9th grade Literature For Dummies

English Final

The World's Greatest- R.Kelly (Reflection Song)

“I am tall tree, swift wind, I am a river down in the valley,” this reminds me of the beginning of ninth grade, We were all given an element and were asked to make skits and analyze the poem that had these elements in it. I thought this was the perfect song for a reflection, but obviously, there’s more than that to it.

I picked R.Kelly's "The World's Greatest" because it reminds of how the Academy has taught me that I can make a difference. The Global Citizen Project taught me that I can make a difference in the world. The first thing we had done was the TED Project. I learned about Alex Steffen. He was a regular person, who started out with an idea to help the world. Today he is the Executive Editor of World changing, an organization he founded in 2003. Today, he works for the betterment of the Earth and its environment. Learning about people like him became inspirational for me. The idea that I can take one small idea and initiate projects to help people less fortunate is a feeling that this song definitely captures. Especially, when he says,

"I am the people
I am a helpin' hand
And I am a hero
If anybody asks u who I am
Just stand up tall look 'em in the Face and say

[Chorus]
I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
I made it
I'm the worlds greatest
And I'm that little bit of hope
When my backs against the ropes
I can feel it
I'm the worlds greatest"

These two stanzas are very meaningful to me. They make me feel like I can definitely achieve my dreams and hopes. If my wish is to help people and make a difference in the world and if I keep pursuing it, I will be victorious at the end; I will have climbed the mountain and reached the mountain top. This song makes me feel very nice about myself as well, that I am unique and that I have the power to do something. This year, I tried to start a club at GBS that tried to help people in developing countries with Health Care Needs. Unfortunately, I will be moving next year. This song is also very inspirational for me because it tells me I have the power to do anything no matter what happens.
He says,

"I saw the light
At the end of a tunnel
Believe in the pot of gold
At the end of the rainbow
And faith was right there
To pull me through, yeah."

This helps me to keep my faith and continue on pursuing what I believe in and what the GCP has taught me. This song is great for a reflection because the GCP and the Academy has taught me that I will get where I want to be, if I believe in my goals, and I will be the greatest because I know that I can be.

One specific memory about GCP was when your whole class with all three teachers, we all were at South and we brainstormed lists of what it means to be a Global Citizen and who were some examples of good and bad citizens. I remember that the class had picked Hitler as bad and someone had picked Mother Theresa. At that time, I had thought you had to be someone that made a big impact to be a global citizen. When we had discussions about the Activism Expo, Mr. Williams said that there was this lady who collected school bags for children in India although she led a normal life with her family. This was also very inspirational and it shows how my thoughts changed throughout the year. Now I realize that a Global Citizen can be anyone who wants to help the world, its environment and its people. That means it could be Mother Theresa, you or me. This song gives me a feeling of a growing kindling passion to help others and reach that mountain top.

It also says you don't have to be perfect. When the singer says asks, it sounds like he pronounced it as "aksed." Even if you aren't perfect, you are definitely unique.

Besides the lyrics, the music also plays a big role. It's almost like a slow march, saluting to me for doing something I believe in and keep on pursuing it. Especially when he says, "Just stand up tall, look them in the face and say...," the tune in the back turns a little high-pitched, after each line, as the pitch gets higher, I feel like my passion is being boosted to the next level 'til I have finally reached the place I need to reach that mountain and make a difference. It also is like a hymn and every time I hear one, I feel a kind of catharsis. Songs like these help me get rid of my own tensions and help me focus on my meaningful goals in life. Another thing about the song is that at the end, instead of ending like every song, it continues to go on. The volume decreases each time, but the song continues to play leaving a message that this passion can never die, let it continue till you live and always remember to pursue what you believe in.

Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Na Ki Jo

This is a song from an Indian Musical about a girl who was kidnapped when she was little and sold at a brothel. In this song, her main message is “Agle Janam mein, Bitiya Na Kijo,” meaning that “In my next life, Never make me a Girl/Woman.” She says this because she sees how powerless she has been all her life, from the time she was a kidnapped as a ten-year-old to the time she becomes a grown woman at a brothel. In the musical she was portrayed as an innocent and strikingly beautiful, yet a cute sweet young woman, who had no clue how bad a brothel was in society or even what happens there. After she had been used there and figures out the “bad” world, she sings this song about how there’s so many problems in her life just because she was born a girl; so much so that she’d never want to be a girl again.

I definitely felt this song strongly related to the socialization of girls and the way girls are looked at it. In class, we learned through Dr. Learner that even in Disney movies, girls are portrayed beautiful, weak, and innocent and were suppose to be the damsels in distress. In the same way, in the musical, everyone takes advantage of the girl and she underestimates herself. She tries to prove that she will get out of her situation with the help of another guy who promises her. She keeps faith in him, but he betrays her and starts singing this song. This reinforces how she was a damsel in distress and waited for a man to come save her and take her out of her own situation. She tries again and tries to find her family. When she does, her family had accepted that she was dead and they banished her from their house saying they’d rather have a dead daughter than a prostitute for a daughter. The play ends with this song.

She says,

“What kind of a fate do I have?

The one I love, broke my heart, he liked me so much,

like when you give a kid a toy,

But after 2 or 4 days, the child forgets about it,

I don’t have anyone, but

The jewelry of tears and marriage to a wretched fate.

O God, please never make this happen again,

Please Never make me a Woman.”

I think this connects Kamala from Siddhartha. She was known to "teach how to love," she was a prostitute. I think Kamala can relate to the Indian Musical. In the book, she lets a bird out of his cage, signifying that she wants that too. Her predicament is much like that of the bird and the girl from the musical. The difference between Shamhat from The Epic of Gilgamesh as a "priestess"/prostitute was that her religion/culture allowed such things, so she was not ashamed or put down while Kamala didn't want to do it anymore. She stopped her "business" after she knew she was pregnant from Siddhartha.

This also connected to Oedipus, Antigone and Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, fate plays a major role in turning the play tragic. The timing that fate sets, the timing of Romeo’s arrival to the vault, the timing of Romeo drinking the poison, the timing of Juliet’s eyes opening, the timing of her killing herself and timing of the Friar’s arrival, all of these parts play a major role in turning this play into an epic tragic story. I believe all of them can share a similar belief with the girl from the Indian Play,” The jewelry of tears and marriage to a wretched fate. O God, please never make this happen again.”

This also connects to Antigone when Ismene says,”Our death would be if we should go against Creon, And do what he has forbidden! We are only women, we cannot fight with men, Antigone!” In this case, Antigone is undermined of what she can do just because she is a woman, which relates to this song. A the end we see that Antigone kills herself by hanging herself in her punishment cage and Creon loses many of his family members and has nothing to be proud about, which was his main quality in the play. This also shows how fate turns around and plays on Creon. When he wants to free Antigone and be “nice” again, Antigone already kills herself and his son does too. In Oedipus, it’s also very similar the way the tables turn on him. Initially, he goes out to find the person who brought mishap to the village and at the end finds that he was the one who killed his father, married his mom and his children were his brothers and sisters. At the end he is left to suffer his misery. This was a really sad, just like the Indian musical.

All three relates to the song in that they all have fate turn against them leading them to a tragic end.

The song’s tune also is very depressing. I remember the time I saw the movie, I started to cry because every time I heard the song it created such a sad and gloomy mood, a mood that signified all hope was lost and all there was left was misery. The low Tablas (drums) help create that gloomy mood with the jingles. In the instrumental pieces between the vocals, the little tune creates a little room for a brightening mood, capturing the listener into false hope as it leads back into the vocals of heartbreaking lyrics and moods.

