My thoughts about class Eng 111

Even though I have been taken other classes in TCC, ENG 111 is my first class that I have attended with other American students. When I was taking ESL classes, teacher told us that usually foreign students had to drop classes or did not pass them because they were not able to understand instructor. So I was nervous that it is going to be hard for me to be on the same level with other classmates because English is not my native language; however, when I came on first class meeting my worries went away.
I can say honest that I did not like English 111 class and I do not want take Eng 112, even though I know that it will help me in a future. However, it is not because I did not like instructor or how course was built. I think Paul Gasparo did a great job: the way he made atmosphere in class comfortable for everybody be able to say what they think and have a dispute was very helpful. The assignments were interesting too; it made me put afford to write them and I think it is good. I had to think about different things that I have not thought about before. Research essay helped me to find out more about euthanasia; I had my opinion on this case before but I have never known what arguments had either side or what countries allow it. Furthermore, essay “I am because” made me think what influenced me to become person I am. I think it was very useful for me because now maybe I can change something about myself. The thing that I really liked to do was Power Point presentations. I enjoyed analyzing poster, because I have never thought about pictures on the covers of the magazines: how they made to attract people to bay it. It gave me chance to do something creative. Also, it was not hard for me because I have used this program before.
The main reason why I did not like the class is because I hate writing. I can do it when I have to write short answers on something and be straight to the point. However, when I need to write an essay, it takes me whole day to do it because I have to make it colorful and interesting for audience. However, it is not only in case of writing on English, I have the same problem when I have to do it on Russian. However, when I am writing on Russian I know grammar and punctuation rules; it is helpful because sometimes when people are reading my essays on English they cannot understand what I mean only because of my punctuation. Other problem I face all the time is that when I have to do something that I do not like I do it in the last minute, so I had to write almost all my essays in the two last weeks. I know it is not the right way to do it but I have trouble to change myself in this case.
Even though I have all this problems with writing I can say that my Eng 111 experience was positive and helpful, thanks to the Paul Gasparo.

Super power that I would like to have the most

I think every person in the world would like to have at least a one super power. Of cause it would be nice to have all of them; however, if I had to choose I would prefer to be able to become invisible any time I want and make people or things that I touch invisible too. I want to have this power not because I would like to become a super hero and help all people who need it but because I could use it for my own selfish purposes. The main thing I would do is traveling. There are two kinds of traveling: first is for family needs and second is for fun.
At present period of my life traveling for family needs is the most important thing for me and I am going to explain why. I came to the US in 2006 as a member of the student program “Work and Travel”. However, as the most students I did not go back to my country; I have ended up staying here and getting married. By USA immigration law I am not allowed to go back home and come back to America if I do not have a Green card (which I do not have). God knows when the US Immigration Services will decide to give me one, but right now I have been living in the US for more than two years and have not been home even once. My parents cannot visit me neither because it is almost impossible to get a US travel visa. That is why if I had power to become invisible I would sneak in on a plain that goes to Russia, visit my family and come back to America. It would make my life much easier than it is now because lack of ability to see my family any time I want puts very big pressure on me.
Traveling for fun would include visiting different countries as Brazil, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia and Caribbean. I have always wanted to see a carnival in Rio de Janeiro, climb the Pyramids or go inside and I have heard that New Zealand is the most beautiful place on the Earth. How would power to be invisible help me to do it? I would go on the plain without paying for it. This would save me a lot of money or allow me to go somewhere when I do not have money at all. It may look that ability to fly would help me more; however, I would not be able to take luggage with me or other person. Further more, I would go to the Space on the next space ship if I could call going to the Space a traveling. I think it is the best experience a person can have because it is something that is hard to imaging. It is something that you will never see on the Earth. Having the super power sound as a very exciting idea; however, I think it is really hard to control yourself and do not do something bad. It looks like all things that I would use my super power for are unlawful. Even though I do not think that I am the best person in the world, I am not the worst one; this means that other people who are not so nice like me could use the super powers in purposes that can bring to disaster or make other people’s lives miscible. That is why I think that may be it is good that people are not able to have the super powers; it could make the world more complicated than it already is.

