Life as a Single Child in Family

Xuejun Yu
Instructor: Jason Kirkmeyer
ENGL 1210-02
October31, 2009
Life as a Single Child in Family
Since Peter was talked about the “birth control policy” in his paper, it reminds me that I am also the only child for my parents. As a single child in my family, my parents, my aunt, my grandparents, always make so much pet of me. This kind of pet, of course, not only brings so much happiness to me, but also some spokes to my independent life.

I am the only child for my parents, so that they love and protect me as a baby in their arms since I was born in this family. Both of my parents are all teachers in university which got just fair incomes from their works. However, they tried to give me the best they could afford, the best living conditions, the best education environment, and the best freedom atmosphere for me to grow up. They have given me a lot; on the other hand, they had never thought about that I can feed them back someday. I can live a better life than theirs is the only thing that they want to see in my life. My parents always prepare all the things I need in my daily life ready for me, cooking three meals a day, washing and drying my cloths, talking with me when I feel depression and trying to tell me some valuable life experiments. They do not want to see that I am walking to the wrong direction when I am standing on the crossroad for my life. This is my parents. My other family members, my grandparents, my aunt, my uncle, also treat me like this.

Maybe people know this will say that I am in such a family with so much happiness. Actually, I am not under such kind of happiness. My parents put their dreams in my life that they want me to let them come true. They want me to be that kind of person who they want me to be. This is a kind of stress for me. They have done so much for me, and I really do not want them to be disappointed with me. I want them to be proud of me.

Since I left my home to go abroad for study, I have been so far away from my family. I always miss them a lot, miss my mother’s cooking, miss my father’s hug, and miss my grandmother’s old stories. I love them so much, and they are part of my life. I always feel lonely and homesick with the life far away from my family. I am pleased that I can deal with my daily life without my family. Some of my friends who are also the only child in their families cannot deal their daily life without their parents, washing their cloths, eating health, and cooking for themselves. We were grow up under our parents’ protect. If someday we leave our families, we will feel helpless without our families. The single child in each family like us is just like a flower which grows up in greenhouse that is carefully protected by gardener. This kind of flowers cannot survive if people put them in fields. Like us, we cannot leave comfortable without our families.

Actually, all the single children have been growing up, and they need to live their own lives independent. Although it is a painful for all the single children, they have to face the true world.
I left my family to go to the United States for my college study has been one year. I still can remember the first night I sleep in the United States that I hided myself under my blanket and cried till the next morning because I had already miss my family, my friends, and my hometown so much. I had nothing in this strange country, no family, no friends, no money, and no background. I was just asked myself what can I do next, and going back home is impossible. The only thing I can do is to survive in United States by myself and get stronger than I am in home. Actually, I did this. Right now, I can cook for myself, wash cloths for myself, earn money for my tuition, do well on my classes as a secondary language for me, and also repair my car when it is broken. It is an amazing change for me, and it is impossible for me to think I can do all the things just after one year I came to the United States. I also made a lot of new friends in United States. I have been already like my new life which is really different from my past life in my hometown. This year is really a painful for me, but it is really worth for me to be alive without my parents.

I am a single child in my family, and my past life before I leave my family is just like honey. I was living in a life as a center of my family. I have been survived in the outfield, and I will never be a flower in greenhouse any more. This is just part of my life, and I still need to suffer more in my whole life. This is just a start. My life will be better and better hopefully.

All single children in their families have to leave their parents sooner or later to live independent. They have to suffer this kind of painful. But it is worth for their better future.

Working hard

lenyn Leonce
English 1010


Although I have never been on or close to an oil patch my hard working experiences working as a construction worker can relate to the admirable times you experienced on site. I usually wore the worst torn up clothes that I could find, simply because at the end of the vigorous day they would be covered in cement or other messy equipment needed to complete the job. The job of construction can be a tough one. In order for an individual to work on a construction site, they must bear a level of physical strength higher than the average human being.

