Tuesday, August 6, 2019
“Three Cups of Tea†by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin Essay Example for Free
â€Å"Three Cups of Tea†by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin Essay The number one New York bestseller â€Å"Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peaceâ€â€One school at a Time†had received much acclaim from critics worldwide, not because it was beautifully written but simply because the story itself is uniquely remarkable. If we set aside the positive criticisms about this book, only a handful of negative criticisms will be surfaced. These negative criticisms would only include minor remarks on the writing style that concerns the over-dramatization of the story of Greg Mortenson. The critics call this flaw of the book â€Å"too much of milking the moment.†But then again, these negative comments about the book don’t have much bearing to the credibility of the book. â€Å"Three Cups of Tea†is nevertheless one of the most remarkable non-fictional stories of our time.            The book was basically about an admirable journey of a man from being just an ordinary man towards being a humanitarian giving the word â€Å"altruism†a contextualized contemporary meaning. The name of the man is Greg Mortenson , the author of the book alongside co-author David Oliver Relin. The negative criticisms were primarily focused to Relin, acussing his writing as not being top-caliber, while everybody is admiring Greg Mortenson’s story.            The content of the book is extraordinary, but that also applies to the title of the book â€Å"Three Cups of Tea.†Greg Mortenson and co-author David Oliver Relin have encountered this Balti proverb â€Å"the very first time you share tea with a Balti you are a stranger the second time you are the honored guest. For the third time you become family†(Mortenson Relin, 2007, p. 150) The authors of the book made the right choice of title for the book. That Balti proverb had given the reader an idea of the culture of those in the Central Asia. The Balti proverb doesn’t only talks about the Balti people’s admirable hospitality, but also presents an ideal of how people should treat each other. If taken in literal terms, the Balti proverb also alludes to Greg Mortenson’s back and forth travel from the U.S. to the village of Korphe and vice-versa. The book had started with an introductory part about the author and protagonist, Greg Mortenson, which was entitled â€Å"In Mr. Mortenson’s Orbit.†The introductory part serves to make the readers relate more to the author/protagonist. After all, it would be much easier for the audience to relate to the protagonist if the readers have at least an idea of whom they will be spending their whole journey throughout a one-inch or more book. This part also establishes a sense of credibility on the part of Greg Mortenson. After all, there is a saying that says the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. The same analogy applies for the relationship of the book and the author.            The introductory part will be followed by all the chapters of the book. The whole book is comprised by twenty-three chapters. It is very noticeable that the book started out with the first chapter entitled â€Å"Failure.†Here are the chapters according to their order: Failure, The Wrong Side Of The River, Progress And Perfection, Self-Storage, 580 Letters, One Check, Rawaldipindi’s Rooftops At Dusk, Hard Way Home, beaten by the Braldu, the people have spoken, building bridges, six days, Haji’s lesson, a smile should be more than a memory, equilibrium, Mortenson in motion, red velvet box, cherry trees in the sand, shrouded figure, a village called New York, tea with the Taliban, Rumsfeld’s shoes, stones into schools. All of the chapters narrate Greg Mortenson’s amazong journey from being an ordinary man towards becoming a man that became extraordinary by selflessly helping others. The book will end wi th an acknowledgement part that extends gratitude to the people and institutions that had helped Greg Mortenson and his noble cause. Summary            For us to know better the book and the author of the book himself, here is a summary that includes an introduction of the author. However, it must be noted that this summary may contain spoilers that may ruin the experience of reading one of our time’s most inspiring book. All information cited in this paper came solely from the book â€Å"Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peaceâ€â€One School at a time†by the authors Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Pubnlished by Penguin in 2007.            