How to make friends during the pandemic

If you're like me and all of your friends are married with children than chances are you lack friends and need to make a few during this pandemic. I turned to Facebook to find a safe way, for me, at least to learn and make friends in the process. I've joined language exchange groups, art groups and photogprahy groups. 

By joining groups with similar interests you'll likely to find people who like the same things you do. You can strike up a conversation and get to know people from around the world. You'll learn about other cultures and pick up a few pointers from each other in conversation. 

I met a few people from my photography groups who are wells of knowledge. They know what they are talking about when it comes to techniques. They have been generous in sharing their knowledge with me and i feel smarter for applying the tips and tricks they have given me about photography into my own portfolio. 

One guy gave me pointers on long exposure. There are a few articles he shared that I'll link, here and here. After reading up on it I feel thankful for his grnerousity because I probably would have never found that information on my own. :)

Another friend helped me by sharing some books with me. I've been studying French and he has been learning English and German. He found some vocabulary books online and willingly shared that information with me. I'm grateful for that because I probably wouldn't have known about it otherwise. 

I've also had a lot of other encounters with people from France, Morocco, Belgium, Uk, Algeria, Honduras, Colombia; Venezuela, Spain and Italy to name a few. Each have exciting backgrounds and i enjoy listening to their stories as we each share something in common. 

So in conclusion, I've used Facebook groups to gauge my interests and find people to talk to and learn from from there. I've gathered greater knowledge from them and who knows, would even meet some of them in person in the future. 

How do you make friends or maintain your friendships during this pandemic. Do you have any suggestions? Leave them in the comments to grow in the community. 

Stay safe. Xoxo 

Why I love photography

Photography is a form of art where you paint a picture with a snapshot. If you ever heard the famous cliche, "pictures are worth a thousand words." It's true. You can tell so much with a single picture. I enjoy photogprahy because it's therapeutic, it's a form of self expression and because of all the good you can do with it. 

In a way, photography is my therapy. I have PTSD, I suffer from mild depression and anxiety. Taking photos is a great way to help me get my mind off of life's difficulties and concentrate on art, which relaxes my mind. I'm so thankful to be able to take photos and express myself creatively. 

Speaking of self expression, I like to use photography to express my creativity. There are countless stories you can tell with your camera and if you find the right shot, it's really meaningful because it's unique. You made something all your own. Some of my favorite art forms is nature photography and editorial peices. I love nature photography because nature is always changing and it always has beautiful scenes to offer. I love editorial photography because of the stories you can tell in one photo. For example, Henri Cartier-Bresson was a documentary photographer who was famous for taking candid pictures of his subjects. He was famous for taking pictures at the decisive moment. There's something natural about capturing photos in the moment. They're effortless and can tell a story with so many emotions. Editorial photography is also a great way to tell a story about an important cause. 

Editorial shots also tell stories for people who don't have a voice to tell them. I think it's a great idea to use photogprahy for the benefit of the community by doing volunteer work to help those people. For example, there are charities that help children get their education, who feed the hungry, and provide medical services for people who can't afford it. Sometimes these charities need someone to help them tell those stories and photography is a great way of doing so. I believe that volunteer photography is a great way of giving back to the community. I've been searching for different organizationd to volunteer for and have found countless of charities on InterAction-- a website that lists many charities for the public to search for. I hope to volunteer to some of these charities as s way to give back to the community and help others in need with my art. 

So, I really enjoy photography as an art. There is so many inspirations for photography as an art online and I look to other photographers to see what they're doing to be a better artist myself. This art is also a therapy for me as I pick up my camera each time to tell a story. It's a great way of expressing myself and I'm inspired by the good work that i can do eoth it. 

Copywriting sample: Why you should get a Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera

Subject 1:  Take better pictures with a Nikon today or for clear photos 

Subject 2: Hobbiest and professionals like the Nikon D5600 camera

Subject 3: The Nikon D5600 is a great camera for beginners and intermediate professionals 

Subject 4: Synch your photos to your phone with the Nikon D5600 

Back in the day, if someone ever wanted to take a picture they'd use film to take black and white photographs. Now we have smart phones, DSLR and digital cameras. 

