English Improvement Plan

In Thailand where I came from, English is the second language that all students are required to learn. English is the language in the business world that is mainly use. I have been learning Basic English since I was eleven years old. Back then, English teachers in Thailand didn’t have enough skills to teach students correctly. When I was 20, I had met my first foreign friend and I had started to develop my listening and speaking skills. In my previous school I hadn’t learned grammar so I didn’t speak well. I still have many grammar errors that need to be improve and my writing and reading ability is even worse. My long-term goal is to work in global business and to be successful in the global market. I need to have perfect English so I can communicate with other international business men efficiently.

I find myself quite comfortable communicating face to face with others, but when it comes to writing, my ability of communication is very poor. This semester I attended ESL 3202 Academic and Composition. This course helped me to develop my writing skill that I found very useful and I enjoyed attending this class. I also attended ESL 3001 Integrated Skills for Academic English and UC 1005 Global Education Perspective which they are all Minnesota English Language Program (MELP) classes to help me improving my English skills. However, fifteen weeks of writing practice was not enough, there were still many areas of my English skills that need to be improve.

For more improvement of my English skills, this coming spring semester I again am taking mostly ESL classes with more focusing on grammars (ESL 3102) and public speaking and pronunciation (ESL 3602). Although, I am a little bit concerned about ESL 3102 because I have never learned proper basic grammar. With the higher level of grammar that will be taught I hope I can understand and be able to catch up with other classmates.

90 days in Minnesota

 

When I first talk to people about moving to Minnesota, more than ninety percent of people asked me why Minnesota? All I heard was only about Minnesota winter. Well…that didn’t stop me not to move to Minnesota because I personally like winter. Believe it or not? Ninety days in Minnesota has taken my breath away every single day with its beauty. I completely fell in love with Minnesota and it became my new favorite place in the whole wide world. It was the best decision of coming here.

Blue Sky Minnesota

I first arrived in Minnesota in mid-July which was about 90 days ago. I was amazed by the beauty of the summer here. The green field of grass and trees behind my apartment was just unexplainable beauty, the sky of Minnesota was so blue, the color that I have never seen before. I was visiting family who are living in Lake Minnetonka and I had a chance to see the sunset there. I could not put my phone down because I was constantly non-stop taking picture. Minnesota summer was the most beautiful summer time I have ever experienced in my life

When fall arrived 45 days ago in mid-October. I thought I was awakening to a painted picture. I could not believe my eyes how this could be real. Minnesota was full of colors. The mixed of trees turned into red, yellow, pink and some were still green that covered the whole city in an unbelievable stunning beauty. I took a bus to the University of Minnesota every morning and saw those trees from the bus window change every day. This just made my day. Many times on the way home from class, I decided to walk so I could absorb the beauty and put the images inside my head as a memory for my life that I have experienced the nature of Minnesota.

Minnesota Winter Wonderland

About three weeks ago, Minnesota started the winter season with a big first snow storm. I heard people complained that they are not ready yet for winter. The opposite again for myself, I was so excited for the first snow of the season. That night when snow storm arrived I was awake until 3 am just to see the first snow fall. It wasn’t my first snow I have seen in my life, but it seems like my first snow fall whenever snow is falling. I just love snow so much and I act like a kid who got a candy whenever I see snow fall from the sky. I have built 3 snow men so far and I am having fun with the freezing cold by making many colored ice balls. Minnesota is a winter wonderland to me and winter is and always will be my favorite season.

My Ice Ball

There is no place like Minnesota and I don’t understand why many people don’t love it here. Have those people ever been here? I guess not, because if they had been here they would know that Minnesota is much more than a cold winters. Ninety days were enough for me that this was one of the best decision I made.

Sunset at Minnetonka Lake

 

Feedback of Partner's Post

 

According to Kiyoi Shin's Blog, she introduced an article "Have a Coke and a Tax: The economic case against soda taxes” by the author Veronique de Rugy. Kiyoi agrees with Rugy’s article that soda tax would not be an efficient way to reduce the obesity rate because people would still find replacement of soda drink with other bad foods and drinks. In Kiyoi’s article her support gives an example of tax on beer. It mentions that after tax on beer was increased that the use of other substitutes like marijuana has increased. Kiyoi gave her opinion that government should focus on health education about obesity, not just focus only on increasing tax on sugary drinks.

