Incoming students

Dear Incoming Students,

Some of you may be nervous about starting your first college English class while others of you may feel confident about applying your critical thinking skills and conquering analytical writing. At first I was nervous because I thought college writing was a different level from my high school writing assignments. I was not sure if I was prepared to start writing college papers. Yet this quarter of English 110 has been truly a memorable experience. Although it was tough at some points, I feel that I have gained experience and proficiency for analyzing various forms of media and using those analytical skills to express my thoughts in writing.

The main focus of my English 110 class was religion in secular media. Having this focus created an appealing atmosphere for the class because we were able to explore in depth a recurring topic in today’s society. Eventually, all our work culminated in a research paper using secondary and primary sources. This paper took a lot of time to research and write. I advise you to choose a topic that is flexible because you will not get to use many secondary sources. Yet after finishing this paper, you will feel a sense of accomplishment for completing your first college research paper!

Throughout the quarter, we read various articles about topics such as religious views in the health care debate. We had deep discussions about these controversial topics Also, we discussed possible research questions and how to further explore our sources of information. One of my favorite discussions occurred after we watched the Scooby Doo clip about the hex girls and whether their representation of Wiccans was accurate. Incorporating a popular and well-known subject such as Scooby Doo into the class discussion brought a refreshing and pop culture aura to the classroom.

Another exciting aspect of class was writing blogs and “common place” essays, which are essays written by college students for a college audience. Through these different formats, I was able to learn to write creative, informal, and entertaining essays. In this part of the class, you will have your chance to express your own thoughts without any restrictions imposed by formal writing.

Overall English 110 is a class where you will learn a great deal if you pay attention, listen, read, write, rewrite and rewrite some more! I feel that I have become a better writer and thinker because of this class and enjoyed the process.

"Blessings"

Recently, while conversing with one of my friends, I had a fascinating discussion regarding religious customs. My friend’s church has a custom of organizing arranged marriages for all men and women before the age of eighteen. That is, the main minister matches the two individuals who are unknown to each other until the wedding day. Surprisingly, rather than calling it a marriage ceremony, it is known as a “blessing” and is performed as a mass gathering with up to 40,000 people getting married all at once on the same day. My friend’s church is unique from other religions because it requires arranged marriages as a requirement for being a member.

Our opinions greatly differed on this religious custom. I feel that churches should not force people to get married at a young age, especially with someone whom they have not created a special bond or with whom they may be uncomfortable. People should marry when they are comfortable with their partner. If the couple’s personalities and lifestyles clash, they could both be very unhappy. People can show their faith to God in ways other than participating in arranged marriages. However, my friend feels that the arranged marriage shows the couple’s faith in God because they are ready to meet a stranger whom God has chosen for them. She believes that meeting her chosen husband will rid herself of any trouble of finding a partner and that together they will begin a lifelong journey together. She trusts that through God’s match-making, both the husband and wife will grow spiritually.

Our tone throughout the conversation was mild and there was little arguing. Instead, we listened quietly and respectfully to each other’s opinion and discussed in a nice and quiet manner even though our opinions were greatly different from each other.

From this conversation, I have learned that people show their faith in God in various forms, even marrying someone they do not know. Although I may not be used to the concept of arranged marriages as a way to show trust in God, I respect my friend’s belief because it is a custom that she has grown up with and is accustomed to following.

Religious Conflict in North Korea

These pictures are from a BBC photo article named In Pictures: Unseen Korea. These pictures will give you an understanding of the true living conditions that the citizens of North Korea go through on a daily basis. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/asia_pac_unseen_north_korea/html/8.stm)

Many countries in the world that are off-limits to American tourists and citizens are regarded as mysterious or exotic by the American media. Newspaper and television reports of countries such as Cuba and Iran often contain forbidding pictures or describe their cultural and political practices as inferior to U.S. customs and laws. Perhaps no country in the world is regarded with more suspicion by the American media than North Korea.

A recent news article, “Christian Executed in North Korea” by the Associated Press (AP) supports this picture of mysterious North Korea. According to the author, a Christian woman who had been involved in anti-government activities by passing out Bibles in North Korea was executed and her husband, children and parents were sent to a political prison. Additionally, the woman was suspected of being a spy for South Korea and the United States and organizing dissident groups against the North Korean government.

To present a strong argument that North Korea is a country full of hardships for its citizens, the AP report describes that religious worship, though guaranteed by the country’s Constitution, is severely restricted by the government. In fact, the article reports that only four churches in the country exist and they are open only to foreigners living in North Korea. To further highlight the restrictive nature of the government, the report states that the capital, Pyongyang, was originally called the “Jerusalem of the East” before the “cult” government of Kim Sung Il and his son Kim Jong Il became the state religion. Thus, western Christianity was effectively closed to followers in North Korea. By describing this drastic change in religious practices due to the two Kim’s political power, the reader can be persuaded into believing that the current North Korean government feels no sympathy for people who believe in Christianity. A quote included in the article by a South Korean activist, Do Hee-yeon, supports this idea: “North Korea appears to have judged that Christian forces could pose a threat to its regime.”

