Graffiti Wall

Lately, I have been considering what I would want to do once I graduate in 2015. Many of the questions that pop up have been “where do you want to go? what do you want to do? do you have a plan?”. Many of these have been very open ended for me and I do not have a clue as to any of them other than the fact that I want to be able to be useful wherever I do go; whether it be in the United States, Canada, or even over seas for a while. I realize that there is a whole world out there that I have yet to explore and I am excited to see what it has to offer and what I can offer it.

I chose the world because I have different plans than what my family has for me. My parents have a rather different expectation; daddy expects me back in Texas, mom wants me in Tri Cities, and Aunt and Uncle (parent like figures) want me in Tennessee. Location has no matter to me nor does that job that I get as long as I know I can make a difference. That is all many of us want in this world is to make a difference. The world can be a scary place when not given a chance.

With so much of the wars and struggles going on, most families want their children close to home to where they know that they are available and ok. It is hard to think about leaving all that you have grown up and known behind to start something new, but that is why it is an adventure. We cannot be afraid of what may or may not happen but only willing to try and learn by experience.

There is an entire world out there to go and serve and build relationships in orders to break down borders and how we can learn from one another. To conquer something means “to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition” and in many cases we have to be willing to step out of our comfort zones and make a difference. It is not enough to read and to listen to stories; we must be willing to step out, cross borders, and really desire to conquer the world. 

Long Way Gone

Throughout the story, I was not sure what to expect. It is interesting to think about my whole world and the bubble I live in. There are not many times that I have thought about what my life would be like if it were different. If I had grwn up in a different time, place, or even within a different family. My life, I think, is pretty normal, and I believe everyone has the same or somewhere close to. It was not until a few years ago’, that I stepped out of my bubble and realized that not everything is as cookie cutter. The book, “A Long Way Gone” is a great example of that and has made me realize how sheltered I am and how easy it is for me to forget about the world. And it is not as if I don’t think bad things happen but when I read a story like this I can get a glimpse into something different and not normal.

To think about children soldiers is very sad to me. To read about a Boy Soldier, Ishmael Beah, and to know that he endured so much throughout his life and has turned into a author is astounding. Now 33, Beah is a Sierra Leonean author and human rights activist who has portrayed his life to us. Throughout the book I felt the fear, sadness, heartache, and even deadness and though I cannot understand what it feels like nor can I relate it is as if he has shared his life.

At the beginning of the book we think that his life is fairly normal and is doing normal things but that is abruptly put to a halt when rebels come and kill his family and he is left to fend for his own on the run at the age of 12. He had nowhere to go or to turn so he kept on running. Eventually, by the age of 13, Beah is taken into “captivity” and turned into a child soldier. He was not to do anything but obey and pretty much put everything about himself: memories, personality and friendships on hold because he was having to do what many would not dream of. He killed many people. Eventually he, along with many others, were sent off to a city where they were told they were no longer needed. For a child I could not imagine what that would feel like. To be taught one way and to have to shut it off completely. At the age of 13 children are just starting to develop and think for themselves. I wanted to cry when I thought that these people, the men he was with, decided that he was no longer needed.

The only saving thing was by the end of the book Beah was adopted and given a second chance. He was allowed to pursue himself and to learn that the world is not all that he knows and there is more to it than just war.

Sierra Leone Research

Sierra Leone was named in 1492 by a Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra. Sierra Leone means "Lioness Mountains". Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa that is bordered by Guinea to the northeast, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest. Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral legislature. The country is divided into four regions: Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern areas each of which are divided into 14 districts. Each has their own government. Te government is headed by a council chairman. The capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown and it is the largest city (economically, commercially, and politically). Sierra Leone is mostly Muslim but also includes Christian beliefs. English is the language of instruction in schools and the official language in government administration.

The Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002) began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government. The civil war lasted 11 years. The war was declared over January of 2002. Some of the causes of the war included 1.1 Political history, Diamonds and the "resource curse”, The demographics of rebel recruitment, and Libyan and arms dealing role.

