Junior Year With Billy T

First and foremost I would like to say that you are a wonderful teacher. While most teachers have mean days, very happy days, off days... ect I am so happy you stuck to one emotion all year through, optimistic. Like you have said many times being an optimist is what motivated you to become a teacher. (I might be completely wrong, sorry). I believe that part of your optimism have rub off on everyone in class and thanks to you, have brought all of us together.

This year has gone by way to fast. This class specifically has been one that I feel that I've learn so much without even knowing. While not everyday is filled with super fun or extremely important material at the end of the day, now looking back, I fell that your method of teaching was genius. At the end of every year I always end of feeling like I haven't learn anything and hating my teacher for the feeling of having a year wasted. But now in a small way I am enjoying literature and I have found out that I love knowing about author, even though I might not their book. I cannot wait to be Ms. D's class next year reading and analyzing books.

 The Rhetorical Analysis was my the easiest maybe? I truly can't tell you,  I still believe I'm a rubbish writer so everything was equally bad. (I'm a glass half empty kind of girl) In the AP exam the rhetorical was the easiest but in class the synthesis was easier. Hardest had to be the argumentative but only because I felt unprepared for it. Book wise I have enjoyed "The Great Gatsby" and I hated "In Cold Blood"

Thank you Mr.Thomas for being awesome for a whole year.

 

   

We Are All Carrying Something

In our new book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien we learn about the different things the solder carried. As Mr. Thomas’s little solders we have been commanded on writing the thing we individually carry.

The things I carry change from day today. The clothes on my body change but every Monday- Friday I have to carry my backpack, more recently I have carried the book, adding half a pound to my ton like backpack. While I don’t find it necessary, the weight of my cellphone is always on me making me weight precisely 4.59 oz. more than I need to. I carry my long hair, as a symbol of youth and femininity, not just to please myself but to please my family who believes the longer the hair the more beautiful you become.

From a very young age I have always dreamt about the white picket fence and the picture perfect family, nothing has change except that maybe now I can settle for lavish penthouse in downtown, somewhere. For me the idea of finding a spouse is what motivates me into going to college and doing well later in life, this might not be ideal and it can even be consider an old way of thinking but that’s what I have grown up believing. Since the day I moved to the US moving back to Venezuela had always been on my agenda, lately this goal has become more of a dream. A dream that might not be fulfilled but I dream that I will fight for, not just for me, but for all the people that had to turn their back on their country and leave everything behind.   

As award as it is to write this, I am my all definitions a helpless romantic. When I like someone, they are the only thing I think of. If I let my brain free and think about whatever I will always find myself thing about the person I like or someone who I have liked before. For obvious reasons I will not write the name of my “Martha” but just like Jimmy Cross sometimes I find my mind just drift into thoughts of “Martha” subconsciously.

After a long time thing of ways to describe myself I cheated and asked my friend for help. The most common word that they describe me by are sarcastic, outgoing, and funny. Me? Sarcastic never! For me any question that has an obvious answer has to only be answered by sarcasm.  I am not outgoing in the sense that will do stuff and exercise, I am out going in the sense that I will talk to you first, I will raise my hand and ask the question everyone is too shy to ask. I’m specially outgoing around small groups of people, large groups intimidate me. Lastly, my sense in humor, I believe that the greatest gift you can give to someone is the gift of a smile.  I love to make people laugh and smile. Even if I just met you and I don’t know you I will try to make you smile, because there’s something about seeing someone smile that just warms my heart.

I am very lucky and unlucky to say that I have awesome “long-term” memory. Extremely lucky cause I am able to remember up to the smallest detail, and unlucky I have memories that I’d rather forget forever. I not so great memory that I carry with me always is when I had my first panic attack, I was in third grade and living in Florida. Like I’ve said before, living in Florida was a time in my life I wish I could forget and I don’t like to talk about it too much, but this awful memory hunts me daily, sometimes making me feel anxious over the smallest things. On a happier tone to finish this blog, I have wonderful memories of meeting or seeing “Famous” people. I have meet the band The Wanted, Corbin Bleu from High School Musical, Anthony Bourdain from the TV show  No Reservations, TV host Wendy Williams, random basketball players and even some YouTube/  Vine famous boys. All these encounters are extremely especial to me, every time I feel sad I just think my life can’t be so bad if I have the opportunity on meeting all these people. I guess the odds are in my favor sometimes.

How About No?

My whole life has been a quest to find an identity.

Background knowledge:

My lovely very nationalistic mother, was born an raise in Colombia. All males in the family had always been in the millitary. My mom as not only the first of her sister to go to college she was also the first to leave the country at the age of 17. She was my age.. wow
On the other hand you have my dad. He comes from a wealthy Venezuelan family that I believe can trace back their roots for centuries,  never moving from Venezuela. 

I was born and raised in the Caracas, and I was taught to say that NO, I wasnt Venezuelan, I was half Venezuelan half colombian. As a 4 year it was confusing and stressful to explain to people. My mom would be sad if I said I was Venezuelan but I just said it cause it was easier.Even though I have always identify myself more colombian, Venezuela was my home and where I though I belong. Obviously I had a venezuelan accent, but my colombian would still make fun of me for it (like seriously what did they expect from a little kid?) . Additionally, even my own friend in venezuela said I talked funny. I was always confuse on "who" I was supposed to be and who I was supposed to please.