Heal the World

This song is a very inspirational song. I feel very deeply about this song. We need more people like these in our lives to care about the World and its people with a true passion. I feel that the following lyrics exemplify many things we have learned this year:

“Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow”

I think these lyrics highly relate to Ishmael. Ishmael’s main concerns were that the Takers were taking everything for their selfish needs and acting this way would prove disastrous for their species and the world. His other concern was human taking charge of animals and that human action is destroying and causing extinction of animals. I feel these lyrics capture the essence of Ishmael’s thoughts. If he were here today, Ishmael would be really happy if he knew that many more humans are out there that know what their actions have done and are repenting, spreading knowledge and trying to get other’s to pass on his message. This message also relates to Current Events because it’s essentially about how we can fix the problem that we have created for ourselves and how we continue to do that. When I hear those specific lyrics, I feel so guilty. I don’t want to hurt the Earth, but I still feel guilty. When I hear this song, there is a role-play movie going on in my mind of all the things I have done to hurt the world like not closing the faucet while I brush, or not recycling. Although I try my best to do as much as possible to keep Earth away from harm [at least from my part], I feel like we still haven’t reached that position where the whole world would try to make a conscience effort to do what they can. These following lyrics display a dream, the one like Martin Luther King Jr. had done about ending racism. But will this ever happen?

“See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares”

By the looks of some of the articles, we have discussed the Iraqi War and the conflicts in Palestine and the Unites States. We have talked about conflicts in developing countries with no water, and falling short of resources. Will it ever be possible to put our swords down? In Mr. William’s current events group we talked about this issue. As time passes, we will eventually fall short of resources and go after killing each other to fight for the last things left, until there’s nothing left and we have completely destroyed and used our planet. Although that’s what my brain also says, my heart says that one day we all will come together and try to live peacefully. Although that’s what are Current Events had to say, we learned through TED that there are many people trying to work for a better world. I truly do believe we might have a chance.

“We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...”

One thing I really like about this song is the composition and the craft of lyrics. It is emotionally blackmailing the listener for a good cause. It’s saying “If you cared enough…” you would do something because people are dying out there and we need to take care of our world so we can continue to live in peace. I think this was a very intelligent way to craft the words because we are guilty, we are answerable to the World and it deserves a huge “Sorry” and a “Thank you.” We can show this by actually doing what we can, like recycling, reusing, carpooling etc. I feel like this song takes me to heaven. Starting with the voices of a bird and children talking and playing in the background. The tune is almost like a nursery rhyme for Kindergarten children, although the message is very deep. The piano and drum set that go with the chorus helps to create a nice feeling to follow what he is saying, especially because I strongly agree with everything he says. At the end the little child says, “Save it for the children.” This is another thing that makes the listener feel guilty. It’s almost saying,”How selfish can you be?” This song really touches me and I feel that it’s a reality check, “What have you done to heal the world?”

“Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me”

I think the chorus ties everything together. It captures the main idea of Ishmael, GCP, and Current Events. It says that we have to find a solution to help the world. There are dire consequences of what’s happening in the world, like people dying due to atrocious conditions, environments, diseases etc. So, try to make it a better place. Another theme it brings up is “A World for you and Me and the Entire Human Race.” This talks about tolerance and pluralism. The message is so deep. We have to live together, work together no matter who we may be working with, because the world is as mine as it is yours and we have to save it, not for ourselves only but for our children. The message can’t get any better or great than that.

My Heart Will Go On

I feel this song relates to Romeo and Juliet. It’s a really tragic and romantic. When Jack was going to die, Rose was also willing to die, but told her to promise that she’d go on, no matter what happens. I always have tears in my eyes when I hear this song remembering that promise and what they have to go through, that’s true love. Romeo and Juliet also die for each other, signifying their love. Both of these stories signify a clichéd true love, two lovers willing to die for each other. This theme of love can be recognized as an archetype. All of them were willing to die for their loved ones. I feel like the following lyrics relate to what we have learned this year about Romeo and Juliet’s Love.