I think Kiyoi’s support is not strong enough to convince me taxes won’t work. One sentence on her blog said “people will still find the foods or drinks which is equally bad and to replace the sugary drinks”. I think in this particular sentence that people did not want to be obese and people did not find any replacement of bad foods or drink to make them fat. I think people find other cheap food and drink to consume for survival because they have no choice of choosing other heathier foods or drink. Also, in the example of Kiyoi’s support about beer and marijuana I think it’s not relevant to obesity. People consume beer because they want the effect of it. We consume beer to get drunk. When the price of beer increase, people consume marijuana because marijuana is also makes people feel similar. When comparing to sugary drinks or food. People did not consume sugary drinks to get fat, we consume food and drink for survival. I think comparison between food and drugs are two different stories. However, I do agree with Kiyoi’s point that education would help in solving obesity problem.

Writing response: Essay 3- Argumentation

Research finds soda tax does little to decrease obesity

In article “Research finds soda tax does little to decrease obesity,” Karen Faster discusses about tax increases on soda and how they might not have a big impact on people’s health improvement. According to new research that found, increasing tax on soda would only reduce the consumption but not the total calories that people consume. The study reviews two states that have already implemented soda taxes. Both Ohio and Arkansas began implementing these soda taxes in the early 1990s. The study even showed that weight and body mass index increased in the states of Ohio after the tax took effect. This is likely caused because people instead of drinking the taxed soda they changed to other high calorie thing.

My Response…

I agree with the view that tax increases will not have a big effect on people’s health improvement in America. There are many factors that cause obesity in America such as increasing portion sizes in restaurant meals that cause people to consume more calories. Combined with the lack of daily physical activity or low quality activity this is caused people become more obese. Other factors that could cause obesity in America are genes and family history, health conditions, medicines, the stopping of smoking, age, pregnancy, and lack of sleep because of extended work schedule. Soda is just one cause of many and I think for the best result of solving obesity we should consider all factors, not just increasing soda tax.

Summary of "A Tax That Invest in Our Health"

In the essay “A Tax That Invest in Our Health”, Richard F. Daines, a Commissioner of Health for New York State discusses the problem about obesity in American people, especially New Yorker. He said sixty percent adults New Yorker are overweight. People consume much more calories per day up to 300 calories more than 30 years ago. He discusses that people are facing long life health problem with obesity and the cost of this problem is from the sweet-sugary drink. He said the government gives subsidies on corn syrup which makes the sweeten soda drinks available at a low price. The opposite, the fresh healthy food like vegetable and milk are more expensive. In New York alone, $7.6 billion dollar is spent on treatment that relate to obesity sickness. He suggests that the government should step in by raising tax on sweeten-sugary drink and he believe that raising a tax on sweet-sugary drink would make American people drink less sugar. He said that people die earlier because of drinking sugary beverages. He concludes that by raising tax on sweeten-sugary drink would protect people from obesity.

 

My response……

I think adding taxes on sugary beverages is a good idea for a start but I think if government is going to raising these taxes, they should raise them as high as needed in order to bring the prices of sugary drink close or equal to the price of other healthy drink choices. If only raises government taxes on soda by very little and those drinks were still cheaper than healthy drink, it would not change anything. People are sensitive to price would still choose to buy sugary drink if even with the added tax they are still cheaper than healthier choices. Bringing the prices close or equivalent then people will start thinking of buying product have that are healthier. I also think sugary drinks is not just the only factor of obesity problem, government should considers raising tax on all junk foods together in order to get more solution effective to solving obesity problem.

Summary of "Prisoner of Tehran"

