Exploring Digital Photography Principals in Cordoba

Close vs. Far
Empanadas. a cultural food.








Dark vs. Light
Church in El Centro


Rule of Thirds
Newspaper Stand "La Voz"
My House Number
House "mailbox"

Horizontal vs. Vertical and Close vs. Far
My street sign.

Rhetorical Analysis'

Coca~Cola Adertisement of Argentina.
1. Kairos- this commercial appeals to all audiences as evidenced by the words:
It says
"for the fat"
"for the Skinny"
"for the Tall"
"for the Short"
"for those that smile"
"for the optimist"
"for the pecimist"
"for those that play"
"for the family"
"for the king"
etc. etc. etc... then at the end it says... "for everyone"
2. Logos--the different types of coke bottles. Taking adjectives that describe people and applying them to coke bottles. Different sizes, different arragements, etc. Travels from one "person" to another.
3. Pathos-Coca~Colas are for all types of people. The movement, music, etc.
4. Ethos-Person who produced is saying to viewers "We understand you are all different, but this drink suits everyone"


"For 33 years, we have continued fighting for a free country and Latin America."

This is a photo of graffiti at the National University in Cordoba that our group visited last Tuesday. This graffiti tells part of the story of Argentina and the Dirty War. From about 1976-1983 there was fighting and war amongst terrorists and Argentina military due to a terrorist attack in Buenos Aires. This was carried out by Jorge Rafael Videla's military dictatorship. During this time, there was killing of many innocent people, not just the terrorists. The military killed about 18,000 people without any reason, solely because they wanted to. Moms of the deceased marched around the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires protesting. This graffiti is a picture of women who protested and eventually lead to a free country.
1. Kairos-protesting for a free LatinAmerica
2. Logos-opening a zipper- representing liberty
3. Pathos-evokes sentimental feelings. No expressions on faces.
4. Ethical- the creator wants the audience to remember, and to understand the emotions behind the unjust war, aka the Dirty War.

How special would you feel with a Ronald McDonald Birthday cake? :)

McDonalds USA vs. McDonalds Argentina

1. McDonalds in Argentina host special birthday parties for children. They have a special area reserved and decorated for parties. As a part of the traditional Hispanic fiestas, birthday parties include pinatas. The restaurant provides invitations and gifts for each guest. The guests can chose between 3 different kits: the countryside, average age, or icecream. Each kit contains different drawings and different gifts for the guests. Each kit also contains a voucher for free french fries. The birthday boy/girl receives a very special gift and a happy meal box or "cajita feliz" free each month for a year. All of this for only (approx) U$S $38.75! For only U$S 8.75 more, McDonald's you can have a delicious Ronald McDonald vanilla cake with dulce de leche (a very popular milk-caramel jam).

Breakfast options:
*3 medialunas--(croissants with drizzled on top)
*Bagel Cinnamon
*Bagel with ham and cheese
*Bagel with egg and cheese
Lunch/Supper options:
*Cajita Feliz (Happy Meal)
-Hamburger with/without cheese
-"tostado" sandwich with ham and cheese
-McNuggets
*Sandwiches
-Big Mac
-Triple Mac
-McFiesta (hamburger with lettuce and tomato)
-Big Tasty (hamburger w. lettuce, tomato, and speciality sauce)
-Doble McNifica (hamburger w. everything)
-Pechuga Bacon Grill (grilled chicken)
-McPollo
-Pechuga Barbacoa Crispy (fried chicken sandwich with bbq)
-McNuggets
*Desserts (Postres)
-McFlurry Oreo
-Sundae (chocolate, strawberry, dulce de leche)
-Top Sunday
Not many differences in the menu between US and Argentina. The only differences I noticed were the special sauces for Big Tasty Hamburger, regular sandwiches with ham and cheese, bagels, and the use of dulce de leche in all desserts.
In the states, we definitely have a much larger selection of desserts; however, desserts are not very common in Argentina unless it's a special occasion.
McDesserts in US:
Oreo McFlurry
Butterfinger McFlurry
M&M McFlurry
Hot Fudge Sunday
Hot Carmel Sunday
Strawberry Sunday
Chocolate Triple Thick Shake (12, 16, 21, 32 oz)
Strawberry Triple Thick Shake (12, 16, 21, 32 oz)
Vanilla Triple Thick Shake (12, 16, 21, 32 oz)
Baked Apple Pie
Apple Dippers
Cinnamon Melts
McDonaldland cookies
Chocolate chip/Oatmeal Raisin/sugar Chip Cookie
Oh my goodness! That's over 16 different desserts to chose from compared to the 3 in Argentina!

It made me really happy to read about the birthday parties. I thought this was really special! I wish we did this in the States. How special would you feel if you got a Ronald McDonald birthday cake for your next birthday? Okay, maybe you should answer that in the perspective of a child, but regardless, that would be awesome!