The year was 1993 when the climbing enthusiast had decided that he will climb K2, the second highest peak in the world, to honor her deceased sister by scattering her beads on the top of the mountain. Greg Mortenson was then an emergency room nurse back then. During the course of their mountain climb, his fellow climber had to be rescued due to a life-threatening accident. The rescue itself became more tiring than the whole climb itself. Being exhausted from the rescue, Greg Mortenson became disoriented and dehydrated. Consequently, he became lost on his way down. It was such profound irony that after Greg Mortenson was helping his fellow climber, after that he was in need of help. The two local porters led Greg Mortenson to small village, the village of Korphe. The village was small and poor, deprived of anything that can be associated with the comforts available in the western world. The villagers there took good care of Greg Mortenson, especially the leader of the village Haji Ali. In exchange for the warm hospitality of Haji Ali and the rest of the villagers, Greg Mortenson had donated almost all his climbing equipments for the villagers to utilize. He also used his nursing background to treat some minor injuries of the villagers with the use of his first aid kit.            After a little while, Greg Mortenson developed an interest for the community that had taken good care and had accepted him. He then asked Haji Aji to show him around, and then he asked the leader of the village to show him the village school. What he saw was an open ledge that admits eighty-two of the village children. The children were standing in the bare ground, without slippers or shoes, holding a stick so that they could scratch multiplication tables on the ground. The image of the eagerness of the village children to learn pierced right through Greg Mortenson’s heart. The village children had reminded him much of his sister. He felt that by establishing a school in Korphe, he will not just honor his deceased sister, he will also make a profound change in the lives of the people of Korphe. Before he had set for home, he promised Haji Ali and the rest of the villagers that he will do everything in his power to build Korphe a more adequate school.            When he got back to the U.S., he went back to his job as an emergency room nurse. But he didn’t forget about the promise that he made to Haji Ali and the people of Korphe. While working shifts, Greg Mortenson wrote five-hundred-eighty letters for sponsorships to well-off and known personalities. The rough approximate amount needed to build the school in Korphe was a whopping twelve thousand dollars. All his letters were rejected, almost all. Fortunately, a retired Swiss physicist and also a climbing enthusiast Dr. Jean Hoerni (also a pioneer in Silicon Valley) sent a pleasant reply. The doctor was impressed by the altruism of Greg Mortenson, and she wrote in a check the amount that is needed to build the school. So he went back to the village of Korphe. He was then told by Haji Ali that the village needed first a bridge to connect them to key urban areas. Greg Mortenson asked again Dr. Jean Hoerni for the amount needed to build the bridge. The very generous Dr. Jean Hoerni had granted him the amount but she said to Greg Mortenson â€Å"Don’t screw up†(Mortenson Relin, 2007, p. 55). He did his best not to screw up and he didn’t. He bought all the necessary equipments to build the bridge and the school then went back to Korphe. His altruism didn’t end there; Greg Mortenson then created the Central Asia Institute. The Mortenson along with the institute and some friends their time, money and efforts to build schools for areas in Pakistan just like Korphe. Significant change in the lives of the village children            Like most of us, Greg Mortenson also believes that education can save the world from poverty and terrorism. But for Greg Mortenson, education of young girls is of more importance to than the education of the boys. This may touch a little bit the sensitive issue of sexism, but Greg Mortenson has an interesting and convincing reason for leaning towards the education of young girls. He had said that educated young males tend to leave their villages to seek employment in the cities. On the other hand, the young girls just stay at home. In a sense they become leaders of the community by upbringing the new generation. They pass on what they have learned to their children but the problem there is that their knowledge is inadequate. Greg Mortenson believes that the education of young girls is really the key towards profound change. (Mortenson Relin, 2007, p. 209) What led Greg Mortenson to help these people? What led to Greg Mortenson’s actions can be skimmed into a generalization that it is not his direct actions, but rather his failures. The book’s first chapter is not entitled â€Å"Failures†for no significant reason. Gred Mortenson had failed in his attempt to honor his deceased sister by scattering her beads on the peak of K2, one of the highest mountain peaks in the world. This failure had led him to the small mountain village named â€Å"Korphe,†where he had an epiphany that he should help these people that had willingly helped him. In the course of the book, he will send hundreds of letters to personalities who can afford granting him the amount he needs to subsidize his goal of helping the people of Korphe. Only one of these letters for sponsorship will be replied. A well-off retired Swiss physicist by the name of Dr. Jean Hoerni was touched by Mortenson’s altruistic desire to help others. The physicist had granted him twelve thousand dollars to fund his mission. Failures were prevalent in the whole book, interspersed in every chapter. The story of Greg Mortenson tells us that failures shouldn’t mean that it is the end of the climb. The book implies to us that failures may shun us away from our initial goals, but they are also the chance for us to do something more special. Being a climber, Greg Mortenson may have not reached the peak of the mountain, but he had made significant changes in the lives of many people in need enabling these people to reach new heights. Greg Mortenson’s altruism had put him on top of these people’s gratitude list. What help did he received?            