Kenya Melissa Hernandez Trejo

November 2008 Update

I already finished the semester at Curtin University. I am very happy because I did well in all of my units, I learned a lot of new things and I really enjoyed my classes. So far, I have received the mark for my essay of Language and Society, I got 20.5/30%; for this unit I had a final exam which consisted in 4 questions, for each question I had to developed like a small essay, describing the theory and giving my own examples, it was a hard exam but I hope to do well on it. For my unit of Educating Children with Diverse Abilities, I got 37/40% in my final assignment, it was a really good mark and the teacher told me I did one of the best assignments. In my Language and Society unit I got 28/40% in a dialogue analysis. I am just waiting for my final results of the semester which I will know on December 10^th.

After I finished classes, I started looking for a job, I applied in many different places, and I am still waiting to receive a successful response from any of them, because I think that working in Australia would be a great experience for me.

I went to Fremantle last Sunday and there was a parade, it was very nice, with decorated cars and people wearing funny costumes. I also visited the Maritime Museum, it is a very interesting place, and it describes how the Dutch people arrived to Western Australia. In Perth City, outside the museums, there is an exposition of pictures of different places in the world. There are around 200 pictures and I really liked all of them.

October 2008 Update

Now the weather is better, it has been warmer. However, sometimes the weather is so crazy, for example, yesterday it started raining again. Last weekend, the day was so nice, so I went to the beach. I arrived to Fremantle, I walked along the city, I went to the harbor and took many photos of the boats. Then, I went to a small beach, I sat on the sand just to enjoy the view, it was very relaxing.

At school, I have been reading a lot and doing my assignments. I already received some marks: in my unit of ‘TESL’, I got 33.5/40% in a development of a lesson plan and materials for a group of ESL students in an intensive language centre attached to a high school in Australia.

For my unit ‘Language and Society’ I wrote a journal about some of the topics revised during the semester, I got 31/40%. Also, I wrote an essay about language and gender, in which I gave examples of the different ways men and women use the language to communicate. I have not received feedback of the essay, but I hope to do well on it.

My volunteer work this month includes two activities. Firstly, I participated in an environmental project which is in charge of preserving the local parks and rivers of Western Australia. I helped painting some advertisement in the streets’ drills to make people reflect about the importance of not throwing garbage, because it damages the river and also the animals that live in there. The second activity I did was the MOPS program. I took care of the children and played with them. I love this volunteer activity.   I continued selling the chocolates for the fundraising for Afghanistan.

Besides, this month I had the most expensive haircut in my life! It was funny because the girl that cut my hair did not understand what I said, anyway I liked my new look.

September 2008 Update

This month I have been very busy doing my assignments and studying for my tests.

For my Teaching English as a Second Language unit, I did a presentation about “Using readers in the classroom”, I got 32.5/40%. I also had two tests, in each one I got 9/10%. So I am doing very well in this unit, I really like it and it is very related to the subjects that I was studying in Mexico.

In my unit Language in Use, I worked with a classmate. We did a presentation about the ‘Soap Opera Genre’; we compared it between Mexico and Australia. We developed a cross-cultural perspective on how the language is used between the two cultures. We got distinction, 70-80%. I had an exam in which I had to analyze a given text; I have not gotten the result yet.

In my Educating Children with Diverse Abilities unit, I did a presentation about children with ‘Reading Difficulties’. I prepared a lot of material and I developed some activities in the classroom that a teacher can use to include the students that are having difficulties.

Also, I joined the Fitness Centre at Curtin University. I go there twice a week to different classes: spin, step moves, pilates, etc. I really like exercising; it is relaxing and good for my health.

Anabel, Alida, Victoria and I went to a Mexican Party to celebrate the Mexican Independence Day. There was a group of people dancing typical Mexican dances. We had a delicious dinner which included: ‘enchiladas’, rice and beans, with a very good green sauce. We met other Mexicans and some Latin people; we danced and had a lot of fun.

I participated in the MOPS program as a volunteer. I took care of some children between 2 and 5 years old, I played with them, and we watched a movie and had lunch. It was a good experience. I like to work with children.

Anabel and I were given permission to sell chocolates at Curtin University as part of the fundraising for Afghanistan. We made the order to Cadbury chocolates. I started selling the chocolates between my friends and classmates.

August 2008 Update

I started classes at Curtin University of Technology on July 28^th. That day I was very nervous, but during the following days I felt more confident and secure in my classes. I am taking four units, each one of them has a lecture and a tutorial class. I like to read in advance for the lectures and to participate during the tutorials. The way of assessment is different for each unit. I have to do some essays, interviews, presentations, journals, questions, tests and exams. I delivered my first assignment last week, I put a great effort to do it and I hope to do well on it. For other two units I already have a classmate to work with for a presentation, and I started working on it. Also, I am attending computing classes with a volunteer mentor who has helped me to improve my computing skills.

Last Sunday, it was the Curtin Open Day at my University, there were many events, games and activities; a lot of people assisted to look for all what Curtin University offers for the next semester. One of the activities was a flight on helicopter; Ana and I were really interested on it so we paid for it and enjoyed that incredible experience. It was very different from flying on an airplane. We flew for around 5 minutes over Perth; we had a beautiful view of the city and Swan River. It was very exciting, I took many pictures and I recorded it.

I met a friend called Mojo, she is from Zimbabwe, she has invited me to many places and has introduced me to other people, which has been very good for me to practice my English skills and to know more about other countries.

I joined to Curtin Volunteers; I will be working in a program that supports mothers of school-aged children by allowing them to have coffee and a chat with each other. Meanwhile, I will be supervising and playing with the children.

Our Peace Action Group’s leader will be Alida Fernandez. Each member of this group is asking for permission at their universities to sell chocolates and candies as part of the fundraising for Afghanistan. We will also go to a parking in which we will sell second-hand things to get money for the same cause.

July 2008 Update