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After the last article about the drugs war in Mexico I want to give you another perspective of Mexican people and I hope I could take away that violent image that I probably give you about our society. Some place are insecure as in many countries are too, I think. Although, there is a violence climate, the spirit of Mexico is not at all.

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Hello,

Luis, thanks for your blog about Mexico's drug war. We hear a lot about it in the news, but it's fascinating to hear the point of view of someone who lives there. I went to Mexico two years ago and, as a tourist, I only saw the positive sides of the country: colourful streets, welcoming people and great food (I heartily recommend guacamole with fried crickets).

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Hi everyone!

I want to thank you for all your comments. Thank you for reading me. Well, the issues of this article are going to be: one what is happening in México with all of those news about narco guerrilla? and two a reflexion about whether drugs should be legalized or not.

In the beginning of the government of presidente Calderon starts a low intensity war versus the most important dealers of drugs. These dealers had built a big network of complicity and corruption, so they could make their criminal activities with authorization of locals and municipality government. The big mistake of the narco war initiative was not existed the infrastructure, police corps and logistic to win the war in overwhelming.

Although in many places of the Mexican republic there is a violence climate, in Mexico City do not. It's true in place like Guadalajara or Monterrey you could find dismember bodies or hanged people in the bridges or lampposts, inclusive this kind of executions in public in labour hours. Some touristic ports or beaches just like Acapulco or Cancun have seen perverted their easy daily life due to fronts between cartels and police.

Before the war started, the illegal migration of Mexican and Centro American people was of plenty of people crossing the Bravo River but today the panorama is so different. Many of the narco pits or narco fosses have been found contained bodies of Centro American and Chinese people. In more than one way the narco war has brought some benefices for the States. Many people here think Mexico has put the dead and the Americans the weapons.

So recently information about monkey business within FBI like the Fast and Furious operation and many other hidden operations has made think of Mexican population in the drugs legalization, after all North American society has been so relaxed with clinics or hostel where you can buy marihuana with any problem. In the other hand Narco is an economical activity that raises billions of dollars and employs near of 600,000 workers all along the levels.

It is so sad to me see how devastated are places as Michoacan or Morelos, touristic centres in other time. But is not to bad at all the most of Mexican people works hard for carry on and get ahead their families. I recommend you if you decided travel to México visit public places like museums or market places they are secure. Mexico City has a lot of places to see and is the most secure city in Mexican Republic.

I invite you to give me your impressions of Mexico from what you see or hear in your News Shows or what you read in your newspapers.

PD. In the next articles I'm gonna give you some recommendations of what places to visit and a review of the Chapultepec's Castle and the Archeological Museum and of course, I am preparing an article about typical dish: The original and Mexican "TACOS" Good luck and see you soon.

Hello everyone,

Today is a special day in the life of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Learning English: we're moving out of our office. On Monday we'll be working in a new office in West London. For me it means the commute to work will be much longer: it might feel like travelling across the universe every day. Everyone is a little sad to leave Bush House but... all things must pass!

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Hi everyone again. I read all your comments of my last blog and of course there are a plenty of things that I can say about my country , my work and customs of this big country but the issue of this day is going to be a historical moment in the life of Mexico City. The unimaginable happened: Paul McCartney, a Beatle in the down town. The biggest song writer live on live and rounded by a set of antiques ruins of the Aztec Empire and Spanish Colonial Buildings, where right now reside all the politic power of this country.

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A big welcome to our new student blogger, Luis. Thanks for introducing yourself and sharing some lovely pictures of your family. I agree with Lanan, who writes that your daughters are very cute. Note that the spelling is 'daughters' and NOT 'doughters'! Here are a few more corrections:

1) You write: ...I was given the chance to write for another English learners ...

Here, the use of 'another' is incorrect, since this would be used when followed with a singular noun - for instance, 'for another English learner'. If you put this before a plural noun (so here 'learners') you need to use the word 'other': ...a chance to write for other English learners. An easy way of remembering this is to think that 'another' = 'an other' = only ONE other. But 'other' means more than one!

2) You mention: I do not want lost the opportunity

Here there are two small mistakes... After 'want' you need an infinitive verb, so: I do not want to lose. So this verb shouldn't be in the past, but in the infinitive. Also, in this case it would be better to use 'miss out on' which means not to take advantage of a good opportunity: I don't want to miss out on the opportunity of introducing my family to you.

3) Don't forget the preposition 'to' before an infinitive verb in this sentence: My purpose is to improve my talking ...

4) You use some very nice adjectives to describe the English language: this powerful, useful, beauty, and of course important language.

But one of the words you use is not an adjective, but a noun: 'beauty' in this case should be 'beautiful' - since the first is the noun and the second the describing word or adjective: English is a beautiful language but it's difficult to master!

So Luis, your challenge when writing your next blog is not to make the mistakes above!!! I look forward to hearing more about your life in Mexico. I've been there twice and absolutely loved it.

HOMEWORK

Here is an exercise about introducing yourself: please write your answers in the comments section below...

Look at the dialogue between two people who have just met. They make SEVEN mistakes in English. Can you work out what these are and correct them?

Paul: Hi, you must be Virginie. I'm Paul.
Virginie: Nice meet you, Paul. It's such an honour - I've heard so a lot about you.
Paul: All the good I hope! So... tell me a bit about yourself.
Virginie: Well, I'm French and I really want learn English. I have a big family - three brothers and four sister!
Paul: Wow, that's a lot. I really have to go but it was pleasure to meet you!
Virginie: Likewise. See you soon!

This is not the first time I write a blog, but it is a important one because I was given the chance to write for another English learners just like me. So please let me introduce myself.
My name is Luis Ubaldo Godínez Flores, I am 34. I like playing the guitar, listening to classical rock and roll music (you know The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, etc) and spending my free time with my wife and our two doughters.

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