Asked To Quiet Down; Spoke Louder

When opening a site full of six word essays, I was ready to skim through them and just randomly choose one that ‘spoke’ to me. These short sentences were memoirs, but I had no idea what the story behind it was. I was about to close the site down and go look at some pictures when I read a statement by Wendy Lee: Asked to quiet down; spoke louder.

This piece really spoke to me because I could empathize with the author. At home, I am constantly told to quiet down; I am actually quite loud at home. However this makes me even more frustrated because I feel as though no one is listening tome and isn’t even interested in listening to me. In my frustration, I speak up louder and louder.

These six words show my some of my personality: stubborn, but perhaps to the extent that I am selfish. I am stubborn as I resist anyone who tries to tell me what to do, and I do exactly the opposite. But perhaps the reasons behind it also imply that I am selfish. I want people to listen to my ideas and to what I am saying even though they may be busy or not interested.

In 5 days, I become a high school student, and this short memoir, even though it was only six words long, made me reflect on my behavior during middle school both at home and at school. I am very different when at home and when I am at school. Although I may not have many problems at school, I think that I should enter high school with a better behavior, especially at home than now. I should learn to be a little less stubborn, which hopefully ill not make me as selfish as now. :)



So stubborn it makes me selfish :)

A New Start

There's No Heaven On Earth

Sudan, the largest country in Africa, has been engulfed in a civil war since the 1980s. The SPLA (Sudanese People Liberation Army) is fighting against the Arab government and this has led to the burning down of Southern Sudanese villages, the massacre of men. Women and girls were also taken away to be raped or to be sold in slavery. This has created many without any loved ones, and with nothing or no one to depend on other than themselves. Most of these people are the 20,000 orphaned boys who were nickname ‘Lost Boys’ that have spent their childhood trying to reach a ‘Heaven on Earth’. These boys have fled for their lives. For 6 to 10 weeks they walked under the blazing African sun, through the savanna. The skin of their feet were ripped off, many drowned while crossing the Gillo River. Some couldn’t manage to keep up with the lack of food and sleep and were left to lions and other wild animals to eat. Finally, they escaped Sudan and arrived at refugee camps at Kakuma, Kenya. There, they were given a chance to restart their lives in America, where they truly believed would be ‘heaven’.

The docurama, ‘The Lost Boys of Sudan’ focuses on the lives of Peter and Santino, two Lost Boys that have been given the chance to rebuild their lives in America. However, upon their arrival to America, they realized that America is no heaven, and that there is no heaven on earth. They found many problems in America that disrupted their flow of daily life. These problems mainly stemmed from the different lifestyles that they couldn’t wrap their heads around, their need of money, which always seemed to be lacking, as well as the discrimination they found in store for them.

From simple mud huts in the savannas of Africa, Peter and Santino find themselves in a 2-story house in a city: Houston, Texas. From this house they find many modern appliances that we regard as normal, such as stoves and other electrical appliances. They also stated that it was scary to live in the second floor because they were afraid that the floor would just collapse. Also, they quickly learned that holding hands was not acceptable in America like it was in Sudan (‘they’ll think you’re homosexual’). However, they overcame this by learning popular things in America such as basketball and baggy pants. Soon they also overcame the advanced technology, as seen when they made spaghetti after watching how from TV. They overcame the fact that the house would never fall on them, and tried to make a clean environment for themselves all the time.

Peter and Santino always seemed to be short of money. Santino could not get good jobs, when he first tries out his job at a plastic factory; we were shown him not working fast enough because he was unused to it. Later, we are told that this job only pays him 7 dollars an hour, a tiny amount for someone who must pay his rent, food and other conveniences with it. In the end, Santino is shown as struggling for money, because he was also pushed to send most to Sudan to help the rebels. Due to this lack of jobs, Peter left Houston for Kansas, where he heard there were more jobs. But even there, he could not get good jobs because he was finally attending high school. Peter complained about how they estimate too high on birth certificates. Because there were no proper hospitals in Sudan, Peter had to request for a new birth certificate, and he could finally become a junior in high school in Kansas, where he made many more friends. Peter seems to finally adjust to America as his friends helped him through and he even became popular.

