although this site has annoying and disturbing music, it has different clues that will lead you to the "truth" about Donnie according to the director.  It's very interactive and kind of fun!  Either way, it gives you extra information about the movie and might answer some of your questions.

If after the first two sites, you're still frustrated and determined to get to the bottom of things, read this long article entitled, "Everything you were afraid to ask about Donnie Darko."  This site spells it all out for you, but bear in mind that since this is a work of art that it can be interpreted in other ways.  Even the author explains a bit about the two main hypotheses about Donnie Darko.  1.) This film illustrates the deterioration Donnie's sanity... and he suffers from psychological illness, 2.) Donnie's not crazy and he is the chosen one that can save the actual world from eminent destruction by destroying the tangent world... and essentially "taking one for the team."

Well, I hope this helps you formulate your own ideas about the film and it's meaning.  I'm excited to discuss it in class!

xoxoKristal

Dinner and Movie Night

Featuring: Funny Ha Ha
9pm @ Charly's Apartment
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Dinner selection to be announced... oooh!

If you're coming, be so kind as to RSVP to chuckabbo@gmail.com so we'll know how much food to make! Thanks!

The world at your fingertips

Here are a few resources to start finding information for your country presentations:

Google Earth - A way to find your country on the globe and look at actual aerial photos of your country. If you haven't heard of your country before, this is a good way to literally get a "lay of the land."

National Geographic - This is the official webiste of National Geographic magazine. The links on the left include Maps, Music, Photography, Travel & Cultures, and other headings that could help you to find information about your country. It also contains up-to-date world news and searchable archives.

CultureGrams - This website describes itself as "concise, reliable, and up-to-date country reports on 200 cultures of the world." It is just that: it contains a searchable database of numerous, often very specific, aspects of the countries' cultures.

Best of luck as you design your presentation about your country and, as always, feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, comments, queries or complaints.

Fievel: An American Tail

For those interested, here are a few links to help contextualize the life and times of the Mousekowitz family:
When Fievel arrives in New York City, he sees the Statue of Liberty being built by a French pidgeon. In reality, the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French. Fievel and his family have to pass through immigration at Ellis Island. (Today, over 100 million Americans can trace their family history back to Ellis Island.) The sweatshop where Warren T. Rat tries to force Fievel to work, and the fire at the docks, may be allusions to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which until Sept. 11, 2001, was the largest industrial disaster in the city's history. The fat mouse in a top hat who registered dead mice to vote for him is a reference to the Tammany Hall political machines in New York.

For more about the making of Fievel, click here.

Think about this as we discuss the movie: What would Fievel: An Argentinean Tail look like? Where would Fievel go? What historical and cultural events would he run into in Buenos Aires?

Bilingual Writing Workshop!

Hey everybody,

You're all invited to participate in a free bilingual writing workshop.  The next one will be on Saturday, September 6 at 4pm (16:00) at Café de la Artes.  It will last for two hours.  Bring some paper and something to write with and your creativity.  It's bilingual, so even though this is an excellent opportunity to develop your writing skills in English, you can write in Spanish or even bust a Gloría Anzaldúa and write in both! Any questions, email me at kristalbivona@gmail.com or call/text me at (15)6683-6794.  See you then!

Return of Movie Night!

Return of Movie Night! DOUBLE FEATURE!

Flight of the Conchords (TV show episode)
and The Science of Sleep (movie)
Tomorrow, Thursday, August 28th
Charly's apartment: Calle 58, # 819 Dept. 6A
9PM (21 hrs)

Come over for pizza a lo Charly and bring any food or drinks you like!

If you're coming, please confirm so we know how much food to prepare: chuckabbo@gmail.com, (11) 3251-9018

End of the semester

As we near the end of the term, I want to thank you all for a great semester and wish you all a relaxing and well-deserved break!

And now some inspirational words from Li Yang, creator of Crazy English:
"I believe English will become my faithful servant and lifelong friend."

Word.
Charly

Winter Break!!!

Well, I just wanted to wish all of you good luck on your tests this week/ next week.  Also, have a great winter break and don't study too hard!!!  

I probably won't see you for a few weeks, but if you have any comments/ suggestions/ random thoughts, feel free to drop me an email!

xoxo, 

Kristal

A note from Uruguay

What it is, b-boys and b-girls?

Thanks for an amazing hip hop party! We had a great time! I write to you from Uruguay, where Kristal and I are gearing up to present at a Fulbright conference and tell everyone how cool you all are and how much fun we have at UNLP.

Remember: no discussion classes with us this coming week, but we'll have our final week of classes for the term from the 14th to the 18th.

Word,
Charly

Hip it to the Hip Hip Hop

The flyer will be printed out tomorrow:

From class:

The five elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, tagging, breakdancing, beatboxing (and "extended elements" like the fashion and the slang). The birthplace of hip-hop: Brooklyn, NYC in the late 1970s. Hip-hop's popularity and incorporation into mass media. The historical rivalry between the East Side and West Side, which came to a peak in the mid-1990s. The globalization and commercialization (and even product placement) of hip-hop and its reception in other countries (Japan, Sri Lanka, France, India, Spain, Mexico, Tanzania, Ghana, and of course Argentina).

And here's that amazing clip of Polish breakdancers getting blessed in the Vatican City - how's that for a Moment of Zen? What does that say about the reception of hip hop?