Different beauty standards

                                                 

    Today I watched a video called “Comfortable” and I could not help but be amazed with it. In the video, adults and children are asked what they would change about their bodies, if they could only change one thing. On one hand, adults mentioned lots of things that they did not like from their bodies. On the other hand, children just answered things that they would add to their bodies such as wings and other fantastical superpowers. The point is that children did not see imperfections in their bodies, thus they did not want to change anything; whereas adults wanted to modify their bodies in order to fit with the beauty standards that our society inculcates us.

   This video is a good source to reflect on. Unfortunately most of us do not feel comfortable with our bodies in a society that prizes unrealistic images. The truth is that most of us want to have a smaller nose, blue eyes, longer hair, etc. Definitely this attitude is as a consequence of the beauty standards that we have. Not only do we compare ourselves to supermodels but we have countless social media friends to compare ourselves to. However I think that it is time to unleash ourselves from what we believe to be the objectivity of beauty because it is not natural.

    In my opinion this video just shows us the insecurities that adults might have. Actually we should be thankful for our bodies because of all the things that these allow us to do. We should think about how blessed we are to have hands, arms, legs, etc. Furthermore, we should be thankful for being healthy.  Sometimes we forget about all the things that our body lets us do, because we spend so much time obsessing over the aspects of our body that we can’t change. But it is up to us to be comfortable with our bodies and to accept us the way we are. All those qualities that we want to change are those that make us beautifully different.

     It would be great if we would change our perspective of beauty and we would see it with the innocence and purity children see it. I consider it is time to picture our minds what we feel beauty should be. Rather than think of a determined shape, we should decide on our standard. Better yet, I propose to think of beauty as an attitude, as confidence and as character. 

The value of family

    

         

      Today I would like to share with you one of my favourite TV series which is the “Little House on the Prairie”. This serial is an adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House books and it is about a humble family living on a farm in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in the 1870s and 1880s.

    For me, Little House showed us a simple, strong loving family who stayed together and solved their problems with the power of love and understanding. I agree with Michael Landon, the Director and protagonist of the serial when he uttered, "The main values of Little House on the Prairie are little things that nobody seems to care about anymore, the simple needs of people and how difficult it was in those days out West to supply them." (Little House on the prairie, n.d.)

  Moreover all episodes teach different values such as respect for the others, solidarity, value of friendship and lessons that are so valuable in these days. Here are just some noteworthy lessons which are present in Little House on the Prairie that I cannot forget:
- Always tell the truth, even when it is inconvenient. Liars are forever getting themselves in trouble and untrustworthy people don’t have many true friends.
—Steadfast effort usually equals success in the long run. Our endeavors in reaching a goal may not result in immediate triumph, but constant effort will eventually get us to our destination.
—If it hurts, get tough. Even if the situation is bleak, never give up.—Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Hard work won’t kill you.

    Of course there are loads of other lessons that you learn watching this series and most of them are simply taught by the way this family lived. They didn’t have to say it out loud. You just observed and soaked them up.

But the value this TV series focused mainly on was family value and its importance to instill values in you. Even though this family went through severe ups and downs, yet an atmosphere of togetherness generally characterized their home through patience, family unity, and contentment. They worked hard together and this built their family bond. I think that it is an essential value in life that we see in crisis nowadays. Today our society has become very materialistic.  Parents prioritize their jobs and do not have time to spend with their children so they do not talk with them. If they do not spend time with their children they cannot inculcate values to them since I think values are instilled primarily in the family. For that reason we can see some children do not know how to behave in society since they have not been instilled with the meaning of universal values which are crucial to coexist in society these days.

   In my opinion family and values are much more important than anything money can buy. Wealth does not come from the things you can afford to buy. It comes from who you are and what you stand for.

   Many of the lessons taught on that simple television show have stayed with me and are probably worthy lessons for all of us to remember and put into practice in our daily lives. I’m pretty sure that if more people had watched “Little House on the Prairie” and followed their example, we’d all be happier and the world would be a better place to live.

Reference list:

Little House on the prairie , (n.d.)Retrieved from: http://littlehousescenery.homestead.com/

The value of growing up in a small village

   

    More and more I read about teenagers in big cities and their accelerated lives, their superficial principles, their loss of values. Then I compare my childhood with theirs. The truth is that I have had a wonderful childhood and, in part, I owe it to the life in my small village. So I would like to share with you about the small village lifestyle.

