| ok...so much has happened since i last updated....waay more than can fit into 10 bullet points...so i'm going to do multiple entries that chronicle the last week or so of events...or just one huge post that no one will probably read...i haven't decided yet...we'll see how this post goes
here are the topics that you have to look forward to
- last chapel
- senior celebration
- senior department breakfast
- baccalaureate
- graduation
- graduation dinner with kyle
- general reflections... - summer plans
- career plans
- thailand
but first just some general updates...since i haven't updated since the semester really began i took very interesting classes my last semester in college...from contemporary marriage (with lisa) to real analysis (my last math class...and quite a doozy if i might say) to weight training! (with jayne!) and history of women in asia!! senior year has definately been my favorite with the diverse subject matters etc. it wasn't until senior year i was able to take "fun" and "different" classes after chasing so many different majors...but i've loved every minute of it.
- contemporary marriage...was definately an interesting class...we went through a pre-marital counseling workbook, read two books on marriage, and had many guest speakers...we talked about marriage being a covenant, leaving, weaving, and cleaving, biblical basis for marriage, domestic abuse, sex, children, roles in marriage...we covered a lot, but the end thing that i came away with from that class was that marriage is hard...every aspect of it...here's the conclusion of my last paper for the class "A great marriage is created from each individual having a great humility. Through mutual submission and each person’s willingness to lay down their will for the sake of a greater good for either the relationship or the other a marriage with Biblical understanding is formed. There is no such thing as a perfect marriage, but there are excellent marriages that reveal the character and goodness of God. (Class Notes, 2-27-2007) “Marriage is meant to be a communion of souls that arouses our desire for heaven more than any other relationship. And it is to do so paradoxically, through giving us tastes of both our greatest disappointment and our sweetest fulfillment.” (Allender & Longman, 76) Marriage is hard, but through the process of sacrificing out of love, a clearer image and communion with God is obtained, which makes every struggle worthwhile."
if you want to read more from my paper and my reflection of the class lemme know, i'd be happy to send my essay... - real analysis - was with some of my favorite people at westmont..the math majors!! hee hee, we really had an amazing class with truly amazing people...it was one of the largest math classes i was in...a grand total of 9 people! this was definately one of the hardest math classes i have taken, but i learned a lot about myself, about learning, about math, and about the kind of teacher i want to be...my all time favorite professor taught this class (he was the one that taught my first math course at westmont and was the one that inspired me to become a math major...i wrote him a thank you/graduation/good bye note and it was 6 pages long...anywayz, so it was really cool and symbolic for me for him to teach my last math class as well) anywayz, some of the things i learned from his example of teaching...is that i do not want to make students feel like i am less proud of them or less impressed by them if they do not understand the material immediately...i know professors (and probably myself as well) who give more attention to or have that sparkle in their eye when they look at students who naturally understand these difficult concepts more...but this professor never did that...i am not one of those students who "gets math naturally" it is quite difficult for me, but i am willing to work hard for it...(i was in the math office every single day doing homework with my professor and fellow students) but this professor never looked at me with less pride, excitement, or joy...and something i've come to realize this past year is that he does that because he is proud of his student's character not intellectual ability...i love that about him. i love how gracious and patient he is with his students...i have a lot to learn from him...and not just about math or myself, but about life, and about God...because his character certainly reflected God's character. i could go on and on about this professor and what i learned from this class..once again if you wanna hear more lemme know and i'd be happy to talk more about it. :) - weight training! yay this was such an awesome class and i got to take it with two great friends (jayne and annie) but it was so awesome to see the progress that was made by the end...i didn't get a chance to pick up my chart at the end...but i increased in push ups and sit ups from the beginnign to end by about 10 and it was exciting to see the weights increasing with the different machines i did...i never really took advantage of westmont's gym, but since i've been home i'm realizing that i miss having a gym or a track or a place i can run safely...