Refective Essay.

The first quarter of ASTI just ended about a week ago, and now i want to reflect back on my writing post on English. So far on my Free Topic blog posts has been fine. I wrote about my trip to the Philippines, the show Glee, and my favorite Filipino Drama “Kristein:Precious Hearts and Romance”. In all of my Free topic blog posts has been straight forward and understandable. In all of Free Blog Posts i mostly explained on how i enjoyed watching my favorite shows and doing fun events in the Philippines. But in my response posts i have some trouble writing a flow blog post. Even though i have struggles with my writing, it has not change from the first quarter.

So far i have not seen any major changes in my repose post, but i have notice that in my free topic blog posts it is more organized.  For example, in one of my free topic blog post i wrote about my trip to the Philippines this summer. I have observe in that blog post i use chronological order to be organized. “After that flight, we finally landed to Manila International Airport around five o’clock in the morning-mostly every passenger clapped when we landed...The first thing we did was to unpack everything and get settled” (par. 4&5). I used this specific order because i want to the readers of my blog to see how our first day of in the Philippines went in certain ways. Using chronological order is the best way to put a story together with lots of events. The other story that is fluid is my free topic Blog post about one of my favorite show. I wrote about the first time i saw the first episode of season two in Glee. And in the that blog post i poetically summarized the entire first episode, but i also added some questions i asked my self. 

“ I was wondering that why did Rachel Berry feel treated to Sunshine, just because of her voice. Probably she was thinking that Sunshine would take her spot light away from her when we auditions for a spot at the Gee club. But the thing i did not understand towards the ending of the episode she let her audition. Maybe her conscience made an effect on her that she should have let Sunshine audition.... In the end, Sunshine ends up getting a vocalist directer and her family got a condo and green cards, so she would not be attending  the Glee Club after all, (2-3)”. 

In this writing i mostly summarized the show and thought some questions a long the way. By using this organization it made my essay flow and understandable. As i observe my writing in my free topic blog posts, it is more consistent and organized. By being organized it makes my writing in my Free Topic Blog Post to be understandable and it flows.

In reversed, at my response blog post i have trouble writing it to be organized and fluid. Because i see a quote from someones blog i immediately want to write about it as my response post. In the end, i finish in a up with no words to type, and end up being repetitive. For example, when i made a response post about Shiyun’s blog post about jealousy i made some repetition. “ Coming back to the quote, she sees that consequence of having jealousy... Coming back to the quote, she sees that consequence of having jealousy,” (par.3). On quotes that i see that is good to write about i sometime repeat my self. I repeat myself when i cannot think of a final sentence or any type of sentence that flows with the paragraph. When this i happen i get irritate and i either start over or quit. Like i did on Mr. Sutherland’s blog post, i wanted to write about his post, and his blog post is about how my writing in my blog post has not change; like I'm doing in the reflective essay .But i could not finish my idea because i either repeat my self or my ideas did not come as one whole. 

“While searching for a blog post to response i came around at Mr. Shutherland’s blog post. i came across at one of his post called Slowbloggin' Cont'd that explains how his writing post has been slow for a while...And sitting in front of my computer not knowing what to write. I was struggling on what should right about.Having to,” (par.1) 

When i wrote this i wanted to write more of Mr. Sutherland  blog post, but after “And sitting in front of my computer not knowing what to write. I was struggling on what should right about.” that when i figure out i need help on my writing skills.

The first quarter just ended and it seem that my writing has not change. I have observe in my free topic blog post it is in order and on my response post it is either to repetitive or the ideas does not connect with each other. My goal to stop writer’s blog is to gradually write my blog post. I would think before i write, so that there would be less repetitive or misleading ideas. Also i have notice that my Commentaries are shorter than my concrete details. On my response post i do not think more of outside the box, i more stay what the quote is literally means. For me to fix this mistake i need to first pick quotes that are not to broad and also that try to connect with world and explain how it connect with quote. By the end of the second quarter i would like to see great changes in my response post.

