Marcela's E-Portfolio

  I consider that to write about my 20 years of life is not very easy, especially because I think there are not many things I could write about. Actually, I am a reserved person, so it is a little difficult for me to talk about myself. Still, I will start from the beginning. My name is Marcela Andrea Bascourt Bustos. I was born in a cold evening in July, on Tuesday 13th. For some people, the day of my birth may be considered as an unlucky day, I do not care about that. My mother decided to called me Marcela, because of a dear uncle that she had. Anyway, I like my name. According to my dad, my last name comes from France. I would like to have more evidence about that, but he says that it is because Coronel -The place where my family have lived for years- was an important international harbor in the past. I'm not sure if he's telling the truth.

 In my opinion, family and friends are really important in life, especially nowadays, when it is really difficult to find kind-hearted people. I have always been interested in my family roots, for this reason, I did a little research about my ancestors, at least about my grandparents. My two grandfathers, both deceased, worked together for many years in the mines. I never met my paternal grandfather, he died before my parents got married. Now, I have just one grandmother alive. My maternal grandmother died last year, in December; I really miss her. My mother always tells me that when she saw my father for the first time, it was love at first sight. After two years, they got married. I'm the youngest in my family, and I have two siblings. My sister, Ingrid, is the oldest one. Then, there is my bother Francisco, he studies at UTFSM. The realtionship with my siblings is quite good. Although I have had some problems with my brother, but I suppose that it is normal, and I'm sure that we will get over it. I have lived during all my life with my parents and siblings in Coronel, a small town. I like the place where I live, even when going at the University takes me one or two hours.

 Looking back over the years, I start to think about my childhood. The days when everything was easier. I used to play with my neighbours almost every day, as a innocent little girl, playing with my few toys. I could say that I had a happy childhood, I enjoyed it a lot, not like the new generations. One aspect of my childhood that I always remember, it is the fact that I used to see everything much more bigger than I see it now. For example, the backyard of my house, a park that I used to visit, a path. Clearly, as it always happens, I have a new outlook of life.  

 As I said before, I live with my parents and siblings in a humble home. I come from a traditional family, and as a traditional family, we lunch together, we go out together, we go to the church, we spend Christmas and New Year's Eve together, also with my grandmother, uncles and aunts. Besides, we enjoy eating together; for example, there are traditions meals according to the season. In Winter, when it's rainning, my mother cooks 'calzones rotos' or 'picarones'; in Summer, she cooks 'humitas' and in September, she makes 'empanadas' and 'alfajores'. In those moments, the whole family works together to help her. Therefore, I can say that we are a united family. We have shared happy and sad moments. This remainds me one of the most difficult moments that I have lived, when my grandmother passed away. It was really hard for me, I was not prepared for that, it was completely unexpected. Those days, my family was devastating, especially my mother and my little cousins. We are never ready for this kind of situations. Death is part of our lives, still, we are not prepared to face it.

  On the other hand, every time I remember the happiest days of life, my mind travels to the highschool. There, specifically in my second year, I had a good year. Lots of fun, lots of friends, no important concerns to be worried about. Anyway, those years have gone and life goes on. Nowadays, I am at the UCSC University studiyng English Pedagogy and I'm in my third semester. Thanks God, I've never failed an exam, so far. At the UCSC, I have met lovely people, I have learnt a lot. There are great teachers, teachers that inspire you; and for that reason, I really appreciate the major that I study. I believe that, as future teachers, we have the opportunity to change the education system in Chile. There are still much to do.

  Who would have imagined, at the beggining I thought there wasn't too much to write about myself. Indeed, now I think that this piece of writing, is just a small summary of my life. Well, I have enjoyed writing about me. Maybe, through this autobiography, some people will know me a little better. I am just a girl, with lots of dreams, waiting for a better future, for some peace, for a wonderful life.

I believe that years have happened too fast.

Marcela Bascourt

Friday, September 13th, 2013.