In “Prisoner of Tehran”, Marina Namet mentioned that she had a life sentence because of her actions in high school against the Islamic Revolution. On the night of her execution, Ali, the revolutionary guard came to save her. He told her that her sentence had been reduced to life in prison. She didn’t know why Ali saved her. Marina was sent to section 246 the prison for females and that’s where she met Sarah her best friend from high school. She had heard that many of her friends had been executed. During her time in 246 she began to recover physically and mentally. Ali had disappeared for a few months to fight in the Iraq war. When he came back he went to Evin prison and asked Marina to marry him. At first, Marina rejected him but Ali threated her if she decided not to marry him he would hurt ones she love. Marina had no choice but to marry Ali. She had also converted her religion from Christian to Islam to be accepted by Ali’s family. Marina decided not to tell about her marriage to her family or Andre, an organist guy that she liked. She also didn’t want her family to be worry. Ali and his family treated Marina with respect, they bought a big house for her and she was allowed to live in the house instead of Evin prison. Marina started to fall for Ali and she was pregnant. Marina’s life sentence in prison reduced to 3 years because of Ali’s help. A few month later, Ali was killed by assassin and Marina also lost her child in the womb in the same incident. She went back in Evin prison to serve the rest of her sentence but Ali father had then came to help in her case. Finally, after two years, two months, and twelve days in prison, she was released in March 26, 1984.

 

My Response…

I respect and understand her decision about marrying Ali to save herself, her family, and her friends. She seems didn’t have any other choices to choose. Even this was the only choice she had, it was a good one. If I find myself in the same situation with her I will probably choose the same way she did. When I read to the part when Ali was killed and also she lost her baby at the same time, she must felt terrible. I could not imagine how horrible she had been through. It’s a very sad life story.

Writing/Reading Progress

Before coming to the U.S. to study, every international student is required to have an English test to check the skill level of communication. In my case it was TOFEL. I did quite okay in the exam on listening and speaking part but when it comes to writing and reading, especially writing, my brain was immediately shut down. I felt nervous, anxious, and my heart started to beat real fast. My hands started to sweat like crazy. An hour later, I was still sitting there with an empty page, nothing on my paper. I could not write anything and I hated to look at my results. Writing had always been my fear in academic study especially written exams. I have never been successful with it. Now it is a different story, my attitude toward writing and reading are very different.

I have been attending a class called Academic Reading and Composition (ESL 3202) with Professor Megan Rodriguez 3 times a week since the beginning of September, 2014 at the University of Minnesota. Professor Megan Rodriguez has taught me about processes of writing. It helps me organize my thoughts and construct my essay paper fasters. That makes writing easier for me. Many types of patterns of writing that I learned helps me to practice about critical reading. As the Professor Megan Rodriguez helps us to practice on reading essays and try to find what types of writing and what pattern that the Author uses in their essays. This types of critical reading that I have never learned before in the past and now makes my reading become more interesting. It make me think more about what I read rather than just reading the words. When I submit my homework, Professor Megan Rodriguez gives me feedback about my writing. She gives me directions to improve my writing such as grammar errors or how to use some nouns and verbs correctly. One feedback I have gotten from Professor Megan Rodriguez was the strength I have in my writing when I write about my personal experiences. These strengths I did not realize I had. I think about whenever I write anything about myself, sometimes it hard for me to stop writing, words are just pouring out of my head. I am so proud of myself that I can finally write something. I am feeling very good!

Today I am still nervous when I have to write something but those feelings are much less. The time that I need to write something has reduced to half. I still need to improve grammar and sentences structure. So far, just 2 months I have attended ESL 3202 class with Professor Megan Rodriguez, I can write much faster. I can finish my homework quicker. I am enjoy having ESL 3202 with Professor Megan Rodriguez and I am enjoying my study at the University of Minnesota.

Summary of "Mother Tongue"

Summary of “Mother Tongue”

Amy Tan, the daughter of a Chinese immigrant family was born in 1952 in the state of California. In her essay “Mother Tongue”, she mention about different kinds of English language that she use with her mother and when she use outside of her family and how English language that she use at home affect her life as she grow up. She says when she talks to her mother, she used a kind of English language that she considers “broken” because it contains a lot of grammar mistakes and incomplete sentences. To her it seemed perfectly clear and understandable because she grew up with that kind of English with her mother but for some others like her friends, when they talk to her mother, some people can understand part of it but some are not understand at all. Many similar situations happened to her mother when she talked to people outside, many people did not take her seriously because of her “Broken English”. Many times Amy had to pretend to be her mother in the conversation on the phone with others to help her mother to get a better service for her business. Because of this situation, she felt bad about her mother’s English that limited her mother’s communication and expression. Amy Tan said that her life was also affected by this “Broken English”. She said that she and most of other Asian Students didn’t do well in school when it comes to English subject because the English they used at home had its limits in the ability of its thinking and expression. Even though there are many possible correct answers during English exam, but Asian students, including her, could not answer correctly. Asian students tend to excel in Math and Science subject because there are often only is one correct answer, but because of this reason, many never become Asian writers as teachers suggest students to study only what they are good at. In Amy’s case, she liked language and that’s why she studied more and became a writer.

