Park the Car (Yeonsoo)

Some rights reserved by Roel Wijnants

Balance is an essential feature to the human life, without balance, life would be disastrous. Generally, a person is well rounded to be both good, and bad, having positive and negative sides. However, rarely there turns out to be someone abnormally admirable or outrageously iniquitous. Some famous and some infamous examples are: Mother Teresa, Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther King Jr., Osama Bin Laden, and more on. I had inferred that as humans and their daily lives developed, the morality would develop as well, resulting the world with less vicious and vile people. After reading the article Joseph Kony On The Move As Manhunt Steps Up, UN Envoy Says by Louis Charbonneau, I have modified my assumptions into a more negative yet realistic way. Even currently, either famous or infamous, the people who bring change to this world are unbalanced. To stop or support these people, many lives are sacrificed along the way.

Kony 2012 is currently the issue. We are constantly progressing and reaching closer to our goal, capturing Kony and freeing the LRA. Most recently we have captured one of Kony’s top officials. This is a positive sign, a big leap towards our goal, yet people debate whether this will help us or negatively affect our progress. Thinking positively, the official might be our key to Kony’s destination, and his future plans. However, who said he would be cooperative in his interrogations with the police? Also, what if the official has no idea what Kony has in mind, and where he currently is? Seeing how he has been associated in the LRA as a top official, it is only logical to predict that he is loyal to Kony. If he was loyal enough to vow death and the lives of his family members, I am sure that he would be glad to take a bullet for Kony. Or perhaps Kony is the mastermind, and does not share his decisions with others. Maybe the official will leak false information and guide us into a trap, our armies being wasting valuable time and money. Whether he is a valuable resource or not, our armies should continue taking action at all times to continuously make Kony distressed.

If everyone in this world attempted to contribute and make a change after watching the Kony 2012, I think that Kony would have been captured already. Honestly speaking, I had not acted upon the video. After I viewed, I only thought how devastating the world was and simply moved on. If every person like me in this world bought the campaigning material and started taking part in all the events Invisible Children had planned, maybe US and the UN might’ve organized a bigger army and Kony might already have been seized. When the world wants to globally change, modify something, it will be the most efficient if everyone was involved. One person might have a spectacular idea, however without people’s help they might not be able to carry that idea into the world. As a living part of the world, we should continuously make the world a better place for all the other living pieces in this world. All the countries and all the people united all together, we will be able to become something invincible, to Kony, and the conflicts we are facing, and will soon be facing.

Some rights reserved by James Cridland

When I grow up, I plan to not have as many children as the people do now. I think that my future husband and I will be satisfied with only one or two children. Is having a lot of children, and having a big family always something beneficial? These days, growing a child to become a successful person costs a tremendous amount of money! Starting from diapers, all the way up to college tuitions, an average parent has to collect approximately 200,000 US dollars! Isn’t it better to have less child, than the whole family suffering from lack of money? Additionally, how beneficial is it to our world? Giving birth to babies has been the main role of women in human society. However, even currently there are a lack of resources and opportunities for everyone, and a warning for overpopulation. Will the continuous increase in rate of giving birth be able to be seen positive, the world’s view optimistic? After reading the article Overpopulation could be people, planet problem by Ann Hoevel, I was able to become more determined in my opinions. China, no longer will be the most populous country in this world. The title will soon pass on to India, and it will only be a matter of time before all the resources in the country ceases, everyone at the stake of poverty. Overpopulation is a shortcut to our worst enemy, poverty.

I think that an overpopulation overall, will only bring chaos. If only the population grows, and nothing else in this world develops to care for the people in need, all the human rights issues will become much more severe. Poverty is connected to almost every human rights issues. The environment will be damaged progressively as number of people suffering from poverty increases, because the majority will not be able to care, but only destroy the world for their own survival. Child labor and modern day slavery will worsen as people become desperate to have a job and earn money to live on their lives. Lack of resources, starting from drinkable water to natural resources, will be fought for between countries which will only produce wars and deaths. The majority of people’s lives may be wasted miserably due to overpopulation. In order to fix this problem, what are the tasks we need to complete to prevent this from happening? Perhaps all the countries will have to adapt the policy China currently has, to be able to give birth to two babies maximum. Whatever changes the world needs, we should definitely hurry on before our world and the civilization in it faces destruction.

