the end...

I am sitting here, trying to do my homework, which has been a complete fail on my part. It is funny that when I started the semester I was able to do my homework easily and quickly. Now it takes me forever to even get started. All that said, I spent my last saturday night of this semester watching Friday Night Lights with some friends. It is safe to say it was probably a perfect ending. As I read most some of the last blogs everyone is very reflective of how things have changed since the beginning, so I feel like I should probably recap too! After the first day I was ready to go home, I wanted summer back! But now I have grown to love it, and love the people, it has been a great opportunity to see just how different everyone is...really really really different, but in a good way! I have learned to just go with the flow and manage school at the same time! Explorations has been a crazy experience. I feel like it is the season finale of a show and even though your happy for that break, you can't wait to see what happens next season! Thats what college is for me right now. I have nothing more to say really, words can't describe the people I have met and the experiences I have had. I hope everyone has a lovely break...SEE YOU NEXT SEMESTER!!

LAST BLOG QUESTION!!!!!

I am finding it hard to believe that I have finally reached the last blog question, it means that the semester is basically over. I go home in 7 days for a lovely Christmas break and I am so incredibly excited. It is funny, that this blog question seems so simple, yet it is the hardest for me to answer. I entered this class thinking that I would figure out what I wanted to do - sadly I am leaving more confused than ever and its not because of this class. I have been exposed to so much during my first semester here at American that I have discovered so many opportunities that could lead to possible professional communities that I could join and because of that I have no idea what I want to do. Currently I belong to the community of I don't know and I'm okay with that. That is what college is about -discovering where you fit in this big world.
I am going to use this next semester to explore all possible options. It is funny when you are younger you know exactly what you want to do. There is no doubt in your mind when you say you want to be a singer or a firefighter. There is that determination and somewhere along that way that is lost and options are exposed to you, and the long hard process is revealed and life gets harder.
It is true what they say - you don't appreciate those naps in Pre-K until you no longer have the time to take them and you do not appreciate that enthusiasm until you are doubting the decisions you make. I do not know anyone else, but I would love to go back to Pre-K for a day. That was a great community!

Reflection 11.29.2009

Thanksgiving was a much needed break!!!! No school, family, food, and fun. It was a great break. I actually stayed here for thanksgiving because my uncle lives in dc. I went over to his house for the weekend and enjoyed the time with my family. On Friday, my uncle rented a bus for the entire family to go see the monuments. It was very cool to see all the monuments back to back. I’ve been to most of them before, but it was fun to go with my grandparents who remembered most of the events that the monuments were depicting. It was interesting to hear them reflect and recall moments about their childhood and young adult years. For my little cousins we stopped by the White House, since that was the only building they knew about and cared to see. It was actually my first time to the White House, I have driven by it before, but it was my first time actually walking up to the front gate and actually getting a good view. It was actually perfect timing, because the White House Christmas tree was being delivered. It was pulled up to the front door by a house drawn carriage, it was so pretty, like a timeless picture. The man in the carriage was wearing a top hat, so it was very cool thing to see. It was a lovely time with my cousins and other family members. The Christmas Tree being delivered reminded me of how soon the semester is going to be over. It is amazing to think that I have already finished one half of my freshman year. I can’t believe it! It has gone by so fast, and I have had such a great time, but honestly I cannot wait to finish the semester and go home for a whole month!!!!

Blog Question: 11.26.2009

Sadly, I believe that Heinlein is completely correct in the claim that he makes. Everything is about survival; our culture obsesses over living longer, protecting our country, and saving our earth. Our media is filled with diet advertisements and "going green" promotions, the claim being that these things will help us survive. Political leaders obsess over safety regulations and protection plans "just in case"... so it is safe to say that we are all about survival. For that reason war and the preparation for war can never be eliminated. Those two things protect us from the worse. It helps us survive against terrorist and threats known and unknown. That is the sterotypical that I sort of believe in. Without being prepared for war, a country opens their self to being taken advantage of. I think that the necessity to survive requires a properly prepared military to be a high priority among the community, because with the military, common people would have to fight and they are just not equipped for that. If I had to protect myself, I would freak out. The military is a comfort and without it, I'm sure I would not be the only one freaking out.