 

My Response….

I totally understand her mother’s situation and how it affected her mother’s confidence of speaking with others. The whole story could not explain any better about the problem that I myself face today, just like Amy Tan’s mother. I have been living with my spouse for 6 years and we have developed a kind of “Broken English” that we use at home. For me and my spouse, we totally understand each other using our own language that we developed but when I hear him talk to others I can tell the differences. I asked my spouse to talk to me like he talk to others but it always come back to “Broken English” that we have between us. When I talk to people outside, sometimes I find that people do not understand me at all. They lose their interest when I try to say something and that frustrates me. Many times I asked my spouse to make a phone call for me because I have lost my confidence of speaking with other on the phone just like Amy Tan’s mother. I found it’s difficult for them to understand what I try to say.  

We Met Just to Say Goodbye

There are 365 days a year displayed on the calendar and every person has their own special day. For me it’s today, October 10th. That might not mean anything to most people but to me is a very special day. Today is the 3^rd anniversary of my marriage. Though last year on my 2^nd anniversary it was even more special. I got a little gift from my spouse that lives with me with a forever memories. This special gift was a cute little kitten. I named my little fella “Mangkut” (Means mangosteen in Thai language)  and a friendship began that I will never forget.

Mangkut was an American Shorthair breed. He was very amazing looking cat because he had an interesting pattern on his body that I had never seen before. When I first met him he was only 1 month old with very tiny body, the same size of coffee cup. I fell in love with him right away and after receiving him I rushed to the shopping center nearby to buy foods and toys for him. I was very excited to have him in the house.

When he was 5 months old, Mangkut had grown so much. He became so big almost the same size of full grown cat, I couldn’t believe my eyes to see him grow so quick. I searched in the internet about this type of cat and found out that they could grow much bigger and would reach the maturity in about year and a half or two. He could get big and be almost the same size of the medium sized dog, living for 15-20 years. I was a little scared that he could become a tiger in my house and couldn’t feed him anymore, he would eat me instead, I laughed.

Mangkut was very smart kitty. In morning when he wanted to wake me up, he would claw on my bed and sat on my face, or he would sit on my chest and started to massage my chin. Sometimes if that didn’t work to wake me up, he would then run back and forth between my bedroom and the living room. Our apartment had wooden floor and it created a lot of noise. I couldn’t resist any more of this morning activity but to get up and play with him.

One day when I finished my laundry, I had found out that I lost a lot of my socks. At first, I tried to look for them everywhere but there were no sign. I was wondering where I forgot them. I went to buy a few new pairs but it kept disappearing. Then one day I saw Mangkut carrying a pair of my socks as he disappeared under the bed. I lifted my bed up and found almost 20 pairs of my socks piled up like an eagle’s nest. I put all my socks back in the drawer and next day after I came back from school I found my socks everywhere on the floor with him playing with them. First I blamed my spouse that left the sock drawer open. Then a few days later the same thing happened again and it continued to happen again. I was laughing and mad at the same time wondering how was this happening. Later that week I was at home watching TV when I saw Mangkut open and close drawer by himself. I was laughing so hard and took a video of him opening drawer. I went to the shop and bought a medal stick to lock the drawer. My cat was way too smart. He could steal the sock on his own from the drawer.

The day when I found out that I had to leave China to come to study here at the U of M, my heart was broken for I knew that I couldn’t bring him along with me. I have never thought before that I would have to say goodbye to him but the time had come too soon. I gave him to my good friend in Beijing and he promised to take a good care of Mangkut. I went to say goodbye to him one last time before I left China. Now I have been living at the new place but every day I come home without seeing him playing with my socks. I feel like I missing something in my life. Today is October 10^th and I could not stop thinking about how happy I was last year. This year all I can do is to remember that once he had put smiles and laughter on my face each day I was with him. His memorry will stay with me forever.