“Far across the distance
And spaces between us
You have come to show you go on”

“You're here, there's nothing I fear
And I know that my heart will go on
We'll stay forever this way
You are safe in my heart
And my heart will go on and on”

Romeo and Juliet had a distance between them because of their families, but they made their relationship work. They still tried to maintain their relationship, even after Romeo killed Tybalt and after he was banished. They were so deeply in love with each other that they didn’t care about anything else. Juliet says,”My bounty is as boundless as the sea, /My love as deep. The more I give to thee, / The more I have, for both are infinite” (2.2 lines140-143). Their love for each other was so strong that they weren’t scared of doing anything, taking poison and killing herself with a knife. They also signify an epic love. People have been, are and will be reading/watching these epic love stories because they are immortal. Their love was beyond just their looks, their money etc. Their love had a deep personal connection with each other. Romeo and Juliet didn’t care whether they were from Rival families, Rose and Jack didn’t care whether they were rich or poor. Both the ladies had options of marrying a richer person, but they went for the other guys. Why? Well, It’s because of the personal connection, that true, inseparable and unconditional love. All they want is their love and with that they will go on. [Awwww, That’s so sweet!]

Another topic we discussed in class was lust. I think the next lyrics indicate what I mean.

“Every night in my dreams
I see you, I feel you
That is how I know you go on”

In Class, we had a discussion about if Romeo and Juliet were in love with lust or was it true love. This also relates to Shamhat, from The Epic of Gilgamesh where we see the lustful love, there was really no true love there at all, in my opinion. Kamala and Siddhartha’s love did suggest lustful love in the beginning, but after their child was born a spark of true love was born. There love was nowhere near an epic as great as the story of Romeo and Juliet or Jack and Rose.

The tune is very romantic but painful. This suggests the tragic fate of Romeo and Juliet. Rose’s fate was very tragic as well. Living with the knowledge that your love wants you to live and losing him right in front of your eyes. I would be so hurt that heartbroken seems like a frail feeling in front of it. I wouldn’t be able to live at all. Juliet decides to do the same.

The Climb

“I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there's a voice inside my head saying
"You'll never reach it

Every step I'm taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking

But I gotta keep trying”

Whenever I hear this song, it reminds me of the time I rock-climbed in the gym. I can relate to this song because I have a fear of heights. In the literal sense, I become hesitant and ask the person below to let me down, but when I keep trying I’ll eventually get to the top. Last week in PE, we were rock-climbing and the first-time I couldn’t make it. When I tried again, I didn’t look down and made it to the top. I can relate to it in the literal sense and in the metaphoric sense as well, like with PBL. This also signifies PBL, but in a dramatic way. Although the solutions to the problem were hard to find as a class, and we broke out into “creative”/ argumentative discussions but we pulled it out together and presented in front of All State. It wasn’t about what we presented, but it was how we came to those conclusions that we presented [”the climb”].

These relates to Life Of Pi. Pi’s goal was to find land and survive with a 450 pound Bengal Tiger. At some moments he is so determined to survive, he makes plans to keep himself alive and even tries to tame the tiger, yet sometimes he loses his hopes. The tiger frightened the life out of him. He knew that he had to move on and continue to “climb” and try to survive. Although he was scared, he figured that the best way to keep himself alive was if he kept Parker alive.

The music is also full of hope. She’s shouting to keep your perseverance no matter however many times you fall and get back up. In the beginning, there is a solo single piano key being played as she feels hesitant and lost. Slowly the song ads on the guitar as she gets more confident and then a drum-set in the back. Especially at the end, when she’s nearing the mountain and she’s determined to get to the top, the music get loud with the drum-set and the guitar getting thunderous. It’s a song of perseverance and a positive attitude towards doing something. The end of the song is when you finally made it. The experiences of Pi and the class in PBL is exactly how the music flows, hesitant, then more confident and coming out successful with a positive manner.

