How to Say Meat in Japanese

Whether youre ordering a meal at a Japanese restaurant or shopping for meat products at a Japanese grocery store, knowing the basic words for types of meat will come in handy. Learn the kanji characters and proper Japanese pronunciation for meat along with other meat-related  vocabulary. For a complete meal, make sure you also know some basic  vegetable vocabulary. Japanese Meat Vocabulary Click the  link to hear the pronunciation. English Japanese Pronunciation Kanji Characters Meat niku Beef gyuuniku Pork butaniku Chicken toriniku Lamb hitsujiniku Turkey shichimenchou Sausage sooseeji Bacon beekon Ham hamu

Racism and African-American Family Breakdown as Themes in...

Iconic Contemporary Themes Displayed: Ernest J. Gainess A Lesson Before Dying I was not there, yet I was there. No, I did not go to the trial, I did not hear the verdict, because I knew all the time what it would be... (3). Ernest J. Gaines begins his contemporary masterpiece with a captivating and explosive first paragraph. Immediately capturing the readers attention, the fast paced novel takes us on a voyage of thematic discovery. Through the voice of Grant Wiggins, a school teacher disgruntled by his constant struggle for communal equality, we learn of the present conditions that face our central characters and the contemporary themes that sum up the novel. Racism is announced at the forefront of the story. The reader is†¦show more content†¦Grant undoubtedly fears having to take the entire scope of racism on his shoulders alone, knowing that a fatal collapse would be the result. Grant fiercely displays his anguish in a conversation with his Aunt: Everything you sent me to school for, youre stripping me of it, I told my aunt. They were looking at the fire, and I stood behind them with the bag of food. The humiliation I had to go through, going in that mans kitchen. The hours I had to wait while they ate and drank and socialized before they would even see me. Now going up to that jail. To watch them put their dirty hands on that food. To search my body each time as if Im some kind of common criminal. Maybe today theyll want to look into my mouth, or my nostrils, or make me strip. Anything to humiliate me. All the things you wanted me to escape by going to school. (79) During his emotional spill, Grant resorts to the maniacal thought that his aunt has something to do with the racism he experiences. Ironically, it is the seemingly racist words of Jeffersons defense attorney that fuels the spectrum of the novel, and the eventual salvation of both Jefferson and Grant. A chief theme of the novel is commented upon by Grant himself. During a memorable speech given to Vivian, he adamantly explains that a vicious cycle of male abandonment has taken place inShow MoreRelatedSocial, Political, And Family Issues On August Wilson s Fences1596 Words   |  7 Pagesand Family Issues in August Wilson’s Fences August Wilson’s Fences depicts life in the 1950s for a typical African American family. The play touches upon racism, shifting family dynamics, and the politics of war. While racism plays an important and vital role in the play, instead of lamenting the issue, Wilson uses the characters as a weapon against the rampant racism of the time. In the same fashion, the relationship between Troy, Rose, and Cory demonstrates the shifting cultural and family dynamicsRead MoreDo The Right Thing?1388 Words   |  6 Pagestechniques that paved the way for a firm delivery of the film’s message. Lastly, a careful analysis of the film will specify how the power of films can become instruments of social revolution and progress. THE DIRECTOR’S CRAFT â€Å"Do the Right Thing† tackles racism head on through the lens of different characters. The title sequence effectively set the tone of the film as it played the film’s leitmotif—Fight the Power by Public Enemy. It resembles the opening to The Cosby Show that had the protagonist â€Å"TheRead MoreToni Morrison s Sula Broken Minds : A Psychological Perspective1286 Words   |  6 Pagescausation behind each character’s psychological mind, the reader must employ an African American critical theoretical method when analyzing the literature. 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In each chapter of the book, Wright recounts nostalgic and painful memories about his background that influenced his transformation toRead MoreRacism, Assimilation, Personal Pride, And Dreams For The Future2029 Words   |  9 Pages by diminishing somebody else. Walter’s family define what it means to have good character, through means of hardship and how they overcome said hardship. In Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, faces struggles of racism, assimilation, personal pride, and dreams for the future form major themes influencing and developing the characters throughout the play. Racism plays an integral role in, A Raisin in the Sun, as it serves as the overarching theme of the play, influencing decisions and feelingsRead MoreKill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee1958 Words   |  8 Pagesfor both races, Whites and African Americans. The cruelty of racism still loomed over communities and this had a huge impact on the children of this decade. To Kill a Mockingbird exhibits the harsh cruelty of racism and stereotyping throughout a community through tangent events and show the impact it has on children’s innocence through the perspective of Scout and Jem Finch. These two children of a respected lawyer are forced to face the cruelty of violence and racism while their father fights forRead MoreInvisible Man, Race And Racism1822 Words   |  8 PagesIn the novel Invisible Man, race and racism is a constant issue of equality and inequality. In the 1960s, a black man confronts racism against not only to white folks, but society’s from degradation, but the narrator s experiences in the battle royal and his role in perceived the Brotherhood organization. However, the novel goes more in-depth in a race that makes it hard to find an individual identity. Finding out that the outside context of racism is more imposed into others while the narratorRead MoreComparative Essay : Bluest Eye And The House On Mango Street1981 Words   |  8 Pages The novel constantly refers to white American icons of beauty and innocence such as Greta Garbo, Ginger Rogers, and Shirley Temple. Toni Morrison expressed,† Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs-all the world had agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, pink-skinned doll was what every girl child treasured† (Morrison 20). During this time African-American girls were encouraged to aspire to be white. All the female African-American characters in the novel have grown up inRead MoreAn Interview With A Public School Setting1713 Words   |  7 Pagesworked with were H ispanics and African-Americans, with the demographic breakdown of his first school being 20% African-American, 35% Hispanic, and 60% low income. During conversation, John admits that he strongly identifies with â€Å"white middle class† and feels his beliefs and values are consistent with the â€Å"average American†. He also admits that he entered the field with the naà ¯ve impression that everyone was more or less striving to attain the same â€Å"Middle-White-American dream†. As he quickly learnedRead MoreAlice Walkers Themes of Womanism, Community, and Regeneration1968 Words   |  8 PagesLi 1 Angel Li Mrs. Harper English 6H 7th February 2011 Alice Walkers Themes of Womanism, Community, and Regeneration Alice Walker is considered one of the most influential African American writers of the 20th century, because of her raw portrayal of African American struggles and the injustices towards black women. She was the first African American female novelist to win both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for The Color Purple. Her work is appealing and powerful because

The Hobbit By JRR Tolken Essay Research free essay sample

The Hobbit By J.R.R. Tolken Essay, Research Paper The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolken Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, one of a race of short, timid animals who live in cosy tunnels and who prefer to maintain their lives ordered and predictable. One twenty-four hours, he out of the blue finds himself playing host to Gandalf the ace and 13 midgets. The midgets, with Gandalf # 8217 ; s assist, program to go to the Lonely Mountain to retrieve the hoarded wealth that a firedrake named Smaug stole from their people long ago. Gandalf has selected Bilbo to be their burglar. The midgets are non excessively happy with the ace # 8217 ; s pick, particularly when Bilbo swoons at the first talk of danger. But Gandalf insists there is more to the small hobbit than meets the oculus. Bilbo himself is non certain that he is happy about being chosen burglar. But a portion of him does hanker for escapade, and so one spring forenoon he finds himself puting out for Lonely Mountain with Gandalf and the 13 midgets. We will write a custom essay sample on The Hobbit By JRR Tolken Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He does non turn out really helpful at first. But so something happens that alterations Bilbo # 8217 ; s life. He finds a charming ring that makes him unseeable, and has several chances to utilize it to deliver the midgets from danger and imprisonment. They go rather impressed by him, and even trust on him, merely as Gandalf foretold. Bilbo and the midgets eventually reach Lonely Mountain, the place of Smaug the firedrake. The midgets send Bilbo down a secret transition to the firedrake # 8217 ; s den. Bilbo has more assurance in himself now and non merely steals a cup, but manages to keep his ain in a conversation with the crafty Smaug ( non an easy thing to make ) .Furious that person has dared steal a piece of his hoarded wealth, Smaug onslaughts the versant where the midgets have their cantonment. Then he flies toward Lake- town, to penalize the dwellers for assisting the midgets. The people of Lake-town tally at the sight of Smaug, but one adult male, Bard, holds his land. He kills the firedrake with his last pointer and flights before Smaug falls, nailing the town. Believing the midgets are dead, an ground forces of work forces, led by Bard, and an ground forces of elves march toward the Lonely Mountain to split the hoarded wealth. They find to their surprise that the midgets are still alive. Bard, because he killed the firedrake, claims his rightful portion of the hoarded wealth. When the midgets refuse to resignation it, the ground forces besieges the mountain. Bilbo tries to stop the difference by stealing the Arkenstone, the piece of hoarded wealth most valued by the leade R of the midgets. He gives the gem to Bard, trusting it can be used to coerce the midgets to negociate. Bilbo # 8217 ; s courage wins him praise from all but the midgets, who are ferocious with him. When more midgets arrive from the North, they are determined to contend. Just as war begins to interrupt out, an ground forces of hobs and wild wolves onslaught. The midgets, elves, and work forces forget their differences and fall in together to maintain from being killed. Help comesat the clip of greatest demand, and the hobs are defeated. Bilbo finds that he # 8217 ; s a hero, honored by work forces and elves and even given a portion of the hoarded wealth. But he # 8217 ; s had sufficiency of escapade and sets off for place with Gandalf. Once at that place, he finds that his house and trappingss are being auctioned off, since everyone believed him dead. Finally, everything is straightened out and he is able to settle down once more into his old, comfy life. Although from so on, he is considered bizarre by his neighbours, he continues his friendly relationship with elves and midgets and the ace, merrily telling his narratives to any who will listen. Subjects are rather apparent throughout the narrative of The Hobbit and some of them were more important than others. The inquiry of determinism is merely hinted at in the last chapter of The Hobbit, when Gandalf suggests to Bilbo that his escapades may hold been completed for some higher intent. In The Hobbit the immoralities of possessiveness can be easy seen. The hobbits are corrupted by their desire for hoarded wealth, and their greed about leads to war with work forces and elves. The chief subject that prevails in this Tolken novel is the on traveling battle between the elite and the plebeians. This can be seen most clearly in The Hobbit. They are weak and frequently foolish, yet capable of great Acts of the Apostless of gallantry that amaze even the really wise and the such as when Bilbo stole the ownerships of Smaug. The Hobbit was a heroic poem novel written by the greatest writer of his clip. The Hobbit falls in the series of books that include The Lord of the Rings and have a full book decision to the trilogy called The Simacurilium. The manner that Tolken writes his book is a manner that brings forth the fealing that it is being read to aloud and the reader is acctually along side Gandalf due to the usage of vivid words and different literary techniques. The novels are rather deserving reading and a 1 is promised that they shall non acquire bored with Gandalf and all his fantastic escapades.