I recommend this article being read by everyone in this world. People should be aware of what our World is facing, and what we should be doing to avoid these disasters. If I had ruled the world, I think that I would set up new rules and policies to avoid overpopulation. These rules may be the current China’s policy as stated earlier, or possibly something new all created from my mind. At first, I assume that people will think of these policies as insane and ridiculous demands from the government. I can recall back to when I had asked and debated how China should not be stopping women giving birth to children because having more people was better in order for our world to continuously develop. However, now when I’m reconsidering the world in a different and more developed point of view, I think that there needs to be a limit to how bigger our world population can grow up to. With less people in this world, more people will be able to succeed and have a better life and career, with more equal opportunities to each of the world’s citizens as we hope for poverty to decrease, and overpopulation cease to become our problem.

Some rights reserved by Vanessa Pike-Russell

“Dad, where does meat come from?”
“From pigs, why hon?”
“Do we kill pigs? Why daddy, why? Why can’t they live?”
“Because hon, people like us are waiting in the market to eat them. Don’t you like pork?”

I can recall my thoughts back to when I had had this discussion with my dad. I remember myself not being able to reply his last question. To be honest, I am a meat lover. I adore meat, the way it smells when it is cooked, its sounds in the pan, and especially the way it tastes. I preferred meat over vegetable since I was young. The conversation above was  the when both my parents had to explain the food chain to me. They explained how it was a natural behavior of the world, and how if we did not kill the food we ate, what chaos it might bring. Even after grasping the concept of how we aren’t ‘criminals’ by eating meat, I remember pinky-promising myself and my parents that we wouldn’t do anything more harmful to the animals except killing them to eat. It had frightened me when I thought of  life in a fish’s perspective, a pig’s or a cow’s. After reading the article “BP Oil Spill Aftermath: Eyeless Shrimp, Clawless Crabs and Fish with Oozing Sores” by Al Jazeera, I can predict precisely what the younger myself was afraid of. Looking back, I am embarrassed, ashamed of myself for letting my promise fall to ashes. For not trying to stop humankind in destroying the environment around us, mutating the future generations of fish.

First of all, I do not understand why they chose such a way to treat the oil spill in 2010. They had decided to use dispersants that were known harmful enough to be toxic for people. Hadn’t they expected cruel results? Now, after two years of the oil spill, somewhat logical, yet unfortunate consequences are starting to appear. From using such risky chemicals to clean the oil spill, it is only logical for us to interpret what we currently see as the revenge of the environment. It is obvious that BP is the most responsible for the current issue, however then why are they denying the fact that they are the ones accountable? Being the troublemakers of this situation, right now, what exactly is BP doing? I suppose, the most urgent matter is to find a way to supply the amount of seafood the Gulf of Mexico annually produces, and to provide pay for both the works who risk losing their jobs due to their oil spill, and the people who may be facing medical problems from consuming the mutated fish. BP should fear the following consequences they will face in the upcoming future, as I predict they will be far more severe than what we currently see.

This situation will soon affect not only the gulf, but the world. Possibly the entire fish population could mutate. However before that, I think that the prices of seafood will increase. It is predictable that BP will not be able to restore the amount of seafood produced in the US. The US, then will have to import seafood from other regions, in other words restraining another country’s resource. It also causes the seafood industries to work harder than usual, needing more working hands. This will eventually decrease the availability of seafood, increasing their prices overall. Seafood might become precious and the second most expensive cuisine you could enjoy. Apart from money, new medical diseases can possibly be created. The doctors being as unprepared to this situation as the fishermen were, might not be able to find a cure instantly. Many people could suffer, until a stable and accurate solution is discovered. Apart from BP, I think that everyone should be involved in the ‘healing’ process. It is our world, we are equally responsible for it. For the people who think that they are not involved because it isn’t happening in their backyard, it soon will be, as we are all proven guilty for not being able to protect our world, and the things that live in it.

“You must challenge meanness and cruelty.”