The story of Greg Mortenson had shown us the irony that a person who want’s to help others also needs help from others. Greg Mortenson is just an ordinary man with an ordinary job, what makes him special is his altruismâ€â€but altruism alone wouldn’t build a bridge and school. Fortunately, there are still generous people like Dr. Jean Hoerni who is willing to give some to the needy. Friends and families also gave the strength to Greg Mortenson. The memory of her sister really gave him a push. As the village children reminded him of her sister, the load of helping others seemed to be lightened because he was like just helping family.            Aside from those assists, Greg Mortenson also received much needed help from the mediaâ€â€particularly from the reporter named Kevin Fedarko. The reporter wrote a story about Greg Mortenson and his mission in a magazine called â€Å"Parade.†After the story was read by the public, Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute had received many donations and words of admiration and encouragement.            But out of these people who had helped Greg Mortenson in his mission, the beneficiaries of this mission were of the greatest help Greg Mortenson had received, especially the village leader Haji Ali. After all, if it weren’t for the people of Korphe, he might have been lost in the mountains, or something worse. Haji Ali also gave him an important advice regarding his mission of building schools,. Haji Ali told Greg Mortenson that he should have a good relationship with the village people. By having a good relationship with the locals, including the Taliban leaders, Greg Mortenson gained access to areas only a few Westerners are able to reach. Did he accomplish his goals?            â€Å"Yes†is the only answer to this inquiry. The education that the village children had received from the new schools will definitely have a positive impact in their community. The education that the children have received will be passed on to generations after generations. Greg Mortenson’s mission may have only reached a small part of the whole world, but he had become an inspiration worldwide. Greg Mortenson had shown the world that there are still people like him that can make a profound change in the world. He is just as ordinary as everyone, with an ordinary life and ordinary job. He had shown to the whole world that even ordinary individuals can achieve extraordinary and significant feats. Work Cited Mortenson, Greg. Relin, David Oliver. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote
Monday, August 5, 2019
Effects of Agenda for Change on Psychologists
Effects of Agenda for Change on Psychologists What is Agenda for Change? What are the likely implications of Agenda for Change for clinical psychologists and other healthcare staff working in the UK? Agenda for Change, implemented in December 2004, is a comprehensive pay reform package for 1.2 million NHS staff. It has brought about improved correlation between career and pay, proving to be the biggest overhaul in this area for 50 years. As part of Agenda for Change, the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme has helped coordinate rates of pay with a hierarchy of job profiles. The Job Evaluation Group, a subgroup of the NHS staff council, has so far produced over 200 national job profiles. On a more personal level the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework was introduced to advance the interrelation between education, development and career progression. This Framework will develop a culture of lifelong learning in the NHS, promoting annual development reviews and encouraging staff learning. Agenda for Change aims to boost morale and staff retention, as well as improving diversity and family-friendly flexibility. Furthermore, as a result of pay improvements, it is hoped that the system will precipitate long term improvements in every aspect of patient care and service delivery. These changes aim to include a reduction in waiting times, improvement in the quality of treatment/care, and upgraded working practises. NHS Job Evaluation Scheme Job Evaluation attempts to provide a systematic approach to determining the relative worth of jobs within a workplace. The Scheme makes provision for most NHS jobs to be matched to nationally evaluated profiles on the basis of information from job descriptions, person specifications and additional information. National job profiles additionally provide a framework against which to check the consistency of local evaluations. Job Evaluation itself does not determine the rate of pay it simply produces a hierarchy of jobs. It examines the demands made by the job and the value of the job in the organisation. In March 2005 Clinical psychologists profiles were reviewed profiles are intended to apply to all psychologist jobs in the Health Service, (Amicus