Working on a construction site to me was usually a part time summer job. An engagement used to basically keep me occupied and stay away from the delinquents of the present society. I could still vividly hear my mother, as the summer vacation approached, saying “you better go get some work to do before you find yourself in trouble.” The fact that I was the youngest individual on site didn’t change the way that co-workers treated me. To them I was part of the family. Like all families this one had its ups and downs. There were times when some of the guys fought with each other for the stupidest of reasons and other times respected each other like a child would respect his or her mother.

As early as five A.M every morning I would be on the well built company`s open truck, along with my co-workers sipping some coffee and breathing the early morning`s air in preparation for the day ahead of us. Similar to your oil patch, we cooked some delicious meals for each other on breaks in a shed which we used or special skills to build. During the time we ate the food that we prepared, there were many jokes and stories shared, some of which were very personal. The depicting of these personal stories can be a prime example of the amount of trust that we had for each other. I believe these times we spent together created a bond, which enabled us to carry our jobs efficiently.

Your description of the workers on the oil field, “The oil field is usually seen as a rowdy bunch of “rough necks” that are foul mouthed and dirty in all senses (Antrim 1)”, is exactly how construction works are viewed in the eyes of those in my community .Likewise, this is view not a fact. After much interaction with many construction workers, I realized that these individuals are simply ones who were unable to keep up with the faulty education system; therefore they resort to their last option of living which is construction. With the increasing amount of hotels and housing apartments on island, in your case the increasing demand of oil worldwide, provided many opportunities for us to use our expertise. Usually the bosses, who we called often “Boss La”, on site gave the instructions for the actions we carried out such as, how far we should cut a corner of a room and how tall a window ledge should be. Though there was plenty of man power present each day, the job could not be completed without the use of numerous tools. The most frequently used tool was a cement mixer. I would normally have the satisfaction of operating this machine every day. The thrill of hearing the water, white sand and, stones grinding against each other to make the main element needed for the job was one I could never forget. After the machines produced their final product there was often an excessive amount of team work occurring in setting process up the finished goods.

Like drilling, the art of construction is very technical and messy similar to the beauty of the North Dakota morning, the crack of dawn in the St.Lucia, known by many people as the Helen of the West, also presented various features that appealed to one`s senses. On site however, the smell of cement, dust, freshly cut wood and steel, and the frequently used mud water would not. These elements, if breathed in, can be detrimental to the health of an individual, hence we often wore mask and protective head gear which clearly resembled those worn on an oil field site. Some of the other protective gears we were required to wear were, Steel toe boots, goggles for those operating the machines that cut steel, back braces, and gloves.

The summer of 2009 was a painful one for me also; having to say good-bye to my immediate family plus those I considered family on site. Similar to you, Sam, I got a lot of jokes on my last day of work but they also came along with well wishes and chants of congratulations, like any other normal family would do. While I also miss the time spent with my co-workers, looking to the years ahead I imagine returning back to the site after earning a Bachelor’s degree in business management, to help my past co-workers with the way they manage equipment and time, therefore generating more revenue. Hopefully, once again contributing to the improvement of the managerial aspects of construction sites, which I loved and appreciated so much from a very tender age.

In the same degree as you, I am pleased with the strides that I took in my life to get me where I am today, projecting as bright and prosperous future helping those who are considered as menaces to society, our fellow co-workers. This paper has so many similar characteristics with my experiences as a construction worker, it reminds me much about my life at work back at home.





Works cited

Antrim, Sam. English 1010 Blog. October 9, 2009. October 9, 2009.
http://english1010blog5001.blogspot.com/2009/10/since-resigning-my-position-at-my-last.html

Follow the Standardized Brick Road?

JoLynn Fletcher
Professor Kirkmeyer
English 1010
2 November 2009

Follow the Standardized Brick Road?