Even if you're a hobbiest and you ever wanted to take a meaningful picture of your puppies, your kids or some flowers, you can think past using film cameras and think about investing into a Nikon D5600 for beautiful photos. You can instantly take photos that will imoress your friends and synch them to your phone through SnapBridge to upload them immediately on Instagram.

No one needs old film cameras anymore, a DSLR camera is an updated version that will make your subject stand out sharply and give you the wonderful blurry affect in the background that every photographer wants. So weather you're a hobby photographer or a semi professional portrait photographer, I suggest getting a camera like the Nikon D5600 today. 

Sincerely,

Rose Caro 

Copywriting sample: Why You Should Invest in a Fender Guitar

Subject 1: invest in a Fender now or suffer sounding like a newbie

Subject 2: Sound like a professional musician with a Fender

Subject 3: Impress all your guitarists friends with a Fender

Subject 4: You would look good playing a Fender guitar 

Did you ever want to take up guitar but didn't know what would be a good guitar to invest in? Maybe investing in a Fender acoustic electric guitar would be great for someone who intends to become a guitarist. 

With owning a Fender guitar you'd get respect from people who know about quality guitars, you get a quality brand that will stay with you for years, you'd get a light weight instrument and you'd get great amplification. 

Your art it worth investing in a high quality fender guitar from the beginning. Think about all the classical, finglerstyle, and church songs you could play in a huge crowd.

Not to mention you would look really good playing it too. 

So if you have more questions on how to compare prices just give me a call and I can help you out. 

Sincerely, 

Rose Caro 

Copywriting sample: Convince Jane to buy a Conair Straightener

Subject 1: Straight hair in little time so you'll look more fabulous

Subject 2: Straighten your hair with Conair and look your prettiest 

Subject 3: Hate curly hair? Try straightening it with a Conair Straightener

Subject 4:  Have straight hair and feel more beautiful

Hey Jane,

Have you ever seen how other girls in the magazines have silky straight hair and you just want your hair to lay that way too? Well with a Conair hair straightener you can get that same effect. 

With the 1 inch barrel Conair Hair Straightener you can turn it on and heat it within seconds, reach those small baby hairs around your ears with ease, get smooth silky hair, and wrap your hair around the round barrel to get silky curls if you wish. 

Silky straight hair looks great on everyone, and this affordable hair straightener for under $20 would be a great investment to tame your frizz and get smooth hair like in the magazines. 

That's why having a Conair hair straightener would make you feel prettier. 

So what are you waiting for? Go out to your nearest convenience store and get yourself a Conair hair straightener. You'll be rocking long smooth strands in no time. 

Sincerely, 

Rose Caro 

Why I love Colombia

Colombia is a country in south america bordered by Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil. My mother's side of the family comes from Cartagena if I'm not mistaken. I never really tapped into my maternal culture until i was in college because I was raised by my Puerto Rican father. I've met a few colombians in my life and they were really nice people. So i read up on this culturally rich country and began to love it all the more. I especially like the delicious food, the beautiful people and the festive music.

Growing up, i recall sitting in my grandmother's dining room surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins gathered together for grand ma's famous arroz de coco con pescado (coconut rice with fish). I was still little, and i recall my parents warning me before digging into the flakey fish that it had bones in it. I could never forget the savory coconut rice and helping grand ma wash dishes after everyone finished feasting. 

Some other really famous dishes in Colombia are Ajaico and a giant plate of bandeja paisa. The bandeja paisa comes with a lot of food like Rice, beans and meat. It reminds me of a similar dish in Puerto Rico called Mixta, which is really tasty. You would probably need someone to share your bandeja paisa with because the proportions are so big!

I also really like the music. Colombia is famous for Cumbia and Salsa. It also has a lot of really cool pop artists too. One of my favorites is Camilo. He's really a character because he has a true gentleman's beard and has his own style. His songs are really sweet and catchy and make me fantasize about the type of relationship that i want.

Colombia also really has beautiful people. These people are friendly and festive. All the colombians I've ever met were really warm and willing to help if you ever had a question. They are also generally happy people as they celebrate everything. 