Super power that I would like to have the most (revised)

I think every person in the world would like to have at least a one super power. Of cause it would be nice to have all of them; however, if I had to choose I would prefer to be able to become invisible any time I want and make people or things that I touch invisible too. I want to have this power not because I would like to become a super hero and help all people who need it, but because I could use it for my own selfish purposes. It is even hard to imagine how many different things I would be able to do if I was invisible. The main thing would be traveling. There are two kinds of traveling: first is for family needs and second is for fun. Other things that I would do are not so nice; however, I am still going to tell about them, but later.
At present period of my life traveling for family needs is the most important thing for me and I am going to explain why. I have arrived in the US in 2006, in my birth day, as a member of the student summer program “Work and Travel”. Nobody knew then that it is going to be something more than just a summer vacation. When August was coming to the end, I already have not been so sure that I am going back home. So, all students left in September and I have stayed and got married; it was such a happy moment. However, it was not so exciting later; by USA immigration law I am not allowed to leave America and come back if I do not have a Green card (which was supposed to be issued to me more than year ago). American government does not care if I have husband here; if I leave we probably will never see each other again. We even cannot have honeymoon like all normal couples, because almost all exotic and affordable places are located out of the US. God knows when the US Immigration Services will decide to give me my desirable Green Card, but right now I have been living in the US for more than two years and have not been home even once. My parents cannot visit me neither because it is almost impossible to get a US travel visa. Furthermore, I always think that if something happens back in Russia I will have to make a choice between my family and my husband. That is why if I had power to become invisible I would sneak in on a plain that goes to Russia, visit my family and come back to America or I would go to place where government prints Green Cards and “borrow” one. It would make my life so much easier than it is now, because lack of ability to see my family any time I want puts huge pressure on me.
Traveling for fun would include visiting different countries as Brazil, Egypt, New Zealand, Australia and Caribbean. I have always wanted to see a colorful carnival in Rio de Janeiro, climb the ancient Pyramids or go inside (actually, I am not sure about it, because who knows what kind of traps has still not been discovered). Furthermore, I have heard that New Zealand is the most beautiful place on the Earth; it has very comfortable climate: not humid and not dry. How would power to be invisible help me to do it? I would go on the plain without paying for it. It sounds kind of exciting to walk next to people and be not noticeable. This would save me a lot of money or allow me to go somewhere when I do not have money at all. It may look that ability to fly would help me more; however, I would not be able to take luggage or other person with me. Also, I could go somewhere just for weekend. For example, when it is cold, windy and gloomy in Virginia Beach I could look up weather on the Internet, get on a plain and fly to some place where I could lay on a sun, drink Pina Colada and listen to sounds of the ocean. Further more, I would go to the Space on the next space ship if I could call going to the Space a traveling. When I was younger I have always dreamed of being astronaut; go to the open space, feel , see stars closer than the are on the Earth, maybe walk on the Moon or even Mars. What can be better? I think it is the best experience a person can have because it is something that is hard to imaging. It is something that you will never experience on the Earth.
There is other very important reason why I want to have the power to become invisible. Can you just imagine how many secrets there are on the Earth? And I bet that governments of different countries have answers on most of them. For example, would not it be interesting to know who killed President Kennedy? I think almost every American, and not only American, is dying to know the true about the assassination of the 20th century. Also, there are so many questions about UFO and if it has ever come to the Earth. Who knows, maybe small “green people” live among us and we even do not have a clue about it. It is even possible that one of our friends is alien. Or maybe all these strange shaped space ships that some people have seen on the dark sky were just government experiments. Furthermore, there are so many closed files about The First and Second World Wars. For me, person who was born in Russia, would be very interesting to get information about Stalin and all things that he has done to Russian people; because there are still families who do not know what has happened to their relatives. Some people were arrested and nobody has heard anything about them again. So, if I was invisible I would go to the libraries of different countries where they keep all these secret data. I could seat there and read anything I want and know all closed information. However, there would be one big problem: I could read documents on Russian and English but what about all other languages. Furthermore, maybe if governments decided to close this information for open public there is potent reason for it. Probably, it is good that we do not know everything; maybe one day we will but not now.
Having the super power sound as a very exciting idea; however, I think it is really hard to control yourself and do not do something bad. It looks like all things that I would use my super power for are unlawful. Even though I do not think that I am the best person in the world, I am not the worst one; this means that other people, who are not so nice like me, could use the super powers in purposes that can bring to disaster or make other people’s lives miscible. That is why I think that may be it is good that people are not able to have the super powers; it could make the world more complicated than it already is.