While passing by a McDonalds, I had the opportunity to take a couple of pictures, but I didn't have time to eat to compare taste. Overall, the McDonald's here look pretty much the same. This specific one is located in a mall in downtown Cordoba.

From books to screens...from literacy to visuality

Growing up, I have witnessed new inventions continually over throw dominant media. Within my lifetime of technological inventions, we've gone from the boombox to the Sony Walkman to the portable cassette player, to the Ipod. We've gone from desktop computer monitors that cover the entire desk to LCD widescreen flat-panel monitors that take up hardly any space. We've gone from predominantly desktop computers to predominantly portable laptop computers. We've seen laptops go from 24 pounds to 3-12 pounds. I've seen televisions advance from analog all the way to flat screen, digital, high definition televisions.
In just a short amount of years, our culture has gone from a low level of technological literacy to a very high rate of literacy. There's no doubt that new inventions are continually taking the place of dominant media. All of these new advances in technology are leading to screen fluency.

Often times this can becoming frustrating for the consumer. Many Americans, especially older generations, often become accustomed to using a certain type of technology, and then it will change and they will have to re-learn.

I liked the comment in the article Is Google Making us Stupid "Internet is becoming our: map, clock, printing press, typewriter, calculator, telephone, radio and TV. Never has a communication system played so many roles in our lives" This comment is so true. I know this is frustrating for the older generation, too. The internet is becoming a necessity, and as we move from "book literacy to screen literacy" I believe we will begin to see the internet serve more purposes than those listed.

Kevin Kelly also states that we "once revolved around the spoken work with oral skills of memorization, recitation, rhetoric. Then orality was overthrown by technology." Orality seems to be completely gone. Americans even get frustrated talking on the phone. Most would rather send an email, fb message, or chat, rather than talk on the phone.

Funny cartoons I found about technological advances: Enjoy :)


1. http://field.mpls.k12.mn.us/uploads/DCaine_TechnologyCartoon_ITEC501_200.jpg

2. http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2009/20090309.jpg

Hosting an Exchange student to Landrum, South Carolina..

I attended a very small high school, with a graduating class of 97 students; therefore, "exchange student" was hardly in our vocabulary. However, my senior year of high school we had an exchange student, Anne Bergløv, from Copenhagen, Denmark. This was such an experience! Not only did Anne learn and experience a new culture, but through our interaction with her, we were able to learn and experience the Denmark culture.
I remember Anne saying repeatedly that she was so amazed by everyone's friendliness. She stated that she felt welcome from the very beginning. She said that she loved the friendliness and and politeness you meet everywhere around South Carolina and that people always appear happy.

As I was thinking about Anne's experience in Landrum, SC, my people and my culture, and what/how I would explain it to a foreign exchange student, I found the following examples of the 5 Strands/Roots of Culture that were discussed in last weeks lecture video:
Nomos Religion is very important in the Southern part of the US. In fact, the south is often referred to as the "Bible Belt". The story of my culture and my people can be told through the significance of holiday names and people's names.
Names of holidays we celebrate help tell the story of my people.
*CHRISTmas-a holiday that commemorates the birth of Christ
*THANKSgiving-a holiday to give thanks to God
Names of people also help tell the story of my people. It is very common for children to purposely be named after Bible Characters (Rebecca, David, Matthew, Mark,Samuel, Luke, Paul, etc)
*A family in my hometown conceived a child weeks before they found out the mother had breast cancer. This little baby (now 4 years old) was born healthy as ever, even through his mothers' cancer treatments. They decided to name this little boy David--after David in the Bible who endured and won the fight with Goliath the giant.

Ethnos
Sports Teams If I were to host a foreign exchange student, I would have to explain to them the importance of the Clemson Tigers ;) Just as Professor Nichols spoke about in the video--the oral (C-L-E-M-S-O000-N), visual (solid orange), and textual (car decorations, clothing)aspects.

Food Food in the South is much different than any other part of the US or world. Any foreign exchange student visiting my family would literally get a good "taste" of our culture.
Homemade Strawberry Cobbler, Southern
Funnel Cake from Dollywood-not just Southern, but American
Glass of SWEET tea, Southern
My Hamburger and frenchfries from Crab Shack. Not just southern, but American.
FastFood is very prominent and popular (more so in the South)
Fried Chicken (or fried food in general), Grits, Biscuits, and gravy are also very popular in the South.
The New Years dinner is unique to America, too. This may just be the South, I'm not sure, but this dinner is designed to bring you good luck in the New Year. On the menu: collard greens, black-eyed peas, pork, and cornbread. The collard greens symbolize the dollar bills one will earn during the new year, and the black-eyed peas symbolize the coins one will earn during the new year.
Archon
*display of the Cross of Christ Jesus for Easter
*Christmas tree--star on top represents the star at Bethlehem that led the Wise men to Baby Jesus, and angel on top represents the angel that appeared to the Shepherd to announce the Birth of Baby Jesus.