“Standardized tests were first administered to see where a student was in the class and if they needed additional help” (Aubrey Goolsby). It is interesting to see how much the common goal of standardized tests can morph into so much more than just a simple tool to test academic progress. I agree with Ms. Goolsby that these tests have come to be regarded more highly than they really should be when it comes to the educational futures of students across the nation.
Through tests, more specifically standardized tests, our culture has come to put more emphasis on the testing process rather than the actual educational and learning experiences that a child receives at school. Elements such as the inconsistency of standardized tests that can be fueled by the lack of participation by students and their stress and anxiety only help to put light on the fact that standardized tests aren’t everything that they have been made out to be throughout the past. Standardized tests should not in any way, shape or form be regarded as highly as they are. By the way in which they stand now, these tests have the ability to make or break many students’ academic careers as well as their self-esteem and motivation.

Standardized tests have been proven to show inconstancy across the nation through educational gaps. Teachers use many different methods at various different skill levels to teach their students. The materials taught originate from curriculum guidelines and standards that aren’t always followed correctly which only widens these gaps in terms of knowledge production in youth.

The sole fact that students only try on standardized tests, such as the ACT and SAT, can be linked to the fact that with all other standardized tests, they are not directly affected. When these types of tests are given to a certain group of students across the nation to see how well teachers and schools are doing at giving a proper education, students will not try their best to give good representation to their school. Schools are then punished with higher academic standards.

“It’s just that the system is not based on showing what a person’s utmost potential on what he does know, but only on what you don’t know” (Aubrey Goolsby). Tests are used to help weed out those students who know their materials from the ones who don’t. It is with this system that the foundation for standardized testing is based. Not only do students feel like tests are geared towards the majority of their peer’s strengths, but they also feel that standardized tests only cater to either right or left brained students. “Every single person has their own learning pattern and standardized test can be degrading to a person’s self-esteem” (Aubrey Goolsby).
Stress and anxiety are common factors that, in no way, help students who are taking any sort of test. Not only does stress and anxiety take away confidence levels when entering a test, but they also play a factor in the ability to retain the knowledge required to perform well. The fact that we all have been trained to give right or wrong answers can also play a huge role in contributing to stress. It is with the greater understanding of individual strengths that students won’t feel quite so bombarded when trying to succeed.

“We are the only industrialized nation that considers the mastery of basic skills to be the goal of k-12 education” (Ravitch, and Cortese 73). While basic skills are essential for everyday life, in the real world, it is highly in-effective to construct thirteen years of education solely on basic skills. With the implementation of projects and activities that explore other educational avenues, we can better diversify the over-all educational standards that the United States has set for themselves in comparison to other academically progressive nations.
Many people see testing, standardized in particular, as a solid structure and education base for improving academics. These tests are seen as not only a good way to see how much knowledge has been retained by students but also how well they can project it back to the teacher on paper through right and wrong answers. While standardized testing is indeed a good way to provide students with the ability to nurture their own academic independence, the results aren’t always what teachers hope for.

I, on the other hand, agree with Ms. Goolsby that standardized testing is indeed an inaccurate and unjust way of testing a student’s intellect. It seems rather unfair to judge a student based upon knowledge a child should know rather than what they do know. She brings up many other valid points that depict standardized testing as an unsuitable way to perceive a student’s ability to retain years of education, especially when it comes to admission into college. While I will agree that there needs to be higher expectations for academics across the nation, it seems like testing shouldn’t be the only way in which we reach those goals, but rather through more creative ways to present new materials and information to students. It is through these new and conventional experiences, students will come to appreciate the education that they are receiving rather than dreading the testing of what they have or haven’t obtained throughout any given time in a school year.

So, with standardized testing growing to be more and more of a debate on whether it should be regarded as highly as it is in terms of a students’ educational future, we must look at all avenues of thought and contemplate what exactly these tests can do to better improve one’s education rather than to set it back to due unhealthy test scores and negative feedback. We can look to strong writers on this topic, such as Ms. Goolsby and derive our opinions from there, however it takes a great deal of thought and consideration before one can come to a conclusion as to hold standardized testing so highly.



Works Cited

Goolsby, Aubrey. "The Madness of Testing to Improve Educationaltr Achievement." Weblog post. Writers of the World. 14 Oct. 2009. Web. .