This video from youtube probably explains it best: 

https://youtu.be/JDSrJj7-b2o

Even though I wasn't raised in a Colombian home, i feel so much closer to my mother's side if the family by reading up on my roots. I'd love to visit some day and get to know Colombia personally. 

What do you think? Where are you from? What are some cultural staples from your country that make your country unique? 

My Giant Portfolio

I recently just updated my blog to include two new widgets: Twitter and instagram. I'm pretty excited about it because I feel it makes it look more personal as you see a snapshot of everything on my sidebar. I started this blog with the intent to create a meaningful blog for girls, (and guys if they want) to read about health/beauty, art and travel-- A life style blog. Over the year I've written 55 blog posts and counting. I've linked my Twitter, Instagram, Behance and Facebook accounts to this blog and it's become a kind of portfolio of all the art i like to do.

I really like how my Facebook has turned out because I've followed many fine art groups on facebook and as I scroll down my feed I see so many beautiful paintings everytime I open up Facebook that I can't help but share them to my profile. Later when I scroll down my profile all you see is art works, colors and proportions of different sizes, embellish my page. It makes me feel like an art collector of sorts because of all the relaxing paintings I've found. You can see it here and message me on Facebook.

I even found an artist that i really like, David Shaub. He's like a modern day impressionist and I love how colorful and relaxing his peices are. 

I also really like how I can link my Instagram on here. I have a link in the overhead, but there is a widget that displays my recent Instagram photos in a gallery for all to see. Moreover, I've linked my Behance portfolio in the overhead to show photos of different categories that I've taken, like nature, black and white and documentary photos. I will be updating that one soon. 

So far I'm really proud of the portfolio I've made, even if no one reads my blogs or sees my photos. I hope to inspire others to tell their stories whether it be with words or images. Thanks for checking it out. 

Why I love the French language

Disney's Madeline with her dog Genevieve was one of my favorite cartoons growing up. I used to watch hours of Madeline going on adventures and coming home to the twelve girls and her guardian at the manor covered in vines. She was smart, witty and resourceful. 

Then i grew up and went to school and learned Spanish. I still really liked French and took a course in high school. I studied for hours online using grammar notes and Duolingo. Pimsleure became my best friend and Assimil from Spanish to French led me on my way to fluency. I put in a lot of time and effort into learning this language of love and i there are just a few reasons as to why I like it so much-- so well because growing up I really liked listening to it, it's a beautiful language widely spoken and I love the culture. 

As previously mentioned, growing up I really enjoyed the language. I would watch Disney's Madeline. Then i found resources to help me learn the language. I put in a lot of effort to learning and realized that with hard work I did achieve results. Now I can speak at a B2 level and I want to get to native like fluency. I definitely have so much more to learn because there are still words I don't know in French. 

As I practice more and more, I get used to the sounds of this widely spoken language. The accents differ across regions and I've learned that France extends so much farther than the mainland in Europe. 

According to uk.france.fr, "Often named by the acronym DROM-COM, the ‘Overseas Departments and Regions – Overseas Collectivities’ refer collectively to all land under French sovereignty outside mainland France:

• The Islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Atlantic Ocean)
• Reunion island, Mayotte, the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Indian Ocean)
• French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna (Pacific Ocean)

The French Overseas Territories cover almost 120 000 km² and are home to more than 2.6 million people."

French is also the official language of countries

in Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central, African, Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte, d'Ivoire, Democratic, Republic, of, the, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, France, Guinea, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Republic, of, the, Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, and Vanuatu. With so many places and people speaking French, it gives me even more reason to learn the language. I've had the pleasure of speaking with a few people from a few of these places and we've had language exchanges online. It was fun getting to know them and learning about their cultures along with the language.  Speaking of culture, with all the different French speaking cultures in the world I still like France. I've learned a few idioms, gestures, and about the dress and cuisine. I'd love to go someday and visit to see France for myself. It's a beautiful place filled with lots of art and design. It's definitely one of my favorite places in the world to be.  So my journey with French has come a long way as I grew up listening to it every now and then. I've realized it's a widely spoken language so that would open many doors for me as I excel in knowledge of this beautiful language and my love for this iconic culture swells as i admire the art that frames it's scene.

