SPRING BREAK

Spring Break is so soon and I can't wait! I'm not going anywhere special but the thought of having a week long break is very satisfying.  Although I wish I was in Florida, Jamaica or anywhere warm.  I actually have my whole spring break planned out starting from Friday.

Friday- picking my brother up from East Lansing then going home to Grand Rapids
Saturday- going to Chicago with my family which will consist of eating, shopping and relaxing
Sunday- return to Grand Rapids
Monday-Wednesday- bring my car Hansen Collision to get it fixed until Wednesday because someone did a hit and run while I was in class (eff you to whoever it was)
Thursday- go back to Kalamazoo to work
Friday- work all day
Saturday- go to East Lansing to celebrate a friend's birthday at the Tin Can
Sunday- recuperate
Monday- back to English 1100

Nothing too exciting but I still get to relax with my family and friends.

During break I have many projects and assignments to work on so that's a bummer. I'm getting stressed because I have a huge portfolio due for my Special Education class.  Even though it's going to take a lot of time and effort, it will all be worth it at the end when I get a job!  I get to take a break from teaching my seventh graders next week!!!!!!! Middle school students can be a pain in the ASS, but I learned to love them. I hope everyone enjoys their spring break!

This is my Family. Can't wait to be reunited!! <3

The Jungle

After reading The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, I had many mixed emotions.  I was a little confused because I don't comprehend as well when I read text online.  But from what I read, every little thing was so disturbing.  In chapter 3, all of the job names were explained.  There were "cleaver men" who chopped the whole animal and needed two other men to assist him.  There was a "knocker" who killed with a sledge hammer.  There was a "floorsman" who made the first cut to the skin.  When I was reading this, an image was created in my mind that I didn't want to see.  I felt so bad for Jurgis because he had no clue what his job was going to be.  He was just excited that he got a job to start making money.  Another thing I found fascinating was that the workers used every part of the hog to make something.  With the leftover parts they couldn't use, they turned it into fertilizer.  I don't do well with guts and blood so I'm a little scared to go to the slaughterhouse on Friday.  But I want to see what it's like because i've been wondering all this time of what a slaughterhouse actually is.

Life of Migrant Workers

After reading And the Earth Did Not Devour Him by Tomas Rivera and Cajas de Carton by Francisco Jimenez, I couldn't imagine the harsh conditions these families went through.  Both stories were told by the authors but from a child's point of view.

In Tomas Rivera's story, it began by telling us that the dad suffered from a sunstroke.  He had glossy eyes, cramps and couldn't sleep.  Thinking about how hot the sun was while working in a field all day is unimaginable.  Shifting to Cajas de Carton, the family worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.  I calculated this and in total, they worked 84 hours a week. I don't know about you but 84 hours is an insane amount of hours to be working in the hot sun, picking cotton or fruits.  Another idea these stories brought up was the children not attending school when they should be.  Yes, families are in need of money and they need the extra help from one child but they also need to attend school and receive their education.  Education is how students become successful in the future and start their crazy ideas.
As Francisco was getting used to his school and Mr. Lema, he had to move to a different area again.  It was time to pack up the boxes in his dad's Carcanchita.  Migrant workers had to move so many times to find work for the season.  If there was no work, they had to pack up and move again.  It's sad that they build a life in one area and have to pack it all away to drive to a different area.

Modest Proposal: Reduce Food Waste

My milkshake brings all the...college students to the drive-thru.

When we got into small groups exchanging information about ideas of a modest proposal, we all thought of ways to reduce food waste.  There is so much food being wasted around the world from homes to grocery stores to restaurants.  We aimed at restaurants targeting broke college students.  

When customers go into a restaurant and leave their unfinished food, the waiters/waitresses will take that food and save it.  If they pile up a certain amount of leftover food, they will create on-the-go milkshakes! Sounds so yummy, I know! College students are always in a hurry to get to class and most of the time we don't have time to eat.  So these milkshakes are ideal for students.  There will be a separate drive thru/walk thru for on-the-go milkshakes.  

These are indeed free but if students would like to leave a tip, they are more than welcome to.  The workers at the restaurants will pre make the milkshakes and store it inside a refrigerator so they will be ready to slurp down with a straw.  There is no room to be picky so the milkshakes will be made from appetizers, meals and desserts.  A three in one meal deal.  You don't even need a fork and knife, just a straw to slurp down leftover burgers, fries, salads, potatoes and much more.  Another special deal on these milkshakes are the flavorful "whip cream" flavors.  It ranges from mayo, ketchup, mustard and bbq sauce. 