Apocalypse Now …or Not

Sam Antrim
November 1, 2009

Apocalypse Now …or Not

While reading Bridget Gegg’s paper about the supposed apocalypse of 2012, I started to feel the tingle of desire to know more about when the end could be. I have always been interested in the ancient doomsday predictions of both the Mayans and the Aztecs. I am even more drawn to the somewhat more recent works of Nostradamus. The lone truth we may rely on is the age old saying, “Only time will tell.”

In Gegg’s paper Doomsday 2012, the Mayans calendar is explained in great detail. She states that the calendar is started at 0.0.0.0.0, and that each day is a whole number in the far right place until the number nineteen is reached. At that point a one takes place of the second spot in the sequence and the right most place starts again at zero (e.g. 0.0.0.0.19 becomes 0.0.0.1.0). She further states that thirteen and twenty are very important numbers that are the roots of the Mayan numeric system. This is where some experts choose the interpret thirteen or 13.0.0.0.0 to be the end of the calendar, and since that day happens to fall on December 21, 2012 it has been marked doomsday. The conclusion stated previously leaves much room for skepticism since the number system relies on both thirteen and twenty as important roots, it could easily be when the calendar reaches nineteen or 19.0.0.0.0 in its left most space. Furthermore what tells us that because the calendar ends that the world does also? Each year we all get a chance to pick out a new calendar and it feels like more of a beginning than an end (Gegg ¶3). I must admit that my previous views on the end of the world are changing rapidly as I read this paper. I had always believed that the Mayans were a very complex culture with time telling and calculation skills far beyond their time. I still revere their skills as such, but I am forced to look at their calendar in a different light. I had no idea that their number system was base twenty. I had always thought it was thirteen. With that information alone I question the relevance of thirteen in the left most place, I now would interpret that as being no different than the number nine or sixteen in the same spot. Furthermore if each place is moved to the left only after it reaches nineteen, why wouldn’t all of the places be filled with nineteen (e.g. 19.19.19.19.19) before the calendar would “end.” The “end” is another good point to question, why wouldn’t this calendar roll over just the same as all others have and simply start a new time period? The deeper I delve into this subject the less mythical and more publicity stunt it becomes in my mind.

Gregg also brings up another great point: the “Y2K” scare of the late 1990’s. Y2K was a mass media frenzy claiming that the world just might not run the same as it did the day (December 31, 1999) before, threatening that power grids would no longer function, and that banks would have nothing more than paper to compute balances and transactions. This situation arose from the lack of foresight during the programming of most computer software. The problem was that as 1999 came to and end we rolled into year 2000 all computers would think that it was year 1900 instead of 2000 because most programs used only a two place date for year instead of the four places it would take to state the full year. This was done partially out of laziness and partially to save precious space on early computer hard drives. She states “As 12:00 a.m. January 1, 2000 approached people were stocking up on food and weapons, because people were expecting us to have to resort back to our barbarian ways without our technology. But when the clock struck midnight no problems had arisen. Nothing had happened. Y2K had been avoided.” (Gegg ¶6). I remember this event like yesterday. Our family was visiting our good family friends and having a New Years Eve party. The months leading up this consisted of our mothers stocking up on canned foods and water while our fathers made sure that the firearms were ready and hiding large sums of cash and other valuables within our homes. Banks were one of the biggest concerns in programming since computers controlled all of our money. I digress; we all watched and waited almost more in horror than with excitement as we had in previous years. As the clock struck twelve the ball dropped and the noisemakers scared the dogs, just like every year before. Y2K was almost forgotten as instantly as the ball dropped. It was a large-scale scare that had no real impact in the end. One might equate this next proposed catastrophic event to be nothing more than another Y2K type media blitz.