My writing experience

Sometimes i have posts upon posts written in my queue waiting to be published. I will write them one or two weeks in advance as ideas just come to me out of no where.

When I'm sleeping.

.... When I'm eating

...........when I'm out for a walk 

.................when I'm writing 

Sometimes i fear that I'll run out of ideas for writing. And I do sometimes. I'll go months without a word in my mind. 

Then all of a sudden a spark happens!

I've gotten more ideas as the new year rolled around and I strive to write 1000 words at least. It's good for SEO.

This post is shorter though. I'm just writing because I don't want you to think that I'm posting things willy nilly. I just have so many ideas lines up and i want the meaningful audience to know about what I've written. 

It's good for the soul.

.... And my portfolio. 

When do you get writing inspiration? What are some ideas that come to mind at random? Maybe we can chat about some topics that interest you. Let me know in the comments. 

Leave me a message in my Facebook inbox so we can know each other better, here. 

Reasons to join the Peace Corps

I submitted my application for the Peace Corps but I realize that i might push that back for another couple of years until I finish my Master's degree. I've already started thinking about it now and I've been thinking about good reasons for joining the Peace Corps in the future. Some ways that I would think about my best time serving is thinking about Peace Corps values, using my skills from school to improve the community in my host country and think about fun ways to document my stay. 

Peace Corps values world peace and friendship. Therefore, I would use my time there to think about how I would best include others in service and practice. I would look to participate in classroom discussions. Seek out cultural exchanges and share values that are meaningful to volunteers and hosts alike. 

As I think about what is meaningful, I will seek to use my skills that I learned from school to improve my host community. Since I studied a bachelor's in Mass Communications and am seeking my master's in documentary photogprahy and photojournalism, I would help others improve their English skills. Moreover, I would encourage others to use art and photography to find their voice and share their meaningful stories with the world. Everyone has a story to tell and they should feel empowered to share what is important to them through their words and their lense. 

As I seek to encourage, I will look for my own stories too. I tend to fancy candid shots, as inspired by Henri Cartier Brensson who sought to capture the decisive moment. I feel these stories are more authentic than posed portraits because they steal a moment in time while telling the true story without being noticed-- kind of like being a fly on the wall. 

For example, if I went to Costa Rica, I would capture the smiles of kids playing in a group after school. 

If I went to Colombia, I would capture my host mother preparing a meal for a large group. 

If I went to Madagascar, I would capture a volunteer with a native animal.

There are lots of stories to tell and I would use my skills to document the authentic story of my time abroad. 

Serving in the Peace Corps would give me the opportunity to bring awareness of my multifaceted culture back home while learning about the host culture abroad. I would help instill values for world peace and friendship while helping others in the community grow their language skills with English, Spanish, and French. I would also want to be an encouragement for storytellers to tell their most meaningful stories. 

Some of my favorite languages

Growing up i recall having conversations with my parents about languages. I recall my Spanish speaking dad explaining to me the similarities between the romance languages and how cool it would be to learn how to speak them. (Those obviously include Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Catalan)  

As for me, I'm currently trilingual. I grew up learning how to speak English in primary school in Florida. Then when I was seven, i met one friend whose parents became best friends with my parents and we grew up speaking Spanish at home. When I was 12 i taught myself how to read and write in Spanish. To solidify my studies i took a Spanish class in high school and later learned to actually speak Spanish after I graduated from high school on mission trips to Costa Rica. I didn't know how to speak a word of Spanish but I understood most if it. However, in order for me to do daily tasks like go to the grocery store, go to the bank, pay for my phone bill, i had to speak Spanish and it was very rewarding to come back home having accomplished the goal after four years if spending summers abroad to become fluent in a second language 

Then, i met some people in Costa Rica who like to learn other foreign languages like French, German and Portuguese. I became inspired to learn French and found tons of recourses online, Facebook groups, and language exchanges.

So i started to study French, German, Italian and other languages on Duolingo. I really like this recourse because I can spend as much time on it as i like to every day and I can return to it whenever the inspiration strikes to learn a language. It's convenient and it's free. 

