What is the What Post #3

Quote #1: " 'Come in, come in!' Phil said.

...I turned to Achor Ahor, to give him a look that would urge him to leave, but he was too busy marvelling at the house.  It was obvious that Achor Achor and Piol and Dau had already forgotten about whatever meeting they had planned. They were staying for dinner."

This was said by Phil, Achak's mentor, and the narrator on page 160.

Quote #1 Significance: I think that this reflects the positive side on how they've been treated in America.  I think it shows how the people who know what they've been through, and the people who respect their experiences treat them with kindness and respect.  Also, it shows how hospitable Phil and Stacey are, and how they don't really care about them being immigrants.

Quote #1 Character Judgement: I think that Phil is a nice man, and I think that he does a lot for the Lost Boys.  I think that he does it for them because maybe he feels like he has a lot, and that he should try to help them out.  Also, since he's heard their stories, he understands their experiences, and that they deserve a better life than what they're getting.

Question #1: So far, what do you think about how Achak feels about Phil's contributions?

Quote #2: *After the helicopter comes close, but doesn't fire: "Sometimes we were worht their bulletts and bombs, and other times we were not." 

Quote #2 Significance: I chose this quote because I think it shows part of their journey, and how their lives weren't easy.  It shows how they were always being hunted, but they never knew what was really going on.  Also, I think that they are in survival mode, instead of an everyday mode because they're constantly trying to live just to stay alive.

Quote #2 Character Judgement: I think that since Achak has had so many experiences, he probably doesn't get upset over a lot of small things.  He has gone through a lot of pain, violence, and overall, some really unforgettable experiences. Also, I think that he knows so much about the survival way of living, that he doesn't know very much because he lost his childhood because of the war.

Question #2: Do you think that some of them just give up trying to hide, or do you think that they still have energy left to try to live as much as possible?

What is the What Post #2

Quote #1: “...Drain a pond to catch a fish? They are draining the pond in which the rebels might be born or supported. They are ruining Dinkaland so that no rebels can ever again rise from this region...They win on many levels. They have our cattle. They have our land. They have our people to mind the cattle they have stolen from us.” This was said by Dut, who lead the large group of boys on page 126.

Quote #1 Significance: This quote sums up why they had to leave their homes, and their families, because they didn't even know if they had families anymore. Also, it shows what was really going on in the war. For me, it explained a lot about what was really happening in the war, and why their towns were being burned down, and why their people and their things were being stolen.

Quote #1 Personal Connection: I have never really been stolen from before, but one of my best friends was stolen from before. After they were stolen from, they decided to make changes, for example, they locked all of their doors everyday. That situation wasn't very major, but in the book, their lives were stolen from, so they had to flee from where they were if they could.

Question #1: How do you think they feel after being taken away from their home towns and their family, and everything they grew up knowing?  How do you think it affects them?

Quote #2: “-- We're the target, Achak. Look at us. Too many boys. Everyone wants us dead. God wants us dead. He's trying to kill us.”

Quote #2 Significance: I chose this quote because its part of their journey to America. I think it shows some of the major hardships that they had to go through while on their journey away from the war. Also, I think it shows how hard it is for them not knowing when they're going to die, or how long the war will be.

Quote #2 Personal Connection: I have never felt like I was being hunted down before, but I ave been chased by animals before (my dog :D). I think it is similar in a way knowing that you are being persecuted, but not knowing if, when, or how they would catch you. His condition was much more severe than my connection, but I think it shows how it is not a good feeling to be chased after and hunted.

Questions #2:  Have you ever had a near death experience before? If not, have you ever had a critical injury before (i.e. broken bones, fracture)?  What was it like, and how does it relate to their experiences?

Field Trip Reflection

Part I.  From Haven to Home

The purpose of this exhibit about jews coming to America is so inform people about how important different cultures are to America.  I think it was also there to educate people on the history of jews in America and the hard times that they over came in history.

From going to this exhibit, I learned a lot about the history of Jews in America in general.  I learned that under a well-known synagogue, the Touro Synagogue, was the underground railroads.  It was originally there for the jews from the 17-18 century, but was later used for slaves.  I also learned that a lot of famous jews have contributed to the American Society such as Albert Einstein, Mary Antin, and Levi Strauss.  9,000 jews fought for the Union, and 3,000 American jews fought for the Confederacy.  General Ulysses S. Grant created a bill that would eliminate all jew from territory, until, as requested, Abraham Lincoln acted upon stopping the bill.