American “Generation NeXt” has reasons to be the way it is

As a person who is originally from Russia, it is easier for me to see differences between American and European students. Furthermore, I have studded for four years in Russian university and now I am in TCC, so I have opportunity to compare our educational system and American. In the article “Generation NeXt” Mark L. Taylor tells that American students do not want put any afford to get good grades; I agree and disagree with these point.
I agree because I can see that the students can choose any teacher they want, it makes life easier for them. However, when after the college graduates have to work with other people they will not be able to choose a boss or co-workers that they like. In Russia, we do not have choice of teachers; from the beginning students assigned for classes and they cannot change anything. Other thing is that if student fails a class he or she can take it again and again, just pay money. In my country if person tries to pass it again and fails he or she dismissed from the university; it makes students work harder.
I disagree with Taylor’s point because I see a lot of students paying for their education without anybody’s help. In order to do it they have to work part or full time and at the same time go to college and do home work. All this puts a lot of pressure on them. In Russia government offers free education plus scholarship to students who does well; also, teenagers do not have to work, mostly because nobody will hire them. Other thing that I have noticed is that children after graduating from school are expected to live on their own, without support from their parents. It means that except college they have to pay for apartment, food, clothes and other things; and at present economical situation it must be very hard. Russian students usually live with their parents who pay for everything that children need.
So if look at all differences between European and American students, I think there are reasons for it, because American children expected to do much more than students in Europe, who for the most part should only go to the college and study.

Picture is taken from http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS255US255&q=picture+of+lazy+students&&sa=N&start=18&ndsp=18

Gun problem in the US

Since I have moved to the US I hear all the time about gun control question; it is a major problem in the US, as I noticed. When I have read Jon Kelly’s article “Annie, get your gun” I thought that I agree and disagree with some things he wrote about.
I agree that women should not be afraid of guns because in some cases it will help them to protect their life and may be lives of their children. However, when I see a gun or touch it I do not feel comfortable at all. May be if I knew a little bit more about guns, the way it works and how to use it right without harm for myself and people around me, I would be more confident.
Furthermore, I agree with the statement “It's not the gun that kills, it's the person behind it.” I remember, I watched TV program about gun control, it explained some of the reasons why US has such a high rate of gun murders; one of them was a slavery. People in America are used to think about African Americans as about bad people, no meter what has happened, white people always blame them. That is why “white” part of America’s population wants to have right for bear arms. Also, there was made comparison between USA and Canada: even though Canada has more guns per person than the US, rate of gun murders there is much lower, almost equal to zero.
However, I think that if person has the gun it makes it easier to kill somebody. Reason been, when you have a knife you have to make personal contact, be close to a man or woman you are going to kill; but with the gun everything is much easier, you just need to pull the trigger. Also, if person has gun in a house it the first thing he or she is going to use for protection.

Picture was taken on http://images.google.com/images?&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4TSHB_enUS255US255&q=picture+of+women+with+gun&&sa=N&start=36&ndsp=18

Is it possible to have it all?

It looks like since feminists won right to have equal privileges as men women’s life has got much harder. It is what author of article “Having it all” Glitta is trying to say; and for the most part I agree with her.
Before feminist movement, women were expected to stay home, take care of the house, children and husband; men were supposed to be providers for the family. It had strong and weak points: woman could spend more time at home with their children and pay closer attention to their education; at the same time, if man decided to leave the family his wife would not have a chance to support her and the children. When women get opportunity to work and make the same amount of money as men it made their life much easier; they did not have to be dependant any more because they could provide themselves without help from the men.
On the other hand, now woman expected to work full time as the man. However, at the same time she has to do house work, take care of the children and her husband; all this supposed to be on the same level as when she did not have to have a job. So, nowadays woman works the same time as the men, and when she and her spouse come home tired he goes to watch TV and she has to clean house, cook or do something also; it does not sound too fair, is not it? So when somebody says you can have it all it seems impossible as Glitta said.
The only thing I do not comprehend is why, if Glitta wants to have a carrier, she preoccupied with so many hobbies instead of concentrate on one thing and become good at it. Nobody, even man, would be able to become a professional if he was bouncing from one thing to another.
So, I think that every woman should decide for herself if she wants to have a carrier or spend more time with her family, otherwise she should know how to make both this things work successfully.

You can find picture on http://images.inmagine.com/img/tetraimages/tt006/tt0113093.jpg