Perhaps the most difficult obstacle Peter and Santino faced was the racism. Peter mentioned after riding on a bus, ‘People look at me, I feel odd. I feel shame.’ They also repeated how they were different from the African Americans, as they were brown, not black, like the Lost Boys were. They also mentioned ‘People are scared that you will beat them up because you are black.’ When Peter had a job in Wall-Mart, his boss made him work in the heat because she thought that he was used to the heat, being from Africa. He complained to his friends that although he may be used to the heat, he should not be made to work in it. However, some accepted them, like other African Americans, saying that their skin may be a little darker, but ‘we are the same’. Peter adjusted to this discrimination by joining a church with his white friends. He learned to speak English fluently, and in the end, graduated from high school.

Peter and Santino may only be 2 examples of the many Lost Boys that have tried to restart their lives in America, but it shows a good picture. I hope that many of the other Lost Boys get to be integrated into the American community like Peter was should the war go on. There may be many challenges to overcome, but after all, like Santino said, ‘America is no heaven, but it’s better than Sudan.’ Hopefully, one day, the war will be over and they will be safe again in their homeland.

Memoir: Felt Through Closed Eyes

Scorpions, tarantulas, what next? A shiver ran through my spine. Oh, why on earth did I even sign up for this? I could hear my friend’s whisper clearly, although my eyes were closed.

What if it’s another snake?

I shuddered. I would take the scorpion and the tarantula any day. At least I wouldn’t freak out with those animals. But snakes? Snakes were my limit. Snakes I could not handle. But the reason I had finally volunteered to close my eyes and hold the next animal was because a snake had already been introduced. A snake wouldn’t come again, I reasoned.

We were in GatorLand in Orlando, Florida. My fellow classmates and I sat down and one by one, we volunteered to hold an animal without knowing what it was at first. We waited as the guide brought out an animal with our eyes closed. A scorpion, tarantula, turtle and a snake had already been introduced. What else could this place hold?

I flinched as I heard the whispers of my fellow classmates. My stomach knotted and coiled and I wanted to disappear. A bead of sweat rolled down my face. My pulse quickened as a heard footsteps, almost silent, coming closer and closer towards me.

What if it’s another snake? Another snake. Snake.

Could my friend be right? My hands were outspread, and I tried to relax. I hoped that my shoulders didn’t look as tense as they felt. I knew my hands looked rigid, ready to curl up and snap back in an instant.

‘Wow,’ someone muttered. Who could that be? My friend, who tried her best to stop me from volunteering, or someone else entirely? Perhaps it was someone that knew my fear of snakes? Or was it because of another reason? Was the next animal big, scary, and possibly dangerous? I wouldn’t mind. Just not a snake.

Right then, something coiled against my arm; I didn’t dare open my eyes. I stroked it, liking the bumpy yet surprisingly smooth touch of its skin. I winced as it resisted and poked me when I tried stroking it the other way.

Suddenly, the coil around my arm constricted and my eyes flew open in quiet discomfort. A bright shock of canary yellow was coiled up my arm. But that was just the tail. I held half its body in my other hand but I had no clue what it was. At least, I wouldn’t believe what it was until I saw the whole thing.

Then its head slithered up the body of the other person holding it with me. As it poked it’s forked tongue at me, I realized what it was. It was a huge albino python that reached 6 feet. Or more. I couldn’t help but to try and tug my arm out of its grip. But then, I saw the other person holding this giant snake next to me, holding it with ease. I remembered how the skin felt and I realized that unlike most other animals, I had not given snakes the chance to be liked.

I had never given snakes the chance to be likeable. I realized that not only snakes but many people have to be ‘felt with closed eyes’ in order to understand them and begin to like them. Instead of making assumed judgments about people, I had to get to know them first. With this thought, I smiled a huge smile, had my picture taken with my new friend, and returned to my seat with this thought in my head.

From Colonization To Exploitation

Why do people colonize?

People colonize for a variety of different reasons. Most of the time, it isn’t just the simple problem of moving somewhere new and starting over. These reasons may differ, but the most prominent seems to be for religious and territorial reasons, as well as to exploit the land of its natural resources.

An Englishman named Richard Hakluyt describes religious reasons for colonization in his book, ‘Reasons for Colonization’ (written in 1585). Some reasons he stated in his book included ‘the increase of the force of the Christians’, and ‘the glory of God by planting of religion among those infidels’, or the increase in power for Christians, and to please God by making more people believe in him. History is full of examples for these, such as the Spanish spreading their Catholicism to their colonized countries in Central and South America, such as Mexico and Argentina. The effects of the Spanish spreading their religion are shown by the devout Catholics in those countries today.