    When I wake up in the serenity of the village life, I think "it is a blessing to grow up in the tranquility of a village." Nothing compares with the outdoor games; the bike rides in the street, the neighborhood friends who gather every afternoon after school, the meetings in the town square or the summers spent in the river. In other words, all the activities that involve the simplest and more traditional ways of sharing with friends.  Here childhood takes place along with the solidarity of the neighborhood as well as other significant values ​​that seem lost in the daily life of the city today.

   

    Everything serves to play and share with friends, from a stone to play hopscotch on the floor to a ball or doll. On the streets you can still hear the voices of children playing until the sun sets. Some of them go shopping by bike; others are playing football with makeshift goal-frames until early hours in the evening.

    What is more, most of us know each other, there is a community value so we always help each other when we are in need. There is a strong relationship among the villagers.

The truth is that big cities and small towns have their apparent but differing pros and cons when it comes to raising children. Big cities traditionally contain diverse populations and access to museums and research institutions anyway I would choose small villages to raise children. Small villages may sound boring; there may not be enough options to entertain or things to do; however life there involves learning values such as solidarity, friendship among others. 

     Once I heard an African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child”.  It was made popular by Hillary Clinton during her campaign for the Presidential nomination. Whatever the source is, those like I who were raised in small communities know the treasured value of being raised in a village – a close-knit community where children stand out for their innocence and purity. Today I would say that the urban world revolves around money, violence, selfishness whereas small village lifestyle revolves around the community and values. Life in a village may not be that funny but there you learn unforgettable values that seem to be lost in other places, and I think that it is more important than any other thing in world. What do you think?

Let´s take time to reflect...

    

    Days ago I watched in the news that one of the last Nobel prizewinner for Peace was an Indian man. I felt ignorant for not knowing about him then I searched for him and felt glad for him and this prize as recognition for his great social work. This man is an electronic engineer called Kaidash Satyarthi who at the age of 26 decided to dedicate his life to help the millions of children in India who are forced into slavery by powerful and corrupt business. It was then that he started mounting raids on factories where children and often entire families were held captive as bonded workers. After successfully freeing and rehabilitating thousands of children, he went on to build up a global movement against child labor. Today Kailash heads up the Global March Against Child Labor. (Meet the New Heroes, 2005). The truth is that this activist has done an admiring and marvelous job and he did not give up in spite of the attacks he suffered.

    Not until I became acquainted with his campaign  could I find out about figures and facts I ignored. For example, that according to the 2001 census, there are 12.6 million child workers in India and many of them work in hazardous industries like mining or manufacturing fireworks. Others sew garments and sportswear, often to overseas or working in kitchens and tearooms. (El Nobel de la Paz indio donará el dinero a los niños, 2014). So today thousands of Indian children wake up, put on their clothes and their boots, and climb down a ladder into a deep, dark pit and begin their day digging coal. Many of these children go underground, but never return due to the unsafe and hazardous conditions of these mines. It is so sad and many of us think that it is almost impossible to happen nowadays but it does.

    My point sharing with you this information is to reflect about important matters. First of all, I would like you to follow this man as an example. He has been a brave man who has fought for what he believed and has contributed to make of this world a fairer place. Let´s follow his example. Look around you and help those in need. You can make the difference.

Secondly, after reading about this campaign I realized that usually, throughout our lives we take some things for granted. For example, in my case, when I was a child I believed many other kids went to school, they spent their days playing or chose what toy they wanted for their next birthday. So things like education, the right to play when you are a kid among others were taken for granted to me but I never thought about how lucky I was to be educated, to spend my childhood playing, as it has to be, instead of working or thinking what  I am going to do to get my bread today.

    

    I think we should begin to appreciate things around us more. As I see more and more the world out there, I realize all the things I´d been given are not rights but privileges. I realized there is a lot of war, violence and injustice in the world. I am lucky to have had a nice childhood, a family, a good health. Sometimes it’s easy to feel bad because you’re going through a tough time in life. However, remember that no matter how bad your situation may seem, there are tens of thousands of things to be grateful for in life.

In the world today, we encounter a lot of negativity, pain, stress and wake up with far too much to do, far too much to think about, far too many concerns, and far too many problems.

