Korea's culture.

In korea, we use honorific when someone is older than us. Even though someone is one year older than us we have to say in formal way when we first meet them. Also, we have to be polite and respect elderly people.  Therefore, we usually offer our seats to elderly man or woman in the transportation. In the U.S, when i tried to make a room to elderly man in the bus, he  frowned and said “ No thanks.” After, i heard from my friend that some elderly people in the U.S think they are still strong and young so if i yield my seat, some people might think that i underestimate about them. In Korea, we normally don’t smile or say hi to stranger. When i first came here, most Americans said “How are you?” and smile while i was walking on the street. That was so awkward to me but i became familiar in that situation so i’m not surprised anymore. In Korea, most people take time to be close with others. Of course, it depends on person’s personality, but we tend to be a bit wary of strangers. However, once we become close with other, we give a great affection. Also, we  keep our precious traditional things such as Kimchi, Hanbok, Joseon era and so on. We think that education is important so we learn so much during the high school. Students all want to enter the popular university so they get too much pressure and stress. However, i like my country because of people’s affection and korea has so many diverse food. I’m craving to eat all of them. We have four seasons and we can see beautiful ocean because Korea’s three sides are ocean. Also, Korea has a lot of mountains and beautiful places which show Korea’s traditional culture.

Journal Essay Three (10 points)

Directions: Write a blog post on food.

The purpose of this assignment is to get practice writing on your topic and to share your ideas with your classmates.

First: Here are some questions to help you get started: What are your eating habits? Do you eat healthy? Do you eat fast food or processed foods? What types of food do you eat and cook? Where do you shop for food? Do you try to buy organic foods or doesn’t it matter to you? Do you think you are a healthy eater?

Note: Try to answer this questions using examples and details to describe your attitudes about food. You can use “I” in this blog post because it is your own experience.

When I was young, my mom disciplined me to have a good eating habit. She taught me to eat three meals in a regular time. Also, she tried to avoid buying junk or fast food such as hamburger, pizza, ice cream, and snack. Because she insisted that if she put these food in home, we may have more chance to eat and it will be more tempted us to eat. She tried to cook with organic ingredients. She has never eaten food late at night. These are affected to me a lot. I feel guilty when I consume so many junk food recently or eat late at night. Actually, I really like fast food and meat. I don’t like vegetables and fruits. I think I’m not a healthy eater but I’m trying to eat healthy food as much as I can. However, I feel that it is waste of my money when I buy organic food. I think there is no big deal between organic foods or normal foods. If it is vegetable or fruit, we can wash it clearly to remove agricultural pesticides. Even I like only meat and sweet foods, I avoid to eat before going to bed. I eat three meals in specific times. I’m living with my sister right now, she is totally opposite with me. She consumes a lot of vegetables, fruits and water. She eats less dinner and plenty of breakfast. I eat healthy because of her. She usually cooks for me with healthy foods. When I avoid to eat sour fruits, she peers and puts them in my mouth and force me to swallow it. I hope that I can be like her.

Second: Describe your own food culture – what do people from your country eat, cook and serve? Is eating a social activity? Do you eat all of your meals together or just some of your meals? How do the food habits and attitudes compare to here in the U.S.?

In Korea, we usually eat spicy and healthy food. One of the biggest traditional foods is the Kimchi. Not only does it taste good, but it is very high in nutrients and also low in calories for it is a fermented product. Koreans typically like healthy and spicy foods such as Kimchi. Although I enjoy American food as well, if I continue to eat it I start to crave spicy foods, for they are a big part of Korean culture. We eat a lot of rice with different side dishes. Korea’s side dishes are so diverse and they are usually made by various kinds of vegetables, beans, fishes, potato and so on. The culture of eating with various side dishes is korea’s old tradition and it is appeared koreans affection to their guests. They want their guests to enjoy many different dishes and give them a lot of healthy food. I think that’s a big part of social activity.

Koreans think that eating is one of the most important habit in human’s life so we ask “Did you have a meal?” to our family and friends frequently. When i came the U.S first, it is hard me to eat always greasy and fatty food such as pizza, hamburger. Americans usually eat with one food not with diverse side dishes. I think they prefer being convenient in eating. Therefore, i cook by myself and eat rice and kimchi in home. Other traditional food is bibimbab which is rice with many kinds of vegetables and spicy sauce. It is really healthy food because it puts every essential nutrient.

