Final Bog...

One thing that I have learned in the past six weeks that i feel that i can utilize in the future is to not just read through a book because you think you know how to read. I have discovered that even though one knows how to read, there can be times when you do not understand something. When this happens, one should go back and re read, or research the topic, or look up the unknown word, so that one can better understand the book. I found annotating the book during readin makes understanding the book and using it for assignments much easier. I am esthatic that i have discovered this tool because i can utilize it in all of my future assignments incollege. This will give me an advantage over some of my classmates.
Also, after reading this particular book i have become much more aware of what goes on in other countries. Previously, i was concerned about me, my family, and friend. i did not really concern myself with problems of other. however, now that i look at how much persecution people from other countries go throug, it make me think twice beofre complaining, because my life is so perfect compared to theirs. This book has made me more appreciative.
I can not wait until it is the Fall, and i am about to embark on my college career. i am excited, and ready to begin!!!! Cant wait!!!

Blog #9

For the past year I have began to notice my biggest flaw; i often care TOO much, and give my ALL to those who do not deserve it. Lately, I have noticed how majority of the people in my life fully accepts everything that i do for them, and allow me to do help them with their problems. However, now that i look back, i realize their was absolutely nobody in my life who was willing to go the same lengths as me in order to make another person happy. Honestly, I am the type of person that will do any and everything for my family, friends,and those in which i care about. It seem like i often give my all to those who do not deserve it. I cant understand why though; why wouldn't a person want to reciprocate the love a friend blessed them with. At this point in my life i feel used, upset and fed up. i have noticed my flaw of caring too much for a long time now. But, on this day, i take a vow; do not treat others how you would want to be treated, instead treat others how they treat you. Sometime i just feel like breaking down and crying, because it is the people that i would have never imagined that would do this to me. When people get around other people they want to act different, and phony. For what? i will never understand! When other people are around you hardly know me, right? ok! No problem! i thought you was my bestfriend, and i thought you was my number one, but i guess i had that confused too.....

Blog # 8

I have never traveled outside of the country, however i have visited many states. Some states that i visited were Maryland, Pennsylvania,Florida, California, West Virgina, North Carolina, Connecticut, and Colorado. I mostly visit other states in the spring and summer months, either for vacation, to visit family, or for family gatherings/reunions. I love traveling. I often dream about going to exotic places. i would like to travel outside of the country to places like Dominican Republic, Aruba, Cancun, and etc... The country that i would like to visit the most is Africa. I would really like to study and become familiar with their culture, and maybe even include some of thes practices in my everyday life.

Blog #7

A person that i highly respect and look up to is my grandmother. i am proud to be named after her. She is seventy six years old, and getting more stronger everyday. She is the back bone of my entire family. She helps any and everyone in their time of need. She is a caring, intelligent person, with years and years of experience. She is wise beyond her years, and i find it a real privilege to have had her in my life. She has taught me many things such as determination, persistence, organization. She has given me the strength that i have needed when i felt that i could not go on. She has helped me and have had an huge impact on my life.

Since i was born, my mother was addicted to drugs. Being that she was unfit to take care of me and my sister my grandmother ( who is really my step grandmother) took great care of me and my sister. i had a wonderful childhood, and she provided us with any and everything that we needed and wanted. when my mother died when i was five years old, my grandmother continued taking care of me. She encouraged me in school, and insisted that i fufill all of my goals. My grandfather got sick when i was six and became crippled on his right side. It is a struggle taking care of him on a daily basis, washing him, feeding him etc....however, my grandmother finds the strength to do it, and has been doing a great job at it consistently for the last twelve years. it take a real strong person to do this. After i had my daughter at a young age, i would not have been able to finish schoo without her helpign me to take care of her and without her support to continue my education. She is my hero. I can not express in words what she mean to me. She is amazing and i lover her. i do not know where i woulkd be without her!!!!!!


Dedicated to my grandmother; Lorraine Prillerman

Blog # 6

"My biggest failure led to my biggest success" by Greg Mortenson

I really like this quote. When many people are faced with adversities and persecution, they often let it get the best of them, and they give up. They allow their problems to determine their future for them. However with this quote Greg helps us to realize that despite failures, you can always ake something goo out of it; you just have to be optimistic. All you need is motivation, dedication and presistence. One should not allow their negative to determine their outcome, instead they should allow theses negative situations to encourage them to get to a better place in their live; that's what i did. And, i know you who read my blog is tired of me tieing everything back to my daughter :). But, she is truly my motivation, adn the reason why i am where i am today.I lover her dearly!!!!!!!!!

PBS Video

Watching this video has really opened up my eyes. Before I would wonder why people would become suicide bombers or why they would not just got against the Taliban. however, by watching this video, i now see how that is impossible. They live in fear. If they do no cooperate their lives as well as their family lives are in danger. It is hard for us to understand because we are privileged and live in a developed country with many rights, so it's hard for our minds to actually comprehend how they live. However, i see that all of these people may not be those "cruel Muslims" like we assume them to be. Some people do it to simply stay alive. I feel so bad for people like this from other countries.