I now must give up my somewhat childish thoughts and accept that the world most likely is not coming to a rapid end. Once I understood more about the Mayan’s calendar my previously uneducated beliefs quickly crumbled around what no longer seemed to be concrete. The coming of doomsday can now easily be placed along side the Y2K scare in my mind. My choice to return school is now also reaffirmed since the world probably will not be ending. I must however admit that I am somewhat disappointed that I can’t just run out and plunge myself into debt for a mansion, plane, 5 cars and have all responsibility expunged at the end of 2012.

Gegg, Bridget. “Doomsday 2012.” Writers of the World (2009) 1 Nov. 2009

"The Magnetism of the Mysterious" Revisited

Kara Healey
Professor Jason Kirkmeyer
English 1010
2 November 2009

While reading Elisabeth Miller’s “The Magnetism of Mysterious”, I couldn’t help but agree with her writing. I have long found mythology and cryptozoology fascinating subjects and have studied them thoroughly. Through these studies, I’ve found that many of Elisabeth’s statements are now widely accepted theories as to the origins of mythical creatures. It was this thought process that was the basis for my final paper in my senior-year AP English class. My paper – entitled “Lycanthropy” – was a ten-page informative discussion of the werewolf legend and where that legend began. Like many of the creatures in Elisabeth’s paper, werewolves also have a historical connection to real-life people with mental and/or medical afflictions that could not be explained by the technology of their time periods.

I remember the day our teacher, Mrs. Rowley, asked us for our topics for our final papers. I sat down with her and explained what I wanted to write about. She looked at me skeptically and asked, “Are you sure you can find enough information on that subject?” Truthfully, I hadn’t been sure that I could, but I simply smiled and said, “I won’t know ‘til I try.” And with that, I was off to do research into the mysterious world of the werewolf which, surprisingly, was not hard to come by at all.

In her paper, Elisabeth mentions that descriptions of the mythical dragon can be found all over the world – dating back to times when many different civilizations did not have contact with one another – and do not vary much from culture to culture. Interestingly enough, the same is true for werewolves. While the myths may vary slightly in different cultures, what can be agreed upon is that a werewolf can be either a male or a female with the ability to change from human to animal and back at will. The power of transformation can be either heredity or acquired, the latter usually coming from the use of black art.

Elisabeth then goes on to say that it has been proven that some mythical creatures have a basis in fact. She cites the giant squid as an example. The giant squid was once described by sailors as an enormous monster capable of dragging a whole ship down to the depths. Scientists have now confirmed that there is a gigantic squid – called the Colossal Squid – that lives in the deepest darkest depths of the ocean. While the werewolf has not been confirmed as being an actual creature, Clinical Lycanthropy is a very real, documented mental disorder. The disorder is rare, but causes the sufferer to believe that he or she is a real shape-shifter. This includes hallucinations, unusual or dangerous behavior, and even violent outbursts.

It has also been proven that the moon does have a mental effect on humans. Psychosis and violent behavior have been shown to increase during full moons. One study found that homicidal crimes were unusually concentrated around new and full moons. Observations such as these could be one of the possible origins for the myth that werewolves are changed by the moon.

Another theory is that werewolf legends grew out of the horror of the Berserker Insanity. Berserker Insanity has been defined as simply killing for the love of it. It was most prevalent in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages. Those afflicted with the Insanity would gather in bands and travel around the land massacring many. The killers would often dress in wolf or bear skins and were known for cracking backbones, smashing skulls, and drinking the blood of their victims.

One Arcadian religious theory states that werewolves were men who lived with wolf packs in the woods. It was the job of these men to keep the wolves away from the village and be especially vigilant about children and domestic animals. If these “werewolves” were to lose control of their packs, they would be shunned from society.

When Christianity – especially Catholicism – grew in popularity in Europe, werewolf paranoia also grew. Christianity claimed that werewolfery was witchcraft; its powers gained from the devil. This fear, spread by the Church, caused an immense increase in cases of werewolfery reported. Anyone with long teeth, long fingernails, bushy eyebrows, or who was just seen outside late at night, could be suspected. As can be imagined, these descriptions could serve to make anyone a potential werewolf. Between 1520 and 1630 the Catholic Church received 30,000 reports of werewolves from across Europe. Those accused would either confess freely, or be tortured until they did. After they confessed, they would then be burned, decapitated, or stabbed with a silver knife.

