My insider/outsider partner was Alicia Garcia. As you can tell by her last name she is Hispanic. I don’t have many Hispanic friends and I am not use to their culture. Starting on the project Alicia told me a little a bit about her heritage. One of the things I asked her was, “Do you celebrate the day of the dead?” I know that might seem like a crazy question to ask, but I the only thing that I truly knew about her culture is what I seen on TV. Alicia said that they do celebrate it to some extent. They don’t actually go to a grave site and light candles for their fallen relatives, but instead have a feast in honor of them. Alicia is the first generation American Hispanic.…
It sounds very boring to live my life in the same way every single day. Wake up. Go to work. Come home. Go to bed. The idea of living in someone else’s body every single day sounds adventurous and exciting to me because I would never know whose body I will be in. Even before reading this book, I always wondered what it would be like to be someone else, to experience what s/he’s experiencing, and to feel her/his emotions. The fact that I will be in different places, meeting different people, experiencing different cultures, and living a life that I might never have thought of makes me want to be the main character of the book.…
I had been overweight since my early teens, as time passed it continued to worsen. at the age of 15 I was on the brink of obesity; I had to decide a change in my life. My life had consisted of school and video games; these combined had led me to an unhealthy lifestyle. I had dedicated years into my video game hobby, but this was the least active of my time. My hobby had to go, a new hobby had emerged: bodybuilding. Bodybuilding had given me a satisfaction that my previous hobby did not give, the satisfaction of working; that patience and efforts lead to greater satisfaction than momentary things like video…
Frightening rapid explosion of loud bursting shots, brass shell casings hitting the floor one after another. Car windows busting out, glass flying everywhere. Metal fragments piercing holes all through the parked vehicles. Terrified citizens flinching their hands, curling up as they run away from the outrageous gun slinging of two individuals. Having no mercy of shooting on the street corner during broad day light, was just another ordinary day of altercations. Unknowingly going downhill, doing everything from carrying pistols, corrupt racketeering to becoming addicted to fast money. My main problem was not feeling death. Partying as well as loving the luscious accompany with women, was my lust, till I saw I hit the floor.…
When I got to St. Vincent’s hospital I thought I was in labor but the doctor said my water wasn’t broken yet. So I had to walk up and down the hallway for the baby to come down. Then finally the doctor pulled my water. And oh my god I was in so much pain. The nurse said” Keep pushing, the baby is almost out.” With a final push I had my baby. She was the most beautiful little baby with dark hair and big light brown eyes. I called Diana.…
time for me to begin my 10 minute warming up. I move my head side to side, stretch my legs, and I begin to walk briskly. I drank my water because I need to stay hydrated. When I was ready I sprinted out like a rocket. My brother began to time me. It took me 12 minutes to finish my one mile. Once I felt that my heart was pounding, my stomach started to develop painful cramps, and my My throat was as dry as a bone. I stopped and took deep breaths in and out. I took a five minute break and finished my 3 miles by walking. Once I finished my three miles I felt proud of myself and motivated for the next days to…
I am of Chinese descent and one of the biggest parts of being Chinese is food. Food in China is diverse and unique from region to region. As a result, one’s cooking will often reflect one’s identity. As I learn to cook, I have to choose. Will I favor the Szechuan style, hot, spicy, yet heart-warming? Perhaps I’ll favor the sweet Shanghai style, more delicate, yet more refined. Or, I may go with my parent’s Shandong Style, rich, powerful, and familiar to me. As I learn to cook, I will refine my identity through the dishes I…
My love for expression has led me to much success in my everyday life. Of course that an unlimited knowledge of writing would be impressive, but to me it would mean so much more. Writing has been like a getaway from all my problems, but in a way it has also been the solution. When I write, it feels as if I was telling the story of my life. I present myself with a problem that I am facing and make up and ending to the story as the solution to my problem. My ability to write touching essays has earned me much praise from teachers throughout my educational years. Having more talent and all the rules of writing at my disposal would be like an expressionist dream come true. This power would allow me to become a writer for the world and I would…
Does moving to a new place change everything you ever experience? Moving to a whole new descriptive place is like being pop out of your mothers belly again. Especially, when you move to a place where the language, the food, the people, school and everything else is brand new. Those type of situations, shape your way of living in a constructive way that will affect the rest of your lifestyle. That's the same situation that made me have a life change into a whole new story. Almost 15 years ago, my mother had to make a decision that will affect her and affect the love ones around her. An option that will make her leave everything she ever loved and wanted behind forever. The option was to leave her lifestyle, her family and leave a part of her own blood made from her flesh. The own blood was me, leaving me with my grandma so she could had gone to find a job and start a new journey. To have a way to support the her baby and her own family. Departing to the U.S.A when I was only one years old. Until a sudden burdens of death that was going to make my whole story, lifestyle, my whole childhood and the rest of my life changed.…
I've always prided myself on my ability to adapt. Being optimistic and working with the cards I've been dealt, has always been my strong point. When life throws something at you knowing how to adapt to it is your best option and it affects the way you look at life.…
Have you ever been through an experience where you moved to an unfamiliar location by yourself? I had the opportunity to do just that when I left my hometown in Hong Kong and come to America for a better education. I was only thirteen years of age at the time. Giving me the chance to come the U.S was the greatest gift that my parent has ever given me in my life. I appreciated them for providing me this valuable and precious chance for my thirteen years old birthday present.…
Growing up in Kokomo, Indiana there wasn’t much to the daily life in my hometown. I’d like to believe this is me telling the story of how through hard work and perseverance I could achieve my goal in high school. A goal that many told me was unachievable and stupid to pursue. What is this goal you wonder? My goal was to play Basketball at Kokomo High School.…
“Graduation, the hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diplomas.” You weren’t lying when you said that Maya Angelou. May 19th, 2013 I had dreamt of that day for almost four years. I know I can’t be the only person who feel this way. I remember it as if it was just yesterday. So many different emotions going through my mind all at once. Happiness, Sadness, I felt relieved because it was almost over but at the same time I felt anxious and overly excited to just leave and go far away. 389 seniors were going to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. After all, our class had the biggest percentage of graduates who were actually…
As a child, I had a huge imagination. I would turn the recliner into Pride Rock and the backyard into a jungle. But, it was my sidekick, my partner in crime, my little sister who made my imagination grow and become real. Through years, as we get older and we add adult responsibilities to our daily lives she has never lost that imagination I remember. Although her imagination has changed into more adult-like forms she has been a signpost in my life. When I watch her and listen to what she tells me I can see her wheels turning. She gets an idea in her head and it grows until she can not contain it. Then, that idea explodes forcing her to publicize it. When she publicizes it, I am amazed. Her imagination as shown me that an idea can form in your…
My personal health is not the way it should be right now. When I signed up for this class I was hoping it would help me with my weaknesses. A lot of my friends go and work out mostly everyday and I always tell myself that I am going to but I never do. I have always wanted to make myself get on a routine and workout or eat healthy and lose weight. Keeping up with school, my job, and a sorority is not that easy, the last thing on my mind is being healthy. Sleep overrides everything in my world I love it so much! Even though I say I want to be like someone else this situation is different. I would love to have a routine by the fall, maybe lose 20 pounds, and eat healthier.…