INTRODUCTION

When I arrived in Valparaiso, it was as if I had traveled to another world. I, being from Chicago, where everything is flat, could not believe that a city could be built upon pure hills. I find this city rather beautiful, and I dread going back to a completely planar place.

When I arrived, people warned me that there was a lot of poverty here in Valparaiso. I am staying on cerro Alegre, where there is nothing close to poverty. I wanted to know where the poor people were, and my host family told me that to find them, I had to climb high into the hills. I began to wonder why the poor lived so high up, and not at the bottom of the hills. When I found out we were to do a project over the region of Valparaiso, I was happy that I could finally answer my own questions.

In my class, entitled Regional Geography of Valparaiso, our professor assined a project in which we were to create a thematic atlas of Valparaiso, based on principal themes. The themes from which we were to choose are the natural spaces, economic activities associated with recreation and tourism, and the population (permanent or temporary) and its mobility. The atlas was supposed to be in digital format, and posted on the web. I chose to create the atlas in blog format. The theme that I chose to develop is the realationship between the poverty and the topography in the city of Valparaiso, Chile.

The atlas was to be presented in three segments throughout the semester. Each presentation required more from the atlas, and after the second presentation, there were weekly evaluations as to our progress. The final presentation contains the most requirements, and I will explain how my atlas fits these requirements, using the evaluation form given to me by the professor.

First, we were to develop an index or structure for the site. I arranged the entries of the blog to flow smoothly, like an essay, from one topic to the next. Through the blog archive on the right hand side of the page, the reader may click on whichever entry they wish, and it will come up alone. Or, they may stay on the main site to see all entries at once. The entries are arranged to take the reader from the introduction through the conclusion, in an order that makes sense, without jumping from topic to topic.

Being at atlas, there must be maps. Throughout the atlas I have arranged maps that I have created throughout the semester. The geographic are I worked with was the city of Valparaiso, focusing on the hills.

The entries entitled photos and videos contain photographs that complement the research presented, so that the reader may have a better image in his or her mind of the city. Also, I include photos and figures throughout the atlas to support my research, and so the reader may visualize what I am describing with words. I made the videos with the program ArcScene, and they are simulations of flying through the city, so that the reader will have a better perspective of the topography of the city than one can see with a two-dimensional map.

The educational purpose you see in the entry with this name, and it includes the link to the blog in Spanish.

The blog itself contains many sections. First, one can find the introduction, where I introduce the theme, the project, and explain the different requirements. Next comes a short summary of the history and formation of the city, so that those who are unfamiliar with the city have a small background knowledge. This section is specifically for the foreigners, who know little about Valparaiso and Chile. I already explained the part about the educational purpose. The blog includes an explanation of the process I followed to create the maps, to give the reader insight into the work that went into the atlas. The sections entitled Topography and Poverty in Valparaiso include maps for these themes, and appropriate information to support the research. The Investigative Conclusion draws a scientifically based conclusion based on the research completed. The personal conclusions are my personal thoughts on the research, the project, and the work involved. At the end, one can find the photos and videos, and works consulted, as well as a glossary of terms which will appear in blue throughout the blog.

I hope you enjoy the blog, and if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me or leave comments.
akruegs629@comcast.net