The timeline of the war (Key points)

1991

In March the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), allegedly armed and financed by Liberian president Charles Taylor and led by former army officer Foday Sankoh, crosses the border from Liberia and captures several villagers.

1992

Unhappy with the government's inability to stop the rebels, Captain Valentine Strasser seizes power and establishes a junta government to crush the rebels, who control around one-fifth of the country.

1993-1995

Fighting between government forces and RUF continues with mixed results. Rebels gain control of most of the diamond fields and bauxite and titanium mines.

1996

Two days after the elections on March 17 the RUF accepts a ceasefire. In November Kabbah and Sankoh sign a peace agreement.

1997

As the peace deal unravels the RUF ousts Sankoh as leader in March. In May a military coup follows and Kabbah is overthrown by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, who establishes the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

1998

In the second battle for Freetown, ECOMOG forces drive out the AFRC/RUF rebels. Kabbah returns from exile in Guinea to resume the presidency. Fighting between government troops and rebels continues.

1999

RUF forces advance on Freetown for the third battle over the capital. The RUF capture the east of the city from ECOMOG. Hospital sources say over 3,000 people were killed in a month.

2000

The UN sends the UNAMSIL peacekeeping mission to replace ECOMOG. RUF seizes 500 UN peacekeepers to stop UNAMSIL from moving into the diamond fields.

Britain sends troops, and the hostages are released in batches via Liberia. Sankoh is arrested and handed over to the government.

2001

UNAMSIL deploys troops throughout the country and disarmament begins.

2002

In January UNAMSIL commander announces an end to war, stating that more than 47,000 fighters turned in their arms since May 2001. The government and the UN sign an agreement to set up a special tribunal to try perpetrators of atrocities against civilians.

                                                                                                 

After the war diamond revenues increased, British withdrew, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed in order for people to be tried officially. 

Revolution is not a dinner party

This story was interesting. I had no idea what to expect. I am glad I researched a little on what the Chinese revolution was to begin with. Just the background on what the purpose of the revolution was helped me understand the story more with a much greater appreciation. When I first started reading the story I had no idea what to expect and really had no expectations. But after I read it I found that my understanding of freedom is a little more different. One of the things that the father said that I think really helped my understanding was when he would talk about freedom. He said “freedom is being able to read what you want and say what you think” and that was not something that was thought much of during this time. Students had to have the “three piece treasure, a Mao jacket, a Mao button, and Mao’s little red book of revolutionary instructions.” Students and teachers were required to carry these on their person at all times and if they did not then they would be punished. They had no control. The people were not allowed to read what they wanted or speak their minds without fear of judgment and persecution. It was unheard of that families would think about leaving. Leaving was seen as abandonment and that would make you a traitor. I could not imagine not being able to leave from one place to go to another with knowing that I am betraying something.

            The beginning of the story it was as if it was the foundation for the rest of the story. We see how families and people would come together. Especially with Ling’s family and the Wong family; they would come together and love the other’s child as their own. It made no difference. Mrs. Wong loved Ling enough to make her clothes and spend time with her and Ling’s parents took Niu  in as if he were their own. They loved him. They loved him enough to take him in but that did not stop the Red Guards from turning him against them. He would try to run away and when that did not work he turned and joined the forces against the antirevolutionaries. He betrayed the one family who cared enough for him. We see another example of this with the relationship a grandmother has with her grandchildren. She would do anything to keep them safe. She disowned her own daughter, after she committed suicide, in order to help her family. She was willing to turn away from what she believed in in the first place.

The beginning of the story we are introduced to this quiet and meek child named Ling who is not one to speak up when she does not agree. She questions everything and does not think that there is anything wrong with people. If someone is in her life she believes that they are there because they are good people; like Comrade Li. She woud trade with him and built a relatonshipwith him but that did not last. By the end of the story it is as if this innocent little child is having to embrace life with a whole new perspective. She now has a goal and something to look to. Her one and only goal is to be with her family and free. Free at the Golden Gate Bridge. That is her only desire. 