the Union: 2004). At the end of March 2006, 99% of all NHS staff had been moved to the Agenda for Change terms and conditions, and since June 2006 the NHS has invested  £ 1.1 billion in staff. The new pay system The impetus behind Agenda for Change was the need to address pay inequality, Thus the new system aims to create equal pay for equal work, with a series of three pay spines: Doctors and Dentists Nursing and Other Health Professionals NHS staff, (excluding the most senior managers). (Agenda for Change: NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, January 2005) Both the second and third pay spine will be divided into nine pay bands, and within each band there will be a number of pay points. The Job Evaluation Scheme determines the correct pay band for each post and thus the correct pay. The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF) and the development review process. KSF and the development review process is the core of the career and pay progression outlined in Agenda for Change. By October 2005 all staff had in addition to updated job descriptions a description of the knowledge and skills needed to do a job. KSF concentrates on how acquired knowledge and skills might be applied in certain areas. (Department of Health: 2004) Everyone has their own personal development plan, created jointly in discussion with their line manager. Each year there will be a joint review of the work where new targets for development are set. At the first one, the psychologist (or other NHS staff) agrees on a personal development plan with their line manager. The aim is to meet these targets and then move up one pay point. There are two points called â€Å"gateways†in each pay band. The first gateway takes place no later than 12 months after appointment to ensure that the appointee can meet the basic demands of the post. The second gateway is set at a fixed point towards the top of the pay band. Implications Positive In June 2004 the final draft for psychology job profiles, job evaluation, job descriptions and person specifications was ready. It was a thorough and detailed document, agreed to be beneficial for clinical psychologists. For example, it included a Job description and Personal specification suitable for newly qualified clinical psychologists called Band 7 8a, making it possible to move from band 7 to 8 within a couple of years. (Amicus: 2004). KSF encourages positive learning development and career progression, giving the individual more freedom and control over their career. The objectivity of the frameworks for reviewing and evaluating clinical work can be advantageous. However, evaluations will always be dependant upon the relationship between the persons involved, giving room for differences of opinions and idiosyncrasies. Negative The announcement in autumn 2005 of around 13000 job cuts for nurses in NHS was in part the result of hospital trusts’ efforts to balance the books in the aftermath of the hugely increased wages bill brought about by the implementation of Agenda for Change (The Guardian, 2006). Although no job cuts for clinical psychologists have been announced, there is a tendency to withdraw funding when vacancies arise. (Amicus: 2006) The reduced staffing level increases the workload for existing staff, perhaps to a degree that the increased pay doesn’t compensate for. Increased demand for back pay[1] Conclusion Although the implementation of Agenda for Change has been fraught with difficulties and economic unrest there are indications that the new system is bringing about positive changes in some areas. In the Agenda for Change Briefing (June 2006) NHS employers stated that †the reform has been a success story.â€Å" However, many organisations are only now coming to the end of the implementation period and it will take at least a year or two for success criteria to emerge. In conclusion, it is perhaps too early to fairly evaluate the implications for clinical psychologists and other health care staff. References Agenda for Change: NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, January 2005: Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HumanResourcesAndTraining/ModernisingPay/AgendaForChange/fs/en’ [Accessed 7/11/06] Amicus, the Union,: Clinical psychologist and psychology assistant profiles, 2004: Available from: ‘http://www.amicustheunion.org’ [Accessed 8/11/06] Amicus, the Union: Grading guidance for clinical psychologists,2004 http://www.amicustheunion.org/ Amicus, the Union, Press Release, September 2006: Available From: ‘http://www.amicustheunion.org/’ Department of Health :Agenda for Change What will it mean for you? A guide for staff, 11/10/2004: Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4090842chk=djtkBc’ [Accessed 8/11/06] Department of Health: The NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework (NHS KSF) and the Development Review Process (October 2004): Available from: ‘http://www.dh.gov.uk’ [Accessed 8/11/06] The Guardian, April 24, 2006 ‘Cumbrian nurses finally get equal pay cash’: Personnel Today, Jan 2006 Footnotes [1] See article in Personnel Today concerning the case of hundreds of nurses lodging equal pay complaints as a result of the new NHS Agenda for Change pay system (Personnel Today, January 2006).