Once i became more fluent with French, i moved on to other resources i found in my public library. The library has grammar books and audio discs to help me learn grammar and phrases in French. Finally, i moved on to Assimil to help me get through my B2 level and i bought the C1/C2 DALF book for native fluency. 

Language learning for me hasn't always been easy. Sometimes things in life come up and i have to postpone my studies for a later time to take care of other responsibilities. But i find that when I get bored, i end up browsing on Duolingo and start racking points to make conversations online from home. It's not very hard and it's a fun outlet i like to turn to to help me gain knowledge of other languages and cultures. I feel smarter for being more open minded to cultures that are different than my own and that's special. 

What are some of your favorite languages? What languages do you aspire to learn and how do you achieve these goals? Maybe we can chat about it some day. Even though I like to learn other foreign languages, i feel most comfortable speaking English, Spanish or French. 

So feel free to leave a comment or message me on Facebook, here 

Have a great day!

Why I love language learning

Currently, I speak English as my first language, Spanish at an advanced level and French at an intermediate to advanced level. I've dabbled in a few other languages like German, Dutch, Italian and Greek. I would like to learn a few more at an advanced level to be called a Polyglot. I think language learning is fun because I feel smarter than everyone else, I get to switch languages quickly in my head and I get to meet lots of people from other cultures on Facebook groups. 

I learned english in primary school in the U.S. and Spanish was always spoken at home; however, i didn't learn how to speak Spanish until I was about 12 or 13 years old when I began to teach myself how to read and write in Spanish. Then i took some courses in high school and traveled to Costa Rica in the summer time where I got cultural immersion. I felt culture clash, definitely because even though I knew how to read and write in Spanish I didn't know how to speak very well. Therefore, using the language in everyday life definitely helped me improve my verbal communication and get over my fear of speaking. 

In Costa Rica, i met quite a few people who like to learn other languages. I never thought about learning more than one language at a time but these people like to learn multiple. I decided to pick up French on my own and began studying on Duolingo and Pimsleure back in the States. 

As I taught myself French, i surely but steadily improved my grammar and communication. I found language partners on Facebook groups and on apps like Hello talk and Tandem. 

Then my curiosity grew as I realized there are approximately 6,500 languages in the world and I wanted to learn a few more. I wanted to be smarter than most and have fun switching languages in my head.

So I realized German is another language that a lot of people ask to exchange for and I decided I would give it a try. I'm still at a beginner level and would like to improve my skills in this language. 

I also really like getting to know other cultures. As i meet people from the comfort of my own home on Facebook groups, i don't have to travel to learn about other people. I've made friends, talked about food, scenery and customs from different countries 

Now I feel all that much more open to other cultures as I embrace my own. 

PTSD & anxiety update about my crappy life

I've noticed that when I take my medication for depression and anxiety my levels are lower and i can actually sleep. 

Usually i feel sad because I'm lonely or I don't know about mom. One piece of special advice a friend reminded me is that she is always in my heart, which is encouraging because it is true. She will always live on in my heart. 

Moreover, I'm not ready for close, personal relationships because I'm a piece of crap that misses out on nuances. I can't give 100% because I am not mentally or emotionally available. Until mom is found I fear I'm kind of spaced out. I can't do anything else because I've contacted the police and private investigators and they are searching with all the details I've given them. She's at a cold case. Faith is the only thing that gives me the light of hope to hold on. I could lose my mind not knowing what has happened to her. But all I can do is place it on God's hands and let him fight for me. (1 Peter 5:6-7; Exodus 14:14) 

I have many restless nights. Many times i toss and turn in bed thinking about what I've forgotten and remembering what used to be. By the time I realize the hour it's 2:15 a.m. and not 11 p.m. my medicine calms me down and helps me doze off to sleep. I usually stay asleep at that point but if I don't take it I will miss out on so much sleep and become a cranky pants. 

Speaking of cranky pants, I've been searching and searching for employment. I have student loans and debts to pay of.... Just like everyone else but no one is willing to take me. I feel like is so unfair. I can't take this too personal as dad says. Will anyone be willing to give me a job to help me pay off my college fees? I'm $800 under and need my official transcripts and my bachelor's diploma to prove my status and get into graduate school. I want to do documentary photogprahy.

