Cori's Blog

Research Reflection 4

coridulmage — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 07:12:57 +0000

My research has been getting more and more difficult. I have missed about four days and that has put me so far behind. I have been trying very hard to get caught back up but it just seems like every time I’m almost caught up with the rest of the class, something else is thrown back at me. I have been staying up till very late and waking up early to try to get caught back up and it never seems to help me. The shaping sheet is what is hurting me the most. I spend a lot of time trying to get the shaping sheet just right and it seems like I only get a little bit done of the whole paper. I also am having a hard time because I would rather spend a lot of time on the essay and get it just right, than quickly rush through it to catch back up with everyone. Although, it seems like my only option right now is to rush through it if I want a good grade. I am very concerned that my grade will drop in this class because I will not be able to turn this paper in on time. I think that I am going to have to talk with either Mrs. Lester, or Mrs. Hamilton if I can’t get this shaping sheet completed. I am stressing out about this paper and I just want it to be a very good paper. I hope that I can hurry and finish so Mrs. Lester can tell me what I need to work on before the due date comes.

Lost Boys No More 11/05/09

coridulmage — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:31:05 +0000

I was very sad when the book came to an end. Even though I really liked the ending, I did not want the stories to stop. Abraham made such a difference on so many lives, and still is today. Abraham has not stopped helping. He still goes back and helps the Sudan people. Also, the money he gets from his book goes toward the Sudanese people. Reading the acknowledgements at the end, shows you how much Abraham loves everyone. Also, shows you how much he changed since the begging of the book. This Book made me realize a lot. It really showed me that things like genocide are happening around the world. The author, Dan Patrick really described the book good and I enjoyed it so much. He did not sugar coat the truth at all, and told the stories how they were. I think that this book was something that I needed to read. I never think about what is happening outside of Canton. I think that after reading this book, I will not take things for granted as much. I realized that I need to be more thankful for what I have here in the United States. After reading this it makes me want to learn and find out more information on places like these. I would like to one day be able to help as much as I can. This book was eye-opening and I think shocks everyone who reads this. It was touching and it has changed me.

Lost Boys No More -11/02/09

coridulmage — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:16:49 +0000

I find that I am getting more attached to this book then I thought I ever would. I feel that the more I read the more I like it. I am so happy for Abraham that he has finally found a special someone who he can look forward into seeing when he goes back to visit her in Kenya. I thought that in Sudan all there was for marriage options was arranged marriage, but there is not. In Abraham’s situation, the bride and the groom’s family have to agree that they are right for each other and Abraham’s family did, as well as his bride’s family. I was very happy that they got to be together and very happy for Abraham. I really enjoy the authors work in this book but question some of the things that are said. After talking to Lindy, a peer, I realized that there are quite a bit of random things thrown in there. For example, “Daruka means deer” it did not make any sense for that to be in there.

Lost Boys No More 10/29/09

coridulmage — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:55:06 +0000

In this section, Abraham is liking the United States more and more. He is still thinking about his family and friends back in Kakuma, and wants to visit them as soon as possible. Abraham talks about the goals he has set and wants to achieve before he dies. Also, in this chapter there are a lot of flashbacks of Abraham’s journey to Ethiopia and Kenya. I really liked how the author described the journeys that Abraham and his brothers went on. This chapter puzzled me because it was going back and forth between Abraham and DiAnn’s stories. All of the boys stories were pretty much the same, because they all were together and shared the same experiences. Another thing that I really liked is how at Abraham’s original home, the church was still standing when he went back to visit.

The quote that touched me the most was when Abraham was explaining to the author how much the Christians in his country love the Lord. Abraham continues by saying, “We, the Sudanese, feel the presence of God in our worship.” This is so powerful because later on in this paragraph it talks about how much joy and happiness fills their hearts when they go to church with one another.