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Essay --
The author George Elliot once said â€Å"don’t judge a book by its cover.†Appearance can be very misleading, and you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something by its outward appearance alone. This philosophical idea has been included in many works of literature, including the timeless classic To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. The novel takes place in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Many citizens of Maycomb tend to make judgements based on outward appearances alone. In the novel, Lee uses minor characters such as Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose, and Tom Robinson to convey the book’s theme of prejudice. Boo Radley is thought to be a malevolent, soulless, deceitful person, but he proves to be a caring, good-natured person. In Chapter 1, Jem offers his perception of Boo Radley to Scout and Dill: " ‘Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstainedâ€â€if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time’ " (16). Jem perceives Boo Radley as being a â€Å"monster†instead of being a man. Jem comes to this conclusion despite having never even seen Boo Radley in person. Jem’s understanding of Boo Radley is based on the rumors that he has heard about him. In Chapter 8, after the fire at Miss Maudie’s house, Scout notices that she was wrapped in a blanket that she did not have with she l eft the house. Scout asks Atticus who was the person that put the blanket around her. Atticus tells Scout, "Boo Radley. You were so busy watching the fire you didn't know it when he... ...ir if they tried. In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life†(295). From the very beginning of the trial, the jury was going to find Tom Robinson guilty since it was a black man's word against a white man’s word. The all-white jury never wanted to see a black person win against a white person. After he is found guilty, Tom is sent to a prison where he tries to escape but is shot to death by the prison guards. Mr. Underwood writes an editorial in which he compares Tom being shot to death to hunters shooting mockingbirds. Like a mockingbird, Tom never caused any harm to anyone. Tom is â€Å"shot†by the jury when they assume that he is guilty because he is a black man and his alleged victim is white. In the end, an innocent man was found guilty because of the color of his skin.
The Unwritten History of Cave Paintings Essay -- Art History
Religious stories and scientific theories have tried for thousands of years to accurately date the formation of man. However, in the 1860s, a new art was discovered that changed the view of human creation forever. This new insight was cave painting. Cave painting is a form of prehistoric art that dates back hundreds of thousands of years. Analysts are unable to specify the reasoning behind these paintings of objects on cave walls, but many theories have been formulated to surmise the rational behind the art. Questions arise like, â€Å"why did man find a need to paint the walls of caves†and is this part of the foundation of the origin of human life as we know it? (Beacon) The ecumenical belief is rooted at history, cave paintings are man’s unwritten story of evolution. In the Upper Paleolithic period, from 40000 B.C. to 10000 B.C., paintings were created in over 300 caves across the globe. â€Å"There are two types of cave art: petroglyphs, which are pictures carved in stone and pictographs, which are pictures painted on stone†(Cave Painting). The art is usually found in hidden caves that are difficult to locate. For this reason, scientists have taken great interest in discovering why man wished to go to such extremes to produce the artistry. The graphics include mainly animals, geometric figures, and signs but rarely depict any relevance to humans. The visual communication gives valuable clues to the culture and beliefs of that era. The degree of preciseness of the images, being at such a high level, suggests that the art was not merely decorations that covered the bare surfaces of the caves, but were created for purpose. â€Å"The tonal qualities, and the ingenious use of surfaces in the rock, suggest depth and even a kin... ... However which way you interpret it, it still provides us with one thing: history. It has taught us the lives of our ancestry and the society in which they survived. The evolution from that era to today is astonishing. We see it simply in the development from our society daily. Their ideas combined with that overtime have created a new perspective for us about our own history. And before we can learn the history of other things, we must learn about ourselves first. Even through interpretation, we learned immensely from the simple paintings and carvings on a cave wall. It will continue to teach us generation after generation. But in the end, the controversies shouldn’t arise from the ambiguous paintings. If interpretation is all we have to go by, then that is what we do. And isn’t that what all history is? An interpretation of facts versus opinion.