Reflection 2.23.2009

Our lab this week, involved going to the National Museum of the American Indian. Honestly, it was a lot different than I expected. I expected this museum full of the same old artifacts and for it to be a relatively boring trip. While it was not my favorite trip thus far, it was far from boring. It was set up in such a way that it tied in the past and the present. I really enjoyed the modern take of tradition aspects of the Native American symbols such as a totem pole. The totem pole was built out of golf bags, which I thought was so good, I enjoyed that exhibit more than the traditional artifacts. As I was waiting for the time at the museum to finish, I went, along with other people from explorations, into one of the theaters that was playing a movie. It was about a boy, trying to understand the traditional ways that his parents wanted him to respect, while he struggled with the outside world. It was an interesting presentation, that I'm sure for some people is very realistic. The entire museum was different - in a good way. I just wonder what actual Native Americans think of the museum. Personally, I think it provides a good representation, but I'm technically an outsider looking in....what do they think?
This weekend I went to go see the newest movie in the Twilight series called New Moon. First as a girl, I just have to say that it was amazing! I love the movie, but its funny to see people in the theater screaming over the characters such as Edward, Bella, and Jacob. When an intense part comes the crowd is responding at the edge of their seat, waiting for the next twist in the plot. The audience in completely engaged in what is going in the movie. In a normal movie, people just sit back and watch, but people actually used energy to engage themselves in this movie. After this movie, I was thinking about, what makes something a trend. Why is something so popular? What makes Twilight so popular? Is it because Jacob and Edward are very attractive characters on screen or does it simply hold the classic fairytale perspective that people are always trying to live. Is it an ideal world? For me personally, a world full of vampires, is not ideal, but maybe it is for others. It is just interesting to see this world wide obsession, yet no one knows exactly - "why" it is so popular.
On another note, I'm so excited for Thanksgiving. I cannot wait for the turkey and family. I have missed home more than I thought. Sadly, I am not going home, but I am spending Thanksgiving at my uncle's house in DC with my mother's family. I cannot believe the semester is almost over!!! I hope everyone has a good break and a safe trip wherever they are going!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Bonus Question

In my opinion I believe that they values of the American Indian are expressed in the National Museum. While it may be a reformed view or even a censored representation of their values, their ideals and traditions are still represented within the museum. Everything about their culture is represented in a respectful nature and I'm sure in an approved setting. You walk around and the entire building is set up in such a way that their culture is continuously expressed and their values are shown through the displays and other exhibits. While clearly it is a reformed view, because of time and the fact that it is a "National" museum, so things are probably not as raw as some Native Americans may want it, there is a good representation given. Remembrance is a key part of the museums layout and how the artifacts are presented. When you walk in, it is clear that it is a place to remember and acknowledge a race of people. The artifacts are very spread out. It is not an overcrowded museum and everything is very, almost, sacred. The artifacts are in drawers or in cases and everything is very professional, even more so than other museums. I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but as soon as I walked in, I knew I walked into an place, that needed to be respected.

Question 11.18.2009

The quote presented about violence being the way to solve problems is something I believe to be true to a certain extent. Wars solve the problems even if it is not the most humanitarian approach. Let's be honest, when have peace treaties ever completely solved an issue. While they will put the issue at rest temporarily, they do not stop that problem from becoming a bigger issue. War's finish things because death resulting from wars are so finite. It is the end. The atomic bomb ended World War II, it left a lasting impact that Hiroshima is still trying to recover from today. That act of violence ended any further attacks because it let the world know that this problem had gone on long enough. There has not been another world war since clearly proving that that amount of violence works. It finished off those particular set of issues. Granted the world will never be perfect, but every issue solved helps. For instance, while the Emancipation Proclamation allowed slaves to be freed, it was not until the Civil War that slaves were actually freed. That proclamation was simply used as a political move to help the Union gain more power through the assistance of the British. More power lead to more violence leading o the solution of that problem. The real question to ask is why can human kind not solve anything without violence?