I believe that everyone has a mountain to climb. A mountain that is incredibly high, hazardous, filled with life-risking obstacles that will stop you from reaching the top. It is often referred as life. This is a quote from Lady Gaga, and I agree with how she views the world as a whole. Sometime in your life, you are bound to face cruelty of this world, realizing reality apart from your imagination. The cruelties are imminent, often picking on people when they are the most vulnerable. However, I believe that those are the responsibilities of the obstacles in our life. They were created to make us stumble, trip and cry from our scars while we grow up. To learn and understand to move on, and to stop crying and stand up like you’ve never fallen before. Like how many people say, ‘No pain, No gain’, I believe that in order to succeed in your life, you should face the inevitable, whether that is a mellifluous compliment or an insult, striking  sharply like a lightning bolt. My mother often told me there is nothing wrong or abnormal in making a mistake. In fact, some of my tutors used to tell me to fail, and to be miserable earlier in your life. They said once you’ve made a mistake that’s made you hopeless and heartbroken, realizing how much something can affect you, you will learn the most from that experience and never make those same mistakes again. Personally, I am someone who loathes making mistakes. I am afraid of what kind of harm this world might challenge me to. However, I think that the longer I await and live with the fear inside me, the more vulnerable I will become to the pain that is inevitable. Fall and smack your face in the dirt before you are too high up, scared and in a dangerous situation to drop. You are more likely to hurt yourself severely from high above, than lower down near the ground. Like what Kelly Clarkson said, what doesn’t kills you makes you stronger.

Some rights reserved by plindberg

Some rights reserved by United Nations Photo

The door to the mansion was forced open. The policemen asked the wealthiest family in town to leave all their belongings behind and evacuate as they were to destroy their house to construct something new for the government. They warned that it was a risk to remain and gather your properties, and it is most wise to leave the building as soon as possible. Everybody was supposed to leave the building safely, but later discovered that the youngest daughter from the family who had only recently turned eight was found crushed during the process of disintegration of the mansion. The family was outraged, for losing their properties, but more for the precious life of the girl. They protested, and the story, grasping a journalist’s attention, made it to the internet. Everyone pitied them, however no one took action and the government remained silent. Does this seem a likely situation with the family being wealthy? Rich or not, people are still people. The story I’ve created seems insane, the government out of their mind. It is plain logical to think that this story is unlikely to ever happen. However, reading the article “Dhaka slum dwellers live under threat of eviction” by Syed Zain Al-Mahmood it made me wonder. People’s homes are being destroyed without early, accurate notice. How is it happening to the people who live in slums, but not big, sophisticated mansions? Does having more money give others the right to restrain another’s human right?

“They lied to us,” said Islam, someone who had once been living in the slums, but now is destroyed. I am absolutely positive that everyone in this world has a conscience. Even the worst, cruelest villains are bound to want to apologize in the end. However, this feeling of regret is only present in someone’s heart if they consider the people who was affected by their actions as a ‘Real Person’. Does the government not think of the citizens who live in the slums as equal and valuable humans as someone who has the accessibility to a private jet anytime? Why are they taking away the unalienable rights from the people who suffer poverty when they know what they are doing is wrong? Simply, what has the world done to us? Are we, as the people who live in this world honestly trying to make it a better place for everyone to live? Or has the fact of glamour, fame, and riches blinded us, pulling us back from the original task we were given. The government has lied. Perhaps accurately informing the people who live in the slums would have lessened the grief from the citizens afterwards. Saying that they would only bulldoze ten feet, but actually bulldozing more than 50 feet has risked numerous people’s lives, and destroyed what little of property they had left. This not only demolished people’s shelters, but also devastated them into losing their last strands of hopes and the willpower to strive and escape from the vicious cycle of poverty.

If I had been the parent of the girl who had been crushed under the bulldozer, I have no doubt that I would have started protesting against the government. No matter how much dominant power the government might have towards the citizens, I would have tried my best to campaign and protest against the government to show how cruel and inhumane a group of people, and perhaps this world may be. Although not many people may listen, and although at first no one may pay attention due to my social status, I will strive to make my voice heard. Losing my possessions, due to the country or the routines of my life, I would have been able to eventually let go. However, if my daughter’s life had been risked and spared for the government’s construction of a building, I would definitely devote my life into making the world aware of how severe the poverty issues are. As a student at an international school, only studying this article, and not actually experiencing the unfortunate events myself, I am very thankful for my life, parents and the world. Being more blessed than most of the population in this world, I promise myself that I will always strive to help the poor.