Summarize of “Prisoner of Tehran”

Summarize of “Prisoner of Tehran”

Nemat Marina wrote a book “Prisoner of Tehran” to share her life story when she was in Evin political prison in Iran. In the book Part One, She mention that she arrived in Toronto airport on August 28, 1991 along with her husband and her son. They were staying at her brother’s house at first and 9 years later her husband and she finally bought a house. She begin to lost her ability to sleep because of her memories in the prison in the past was haunting her. She began to write her memories down. She gave her story to her husband to read, and it took him 3 days before he finally read them. After her husband finish reading her story, he asked her for forgiveness that he been ignorance about her life in prison all this time of 7 years of their marriage. In 2005, Nemat had met an Iranian lady at social dinner. They found out that they both were in the same prison at the same time. They made several phone call after they met to share about their story in prison, and finally Iranian lady decided to stop sharing this story because it was painful memories to her and she just want to forget what happened in the prison.

In Part Two of the book, Nemat said she was arrested on January 15, 1982. She was only 16 years old. Earlier that day in the morning, it was darker and colder than usual. After her father left to work, she made herself a cup of tea and head of to church. She met Andre, an organist guy in the church, they like each other and they had met at the church a few months before. Andre and she haven’t seen each other for a while because she was sick and hadn’t been to the church recently. Andre offered to walk her home because she still look sick. She thought about two of her friends Sarah and Sirus that had been arrested and sent to Evin, political prison. The day that her friends got arrested, she was at home and her mom asked her if her friends have done something wrong, her mom was worried for her. She thought back about principal at her school who was a revolutionary guard and she knew that her name was on the list. Nothing she could do but to wait. The night that she got arrested, she was about to go to shower before the revolutionary guard rang her house bell. The guards went inside her house and straight in to her room, they found western novels. They took her into a car, her parent was shocked and could not help her. The guard drove her to the Evin political prison, they suggested her to tell the truth to avoid the pain. They blindfolded her when they arrived. They brought her into a room, sat her on a chair. Ali, the name of a guy in the room started to questioning her about her Christianity and other questions and she gave him answers. He asked her questions if she was a member of communists or antirevolutionary group, she denied but he did not believe her. Ali continued to request her to give the lists of people who join her groups, she denied to co-operate because she knew nothing about those people. He still did not believe her and thought that she was lied and decided to torch her. Hamehd, a revolutionary guard handcuffed her up on the bed and whipped her feet with cable for 16 times but they still did not get the answer that  they want and he stopped torching her. Ali said that she was stupid try to save other people and hurt herself instead. She asked Ali to go to the bathroom and she collapsed inside. When she woke up she was in the small cell and Ali was still with her and a doctor give her an injection. She thought about her grandmother before went back to sleep.

In Part Three of the book, she wrote about her memories when she was a child. There were four people lived in her house which were her father, her mother, her grandmother, and she. Nemat has one bother but he left home to study at the university. Her mother had a salon and her father own a dance studio.  She was very close to her grandmother, they used to go to the market together in the morning. They went to church together every Sunday, and walked in the park together. Her grandmother was Russian women who met her an Iranian grandfather and followed him to Iran after the world war two. One Sunday Nemat and her grandmother went to visit her grandmother’s friend and her grandmother’s friend offered her an angel figurine gift. Her grandmother’s friend told her that this figurine will be her angle guard. She accept the gift and she was very happy. One afternoon she went to the park with her grandmother again and this time was different. Her grandmother called her different name and her grandmother did not feel well so they went back home earlier than usual. Her parent took her grandmother to the doctor next morning and doctor discovered that she has a liver cancer. Her grandmother knew that she was dying soon and she gave Nemat a box and a key. Inside the box were her written life story that she want Nemat to keep. One morning she woke up and went to her grandmother’s room and discovered that her grandmother was already passed away. Her father was crying and the house was covered by sadness. She said goodbye to her grandmother one last time. She grabbed an angel figurine, she started to pray and she fell asleep. She dreamt about the angel guard and discussed about the death.