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Liberation Thought and Bhakti-yoga Essay -- Liberation Ideology, Hind
Liberation is a prominent ideology well stressed throughout the formation and development of history Hinduism. In general, the religious school of Indian philosophy is multiform with different tendencies, but mostly focused on explaining critical issues such as the phenomenon of nature, the meaning of life, the source of human suffering, and the path, which is the way to help people liberation from the suffering of the life. Like any other ancient Indian religions’ thoughts, Hinduism also aims at the ultimate liberation. This is well expounded within its philosophies and practices. For Hinduism, the ultimate liberation is returning to Braham. According to Bhagavad Gita, there are three ways of practice that lead to liberation. ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬. These are janna-yoga (the way of knowledge), bhakti- yoga (the practice of devotion) and karma-yoga (the course of action). In other words, one can practice any of these methods to achieve union with God. This paper I will analyze some important aspects of bhakti-yoga and how it can lead one to attain ultimate liberationâ€â€return to Atman. In doing this investigation, I hope to help the reader broaden their knowledge on liberation in Hinduism. As Radhakrishnan says we may climb the mountain from different paths, but the view from the summit is identical for all. II. What does liberation means in Hinduism? The moksha word is often translated as salvation or liberation. In Longman Dictionary, liberation is defined as the act of freeing prisoners, a city, a country, etc. According to Hinduism, moksha, mukti from the cycle of suffering and rebirth (samsara) is the supreme goal of human existence. Much has been written about the nature and path of release. True liberation means freeing of an individ... ... to them, take care to bless them with Mukti also.†In other words, if one loves God and serves Him with wholeheartedly, he or she will be granted with moksha, liberation. Works Cited Embree, Ainslie Thomas, Stephen N Hay, and William Theodore De Bary. Sources of Indian Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988. Fort, Andrew O, and Patricia Y Mumme. Living Liberation in Hindu Thought. Albany, NY: State Univerasity of New York Press, 1996. Huyler, Stephen P. Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1999. Longman Dictionary of American English: A Dictionary for Learners of English. New York, N.Y.: Longman, 1983. Radhakrishnan, S. Indian Philosophy. New York: Macmillan, 1958. TyaÌ„giÌ„sÃŒ aÌ„nanda. Aphorisms on the Gospel of Divine Love; Or, NaÌ„rada Bhakti SuÌ„tras,. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1967.
Friday, August 2, 2019
The Challenges in Learning Foreign Language
Georgiy Sichinava Peter Starr Writing 115 10/11/2012 The challenges in learning foreign language The case of being a foreigner while improving your skills is very common in the contemporary society. A lot more people are crossing the border of the home country either to advance their language skills or to get a better education in a certain sphere. Being the part of this reality, I recently moved to the United States to earn a degree. Thus the situation shown in the David Sedaris’ essay â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day†is very close to me. As a matter of fact, I personally know the feelings that author expressed in his essay.Obviously there are plenty of other things that David & I have in common. To tell the truth, I suppose each foreign student faces almost the same challenges. The biggest one that a foreigner faces is difference in a way of speaking and people’s behavior. As a result, international students have problems in interpreting the language and understan ding the culture. â€Å"My fear and discomfort crept beyond the borders of my classroom and accompanied me out onto the wide boulevards, where, no matter how hard I tried, there was no escaping the feeling of terror I felt whenever anyone asked me a question. (Sedaris 298). In these words David illustrated the hardship of being in a foreign community. Learning second language seems really hard at the beginning. After a while it is getting much easier, but at a certain point you feel that this is it and you will not be able to advance your skills anymore. †Over time, it became impossible to believe that any of us would ever improve. †(Cedaris 299). Even a dedicated person like David had pessimistic thoughts about his improvements. There is a difference between listening to/hearing the foreign language and speaking the one.When you are speaking a foreign language you can only rely on the words you know. However remembering these words as well as appropriately using them is not an easy task. When you are listening/hearing you deal with understanding the words and their meaning. The poorer your vocabulary is, the more likely you are to face the difficulties in understanding the words and thus the meaning of the message. Speaking a foreign language is a great achievement. It requires a long process full of obstacles along the way. A person should learn a lot of words. However this does not guarantee that he will start speaking immediately.As a rule a person has a language barrier. David had that problem. â€Å"Understanding doesn’t mean that you can suddenly speak the language†(Sedaris 299). I had exactly the same experience. Back home I thought I was good at speaking English. But here in the United States the first day of my classes changed my opinion. I found it really hard to understand what people around me were saying. I felt like a black sheep. Even when I understood something, I could not respond correctly just because my vocabul ary was far from being enough to express everything I wanted.Besides difficulties with the language, foreigners deal with challenging situations in understanding the culture and the ways local people are. Expectations and the reality do not coincide in most cases. â€Å"As an added discomfort, they were all young, attractive, and well dressed, causing me to feel not unlike PA Kettle trapped backstage after a fashion show. †(Sedaris 295). As for me, I found that people think completely different here. The way people think about life, priorities, humor and everything else is very different. The first day of school is never easy.Even for local students going to a new school for the first time is challenging. And when you do it in a foreign country, you are beyond nervous. This