So I propose you something, take a moment to reflect on all the things in your life to be grateful for.  Instead of complaining, I suggest getting in the habit of giving gratitude on a daily basis and appreciating your loved ones and the simple things of life.

       No matter our struggles, there is always someone out there in the world who is struggling harder. Sometimes we should simply be thankful for the everyday things that we may take for granted.

      Finally I ask you, have you already paused to appreciate what you have in life?

Reference list:

Meet the New Heroes (2005).The new heroes. Retrieved from: http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/satyarthi.html

El Nobel de la Paz indio donará el dinero a los niños. (2014) Clarin. Retrieved from: http://www.clarin.com/mundo/prmio-Nobel-paz-indio-Kailash-Satyarthi-dona-dinero-chicos_0_1227477628.html

Reading habits and the paper book

                                         

    I don´t know about you but I LOVE reading. I think reading broadens your knowledge by opening up the whole world to you. I think the reason I love reading books so much is because reading is an almost magical thing and to be honest, I find it quite enjoyable as well as relaxing. If you sit down with a good book to read, it is as if you can go to an entirely different world, and be in a world of your own for a few hours. When you’re so deeply engrossed in a book, you’ll notice that books have that amazing ability to transport you, evoking different feelings of sadness, joy , anger et.

   However I could say that I consider reading as that activity associated with printed books. This kind of reading produces me pleasure and it allows me to find a text, quote or word that I want to remember in a determined position of the book and it remains in my mind in a particular place, a footnote, the back, the front of the book. There's nothing like hearing the sound of printed paper, the feeling of seeing your progress, and just have an area of your home dedicated to books. I like being able to hold a book in my hands, flip through the pages, admire it on my bookshelf, that kind of stuff. 

    Perhaps mine is the position of those who started reading with printed texts, but also of those who have made reading a cult. Today, few could discuss whether it is more convenient or better to read digital or to read a paper version because there are less reading population. Then I wonder, those who were educated being able to choose what to read in those tight bookshelves have not acquired more reading habits than those that are tempted to read books of the moment in digital format or some gossips of the show biz today?

    I am not against using electronic books or other kind of electronic devices but I prefer ink and paper. I love the feel and the smell of books - in fact, just walking into a library or bookstore and smelling the familiar scent of old books makes me happy. Besides I spend my studying day and frankly more than enough of my leisure time staring at screens. The freedom from the screen's tyranny just enhances the pleasure of book reading for me. So I could say that paper books will always be my favourite, these will always have my love, above and beyond any other option. 

THE LION WHISPERER

   

Days ago I started watching a documentary called “Diarios de Africa” created by the news team “Telenoche”, who traveled to Hammanskraal (South Africa), to meet Kevin Richardson, a zoologist who lives in a private reserve of 27,000 hectares with 27 lions.

    For many, the coexistence between lions and humans is something unthinkable, except for Richardson, who assumes this as normal. The job this man does is amazing.  Kevin Richardson has a Wildlife Sanctuary whose main mission is the preservation of different species through education, awareness and funding, especially pertaining to the rapid decline of large carnivores in Africa due to habitat loss, human-predator conflict, unscrupulous hunting, disease and their illegal trade. (Mission, n.d.)

    This documentary, as others he has done, takes you into the intimacy of this “extra-ordinary” relationship. This man has slept next to, fed, and lived with lions. Besides, he has worked with cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. What I like most is that Kevin demonstrates that lions and animals in general, have personalities, feelings, and are social creatures. His interaction with them shows that, with mutual respect, many species can coexist.

    It is important to point out through this post the important role that Kevin has played since he has saved these beautiful creatures.

    Moreover, he is trying to bring awareness that wild animals will become extinct, which is very sad. Sometimes the ones with power, control and money choose to kill these animals for pleasure, for that one second it takes to shoot them. Millions are spent every year by the rich that go hunting in Africa and other parts of the world. There are “reserves” particularly made for the rich, who are all cowards, since they don’t really hunt in the wild, where there is a chance they can be killed, they shoot animals that are released. What Kevin does, is the opposite, he didn’t choose to make money, by “selling” his animals, he chose to not only save them, but raise them and offer them a chance to live. . I wish I could help out with the preservation of these animals as he does.  