Reflection 11.16.2009

The trip to Arlington Cemetery was one of the hardest “field trips” I have ever been on. I have been to over 13 funerals and I have never been so bothered. The entire day was just naturally depressing because it was Veteran’s Day and it was a dreary day. What really hit me though were the rows and rows of graves stretched out over the entire area. It was the most peaceful burial sites I have ever seen.
Looking at JFK’s grave does not raise any emotions. It is set up as more of a fancy memorial for a president. It is not until I ventured out into the yard and looked at some of the other graves that it hit me. Some of these people were my age. Many were the age of my sister and her friends. I looked at the year they died and it said 2006 meaning it was from the War in Iraq. For the first time the war became real to me. Those kids should be hanging out, getting married, and enjoying summers on a beach, but they are not… Because the war is fought over seas, it seemed surreal to me. I know people are dying, but until I saw those graves, I did not realize how “real” it all was. The hardest part was to see the grave of a fallen soldier from Iraq with flowers and notes reading, “I love you daddy”. I did not realize how big their sacrifice was until I saw the worst possible result.

Reflection

I do not really have anything to reflect on this week/weekend. I’m just doing my work, revising my ethnography and enjoying the weekend. After Wednesday’s lab, I decided that I am a visual learner. I read Antigone for the first time this year, and while I understood it – it helped a lot to see some scenes acted out. There is something about seeing normal people speaking the words that helps everything click together better. I did comprehend everything I read, but with the writing style of Antigone causes me to have to re read lines in order to capture the full impact of what is being said. I really enjoyed Wednesday lab – it was enjoyable to get a taste of the acting department, though I can pretty much guarantee that I will never take an acting class or participate in anything acting wise. I thought it was interesting to bring Explorations into this acting environment. While watching my classmates, I really saw how some people were very comfortable and others were a little apprehensive about the possibility of participating. Thankfully, we only have to recite a few chorus lines as a group!

November 3, 2009

I would just like to start this blog by saying the YANKEES WON!!! It was an amazing game…
I do not think it is appropriate to judge a society based on wealth and poverty. Sadly, it is the most important feature. Wealth and poverty are such shallow features of the bigger picture. While it does hold a lot of ground, judging an area strictly based on that causes people to over look other positive things that community may have to offer. Situations get tricky when referring to money. It is the cornerstone of our networking and how we build the world around us. Immediately we look at that aspect. Without wealth, it is hard for social arrangements to run and with a lot of poverty, those arrangements begin to look inefficient and for lack of a better word bad. In terms of a community, that communities imagine is based on their wealth and poverty. For example, Africa, yes while this example is used a lot it is very applicable. That country has a large poverty population and because of that, the country is represented in such a way where that aspect becomes the focus. America is one of the “wealthier” nations in the country and because of that it is seen as a land of opportunities.

Halloween weekend...

The conversation in class on Friday was a little disappointing. I understand that providing constructive criticism about the university is important but there was a line that was crossed. We all had our dream schools; however we all ended up here. Yes, there are improvements that this university can make, but the Ivy Leagues of American also have faults. Honestly, we all are going to come out with a great education and I think that from now on we should embrace American in a more positive light.
On a happier note, this weekend was Halloween!!! Visiting the embassies was a lot of fun. I enjoyed walking around and seeing them. On Friday night, I was sick, so I decided to stay in and I watched The silence of the lambs. Talk about identity issues…the serial killer in the movie killed women and then dressed up as one. He suffered from not knowing who he was. I guess the question at the end of the movie was if being a serial killer was a front or if it was who he really was. As I was watching, I thought it was funny, that the idea of identity popped in my head during what was a non-school related activity. It is true that identity, fronts, and performances are everywhere. I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!!!

