English 90 and 9, CCSF, Spring '06 :: Blog

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, a story about a young girl named Chiyo and her sister Satsu was taken away from their parents by a man, Mr. Bekku. Chiyo was taken to the okiya- a place where young Geisha’s are in training, in Kyoto, the district of Gion and Satsu was taken to the Miyagawa – cho district. They both settle peculiar decisions of slavery, Chiyo will be trained to be a Geisha and Satsu got turned in to be a prostitute. A Geisha is to entertain men by having to dance, sing, and play the shamisen- a long neck and three strings resemble a banjo. Chiyo has a journey and many adventurous proportions and a heart telling love story. Taken at the time of the Great Depression and World War II, they were forced out of their homes.

I would recommend this book because every part of it makes you think you want to keep on reading and each part tells you a story you never forget. There were interesting facts about the book and it gets interesting because of how the character feels every time she gets caught up in a situation. The character briefly explains how they feel and it gives metaphor’s to the reader. I learned when reading the book was that the tradition of geisha life and how they were treated, it’s like every geisha has a story from past to future. I think the people who want action and the people who want more are going to be interested in the book and other who doesn’t enjoy thrilling, love, and excitement.

           In this scene, “Mrs. Fidget untied the peasant shirt Satsu was wearing and removed it. She moved Satsu’s bosoms around a bit, looked under her arms, and then turned her around and looked at her back. Then, as if she hadn’t done enough already, Mrs. Fidget yanked Satsu’s pants to the floor, looked her up and down, and turned her around facing front again”. The quote shows great relevance how young girls in Japan live their life. They basically have to be stripped to whether or not they are good enough for them. It’s important because it can show some people out there live their life with this and they have to come about to it. Mrs. Fidget, a friend of Mr. Tanaka, who his family owned the seafood company pulled down Satsu’s clothes down and checked and touched her body all over, it seemed she was checking her body if she was clean.

           Towards this reading my attitude now reflects how young Japanese girls in Japan go through a life of misery. I never thought that people in areas have a life which they are forced to live in complexity. The process now has changed which in the beginning I was not into reading but then after this, it made me feel that I can fully understand what the context means by taking it step by step. Now I have a chance to read books and fully understand what they are talking about by pulling the evidence and having the main points in my head when I read. I encountered some Japanese wording which I didn’t understand because I didn’t really see the image of what they were talking about. I dealt with it by going through a process of how you can take main points, vocabulary, and making summaries into which I can understand.

The title of the book I'm reading is PEACE LIKE A RIVER and the author of this book is Leif Enger, it’s more of dramatic story about this baby boy that was given a chance to live in this world. It involves miracles, family problem and how family stick together, giving support to each other and how their children learn from their parents. 

I would recommend this book to my fellow classmate. It only depend on the reader if he/she like to read drama stories because this story can really relate on our life especially my life because I experience it when I was still a baby, my mom didn’t want me at first, and my grandmother of my dad side knows how to abort a fetus so my mom didn’t want to abort me but still my grandmother insist when she was doing it massaging my mom’s tummy while I was still in my mom’s womb there is something strange happen my mom start throwing up and it was a miracle because nothing bad happen to me. My grandmother was telling all this story to me when I was still a baby and she said the reason why nothing bad happen to me was the Sr. Saint Nino that was in the living room of my grandmother save me because every time my grandmother is lonely there is a little boy that will appear in the living room and dance in front its like trying to make her smile. That’s why I choose this book because it happen to me too, I experience miracle in my life twice the second I could share it but this is the worst happen in my life. I am so lucky the same in the story that we are given another chance to live.