When you believe

I picked Prince Of Egypt’s When you believe. I felt like this pertained to Life Of Pi. The following lyrics encapsulate the essence:

“Though hope is frail
It is hard to kill”

“In this time of fear
When prayer so often proved in vain
Hope seemed like the summer birds
Too swiftly flown away
Yet now Im standing here
With heart so full I cant explain”

I believe this song relates to the Life Of Pi. His predicament begins with his whole family drowning and then getting stuck on a life boat with a hyena, orang-a-tang, zebra and a Bengal Tiger. He did give up a little once in a while, but never entirely lost hope. He prayed very often, but he was still stuck in the middle of the ocean. He then found that the best way was to tame Parker. Although he had no hope initially, he became successful, he even got the 450 pound meat-eater to obey him and jump through a hoop! I think those lyrics capture Pi’s experience, especially since he managed to survive amidst an ocean and a Tiger in a small lifeboat for 227 days. The dilemma of the Jews was pretty similar. There was no hope for them [from the human perspective], but God sent Moses to come and save them. The Pharaoh had total control until Moses came in the picture and showed everyone who was boss! J

“A-shi-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-ah
(I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously)
Mi-ka-mo-cha ne-dar- ba-ko-desh
(Who is like You, majestic in holiness)
Na-chi-tah v¡¯-chas-d¡¯-cha am zu ga-al-ta
(In Your love, You lead the people You redeemed) “

I feel this part of thanking the lord has to do with a lot of the religious things we’ve learned this year. In Life Of Pi, we found that one of the Kumars was a Muslim and he often said “Allah-hu-Akbar” meaning
“Praise be to God.” In Romeo and Children, references to God are used by the Friar and the Nurse, as they humbly ask and thank God for the lives of their dead loved ones. In Social Studies, I remember we had done a religious unit in which we had a religion fair. Since my group was presenting Christianity, I had dressed up as nun and offered a piece of bread and some wine [grape juice]. It was a lot of fun!

This song is like a mother explaining to her child that anything is possible if you believe in it. It’s almost like a lullaby in the beginning, it’s a motivating song. It reminds me of the GCP, that if you try to help the world, you can make a change and that anything you do is possible. No one can stop you from reaching anything, no matter what happens, if you believe in yourself and have faith in what you are doing.

Night on Bald Mountain

I believe that instrumental sometimes tell a deeper story than word’s can ever signify. I think that this exemplifies Pi’s Journey.

(** Since some of the music goes fast, It will help if you look at the timing on the playlist thing by the song J )

The scene starts with Pi slowly waking up to the horrific image of the boat sinking. As the tempo hastens he feels like this is a dream and he needs to wake up. With each trumpet Dun-Dun-Dun –Dun(around 25 seconds), he realizes that this isn’t a dream ; the music builds up to a crescendo. The following short silence 30 seconds indicates that he goes into a state of denial as the music starts to quiet down. Then as the low flutes (38 seconds) start to get louder, he steps out of his denial state at the second crescendo. After that there is a short period of silence. At 59 seconds the brass section plays slowly, DAAAAAAA-DAAAAAAA-DAA-DAA-DAA-DAAAAA, (in music terms that would be two half notes following three quarter notes), as the flutes play in sixteenth notes with a fast tempo. This part shows how Pi realizes this is all real as he sees the ship sink in front of his eyes. After a short silent part, the following fast woodwinds [1.15 min] is the sound of his heart, beating uncontrollably do to fear and helplessness. Then the following new fast tempo tune [1.19 min] is his determination to take himself out of his situation and get to land. This is where he tries to tame the Tiger and he is successful and his fear dies down a bit (1.33 min). The new silence around 1.35 minutes and slow and light tempo with the woodwinds [clarinet] is when he finds the island. He’s enjoying there on the island, the tempo gets a little slower (1.35 min) as he finds food and Parker enjoys himself for a couple of short seconds. The music builds up to another loud crescendo starting at 1.52 minutes as it until 2:00 minutes, where he is thinking that’s impossible that this island is dangerous after seeing the dead fish. At 2:00-2:10 minutes, he is still carefree about the island and is sitting on the tree until at 2:14 minutes he finds the teeth in the leaves. This is where the loud and thunderous music builds up again signifying that he found out the island is poisonous and is running away [xylophone tip-top-tip-top 2:20 minutes] to the boat with Parker, rowing as fast as he can away from the island at 2:20 minutes. Then, there is a trill that transitions from fear to circus theme. That circus themed music [2.30 minutes] at the end with the symbols clashing together signifies he is ecstatic because he found new “true” land where he’ll be able to live like before he got stuck in the ocean. His heart beat [the flute] returns to normal [2:39 minutes] and is beating slow and quiet as the piece ends as he returns back to his normal life.