Jay Z started out as an individual

Honestly, I do not really understand the quote from the book. Bellah states that this new form of individualism is not working successfully, but he also says it did not work way back when. If I understand it correctly, he is saying that there is no perfect situation when it comes to being an individual, which is true. Today everyone is following a trend and trying to be like someone else, back in the day people hated and oppressed groups so much, that it crushed any individualism that was there. Ideally there would be a Utopia where everyone can be unique person, but because that does not exist, everyone is pushing to become this special person, when actually they are coping what they saw on the tv. It is a struggle and realistically it will probably never be achieved.
In do today’s society everyone is trying to be like the big singers and rappers. For example Jay – Z who I saw in concert yesterday, is a huge entertainment figure. There were many people dressed like him or donning the Yankee Cap. Everyone is trying to achieve his look and he started out being an individual. It was an amazing show and I want to see him again, but I thought that concert was the perfect example or modern individualism and how it is not working. It really does not exist. In no way do I think I am an individual. I have a unique make up of common characteristics. Honestly, I really think in the future it will just continue to get worse...but who knows.

Reflection

Last week when we were informed that the President of American University was coming to speak to us, I expected to sit through a very boring presentation about the mission statement of American University. However, when President Neil Kerwin did come to our class on Explorations it was just the opposite. I enjoyed listening to him speak so much. He was extremely personable and did not lecture us on American University. While he did talk about the University's future he spoke with us in a connecting way. He talked about his life and how he came from a small town. He is not at all what I expected. I expected a guy with a privileged life, who was basically destined for the job from birth. It was nice to hear about his college experience and to know that he worked hard toward his goal. He also spoke about his plans to improve American. He only spent a short time speaking about this, because he had to speak to Alumni, sadly we did not get to ask him as many questions as we would of wanted. I think he should come back! It was interesting to learn after he left that the school does not have a lot of Alumni support. Its something that I did not know and I did not think that a school could possibly survive off of basically tuition alone.
This weekend was Parents Weekend also. My parents did come up, however we only did one campus activity. My dad dragged me to the Gospel Choir performance and it was so good. Honestly I had no idea that they were any good and it was nice to see a different side of American University. It was a very enjoyable weekend!

Is AU a community

As we talked in class, the definition of a community began to form. It was decided that a community is a group of people sharing a common interest or characteristic. Going to school at AU is a very clear example of a community, or more specifically a bunch of smaller communities within a big “community”. For example, these smaller communities are our dorms. They separate the thousands of students on campus to smaller communities. Technically, they do not have to have things in common, but by sharing a living space, they tend to hang out together and befriend each other. They create a community within the larger community of AU. The larger community of AU is more of a connecting circle. Its one common factor that everyone has...its an alumni circle. It is an exciting thing when you meet someone who went to the same place as you. Even though you may never see that person again, it creates a bond that is like a warm feeling inside. I think it terms of large communities AU its self is situated in a larger community of DC and of colleges in general. AU represents on college out of hundreds all over the world. In reference to the definition, they all share the common interest in educating people and helping them achieve a higher level of learning. In reference to AU and DC, AU is a very small division of the DC community – it shares the general location. Actually anything can be a community, explorations is a form of a very small community, we all share a class and a living location – its a great community to be apart of!

Reflection

I went home this weekend, which was very much needed trip. I missed home alot and it was nice to see my family and friends. It was crazy to try to fit my friends and all my family in, in one weekend. I was not stop running from house to house, went to the movies, the mall, and of course starbucks. I thought it was going to be so different being home, like that every thing would feel like it moved on without me, but it didn't. I guess after living somewhere for 18 years, two months away doesn't change alot. I was able to jump right back into things. The first thing I did when I got home was to go to my room. It was so clean and all mine, it was a highlight of the weekend. The only awkward moments came with my friends who have all seen eachother more than I have, so I was little behind on all the stories. Other than that though all anyone wanted to do was talk about college and all I wanted to do was hear about them. Its funny, I got to college so I don't feel like I have anything different to say, my initial thought to all these questions was like well its college. You eat, sleep, study, go out and thats about it. They wanted the details on something that I found to be so ordinary. I had to realize its been awhile since they lived that way and that they missed that life, so I had to help them rememeber it. All in all it was a great weekend, but I am kinda happy to be back!