The story in the book talk about this baby boy who was born with a lungs problem and his dad really prayed for him and his mother was afraid of loosing him. The title of the first chapter is “clay” and in this chapter Helen and Jeremiah are the parents in the story. The have three children namely Davy is the older brother, Swede is the older sister and the baby boy is Rueben. Rueben is telling the story “When I was born to Helen and Jeremiah Land, in 1951, my lungs refused to kick in.” “My father wasn’t in the delivery room, nor even in the building. The halls of Wilson Hospital were close and short, and Dad had gone out to pace in the damp September wind He was praying, rounding the block for the fifth time, when the air quickened. He opened his eyes and discovered he was running-sprinting across the grass toward the door.” Rueben adored his dad because his dad keeps telling him his life story. Reuben asked his dad, “’How’d you know?’” “’God told me you were in trouble. Out loud? Did hear HIM? Nope, not out loud. But He made me run, Reuben. I guess I figured it out on the way.’” These parts of the story really touch my heart and as a person never experience having a dad’s love made me cry. I wish I had a dad like him I would be thankful if God had given me one.

I think some types of readers would enjoy this kind of reading if they will have a chance to read it though because it’s not more of drama but there are fun parts in the story that will make you wonder and laugh too.

I enjoyed reading the first page of the story the chapter of “clay” because it tells how Rueben fight back to survive and how his family prayed for his health. What I learned from this story is that things happen for a reason and some reason will lead you to good things not always bad things happen at the end.

What I have learned while reading this book is that more likely of someone is telling a story while I was reading it, I also listen to every word what the book says. I can’t really explain it but every time I read along the words just go with the flow and I kind a understand the whole story without knowing that I’ve spend more time reading than doing the vocabulary words and the what I read and I thought, I just keep reading it and I enjoyed the fun time of every character made. It’s like watching a movie. There are words that are hard to understand but I still know what to do if ever I meet a word that I don’t know. There are a lot of resources like dictionary and by looking the prefixes and suffixes of the word. My way of dealing with these challenges during this project is the part where we need to look for the vocabulary word is helping me to build my vocabulary words in my head and I kind a store more word that I haven’t meet before and now I have them in my mind it’s a helpful thing every time I read. I don’t know how to do this project but with all the notes I’m taking when I’m reading I think I will make it finish.

 

Name: Mark Buscaino

Age: 28

College: CSU Fullerton

Major: Masters Civil Engineering

Job: Cumry Engineering, Inc.

1. How did classes you took related to your job now?

Working as a civil engineer it is important to learn math, physics, and drawing. These classes help me with my duty as an engineer. For I always use math to calculate. Physics to analyze, and drawing to make my design visible.

2.How did you overcome difficulties if any, to get to college?

The only difficulty I experienced in college was the writing course. I came here with little English, and I struggled with that course, too. But in the end, I passed my classes and they helped me write proficiently.

3. What advice can you give to be successful in college?

All classes we take in college are by level. I took my classes one level at a time to help me learn properly and understand the classes that will help me after graduating.

4. What kind of classes (teachers) did you learn the most from?

I loved all my engineering courses! They challenged my mind, and kept me sharp and involved. As long as you love your classes you will learn a lot.

5. What skill that you learn from school that you can apply to your job and from job you school?

Networking is a skill I learned in school. It may be a work used in computers, but it is also used to describe the connection with others. And, it is very important to be in a network that is specific to your major. You can make friends who can help you and also help them in return.

6. How is your experience with your career?

Even though I just started to work, it is going steady and learning everything is what I see that will help me in the future.

7. What is your greatest accomplishments?

I graduate with a sense of pride. After a long time spent in college, I know that after graduation I will contribute to the public and help them.

8. What is your work environment like?

Right now my work environment is fine. I don't have a lot of experience at work set but it is challenging my abilities.

9. What do you do at work?

We design and check our work/project in a public utilities company. It is a hectic environment when big projects are due and everything must be checked properly to avoid expensive problems.

10. How did your career start?

I started my career by being patient. Working for a career does not start immediately. Work is an aid to your profession, and this will jump start a fruitful career. Learning from them will add experience to your career.