(that sounds like my neighborhood is not safe at all...but i guess to some degree it's not...) anywayz, just an interesting thought to me... - history of women in asia....wow this class was so intimidating to me at first...ok so i had not taken a single history class at westmont (or anything remotely similar) and this fulfilled my last GE...and it was un UPPER DIVISION class!! and the first day there were 4 of us in the class....including me! and the professor went up and down the row of us and asked us what these big history words were and how they related to asia...like imperialism, modernity, colonialization etc...things that i shoudl know how to define, but had no idea...anywayz, one girl dropped so there were 3 of us total and i was planning to drop it, but the prof had me stay after class and basically told me i had nothing to worry about...as long as i was a hard worker etc i'd be fine and asked questions...anywayz, one of the things i learned with history and other subjects like art or english...there is a learning curve to get to the level of "upper division" to be able to talk about these subjects analyitically...but even if i don't understand everything i can still contribute to discussions and learn a lot...and be able to benefit from the beauty and joy of the subject and be abel to grapple with the larger questions of the subject...ie what is beautiful in art, balance, etc...(i don't know much about art), with history - how does what happened hundreds of years ago in another country affect me here or mankind or how does my Christian perspective affect how i view this topic etc...as Christians how can we approach a topic like human trafficking or sexual exploitation? etc...granted i realize this is the surface of it and i have not had the experience or joy of experiencing these subjects in it's grand splendor...but with mathematics or the sciences...there is such a huge learning curve...it seriously took me all four years to get my brain to the point where i can barely barely barely touch the surface of what mathematics is about...i actually don't even call myself a mathematician because i don't think i'm at a level to qualify as a mathematician...but it is an interesting thing to think about...i feel like in some senses (a professor and i were talking about this before graduation) math and the sciences are somewhat of elitist subjects...because there really is a certain amount of foundation needed to even consider group theory etc...i dunno but anywayz this bullet point is about history of women in asia...so back to that
our first unit was on india..and was studied the practice of sati and all the contributing discourses to abolish sati...it was very intersting and really openned my eyes to the many players in any type of struggle and how each of them contribute and you cant' really say one particular thing was the cause or end of something etc...and it also made me realize that a lot of times the people that something affects the most is sometimes overlooked in the midst of everyone pushing for their own agenda...this unit also made me start thinking about practices like sati (widow burning...when a woman's husband dies there was a practice that the widow would throw herself on the burning embers with her deceased husband as a sign of loyalty to him and so that she would not return as a jackal in another life etc etc) and what causes this kind of thinking..and myths and how to end this kind of thinking - because these questions affect things that affect us today such as having sex with a virgin will rid someone of aids...where do these myths come from? from a legitamate fear/thinking...so how do we change this mentality? something like having sex iwth virgins to get rid of aids is something horrific to us in our culture...same thing with sati, but with the people actually involved who are so entrinched in this mindset...it's a totally different story and situation...like with sati the practice was "abolished" by the government and laws, but it didn't stop it from happening in villages etc because the mentality and belief and fear were still there....that's the root that needs to change...how do you fight that? very intersting questions to grapple with and face because this affects us today...
our second unit was on china, which was eye openning for me as well because i felt like in the books we read i could see aspects of myself in these women and characters...and it allowed me to reflect/analyze myself from a "safe distance"....sorry this section is getting really long...but one of the books we read was called Family by Pa Chin...very intersting book...and really challenged me...if you want to read it skip down to the next paragraph so i dont' ruin it for you so essentially there are 3 brothers who are living during the cultural revolution and are strugglign with tradition and modernity....and compromise and finding where they fall and what they believe and how to fight tradition (family)...so the oldest brother's life is controlled by family...he wants out...but he feels trapped and his life gets ruined...the woman he loved he couldn't marry...she ends up dying a tragic death and he couldn't be there, the woman he married dies essentially because of a myth (cannot give birth in a home where there was a death in the last month or something), the second brother rebels entirely (after the love of his life commits suicide because of tradition) and leaves his family and heads off to another part of China where they are more pro-cultural revolution...and the third brother ends up walking the line and runs away from home until his family agrees to let him marry whoever he wants etc...and then he returns to walk the line of tradition and modernity...