Reflection

On Friday, we had another speaker come talk to us. She was very good yet I wish she talked about her topic more than just the last five minutes of class. She gave us a lesson in the definition of macro and microeconomics. Not that it was not interesting but I felt like we missed learning something great. I did however like how she sat down at the table with us. She engaged us and had a conversation instead of just talking at us. I cannot believe were almost done with another book. School has been moving so fast. It’s funny ever since reading Goffman and the idea of identity has come up in everything - in my anthropology class and just in everyday life. It’s funny how I can now see performances and identities playing throughout everyday life. The Dalai Lama came to American on Saturday; sadly I did not get a ticket to see him. I was somewhat upset about it, but I got up at 930 to go the Anthropology conference for extra credit and I was out of Leonard and I saw the Dalai Lama. It was cool, it was one of the wow moments, where I realized that I am in a place where I have the opportunity to see these influential people and I should take advantage of it as much as I can.

Invisible Man

I believe anyone can be invisible. It all depends on what one is going through and how they feel on a specific day. Depending upon what definition of “being invisible” you are using it can be affected by race, but that is not the reason. The reason is the person and their situation. A person’s invisibility can be caused for the same reason the narrator is suffering – a lack of self-identity. The narrator of the Invisible Man is “invisible” only because of himself. While he is clearly a part of the lower class in society, he enables the invisibility. He does not know what role he is playing yet; therefore, he does not have a clear identity. Being black is simply a factor to his invisibility, not the cause. Because he is a part of a lower class, he just has to work harder at being visible. He is trying to find his identity by depending on others. He depends on Dr. Bledsoe to write him letters of recommendation, yet he betrays him and he is left with no work. This is a good example of the narrator’s invisibility. He was betrayed without a single thought. It is because he has not discovered his role in life yet. He is depending on others to carry him through a part of his life, while he really needs to be is confident in himself. He needs to form his identity and stand on his own two feet. From what I have read so far, I feel like he continuously attempts to be visible. He attempts to be a leader, public speaking, yet after that experience, he is told to only sit, listen, and take notes in order to learn the brotherhood’s doctrine. Looking at these examples more closely, I have begun to believe that at times his environment causes his invisibility. At the school Dr. Bledsoe saw his as a speck of dust. Not because of his ethnicity, but because he was an employee, he betrayed him because in reality the narrator screwed up so Dr. Bledsoe owed nothing to him. While he is delivering his speech he is in a “black setting”, which I think contributes to his invisibility, but at the same time he is trying to find an identity in this setting, so I am unsure of what role the setting plays.

Reflection

The Myers Briggs results told classified me as an ISTP meaning I am an introvert, sensing thinking, and perceiving person. It is funny because I guessed one of them wrong. I said I was more intuition than of a sensing person. I still believe it is true. A sensing person is a person who are more in tune with facts while an intuition person who thinks about theory and symbolism. I don’t know if I am right or if the test is right, but it was interesting to learn about how I tested and how I am perceived through this test. It was interesting to see the jobs positioned with the certain personality types. My favorite for myself was the job of a farmer or animal breeder – two things I can safely say I will never do. It also gave some realistic job suggestions such as a orthodontist or a surgical assistant, but I don’t have any idea which direction I will go in. It was helpful for ideas, but considering that I didn’t like many of the suggestions I doubt that I will pursue them, but the field identification was helpful. I never thought that I would take the test and have immediate reality as to what I would like to do. However, this test helped me to look with my strengths and weaknesses in mind. Honestly, this test is really not going to affect my life at all. I am taking it as a useful piece of information to keep in your head as I’m living my life. I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about myself!