Even with all the evidence that can be found, it is hard to locate the exact basis for the werewolf legends. Theories abound – many with very convincing and sound supporting evidence – but the fact remains that no one knows for sure. Like the creatures Elisabeth mentioned in “The Magnetism of the Mysterious,” origins for the myths can only be speculated on; at least until – like the Colossal Squid – a real, transforming werewolf turns up in modern society. Until then, werewolves will only remain in our minds as the creatures dramatized by Hollywood that haunt our nightmares.

NEPALESE FESTIVALS

Diwash Bhusal
Jason S Kirkmeyer
International English 1210
9th September 2009



Nepal is a culturally rich country . There are people from different religions , casts and ethnic having different lifestyle , food , beliefs , language and food . It has a variety of festivals celebrated by different people every year . There are different religions like Hindu , Muslim , Buddhist , Sikh and Christian . Nepal has a great number of Hindu people so it is believed to be Hindu country . There are many temples all over the country that represents different religions of our country .

Being a Hindu country , there are uncountable festivals of Hindu celebrated each year and Maha Shivaratri is one of the important festival which occurs in the month of February . It is a festival where lord shiva is worshipped . In Hindu epic lord Shiva is believed to be creator of this world , Nature , living beings and other gods. so people from India and other countries come to Nepal to visit the Pashupatinath temple of lord Shiva . There will be a long queue to worship lord Shiva at Pashupatinath temple. Pashupatinath is even termed as one of the biggest Hindu temple of lord Shiva. So , me and my friends used to visit Pashupatinath to see the crowd and enjoy the festival.

There is a festival of water and color known as Holi which is celebrated on the month of February . This festival is especially enjoyed by young people . On this day people wander in streets on groups with different colors smeared all over them . People also carry water balloons to throw at each other and people walking down the streets . They meet their friends, throw colors and water balloons on them and wish them shouting Happy Holi . We also used to gather in groups and visit our friends home to wish them Holi . Its a three day festival which is a good way to enjoy with friends.

As lord Buddha was born in Nepal so there is large population of Buddhist people celebrating Lhosar as their biggest festival . Lhosar means new year of Buddhist community . The different monasteries of our country are decorated with colorful flags and they also rhyme their holy songs and perform dances . They welcome their new year with family gathering and wearing new clothes, jewelries and also by giving gifts . I had alot of Buddhist friends who used to invite me in Lhosar . The best thing I love about this festival was the food , cultural dances and the colorful flags all around.

Buddhist also celebrate Buddha Jayanti . it is celebrated on the birth date of lord Buddha . it is also known as Buddha Purnima . it falls on the month of April . lord budhha is the founder of Buddhism and was born in Lumbini that lies in the western region of nepal . so on Buddha purnima the place will be crowded by monks and Buddhists . So it is awesome to be at Lumbini celebrating Buddha Purnima because the place with monks is so peaceful . I would prefer everyone to visit lumbini on Buddha Purnima with their loved ones.

Nepal has its official calendar . The first month is Baisakh that falls on mid of April . This very first date of Baisakh is known as “Navavarsha” which means Newyear . People prefer to celebrate it by their ownways . Some like to drink while other organize picnics , parties , dance events . People send card and gifts to beloved ones so that the coming year will be full of happiness and prosperity for them.

There is Gaijatra which is celebrated on the month of August. It lasts for 10 days . This Festival is famous for singing dancing and comedy . People visit to different comedy, singing & dancing events to enjoy this festival . We can even watch shows on tv on this festival but I would watch it live .