Some rights reserved by sidelife

My grandfather once said, that if anyone in this world was so rude enough to not allow me do what the world lets me do, I should tell him and he would tell the world. I never understood what he meant by someone restraining me, when all the world was welcoming. In fact, it has only been approximately 2 months since I’ve discovered the different sides of our world, and felt deeply troubled. This article ‘In South Sudan, Girls Are Given Away to Settle Family Feuds’ by Tom Rhodes is an example of how the world’s hidden face disgusts me.

I think that this problem is similar to the Kony 2012 problem. First of all, it is so far away and isolated from the main countries that can help make change to this culture. More importantly, few people know about this, and they often think that since it isn’t happening in their backyard, it is something that they should ignore.Crowds will criticize the people for not taking any action, and only listening. However, what they don’t understand is that these types of problems are never being solved because those people who criticize others do not realize that they are also one of those who simply sit, listen, and tsk their tongues.

I am not so sure of my opinions in this article. There are two parts to what my brain has decided. On one side I think that this is ridiculous, girls being faulted for crimes they didn’t commit, and being held as slaves. All our human rights are being abolished! However, on the other hand, I think that perhaps this is necessary. Although this practice is inhumane, and the UN, or countries with big powers should demand the situation to cease, I know how hard it is for people to come out from what they have been through for decades. How challenging it is to make a change in that type of behavior and cultural practice. Maybe it is the best choice, and the best way for the people of South Sudan to control the crimes that happen in the country? I still cannot make up my mind.

I can not imagine how poorly the new families will treat the sacrificed one. To think if my sister had been killed by a friend of hers, and if the friend’s siblings were to come to our house to live, I know and am pretty sure that I will be harsh to the sibling. It would not be my emotions towards the new girl, more of a revenge or a payback to what they have done to my sister. Vice versa, if I had been the girl who was sacrificed in my family, I would be terrified. Not being able to predict what exactly will happen, but in your heart knowing that it will not be pleasant, I think is more heartbreaking, and nervous-making. It’s because it makes us imagine things, perhaps things even worse than what would actually happen which is a lot of stress! As for the Grandma who stood up for her granddaughter, I think that my grandma would’ve done the same for me, or i hope so. I think that her actions were stellar, courageous and reasonable what a really loving and caring family member should try to do. If I had a grandchildren or a daughter who was put in that situation, I think that I also would’ve fought back, like how this courageous woman has right now. I would campaign, and like Kony 2012, I will try to make everyone notice this inhumane reality in Sudan.

“I did not mean for anyone to get hurt. I wish no one got hurt.”

In the courses of the major development of my brain, I often had temper tantrums. Then there were times in my life, when I had the great urge to destroy everything. Not only destroy the things around me, but in the end, even myself. Along with these thoughts, I have often thought of what the least painful way of dying could possibly be. Jumping off a cliff? Drowning myself? There were numerous ways that came up, but I had never considered the idea of gun fire. The movies always made them seem so very painful, and I didn’t dare try to feel how much pain it would bring me. No matter how miserable I was at school, my friends or my parents, I never considered the idea of a gun. If any child of any age risks bringing a gun, to school, I think that there are some major issues going on in the child’s life.

Amina still has a feeding tube in her stomach and a .45-caliber bullet permanently lodged next to her spine.