is true about all international students. Obviously David was very nervous on his first day of school. â€Å"The first day of class was nerve-racking because I knew I’d be expected to perform. â⠂¬ (Sedaris 295). Unlike David I did not have any expectations about my first class. I was simply nervous and I could not sleep the whole night. It is very common for a foreign student, who is unable to easily express his opinion out loud, to do lots of thinking of his own. I scrambled to think of an answer to what had obviously become a trick question. How often are you asked what you love in this world? More important, how often are you asked and then publicly ridiculed for your answer? I recalled my mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Sedaris 297) Like David, I did/do lots of analyzing during my classes. I was/am trying to digest everybody’s messages, comparing them with my own experience. After reading the essay I do believe that the students’ attitude toward teacher was extremely negative. She was the only person who made her students hate her because of er taunts from the first day. Although the teacher was not the nicest person in the world and caused lots of confusion and scared students, the author admitted that teacher’s behavior motivated him to study harder and achieve better results. â€Å"Refusing to stay convicted on the teacher’s charges of laziness, I’d spend four hours a night on my homework, working even longer whenever we were assigned an essay†(Sedaris 298). This proves that David had a desire to advance his language, in order to easily argue with his teacher.In conclusion, I would say that the essay â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day†by David Sedaris is a must read story for those who are planning to study abroad. David made a really funny story that shows all the positive and negative aspects of being a foreigner. In fact, being an international student is a really challenging job. But it also the most amazing thing ever happened to me. You rediscover the world, get to know lots of new people and learn new culture. All those eventually help one become stronger and capable of managing the difficult situati ons.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Struggles Overcome Essay
Dan is forty-two years old, but feels as if he has aged thirty years in the past three months. He is always so tired that he must take several naps just to get through the day, and he knows that something must be wrong. Finally, Dan’s doctor says Dan is nearing stage 5 kidney disease and Dan needs to start thinking about a transplant or dialysis treatment options soon. This leaves thousands of people with kidney disease to wonder what lies ahead. Thankfully, two local organizations strive each day to better the lives of dialysis recipients. The Patient Ambassadors Organization is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving dialysis patients’ quality of life by developing awareness of dialysis issues. The Onalaska Dialysis Clinic offers patients a wide variety of compassionate treatment options to meet their dialysis needs. Both the Patient Ambassadors Organization and the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic make a substantial difference in the lives of those in need. The Patient Ambassador Organization is a heartwarming organization that helps thousands of dialysis patients worldwide. The Patient Ambassador Organization (PAO) provides dialysis patients with the education to be their own advocates. Having the right information on how to treat, and live with kidney failure is crucial for survival. The PAO provides videos and publishes free books on coping with dialysis. This education allows dialysis patients to gain control of their lives once again. Along with educating the dialysis patients, the staff at the PAO also helps patients become eligible for a transplant. Many patients are unaware of the very important steps to go through when it comes to receiving a kidney. The PAO helps patients gain access to meet face to face with a transplant coordinator. Not everyone will receive kidney transplant, but many lives are saved each day from organ donation. Clearly, the PAO has helped patients to face kidney failure with gainful education and the confidence to overcome kidney failure. Along with the PAO, the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic provides resources for individuals battling kidney failure. The clinic offers compassionate care and transportation options. Being able to rely on a trustworthy team is very significant to someone who may be facing a life or death situation. With that concept in mind, the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic always has a staff member available to make patients feel at ease. Whether it’s getting an extra blanket and pillow or just telling a joke to lighten the mood, the staff is always helping patients get through the day. Transportation is also provided for those who are not able to get to and from the clinic. Free bus tickets are funded by the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic, and are given to patients all year round. The Onalaska Dialysis Clinic is my place of employment, and I am very touched each and every day whe n I enter my role as a Dialysis technician. The unquestionable compassion that the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic offers to all patients is remarkable. Along with showing compassion on a day to day basis, the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic offers specific holiday programs to help patients to feel more at ease and welcomed. The Onalaska Dialysis Clinic offers its patients a holiday card along with cookies and apple cider. A gentleman once told me that he looks forward to this all year, and it’s the only holiday celebrating that he gets to do. No matter what time of year, the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic is always lending a helping hand. Unfortunately, kidney failure will affect the lives of millions of patients each year. Thanks to the kindness and support of the PAO and the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic, patients have the ability to overcome any obstacle. The compassion is very touching, and gives me faith in humanity. Therefore, staff members of PAO and the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic have touched many lives of dialysis patients worldwide. Th e impact that the PAO and the Onalaska Dialysis Clinic have made will be acknowledged eternally.
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