Preventing Violence at Schools with Mobile App

Preventing Violence at Schools with Mobile App Every time we find out about another tragedy happened at schools, be it a suicide of a student or shooting, the first question we desperately ask is, â€Å"Why didn’t anyone see alarm signals in students’ behavior?† Some experts claim that there is a way to do so: monitoring teenagers’ activity on mobile apps and popular social platforms. After Parkland shooting in 2018, one of the largest mass murders in the history of school shooting, more than a hundred institutions hired monitoring companies to identify tragedies before they happen. Schools all over the country continue to do so. In addition to this, strict weapon insurance and modern technologies of face identification have been purchased by schools as well. However, there are no proofs that the companies are effective and work in a proper way. Unfortunately, in most cases, the effectiveness of such methods is not something we can rely on. According to the materials obtained through the contract reviews, there are no direct connections between monitoring and prevented violence. At the same time, a lot of innocent students get into troubles. And it goes even without discussing that their right for privacy suffers significantly. The problem is that monitoring programs use a primitive analyzing method. They never take people, who stand behind the posts, into account. Instead, the bulks of posts are reviewed automatically for keywords and phrases. Typically, programs check the geographic location of users to find out whether posts can be flagged as dangerous. As a rule, schools receive about 3-6 alerts per day, most of which are just regular waggery. In 2013, A. Yousefi was expelled from college for posting a tweet that he will â€Å"chop the teacher’s throat,† which was a local joke in the circle of his peers. Rarely the companies are capable of detecting something serious, but in some cases harmless jokes become a reason for an expel. When the incident at Parkland happened, the shooter posted a video on YouTube, informing that he is about to commit a mass murder. This was a real danger with serious consequences and only watchful users paid attention to it, reporting the case to FBI. The other companies pay attention to particular people and groups, when launching their monitoring programs. They also analyze online behavior and dialogues young people have in specific Internet communities. In some cases, this type of monitoring provides a wider picture of social tendencies in the modern community of youngsters, still the main problems remain. First, how is it possible to know if a real threat was prevented? It is very hard to measure something that has never occurred in the reality. Second, specific rules of confidentiality and privacy should be followed. When they are, the rights of the monitoring companies decrease to minimum. As it becomes obvious, contradictions are serious. Some students have been accused of being a dab hand with weapons, the others were blamed for having threatening language, and even for holding too much dollars on their Instagram photos. Sometimes, such things are enough for officials to suggest that students are gang-members or potential killers. Deciding the parameters here is almost impossible. Indeed, protection of children is a natural desire of the adult people. The level of responsibility and unpredictable danger is incredibly high. At the same time, we believe that the external provisions cannot become effective without internal changes. Forced restrictions and limitations bring results rarely. Maybe, schools and families should pay more attention to engaging with young adults, who are having hard times as college students.

Graduation free essay sample

Graduate. I will graduate. I will be a graduate. Verb. Noun. Verb:to graduate. To turn away from the comfort and security of my home, myown bed, whose bulky, floral comforter envelops me even in the summer, when I get lost in the pillows of my innocence. My seldom clean room, my brothers annoying, blaring music downstairs, which rattles thefloor, in a violent, but somehow endearing earthquake. To abandonWallys Mobile, and Main Street, New City, (in all its disarray), with cars flying by, bouncing over the raised manhole covers and sewerdrains, zig-zagging through a temporary course lined with orange cones, trying to pass for a roadway. Drivers cursing the town for taking so long to complete the road widening, while also noting that each shoppingcenter is in desperate need of a paint job. I wonder, Why have Ibecome so attached to my utterly boring daily life? The answer lies inthe question: MY utterly boring daily life, The one chosen for me. We will write a custom essay sample on Graduation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The one I must leave. I wont only graduate from high school, Butfrom clean, folded laundry on my bed each day, From my brothers LittleLeague games, and school concerts, My little blue Jetta in the driveway, And Davids Bagels breakfast before midterms. I wish I could takethese things With me to Baltimore, To Johns Hopkins University WhereI will not be the big sister, the helpful daughter, thetrustworthy friend. I will simply be the noun. The graduate, Agraduate among many. I will be just one in a mass of My peers, Whom Iwill see in passing at Open houses and receptions. None can see withinme, Or know where I have been, Or what I have been through. But maybethey feel the same. I feel clogged, Suffocated by the thoughts andpressures, By the discouraging people who remind me that Its goingto be hard, hard work. Give me the courage, Not to toss aside mychildhood In this small, suburban town, But just to tuck itaway, Hidden, Away from any outside influence, Or harm, In a placewhere I can always find it again.

