Hello, Class!

First, I want to discuss how excited I was that this class was being offered. It was my first pick for my FYOS, but it did not fit in my schedule. During Add/Drop week, I really struggled to make this class fit and fortunately it did.
Dr. Acosta's research is truly amazing. I did not understand the structure of telenovelas before taking this class. The difference in the types of telenovelas signified to me the reason why I picked certain novelas to watch and others to skip. The novelas on the Rosa side is what I lean towards to more than the de ruptura side. There are so many novelas made recently in the past 5-10 years that are de ruptura because more people are attracted to that type of novela, drifting away from the rosa. When I watched La Reina Del Sur, which is in the middle of the two types, I got tired of the de ruptura part, but overall it made the novela more interesting. I also noticed that novelas that deal with drugs and crime have increased significantly.

My love for telenovelas began when I started learning Spanish. I've taken a Spanish class everyday since 7th grade, but I did not start watching telenovelas until I got into high school. I can't remember exactly which novela I watched first, but it could have been La Tierra De Reyes or La Reina De Corazones. After that I watched La Patrona, Corazon valiente, Rubi, El Gran Hotel, and Lo Que Vida Me Robo ; which are all very known novelas. These novelas have over 100 to 200 episodes per season. I can't imagine having to film as long as they do, and not get paid around the same amount as actors and actresses in the United States. Moreover, I have only watches novelas that are produced or owned by Univision and Telemundo. I have not discovered any other production companies, but I plan on it because I want to watch novelas that are not produced by Mexicans. In class, I noticed that there was a significant difference on a novela depending on who produced it. I would like to see a novela produced by Colombia or Venezuela. 

Currently, my favorite actor is Sebastian Rulli and Kate Del Castillo. Sebastian is by far one of the best actors that I have watched. His emotions are so raw and moving, in contrast to other actors. Kate Del is simply so talented. When she acts there is this sense of power that she emits. In real life, she exhibits feminism and the roles she chooses to play demonstrate that. De bajo la misma luna was not a telenovela, but it is an amazing movie that proves that Kate can change roles, but still maintain that aspect of a powerful woman.  Unfortunately, because of her dealings with El Chapo, it is not safe for Castillo to return to Mexico, making it extremely difficult for her to film. In Ingobernable, it was difficult for production to get around that circumstance and still film in Mexico. However,  La Reina Del Sur is filmed in Spain and North Africa (briefly in Mexico), so it is going to be interesting to see how they worked around that issue. 

Because Telenovelas are so time consuming, I have not started a new one. The last one I watched was Lo Que Vida Me Robo and I am planning to watch Amar La Muerte once the novela is completed. For some odd reason, I am stuck on Angelique Boyer and I can't stop myself from being drawn to novelas that she stars in. 

Currently, I am watching Teresa who embodies everything I want to be, but without the hatred and consequences. Angelique Boyer is also the protagonist in the novela.