Many countries believed that by colonizing other countries, their own country would become elevated in status. Richard Hakluyt mentions this once more in ‘Reasons for Colonization’ by stating, "The possibility of the enlarging of the dominions of the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, and consequently of her honor, revenues, and of her power by this enterprise,” as one of the reasons. This shows that many British people came to Australia for honor, revenues and power because they were enlarging Britain’s territory. He also mentions, “…if we will proceed with extremity, conquer, fortify, and plant in soils most sweet, most pleasant, most strong, and most fertile, and in the end bring them all in subjection and to civility. . .”. This means that by expanding their territory, they will be more powerful than other countries and will be able to influence them.

Colonization also happens because of the riches of a new country. Whether it is riches from an ancient civilization, or natural resources, the native civilizations of those countries have been forced into being colonized. The Spanish saw the riches of the natives of Central and South America (Aztecs, Mayas and Incas), and suppressed them forcefully until most were dead and most of the riches were carted back to Spain. Also, many Europeans countries scrambled for land in Africa, where they benefitted from the natural resources there, such as gold, minerals, diamonds and rubber.

Because by colonizing, your country would benefit greatly, many people thought it was a just and sensible thing to colonize other countries. This feeling could be seen plainly in Rudyard Kipling’s poem, 'White Man’s Burden’. It is a poem of Americans colonizing the Philippines. It describes Americans sending their men over (Send forth the best ye breed; Go bind your sons to exile), and having jobs there (To seek another's profit; And work another's gain). It also talks about famine and power that they could end when Americans go to the Philippines. The poem shows that they should colonize when it states, 'Go mark them with your living; And mark them with your dead'. Once again, this supports what Hakluyt wrote, “The ends of this voyage are these: to plant Christian religion, to traffic, to conquer, or, to do all three.” The benefits of colonizing may seem too appealing to resist and so many countries colonized others.
(Visit http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/comp/cw27colonizationeffects.htm for more information on the colonization of the Americas)

How does colonization lead to exploitation?

Colonization often leads to exploitation for many reasons. Although many colonies start out in with noble intentions, such as the reasons Hakluyt stated above, the powers given from gaining a colony can change a person’s actions.

The Aztec people of Mexico were exploited when the Spanish tried to colonize them. The wealth, power and majesty of the ancient cities astounded the conquistadores, who then tried to make the wealth theirs. The Aztecs first thought of the Spanish as Gods, and invited them into their capital city when they arrived. The slaughtering began and many were taken as slaves, with the riches of the ancient world stripped and carted back to Spain. Many of the Aztecs were forced to mine for more gold, give up their gold and had to work in the ships. They were exploited in the Spanish conquest for new land because of their astonishing wealth and because of their religion (they were not Christians)

King Léopold II owned much of what is presently Congo. He believed that overseas colonies were the key to a country’s success. And so, under the terms of the ‘General Act of Berlin Conference’, which was a conference in which European countries such as the UK, Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium attended, he pledged to several policies. These were to suppress the East African slave trade, promote humanitarian policies, guarantee free trade, and to encourage missions, and other enterprises. However, after realizing the wealth that Congo could give him, he made new policies that contradicted his first policies. They were to prohibit trade in arms, for indigenous workers to be forced to work for at least 7 years, and to establish the ‘Force Publique’. The FP brutally enforced the new policies. The indigenous peoples were forced to give up much of their products, such as rubber and ivory. Cutting hands off rebels and natives became a sport to see who could cut off the most for the FP. They were brutal to any rebels, cutting heads off all men, women and children, and they routinely took and tortured hostages, as well as committing many other atrocities. The Congolese were exploited in the Belgian colonization because of the territorial claims that King Léopold II insisted on having, as well as the riches the land provided to him.