5 Tips to Write an Excellent UCF Application Essay

5 Tips to Write an Excellent UCF Application Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The University of Central Florida, commonly known as UCF, is one of the largest colleges in the United States. Over 50,000 students are enrolled at UCF, but that doesn’t mean it’s super easy to get in- UCF has an acceptance rate of 49.9 percent, meaning they accept just under half of students who apply. To set yourself apart from the crowd, you’ll want to write a stellar UCF application essay. Don’t think that the fact that these essays are optional means they’re not important; they’re an additional opportunity to show why you’ll be a great addition to the student body! In this guide, we’ll cover all the details of the UCF essay prompts, including how to answer them, what UCF is looking for, and a step-by-step guide to make your essay as strong as it can be. All roads lead to choosing to write the UCF application essay. What Should You Know About the UCF Application Essay? Unlike many schools, only freshman students can use the Common Application to apply to UCF. Otherwise, students must use UCF’s own application, which is also available to freshman students. However, there are some differences between the two. UCF's website includes a recommendation, but not a requirement, for a supplemental essay based on two of four prompts, outlined below.However, the instructions for the essay include the phrase, "The personal statements are a very important part of your application," so while they may not actually be required, you should write them as if they are. The Common Application includes two questions that do not appear on the UCF application, and reports from students suggest that UCF sends a follow-up email with instructions for how to complete the supplemental essays. The essays on the Common Application are flagged as optional, but, as with the UCF application, you should answer them as if they're required to be on the safe side. If staring wistfully out the window helps your writing process, do it! What Are the UCF Application Essay Prompts? Though the UCF essays aren’t technically required according to the college's website, it’s strongly suggested that you complete them. They’re an opportunity to flesh out your application with a more complete picture of yourself, which is valuable to both UCF and you. UCF has four essay prompts to choose from and instructs students to respond to two. According to previous applicants, UCF accepts those responses in one combined essay or in two separate statements. The responses, whether in one single essay or in two essays, should total no more than 500 words or 7,000 characters combined. Be sure that your essay or essays fall below both the word and character count. UCF has four essay prompts for you to choose from, though you only need to answer two of the prompts. The questions can either be answered in one essay or two, depending on which you prefer. If there has been some obstacle or bump in the road in your academic or personal life, please explain the circumstances. With this prompt, UCF is giving you an opportunity to explain any parts of your application that may not be as impressive as you’d like them to be. Many students aren’t able to commit to extracurriculars as deeply as they’d like because of financial problems or because they need to work or otherwise help out their family. Other times, students may not be able to keep their grades up as well as they’d like due to family illness or other obstacles that can make staying on top of homework difficult. Circumstances like these are out of your control but can cause hiccups in your education, which might not look good to colleges. This prompt gives you space to explain that, giving UCF a better picture of who you are as a student. So if you’ve encountered any hardship that’s had an impact on your education, it’s smart to take advantage of this essay question and explain it. If your grades dipped in junior year because you had to pick up an after-school job to help your parents out, let UCF know! Not only does that explain changes to your grades, but it also demonstrates responsibility. If you can explain your GPA based on outside circumstances, take advantage of the opportunity and do so. Be honest about challenges you’ve faced, and accept responsibility for things that you could have done better. Your answer to this question should demonstrate anything you’ve learned from the experience and how you’ve grown rather than just shifting blame to outside circumstances. Don’t stop at writing about what happened- continue on to answer what you did about it. However, be sure that what you write about is an actual hardship. Being bored with your classes or being more invested in something else, such as an extracurricular activity, doesn’t qualify- this question is asking for obstacles outside of your control. How has your family history, culture or environment influenced who you are? This is a fairly standard background essay, which asks you to think about your upbringing and how that’s shaped the person you’ve become. Because UCF has a fairly short word limit, be sure to pick one particular element and hone in on it rather than spending time painting a complete portrait of your family history. Information like this helps a college like UCF better understand what you’ll be bringing to the student body. Our upbringings often give us unique perspectives and abilities, which contribute to a thriving campus culture. In a school of over 50,000 students, it might feel like there’s nothing particularly unique about you, but there is- this essay prompt helps you discuss it. Don’t get too hung up on picking something dramatic to set your family or culture apart from everybody else’s. If you grew up in a family that really loves fishing and it’s made you a more patient, hands-on person, write about that! On the other hand, if you grew up as part of a traveling circus and that’s made you long for a place to put down roots, write about that! The most important thing with this question is to be honest, thoughtful, and specific. Pick something that really matters to you, and think deeply on what it means. Provided you are honest, thoughtful, and specific, there aren’t a lot of topics you should avoid on this one, though always be aware that, if you choose to write about something potentially inflammatory, the admissions office may not feel the same way about things that you do. Your audience is made up of strangers, so choose something you’re comfortable sharing with people who don’t know you and deciding whether or not you’ll get into college based in part on what you write. Why did you choose to apply to UCF? â€Å"Why This School?† essays are common in college applications because they require you to think beyond a school’s reputation and get specific about why you want to go there. Colleges want to know that your interest goes beyond ticking another box on your college list- you should have a reason to attend beyond that you think you can get in! To answer this question, try to get specific. What is it about UCF that appeals to you? You can look through their mission statement, course catalog, and clubs to find things that appeal to you, or refer to experiences at a campus visit or college fair. Connect your interest in UCF to something concrete. For example, UCF has part of its mission statement dedicated to creativity, which should â€Å"enrich the human experience.† Why does that matter to you? When you attend UCF, how do you hope to use creativity to enrich the human experience, too? If you can, make connections to real-life classes or clubs that you want to belong to, such as the Cypress Dome Society or Elements of Hip Hop. What interests do you have? What are your goals? How will these clubs help connect you to your student body? The most important things to avoid in this essay response are the things everybody else is already saying- that UCF has a good reputation and that it has a nice campus. Assume that both of those things go without saying. What else does UCF have to offer? What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community? This prompt is the flip side of the â€Å"Why This College?† prompt- instead of asking why you want to attend UCF, UCF is asking why they should want you. Think beyond everything UCF already knows about you, like your grades and test scores. Assume that every student applying has exactly the same grades and scores as you do, and then decide what it is about you that’s different. What else do you have to offer? Choose something you haven’t discussed already, and be sure that you embrace that UCF is asking for what makes you unique. UCF wants to know about you as an individual, which could be anything from how you have the patience to make the perfect tamale to how your time leading a guild in World of Warcraft taught you about leading by example and connecting with people. UCF has lots of people with good GPAs and test scores- does it have enough tamale makers and guild leaders? Aim to fill the unique gaps only you can fill! Attending college isn’t just about attending classes, getting good grades, and moving on with a degree to show it. You’ll be part of a thriving campus culture, and UCF wants to know that you’ll be participating and enriching it. Beyond not focusing on things UCF already knows, always be sure that you’re presenting your best self. The people reading your essays are strangers, and may not get your sense of humor if you try to be tongue-in-cheek in this section. Be honest and thoughtful in a way that others will understand, especially because this essay will likely be their first impression of you. A good notebook isn't required for writing your UCF essays, but it sure does feel nice. What Are the UCF Common Application Essay Prompts? If you're applying to UCF using the Common Application, the requirements are a little different. The Common Application includes two additional questions that do not appear on the UCF application, which are flagged as optional. Still, there's no reasonnot to answer them- the wordcounts are short, they provide extra context for your application, and they're valuable questions for both you and UCF to reflect on. According to students who've applied to UCF, after finishing the Common Application, UCF will follow up with you with additional requirements, including responding to the additional essay prompts covered above. Though these essays are optional, it's still a good idea to answer them. Be sure that you don't answer the same prompt twice, as one of the Common Application prompts is almost the same as the one in the UCF application.You only have 250 words each, so be brief and clear rather than spending a lot of time painting a vivid picture. Why are you interested in UCF? As in the UCF application essay prompts, this question is asking why you want to attend UCF. Think beyond widely applicable answers like citing their reputation, campus, or weather- assume the admissions office already knows all that. Why UCF over any other good, beautiful, warm-weather school? What specifically draws you there? UCF wants to know that you're committed to attending not just as somebody who wants a good name on their diploma, but as somebody who's dedicated to UCF's mission and programs. Showing that UCF, not just their credibility or campus, matters to you is a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants. To do this, you need to get specific. Drill deep into what makes you want to attend UCF, and connect it to specifics. Campus visits are a great way to make these specific connections, but if you can't visit, you can also comb through the course catalog, club list, or mission statement. Show UCF that you don't just see yourself proudly holding a diploma with their seal- show them you see yourself learning, growing, and participating in campus culture along the way. Discuss your reasons for pursuing the academic program (major) selected above. Like the first question, this prompt wants to know more about you as an individual student. Think about what draws you to your major beyond prestige or salary. What should UCF know about you and your connection to your program beyond your GPA and extracurriculars? Questions like this show your dedication, which can be an important factor in admissions. Schools want to know that you're committed to your studies, and an essay that shows a deeper connection to your field is more likely to impress them. Take some time to craft a response that's insightful and honest- this essay will show UCF that you're truly passionate about what you study. You don't have a lot of space to answer this question- just 250 words- so be sure to focus on one specific thing rather than being comprehensive. Did trying and failing to grow strawberries lead you down the path to becoming a botanist? Did you decide to put your reputation for bossiness as a kid to work as a business major? Due to the short wordcount, you're going to want to be brief. Don't pick a topic that's too big, and stay away from using answers that other people might use. It's great if you want to be a doctor because you want to help people, but why a doctor as opposed to a social worker? Your essay should clearly demonstrate why the field you've chosen is the perfect one for you. Believe it or not, relaxation is part of a good essay. Key Tips for the UCF Essay No matter what school you’re applying to, there are some strategies you can always follow to be sure that you have a good, strong essay. Follow these steps as you’re writing your UCF essay and you’ll have a much easier time wrangling your thoughts and shaping them into something that’ll impress the admissions office! #1: Brainstorm It’d be nice if you could just sit down and write a perfect draft on your first try, but that’s not how most of us work. Instead, start with a little brainstorming. Set a five-minute timer and give yourself free rein to come up with as many possible answers to the prompts as possible, even if the answers are silly or weird or absolutely not in a million years going to work. Don’t worry about it! Get everything you can think of down on paper now so you’re not trying to herd your thoughts back into shape later on. #2: Write a Draft The benefit of getting all your ideas down on paper is that now you can pick and choose the ones that sound the best without getting midway through an essay before deciding the topic isn’t working for you. Cross out the choices that aren’t strong enough to support a whole essay, even one as short as UCF’s, to get those out of the way. Spend a little more time brainstorming some different points to hit on with the remaining topics and pick the one that feels strongest. Using your brief outline, flesh the topic out into a full essay. Don’t worry about getting it perfect the first time- that’s what editing is for! #3: Edit Editing is tough; it means re-reading your work and dealing with all the flaws that creep in. But editing is what separates the good essays from the bad. Take a day or so away from your essay before diving back in to read it with fresher eyes, and try not to get frustrated as you go. Read your work aloud to help you find sentences that are too long or lacking in punctuation. Cut out extra words- those â€Å"really†s and â€Å"very†s aren’t doing any work for you- and rephrase to get as much of the essay into passive voice as you can. Read it aloud again, give it another pass, and keep going until you feel like your work is in as good of shape as you can possibly get it. #4: Get Feedback Now that you’ve put in some time in editing, it’s time for the next scary step: showing your work to others. Choose a few people who you trust to give you honest, useful feedback- people who know what a good essay looks like, not just people who are going to tell you it’s great- and ask them to take a look at it. Leave them with a copy to make notes on so that you can refer to them later. When you read their feedback, don’t take it too hard. Everything they have to say is a suggestion, and it’s ultimately up to you whether you want to use it or not. Your essay should always, always, always be your work; don’t rephrase things exactly as a teacher or counselor suggests if it isn’t how you would say it. Besides, readers aren’t always right about the best way to fix errors. If the people reading your essay are confused about something, take that seriously! But don’t feel like their suggestion to fix it is inherently the best way, especially if it contradicts your meaning. It’s okay to disagree- it is your essay, after all. #5: Revise and Submit Take another break from your essay. Always try to edit with fresh eyes, if you can- trying to make changes when you’ve already spent a lot of time editing can either mean you miss mistakes or that you get so frustrated you give up. Spend some time away, working on an essay for a different school or doing something else entirely before you come back to it. Now that you’ve had a break, take all that feedback you received and use it to spin your essay into gold. Smooth out places where readers were confused, and clean up any lingering grammar errors. Read it for clarity and flow, and tidy everything up. When you’ve reached a point where you’re satisfied, take one last break. Give yourself a little time away from it, then read it one more time. Are you happy with it? Great! It’s time to submit! Send it off to UCF and anxiously wait for your acceptance letter to arrive. What’s Next? As you're applying to UCF, it's good to be aware of their admission requirements. This guide will walk you through the average GPA and test scores at UCF to help you maximize your chances of getting in! College essays should always be targeted to the school you're applying to, but there are some essay-writing strategies that work no matter what school you're applying to. If you're applying to college, it's a good idea to be aware of how to apply for financial aid.Make a plan and stick to it to ensure you get the maximum money available to you! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

MUTUAL FUND (SLP) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MUTUAL FUND (SLP) - Essay Example This paper will discuss as to which mutual funds to be purchased from the available funds of $95000 and what criteria is used to purchase the same. Mutual Fund Purchase Decision One of the funds to be purchased with the available funds is High Dividend Equity Fund which tracks the performance of Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index.1 This fund is a relatively new fund and was launched during March 2011 however; one of the key reasons at to why this fund is picked is its low expense ratio. The overall expense ratio is 0.4% with no acquired fees and expenses. A low expense ratio is one of the key criteria to decide about purchasing a mutual fund though it is not the only criteria. (Barker, 2011). Further, the overall holding of the funs is in sectors which are relatively stable and provide regular dividends. Since its inception, fund has earned a total return of 4.39% whereas index returned 4.52%. 50% of the funds will be used in the purchase of this fund. Another fund to be purchase d with the available funds is the MSCI BRIC Index Fund which tracks this index2.

Limited Number of Parking Spaces at School Assignment

Limited Number of Parking Spaces at School - Assignment Example With facilitators and students competing for a space to park, there is a need for changes that will counter this issue (Will 250). Major strategies and steps are needed to ensure proper registration for parking at the start of every school year. Students should be provided with permits for parking, which will allow them the right to a parking space. By doing this, a record is provided that enables the administration to budget for the spaces available. In this light, expansions are required to cater for everyone. With the increase in students’ car ownership, there is a need to adjust the regulations set for parking spaces. For instance, use of adjacent land can be adapted in cases where schools have limited land resources. However, this will require the provision for residential parking. In addition, regulations can be set where there is parking timing and in residential where students are allowed hourly parking. This step will ease congestions and ensure that every individual has an opportunity to park. In other aspects, this problem can be dealt with via the limitation of parking privileges. Restrictions can be given for senior students only. Limiting the number of students driving to school will eventually minimize and discourage others from driving. Therefore, the use of individual vehicles will reduce, and space will be created. Introduction of parking fees will also help minimize congestions in parking spaces. This can be paid per year or semester. By introducing the fees, only individuals willing to pay will have parking spaces. Furthermore, the revenue collected will be used to improve the parking lots. In other instances, the capital can be utilized in expanding and acquiring other land that can be used for parking. Providing free parking for everyone encourages individuals lacking the right documentation to drive. This leads to increased incidences of accidents in the school. Therefore, proper documents should be submitted for every individual w ho will be driving. This will eventually ensure that only students with proper qualifications are allocated space for parking. Hard work should be put in the devising of residential houses to discourage use of cars. This can be achieved by huddling all parking in the exterior of development regions. In essence, this will discourage residents from driving to the interior of the residents. It will also limit the ownership of automobiles and thus ensure that the limited space available caters for the few individuals. Sharing services can also be implemented. Having a car on site for use when individuals require transportation is another step that can help reduce competition for parking. For example, ensuring that a bus is available at all times for the students. Building a parking garage in the schools for the students sees to the utilization of the limited space and creates enough parking spaces for all. This helps to improve the flow of traffic and parking overflow. Garages ensure en ough space is available for everyone as they create room for vehicles. Collaborating with local organizations to create a sharing relationship of facilities is another way of solving parking problems. This step will seemingly help to reduce the rates for parking and ensure that reticent spaces for parking are available. For example, allowing development areas to use the school parking during the weekends and holidays while students utilize their space during school days (Beatley 54). Another way could include adapting