(If you want to know more about this project or you want to donate, you can go to this web page: http://www.lionwhisperer.co.za/index.php/contact-us)

Reference List

Mission, (n.d). Kevin Richardson . The Lion Whisperer. Retrieved from: http://www.lionwhisperer.co.za/index.php/wildlife-sanctuary/mission

Who is to blame?

                                   

   Considering figures, one could say that a generation of Argentinean students will be less well educated than their parents. Teachers are getting the blame. Others say that the educational system is the one who has to be blamed. But according to my point of view, those responsible for the underlying problem are mainly the educational system and parents.

    Firstly, while on one hand, we have countries that stand out for their educational quality, their high expectation standards; on the other hand our system aims at reducing the level of expectations creating educational policies in order to make it easier for students. As a consequence the quality of the educational system is lower and more mediocre. It seems that the main goal of this system is to make things easier for students so they can pass the different grades without major difficulties and to get the diploma.

    Secondly, the truth is that in some debates about our poor education, not much is being said about disengaged parents. While teachers have become the scapegoats for Argentina's failing schools, maybe it's time to shine the light on parents. The truth is that many parents do not communicate with their children neither accompany them with their homework. Most of these parents prefer to buy kids iPods, expensive phones, and all kinds of electronic gadgets, but few parents involved in their children´s education. Several parents are disengaged and few of them communicate with teachers unless there is a problem. For example, when children get low grades or comments such as "needs improvement," or "unsatisfactory", parents appear and blame teachers when actually they should think about themselves and their own responsibility in the first place. In my opinion, it's a three way street. If neither the parents, children nor teachers are on board together, it is going to be hard to make it work. There has to be communication between parents and teachers to make it work. 

       To conclude, instead of just blaming the teachers, how about we start pointing at the educational system and the lack of parents’ involvement that makes teaching hard to do?

Learning from dogs

Time ago I watched a program that uttered the following motto “Be good, be animal”.  It caught my attention and it made me happy since I am the kind of person that maintains that there are certain animals, particularly dogs, whose values exceed those human have. 

It is said about dogs that they are “Man´s best friends” but I don´t know if that relationship is mutual.  Certaintly, there are many things that you can learn from dogs.  One thing is to give without expecting anything in return, also to serve despite the abuses and reproaches they can receive; or to show happiness for the simple fact that their names are pronounced or even to defend their “friends” to the point of dying for them or to offer love  expecting nothing in return as well as not to assault the one they love. They don’t judge, they simply take the world around them at face value. Dogs live in the present – they just do!  Moreover, their loyalty is unique. There are innumerable cases in which this virtue has been seen; such is the case of the loyal dog called Capitan, who lived in Cordoba. Capitán went missing for a few days, but he was eventually found lying in the cemetery next to Guzmán's resting place .The remarkable part about this story is that Miguel died in a hospital, and his body was taken to a funeral home far away from where he lived. Capitán had never been to the cemetery before.

Anyhow, I could mention countless attitudes one could learn from them. I think that they are not animated objects to whom a value or price can be assigned. Consequently, I consider that it is more significant the way they are and their virtues instead of what breed they belong to.

Once again, human beings go through life moved by their desire to “pretend to be” and often their feelings are so poor that they lose the teachings that can be obtained from the simplicity of an animal such as the dog.

I cannot stress how important a dog’s love is. And I hope someday, you get to experience that love.

 Just have in mind the following quote stated by Anatole France, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one´s soul remains unawakened.”

What makes this leader different from others?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkMR_8eiT2I

When I hear the millions of dollars the Argentine government officials hold, I cannot help but bring to my head to Uruguay's president José Mujica. The international media have described him as "the most incredible politician" or indeed "the best leader in the world". Some have suggested he should win the next Nobel peace prize. He spent 14 years in prison, 10 of them in solitary confinement, under the military dictatorship in Uruguay, which held power from 1973 to 1985. He is also thought to be the world's poorest president, because he gives almost 90% of his income to low-income housing organizations (Hernandez, 2012). His donations leave him $800 dollars monthly.  "That money is enough for me, and it has to be enough because there are other Uruguayans who live with much less.”, he utters to the four winds. Meanwhile he lives with his wife in a modest house in a land where they grow chrysanthemums for sale on the local market.(Romero, 2013). (I strongly recommend the video posted here to witness his lifestyle).