China and Chinese Revolution

China: People's Republic of China (PRC), is a sovereign state located in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population of over 1.35 billion. Made up of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, four direct-controlled municipalities and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions. Its capital is Beijing. The most spoken varieties are Mandarin (spoken by 70% of the population),[353] Wu (including Shanghainese), Yue (including Cantonese and Taishanese), Min (including Hokkien and Teochew), Xiang, Gan, and Hakka. Non-Sinitic languages spoken widely by ethnic minorities include Zhuang, Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur, Hmong and Korean, Standard Mandarin, a variety of Mandarin based on the Beijing dialect, is the official national language of China and is used as a lingua franca in the country between people of different linguistic backgrounds.

Before it was the People’s Republic, China was many forms of Dynasties sometimes divided between: north and south, western and eastern, and also was broken up into kingdoms and sometimes multiple. Modernly, before the republic was the Republic of China which lasted from 1912-1949. China, since 1949, has been the People’s Republic of China and is under communist rule. This republic was formed after the Chinese Civil War where the communist party was left in control of the mainland. Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic as “Communist China” and “Red China”. The communist party is “enshrined” in china’s constitution.

The government of China is comprised of a head (president) serving nothing more than as a figure head. The Premier of government is the head and oversees the state council. The council is made up of four vices and heads of ministries and commissions.

Since the end of the Cultural Revolution, China has made significant investments in scientific research, spending over US$100 billion on scientific research and development in 2011 alone. China is rapidly developing its education system with an emphasis on science, mathematics and engineering; in 2009, it produced over 10,000 Ph.D. engineering graduates, and as many as 500,000 BSc graduates, more than any other country.

During the 1960’s, China was under the control of communist leader Mao Zedong. Mao wanted to assert his power over china and launched the Cultural Revolution during 1966. This revolution was headed by the Gang of Four (the name given to a political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party officials. The members consisted of Mao Zedong's last wife Jiang Qing, the leading figure of the group, and her close associates Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen.)The revolution lasted about ten years with the army compiled of school children classified as the Red Guards. Many of the schools and colleges closed in order for the students to be focused on the primary goal of the party. They were used to abolish capitalism, Bourgeois (socioeconomic classes), and any other old habits that went against the communistic views. Within the next year more than 400,000 people were killed, tortured and or imprisoned. After all chaos Mao came back and announced that the revolution was over but it had not ended; it would not end until 1976, after the death of Mao. Many of the schools reopened and the Red Guard soldiers were sent back to be reeducated. Many of them lost out and became illiterate.

 

US Immigration Policy

“An immigration policy is any policy of a state that deals with the transit of persons across its borders into the country, but especially those that intend to work and stay in the country. Immigration policies can range from allowing no migration at all to allowing most types of migration, such as free immigration.” Immigration policy in the United States has changed throughout the years with the passing of different acts on the matter such as the “Naturalization Act of 1790, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Emergency Quota Act of 1921, the Immigration Act of 1924 along with the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 followed with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.”

For most recent, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was created in order to abolish many previous restrictions created because of the act in 1790. The Act established a preference system which determined which ethnic groups were desirable immigrants and placed great importance on labor qualifications. This act also defined what types of immigrants there were: special skills, exempt from quotas, and refugees. The act targets a wide range of people. If any person was born in United States, Puerto Rica and the Virgin Islands they would acquire citizenship. Though your parents may not be from here, if you or your child are born here you are granted citizenship. The act was first vetoed by President Truman regarding the bill as "un-American" and discriminatory but was later overridden by the house and senate.

With this act came the Immigration and Naturalization Service which was created to keep people from entering illegally into the United States. But this also would issue permanent residency and naturalization to allow for people to apply for.