Integrated Supply Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Integrated Supply Management - Essay Example They are also held responsible when it comes to helping the civil government in maintaining the country’s essential services. The demands of the Indian army have been increasing continuously since the issue of insurgents started. The army has been deployed to various part of the nation to protect its citizens and keep the people there safe. Army troops have been sent to Kashmir, Jammu and all the Northern parts of the nation. For the Indian army to be able to protect its people well and protect the Indian Territory from terrorists, the army has to be well prepared and well taught so that they are able to carry out operations in a manner that will help them give the best protection to their citizens. In order for this to happen, the army has to be equipped well; it has to be modernized and has to undergo a suitable structure process (Bharat, 2008). The Indian army is divided in to two categories, which include; the arms and the services. The services provide administration and logistics to the whole running of the army. While the arms have got several duties, they are the category of the Indian army that carries out the operations like protecting the nation and its citizens. The arms are consisted of the infantry, the armored, the aviation, the artillery, and the air defense artillery, engineers, the Signals and the intelligence. For the Indian army to be able to perform its duties of protecting the nation, they require supplies that will help them run their armed forces properly. There are several types of supplies that are directed to the Indian army. Some of them include; the procurement of weapons in the armed forces. The Indian government has in the past procured several weapons that are being used by the army. Since the rate of the insurgency in the Indian neighborhoods has risen, Indian armed forces have procured quite a lot of weaponry to ensure that they keep their territory safe. The process of procuring these weapons and other equipment is a lo ng and hectic one. A lot of money is channeled towards this type of procurement. The quality of the weapons that are to be supplied must be the best quality since the army has to use the best type of weapons. In procuring weapons, the government has to critically analyze the extremely competitive bids and make sure that the supplier that will bring in the weapons is legitimate, has the financial stability and ability and that the supplier is able to bring in quality weapons for usage (Paul, 2008). The Indian army was hit by a scandal that was claiming that they ate food that was out of date. Hence when supplying the food stuff for the Indian army, the government has to select diligently a company that is able to deliver quality food stuff to the army. For any normal persons, the ability to perform their duties requires them to consume fresh and healthy food; hence the procurement of food in the army is done with the utmost care. The army also requires office supplies like electronic s and writing material. The Indian government chooses diligently when deciding on the supplier. They consider the financial credibility and the ability for the supplier to bring in a quality office supplies that will not fail while the army is in operations. Service supply like the repairing of the military equipment is also a key issue to keeping the army functional and able to perform i

An Android Application Development

An Android Application Development This paper talks briefly about developing applications on the android mobile platform using the Java Programming language. The overview includes introduction to the android platform features, architecture, APIs, application framework and the android SDK. A Hello World application walks you through the development process to understand the concepts of the android software stack and the tools involved. In late 2007, a group of industry leaders came together around the Android Platform to form the Open Handset Alliance (http://www.openhandsetalliance.com). Some of the alliances prominent members include:   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sprint Nextel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ T-Mobile   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Motorola à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Samsung   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sony Ericsson à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Toshiba   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Vodafone   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Google   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Intel   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Texas Instruments.   Android was designed to serve the needs of mobile operators, handset manufacturers, and application developers [3]. Android is: A software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system (Linux Kernel version 2.6), middleware and key applications. The Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language [1]. The Figure1: Android Architecture diagram gives a good overview of what constitutes the android platform. Android includes a set of C/C++ libraries (indicated green in Figure1) used by various components of the Android system. These capabilities are exposed to developers through the Android application framework. Android Platform Features: The following is an explanation of the building blocks of the platform as indicated in Figure1. Application framework: Developers have full access to the same framework APIs used by the core applications (refer Figure1) written in Java. An application can publish its capabilities and any other application may then make use of those capabilities. Underlying all applications is a set of services and systems, including: A rich and extensible set of Views that can be used to build an application, including lists, grids, text boxes, buttons, and even an embeddable web browser Content Providers that enable applications to access data from other applications (such as Contacts), or to share their own data A Resource Manager, providing access to non-code resources such as localized strings, graphics, and layout files A Notification Manager that enables all applications to display custom alerts in the status bar An Activity Manager that manages the lifecycle of applications and provides a common navigation backstack Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices, executes files in the Dalvik Executable (.dex) format. The dx tool included in the SDK converts .class files into .dex files. Integrated browser based on the open source WebKit engine Optimized graphics powered by a custom 2D graphics library; 3D graphics based on the OpenGL ES 1.0 specification (hardware acceleration optional) SQLite for structured data storage Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, GIF) GSM Telephony (hardware dependent) Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi (hardware dependent) Camera, GPS, compass, and accelerometer (hardware dependent) Rich development environment including a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE Application Fundamentals: Android applications are written in the Java programming language. The compiled Java code along with any data and resource files required by the application is bundled by the aapt tool into an Android package, an archive file marked by an .apk suffix. This file is the vehicle for distributing the application and installing it on mobile devices; its the file users download to their devices. All the code in a single .apk file is considered to be one application. By default, every application runs in its own Linux process, with a unique linux user id. Each process has its own virtual machine (VM). Application Components: Android applications consist of loosely coupled components, bound using a project manifest that describes each component and how they interact. There are six components that provide the building blocks for your applications: 1) Activities: Your applications presentation layer. Every screen in your application will be an extension of the Activity class. Activities use Views to form graphical user interfaces that displays information and respond to user actions. In terms of desktop development, an Activity is equivalent to a Form. 2) Services: Services are the invisible workers of your application. Service components run invisibly, updating your data sources and visible Activities and triggering Notifi cations. Theyre used to perform regular processing that needs to continue even when your applications Activities arent active or visible. 3) Content Providers: Are a shareable data store. Content Providers are used to manage and share application databases. Content Providers are the preferred way of sharing data across application boundaries. This means that you can confi gure your own Content Providers to permit access from other applications and use Content Providers exposed by others to access their stored data. Android devices include several native Content Providers that expose useful databases like contact information. 4) Intents: They are simple message-passing framework. Using Intents, you can broadcast messages system-wide or to a target Activity or Service, stating your intention to have an action performed. The system will then determine the target(s) that will perform any actions as appropriate. 5) Broadcast Receivers: By creating and registering a Broadcast Receiver, your application can listen for broadcast Intents that match specific filter criteria. Broadcast Receivers will automatically start your application to respond to an incoming Intent, making them ideal for event-driven applications. 6) Notifications: They are user notification framework. Notifi cations let you signal users without stealing focus or interrupting their current Activities. They are the preferred technique for getting a users attention from within a Service or Broadcast Receiver. For example, when a device receives a text message or an incoming call, it alerts you by fl ashing lights, making sounds, displaying icons, or showing dialog messages. You can trigger these same events from your own applications using Notifications. By decoupling the dependencies between application components, you can share and interchange individual pieces, such as Content Providers or Services, with other applications both your own and those of third parties. The manifest file: The AndroidManifest.xml file is where your global settings are made. If you are an ASP.NET developer, you can think of AndroidManifest.xml as Web.config and Global.asax rolled into one. (If you are not an ASP.NET developer, this means that AndroidManifest.xml is a place for storing settings.) AndroidManifest.xml will include such settings as application permissions, Activities, and intent filters. [4] Please refer to Code 1: Manifest file Building Hello World Application: We will write the first android application, Hello World, using the eclipse IDE. Make sure that you have a suitable version of Eclipse(3.5 or 3.6 recommended) installed on your computer. Download the windows .zip file for the SDK starter package. Unpack the SDK files into a directory named android-sdk- in a safe location on your computer. Next, install the Eclipse(3.5 or 3.6) ADT plug-in for Android as follows: Start Eclipse, then select Help > Install New Software. Click Add, in the top-right corner. In the Add Repository dialog that appears, enter ADT Plugin for the Name and the following URL for the Location: https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/ In Available Software dialog, select checkbox next to Developer Tools, click Next In the next window, youll see a list of the tools to be downloaded. Click Next. Read and accept the license agreements, then click Finish. When the installation completes, restart Eclipse. Then, configure ADT by doing following steps: Select Window > Preferences to open the Preferences panel Select Android from the left panel. For the SDK Location in the main panel, click Browse and locate your downloaded SDK directory. Click Apply, then OK. Now, to install a platform in Eclipse: In the Android SDK and AVD Manager, choose Available Packages in the left panel. Click the repository site checkbox to display the components available for installation. Select at least one platform to install, and click Install Selected. If you arent sure which platform to install, use the latest version. Go on, and create an AVD: In Eclipse, choose Window > Android SDK and AVD Manager. Select Virtual Devices in the left panel. Click New. (The Create New AVD dialog appears.) Type the name of the AVD, such as my_avd. Choose a target. The target is the platform (that is, the version of the Android SDK, such as 2.1) you want to run on the emulator. You can ignore the rest of the fields for now. Click Create AVD. Create a New Android Project: After youve created an AVD, the next step is to start a new Android project in Eclipse. Please refer to Figure 12: New Android Project and also follow the steps below. Fill in the project details with the following values: Project name: HelloAndroid Application name: Hello, Android Package name: com.example.helloandroid (or your own private namespace) Create Activity: HelloAndroid Click Finish. Here is a description of each field: Project Name: The name of the directory that will contain the project files. Application Name: This is the human-readable title for your application the name that will appear on the Android device. Package Name: This is the package namespace (following the same rules as for packages in the Java programming language) that you want all your source code to reside under. This also sets the package name under which the stub Activity will be generated. Your package name must be unique across all packages installed on the Android system; for this reason, its important to use a standard domain-style package for your applications. The example above uses the com.example namespace, which is a namespace reserved for example documentation when you develop your own applications, you should use a namespace thats appropriate to your organization or entity. Create Activity This is the name for the class stub that will be generated by the plugin. This will be a subclass of Androids Activity class. An Activity is simply a class that can run and do work. It can create a UI if it chooses, but it doesnt need to. As the checkbox suggests, this is optional, but an Activity is almost always used as the basis for an application. Min SDK Version: This value specifies the minimum API Level required by your application. For more information, see Android API Levels. Other fields: The checkbox for Use default location allows you to change the location on disk where the projects files will be generated and stored. Build Target is the platform target that your application will be compiled against (this should be selected automatically, based on your Min SDK Version). Notice that the Build Target youve selected uses the Android 1.1 platform. This means that your application will be compiled against the Android 1.1 platform library. If you recall, the AVD created above runs on the Android 1.5 platform. These dont have to match; Android applications are forward-compatible, so an application built against the 1.1 platform library will run normally on the 1.5 platform. The reverse is not true. Your Android project is now ready. It should be visible in the Package Explorer on the left. Open the HelloAndroid.java file, located inside HelloAndroid > src > com.example.helloandroid). Please refer to Code2: HelloAndroid. Notice that the class is based on the Activity class. An Activity is a single application entity that is used to perform actions. An application may have many separate activities, but the user interacts with them one at a time. The onCreate() method will be called by the Android system when your Activity starts it is where you should perform all initialization and UI setup. An activity is not required to have a user interface, but usually will. Now lets modify some code! Construct the UI Please refer to Code 3: Construct UI An Android user interface is composed of hierarchies of objects called Views. A View is a drawable object used as an element in your UI layout, such as a button, image, or (in this case) a text label. Each of these objects is a subclass of the View class and the subclass that handles text is TextView. In this change, you create a TextView with the class constructor, which accepts an Android Context instance as its parameter. A Context is a handle to the system; it provides services like resolving resources, obtaining access to databases and preferences, and so on. The Activity class inherits from Context, and because your HelloAndroid class is a subclass of Activity, it is also a Context. So, you can pass this as your Context reference to the TextView. Next, you define the text content with setText(). Finally, you pass the TextView to setContentView() in order to display it as the content for the Activity UI. If your Activity doesnt call this method, then no UI is present and the system will display a blank screen. There it is Hello, World in Android! The next step, of course, is to see it running. Run the Application: The Eclipse plugin makes it easy to run your applications: Select Run > Run. Select Android Application. The Eclipse plugin automatically creates a new run configuration for your project and then launches the Android Emulator. Depending on your environment, the Android emulator might take several minutes to boot fully, so please be patient. When the emulator is booted, the Eclipse plugin installs your application and launches the default Activity. You should now see something like this: Please refer to Figure 4: Hello Android. The Hello, Android you see in the grey bar is actually the application title. The Eclipse plugin creates this automatically (the string is defined in the res/values/strings.xml file and referenced by your AndroidManifest.xml file). The text below the title is the actual text that you have created in the TextView object. Conclusion: That concludes the basic Hello World tutorial. Refer to http://developer.android.com/index.html for more information. To do that, android offers a number of APIs for developing your applications. The following list of core APIs that provide an insight into whats available; all Android devices will offer support for at least these Java APIs[2]: android.util: The core utility package contains low-level classes like specialized containers, string formatters, and XML parsing utilities. com.google.android.maps: A high-level API that provides access to native map controls that you can use within your application. Includes the MapView control as well as the overlay and MapController classes used to annotate and control your embedded maps. android.text: The text processing tools for displaying and parsing text. android.database: low-level classes required for working with databases. Figures: Figure 1: Android Architecture Diagram Figure2: New Android Project Figure3: New Android Project Figure 4: Hello Android Code 1: Manifest File android:icon=@drawable/small_pic.png android:label=@string/freneticLabel . . . > . . . Code 2: HelloAndroid package com.example.helloandroid; import android.app.Activity; import android.os.Bundle; public class HelloAndroid extends Activity { /** Called when the activity is first created. */ @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.main); } } Code 3: Construct UI package com.example.helloandroid; import android.app.Activity; import android.os.Bundle; import android.widget.TextView; public class HelloAndroid extends Activity { /** Called when the activity is first created. */ @Override public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); TextView tv = new TextView(this); tv.setText(Hello, Android); setContentView(tv); } }