What I wonder is what it is that makes him excel or be different among the other presidents. Now, going over his life I realize that it is humility what makes him one in a hundred. This virtue goes along with his life and his actions because I see that he is consistent with the values ​​and ideals that he asserts.  I mull over the subject and question myself, Isn´t humility a virtue of the civilized people? I agree with the great Russian writer Anton Chekhov when he declares, "what distinguishes a real and authentic cultivated person is someone who somehow has understood that wisdom is such when it ennobles a man not makes a boastful man; or when it distinguishes a man between others but it does not places him, in certain way, above anyone.” (Pijamasurf, 2013). Above and beyond I ask myself, how real are the ideals that some people, mainly politicians, claim to follow, if they do not interpret the position they hold which should be working tool in the service of others?

Finally I can say that Mujica is a man who in spite of the power he has and the money he could have he maintains his humility. What is more, this man leads by example and it is clear that power has not corrupted him. He leads for his people. We need more leaders like him.

In order to conclude I would like to cite Mujica´s reply to those that accuse him of being poor: "I'm called 'the poorest president', but I don't feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more. I have few things, it is true, the minimum, but only to be rich. I want to have time to devote it to the things that motivate me." he says. (Falety, n.d.)"This is a matter of freedom. If you don't have many possessions then you don't need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them, and therefore you have more time for yourself," he states.(Hernandez, 2012)

Reference list:

Falety, Nany (n.d.). El presidente uruguayo Pepe Mujica: "Yo no soy pobre". Retrieved from: http://esnoticia.co/noticia-1474-el-presidente-uruguayo-pepe-mujica-yo-no-soy-pobre

Hernandez, Vladimir (2012). Jose Mujica: The world's 'poorest' president. BBC News Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20243493

Pijamasurf, (2013). 8 cualidades de las personas verdaderamente cultas (según Antón Chéjov). Rertieved from: http://pijamasurf.com/2013/03/8-cualidades-de-las-personas-verdaderamente-cultas-segun-anton-chejov/

Romero, Simon (2013). La austera vida de Mujica, un presidente sin privilegios. La  Nación. Retrieved from: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1544000-la-austera-vida-de-mujica-un-presidente-sin-privilegios

Two sides of the same coin

    While I was watching the newsflash, there were two pieces of news that caught my attention; on one side was the wealth of President Cristina Fernández (“Cristina Kirchner, cada vez más rica en un país pobre”, 2014) while on the other side was the report given by the Observatorio de la Deuda Social (Socioeconomic report  given by Universidad Católica Argentina)(Urien, 2013).  In light of the information given, my conclusion is very simple, once again Argentina is facing a lost decade having in charge a president who claims to lead a “victorious decade” but for whom?.

   What I wonder is, do we have two realities? The explanation to this question is at sight when prestigious newspapers position the president of Argentina in the list of the ten most ostentatious world presidents. Not only does she own a 55 million pesos wealth but she spends in her personal expenses around 964 thousand pesos annually(“Cristina Kirchner, cada vez más rica en un país pobre”, 2014). Meanwhile this “victorious decade” stands out for the more than 10 million poor; of which about 3 million have poor nutrition; one of every ten people live in homes without running water and three of every ten houses have no sewerage(Urien, 2013).

   All these facts belong to the harshest reality of a country which is potentially rich but severely punished due to mismanagement. The extent of it is hard to quantify. Suffice it to say that misgovernment has lead to enlarge the social inequalities and make more vulnerable to those who have less.

    Nothing can detract from the fact that these issues are a matter for concern and deserve to be dealt with given that there is no greater debt than the one we have with those who cannot be heard.

Reference List

Cristina Kirchner, cada vez más rica en un país pobre (2014, September 4). La Nación. Retrieved from: http://www.lanacion.com.py/articulo/175599-cristina-kirchner-cada-vez-mas-rica-en-un-pais-pobre.html 

En cada aparición, Cristina Kirchner luce joyas que cuestan como una camioneta 4x4. (2008). Perfil. Retrieved from:  http://www.perfil.com/politica/En-cada-aparicion-Cristina-Kirchner-luce-joyas-que-cuestan-como-una-camioneta-4x4-20080404-0020.html

Urien, Paula (2013). Hay más de 10 millones de argentinos pobres y aumentó la desigualdad. La Nación. Retrieved from: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1650754-hay-mas-de-10-millones-de-argentinos-pobres-y-aumento-la-desigualdad