Enjoy! 

Life of Guatemala

Rigoberta Menchus 'The Family' story put me in my place.  After reading her background and history, I realized that there is nothing for me to complain about.  I have everything compared to what her and her family had...which was not much.  When she was talking about her grandmother having to give away her father, it was SO heartbreaking! I'm sure her grandmother didn't want to give away her eldest son but that was the best choice for her whole family.  This whole situation reminded me of the Modest Proposal.  Giving away your children to make money or so your kids wouldn't go hungry.  I'm glad they rekindled and be together before her father had to go into the military.

Another thing to be thankful for is how much we get paid at minimum wage.  I looked up how much centavos were worth in dollars and I found out that 100 centavos= $1.  ladino families settled in their spots.

That is outrageous!!! Rigoberta was saying that her father used to work in a monastery and used to get paid thirty to forty centavos a day.  That means he didn't even get paid half a dollar to eat and live.  If you think of getting paid that much these days...I CAN'T EVEN.  The Guatemalans couldn't make the means to afford a house and stay there.  They were all pretty much in debt and was forced to leave town because

I have SO MUCH to be thankful for.  I have a roof over my head, more than enough to eat every day and extra luxurious things that I enjoy.  Im lucky enough to have parents that support me to live every day.  Guatemalans suffered and went through many hardships.  If I didn't take this class I honestly wouldn't have ever read about Guatemala and all the difficult times they went through.

Count your blessings!

A Modest Proposal

Yikes! While I was reading this proposal, it really freaked me out.  The thought of skinning and eating children just grosses me out.

But at the same time, thinking about this scenario kind of makes sense.  Not saying I agree with cannibalism but to save your country from starvation, it could be an idea.  But more so kids being malnourished because your country is so poor that parents don't have enough money to have access to food.  So instead of trying to feed your kids, you sell them when they reach a certain age.  That was a really messed up idea that anyone could have.

Although the proposal itself was outrageous, the idea and concept of it was great.  I really liked how Jonathan Swift put a lot of statistics and numbers in the proposal just to argue his point.  It put an image in my head especially when he was talking about the six advantages of his proposal.  When I read through the six advantages, I sort of agreed with the rankings of most important to the less important.  The first advantage was that there would be less Papists which is true.  The last advantage was an inducement to marriage.

 I didn't fully understand this one because of the way he phrased that whole paragraph.  All in all i'm glad this was only a proposal with ideas and not something that is actually happening.  At least I hope this isn't happening somewhere in the world.

Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes

"Promoting a Hunger-Free Community Since 1982"

While going through this website, I found many great resources for anyone that would visit this site including teachers and students. Before surfing through the different pages, I looked for their history and 'about us' just to get a little background of what they are about.  I think it is great that churches downtown organized this organization to help people out that are in need of help.  The congregations decided to expand the food organization to assist the county of Kalamazoo.  I love that they are about helping hunger and just having the whole community be apart of this movement.  Another thing that I saw under commitments were that they provide high-quality food.  Even though they are feeding families and citizens that are in poverty, they want to provide them with the best food.  

Something else that I thought was beneficial was the information for teachers under the education tab.  There are lessons from Primary to Intermediate to Secondary school students that teach them about hunger and poverty.  Getting the community involved in this process but also getting the community to help Loaves & Fishes.  

Something that I want to do to help my community is to volunteer.  I found a calendar of events and there are a few dates to volunteer.  I want to try to get my roommates and friends to come with me to experience what it's like to be around food and the community.  

The Dinner of Trimachio

It took me a while to read this story of Trimachio.  It was interesting but I didn't enjoy it that much because it was so long.  I felt really disgusted of how much food and wine they consumed.  Along with that, in chapter 49 when they talked about gutting the hog, I almost about puked.  The servants were treated so poorly by Trimachio and they were getting blamed for so many things.  Most of the time Trimachio was drunk so he would say bizarre things and wanted his servants to be tortured for ridiculous reasons.  It's sickening to think that people ate like him and i'm sure there are people now that binge eat but not as extreme.