Bvaria

Even after university studies, it is not always easy for refashions to stay up-to-date and at the same time trust their existing expertise. Professionals also have to be prepared to switch Jobs, get used to new working environments and stay flexible. And finally they have to deal with high expectations and the pressure to perform. Of course there are different programmer to choose from at EVIL Wakening, and one student is different from another. But many of you aspire to become professionals often in an international context, and you will come across the situation as described above. Nice you all. So what else do you have in common? You will ark with other people (colleagues, clients, commissioners) and you have to relate to them in one way or another. That means communication is central. English is crucial: you now need to learn to use spoken and written English, so that it becomes natural to you to work and learn in that language. You will need to act professionally, that means you need to show certain professional behaviors and a ‘grown-up' attitude. Other people need to rely on you and your sense of responsibility.You have to learn right (career) choices in life, and do things as well as you can without underperforming or overstretching yourself. This is why we try to prepare you for a professional career, so that you can be confident that upon graduation, you a have more than sufficient skills and knowledge, as well as the right attitude, to work in such changing environments, whilst keeping your head cool. So that, wherever you are and wherever you work, you are aware of the things that you still need to learn, but also of the things that you are good at and that you can rely on.And that whatever happens, you are prepared to find out and communicate with other people about what is needed. Whether you are working as an employee or perhaps later, in more senior position, managing others. In more formal terms, the goal of working on your competences F and G is therefore to develop students' abilities to communicate and collaborate professionally in an international context, and to engage in a process of developing themselves professionally. This is done through a combined programmer of Mentoring, Training and English sessions. In the first two terms of year 1, we take the first steps towards that goal. 1. 2 General Content The study unit is offered through a combined programmer of Mentoring, Training and English sessions. Mentoring: Topics Performance and study progress of student Professional orientation Wellbeing of student Description Monitoring of study progress and support of the individual student in relation to her/ his personal and professional behavior and development. The mentor (a staff member from the Course Programmer) supports professional orientation: at the end of term 2 in the choice of major.Training: Communication, feedback (inch. Peer assessment skills) Teamwork, Task process and team process, exercises) Refle ction Planning work and study skills Three training sessions per term in order to start understanding the above mentioned topics and begin to demonstrate skills and use tools that are practiced in the sessions. English: pre-test level 82 CHEF vocabulary acquisition listening and reading Academic Purposes Description Six sessions per term in which students first do a preliminary test.Students are instructed on vocabulary acquisition, and have the opportunity to write practice papers during the term targeted on specific purposes. Sessions further emphasize on writing skills. In addition, students practice text analysis & reading comprehension with (critical) analysis. Please note that for the English sessions there is a separate annual. 2. Competences and Learning objectives 2. 1 Competence and level This study unit develops two very related competences, which are offered for students of all Bachelor programmer of EVIL in a generic way.Competence F: To communicate in an international setting Competence F is a very broad competence encompassing spoken and written English, developing skills such as listening, presenting, interviewing, writing, working in teams effectively. It is focused on communication in the professional international setting and at times this also touches on interpersonal (life) communication skills too: egg fleeting, giving and receiving feedback, cross-cultural understanding. At higher levels the practice and understanding of similar qualities may be repeated but in more complex situations, or in a different role, egg as a manager, advisor etc.Competence G: To develop professional behavior Competence G is all about learning to adopt an attitude needed for a professional: taking responsibility, performing according to your abilities and qualities, being able to adapt to the circumstances, including handling cultural differences. This includes knowing yourself well with your strengths and weaknesses, acting upon those nakedness egg by setting l earning goals for yourself. Again, the focus is on qualities needed for a professional attitude but these qualities are never far from more general life qualities, egg setting priorities, making choices.It is obvious that professional behavior is often very much integrated with communication (so with competence F) and therefore the two competences are usually mentioned together. In the first year of studies these competences are offered at level 1: Please be reminded that for the English sessions there is a separate manual. 2. 2 Learning objectives The objectives for this study unit (terms 1 and 2 of year 1) are as follows: Students show knowledge and understanding of interpersonal professional communication, and of the importance developing these competencies for their studies at EVIL.Students show reflection skills focused on their teamwork experience and begin to use different instruments to study effectively, to communicate and develop professionally. Students begin to feel at e ase with using the English language on a daily basis and learn to use it correctly and independently in a professional and academic context both in verbal and written forms. Level of English is based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CHEF), year 1: Bal for reading, listening, 2. Professional role The relevance of what students learn in this study unit is that it gets them started in their studies and the way of studying and learning at EVIL. This includes how to get to grips with a task as a team. Besides teamwork, we also wish to train students in becoming reflective about the quality of their (team) work: how did it go? What was my role? What did others do? How could I do better next time? In many professional situations team work is a key feature of day to day work and by starting to do this early on, we intend to train students thoroughly.We use the same teams that work together on assignments for other study units. 3. Learning methods and Learning activities 3. 1 G eneral outline Generally speaking there are 3 methods of teaching and learning in the study unit Professional Behavior and Communication, and they complement each other. On Blackboard you will find an overview of different activities related to the first and second term of BBC under the name Timeline BBC. Mentoring: Mentoring means the monitoring of your study progress and supporting you as an individual student in relation to your personal and professional behavior and development.The mentor is usually a staff member from your Course Programmer and will also support you in your professional orientation, for example at the end of term 2 in the choice of major. In the mentoring time, you have individual meetings with your mentor. In several cases you have to prepare yourself for such meetings, for example by writing something in advance and by placing it on your own digital space on Blackboard. Usually your mentor will meet her or his group of mentoring students (10 students) all tog ether, in the first or second week of each term.After that, 2 individual meetings will be held each term and you and your mentor have to arrange for this. Training: Each term, three training sessions (of 3 hours each) are held. These trainings are interactive group sessions, where a lot of communication skills and certain tools are being practiced and discussed, and real-life situations are simulated. Your trainer is a specialized communication trainer and he or she will not be afraid to challenge you ND invite you to go Just a little further than what you normally do. Trainings are often fun but of course it is all about very serious and real competences to be developed.In several cases you have to prepare yourself for your training, for example by self-study (reading or writing something in advance) and bringing examples from your own experience to the training room, and/or by placing something you have written on your digital space on Blackboard. English: programmer of self-study as instructed in the separate manual. At the beginning of the first term students do a preliminary test. Students are instructed on vocabulary acquisition, and have the opportunity to write practice papers during the term targeted on specific purposes.Sessions further emphasize on writing skills. In addition, students practice text analysis & reading comprehension with (critical) analysis. Please be reminded that for English there is a separate manual. 3. 2 Supporting lessons Mentoring programmer Term 1 1 . Plenary introduction to BBC by the co-ordination: What is BBC, meaning of competences F Pathway of year 1 focusing on BBC Important tips (use of your digital space on Blackboard, prepare for your sessions) 2. Group meeting with your mentor: Getting to know your mentor and each other Submitting your c.v. and portrait 3.Two (2) individual meetings with mentor: Discuss progress and difficulties: study skills, team work Term 2 4. Study Abroad Event in week 1 5. Group meeting about c hoice of major and placement (with mentor or otherwise) 6. Two (2) individual meetings (or 3 very short ones) with mentor: Discuss results of first term, discuss reflective report written for assessment term 1 Discuss progress and difficulties: study skills, team work Training sessions 1 . Introduction to communication and Team work l: What is communication and why is it so important?What is the scope that we have in these trainings? What is Team work? The 3 aspects of team work: Product (or task), Task process, Team process. In this term we'll focus on Task process: the ‘hardware' of the collaboration process, or the procedures and steps involved. Practicing with task process (exercise in class). How to make sure to use this in your term team assignment? 2. Study skills: Discussing and practicing different skills: Planning, preparing, reading books, writing an action plan, summarizing, repeating, asking questions. Discussing experiences with teamwork during the term.Tips for improvement. 3. Reflection I and Practice for assessment: What is reflection and why should we reflect? Report. Practicing the procedure for the assessment. Term 4. Teamwork II: Looking back in plenary on Task process in 1st term. Lessons learnt Repeating 3 aspects of Team work, now focus on Team process: the ‘software' of collaboration. Exercise with team work, focusing on team process 5. Face to face communication skills: Discussing and practicing different skills: listening, summarizing, asking questions, rephrasing, non-verbal reactions.Feedback: rules of giving and receiving feedback, Shari window. 6. Preparing for a Personal Development Plan: Using a format for a PDP Formulating SMART: what is it, why is it important. Practicing the use of the format in a SMART way English sessions Be reminded that for English there is a separate manual, giving you all the details of the lessons and preparations needed. 3. 3 Assignments On Blackboard you will find an overview of differen t activities related to the first and second term of BBC under the name Timeline BBC.In this ‘Timeline' you also find products that we expect you to submit or upload on your digital space in Blackboard. In summary the assignments for mentoring and training (not including English) are as follows: Week 1 – Initial choice of major – for mentor, major co-ordination and programmer co- ordination. Week 2 – Submit your c.v. and portrait by uploading on your digital space on Blackboard – for mentor. Not marked Week 8/9 – Write reflective report for assessment. Exact deadline to be communicated by trainer. Upload on Blackboard – for assessor to be marked, also visible for mentor. Term 2End of week 8 – Write and submit Personal Development Plan including initial choice of major and an image of your ‘dreamed' first placement. Upload on Blackboard – for mentor, also visible for trainer. Not marked, but will be subsequently disc ussed with mentor at the beginning of term 3. In addition to the above, you are strongly advised to prepare for the individual mentoring meetings by thinking about how you are doing study-wise, what needs your special attention, what should be discussed with the mentor, This may also include writing down a number of points. 4. Examination 4. 1 General outlineFor this study unit, two partial examinations are organized, WAGE PAW (40%) and WAGE PAW (60%), together providing the final grade for this study unit. Together the two exams need to have a weighted average of 5,5 to pass the study unit (of 5 SEC). Examination in term 1 Type of assessment: team meeting (week 7 or 8), individual written paper (week 8/9) In week 7 or 8 a team meeting is organized for the team that worked together during term, under guidance of the trainer, in which a ‘peer assessment' is carried out, with a duration of 45 minutes total. Immediately before this team meeting, students get 30 minutes to prepare individually.The peer assessment discusses task process (procedures, road map, methods) and team process (task sharing, team meeting skills, communication skills). Afterwards, at home, students write an individual reflection paper (based on a format) about teamwork during the term and taking on board the feedback from peers. Paper is marked. The procedure of the peer assessment will be practiced during one of the training sessions. WAGE PAW â€Å"Writing a formal paper† Examination in term 2 Type of assessment: written exam The written assessment takes place in a computer room on a stand-alone computer, o students can only use Word.Students are allowed to bring dictionaries and grammar reference books, which are clean (no notes inside) and may be inspected by the supervisor. Students get a writing assignment at the start of the assessment and then write a paper (memo, letter, report, proposal, essay) of about 350 words in 120 minutes. Topic of the paper is only known in the exam room. Paper is assessed on English proficiency using criteria such as accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, mindfulness of organization and structure of paragraphs, and awareness of style and audience. 4. 2 Criteria and gradingWAGE PAW â€Å"Reflecting on team work† Bottom mark: 5 Weighing: 40% Marking criteria: Student is capable of writing a 750-1000 words reflective paper, in which the opinions of others are compared with those of self. Student uses the offered format for reflection. Student selects relevant situations and can formulate appropriate reflection questions about these situations. Student draws conclusions and lessons learnt. Weighing: 60% Students can write an accurate, formal paper Students start becoming aware of and are capable of applying basic rules of paragraphing and layouts of different types of professional and academic comments.Students start becoming aware of differences in formal and informal writing styles Students start increasing their corpus of active vocabulary in both writing and speaking. Together the two exams need to have a weighted average of 5,5 to pass the study unit (of 5 SEC). 4. 3 Resist A partial examination has to be retaken when the grade is lower than 5. When both partial exams are 5 or higher but the weighted average is lower than 5,5, the student can choose which exam to resist. Both partial examinations can be retaken in the term following the normal assessment moment.