Policies on the matter of immigration dates back to the late 16^th century with the Naturalization Act of 1790 and was recently added to during 2001with the addition of the USA Patriot Act. “The USA Patriot  Act  amended the Immigration and Nationality Act to broaden the scope of aliens ineligible for admission or deportable due to terrorist activities to include an alien who: (1) is a representative of a political, social, or similar group whose political endorsement of terrorist acts undermines U.S. antiterrorist efforts; (2) has used a position of prominence to endorse terrorist activity, or to persuade others to support such activity in a way that undermines U.S. antiterrorist efforts (or the child or spouse of such an alien under specified circumstances); or (3) has been associated with a terrorist organization and intends to engage in threatening activities while in the United States.”  All of the Acts created over the past 200 years or so have been to amend with changing beliefs. The Department of Homeland Security, which replaced the Immigration and Naturalization Service, enforces immigration laws and bestows benefits on illegal immigrants. Different types of visas you can get include: Non Immigrant Visas, Green Card, Student Visas and Visitor's visas. Each of these allow for a specific time period to stay in the United States. People can also be granted citizenship.

Museum display

Crossing the Wire

After reading “Crossing the Wire, I found myself thinking of all the different struggles and emotions one must go through in trying to find something better, especially for a 15 year old boy. Victor, the main character, shows so much determination throughout the book that made me think about how hard am I willing to work? He goes through so much in order to want to help out his family. He tries to cross the border and ends up getting kicked off a bus,  hopping a train and trying to make it through the desert but gets caught and deported and yet tires again. Even with the first time he hears all of these rumors of what America is like and either how scary it is or how great it is.

He becomes friends with many acquaintances and they are what keep him hopeful. One important companion was Miguel. He did all he could to help Victor learn what it means to travel back and forth… even after he had no desire to help him in the first place. One conversation that I think gave Victor hope was the one about the states.

[Victor] “What is it really like in the States?”

[Miguel] “You’ll have to see for yourself. It’s impossible to explain. It’s so different, it’s like another world.”  

[Victor] “Is it good? Is it bad?”

[Miguel] “It’s both.”  

This conversation stood out to me because it gave Victor a hope of what to look forward to; a chance to make a difference for his family. It struck me to find out that many of the characters in the book were wanting into the states in order to help make money for their families. They do not have as many opportunities to work and the options they do have do not pay as much. It is interesting to think about, maybe give a new perspective.

“It is, if you are willing to work hard. In the states, it’s possible to start from the ground and reach the top of the tree.” Miguel is talking about opportunity if you are willing to work for it. It was interesting to me to hear about Miguel’s friend Hector and of his life. He grew up in America but as not born there. He went to school in America and played football in high school. He had no other home other than America and yet because he was not born in America he was deported. It made me think of how I would feel if I had been taken away from all that I knew. I mean I moved my senior year in high school with out much of a choice and I still have no idea how that would feel. I was taken away from friends and family but to think that Hector was taken away from everything he knew and sent to a place that was not his home where he had never grown up. That would be scary.

The struggles this 15 year old boy faced is incredible and I could not even imagine giving any kid that much responsibility. I do not know many 15 year olds that could handle it. 

Sold

            Reading “Sold” has opened my eyes to a much bigger problem than I had thought. I knew human trafficking was an issue but never have I been so involved in a life of one’s example. In reading this book I have experienced so many emotions at one time that I never thought a book could bring at one time: anger, sadness, hatred, and even hope. Her life in the beginning was that of a child but by the end it was as if she was transformed into such a different person.

            I was not sure what to expect in the beginning. Lakshmi, the main character, just had so much desire for her home and family. She wanted to do all she could to put a roof over her family and to be there to love them. Her hope for a tin roof to be proof of a hard working father, family children, and the home will be warm and livable even for a baby. Lakshmi has so much desire for her family she is willing to go and work in the city for her family in the city. “I see a tin roof” she says when wanting to work.