Mythos & Techne
Many people know Landrum for the unique antique shops. Antiques have a way of telling their own story (mythos). There is also antique folk art such as carousel horses, fire buckets, painted game boards, cast iron doorstops (Techne).

On the note of Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions:
1. While America may have a high individualistic attitude, this level tends to decrease in the South. We are not only concerned with the well-being of our immediate family, but Southerners tend to form strong bonds with friends. My family shares close relationships with our immediate family as well as our church family. We care for the well-being of our friends just as we care for our family.
2. The South also shares values associated with short-term orientation. We definitely value family traditions.

Culturally Literate

As I reflect on my days and my knowledge and understanding of my culture, there are 3 prominent aspects that I believe have helped me become culturally literate. Involvement and participation within 3 separate communities: my family, my church, and my school have all collectively played a part in increasing my level of cultural literacy.
As family, my parents and grandparents have continually and faithfully taught me concerning the American culture. Most importantly, my family brought me up within the Church and a Christian environment. God used this community and the example my parents set before me to draw me unto Him. I made the most important decision you and I will ever make-I entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.My family also taught me the importance of family and education. They educated me concerning work and the value of money. My parents also taught me about different forms of the American culture--dance, music, gardening, and cooking. I took part in all of these activities outside of the classroom--I took dancing lessons for 10 years, took Piano lessons, watched and observed as my Dad gardened each summer, and took mental notes as I watched my mother cook. My parents also taught me the "rules" regarding formality, and how one should act/dress differently based on the situation (with strangers, at weddings, funerals, church, etc.)
As I reflect on our lecture videos, I remember cultural literacy being defined as "a network of information that all competent readers posses". This network of information can include any form or type of information including the Bible. Through my involvement in the Church community, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the "mythos" or stories within the Bible. Through my reading and learning of the Bible, I have also learned what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior for myself, as a Christian.
School has also played a roll in raising my level of cultural literacy. Throughout elementary school, junior high, high school and now college, I can say that I have a decent working-knowledge of famous people, scientific terms, and historical events.

In my visit to Kenya, Africa (the only time I've been out of the country), I depended upon our leader, who had lived there for over 20 years, for cultural literacy. Before embarking on our 2-week (wow!) journey, she shared with us important and helpful tips regarding the Kenyan culture. I remember specifically reviewing verbal and non-verbal gestures within the Kenyan culture.

As I look ahead, in anticipation, to my 5-month stay in Argentina this semester, I understand that I will be entering a completely new and unique culture; however, I am trusting that my involvement and participation within the same 3 communities: the Magnano Family (my family), the Christian community (my church), and Universidad Blas Pascal (my school), will all collectively play a part in increasing my level of cultural literacy of Argentina.

No more telephones with cords?

Hello fellow CLAMmers & bloggers :)
On the topic of new technology & new means of communication...Can I just say that I'm thankful for cordLESS telephones & now, cellphones? or in short...THANK YOU FOR PRIVACY! ha-ha I can remember in elementary school when my friends would call my house and my only option was the telephone in our kitchen (with the loooooooonnnnnnngggg cord). This poor cord was stretched to its limits everytime I used it! I tried so hard to make this cord stretch far enough to at least get SOME privacy as I spoke with my girl friends about the "cutest boy-of-the-week" ha-ha! I know some of you females can relate :)
Now, for online communities...
I guess my involvement with online communitites began in junior high, with Myspace. I enjoyed staying connected with friends through this online community, but my parents failed to see the "good" in this popular site (I guess WSPA gets the thanks for that). (Note: At that time, I didn't understand the fuss, but as I get older, I understand their concern.)
Regardless, I continued Myspacing because my parents never strictly enforced "no myspace". ha-ha So, I found a way around it and continued using Myspace until my senior year of high school. My older sister had told me that I couldn't use facebook until I was in college so, once I was accepted to Clemson, I set up my very own Facebook. In comparsion of the two online communities, I prefer Facebook over Myspace because it appears more mature and professional.
Facebook provides a wonderful means to stay connected with my friends from home and friends from school. I have to admit though, Facebook (a.k.a Procrastination Network), often jumps ahead on my priority list (yes, Facebook's fault ;))
Until recently, Myspace and Facebook have been the extent of my involvment with the online community. In preparation to study abroad this semester, I started my first blog! I wanted my family and friends to follow me throughout my time in Córdoba. This idea lead to the creation of My 1st Blogspot :) How exciting! You are visiting my 2nd blog designed to showcase my CLAM creations! Hopefully my blogspots won't lead to procrastination as much as Facebook (now that I have 2), but time will tell...vamos a ver :)
I'm looking forward to this semester as I begin my exciting adventure abroad as a brand new, inexperienced blogger! :)