Night. -.-

    In the world people are part of a religion or not. Some are strong with their faith some are not. At the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, he experience of losing his faith with his Jewish religion. He started as strong boy that wanted to learn more about his religion ended to be a confused boy whether if he believes or not. The central conflict in Night is Eliezer began strong at his faith and ended with a confused mind.
    In the beginning of the book he started a strong boy with enthusiasm learning about his religion. He even wanted to be a Master to instruct about Zohar. Him and his father was talking and he told hid father he wanted to a Jewish Master. “One evening i told him how unhappy i was because i could not find a master in Sighet to instruct me in the Zohar, the cabbalistic books, the Jewish mysticism,”(3). Eliezer was determined to be an instructor, he wanted to learn more about the Jewish religion. His father is encourages him to a Rabbi, but Eleizer only thinks it so easy but it is not. His Father said, “ You must first study  the basic subjects within your own understanding,”(2). His father told him that it is not just learning about the religion, but also to to try to make it with his own words. Eliezer needed to comprehend the word and share with everyone that believes in the Jewish religion. Eliezer is strong boy with strong faith.
    As the war worsen, the city of Sighet turned into a ghetto. The Nazi soliders put barbered wars around the city so no one can leave or enter. The community felt like they were a small republic or a close community. Eliezer said, “Little by little life returned to normal. The barbed wire which fenced us did not cause us any real fear. We even thought ourselves rather well off; we were entirely self-contained,”(9). They are a brave community, without worrying about tomorrow if they will live or not. Including Eliezer’s fate, it seem nothing can tear his faith from him. As their life continue with the war. They received terrible news mostly everyday, but this one is the worst. “ ‘I have teribble,e news,’ he [father] said at last. ‘Deportation,’... They began their journey without a backward glances at the abandon streets, the dead, empty houses, the gardens...,”(14&19). It is like being apart from their childhood; they were forcefully moved out and traveled by foot to another destination. And yet he stayed with his fate, he felt this journey is an opportunity in life. So they traveled to a concentration camp.
    Finally him and his community reached the concentration camp, he was separated from his family and from there they experience a life they would not have. He witnessed many tortures, he felt the fear of dying; as if they were losing their fate. “Never shall I forget that night, the night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night,... Never shall I forget that smoke... Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever,”(32). He finally understood that living during a can cause his life. Well enough he is  losing his faith at his religion. He is coming to the realization that not everything will be fine.  Until little by little they lost it. As his life in the concentration camps continue and seeing his family and friends disappearing he lost hope and fate. For example on Eliezer,”.... there was not longer any reason why should I fast. I no longer accepted God’s silence,”(66). Eliezer lost his faith and hope that the war would end and their connection with God.  He is coming to the point that he does not believe in God anymore because of the war, people disappearing, and his family being apart from him. He just gave up at his religion and tries to move on with.
    As his life goes on at the concentration camp, he lost his fate and himself because he witnessed a lot of things that he should not have seen. He wanted to quit his fate and tired to move on with his life. His fate became a memory that will never come back.

Reposnse: Jealousy.

I was just reading Shiyun’s blog post about Jealousy. And when she asked the question, “Have you ever felt jealous at one point?” I reflected in my life, and I too experience jealousy. I remember being jealous of my little brother because he has the brains like my mom. when ever he gets good grades in school, I feel like a failure because he has all A’s and I have all B’s or C’s. I was always been jealous of my little brother. But in the end I got over it because I know I do try best in school and I’m proud of the grade i have because I do deserve it.

Also when she wrote down, 

“   When we are jealous, we do some things that we would not normally do. I think that we should be more calm when this happens. We do not always have to have what others have. If we do, then doesn't it just make us all the same. I think we should just feel happy for what they have." 

I have to agree with her because it is true, we should be happy on what we have because we deserve it. Learning from my experience, I too do feel that my brother is better than me, but the thing is we are two different people with two different minds. So when I realize that i gave up with that issue and just move on.

Coming back to the quote, she sees that consequence of having jealousy, when she said we do some things that we would not normally do. She say is saying that when we do feel jealous we sometimes think about thinks we would do to that person or what we would so to our selves. The point is feeling the jealousy is can lead into major consequences.