In Part Four, she work up in the small cell with the pain on her shoulder. Hamehd was kicking her to wake her up and told her that they will take her to arrest her friends. Hamehd putted her in the car and went to her Minoo’s house which was one of her friend from the school. The guards arrested Minoo and putted Minoo in the car and sat next to her. Minoo was terrified and started to cry. They arrested another 4 people before headed back to the prison. They blindfolded her as soon as they arrived at the prison. She was sitting in the hallway before Hamehd called her name and took her outside with one of the girl. She was stumbled along the way until Hamehd told her to stop walking and removed her blindfolded which later she discovered that she and another 4 prisoners were about to get executed. One of the girl tried to run away and she got shot. The guards tied them all up to the poles, Nemat closed her eyes and prayed, preparing for her death. Just before The guards about to pull the triggers, a sound of speeding car came toward to them. That was Ali with a piece of paper on his hand, and after Hamehd read the paper, the guard untied her and Ali took her in the car. She did not want Ali to take her and she want her life to be ended at this point. Ali took her to the cell and told her that Ayatollah Khomeini, a friend of his father reduced her death to life sentence in prison. She did not want anybody to save her. Ali gave her a bowl of soup and left the cell.  She thought about her friends from school Sarah, Sirus, and Gita before she fell asleep.

In Part Five, she wrote about the time when she was in element school. She had to stay away from her mother’s salon after school, she had to be careful not to spill her drink on the table because she didn’t want to upset her mother. Sometime when she was naughty, her mother would locked her outside the balcony. One day she decided it was better to get punishment rather than being locked up. She dropped pins from the balcony on others people head who were walking on the street, and asked them to talk to her mother to let her inside. Her mother was even more upset with her and scared her by telling her that she was leaving, did not want to handle Nemat's naughtiness anymore. Namet was crying and bagged her mother not to leave. Her mother agreed that she would not leave and exchanged with her good behavior. Nemat accepted the deal. Later after school, Nemat stayed in her room and read the books. Her mother was very happy to see her new behavior. Nemat finished all her books and ask her mother to buy her a new book but her mother only allowed to buy one book a month because of financial problem. Nemat began to save her own money to buy more books. One day she lied to her mother and went to a book store, she met Albert, the owner of the book store. Albert adored her and sold her a book even Nemat did not have enough money. Nemat finished reading the book twice within three days and she wanted a new book. She did not have enough saving and she did not want to ask her mother so she decided to sell her pencil box to her good friend Sarah. After she got the money she went back to a book store to buy a new book but Albert did not charge her this time. He gave her books to borrow. Nemat was very happy. She went to Albert’s book store for 3 years and one day after her twelfth birthday, she went to a book store but all of the books were gone. Albert was moving to the United State to stay with his son. He gave Nemat her favorite books. Nemat was very sad and hugged him to say goodbye.

My response…
I am moved by her stories for what she had been through. What a horrible time of her life that once had been taken away from her happiness. At least those horrible times are over but at the same time I feel sad for those who did not make it or didn’t get a chance tell us their stories. It makes me wonder, how many lives of young innocent people have been sacrificed for our freedom that we take for granted.  

 

 

 

Comparison and Contrust between U.S. Education System and Thailand Education System.

Study in the United States is very challenging and exciting for an international student like me. Four weeks that I have been studied here at U of M I have to adjust myself for a new study environment. Because education system in the U.S. and education in Thailand are very different from each other and I want to discuss 3 examples.

First example about the differences between two systems is Collaboration versus Competiveness system. In the U.S., Teachers encourage students to work together as a team. There are many discussion questions during the lesson and students are more using brainstorm and learn from each other ideas. In contrast, Thailand education system tend to be more competitive. Teacher often assign homework to work individually at home.  

Second example is Freedom of choice versus Collectivism. In the U.S. University, there are many choices of class for students to choose. Students can add and drop classes as their own preference. Students can even design their own degree as it offered at the College of Continuing Education at U of M. The opposite of Thailand which we only can study classes in the major of each field. The classes are shown in the time table of each semester.

Another differences between this two systems is The U.S. education focused on Learner-Center. Students are tend to use more critical thinking to analyze the content. In contrast, Thailand education systems focused more on Teacher-Center which teacher give the lecture and students listen, take note, and memorize.

U.S. education system is nothing like home that I am familiar with. There are many more differences in between this two education that I am still learning. So far I am doing great adjusted myself to the U.S. education system.