Linking Aristotle’s virtue with character Essay

Aristotle’s virtue ethics is often considered to be founded on character such that an individual’s character defines his or her virtues. It is important to note that Aristotle gives emphasis to the idea that virtue is acquired through habit. In this regard, it can be presumed that there is a connection between character and virtue in the context of Aristotle’s philosophy. This is especially interesting to look into precisely because human beings think and act at least in terms of one’s consciousness or idea of ethics, specifically through one’s moral precepts. If it is indeed true that individuals think and act in ways related to one’s moral inclinations in their daily lives, then it is a strong reason to contend that virtue and character are all the more important elements in the life of humanity. The point that I would like to raise—and agree with Aristotle—is the idea that our ‘habits’, the way in which we do things on a regular basis, form a large sum—if not all—of our character. And since character builds our very virtues, it can be presumed that the things that we do on a regular basis define our virtues. That is, if we continue to harbor the ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ elements in the society, then it is most likely the case that our character develops into something ‘bad’ or ‘evil’. In the end, there will be little or no room for us to acquire virtues. The task of this assignment is to identify what is the connection between character and virtue in the context of Aristotle by providing Aristotle’s description of how we acquire virtues and why choice is an important component of these virtues. In the Book III of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, I found out that one basic notion in Aristotelian ethics that occupies a central significance is Aristotle’s belief in the role of man’s activities in order for one to acquire ethical knowledge. That is, for one to become virtuous or to obtain virtues one should not merely confine himself to mere studying of these virtues but rather one should, more importantly, actualize this knowledge of the virtues. Thus, for one to become good, one should do good. I also found out in the same work of Aristotle the â€Å"doctrine of the mean†. The essence of this doctrine dwells on the basic precept that one ought to avoid the extremes and, instead, settle for the â€Å"mean†. The actions of men, more specifically, ought to be framed upon the â€Å"mean† which is the virtue. For example, the virtue of courage rests on the mean between two extremes: cowardice or the â€Å"lack† of courage, and rashness or the â€Å"excess† in courage. All of these things answer the central question being asked, specifically the identification of the connection between virtue and character. For the most part, the thought of the acquisition of virtue requires a form of a ‘good’ act which, when constantly repeated or enacted on a regular basis, forms the character of the individual. The individual should not only be inclined towards a theoretical understanding of these good acts but should also be inclined to enacting them, of living them on purpose and free will. It is not enough that the individual should simply live the theoretical perspectives of doing good acts for it does not suffice to forming the character of the individual. Moreover, these ‘good’ acts are founded on the principle of the â€Å"mean† wherein the individual is supposed to be acting not within the extremes but between these extremes because they are the ‘evils’. Hence, character is connected to virtue through one’s good—or â€Å"middle†Ã¢â‚¬â€actions performed habitually. I figured out that Aristotle implies the idea that man is indeed a social being in the sense that one cannot sufficiently do ‘good’ without the presence of other people. That is, without other people to whom our ‘good’ deeds will be enacted to, our actions may hardly be conceived as ‘good’ in the first place precisely because we may only be helpful if there are people to help, we may only be kind if there are people to whom we will be kind, or we may only be loving if there are other people to love just to name a few. Of course, my thoughts may be unacceptable to other people for they may also have their own thoughts about the ethics of Aristotle. But more to this, I figured out that those people who surround us have a large role in the formation of our character. Social isolation does not give room for the moral development of an individual. On the other hand, I have arrived at a question concerning Aristotle’s virtue ethics, especially with his doctrine of the mean. Exactly how are we to know when we are acting in the middle such that we avert from the extremes or the vices? Granted that we may be able to identify the vices that we should avoid, when can we say that we are truly in the middle path? How can too much ‘knowledge’ be a vice or an evil when Aristotle gives a substantial account and importance to knowledge? While there may still a handful of questions that may have been left untouched, it can hardly be doubted that our actions share a significant role in defining our characters as human beings. Whether or not an individual believes in virtue ethics or in morality in general, it remains a fact that our actions have consequences to us and to other people. Reference Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. Martin Ostwald. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1962.

Looking at men

Looking at men "He is such a handsome guy I have ever known! I think I already fell in love with him atfirst sight! I wish he would someday reveal that there would be always a girl watchinghim in every his motion, awaiting desperately a signal of love in return from him eventhough he has not yet known who I am and what my name is; but I am still fine with it aslong as he spares me a look..." - I burst out laughing when reading what I had written indiary during the high school years about a guy that had stirred my heart; the innocenceand the simplistic perception of love of an adolescent girl made me laugh. Now, over tenyears away from the high school, I can still call back the upset feeling that skipped myheart beat for the very first time I met this "very cool" guy; it was also the very first timeI felt for a man! The wheels of life, however, has pretty much changed my points ofviews as well as the way I look at men; and the diary, which I have accidentally foundfrom the stack of old books when cl eaning up the house this morning, gives me a goodreason to look back at myself to see how different I am from the girl I used to be andhow men has changed in my eyes.English: Buddhist statues in Guangxiao Temple (Bri...As a little girl at the age of six, I did not completely realize any difference between a boyand a girl, the only thing in my mind was that boys could not wear girls' dresses becausethey would be very ugly on them! As time went by, I grew up and finally reached the ageof puberty, during...