reflection

This week seemed especially long. For the lab we observed the roll that the monuments play in life and how people react to the monuments. We saw their identity not only as a national icon, but as a regular building. It was interesting to watch the people engage the building. In class on Friday we reflected on the performance each piece presented with some members of the Board of Trustees. This was an interesting activity because we got to see a different perspective from someone who has lived longer than we have. There were a couple of points in class that I wanted to respond to and because we were short on time I did not voice my opinion. Everyone kept saying that the Korean and Vietnam Memorial was more emotional for those who visited because it was not a glorified war such as World War II. First I think it is important to realize that the Washington DC WWII memorial is not “thee” memorial. The main one is located at Pearl Harbor and that is where people go to memorialize those lost in the war. The WWII memorial in DC is more of a national representation bringing the states together. Everything people said in class was correct about the emotional detachment, but I disagreed with the reasoning. I think it is important to realize that the WWII memorial was “just” built. It opened in 2004, over 50 years after the war ended, while in comparison the Korean opened in 1995 and the Vietnam in 1982. Those wars were more recent than WWII so those who fought were still alive to mourn. The average age of a soldier serving in WWII around 65 or 70 when the memorial opened, most started to die so it does not create as much as an impact. I really do not think it has to do with the impact of the wars, but it has to do with the time period and the identity of the monument. I think it needs to be clear that no war is glorified, simply the grieving time has passed, and to most people it is a piece of history, not really a “current event” such as the Korean or Vietnam wars. Another point that I wanted to make in class was in reference to the Lincoln memorial. It was brought up how the Lincoln Memorial was modeled after the Temple of Zeus and PTJ asked if the memorial is treated like a temple. Some people said it was because it is such a national figure however when I observed the interaction of people with the monument the idea of a temple did not come across. I had already known that the Lincoln Memorial was modeled after this particular temple and I thought it was humorous to watch people “desecrate” that temple. I saw many people using it as a place of exercise, a meeting place, and a lunch stop. From my understanding, those are not normal activities for a temple. I would expect sovereign respect all around. I’m not saying people were not respectful, but I didn’t see the identity of a temple coming into play. Lincoln is a figurehead and the fact that was “thee” tourist attraction was very clear, but it did not serve as a temple. Those were just a couple of things that I wanted to say in class, but ran out of time to say. Not very important, but that is all I have to reflect on for this week. The baseball game was fun. It was my first so I enjoyed the experience! Sadly, the Nationals lost, but at least they scored one run in the 8th inning!

Debra Humphreys talk on Friday was not very interesting. Not that she did not present her topic well, but I was a bit unsure how it applied to me besides the bits of advice she threw in. It was rather boring and it was not a presentation that sparked my interest.
However, I did really enjoy the National Cathedral. The building was amazing. It was probably the prettiest church I ever walked into and the most Christ centered church. The depictions of Jesus' life and the artistic was it was done was amazing I could of looked at everything all day. I thought it was ironic that this was the National "Church" and all the Presidents have their funeral here and that it serves as a NATIONAL landmark in a country where there is suppose to be separation of church and state. It does not really bother me at all, but I had trouble seeing the separation of state. The only separation that was clear was the fact that they do not receive money from the government. It just struck me as interesting. This country was founded on Christian values and it was interesting to see that even through the radical movements over the years and the issues that have arose that the country has not lost its tradition and it still holds to those original values. I just loved the whole experience. It was an amazing building. It was interesting to learn about some prominent figures who were buried there such as Helen Keller. I had no idea that her or Woodrow Wilson were there so that was a interesting thing to see. In all honesty though the amount of graves freaked me out. At first I walked into the church and I was like oh I would want to have my wedding here, but after she named all the people buried in the building I changed my mind. Instead maybe I'll have my funeral there since that seems to be a trend, but first I have to change the world or something like that...obviously that will take some time and thankfully I don't plan on dying anytime soon!