            Just the view of children is shocking to me. Lakshmi does not see herself as much. She is told that “a son will always be a son, they say. But a girl is like a goat. Good as long as she gives you milk and butter. But not worth crying over when it’s time to make stew.” The loss of a daughter is nothing more. Women in this country are not seen as anything more than a tool to use to their advantage and nothing more. Even her stepfather does not see her as anything more. Her stepfather sends her to “the city to earn her keep as a maid.” All Lakshmi can think about is that she will help her family to get a tin roof.

            She goes through many transitions of people until she gets to her destination and it is not at all what she was told. She is sent to this room to be with a man and runs away. Lakshmi ends up getting tonto trouble but it is not long until she cannot hold out. She ends up having to sleep with a man and once it is all done she looks into a mirror and says “You have become one of them.” She realized that she is no longer her own. And throughout the rest of the book she does not see herself as anything else. It makes me angry and sad to read about this 13 year old girl, gone 14, to lose herself and not have any control of her situation. She no longer has a say. And to know that this is happening to a 13-14 year old girl is sad. The book even brings in about a girl, younger than Lakshmi, who is brought in but gives up and hangs herself. The amount of sadness and anger it takes to feel dead.

            By the end of the book I was ready to be done. It seemed as though there was no hope for this girl until 3 occurrences of Americans arriving. She had lost all of her trust in people an had no idea of what to believe. The men wanting to come and help her, she was so numb to everything she had no idea and the strength she had to run down once they came back for her to state who she was. She had been reminded of the person she was and desired for them to know. She held on to herself and I nearly broke down. I felt as if her life had only just begun. 

Nepal-Human Trafficking

Nepal, The Federal Republic of Nepal, is located in South Asia with a population of about 27 million people. It is the world’s 93^rd largest country by land mass. 81.3 percent of their religion practiced is Hinduism. Buddhism is linked with Nepal and is practiced by about 24 percent of a mixed population of people. Some of their population attributes their religion to both Hinduism and Buddhism. Their country has been run by a monarchy and is unified with small kingdoms until the communist party stood up against the government and agreed on an interim government.

            Their government is divided up into three powers: the executive, legislative, and executive branches. The country is also divided up into fourteen zones and seventy-five districts. Each district is headed by a chief. The government is headed by socialists with right wing parties.

            Nepal’s government is dealing with a big issue of human trafficking. Human trafficking has become a big issue in the country including sex trafficking and forced labor. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) defines human trafficking as "the recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person by such means as threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud or deception for the purpose of exploitation." Mainly women and young girls are forced into these forms of labor but not limited to.

            The right against exploitation specifically prohibits the trafficking of persons. Nepal also has three domestic laws in place that address girl trafficking and forced child labor, including the Labor Act of 1992, the Human Trafficking Control Act of Nepal of 1986, and the National Human Rights Commission Act of 1993. This defines what human trafficking is within the country and allows for strict laws. However, they have a hard time enforcing them. First, governments and society tend to judge the woman guilty of prostitution and minimize the trafficker's role in this crime. Secondly, government police officials are often corrupt; pimps maintain close relations with police and politicians in connection with their trafficking activities. Thirdly, few survivors press charges, reflecting that survivors have little trust towards law enforcement mechanisms or mechanisms are ineffective to bring the survivors to report.

            In India, many people are still trafficked despite the laws and are hard to enforce. People are put into positions where they are forced into many situations: sex, labor, marriage. Children are forced into these situations also. Being sold into many situations and ar subjected to forced labour as factory workers, domestic servants, beggars, and agriculture workers, and have been used as armed combatants by some terrorist and insurgent groups. 

Kampung Boy Response

            When I first began reading Kampung Boy, a graphic novel, I was not sure what to expect. I cannot remember the last time I had read a graphic novel and I had no idea of what to expect; I was not sure if I would even enjoy it but I found this story intriguing. At first, when I hear graphic novel I think pictures galore and little caption boxes kind of like comic books. However, I found that it was more than just pictures and captions on a page; it was an illustration of a person’s childhood growing up in Kampung Village in Malaysia. This story is an autobiographical describing Lat’s, the author, childhood experiences while in this small village.