Background knowledge:

Just before my 9th bday I moved to Boca Raton, Florida.  (Aka where old people go retire)
I attended a probably 98% white 100%Christian private school. (Aka living hell) 
I moved to America barely knowing any English and knowing close to NOTHING culture wise. The school had no ESL program or any special classes that I could be apart of. *insert crying 9year old me crying every night because I didnt understand the homework*. While that uear of my life was awful, and I have block out most of those memories,  I do remember celebrating EVERY NATIONAL HOLIDAY. No not just 4th of July , thanksgiving ect., I mean black friday, presidents day, saint patricks day,  and basically every holiday in between. We gained so much weight all thanks to 'MURICA goodness of fast food. My family and I tried our hardest to be part of a culture that wanted nothing with us. Even after many efforts I still got bullied and the children in my class would exclude me off things. Writing about this time is hard, not only for the bullying but because I gave this country my 110 percent and people where still treating me differently. I would sit in front of the tv with subtitles in English just trying to read along an understand.  I can proudly say that those kid in that class where the ones that let me from having a F advantage in my first report card to having mostly B and a few As in my last, I also got one of the highest grades in the national while standford test.

After having spend 3rd grade in hell, my family decided that maybe houston was a better option. We moved and it was awesome. There is such a strong Hispanic influence here it was great, southern hospitality at its finest. I was able to rebuild a sense of national pride that I had lost after a year or redicule, all thanks to my friend and her family.  (Thank you Vicky♥)
After 5th grade I moved to Katy, and the bullying started again. In my experiance in Barbara Bush Elementary no one had the decency to tell me I had a strong accent. I spent my entire middle school years once again make my self the most proper american teenager.  Succeeded for the most part, I guess.

This all leads me to today. I have force my self to not try to fit in but to be me, a sarcastic, slightly obnoxious me. Hahaha. I have so much pride in bothe of my countries that at times it scares me that I care so much. America is my home now, and while I know I have change do to it I dont regret it. If it wasnt for my hatred of america at times I would not be able to appreciate Venezuela and Colombia as much as I do today.

You cant choose the 3rd option,  or 4th, or 5th.... Life will or can mold you into something great. Something that at its core can resemble ANY option but in the end its not the 3rd option,  it's YOUR option and your unique life.

We Have Learn to Love Fear

Hey there Mr. Thomas, or random citizen of this earth! 

American people have a yearning for the unknown. This idea of the occult has been in the Americas home for many many years and has become part of their culture and over all beliefs. From wanting to find Bigfoot and creating 101 different shows about, to their vast fascination to anything mythical, magical or just mysterious. 

Scooby-Doo the TV show and franchise has become so huge based on these believes. At a very young age you are tough to be scared by the dark. You are not born with that kind of fear, it is in bedded in you. Any child can imagine themselves as Scooby and feel his fear. It doesn't matter in how many missions the Mystery Incorporated go on Scooby's and Shaggy's fear is always there.

Big or small, thin or tall, things that walk or slither fear them all. All of Scooby's villains are different they come in different shapes an sizes. Many of these villain are well known characters from different literature around the word. This leads to asking questions wondering if these things are real and "could" happen. There is always a seed in your head that tell you "But little Billy this could happen to you". And that little seed is what fluids the Americans love for the occult.   

                 

No one wants you go to bed scared, so in true Hollywood manner they ending is just a perfect rose. The Mystery Incorporated gang (or usually just Velma) ALWAYS with out any disappointment solve the mystery! But remember the seed? Oh yes you do. Whether there was a huge plot twist or it was completely obvious you still think about it. 

At a very young age Americans  are tough to be scared, personally I feel that for them its a way to escape everyday routine. How great, yet terrifying, would it be if all these creatures actually existed. I personally would love to fall in love with a vampire and live with him for eternity. (I still hold on to that piece hope) 

Just remember very subliminal in message that Scooby  is that you shouldn't be scared of aliens, monsters, ghost  or witches. You should fear the humans, usually those with power or money. (most times both) 

Anti-Heros Much Like Onions, They Have Layers

Each week my AP Language Class teacher Mr. Thomas is assigning us, his amazing students, a question/task, to which we then have to respond with a blog post.

This week’s task: Compare Ichabod Crane the anti-hero from Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving to a modern day anti-hero.

So here we go, from one of the most iconic movies out there, Shrek is not your typical hero. He is not a knight in shiny armor and he is not there to be liked. While he is indeed the protagonist of the story he is not what most people think a hero should be. By the words of Shrek himself, “whether your parents like it or not, I am an ogre!". Hero's in general don't have flaws and if they do they overcome them as soon as they appear. Both Ichabod and Shrek have their share of flaws, from personal image to specific characteristics that makes them not liked by most people. 

Also, common characteristic between Shrek and Ichabod is the fact that they do things to please themselves not others. This is a recurring thing with Shrek through all four movies, surely not making Fiona very happy. Flash back to the first movie, the only reason Shrek went to Lords Farquaad’s kingdom of Duloc is to demand the Fairy Tale creatures to be removed from his property. Even though these creatures didn't have a home all Shrek wanted to do is to get rid of them. Similarly, Ichabod is self-center and egotistical, he very well could forget about all those around him just so he can get what he want. He very much just wanted to use Katrina only for his personal gain.

 

(and he wont stop... and he cant stop)
This just shows that he does what he wants. 

Another big similarity between both men is their lack of care of what other people think. Since in their head they are the only ones that matter, what they do or not do is just a decision, other peoples thoughts don't matter. Shrek lives in a swap and is proud of it, he brushes his teeth with bugs, takes bathes in mud and farts loudly… but hey better out than in! Right? Similarly Ichabod does things behind peoples back and has no sense of morality. He basically takes food from his students and doesn't even care if it’s right or not. In other words the devil might even have better morals and etiquette than this two.  

SO JUST REMEMBER