Marco Polo Essays - Marco Polo, Niccol And Maffeo Polo, Kublai Khan

Marco Polo Essays - Marco Polo, Niccol And Maffeo Polo, Kublai Khan Marco Polo Marco Polo is one of the most well-known heroic travelers and traders around the world. In my paper I will discuss with you Marco Polo?s life, his travels, and his visit to China to see the great Khan. Marco Polo was born in c.1254 in Venice. He was a Venetian explorer and merchant whose account of his travels in Asia was the primary source for the European image of the Far East until the late 19th century. Marco's father, Niccol?, and his uncle Maffeo had traveled to China (1260-69) as merchants. When they left (1271) Venice to return to China, they were accompanied by 17-year-old Marco and two priests. Early Life Despite his enduring fame, very little was known about the personal life of Marco Polo. It is known that he was born into a leading Venetian family of merchants. He also lived during a propitious time in world history, when the height of Venice?s influence as a city-state coincided with the greatest extent of Mongol conquest of Asia(Li Man Kin 9). Ruled by Kublai Khan, the Mongol Empire stretched all the way from China to Russia and the Levant. The Mongol hordes also threatened other parts of Europe, particularly Poland and Hungary, inspiring fear everywhere by their bloodthirsty advances. Yet the ruthless methods brought a measure of stability to the lands they controlled, opening up trade routes such as the famous Silk Road. Eventually ,the Mongols discovered that it was more profitable to collect tribute from people than to kill them outright, and this policy too stimulated trade(Hull 23). Into this favorable atmosphere a number of European traders ventured, including the family of Marco Polo. The Polos had long-established ties in the Levant and around the Black Sea: for example, they owned property in Constantinople, and Marco?s uncle, for whom he was named, had a home in Sudak in the Crimea(Rugoff 8). From Sudak, around 1260, another uncle, Maffeo, and Marco?s father, Niccol?, made a trading visit into Mongol territory, the land of the Golden Horde(Russia), ruled by Berke Khan. While they were there, a war broke out between Berke and the Cowan of Levant , blocking their return home. Thus Niccol? and Maffeo traveled deeper into mongol territory, moving southeast to Bukhara, which was ruled by a third Cowan. While waiting there, they met an emissary traveling farther eastward who invited them to accompany him to the court of the great Cowan, Kublai, in Cathay(modern China). In Cathay, Kublai Khan gave the Polos a friendly reception, appointed them his emissaries to the pope, and ensured their safe travel back to Europe(Steffof 10). They were to return to Cathay with one hundred learned men who could instruct the Mongols in the Christian religion and the liberal arts. In 1269, Niccol? and Maffeo Polo arrived back in Venice, where Niccol? found out his wife had died while he was gone(Rugoff 5). Their son, Marco, who was only about fifteen years old, had been only six or younger when his father left home:thus; Marco was reared primarily by his mother and the extended Polo family-and the streets of Venice. After his mother?s death, Marco had probably begun to think of himself as something of a orphan(Rugoff 6). Then his father and uncle suddenly reappeared, as if from the dead, after nine years of traveling in far-off, romantic lands. These experiences were the formative influences on young Marco, and one can see their effects mirrored in his character: a combination of sensitivity and toughness, independence and loyalty, motivated by an eagerness for adventure, a love of stories, and a desire to please or impress(Li Man Kin 10). Life?s Work In 1268, Pope Clement IV died, and a two- or three-year delay while another pope was being elected gave young Marco time to mature and to absorb the tales of his father and uncle. Marco was seventeen years old when he, his father and uncle finally set out for the court of Kublai Khan(Stefoff 13). They were accompanied not by one hundred wise men but by two Dominican friars, and the two good friars turned back at the first sign of adversity, another local war in the Levant. Aside from the pope?s messages, the only spiritual gift Europe was able to furnish the great Kublai Khan was oil from the lamp burning at Jesus Christ?s supposed tomb in Jerusalem. Yet, in a sense, young Marco, the only new person in the Polos? party, was himself a fitting representative of the spirit of European civilization on the eve of the Renaissance, and the lack of one hundred learned Europeans

Cultural Sensative Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cultural Sensative Counseling - Essay Example 72). The ultimate goal is for the counselor to be â€Å"culturally sensitive† in that he/she â€Å"is aware of, shows recognition of, demonstrates some knowledge of, and expresses an interest in the client’s ethnic identity and cultural background† (Day 2008, p. 72). This is very important because conduct in one culture may be more distressing in another culture. For example, a Filipina student going against her parents’ choice of major may be more of an issue than for an American student. In other words, there is no universal prescription for dealing with all human beings’ problems (Day 2008, p. 72). Cultural sensitive interviews will help the counselor obtain the information necessary for narrowing the issues down to a specific culture. Therefore a cultural sensitive interview will begin by first determining the client’s first language. Language questions will seek to determine whether or not the client’s family or home speaks anothe r language or languages and what language or languages are used at home. The client’s feelings about whether his or her language is â€Å"standard English or nonstandard English† will also be queried at a cultural sensitive interview (Day 2008, p. 73). Secondly, the client will be questioned about family roles. Essentially, the counselor will attempt to determine what is expected of children within the family and how those expectations are modified throughout childhood to adulthood. Other questions about family roles will include information about whether or not adult children have to take care of their parents; the degree of authority that parents have over their adult children and adolescent children’s decisions; whether or not parents are strict and if the client follows their parents own â€Å"parenting style† (Day 2008, p. 73). The client will be questioned about sex/gender distinctions and roles. Specifically, the counselor attempts to determine cul tural beliefs relative to sexes and the degree to which those beliefs and distinctions are reflected within the client’s family. The counselor will also need to ascertain the client’s own feelings about those prescribed differences and roles. The counselor will also endeavor to obtain information about sexual orientation. More specifically, the counselor will attempt to determine the degree to which the client’s sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of others affects the client. Information about what the client learned about sexual orientation from the family and whether or not the client’s own concept of sexual orientation has been refuted (Day 2008, p. 73). Another area of query includea information about the client’s independence. Specifically, the counselor will be required to determine if the client firmly believes in â€Å"freedom from others’ influence†, or if co-dependence within the family or the community ranks highe r (Day 2008, p. 73). Questions about the spirituality and its influence on the client are also important. How the client’s culture defines success and how conflict is dealt with by the client’s culture are also important questions. Cultural and family history and its influence on the client are also important questions in a cultural sensitive interview. Questions about money, more specifically class status, economic objectives and the importance of wealth to the client’

Analysis of the financial statements of three leading supermarkets in Research Paper

Analysis of the financial statements of three leading supermarkets in UK - Research Paper Example Reporting financial results in a transparent and straightforward fashion is a means to an end (Fridson & Alvarez, 2002). The financial performance of a company can be discerned by the different financial ratios in accounting that tries to evaluate the overall financial condition of a company. The different financial ratios can be categorised into liquidity ratios, activity ratios, debt ratios and profitability ratios. Liquidity ratios measure the company's availability of cash to pay its obligations and debts. Activity ratios measure the ability of the company to convert non-cash assets into cash. Debt ratios measure the company's capability to repay long term obligations. Profitability ratios measures how the company controls its expenses and uses its assets in order to generate an acceptable rate of return. Based on the financial statements and financial ratios calculated, Tesco is more liquid than Sainsbury and Morrison. The liquidity of the company is measured by the current assets ratio as well as the acid test ratio. An asset is liquid if can be readily converted to cash, while a liability is liquid if it must be repaid in the near future. The current assets ratio compares the assets that will turn into cash within the year to the liabilities that must be paid within the year. The acid test ratio is a more conservative liquidity measure where the numerator of the current ratio is reduced by the value of its inventory. (Higgins, 1995) The trends of Tesco's liquidity ratios are increasing from 2007 to 2009. This means that the company has

Script for radio news report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Script for radio news report - Essay Example It is an all rounded topic that is touching on the current situation in Singapore’s social and political life. THOUSANDS OF SINGAPOREANS THRONGED THE STREETS TODAY IN CELEBRATION OF SINGAPORE’S FORTY-NINTH BIRTHDAY. THE EXCITEMENT IS ALMOST TANGIBLE AMONGST THE PEOPLE WITH A NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES SET FOR THESE CELEBRATIONS. DOZENS OF SINGAPORE CITIZENS HAVE TAKEN TIME AWAY FROM THEIR DAILY ROUTINE TO CELEBRATE THE COUNTRY’S INDEPENDENCE DAY. THEY HAVE CONVERGED IN THE STREETS AS A SHOW OF THEIR PRIDE IN THE STEPS TAKEN BY THE COUNTRY SINCE IT GAINED INDEPENDENCE. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE LEAST POSITIVE PEOPLE, A MAJORITY OF THE SINGAPOREANS WE INTEEVIEWED ARE VERY PROUD OF THE STEPS THAT THIS COUNTRY HAS TAKEN SO FAR. SOME FEEL THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN ENOUGH STEPS IN ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE RECEIVE THE BEST SERVICES FROM MOST PUBLIC OFFICES. WHILE A FEW SINGAPOREANS FEEL THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS YET TO ATTAIN ITS FULL POTENTIAL, MOST ARE HAPPY WITH THE STEPS TAKEN SO FAR. AT THE MOMENT, ALL THAT SINGAPOREANS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IS AN ULTIMATE BIRTHDAY FOR THE