            The novel starts off with Lat describing what his birth and early life was like. Before any of us can even remember what it was like when we were born, Lat uses descriptions from his mother to describe what his early years were like. Lat describes the traditions and rituals of the time to draw you in as a reader so that we may understand what is going on during this period of time. Although Lat may not be able to remember what happened, we can trust that he is giving us an accurate description of the events that occurred. While reading this novel I found that the author takes you back through time to describe his childhood experiences growing, playing, making friends, and learning about who he is. He shares his experiences, in detail, of how growing up was as a toddler. My favorite experience he shared was when he “loved to look out of the window because that was the closest he could get to the surroundings outside the house.” And the best part was when he would stick his head out too far and the cartoon showed him being stuck between two posts.

            The curiosity he shared was all the way through the story. He shares many of his experiences and dreams and admirations through words but also the pictures. We are given a chance to see a life through more than only words and only pictures. The cartoons add more to the story. They give perspective using more than words but audiences. It attracts more than just one audience which is great and useful to allow for your story to be heard.

            At first it was hard to follow but once I got to age 10 it was rather clear. It is not hard to tell that the book goes through time but as the story progressed so does Mat. He was Page 74 he was nine and page 95 he was 10 years old. The progresson went as experiences came to Mat. At age nine he got a new brother and age 10 he had to be circumcised. He shares his experiences. The end of the book is him leaving the village to go off to a boarding school and he shares his feelings through his art and articulates it with words.

            This novel, though a graphic novel and not what I was expecting at all, was really great. I enjoyed being able to read and see a child’s life and gave the story a new life. Usually I think of picture books and novels but never the two put together but I think Lat did an amazing job. 

Malaysia

            Malaysia, population of about 30 million, is comprised of 5 ethnic groups: 50 percent Maley, 24 percent Chinese, 11percent Indiginous  also known as Orang Asal, 7 percent Indian, and 8 percent other. The Maley and Orang Asal people are granted Bumiputra status which means “son of the land/soil”. This has led to a racial discrimination and classification of class. In all, most of the population is made up of about 60 percent.

            The government in Malaysia is a federal constitutional elective monarchy with a national and state government. Their government has similar houses, such as, A House of Representatives and a Senate.            The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and it is the biggest city in the country.

            Education in Malaysia is broken up into five different sections. The first is non-compulsory Kindergarten education. The second is for students to take six years of compulsory primary education which goes from ages 7-12. Primary education is broken up into two different types of schools: national primary in the language of Malay and vernacular using the language of Chinese or Tamil.  Third part is optional secondary education which goes from ages 13-18/19.  Most of secondary Sciences and Mathematics had been taught in English up until 2009 when the government decided to go back to using Malay. On top of secondary public and private schools, Malaysia has Religious Secondary School, Technical School, Residential Schools, and Junior Science colleges. During the final year of secondary, if students choose to partake, is to take the Malaysian Certificate of Education exam so that they may enter into the set of schooling in Pre University. Pre University is a 12 month program for students to be in in order to get in to a university. There are only 10 percent of schools to which students of non Bumiputera students can enter into. After Pre University, continuing students may be able to enter into local universities also known as Tertiary schooling. Comparatively, students in American schools must go through 13-14 years of schooling in order to get into a community or university school. Oddly enough, it is required for students to begin junior and high school but they do have the option of dropping out. In Malaysia, students can choose to enter into secondary education but is not required of them.

            Along with education, the Malaysian people have different culture. One of which includes Holidays and Celebrations. Their holidays are either federally public holidays or observed by certain states or observed by particular religious groups. A few common national holidays they have are to commemorate the independence of the Federation of Malaya and Malaysia day to commemorate the federation. They celebrate 4 different independences that they had had over their years.

            Malaysian education system is a very interesting system. Instead of grades they go through forms in which they need to pass in order to move on. Government plays a big role in education. Many of the holidays are followed and observed by certain people. The people in Malaysia seem to be very separated and there is a cultural diversity among the people. They are not united but separated.