Summary of "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior"

Summary of “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”

Many people curious about how Chinese parents produce many remarkable children that excellent in academic, music, and professional success. Amy Chua, mother of two successful daughters, wrote an essay “Why Chinese Mother Are Superior” to share her story about raising her kids in a Chinese way. She compares the way she trains her kids is different than Western parents and Chinese parents. She gives many examples of Chinese parenting such as, her kids were trained music instrument many hours a day. She created many rules that her children were not allowed to do. She choose the activities for her children. She believed that Chinese family think that parenting achievement is to produce a successful children in school. She mention about Chinese parent also believe that their children can be the best at studies and activities. The kids will touch the enjoyment only when they good at it and that must come with hard training. Such a tough training many people were not agree with the way she did. She said Western parent tend to give up early about training their kids. She mention the differences between Chinese and Western parenting such as, Chinese parents can say things that western parent can’t say like call their kid” Fatty” as refer to health. Western parents are too worry about hurting their child’s feeling so they will not say anything that might damage kid’s self-esteem. Chinese parents can demand and order straight As from their kids because Chinese parent believe that their child can get them. Western parents tend to persuade kids to try to do their best. Chinese parents are pushing their kids to overcome their own desire. Western parents are too worry about how their children’s will feel. In the last part, she conclude that Chinese way of loving their children is to prepare them for the future. Western parents are loving their kids by provide them positive support. Two different mid-set that separate these two type of parenting.

 

My response is...

I am not agree or disagree with her way to raising her children. In fact, I am happy for her that she successfully produced two amazing daughters in their academic study and musician mastery.  As many people might disagree the way she raised her kids but nobody can really answer what is the right ways to do. The way she did is just one of many ways of parenting. She mentioned that she had done some mistake along the way. I think it is okay because all she had done is about loving her children and to prepare them for the future. When her children can take care of themselves, they can choose to do what they like later on. I will use my experience for example. As a child, my parent choose what I study and I obeyed and fulfill their wishes. If you asked me when I was a kid or teenager what I want to do or what I want to be. My answer will be “I have no idea” or “I want to stay home and do nothing”. I will answer something without the second thought. I will be lost without my parent’s decision. As I grew up, I graduated technical school because of my parent. I tried to work and I didn’t like my job so I came back to school to study something that I like. My parent is respected my decision because I am an adult now. They felt that they have done their job and now it’s myself to make my very own decision. I think it is right for my parents to choose which way I should go or do. Because they just want to make sure that I will be fine in the real world and I am glad what they have done for me. I am so thankful.

 

 

 

Summary of "Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)"

Brent Staples wrote an article” Cutting and Pasting: A Senior Thesis by (Insert Name)”. From the studied He said there is a high percentage of high school and university students cheat or plagiarize in their academic study and tend to increase every year. The reasons he points out are unlimited public information’s from the internet is very easy to access and people think that consequences of plagiarism is avoidable and some people who get caught are not even ashamed about it. Students only look to just finish their assignment as soon as possible without using their own idea and practice in their study field and that’s against the main purpose of academic education. To prevent plagiarism, academic institution take an actions to this problem by using the online-base detection to look out for plagiarism in the student’s work. Also many university use online instruction and require students to complete before they enroll. Another way is he give in class written assignment to student so he can watch how students do their work. Cheating students may face severe consequences, more likely to fail in class, lead to probation, and even ask to leave. The last point that he discusses is about new student generation that this plagiarism, copy from the internet way of thinking habit are already spread out everywhere and it will be difficult to change.

My response is....

I will have to agree with the author about plagiarism is bad for students for those only cut and paste then say that’s is their work without trying to understand the main idea of the assignment. This problem will prevent students from thinking critically and intelligently. Later on this might lead to less productivity as a negative workforce into the public.

I also have to argue with his example of a rap musician in the article which he said a new generation’s work but putting musical notes from different songs to create a new mix and claim that’s their work. This is might not be too bad at all. When we think about the old generation which only had a books in their hand to study and generated totally new idea. I am glad and appreciated their work in the past but new generation students today is surrounded by unlimited information. It seems difficult and impossible to come up with 100 percent invented idea. Those totally invented works need highly skill and very intelligent person to create. Especially, when he mentioned about high school student with a young age who do not have those requirements. We might need to think about the academic system with high level of expectation. They need to understand that not everybody is smart. Cutting and pasting from sources provided in the internet might not be the best way but that might be the only way to get work done but students should only use it properly and intelligently. I will use my experience for example about cutting and paste. When I was at the previous university I had a very difficult mathematics homework and I couldn’t solve the problem even I tried many times. So I searched for the solution in the internet and luckily I found the answers so I copied and pasted and summited the homework on time. Later on I used those questions to discuss with my teacher and review for the exam. If I didn’t copy from the internet my points would be deducted and teacher would be disappointed.