Dashain is the believed as the main and biggest festival of people in Nepal . The belief behind this festival was the victory of goddess Durga who killed the evil . So , it is celebrated as a win on evil . Dashain is celebrated in the month of September / October . It lasts for ten days . The 1st day is called Ghatasthapana , 7th is called Fulpati , 8th day is called Astami , 9th day is called Nawami . On this day people gift goats , buffaloes , vegetables or birds to goddess . Lastly , the final 10th day is Bijaya Dashami or Dashain . People wear new clothes and go to temple to worship goddess Durga . then at home we receive Tika from our elders . We also get a lot of cash as gifts from our elders . This festival brings home all the members who are far away from their home and family . The whole country will be in enthusiastic holiday mood during this festival. Different people have their own style of celebrating this festival. Some people like to celebrate with family by talking to them or making different foods at home . While other like to celebrate with friends by playing cards and drinking . I also enjoy this festival because each of our relatives are home for this festival so I get a chance to hang around with my cousins . We get new clothes , variety of foods , and lots of cash which is the main reason we like it .

The other festival is Deepawali which is also known as Tihar . It lies just after Dashain on mid of October . This festival last for four days . The 1st day is called Kaag Tihar where we worship a crow . The 2nd one is Kukur Tihar where we worship dogs . The 3rd one is Goru Tihar where we worship cow and the final day is called Bhai Tika . It a festival for sisters who pray for their brother’s safety and prosperity . I don’t celebrate this festival because I don’t have any sisters to celebrate it . The most interesting act in this festival is on evening which is known as Dheusi-Bhailo program where people make a group and visit others home to sing songs and dance and they get reward for that . This is what I like about this festival.

We also have a festival where we worship snakes and that is known as Naag Panchami . in Hindu culture they own a prominent place because of the stories and fables in Hindu Mythologies . it is believed that lord Bishnu reclines on snake while sleeping in the sea . People feed milk to snake so that the snake won’t harm them all their life and they worship it in honor of snakes .

I have just mentioned some of our big festivals but beside this we also have many festivals that is not celebrated by all people . The main thing I like about this festival is we get public holidays . We can spend time with our relatives who are far from us . We can hang out with friends like a get together . People are always busy with their busy schedule so festivals are the only time when we can find everyone spending time with their families and friends . So , I always used to look forward for this festival . Now , I am miles away from home , relatives , friends . I know it will not be the same what I had at Nepal . Festival celebrated at Nepal are not celebrated here or we don’t have any holiday for it but being in a small community of Nepali over here it will be fun to celebrate festivals over here .

Country Pride

Lenyn Leonce
Jason S Kirkmeyer
English 1210
October 9, 2009
Blue, black, white and gold; put these colors together in a certain order and you will get the flag of my home country, the beautiful island of St.Lucia. I was born and raised on this island, of course with the exception of regular travelling occasions, having being a national athlete; but no moment in any other country could ever come close to the jubilant ones I had in my home town. The blue reflects our tropical sky and also our emerald surrounding waters— the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The gold represents the sunshine. The white and black signify the races of the affable people it shelters. The flag is organized in an intricate isosceles triangular shape which represents the land on which the people of St.Lucia walk on a daily basis, but more specifically, the triangles represent our World Heritage Sites, the twin pitons.

Saint Lucian artist Dunstan St. Omer who is a personal friend of mine created this exquisite masterpiece, one which I look at everyday and reminisce on the times which I shared with my friends , neighbors, track team mates and most importantly , my family. The island of St.Lucia, located in the West Indies, which is also called the Helen of the West, is known for its tropical climate, many white sand beaches and for its World Heritage sites, the twin Pitons- Gros Piton and Petite Piton. For any patriotic individual, whether living in the island or living abroad, there is always a sense of pride and allegiance to their country. As an athlete representing my country around the World, I have come to acknowledge the importance of my own national flag, especially when I see it hoisted up among the many flags of the countries around the world when I attend a track meet.