in the end my professor asked who did i think the hero of the novel was...and the author definately writes the book so the second brother who runs away from home is the hero, but i said that the third brother was the hero in my eyes...because he is grappling with this issue of balancing family and new thinking...and willing to fight and walk the line...and he's not leaving his past entirely like the second brother...it takes a much stronger person to incorporate the two together and if he does it his children will be stronger poeple because he dealt with these larger issues... so...basically i could see myself in these characters..i actually went through a progression of these three brothers...i've felt that trapped feeling before that the oldest brother felt...and i've felt like the second brother...wanting to run away entirely from life...and now i feel like i'm fighting and trying to find that line between tradition/family and "american culture" if you wanna know more feel free to ask... then the last unit we studied various countries in southeast asia...and our final paper was about finding a current article that addressed a topic that we studied in southeast asia and comparing and writing a paper...the prompt was pretty flexible...but i really liked the way my paper turned out...so...unlike my marriage paper i decided to paste it below...you don't have to read it, but i was really happy with it...and i feel like in the conclusion it summarized what i learned and took away from this course... The Exploitation of Children Sexually in New York City and Southeast Asia The exploitation of children and women sexually is one of the greatest ways that countries in Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines and Thailand, gain revenue. “…the International Labor Organization has estimated that in Thailand alone, [the child sex industry] is worth between 14 and 16 percent of the country’s GDP.” (Bray, 1) However, this pervasive issue is not just affecting the children and women of Southeast Asia, but also children in New York City. Even though the outcome of the issue may be the same whether in Southeast Asia or New York City, the mentality behind the children and those exploiting the children are different. However, in Thailand child prostitution occurs primarily for a different reason. “Thailand has a reputation for engaging in one of the largest child sex trade operations in Southeast Asia. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) estimates the number of Thai children involved in prostitution to be between 60,000 and 200,000…” (Marquez, 1) Majority of the child prostitutes are from poor families in the ‘hill tribes.’ Due to their low economic position, many families, “…give their children to ‘recruiters,’ who promise them jobs in the city and then force the children into prostitution.” (Marquez, 1) Therefore, many children are pushed into this kind of lifestyle because of a need for money. In addition, “A Thai organization called FACE, the coalition to Fight Against Child Exploitation, claimed that 5,000 foreigners come to Thailand each year to have sex with children.” (Marquez, 1) Interestingly, since the child sex industry is so large and essential to Thailand’s economy, many police officers are also corrupt and instead of reporting child exploitation, they “…guard brothels and even procure children for prostitution.” (Marquez, 1) Americans and other foreigners try and justify having sex with children in Southeast Asia countries like Thailand by telling themselves, “If I did not have sex with these children they would not have money to eat.” Tourists also sometimes believe that these countries have less “…social taboos against having sex with children” and therefore think it is more acceptable to take part in this behavior. (Marquez, 2) Even though many Americans go to countries like Thailand to have sex with children, there are findings of, “…more than 2,000 sexually exploited children under 18 [in New York City].” (Feldman, 1) This report is based on interviews and surveys distributed to law enforcement and social service agencies throughout the state. Feldman talks about a young girl who ran away from home at the age of 12 and had nowhere to go, so she willingly got into a pimps car and became a child prostitute. The young girl danced in strip clubs and slept with men in exchange for room and board. She said, “The only thing that really mattered to me was whether [the pimp] was still going to love me after I slept with other men…As long as he said yes, I didn’t really have any problem with it.” (Feldman, 1) This mentality seems to portray a large number of the children that are sexually exploited in New York and United States. Even with children who are sexually exploited by family members or family friends, there seems to be an underlying concern that the love from these individuals is contingent on having sex or being used sexually. “At least 85 percent [of these children that are sexually exploited] statewide have had some contact with the child welfare system, mostly through abuse or neglect proceedings. In New York City, 75 percent had been in foster care at some point.” (Feldman, 2) These findings support the idea that these children who get forced into sexual exploitation come from broken families and have a lack of love and support from those around them. Therefore, many children get involved in activities like this and buy into this pervasive culture to ‘earn love.’ One of the key differences between children prostitution in Southeast Asia and New York City is the attitude of the children that are being exploited. In Thailand, children are being oppressed primarily due to economic needs both by recruiters and by family members. And in the Philippines, women in many cases willingly choose this life style so they can return to their home country with a higher status and respect due to material belongings. While in New York City, children buy into this culture to obtain love. Therefore, even though the end result of child and woman exploitation is the same, the need that is being filled is different from each group of people in each area. Another difference between these cultures is the attitude the government and society takes in each country. The government in Thailand and the Philippines has a hidden agenda of inadvertently supporting child and woman prostitution within their country. In Thailand, police and other people in a position of changing this attitude of sexual exploitation sometimes support these actions or simply, “turn a blind eye…because of the country’s economic reliance on the tourist trade…” (Marquez, 1) While in the Philippines, because of a subculture that gives women a higher status if they are prostitutes, the cycle continues and is perpetuated. Lastly, in the United States, this is an issue that has not been addressed too much and gets shoved under the rug. However, this attitude is changing and laws are being made to help the children who are in these situations. Homes are being opened where these children have a place to seek counseling and receive health care. (Feldman, 2-3) A similarity between the discourses in each cultural context is that these women and children are viewed as ‘victims’ of these heinous crimes. Even if these individuals buy into this thinking and subject themselves to this treatment they are being victimized by their customers and by the society that promotes this kind of thinking. In addition, there is evidence that there are laws, legislations, and campaigns to increase awareness in each country to address these issues. For instance, several hotel chains, “…have agreed to sign what ECPAT [End Children Prostitution, Child Pornography, and the Trafficking of Children] calls ‘The Code’—six criteria to establish their opposition to the child-sex trade.” (Marquez, 2) So instead of hotels acting as facilitators and directing tourists to where they can find child prostitutes they say that, “It’s against the law.” (Marquez, 2) In addition, airlines such as Air France, “…run in-flight videos against child-sex tourism.” (Marquez, 1) It is believed that the more educated the general public becomes and the more that tourists get the message that child-sex tourism is wrong, the mentalities that encourage these acts will lessen. Even though the United States seems to be taking steps within their own country to end the exploitation of children, there is evidence that the United States is not helping to promote that child-sex tourism is wrong in other countries such as Thailand. The videos shown on airplanes against these behaviors are shown on 10 different airlines, but none of these are American owned, even though they have been asked to show them many times. (Marquez, 2) In addition, “Only one large U.S. –owned corporation, the Carlson Marketing Group – which owns Radisson hotels – and a handful of small U.S. companies have come onboard,” with signing ‘the Code.’ (Marquez, 2) The article argues that many American companies are scared of getting sued if something happens on their property if they supported ‘the Code,’ so instead they stand passively on the side and do nothing. Therefore, even though the United States views the sexual exploitation of children negatively within their own country and does things to fight it, the government, through inaction, supports the victimization of those in other countries. The heinous crimes of child prostitution happens around the world, and even though there are some similarities and differences between how these issues are handled, talked about, and viewed, these children and women are victims of a subversive subculture. As the public gets more educated and laws are passed the question that must be asked is, “Will that be enough to stop these injustices?” Like all other subcultures and subversive thinking, the belief behind these issues needs to be addressed. In each culture these actions are filling different needs of each individual, but change has to start somewhere. And it seems like with most other injustices, change begins with educating the public, raising awareness, and creating laws. This is only the beginning of a long journey of outlawing the exploitation of child prostitution. ok...wow so those are my updates on just my classes...but basically from all my classes at westmont...regardless of subject matter..i learned A LOT about myself...a lot about God...a lot about what it means to be a follower and disciple of Jesus...i've been soo blessed to have the opportunity to study at westmont and under amazing professors who have the same heart and passion to follow and model their lives after Jesus...who struggle with the same things of how to apply their education and these subjects to the glory of God... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ok so my next entry will start wiht graduation/end of the year festivities... :) i'm sure you are all tired of reading if you made it this far...lol :) |