Part II.  Children of Immigrants

1.  The picture that I chose was of a little Mexican girl looking up at the American Flag in the middle of a big city.  This picture struck me because you never think about how young or how old immigrants are, and how children don't help their parents decide to immigrate to the US.

2.  "If we stayed in Bosnia we would have been killed.  Although no one can predict he future, just imagine a 7 year-old child wondering if he would be killed the next day or spared in this world we call home." -Denis Tuzinori, Bosnia,        from between cultures

I chose this quote because, like the picture i chose, it shows how children are deprived of their childhoods and forced to go into survival mode in order to stay alive.  This quote shows how the US should be a haven for immigrants, and how a lot of immigrants don't just move to the US without a reason.

3.  The personal essay that I chose shows how a lot of immigrants have escaped war and violence that has come to their doorsteps.  They escape to the US looking for freedom, opportunities, and a lot of immigrants are trying to start a new, peaceful  life.

What is the What Post #1

Quote #1: "'Just sit down, Africa,' he says, nodding to my couch.

I stand. 'What is she doing in my bedroom?'

'Just sit your ass down,' he says, now with venom.

I sit and now he shows me the handle of the gun."

The quote was said by first the burglar named Powder, then Achak ("Valentino"), then the narrator on page 10.

When this event happens in the book, Achak has been living in America for a few years with several other people from Sudan.  His family had been stolen from before, but he hadn't.  Other people in America did not treat him or the other Lost Boys the same as American citizen's.  They were treated bad because of their race, because they had accents, and because they were immigrants.

Powder is the accomplice of the other burglar, who raided Achak's and his roommate's house.  He is really intense, and not very considerate of other people.  He doesn't seem like he wants to be her accomplice, but he seems to have walked into the wrong situation, and it looks like she's the one in charge.

Question #1:  Why do you think he was treated badly only because he was an immigrant?

Quote #2:  " We wanted it all immediately--homes, families, college, the ability to send money home, advanced degrees, and finally some influence."

This quote was written by the narrator, from the point of view of Achak, on page 13.

I think that they are having a hard time achieving all of these things simply because they are not citizens.  Also, it seems that he is having a hard time in America because he was expecting a lot, and compared to his peaceful life, his life in America isn't meeting his expectations.

Before, I have expected a lot, and things have not met my expectations before.  Also, sometimes you think something will happen faster than you think, for example homework.  Even though his situation is much more extreme, it is easily relatable, feeling like you should be accomplishing much more than you are.

Question #2:  What are some of the reasons why you think he has not accomplished some of the things he wanted to?

Immigration Reflection

Immigration Reflection

Immigration can be seen all around the world in many different forms. My definition of an immigrant is someone who leaves their country and goes to another country. Normally, they will not go back to their original country. They could be migrating for many different reasons such as freedom, or for financial reasons.

My connection to immigration is mainly through books and experience. I have read a few books about immigration where families are trying to immigrate to another country because there is a war where they live, they are being persecuted, or because of violence related circumstances. Immigration doesn't always happen because of violence, however. I have been to Mexico before, and in my experience, they are immigrating because of financial reasons. I have also heard a lot about immigration through politics, and the different policies about it.

My grandmother is the person who most directly relates me to immigration. As a kid, she immigrated to the United States from England. Because of the freedoms that we have in the United States, her parents decided to migrate here. I also have some friends who are immigrants.

I think a lot of people immigrate to the United States because of the first amendment, and, overall, were have a lot of freedom. Some countries have one specific religion, and they aren't very racially balanced, but in the US we can choose our religion, and there isn't a lot of racism.

Being within miles from the Mexico/United States border, immigration has effected San Diego.  It has effected things from our food to our schools.  It has affected our food because there is a lot more Mexican food restaurants in San Diego than there would be if there weren't immigrants living here.  Also, it has affected jobs. Immigrants have taken jobs in San Diego which would have to be filled otherwise.  In school, immigrants do make class sizes larger, however, it makes our culture more widely spread.  Without immigrants, San Diego would probably be a lot different.