"Muslims and America" and travel education

This 30 Days episode was very eye opening. Dave's ideas were very biased and I think that this experience truly altered his ideas. I was amazed at how closed off he was from learning about Islam. I would try to learn all I could and experience what it's like to be Muslim. I believe it is ridiculous to persecute one faith just because some people have taken it and twisted it to be a reason for destruction. The random street interviews were appalling. I couldn't believe the answers people gave. I would not judge someone for their appearance, or religion, or the prayers they say, no matter what I saw on the news. The ideas of Muslim and terrorist have become so entwined in peoples that the two are one and the same. I have not felt that people treat me dfferently. I feel like an equal in society and it would be very strange to be discriminated against.

The presentation about travel education was cool. I had always thought it would be neat to be an exchange student. I probably will not take part in this program, adventure and me do not go so well together. I might do the after-grad progam however, since I wouldn't misss a school year. I would not sacrifice a year or a couple of months of school to have a cool experience. I try to be a very un-biased person so I think I would be able to immerse myself in the culture pretty easily. I doubt I'd be able to be away from my family for that long. Also, I have a sensitive stomach, so adapting to foreign food would be a uncomfortable experience. Being an exchange students sounds like a great experience; however, the closest I think I will be coming to that wil be the brochure.

Goals

Short term goal
My goal: Stay on Principals list until the end of the year

Daily: Finish all my work and keep good work habits. Also, I must remain kind to my teachers and peers.
Weekly: Look back over the week and see if I could improve on my work or my attitude.
Monthly:After every month look at my tests and see if I could improve my work. Also, I should check my interim to see if all things are up to my standards

Strengths: Good memory, calm, kind demeanor, I hate having unfinished work
Weaknesses: I get stressed easily, I find it hard to change

This goal will require me to devote as much time as needed to finish school work and study for tests. This is usually 1.5 hr. to 2 hr. a day. This goal does not require money. I will need to keep all of my school supplies organized and make sure I have all the required equipment. i will also have to make sure I get enough rest and I will go to bed no later than 9:00 pm.

Feb- Hand in all assignments and not get in trouble in class. Also, get at least a B on my Math and Science tests.
Mar-Hand in all assignments, do well on tests and not get in trouble
Apr-Check interim, improve on areas that need it and continue doing well
May-Continue being good and doing well
June- Continue what I was doing and study for 2 wk. for exams

Long Term Goal
Goal: See the War and Peace show in England(see video)

Monthly-I will continue to do well in school. Once finished I will get a part time and full time and save money.
Yearly- I will review my savings and check flights to England

Strengths: Drive, Patience
Weakness: not stubborn

I will have to earn enough money for a plane trip to England and also enough to get to a hotel and rent a car. To do this I would have to refrain from large purchases. It would cost around $2,000 for a flight and a hotel and about $200 for a rental car.

I can turn to my parents for support . If I am down on my profits I can ask them for some aid . I would have to alert them beforehand.

Year 1- Get through Gr.10 with good grades
Year 2- Get through Gr.11 with good grades
Year 3- Finish Gr.12 and find full/part time job and start saving money
Year 4-Look for deals in packages, if I can't find one I continue saving and checking for packages until one comes up

Binge Drinking Mom

The 30 Days video Binge Drinking Mom was very interesting. It was very clear to me that the daughter had hugely different values. The mom valued health, family, and courtesy while the daughter valued friends, society, and her "coolness". The daughter's values could be good but she believes them to too great an extent and she needs some other values to contradict her more wild ones. If she took some of her mother's values, not even all of them,she would be much more level headed.

This video really showed me the problems with binge drinking. I already knew about these things but to see them in a person was really interesting. I really don't see how someone can say a party was fun when they can't remember half of it. I never want to partake in such a disgusting ritual as binge drinking.

Values

One time that I went against my values was when I made fun of someone in their face. I was still in Gr.8 and afterward I felt horrible. I had made fun of how this person wasn't very smart and how they were different than everyone else. After a few months I looked back and realized that that really wasn't me and I had probably hurt this person's feeling. From that point on I was as courteous with this person as I was with everyone else. This really affected how I act towards people now and it really taught me a lesson.

Changing lanes now, I'll talk about a time I was unexpectedly rewarded for a good deed. I was being my usual self, just being kind and all that sort of stuff, in English and it must have affected them more than what I am used to people feeling. At the end of the week They had brought in pizza for the class and then , unexpectedly, I was offered a piece. I politely declined, but as I was walking away I heard the person say " OK, I go and be super nice but...". Well that comment was like a dagger stuck in my gut and then twisted. So I went back and took a piece. While I took my slice the person said "It's just because you've been so nice to me." That makes all the work I do to help people worth it, when you get a comment like that.

A short introduction...

Wow, I'm on the internet! Now that you have taken an interest in my activities in Planning 10 you should learn about me. First and foremost I am a kind person(I am great at helping others!). My free time is usually spent doing relaxing activities like reading, drawing, and doing photoshop pictures(like the one at left). I'm not much of a party person but I stay in the good books with most people I meet. Well I would say more about myself but I am modest and I do not want to sound full of myself so, I will leave this post at this and leave for now.