Greetings Everyone!

My name is Charanyoo Sangma. I am a transfer student from Beijing Union University in China. I studied International Business major for 3 years before I decided to move to Minnesota and continue my study here at U of M.



My name is "M"

I want to talk a little bit about my name. I think you all might find it a little bit difficult to pronounce but don’t worry I have a nick name, its Em or M. I think this is much easier, right? I want to explain a little bit more about my nick name, every Thai person has their own nick name and a full name. It’s not only you facing this name pronunciation problem believe me, even us among Thai people, we don’t call each other our full name because sometime it’s too long and difficult to pronounce. So we instead call each other by nick name only. When I was born my parent picked this name for me and that’s why I got the name “M”. It’s very common in Thai to use only the English alphabet as a nick name, so don’t be surprise when you meet other Thai people and their name is B or K or A. Hi! My name is “M” and I am so excited to know you all!

A little bit about me, I grew up in the small city called Phrae in the northern part of Thailand very near to Chiangmai. I went to technical college and worked at one of the computer shops in the city right after I graduated. I realize that this wasn’t what I want to do so I instead opened a small internet café at home in early 2007 and later opened a small restaurant in Chiangmai the year after. I started to travel to neighboring countries that included China, Macau, and Hong Kong and that’s where I met my life partner and which led me to move to China at the end of 2008.

I went to University of St. Joseph in Macau to study English in summer 2009 and then we were relocated to GuangZhou city in south China because of work. Then I went to the South China University of Technology in the summer 2010 and study Management major and again we were relocated to Beijing the year after so I had to start over again but I didn’t give up on study. I went to Beijing Union University as I mentioned earlier and spent 3 years studying International Business and trade, I could see Beijing union university diploma right in front of me 3 months ago and in the morning on June 17, a Chinese postman rang my door bell with a small letter in his hand that changed my life.

My U.S. immigrant visa got approved! “OH MY GOD” and that was the only thing I said for at least 10 minutes. I sat down on a chair and my mind went blank a few minutes later I read and read that letter again and again just to make sure that I didn’t misunderstand anything, I was so happy, I was speechless from the happiness. Then I started to call everybody, friends, teachers, neighbors (even though I know neighbors probably doesn’t care but I went to tell them anyway), and of course I called my mom and told her a good news.

My friends in Beijing were sad that I was leaving even though we all knew that this day would come soon or later because we are foreigners in China. My friends were from every part of the world and just before my departure I got to go to a few farewell parties of my friends who were moving back to their home countries or got other jobs in different countries. Now is my turned to go. My friends in school were sad the most. When we started as freshman with 19 international students together and last semester we were the only 3 students survived in our major that including me, many of them just disappeared, many were suspended and now only 2 Cambodians students left in my old school. I wished those best of luck and hope to see them again one day. They came to see me before my departure and cried and that how sad it was. I am so glad to know them.

I went back to Thailand to visit my family. My brother and sister were there and they were so happy for me to come to the United States. My parents were happy for me as well but I can tell the worries in their eyes. They were worried when I first moved to China but this time they were terrified. I am leaving to the place far… far... away from home and I kept telling them not to be worries. I was survived in China so now I can live any place on earth, I made a joke to them and they were laughed and that I want to see before I left.

My spouse and I arrived Minnesota on July 18th, got the apartment in Saint Paul family housing this way we both can commute to the University easily. I enjoyed summer here very much. The grass is so green, the sky is so blue, colors that I have never seen before in my life, and well… it would be beautiful in Beijing as well if the air wasn’t so polluted. I am pretty sure Chinese students will agree with me on this case. I also talked to Minnesota people about how beautiful here during summer and they were agreed and also they mentioned about how cruel winter could be too. But I actually like winter, snowfall and icy lakes are kind of a dream world to me. I grew up with 80-90 degree all year long and I found it boring.

Well… I am here in Minnesota now. I am so excited to be here and hope fully I graduate this time (finger crossed).

Charanyoo Sangma (M)