This whole song tells Pi’s journey throughout the book from the time his real predicament started to the time he found land. It was a little hard for me to explain this instrumental song, but I tried to make it a little easy by adding the timing. Although this song lasts around 2 minutes and 40 seconds, Pi’s whole journey plays in my mind. I can see him in the lifeboat and feel his emotions at that moment; it’s a lot like I’m the director. I think this would be excellent background music if Life of Pi ever turned out to be a movie.

What happened Ishtar?

             This particular Goddess is protrayed with a different perspective in each new story. Sometimes, she is protrayed as the most innocent, when evidently, the Epic of Gilgamesh shows she is a revenge-seeking, sex-hungry spoiled brat. When Ishtar descends to the Underworld, she is protrayed as serious and selfless.

             The article about Ishtar's Descent, by Andrea Deagon, reminded me of our human lifestyle. Ishtar's marriage symbolized what we are in front of everyone; the role we play in society, our physical world. The Descent reminds me more of the spiritual world where you are not expected to play any roles. You are alone and you become selfless. When Ishtar is asked to strip everything she had, in my perspective, she is symbolizing "taking off" the responsibilities, her images, the relationships and the connection to the physical world. This is her journey alone.

                 The drastic change seems to have happened in Ishtar's Decent. Ishtar probably thought she was ready for the transition, but in reality she was not. She did become selfless but maybe the fear of losing everything changed her to how she is portrayed in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Maybe Ishtar was physically ready to give up everything, but was not mentally prepared. She still wanted to be connected to the physical world,  she did not want to lose anything or anyone, she did not want to be alone. Maybe this is why she used her father to get revenge from Gilgamesh. Ishtar did not like Gilgamesh's refusal to her proposal because that meant she lost another person. Ishtar would do anything to get rid of her fear.

                Within the article, the author writes how one actor/dancer has to put aside his/her own image and transform into something genuinely new, so the audience can temporarily escape from their world. If the image is not what the audience is yearning for, then the actor has not fulfilled its job and the audience will not receive the desired result. This shows the grand impact an image can make. What we think of Ishtar can make a real difference, just like how we talked about viewing Shamhat or the two best friends as homosexuals. Most of us have the perspective of Ishtar as a power-hungry and spoiled brat without knowing how she came to be that way. 

              One important saying that everyone should remember is not to judge a book by its cover. Why do you think first impressions are so important? People tend to judge the person how they first see them. Ishtar becomes a victim of judgement the same way. We know she is seductive, power-hungry and controlling, but now we also know why. I don't think anyone would act this way if they were normal. Ishtar acts this way because of a certain fear. Maybe if we tried to "step into others shoes", we could see the big picture of what is actually going on.  

Things to think about?

1) How would your life change if your goal in life was to make life easier for others/if you live for others?

~Question inspired by Mrs.Bergmann, the nicest woman on Earth

Interesting Facts:

~I was born in Florida, but I moved when I was a month old and haven't been there since then.

