Blog Entry #2 Nickel and Dimed; On ( not) getting by in America

This passage is about Barbara Ehrenreich who is a known outspoken social critic, she is demonstrating us here the research she did so she could have a subjective point of view about poverty. Barbara used an informal language so we could have a vivid observation of how the people around her (low-wage workers) really are. Barbara is a journalist earn over 50,000 per month, she is a middle class worker. However as a journalist she prefers to apply the “old-fashioned kind of journalism” and live like a low-wage worker and see how it really feels. She had to find a new house with a low rent, and then find a low-wage job. Like every low-wage worker, she struggle finding a job but finally got one at a “restaurant family”.

I have experience myself the going around every store for a job. Few months ago, I was looking for a job, a part time job but I couldn’t find a reasonable one. Whether they were asking too much and paying less or whether they needed me to stay till late. Me being a student I can’t allowed myself spending more time at work then studying or in class, so I decided to stop looking for a job and just concentrate in school. My parents were against me going to work anyway!

Barbara left all her luxury behind her and was now living like a normal low-wage worker, just that she didn’t have children or wasn’t paying health insurance. She was paid $2.43 per hour plus tips and was working hard as if this was her real life job. I think the quotation from Booker T. Washingtonian is relevant “If you’re going to do something, do it well” I think everyone can relate this quotation to themselves. Personally, when I’m doing something I always make I’m putting 100% attention to it. When I’m doing something I try to make it unique and make it better than anybody else. For example when I’m writing an essay I do extra research and add my own style of narrative to make it come out from other essays.

Throughout this experience, Barbara was amazed how this people (low-wage workers) was struggling and doing everything to survive but was still good people and were way too smart to be working as waitress, hostesses …

Even though there are hard worker out here working hard for their family working two jobs at the same time, this part of people are a minority. I think American rely too much on welfare and believe that what is the point of getting up and work when you can get money just by making babies and staying home. If I was a single mother and I was receiving all this help from welfare going to work would never cross my mind. I could just stay home and take care of my children. I think they should reduce several options they give on the welfare or give the welfare to only people that need it!

critical thinking #3 Stupid Rich Bastards

This passage describes a really poor family that the father works multiple jobs at the same time the mother has one job and they still don’t have enough money for their family. In their town, there is a huge separation between the poor and the rich people, Laurel’s father called the rich people “rich bastard”. The rich people had no respect for the poor people and underestimated them all the time, they though they are superior when it is not the case. The poor people talk with a raw language, they swear all the time just like how American always say “you know what I’m talking about”, and in the other hand the rich people that live in that town have a descent language and a hostile attitude.  Rich people didn’t respect the poor people valuable gadget they gave away in order to pay bills. The rich people thought that having money and wearing nice cloths was the secret of being happy but Laurel’s family were as happy as them. Laurel’s family put all their hope on her back hoping she will be the one to bring the family out of the miserable life once she will go to college and be successful. This is why Laurel never gave up on her university studies; she had this heavy duty on her back. I could refer this story to my own experience, I don’t come from a poor family however I’m the only one that my parent invested a lot of money for me to go to school and be successful. My brother and sister went to a community college I’m the only one who is in a private college. And I feel like I’m carrying this heavy weight on back because my parents are spending a lot on money one me and that I have to give them back by being a successful woman.

However I believe that it is not because you have a lot of money that means you are a better person. Actually rich people tend to have lack of gratitude and have the feeling to be better than the others.  

We all have this idea of if we work hard we will get to a better but it doesn’t apply to everybody. Earning a lot of money is a question of luck, you could be a hard worker and have a low income or you could be a lazy person do nothing and earn a lot of money.

blog critical thinking #1 Notes of a Native Speaker

By reading this passage, I can relate my own story to Eric Liu story. Most of us came to the U.S so we could have a better life and end up being a successful woman/man. Eric Liu is describing us how he assimilated to the American life. He was born here, was a citizen but still had to prove himself to be an American. It is ironic how his own people (Asian) consider him as a “banana” “imitative, impressionable, rootless, eager to please” (p2) and how the white people saw him as another Chinese kids. During all his childhood he was confused didn’t know where, and how to identify himself. However he was never ashamed of being Chinese he just didn’t know where to located himself.  He made a list of how he considers himself as a white person, so I decided to make my own list of how I’m a black girl and also an African girl.

-I will get really mad if someone tries to touch my hair, little advice never touches a black girl hair because you might get hurt.

- Where there is chicken fried I will be present!!

- I take a long time to get ready

- I’m often late to my appointment

- Most of the time you will find me at the nails salon or hair salon

-If I see something that I don’t like I won’t hesitated to speak up

- I will try to avoid wearing dark color, and wear colorful close so my complexion will come out

If I’m touching my hair all the time that means I’m wearing a weave (not my real hair)

(…)

Eric Liu said “The essence of cool was the ability to conform. The essence of conformity was the ability to anticipate what was cool” (p3) in other world to be cool you have to know what is it to be cool, the appearance. I think we all went through it when you find yourself two different groups. One group is considering as the cool and the other is seeing as the losers, and you will have to find out which group you belong.  I never really belong to a group because I don’t identify myself as part of the winner group or loser group, I was friend with everyone and was the cool girl that you could always talk, hangout or study together.

Eric was an American but look like a Chinese boy, so it was hard for him to assimilate once he was in school and see his classmate. He wanted to have the perfect hair just like the other white kids, he wanted to be as cool as them and do the contrary of what a rel Chinese boy will do (math and scientist nerd). Like the author of The Lost Art of Happiness cited, that the environment is what makes us, it applies also to Eric. Eric live in United States but his parents still educated him like a Chinese boy, he eat with chopstick… His parents never asked him to be like The American, but once he goes to his friend house to eat he didn’t know what the American table manners are and sometimes he would offend his friend’s parents. In my country (Comoros Island) most of the time, we eat with our hand. When I came here I lost the habit of eating like that and when I go on vacation to Comoros my people make fun of me because I’m trying to be like a “miss American”. So stereotype exist for everyone of us ( white, black, yellow…) some of us try to prove to other that they are  not like that some of us take it as an excuse and act like the stereotype says. And some of us try to imitate other stereotype because they are ashamed of who they are.

introduction about myself

My name is soifiat

people usually call me Sofia because it is way easier...

I was born in Comoros Island which is situated on the North east of Madagascar.

I stayed there for 15 years then I went to France in a boarding school ( Paris) for years then i came here.

I speak 5 languages, french because it is the second language of Comoros, I speak 3 different languages that is from Comoros ( differents ethnics, different dialect) and of course I speak English.

This explain why I have such a weird accent when I speak English.

I seem quiet and shy but I'm a really outgoing person, and friendly.

My mother works at United Nations and grace of her I traveled a lot.

I went to differents places and learned a lot about other cultures tradition... I have a really open mind and I can't wait to know all my classmates.

You want to know what is my major? First i thought I knew what will be my major but now that I'm taking all these new classes about ethnic and East Africa, I realized that i would like to go further on these studies.

I want to be a doctor, I love being with children, so i figured out may be i should be a peditricis but then now I discover that I'm interested in these new subject. So yes, I'm confused, my mother told me may be i could be a doctor without bounderies, work at the UNICEF... I really don't know.

But I will figure all this out soon.

Now enough talkin about me and let's start getting to know each other.

Friendly Sofia ....