1. How is your experience with your career?
2. What is your greatest accomplishments?
3. What is the work invironment like?
4. What they do at work?
5. How did your career start?
6. How did classes you took relate to job now?
7. How did you overcome difficulties if any, to et to college?
8. What advice can you give to be succesful in college?
9. What kind of classes (teachers) did you learn the most?
10. How can you apply skills from life to school and vice versa jos?

My first day in my first job in McDonald was so bad, because there were a lot of worker there that day and most of them are guys that are Filipino. Most of the Filipino they like having fun, and the fun what I'm talking about is making fun with their co-worker which is new to the job. I was one of them so when I started they train me at the back were I making the sandwhich it was easy but I just need to memorize what goes with that sandwhich I'm making. One guy who is working with me keep asking me some question and other guy is bagging me keep whispering in my ear and the rest of the guys is laughing at me. I feel embarassed that time and they made me cry because I was scared of them and I had one manager that is so mean. That day it was a bad day for me but I had get through with it, thanks to my mom who works with me there who brought me there to work.

I started working at the age of 16 and it was hard for me to adjust because the climate here is different from the country that I was raised. I have been working there until now, I come back and fort in my job here. That is one good thing about my job they still accept me  even I have to go someplace and stay there for a year. It was a good experience as a new citizen here in U.S of A.

March 10, 2006 from this day my grandfather passed away in my mother side. One night I came home from work and I chat with my boyfriend, my mom and my little brother was behind me sleeping in my little brother's bed. I think it was one in the morning and I hear a phone ringing, when I look at it, it was my mom's phone. She pick it up and answer her call, I was just listening to what she was saying and in my mind is saying something is going on its like a little devil voice in my head saying something bad happen to your grandpa because that week my grandpa was in the hospital he had a breathing problem and his left kidney was not functioning well. When I heard my mom start crying saying no no... that was the time that I said to myself Why? and my tears start to fall from my cheeks and I had to breathe deeply because I couldn't believe it that I just lost him. He was my father image since I was born, he never say no when I ask something from him even if he don't have it he talks to me and say don't worry I'll get it next time for you. For all his grandchildren I was the lucky one to get to know them better, all my cousins are afraid of our grandpa because he is more strict on us and very descipline person. If one of my cousin want something they ask me and want me to tell my grandpa about it. I am so hurt when he left us, but with in those days I couldn't feel that he is dead, I know deep inside my heart he is always alive. And for all the years he tought me how to be a better citizen I am proud of him and I stand befor him for raising me as a responsible and kind hearted person just like him. I love you lolo may your journey in the other world of your life will be as happy in here on earth and I'll pray for your soul to be safe in the hand of God. Guide me always papa.

3Authority Doesn’t Mean Respect

 

Teachers give respect to students so that students will give respect to the teacher too.

 

                      Pros                                                                  Cons

 

  If teachers and students have respect                            If teachers don’t get personal                                                                                 

  in the class they will get done and one                          in a student’s life, the student

  will be left behind.                                                         won’t care.

This is my second semester here in CCSF and I am taking Medical Assisting which I need to complete my units.Hopefully I could work when I complete my units. Its not easy to find a job that is right for me. I want to have a degree for my major, I will go to school while I'm working. My Goal in life is to have a degree so that I can work full time and I wont worry a thing like not get a job when I graduate. In order for me to succeed in my journey I will try to do my homework and turn it on time. I may not complete all my work but I will still turn it in just to have credit for my work. I can not wait to get a job and work full time. I don't like to wait for four years in college to get a job. I want it instant like not doing to much in school but much in work. So that I can move on to my life.

In school I get too much attention from the teacher and get a lot of comments in all my work. Its good thing that we get our teacher's comments to our work, which helps me know what I did wrong and what I need to work on. I been doing some reading in school and outside the school, I don't read that much because when I read I think of something else and it makes me do something else rather than reading. And I find reading can help me read faster and understand things like some information in computers, cellphones, radio manual and to know news by reading news papers.