~ Some of my favorite collective books from 3th-9th grade are The Harry Potter Series, The Thief Lord, The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (It's a funny book:), Peter and The Star-Catchers, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Da Vinci Code, The Twilight Series, Chasing Vermeer, ..... the list continues forever 

~ I love Disney Characters, especially The Micky Mouse family. I love all Walt Disney things.

~I love the show Ace of Cakes and American Idol and many Soap Operas in other languages!

~ I love the music composition of all Chris Brown songs! 

~ I don't know many American Songs

~ I like Indian, Arabic and Persian Songs a LOT, but I don't understand that much Arabic, and I don't know Persian at all! ~Much of Persian music is classical and instrumental.

~ Although I am not the best athlete ever, I LOVE SPORTS!!!! I like to play Volleyball and Tennis.

~ I have been in Scouts for 10 years and have received the highest award, the Gold Award. Scouts seems a bit childish, but I'm committed to helping out. This is where I get a lot of my optimism from (when and if I have any). :)

~  My aim/purpose in life: To Help People and Put A Smile On Their face, and be the best person I can 

~ My goals- Go To either Princeton, Northwestern, U of I - Urbana Champagne, choose a profession that encompasses helping people, the arts and the sciences,  with that profession I would like to go to a third world country and start my career there, (unknown right now)   

~I have no clue what I might want to be when I grow up.

~ I love Hershey's plain milk chocolate and Crunch Bar, I don't eat caramel. I am very very very very very very very very......picky! I like somethings from all foods. I love Rice and french Fries. I eat a lot of carbs, I barely eat any vegetables. I eat fruits occassionally. I have to change my eating habits! :( Oh yeah, I also love Ethnic foods, A lot of Ethnic Foods are spicy, that's why I love 'em!  I love chips too!

~ Some things to do before I go up (or down) heheh  jkjk......

- Be a dolphin trainer and swim with them

- Be a professional dancer/actor 

- Get the Nobel Prize Award 

-Get a Phd degree in something

- Make my mark in the world so that I can be in a textbook - a good mark :)

~ Write a book on either a fabulous fantasy like Harry Potter/Twilight or On my theory of life

~ I want to visit and maybe live in France, Spain or Canada

~I want to decorate one of the best cakes ever!!!

 and of course- something everyone want to do- skydiving/bungee jumping~! hha

                           

     ~list will continue~ :)

Fatima's Poem "The First Day"

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

One foot in front of the other,

Anxious feet walk toward the enormous gate,

Unprepared for what’s to come.

What would it be like?

Starting a whole new chapter?

What if I don’t fit in?

What if I can’t get the best grades?

What if I don’t make the sports team?

What if? What if? What if?

I have heard so much about high school.

Some say there are very strict and old teachers,

with long gray beards,

who give night-long hours of homework,

who aim to make their student’s life hell.

That’s not all, the girls in the hallway said,

that there are bullying seniors out there,

to get all the freshman.

And on the First Friday of school,

they throw pennies at them.

Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum!

My heart races throughout my body.

Only a few minutes left until class starts.

Remember to make a good impression!

Remember to listen to everything the teacher says!

Remember to write down all your homework.

Remember! Remember! Remember!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

I felt my stomach tie in a knot,

getting tighter and tighter with each “Ding!”

Oh God, Please be with me!

As I make my entrance,

I am greeted by a young, smiling teacher!

“Hello! Welcome to my class,”

Woah! There is something wrong with the picture!

A teacher, smiling? at a student?

Wow! I never thought that there would be smiling and nice teachers in high school!

I felt the burden on my shoulders become a bit lighter.

I pulled up an open seat next to a girl.

She had dark brown, curly hair.

We sat in silence for a while when she asked,

“Hi, What’s your name?”

In a few minutes, we started talking about the whole world,

As if we knew each other our entire lives.

This was just fantastic!

High school was going to be wonderful, I could feel it!

Maybe I shouldn’t always believe what everyone says.

Maybe high school isn’t suppose to be terrifying.

Maybe high school means homework, discipline, and responsibility,

but I think it also means to have fun!