The reporter who submitted the article portrays the North Korean government in a very unsympathetic manner by including numerous phrases such as “the regime severely restricts religious observance,” “the cult of personality created by national founder Kim Il-Sung,” and “a harsh turn in the crackdown on religion.” Anyone outside of North Korea who would read this information would be frightened to visit such a strange country. Thus, the use of this type of language helps to confirm the mysterious image of North Korea that is reported in the western media.

To provide credibility to the report, many of the people quoted throughout this article are related to some official organization such as The U.S. State Department, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, and the South Korean Rights Report. Using such experts rather than quoting the “average guy on the street” seemingly allows the evidence supporting the claims in the article to be credible. However, these experts only comment on the restrictive nature of religious practice in North Korea; none of them confirm that the execution has taken place and the official North Korean Central News Agency does not mention the incident. The only experts who report the execution are unnamed South Korean “activists.” Thus, even though the reader of this article believes that the execution took place because of all the experts quoted, in reality the careful reader does not really know if the incident occurred. The reporter should have provided more credible sources about the execution. At the end of the article, the author also cites a South Korean Rights Report that relates that the North Korean government arrested and tortured another Christian who was spying at a nuclear site for South Korean and the United States governments.

This example provides a basis of support towards the main incident in the article because the alleged crimes and punishment are similar. Through these examples, the reader will be able to see how the North Korean government harshly treats its citizens.

This article has substantial, credible support and structure to help persuade the public into believing that the North Korean government has a bias against religion, particularly Christianity. However, these credible sources do not comment about the main incident of the woman’s execution. In fact, the article never does include a credible source that the execution took place. Although I have my own thoughts on the likelihood of this incident happening, the fact is that the only sources quoted are unnamed South Korean activists. The report would have been more credible if other sources had verified that the incident took place.

eleven

When someone thinks of the word eleven, she may just think of the number, but I think of the hardwood floors and decorative rugs and spacious windows that make up one of the most relaxing and comfortable locations to study on the OSU campus, the 11th floor reading room of the Thompson Library. The reading room has an excellent atmosphere with two bamboo plants that create the feeling of a Buddhist zen temple. These green plants harmonize with the soft brown and white colors of the floor and walls.

On the day I visited, the sunlight shown through one of the many windows that overlook all parts of campus. Most of the students were studying or reading books that lay one of the many wooden tables. Rather than studying alone, a group of students had an active study group session where they were engaged in memorizing chemistry information, probably for a quiz or test.

Although the room was mostly quiet, different sounds could be heard. While one boy was studying, I could hear the tapping of his fingers while he was nodding his head along to the beat of music from his laptop. Another group of girls that were sitting by a window whispered and giggled about their events from previous night. These various sounds and the soft white light shining through the windows created a relaxing and alluring atmosphere where one could relax and converse with others or study comfortably. Lounging in the leather chairs, the students were truly taking advantage of the atmosphere in this special room in the renovated library.

The warm feeling of the room may have contributed to the students acting kind towards each other. For instance, one boy lent his calculator to another stranger without any second thoughts and seemed willing to lend it again if needed. Another student also offered to assist another student memorize Spanish vocabulary by going through flash cards.

The Thompson Library 11th floor reading room is more than just a study room. It is a unique and comfortable place to converse and relax after a long day.

My first thoughts on blogging

Studying abroad is an unforgettable opportunity for people to learn about a new culture, language and themselves. It is also a wonderful time to share these experiences with friends and families back home. By creating a blog, a person is able to communicate with friends and family about these new experiences even though they are physically separated. Through writing descriptive entries and posting interesting pictures, the author of the blog can excite the readers and create a feeling of sharing the experience together.

During my study abroad or “gap year” in Korea last year, I created a daily blog to describe my experiences and keep in touch with my close friends and family. Everyday I would post pictures of my experiences. For example, when I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and most beautiful palace in Seoul, I posted pictures I took and wrote brief information about each picture. Experiencing the beauty of Gyeongbokgung Palace was truly an unforgettable experience for me because of its rich history and unique architecture. However, I wanted other people to also share this experience and learn about the beauty of Korean culture and history. Through my blog I was able to do so. Seeing the positive responses from my closest friends and family brought made me happy. I felt fulfilled knowing I was able to educate people about a country that has a special place in my heart.

Writing my blog also helped me adjust to living overseas. While I was in Korea, I would include short summaries of the events that occurred on certain days along with the pictures. By writing these posts, I was able to overcome my homesickness and lessen any of the worries my friends and family had.

Also, I found that by writing my blog I was able to bring out my creative side. I took more pictures than I usually do when visiting places and I was more aware of the history and background of the places and people I encountered. Blogging even allowed me to create new friends or rediscover old friends. Sometimes, I received an email from someone I didn’t know or had known long ago after they saw my blog. They would email me questions about my experience. Overall, creating a blog can truly connect you to yourself and to the outside world.