The picture, ‘In The Rubber Coils’ is an illustration of a Congolese being strangled by a snake with the face of King Léopold II. It shows the tight hold that King Léopold II had on the people, dealing with brute force to them. He strangled the Congolese until they had nothing left to give him, much like many other colonies which were exploited. Colonizers become hungry for power and wealth, and when they find the power and wealth they are looking for, people are exploited to make their ends meet.
(Pictures: Portrait of Richard Hakluyt, 'In The Rubber Coils')

Apologizing to Australia's 'Stolen Generations'

An apology will mean a monumental weight has been lifted from people's shoulders.’ (Sudye Jackson, Aboriginal Australian)

Conflicts can create profound grief, loss and suffering. To escape from this suffering might prove to be difficult for most people. Therefore, apologies must be used to help alleviate the suffering. Apologies are important as they can help you from your grief, loss, suffering and perhaps even hate that resulted from a conflict

Apologies can be hard to say. Many reasons include pride, or thinking that you are not in the wrong. This is proven by former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, who refused to apologize to the Aboriginal Australians. He was also supported with his stand by many Australians, further proving my point that apologies are hard to say as many people did not want to admit their wrongs and saying a sincere apology. He also pushed his point by stating: ‘Modern Australians shouldn’t be required to accept guilt and blame for past actions.’

However, on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd finally made a public apology to the Aborigines. In his speech, he consistently used the words ‘sorry’ and ‘we apologize’. The idea of repeating these words over and over again gave a feeling that Rudd was trying to give a sincere apology. He acknowledged the pain and suffering of the Aborigines and also mentioned them as ‘fellow Australians’. This shows that Rudd thinks that the Aborigines are equal to them which was not so during the stolen generation. Rudd went so far as to saying ‘a proud people and a proud culture’ and acknowledging them as ‘one of the oldest continuing cultures in the world’. All these connoted that Kevin Rudd was trying to be as sincere with his apology as possible.

Even though many Australians agreed with Howard’s thinking, Rudd’s speech was not wholeheartedly unsupported. A bit more than 50% of Australians decided that the apology was needed and was as sincere and warm as they felt it should be.There were many positive results from the Aborigines after Rudd’s speech. Many felt that although the formal apology couldn’t fully wash away the conflict, they helped wash a little of it away. (‘The apology will help to heal the scars but it will never heal my pain and hurt.’ —Mary Farrell-Hooker, member of the Stolen Generations). However, some members and their descendents of the Stolen Generations felt that an apology could not suffice their pain. (The word 'sorry' doesn't come near what [my father] went through. They can apologize in a thousand different ways without saying sorry. Actions speak louder than words. —Norman Stewart, son of a Stolen Generations member). However, all in all, most felt that the apology was needed. (In my heart I feel there is a real need for [the apology]... For my family, it allows some kind of healing and forgiveness to take place where there is less anger and bitterness in the hearts of people. —Cathy Freeman, Aboriginal Australian).

Perhaps this bitterness also comes from the fact that the Stolen Generation was entirely legal. In 1869, ‘An Act for the Protection and Assimilation of the Aboriginal Native of Victoria’ was drawn. Although the title said the ‘protection’ of the Aboriginal Australians, the paper mainly consists of the ability to control their residence, employment, marriages, social life and other aspects of daily life. A further act was drawn that allowed the removal of Aboriginal people of mixed descent to mix with white society. Thankfully though, Kevin Rudd mentioned in his apology, ‘We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.’

The Aboriginal painting: Assimilation, shows exactly how the Aborigines were feeling at that time: that their culture and their identity was slowly being destroyed. Although apologies cannot regain their lost identities, it will most defiantly help them relieve the hurt that they had kept inside for over a lifetime.

(Painting: Assimilation - Mandy Nickolson)
(Quotes: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/stolen-generations-sorry-apology.html)

To Accomplish Great Things, We Must Dream As Well As Act

The quote, 'To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act', (Anatole France) captures my personality. This quote shows that our actions are what accomplishes things, but those actions come from our dreams.

This quote represents my personality as I have a dream that I wish to act upon. It may seem like a vague dream to others, but for me, it seems like a very do-able dream. It is a dream that may shape the rest of my life, and help others along the way too, as the dream is to become a doctor. This dream could change to direction of the path my life is going, and help change the direction of other's lives, or the direction of my future patients.

I also plan for the near future, such as projects. Although completing an assignment may not be a 'great thing', this quote still shows my habits as I usually try to 'see' the finished product before I start, which helps me complete a 'great project'.

The quote, 'To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act' shows my personality as my dreams are usually what brings on my actions. Also, although it is my dreams that are causing my actions, my actions are are still pretty much straightforward, as is shown by the picture, which depicts my dreams by starry sky, but the straightforward actions by the town.

(Picture: The Starry Night - Vincent van Gogh)