The frequent traveling I did representing my country as an athlete has also allowed me to conjecture my own feelings and meanings to our different national symbols, particularly, our National Flag. I came from the small city of Castries, to be specific, a community called Carellie Gardens, which can be described as a very active and social place. This is what the land part of the flag reminds me of. The many times I tumbled on the hard dusty surface, not at all similar to the land of Wyoming ( my current residence ), while at track practice or at the regular cricket matches which I shared with my classmates or neighbors. The frequent visits to the beach were one of my many personal favorite natural ventures. I could still feel the salty cool water brushing against my face or entering my mouth and ears, and the sand trapped between my toes, while running, hands extended with clustered sand particles in them, usually aiming towards my friends back or head on the more violent occasions. I remember the one time of my eighteen years of existence ,that I climbed one of the twin peaks ,Gros- Piton which mean “ big peak “ in English. It was a very ecstatic adventure having seeing and hearing all the birds and other creatures chirping was a wonderful feeling. The trees swaying in the early morning breeze, and me, being at the higher points where the wind was really strong, was an experience I would never forget. The best part of the hike was reaching the summit of the mountain and seeing the whole southern side of the island right at my feet but mainly seeing the only drive-through volcano in the world bubbling a few miles away.

Like all other national flags, there is heavy symbolism in the design of the flag and its colors. The designer of the flag has described it as “A device consisting of a white and black triangular shape, at the base of which a golden triangle occupies a central position. The triangles are superimposed on one another; the black on the white and the gold on the black. The black ends as a three pointed star on the centre of the flag” (contributors). The black and white of the National Flag represents the kind, peaceful, helpful, and neighborly people who reside in this Helen of the West. As is seen on the flag, the triangular black area is evidently larger than the triangular white area. This signifies that here in St.Lucia, the majority of people who reside here are of African origin, therefore, giving them their rich, dark color. The white represent the small number of Caucasians who also reside there. Together, living in harmony, the people are the most important aspect of the growth of this developing country. However, personally and from experience, the black and white of the flag signifies the diverse races which I come into contact with every time I travel. This shows that talent has no color or race and this outlook has enabled me to form many lifelong friendships.

In connection with the people, comes the aspect of culture. My grandparents would always teach me (the rituals) of their time so that their traditions would continue for many generations to come. Grandparents were the best, they can always relate to any problem I had which made me very comfortable and secure in their presence, of course with the exception of the recent technological improvements of the world which they have no knowledge of. I remember the many times my family and I attended the numerous national festivals and traditions which were celebrated on the island, such as the La Rose and La Maguerite celebrations, Jounen Kweyol, which means Creole Day, among many others which would go into the wee hours of the morning. These festival activities could be considered to be dangerous, but in St.Lucia this is not the case. I always felt safe during these times. In my small island, where ‘everybody knew everybody’ and where it takes a community to raise a child, safety, being important in any place, can be taken for granted. Doors could be left unlocked, even pots being on fire with the certainty that the house would be taken cared of by members of the community. All this reflection on community and traditions has instilled in me a greater appreciation towards my county; not only in the aforementioned ways but it made me more appreciative towards our year round sunshine.
Being here in Wyoming has affected my own appreciation for the climate of my country. For some, the island is blessed with a tropical climate, resulting in sunshine all year round, but for others, this sunshine can become scorching heat and very crippling, causing everything and everyone to be slowed down. However, the tropical climate has allowed for beautiful and natural flora and fauna. This greenery beautifies the country all year round. Hence, the gold part of the flag represents the prevailing sunshine that shines on the country, causing everything to be green and fresh. Also, this gold signifies the prosperity in St.Lucia and the Caribbean. The blue backdrop of the flag represents the many oceans and seas surrounding this Helen of the West, as well as the blue sky.

I am a very proud St.Lucian and everywhere I go I try my best to bring a little bit of my country with me. Whether it be sharing our culture with others, or simply speaking about this little island of the West to my colleagues, I represent my country in everything I do. Just like the islands’ famous twin Peaks, rising out of the sea towards the sky, symbolizing the hopes and aspirations of me and the people of my country, I too will rise and shine.






Works Cited
contributors , Wikipedia. "Saint Lucia." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. , 2009. Web. < title="Saint_Lucia&oldid="319708167">.