Third: Choose a quote from the reading, “The Unhealthy Meat Market” by Nicholas Kristof, March 12, 2004. (You can find this in “Materials” under Essay Three or Google the article). Explain the meaning of the quote in your own words. Also, explain why you like this quote and how it relates to your theme.

“Factory farming has plenty of devastating consequences, but it’s only fair to acknowledge that it has benefited our pocketbooks.”

It means that the way of people raising hens in the farms is like torture. Hens have no space to stand and breathe. It is disaster way to raise them. However, the price of hens decreases than 1930. It was more expensive than beef before. Decreasing price is benefit to consumer so usually we can ignore the terrible facts that the ways of raising hens. Also, they thereat our health because people put a lot of antibiotics to hens. They are raised in crowded and dirty conditions. I also try to buy cheap ingredients and i don’t think that organic food has no big difference between normal one. However, after l learn from this article that the way of hens raising, i think it will be a big problem to our health. It can ruin our health by eating ruined hens. That’s why this quote is related to my thought.

Fourth: Type your journal and bring a copy to class. It should be at least 250 words.

Grading: You should write at least 250 words. You are graded on the following:

· A good description of your attitudes about food. You included many details and examples to describe your attitudes about food.

· Choice of quote – was it a good choice?

· Explanation of the quote --Did you understand the meaning of it

and explain

· Did you carefully proofread your post for capitalization, spelling and grammar errors?

· Did you use your own words and then use quotations when it was the author’s ideas?

The Value of Friendship -Why is Jamal and Forrester's friendship significant in the film?

1.       The Value of Friendship- Why is Jamal and Forrester’s friendship Significant in the film?

Jamal is a black guy who was living in Bronx. He is 16 years old and he really likes playing basketball and writing. However he suffered because of poverty and racial discrimination. His circumstances blocked his talent in writing. For example, Robert Crawford suspected Jamal’s Essay. He insisted that “He is a black guy from Bronx so I don’t believe that he wrote like this good Essay” We could know that he confronted a lot of discrimination during his life and it might hurt his mind a lot. Therefore, he could be daunted and give up his dream. However, when he met Forrester, everything was changed. Forrester identified Jamal’s talent and possibility.  He helped Jamal to improve his talent. Before they met, Jamal thought Forrester is murder or ghost because Forrester has never came out from his home. However, Jamal could open his mind and be a real friend with Forrester by feeling Forrester’s sincere mind to help him and pure desire in writing. As a result, Jamal could develop his writing and grow his passion in writing by being a friend with Forrester. Forrester also got a lot of help from Jamal. He couldn’t get out from his door because of fear. He had a sad past which was related with his family. Therefore, Forrester blocked his mind and hid in his own world. After he met Jamal, he could feel Jamal’s hard circumstances and his passion in writing. When Jamal went out with Forrester and gave a birthday present (showed him a baseball field) to him, Forrester was moved and he could tell about his past which made him hiding from the world. Forrester also recovered his fear because of Jamal. They were opening their minds over time by being a friend for each other. Their friendship helped them to recover their hard situations. They supplemented one another’s flaws and shortcomings so they could develop together.                                    Therefore, their friendship is significant in this film. I experienced similar situation like them. My best friend who is living in Korea help me a lot whenever I’m suffered from hard things such as school score, homesickness, hard living, depression. I also encourage her and help her to be a brave person. We have different personalities. She is calm and introversive person and I’m an outgoing person so we could advice and supplement each other. Meeting a good person and being a real friend is not only important in this film but also in our lives

2.       I like the scene that Forrester and Jamal were in the baseball field. I think this scene is really crucial for Jamal and Forrester to get closer. Forrester was impressed about Jamal’s present which was showing empty baseball field to him. This situation made Forrester to open his mind and confess about his hard past. He has never told about his story to others because he thought anyone can understand him and it is really hard to tell. However, he touched his heart by seeing Jamal’s genuine affection and his pure passion in writing. I also felt sympathy by listening about Forrester’s past and I could understand why he was blocked his mind from the outside. Forrester must be thankful to meet Jamal who gave a lot of affection and love to him. I could feel a real friendship between them even they are not relative.

3. While he was reading the Essay “Losing family” which Jamal wrote, he said “ Most of your to young to know what  your wishes will be. But when I read these words hopes, dreams. I realized the one wishes that was granted to me so late in life whose the gift from friend. A friendship. ….. I spoke here today because a friend of mine wasn’t allowed to. A friend who had integrity to protect me when I was unwilling to protect him. His name is Jamal. I helped him to find vision work by starting some of mine and then return. He promised never to say anything to anybody about me the promise which he kept.”