Memories

It has been 4 years since the last time I visited this blog. Everything has changed. I has graduated from CSUF with a MBA degree and been back to Vietnam for more than 1 year. Although I had a new life but everything in U.S is my unforgettable memories. Remember the first time I went to U.S, everything seemed strange to me. I felt a little bit lonely among this big world. But I quickly adapted this new environment and began my new journey with the ALP class. For the first time, I met a lot of people coming from different countries around the world. And in a short time, regardless of differences between culture and language, we quickly got acquainted and became good friends. This time was one of my precious time in U.S. I step by step studied English as well as American culture. Though it was a tough time to me but I truly enjoyed it....to be continued...

Journal #20: Goodbye

This semester is the second one that I study in ALP. In summer, when I finish the summer course, I think I can say something and write a paragraph. But after finishing this semester, I can write a research paper. What a big change.

Before studying in ALP, I think that writing an essay is very difficult and I am afraid it. With international students, they can be good in structure, vocabularies but not in speaking and writing. It is a big problem that we want to overcome. Therefore, when I studied in ALP, I regconize that it becomes easier. Especially, I really like to study the studied method of universities. In Composition class, I was known what students do and what professors want students to study in university. It gives an experience for my studying.

Besides, I often speak English everyday with my classmate. Although our English is not really good, we try to talk together. We discuss and present about many topics that help us improve English skills. I know that it is too far to speak English like a native person, but studying in ALP is a preparation for my future studying.

Thank my teachers.

Ceyda and Yejin

Journal # 19: Baraka

This is the first time that I saw a documentary film about life of many people over the world. Before seeing Baraka, I have known about the life of some countries through films and books but I did not really comprehend as this time. Although Baraka film do not have main actors and words but by showing images, it brings to me a part of nature and human life of 24 countries from 6 continents.

My first impression from Baraka film is that the religious believe. Through this film, I see the differently religious ceremonies of many people. The some first scene, the author shows us the image of people holding ceremonies. Although they come from different countries but they have a similar thing that believed in religion. I can image that when they have trouble or happiness, they also find religion to share with it. This believe helps them overcome the difficulties in life.

My most deeply feeling after seeing Baraka film is the poverty and starvation. Today, we were born and grown in the modern society, so maybe we can image the poor and starving life of others. Baraka shows a phenomenon that there are a lot of people living without food, clothes and home on the world. Nowadays, some people said that they can’t live without television, internet or car, but they do not know that there are still a lot of people live in that condition and they are still fine. This movie helps me look up my life which is abundant and then I will consider it.

Furthermore, this movie also shows the different scenes of two lives: the poor life and the modern life. I can’t forget the image of a person who is shouting. I think he is depressed with the industrial life. In industrial life, people maybe have enough life but they have to work hard and work as machine. They only work, work and work to finding a good life. Obviously, two lives with different trouble show a fact part of lives in the world.

To summary, I know many aspects of human life of many countries through Baraka film. It is an evident of nature and human life. No characters, no scrip but it brings to people who see this movie the different thought. I believe that after seeing Baraka film, people will have more deeply thought about life.

Leslie and Veasna

Journal #18: Reaction - Writing

Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most famous poets in England, and his poem, the Raven, is well-know. The poem described a feeling of a person who woke up in the midnight with the strange noise. He thought there are some visitors at his chamber door and he tried to find who they are. When I read this poem, I see some his feeling such as scared, worried and alone.

First of all, I can image a scare of a person in the midnight. He felt frighten, thrilled and he assured by himself to face with the strange. Although his feeling was mixed, he was grave and tried to find what thing happened. Maybe there was not anyone in his house to share this situation with him, so he had to face his feeling. I feel so sorry for him.

Another feeling is that I sympathize with his solitariness. In whole story, the man’s solitariness was revealed obviously in his action. When he opened the door, he saw a craven perching upon a tree and he tried to talk with it. He felt tiresome, murmured and asked for answer. Perhaps he has lived alone for a long time, so now he became muddle-headed with it. He wanted to escape from his loneliness and sadness but no one could help him. His feeling and activities are certain to fight against loneliness.

Obviously, this poem gave a message that the loneliness had a strong power to destroy anyone’s life. Therefore, we should try to face and overcome it.

Saud and Sammy

Journal #17: Anticipating your Parents' Objections

Dear dad,
To this today, I have lived in America for 6 months and everything to me is good. Therefore, I want to write this letter to tell to you that please do not worry about my life. I know that I had decision that makes you confused. The first, I decided to study in HCM city. You always want me and my sister study in our home city. You said to me that living near family is good for a girl. Living here, I will have anything from you and mother instead of doing anything by myself in a strange place. You are afraid that I will have many difficulties to face. I know that I am always a little child in your thought, but I want to study many things and I want to do my future by myself. An arranged job is good for someone, but maybe it is not good for me. I think the passion about business of you and mother effected on me, so I really want to study in a challenge environment and build my business.

The second decision that I always feel sorry is studying in USA. I know that our distance is more and more far, and your worry also increases. You are not worried about my life, my study but also my relationship. You have never thought that I will live far from our family and you always prepare a future to me. You prepared a good job, a comfortable life to me. You also hindered my decision, and sometimes you did not want to talk with me on purpose making me change my mind. I know that you and mother only want to bring the best thing to me, but if I stay in our home, how can I improve my knowledge. Besides the advantage of living near family, you also know the limit of my city. I really want to near our family but I also want to study. Living in a challenge environment will help me improve my skill and grow up to the age of discretion. After studying something, I will come back Viet Nam and begin my business. I think at time I will have experience and be confident to do anything without your worry.

Everything to me is new, but I know that I will stick my gun. My life is stable. Unlike living in Viet Nam, now I can cook by myself and arrange my life logically. I have meal and sleep on time and do exercise everyday. I remembered when I was in Viet Nam, you often asked me do exercise but I am so lazy. However, now I am voluntary self-conscious do it and I am so happy. I hope you and mother will support to me. I will not make you disappointed.

Your little honey,
Ni

Priss and Sehyun

Journal #16: Confucius Quote

"Find a job that you love doing and you will never have to work a day in your life." - Confucius

For long time ago, money and sustenance is the most important factor for people choose a career, but now they want to find a job that is suitable with their interest. The reason that when they do anything that they like, they will be pleasant. Although it is too hard, they still think it is interesting. In contrast, it is so difficult for people when they work without passion, or interest. For example, with a normal job, people will want to finish their work part rapidly and then come back home. They do not want to have responsibility with their work while with their interest job, they will try thier best to work. People will do not cared about anything except their job. With them, every day in company is a fun and they do not feel tired with job's pressure. Therefore the efficient of their work will increase.

Because of these things, I also want to work for my favorite. I think I will work efficiently when I have a passion for my career. It brings the benefit not only for my company but also for myself. This is an important factor to companies pay attention when they want to attract the geniuses.

Sun and Ceyda

Journal #15: Analyzing Arguments

Brittany Kunza, (2008, October 29). The difference between getting fat and staying fat.The Dayly Titan, p. 4.

In this article, Brittany mentioned that nowadays many people are diet by not eating and they only eat ice cream or broccoli (p.1). Her argument that people can lose weight by eating healthy food or doing exercise is claim of policy and cause. She used researchs about fat cells of Kirsty Spalding of Karolinska Institude in Sweden and Spalding which appeals to character and appeals to emotion. They show that People’s weight increasing or staying depends on the number of fat cells in their body, so instead of eating nothing to loss weight, people should reduce their fat cells (P.21).

Jamie and Leslie