I guess it's the system. Not to mention this pandemic and the Martial Law we're about to be swept under can make matters worse. I feel so sleepy. 

Most nights when i can't sleep, i realize i start to write a lot more. I've been writing more blogs and i have a book i want to write too. The only motivation i get out of it is if i approach it as a blog. Calling it a book is too formal and bores me, haha. It'll be a biography. People keep telling me to write about my life because I have a story to tell. Many times i thought my life was too boring to write about and so i never had anything to say when people asked me to talk about myself. I felt that was too humiliating. However, for the sake of being more relatable i will make a biogrophy. 

On another note, i want to write some novels. Those sound more attractive to me as i would write some Christian romance novels. However my romantic life is not where I want it to be. Obviously, there's no rush and i wouldn't blame him for leaving me especially if I'm in space all day. Honestly, i don't know what I'll do until they find my mom and i can have some closure. I was in love once but he left me. It's really a long story and not something I want to get into right now as I have so many problems in this life. I just need some closure and time to reflect. I know I have potential for so much more. 

Any ideas for some books? I like the idea of some romance novels, coming of age stories, singles adventures. It would be fun to invent some characters. There are some great free apps on the market, like Auctor, that help you invent characters. They are so specific it's eerie. 

Anyway, i digress. It's almost 3 a.m. and all I want to do is write. I might even make a photography book. Who knows. Any ideas? Suggestions are welcome. 

Sleep finally beacons... Good night 

a poem about my wedge high heels

Strapless, sandles, open toes 

Kitten heel, high heel, stiletto 

I love her style and i love her aesthetic 

But the wedge has won me over

One step, two step, three 

Firm step, sexy step, secure step

She's gotten me alot of compliments 

While her hieght will never beat 

The comfort of my favorite wedge 

I love my high heels

No matter how uncomfortable she might be

The things that make me happy

Here is a list of things that make me happy. When I think about them they become like sunshine in my heart radiating warmth, good feelings and memories. 

1.Fine art

2. Photography 

3. History

4. Renaissance time to be exact

5. Chocolate

6. Ice cream

7. French

8. Colombia

9. Puppies 

10. Coffee 

Have you thought about a list of things that make you happy? Maybe if you write them down and when you're having a bad day you can recall then in your mind to put a smile one your face. It's worth a try. Life is so shirt, why not smile more? 

Have a great day!

Why I love fine art

Art has always been a part of my life. From the moment I was old enough to hold a pencil I began writing. I had my first art kit when i was five and i illustrated my first art book in first grade. Art has always been an escape where life and academics demanded my attention. I love fine arts because it has always been with me, it relaxes me, and it makes me happy.

When my parents divorced, i turned to the fine arts to express myself. My aunt gave me my first easle with oil paints when i was a preteen and i filled canvases with portraits that expressed my angst. I used vibrant unnatural colors to call attention and distorted proportions to illustrate my feelings. 

As i moved into high school, i took art class for all four years. I recall art projects where we made funky self portraits, paper mâché masks, comic strips and photoshop animations. I have all those projects tucked away somewhere, to show you. Here are some images of some of my works in highschool. Art class was so much fun.

In college, I realized my love for writing but so many other problems in life whipping at my mind refused to let me concentrate on text for too long. I find it really hard to read amd concentrate because of my PTSD, so at the commencement of the pandemic 2020 i painted some canvases with landscapes of places i liked the most. This helped to relax me as I got through the rest of college as i finished all of my writing assignments. You can see some of my paintings here. 

Not only does art relax my mind, but it makes me happy. When I create, I feel like a better person for contributing something of my own into the world. I put my all into my art because I want it to be special, meaningful and authentic.

Some of my favorite art eras are the impressionist movement, art deco and neoclassical. I prefer the latter more so just for admiring it. The former two are realistic emotions i can capture and make my own on a canvas, haha.

Thanks for reading. Do you love art? If so leave me a comment or feel free to message me on Facebook, here.