Multi-Cultural Paper Essay Example for Free

Multi-Cultural Paper Essay Introduction Finding a â€Å"multicultural† experience that brings me out of my comfort zone is something I found difficult. I moved to the city but am a small town girl at heart. I grew up riding a dirt bike, partying in fields, listening to country music, and hosting birthday parties that my friends and I built tree forts at. My first vehicle was a rear-wheel drive manual Chevrolet pick-up truck that I had to put weight in during the winter so I would not slide across the road. I lived on 140 acres of land, and the closest town was 15 minutes away. Since then, I have moved to the city and began, enjoying the convenience of everything like, bringing clothes to the dry cleaners, riding my bike to work, and preferring to lounge by the pool on a summer day, rather than explore like I used to. In college, I studied abroad in Scotland for a semester and had the opportunity to travel around Europe to England, Switzerland, Spain, and France. This experience exposed me to a number of different cultures, currencies, and experiences. It was the highlight of my college experience, but I became extremely homesick after a month and a half and, since then, have had no desire to visit anywhere abroad for longer than a couple of weeks. In addition to being familiar with both the small town and city lifestyles,not many things turn me off or make me uncomfortable. On the other hand, because I come from a small town, there are a few things I am unfamiliar with. I am not as familiar with different races or cultures, the wealth and fashion that comes with living near city suburbs, or the religion of anyone who isn’t Catholic. This is excluding the Europe experience, when I spent most my time in English speaking Scotland. Because of this, I chose three events that would expose me to new things in each one of those categories. Event #1: A Brazilian Carnival The first event took place at the Fine Line Music Cafà © in downtown Minneapolis. Classmate, Sarah Holman and I went to a Brazilian Carnival. I was interested in this sort of event because, in college, I worked at Afton Alps Ski and Snowboard, where they had a Brazilian exchange program and brought a number of Brazilians up for the winter to work. They became the best part of working there most years because they were so much fun and lived life to the fullest during their time in the United States. The event was fun, colorful, active, and something I had never been to before. There were dancers, drummers, people dressed up in costumes, and a band. After the introduction of drummers and dancers, a band began to play. Since we chose to attend on a Sunday afternoon, it was more of a family function but, if we had decided to attend on the Friday or Saturday evening before, I imagine the setting would have become a little wild after a few drinks because the music was so much fun. Instead, kids, parents, and couples were out on the dance floor dancing away innocently. When looking at what I know personally about Brazilians and comparing it to the event, it is clear that they typically like to have a good time. Their music is good, the people are often good looking, and they are extremely passionate about where they come from and their culture. My behaviors will not change in the workplace because of this event but the carnival did confirm the impression I had of Brazilian culture. Event #2: Omaha Fashion Week The second event took place in Omaha, Nebraska, where my youngest sister now lives. Once we found out that she would be walking in two of the shows, on both Friday and Saturday night, my mom, sister, her husband, and my boyfriend and I began planning our trip right away. When planning for the shows, I had no idea what to expect. I have never been to a fashion show, know nothing about fashion and, most importantly, I had no idea what to wear! Going into the first night we had been traveling all day, were hungry, and the guys weren’t around yet to stay at the hotel and babysit so we had to bring my two-year old nephew. One of the things that I am most insecure about is not knowing what to do and, worse, looking like I do not know what to do, in any given situation. To explain, I am always tentative to try new restaurants because I know that each one has a different culture that I may not fit in with. The way they do things, like the way one orders, dresses, and acts, are always altered. This doesn’t mean I avoid the experience but, when deciding to go somewhere new, I always get a nervous feeling with some immediate regret, wishing I had chosen to go somewhere familiar. This is something I am working on because, every time the experience is done, I’m glad it happened and always want to try something else new as soon as possible. This is how I felt going into Omaha Fashion Week. This time, I was more excited to see my sister but, since I was with my mom, sister and a two-year old at an adult event, and since they also had no clue what was going on, I was mortified. The first night felt like a warm-up, and I began to understand the scenery, people, what was happening, and everything else that was going on. There were individuals who were much more casual looking than me, but there also many who were more dressed up. By the end of the night I felt like I could pick out the more important faces by just looking around the crowd. My method probably wasn’t very accurate, but it led to some excellent people watching. The second night was a girl’s night, consisting of my mom, sister, and me. We were able to leave the boys and nephew at the hotel for the evening. Learning from the first night, we showed up right when the event was supposed to begin, which means that we only had to wait half an hour for the show to start, instead of an hour, like the night before. We made sure to get some pictures on the red carpet and relax while enjoying a couple drinks in advance. The challenge for me going into this event was having to go somewhere new, where I had no idea what the culture was going to be like. When looking at the event in a professional context, I was intimidated, going in, by those whom I thought were â€Å"better† than me. Meaning, those who know fashion, have money, status, and the wealthy (not so nice) personalities you see on teenage television shows. I did not encounter any of these stereotypes when at the event. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and not judging, as I would have thought. This makes me think of those who are more successful and intimidating than I in a professional environment. As I have always been taught, treat others as you would like to be treated. This is something I will remember in the workplace for future reference. If I go in treating someone with the respect I would like to get in return, chances are they will treat me with the same respect. I feel that going to this fashion show cemented this lesson for me. I need to not concentrate on my insecurities as much, and, instead focus on treating everyone the same. This event did not confirm the stereotypes I had imagined like everyone being snobby, rich, and over the top. Looking back on the weekend, I think of it as one of the best times I’ve had yet for year 2013, all because I stepped out of my comfort zone. Interview #1 In attempt to deepen the Omaha Fashion Week experience, I interviewed a friend’s sister, Michelle Olson, who is an extremely successful plus size model, living in New York City. Michelle has experienced a much different lifestyle that is very foreign to me; one that I can relate to class and to the multi-cultural experience above. I was able to ask the questions and get the answers below: Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Q: In class we talked a lot about one’s personal brand. As a model, I assume your personal brand is extremely important and somewhat determines your reputation in the industry. Is this true? Do you have any examples of this you can expand on? A: Personal brand is important in modeling because we have to show our personality somehow with only a few minutes. So its important to just be yourself and wear what you like. A lot of clients are particular about a models personality because they want to show their brand a certain way and target a certain customer. We also cant be too eccentric or too trendy because some clients are just looking for a blank canvas and one that they know their clothes will look good on without being too distracted by the person and their own style. Q: In the business environment one usually has to work hard to advance or know someone to get ahead. Is this true in modeling as well? How do you climb in your industry? A: Eventually a model can [achieve this ] by booking big clients and then having them like you enough to re-book you again. People and clients also tend to take notice, usually if a model books editorials in big magazines. Q: Is it difficult to keep your values in this industry? Is it difficult while keeping a positive image for yourself amongst peers? A: I have been lucky so far in my career in that I have only had good experiences as far as boundaries and my personal values go. Everyone I have worked for have been very respectful and professional. Its important to have an agent that cares about you and will only send you out to legit, professional companies. Q: We also discussed virtual groups/communication in class. Is this a common form of communication in this industry or is it usually easier to do things in person? A: Email is a very important communication tool in my industry. Most of my communication with my agents is by email. All my job details are always emailed to me before the job. When I am in New York, I usually have to actually go in and see and talk to the agents in person at least once a week, sometimes more. Castings however are always in person. They are usually just quick little interview type things where you go and meet the client, have them look at your portfolio, and sometimes maybe take a couple pictures and try on some clothes. If you are unable to see them in person then our agents usually just send our portfolio for them to look at. Q: With the perspective of models being stick thin, does this pressure you to be this way? A: Working as a plus size model is another world than working as a straight size (0-6) model. Plus size is usually like a size 12, so we still have to stay around that size. We still eat very healthy and exercise so that we have good skin and feel good, etc. However, most of us are at our natural size, and therefore theres a lot less stress about size. Its great! Q: Are there â€Å"leaders† in your industry? Or are they always changing because your jobs are always changing? What is that like? A: Our agents are like our bosses. They get us our job so its important to have good relationships with them. We have three of them, and they are all cool and friendly so its quite nice! Obtaining this information from Michelle has provided me with interesting insight on a completely different business environment, than of the corporate life I am used to. Event #3: Scientology Church Tour My third event was a tour and question and answer period at the Saint Paul Church of Scientology. I went to this with three classmates, Sarah, Cody, and Andrea. As mentioned at the beginning of this paper, I am not familiar with many different kinds of religion, beside Catholicism. Through Tom Cruise, I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Scientology. I have also heard the opposite about the religion from his ex-wives. From what I was told, saw, and learned, the experience had a positive impact that made me curious and left me wanting to learn more about the religion. The interesting part about the church is that it focuses on the here and now, versus the Christian religion where their beliefs are based on the Bible, which is many centuries old. The self-guided tour consisted of watching videos to obtain information about the religion. There were different categories, so we could watch the topics we were most interested in. After watching a couple of videos, we felt it would be most beneficial to speak to the tour guide and ask questions about her experiences. From her answers, I gathered that Scientologists like to help people. If you are having troubles in your marriage or need help finding where to go in life, you can join counseling groups. If there is a natural disaster in the world, Scientologists will travel to the location and help out where they can. The part that interested me most is their passion to help individuals with any issues that individual might be having. In a book recommended by Andrea that provided an opposite perspective of Scientology, Jenna Miscavige Hill writes about her â€Å"secret life inside scientology and her harrowing escape† (Beyond Belief, Cover). This is something I wish I would have known about before going into the tour because I would have asked questions in regards to this book. In the book, Jenna explains about her life as a member of the Sea Org, the church’s most devoted core group of Scientology. She describes how she was sent away as a child to receive an education in Scientology, the manual labor she was forced to perform, and the coercion she faced from officials. Nothing about children being sent away to Scientology school was brought up or asked about throughout our time at the Church. After reading the 10 Juiciest Bits about Scientology from Jenna’s book, it made me think twice about what I found out while at the church. Hearing both the positive and negative sides of Scientology will not change the way I act in a professional environment because, knowing both sides of the religion will not diminish the respect I have for other’s personal religious choices. I think the main challenge for the Church of Scientology is the extreme difference in viewpoints you can have on the religion. Those who are Scientologist think it’s the most wonderful thing, but those who know about it and have gotten out have nothing good to say about it. Interview #2 The second interview I conducted did not relate to any of my multicultural experiences, but was instead with a coworker, Violet. Violet is from Uganda, Africa, and came to the United States in January 2000 to attend school at the University of Minnesota. Violet’s experience relates to the â€Å"Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story† video watched in class. Violet Interviewee #2 Violet Interviewee #2 Since this was an in person interview, not many structured questions were asked. Instead, there was a lot of back and forth conversation, unlike the interview with Michelle. When explaining her experiences growing up, Violet made a point on how the way she was raised and lived is only one view, and not everyone was able to live the way she did. Violet comes from a very successful family. She explained how she lived a very privileged life, in Uganda, and does not know what poverty is when asked about it. When her family came to Minnesota, they brought their maid with them, which is not common for many when traveling to the States. Violet came on a student visa. Due to the fact that she was from out of the country, she had to pay almost three times more per semester than most students attending the university. This is something her father paid for so, unlike me and many others, she graduated with no student loans. I asked Violet about the manifestation of personal brand of Africa and she explained that it is very different. One in Africa is unable to choose their personal brand. When interviewing for positions, the question is always, â€Å"Whose son or daughter is that?† not â€Å"How smart or qualified are they?† In Uganda, there is a strong British influence, so class and tribal system is what makes you who are you. It is all about whom you know or who you are related to. Violet never professionally worked in Africa, but states that one’s choices are limited regarding what they can decide to grow up to be. You either plan to be a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or anything else with a designate d path. There are few opportunities and many talents are wasted. Marketing or human resource careers aren’t options or even thought about in Africa when choosing an education path. When Violet came to Minnesota to begin school, she had it in her mind that she was going to become a lawyer. Not until she was almost done with her Bachelor’s degree did she begin to realize that becoming a lawyer was maybe something she didn’t actually want to do. She went on to complete her MBA, with the mind set of beginning to work toward a law degree. She is now a Senior Human Resources Recruiter, and sometimes wishes she had received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Communications, instead of Business, realizing that she was still living in the African career mentality when choosing her education. While people in the US think that an 8% unemployment rate is high, Africa has over 50% unemployment. This is partially because there are not enough businesses to employ everyone. Unlike in the US, there are no government services to help the poor. There is also not as much access to goods like in the US. Not everyone has the convenience to go to stores like Target or Wal-Mart. Lastly, when asked if people treat her different based on what the average American knows about Africans – that they are poor – she admitted that people sometimes do. Some are surprised to learn that she speaks English very well, others reject her when they realize that she is not a suffering African, and the black community does not always accept her as black. She has wondered if she had come over as an African refuge; how things might be different in the way people treat her. The interview with Violet was a further look into what I don’t know about Africa. It gave me knowledge and taught me never to judge based what I see on television or read in books. As Violet made clear at the beginning of our interview, she has only one view point regarding Africa, and not everyone was raised like her. This reminds me to never judge when only hearing one side of the story. This is a lesson that can be brought into the workplace every single day. The two interviews and three multi-cultural experiences opened my eyes to things I would never have known about. I learned about what it was like to attend a fashion show, a different culture, and religion. These experiences changed the way I look at life and the way I approach professional environments. Due to this project, I will search for new experiences that will bring be out of my comfort zone, just like the activities above. References Adichie, Chimamanda, perf. Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story. 2009. Film. March 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html. Fallon, Kevin. 10 Juiciest Bits From Ex-Scientologist’s Tell-All ‘Beyond Belief’. (2013): n. page. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. Miscavige Hill, Jenna. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape. 1. 1. Harpercollins, 2013. 404. Print. Nassalo , Violet. Personal Interview. 9 Apr 2013. Olson, Michelle. E-mail Interview. 4 Apr 2013.