Blog #5

For my career, I hope to become an English teacher. Later in life, i may even want to be some type of a counselor. Initially, I wanted to be a teacher because it was a job with a decent amount salary, where i would only have to spend only four additional years in school for. It would have been a good job, in the least amount of time. However, i started to really get passionate about wanting to become a teacher for two reasons. first, after i had my daughter, me and her bonded. She is very intelligent (she knows all of her body parts, and knows how to recognize a few words, im not going to say read...:) , and i feel that i did a very good job raising her, and i believe that i have the skills to help other children, not only learn, but to like learning. Also after i had my daughter i went through a lot and i had a teacher who was really there for me, and helped me to persevere through my trials. She eve went as far todrivng me to and from school everyday. She really showed that she cared, and made an huge impact on my life; until this very day we talk at least three times a week. i would like to help somebody,and make a difference in their life like she made in mine. I believe that i can be that teacher who touches a child heart. Also, in my future i will like to travel all over the world,and become more familiar with different cultures. however, i would like to work in my community where i am from to give back to where i came from, but i do not want to live there.i would like my daughter to grow up in a better environment. I already have a daughter, i do not want anymore kids; i just want to spoil the one i got. :) Hopefully, me and my boyfriend, my daughter's father, will be ready to get married after graduating from college, and starting our careers.

Blog # 4

I found Greg Mortenson's blog to be very intriguing and surprising. There have been many occassions when people decide to do something nice for a particular cause, and then after they accomplish it, they continue living their life, and forget about it. However, looking at Gregs blog, I see that he did not only build a school for the people of Korphe, but he have made phlianthrophic work apart of his life. This is very commendable because even though I feel that i am a thoughtful and caring person, i do not think that i would have did that. I may have volunteered here or there, but you can really sense Greg's sincerity in all of the projects that he have done. That is commendable. Two things that I have learned from his blogs is that his daughter is now twelve years old ( I know she is proud of her father), and that he has various other projects that he have worked on, and some that he is still in the process of completing.

Blog # 3

There are many people in my life whom have impacted my life, and changed me for the better. However, there is one person who have tremendously transformed me into a better, more responsible, determined and motivated person. if you take a look at my blog name and my blog picture, you can pretty much guess who this person is; my daughter, Ky'Lae. Previously in my life I was facing alot of adversity. I had to deal with the death of my mother, my sick grandfather, and other misfortunes that come along with living below the poverty line. I was not able to handle all of the things being thrown at me, and i went into a destructive state. I stopped caring about myself, and those around me. I stopped attending school, and no longer was concerned about my future.i felt that i was a failure and that there was nothing that i could do that would change that. However, this all changed when I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Ky'Lae Yvette Jones. As, I stared into her bright, brown eyes, sill pumped with epidoral and morphine, high as a kite is when i had my epiphany. It was at this moment when i realized so many things. It seemed as though i grew up more in those few seconds than i had in my entire life. I realized that from this moment on, I had to transform into a mother, because i now had a little person to look after. I realized that i had to do good in school, so that i can go to college, and get a good job, so that i can provide for my daughter. I refuse to let my daughter want for anything; she gave me so much, and now it's time for me to return the favor. If it was not for my daughter I would probably be a high school drop out. It is because of her that i finished high school, with honors, and is now attending Montclair State University, a very motivated and determined person. My entire life is dedicated to my daughter; i will do anything for her. I love you Ky'lae; you are my HEART!!!

Blog #2

I have participated in many different charities, and other forms of volunteer work, but not as much as i would have liked to. For example, whenever i did any type of philanthropic work, it was organized or controlled by another person and/or organization. The types of volunteer work that i have participated in is tutoring disabled children, helping out at nursing homes, as well as the local hospital, and helping out at my school. i have also raised money, collected clothing, and canned goods for unfortunate people. One day, I would like to take more initiative and actually organize my own charity to help a group of people of my choice, so that i can experience the feeling that Greg Mortenson did in the novel, "Three Cups of Tea". i hope that one day i will have the type of motivation that Greg had that made him want to build a school for a country that he was not even from. That is a very benevolent attribute to have.

Blog #1

Being that the United States is a world power, and is one of the most powerful nations in the world, many things are taken for granted in the United States. U.S citizens are blessed with electricity, indoor plumbing, an enormous supply of jobs, and an infinite amount of opportunities. Everyone has the opportunity to do what they want in this country, and to become successful in life. Many other countries do not have these blessings. I do not think that the United States and its citizens will ever truly care about the people who live in other countries, because what they go through has no effect on our lives. I feel that the only time that the United States is concerned with another countries' problems is when it effect us or when they have a hidden agenda. Therefore, the only way that Americans can be convinced to truly care about the problems of other countries is to take away all of their amenities so that they can experience poverty, and experience discrimination, and not being able to go to school. In the novel, "Three Cups of Tea" Greg wanted to visit the school, and when he did he saw a group of kids practicing their multiplication tables, with no teacher. As Greg mentioned, that is not likely to happen in America, because American citizens take education as well as everything else for granted. Also, Greg mentioned in the novel how he felt compassion for these kids because it reminded him of how he grew up in Africa, and also because it reminded him how his sister had to struggle for everything that she wanted, just as they did.If Americans can develop this type of passion for others, and not just think of themselves, the entire world could be a better place, and not only Americans can be privileged. Hopefully, some day the entire world can be well off, as the United States.