As the article had mentioned before the sentence above, the gun had accidentally been fired from the boy’s backpack when he let it down on his desk. Somehow this nine year old boy had found the gun and packed it in his bag to take to school the next day. I believe that this is very wrong. Many questions come up to my mind, but the main question is, why had the boy wanted to carry a gun to school? Was there trouble at school or perhaps at home? What made him feel so insecure or unstable for him to want to carry a gun to school? Definitely, there must be a reason for why the boy had brought the gun to school. Bullying issues? Whatever the reason might have been, I assume for it to be considered, or else the young boy might attempt to do something so severe once again. Treatment for the girl is essential, however I suggest that guidance for the little boy is also crucial at the moment. I suggest the boy also be sent to a doctor or a mental helper. It would’ve scared the 9 year old boy, and seeing what exactly the gun could do to people, unintentionally the boy could turn wrong and make mistakes. Medical help is needed for the child, as he may be mentally unstable after what he’s seen in school. The guiltiness that he had hurt someone so bad could hurt the boy more in the inside.

“We believe the focus of public attention should not stop with the child’s apology rather we must look carefully at the failings of the boy’s parents…”

I believe that more of the responsibility is with the parents of this boy, than the boy himself. Had the parents not taught the boy how dangerous a real gun could be? Surely, a 9 year old boy would already have learned about what were the things that should or should not be done. Maybe the boy had thought the gun was a play gun, and wanted to bring it to show and tell. However, the main problem here is that the boy was able to reach it. For a 9 year old boy to be able to put his hands on a gun, means that it was exposed and at a height where it was accessible. Even if the gun was only used by his parents for safety issue, for a little child to be able to take hold of it means that the parents were very uncaring and irresponsible. In this reason, the parents are who are the most responsible for this unfortunate event. For a better future for the boy, I think that he should be taken to a better supervised shelter.

Article: Boy’s letter: ‘I’m sorry I hurt you because I brought a gun to school’

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017906527_aminaletter04m.html

1. What do you believe are your strengths as a writer?

I believe that I do have strengths as a writer. I think that my voice is strong, and determined. My ideas may not be clear, but many people say that I have a clear and determined voice in my writing. I think that this is a strength I should be proud of, because with the ability to express my emotions, and show the reader who I really am on the inside, I think that they will be easily moved, and also persuaded.

2. What problems did you encounter in this writing? How did you solve them?

The problem with this writing was my time arrangement, and lack of student skills. As Mr. Elshoff says, a student needs to be aware of all the student skills in order to be successful. On the day I started, I had done a neat brainstorm! Mrs. Richert loved it, however on the next day, I forgot to bring it to school from my house. Of course it wasn’t so much of a big deal since it only was the brainstorm, but it meant that I had to restart and rebuild new ideas. This dragged me behind from my fellow students, and made me turn in the assignment a little late.

3. How did you come up with the ideas for this writing assignment?

The brainstorming part of this writing assignment was a piece of cake. Since we started to brainstorm from the grievances we had towards our school, it was easy! I simply wrote down what I always complained about, how I wanted our school to change starting from the grading system down to breaks and lunch recesses! I didn’t plan in a web, I only wrote down the complaints in a list, and later on added supporting details.

4. If you were to start this assignment over, what would you do differently?

The main thing I would’ve done differently would be being prepared, which was my main problem. I would never forget any of the part of my writing at home, possibly doing it on a google doc would help since it would always be on my netbook when I needed it. By doing this, I will be able to turn the assignment on time, and not be unprepared for any part of the class, like this post-writing reflection I am completing.

During the stages a child develops, it becomes essential for a child to cease bonds connected to their teachers, and their guardians. There are two reasons to why a child should abolish these bonds. First, the child will be exposed to a great amount of freedom. However, with freedom comes great responsibility. The child should be able to step into the real world, where there isn’t always someone looking after you. The second reason is when there is no benefit gained from being supervised by a guardian, or from being taught by a teacher. Instead, when the teacher or guardian starts not to appreciate, or simply abuse you, it is crucial that the bonds be split. This would be necessary because humans were all born with equal rights. I will now declare the reasons why I am asking for a separation.

Everyone is born to be equal and to have their human rights respected, no matter how old or young they may be. They have definite rights to Life, Decision and the pursuit of Happiness. Such freedom  is unalienable from any living being, and it is one’s duty and responsibility to abolish or cease anything that may be interfering between the person, and their rights. Whoever the intruder may be: a guardian, your parents, the school and teachers, if they should be restricting those rights from us, it is our duty to destroy them, or to replace them with something new. I acknowledge that for light and swift reasons I can’t demand change from these subjects. However, coming from numerous and continuous abuses, and our voices to speak being denied because of a single authority rule, it is our right and responsibility to overthrow and replace. Currently, everything is as said above, injuries, abuses and usurpations, which is why we are going to rebel against this school, and its rules.