The meaning of jealousy is to go against another's success. and whenever we see that people has better life or has all the things you want; it makes you feel that you are a failure because you can not get all those things or have a good life for your-self. Overall Jealousy is every where and we cannot do anything about it.

Philippines II.

    A week an half just past by. I finally saw almost all of my cousins that I grew up with, they’re are so old and has children now. I was great being in the Philippines, inhaling the polluted air, feel the hot breeze of the heat waves, and  smelling the aroma of the street fishball or BBQ.  It was like when I little again. Since it was rainy season at the Philippines, it mostly rained during the afternoon. I remember when i was little I always played in the rain with all my friends and family, but when I saw my first tropical rain in a long time I did not want to go because I do not want to catch a cold or any kind of sickness- I was in a vacation and I do not want to waste my time lying in hospital bed and being sick.
    Soon enough a whole week just past by me, and realize that I did not bother trying to finish my summer homework- While I was in the Philippines, I did not even bother to do my summer homework. Anyways My family has only been to two kinds of mall, SM Mall Cubao, Ali-Mall, and Gateway, they were all in the same place as if they connected to on another. My family and I has been going to that place back and forth for the last week and I personally think the workers there knows our name. The thing is Cubao really changed over the course of seven years, they renovated all parts of it was really nice and they have branded stores from all over the world, its like they knew that I m coming home. I was a whole new transformation.
    Since I’m in the topic of change or transformation, all the people or things that I remember when I was little changed. For example, my crush and his older brother and especially his little sister changed. They have all matured- his little sister was a close friend when I was little-, and I remember her very short but I did not know she was a year younger than me. Because of her height I have always thought of her as old as my little brother, so when I saw her for the first time I did not even recognize her at all. she got taller and skinnier. including the house we lived in. To me it used to be huge, but now it seem it got smaller, but mom said that it only looked small because we grew. Overall all the people I knew when I was little changed and all the places my family and I went to and lived. It was great seeing these changes, but also it felt like a part of me grew up.

My trip to the PHILIPPINES. part 1.

I miss the Philippines. I remember my trip with all the exciting and fun stuff that my family and I did. It all started the last week of July, and each day that gets closer to our flight i get excited each time.For about seven years we have not seen our family and friends, and the time came and it was a whole new culture in the Philippines.

Finally, the day came, we arrive at San Francisco International Air around eight o’clock in the evening, and waited for about out one or two hours in the waiting area. Soon enough, the flight attendants started to tell the people to weigh their carry on bags and to start to line up. The flight attendants started with families with infants, toddlers, or disabled family members. It took a while when they called for our row which was in the front so we were the last one to come aboard.

At last we were on our seats and our carry-on where on the storage compartment above us or under our feet. Our flight to the Philippines was long and uncomfortable, it lasted for about twelve to thirteen hours. It was so cool that in front of us was a television screen-for every individual seat- that could play movies, music, and much more, so during the flight we would be comfortable and sleepy. For me the entire trip was uncomfortable because a long the way he hit some bumps so i felt a little dizzy on the way, and i can’t full put my seat down because some man was behind me. Including that there was these two old couple that was watching movies and they could not keep their mouth shut, until they feel asleep. My trip to the Philippines was not so great after all.

After that all flight, we finally landed to Manila International Airport around five o’clock in the morning-mostly every passenger clapped when we landed-. When we landed at the airport, they just opened the entire airport so the heat from the air vent hit us, and so we sweat ed as we exited to get our passport check, and when we exited the baggage claim area it was even hotter outside. I hated the first day already and we had to wait for my uncle to pick us up. Finally and thank goodness my uncle came right before I melted like butter, but the good thing is that as we drove to our place to stay I saw new things that i did not see when I was little like: Mega Mall, how the pollution there got worse, and how all of my niece, nephew, and all my awesome cousins grew up to be great adults/parents.

The first thing we did was to unpack everything and get settled. We unloaded the Balikbayan Boxes be bought and took out all the thing we will give to all of our friends and family. So we change in to our: shorts, t-shirts, and sandals, so that we would be more comfortable with the weather and headed out to our old house and met all of our old neighbors again. And I even remember my very first crush, and they were still living right next to our old house. And that is another story.