They have required us to complete the utmost amount of homework, with most minimum amount of time given. Students surely do have a life. We have other activities going on, and multiple academies or homework providing sources other than school. By requiring students to have insane amounts of homework complete, and to simultaneously do other tasks the student is originally responsible for, the school can only be seen as selfish creatures.

They periodically give what are called ‘test’s, judging our knowledge of one subject with such little data given, and comparing one another with results accordingly provided by the ‘test’. With a simple piece of paper, and some black font problems, the teachers ‘grade’ us, rank us with a specific number. The higher the number, the more appreciated that student is, perhaps being rewarded with a Stellar Student Award. Is this humane? First, to grade us with numbers that practically don’t represent anything when we look back from the future. Then, to have be appreciated differently based on the number you are given! Furthermore, awarding the student with the highest number! What does a number mean anyway? What are we able to achieve, or benefit from being graded with numbers?

They have systems called ‘Powerschool’ to grade us, deciding the quality of us as students and our performance with numbers.Tests, homework assignments, projects can all be useful to a certain degree. Homework, is useful to review what the student has learned in class the following day. Projects, are fit to adapt what we have learned and apply these skills to our life. Tests, are to finally evaluate if the student has actually been striving for excellence, not for the number, but for the knowledge. However, how is Powerschool anywhere near helpful? A record of the numbers that barely represent anything! It is then recorded in a book to calculate the mean, to see how high and stellar of a student you are. This does nothing but make the student constantly check for their grades, and be miserable or joyful depending on the number they might have.

They have set high expectations, to what should happen during the tight time schedule. Breaks are for us to use the bathroom, have a snack or lunch, and to socialize with our friends or to meet up with a teacher, in less than 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes is worth 3 songs in my playlist, which is incredibly short. With the great urge to go to the bathroom, and the necessity to talk with a teacher, 15 minutes goes away with the flick of a finger.

They have excessive amount of control of us, the student body. Selecting our core values and choosing the subjects we will take, giving us barely any demand to pick what class we wish to take as a student. What we study depends strongly on our future, and our future strongly depends on the knowledge that we already have. Taking away the ability to choose what we wish to learn and discover, is a sin equal to taking away the future we dream to discover as a child.
Multiple times have we tried to alert people about this matter, however each attempt has been resulted to have failed miserably. The school has ignored us. We understood and acknowledged that school was our help towards success and great achievement, and appreciated that. We gave notice if things were not fixed or humanly right. We have been ignored when we are their children, they our parents. We must, therefore, separate as it is necessary and hope to the day when they will be able to act as guardian.

We therefore, the Representatives of our student body have met and agreed to the thought of an official ‘break-up’. We might not have many people behind our backs supporting us to rebel against our own school, in the thought of needing to be independent. However, we have a right not to obey and forcibly adapt to the provided situations. We realize with freedom comes great responsibility, but our relationship here has been completely abolished. We have the right and the ability to choose what we shall do with the remaining years of our lives, and not be judged by simple numbers to be applied for jobs in our upcoming future. We are human, not robots. We are able to decide to obey, or to leave accordingly.

Some rights reserved by Caveman Chuck Coker

This unit was all about bargaining in markets. We learned the different currencies, number systems and costs of prices. I now know how to ask someone how much something costs in Chinese, and the numbering systems for the prices. Besides department store, I know how to bargain the market when there is not a set price for the object I’m trying to buy. I also learned the other perspective of that, how it feels like to be a salesman, and bargain. I experienced real live Chinese markets from our demonstrations in class, and I also learned what actual night markets in China sell, and how bizarre it could seem.

Example：

这个东西多少钱？

“How much is this object worth?”

东西 meaning the object, and 多少钱 meaning how much, when they are put together, they mean ‘how much is this object?‘

去+ place

我去市场。

到+place+ 去

你到哪里去？

…..吧！

我们回家吧！