Research Blog #5

coridulmage — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:02:27 +0000

My research is going a bit better now. I am almost finished with my shaping sheet. The multi-genre project is coming along smooth and so far I have had no problems with it. I am trying to stay busy during class because I know I have so much to work on. I think that once I start picking everything back up and catch back up that I will be doing just fine, but since I have been missing a lot of days, its hard for me to stay on track with the class. I really enjoy working on google sites because I feel like it is the easiest way. It always saves your stuff automatically, which helps because these computers seem to freeze up a lot. I also like google sites because other people can view what you are working on and you can view what other people are working on also. It helps when you are absent one day and you can just look on the class multi-genre project site, or a classmates and see what you missed for that day. Also, you can share information with your reading group partner(s) on your site. Lindy and I, reading group partners, are both working to get back caught up. Google sites helps us because we can communicate through our site and we can comment on each others postings. This project really helps if someone is helping to get the task done, that’s why being able to see every one’s site helps. Also, the comments that were left on my last blog reflection, really helped me!

Research reflection

coridulmage — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:16:43 +0000

Research Reflection 2

coridulmage — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:25:30 +0000

I feel like I have learned a lot since last blog reflection. Last time I talked about how I was nervous about finding enough information, but i feel like now I was introduced to some helpful tools that will assist me with that. For example, Dingo. Dingo allows me to bookmark websites quickly that I really would like to use for my working bibliography, then continue my search for another site. Another tool that I really enjoy is the highlighting tool. It really helps me when I look back on a page that I bookmarked, I am able to see the main things in that paper that I would want to use. The highlighting tool also helps me with the annotation for my note cards. Another tool that I really enjoy is how I can see what my classmates bookmarked too. Some people in my class are doing the same subject I am, and they are finding sources that I have not found yet. I think that that tool has helped me the most. Also, Digo has this feature called “stickies”. The stickies allow you to put short little messages on the page for reminders to yourself. I use the stickies to remind myself what I would want to use on that page. Overall, Dingo has helped me a lot with me research paper. I think that it will be a useful tool that I will always want to use when I am doing any research paper.

Reading Journal

coridulmage — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:05:03 +0000

This book continues to impress me. I love how it has grown to be more and more about Christianity. In this section, Abraham talks about how he loved how the Sudanese church and how it has just shown how God blesses people. During the war, the church began to grow tremendously. Some say that the church of Sudan has grown faster than any other church in the world. Even though the church seemed to be doing well, the GOS wasn’t happy. They wanted to get rid of all Christian churches and all christians. They bombed churches, and churches had “unexpected fires”. Persecution has started in Bahr al-Ghazal region; Abraham’s home. Even though churches are continuing to burn down, and Christian followers are being persecuted, churches are becoming more and more stronger.

I was surprised that Abraham was going to the United States. I didn’t think that he would ever want to leave his friends and family in Sudan. It was hard for the Lost Boys to adjust to the new lifestyle in the United States. Some Lost Boys said that the changes were as hard to get used to as their life was in Sudan. When the boys arrived in New York, they were treated like family. They were a guest on the tv show 60 Minutes, and had the chance to meet the staff from the show. Abraham said that it felt like a dream. The Lost Boys still had to work, they came over with little or no money so they all had to find jobs quickly. The Boys also had to get their GED.

The passage that stood out to me the best was, “I want to become a minister and someday return to Sudan and lead my people in faith for Jesus Christ.” Abraham stated this as he was living in the United States. Even though Abraham enjoyed living in the United States, he still missed his family and friends back in Sudan. He wanted to learn what he needed to in the United States, then move back to Sudan to guide his people. Abraham was very religious and enjoyed teaching people about the Bible. I think that Abraham will be a great minister.

Reading Journal pg 115-133

coridulmage — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:13:33 +0000

I was impressed about how much the Lost Boys enjoyed the camp. I think that they all had tons of fun, whether it was religiously or with new friends. The people in the United States loves the boys. The Lost Boys worked so hard, in everything they did. The Lost Boys in the United States were in their late twenties and are among the brightest and best of Sudan’s people, leaders of tomorrow. I think that when Abraham and twenty others went to Kakuma, it really helped out the people there. Abraham went there for ministry and for to help the welfare people.

I thought that it was a really good idea for Abraham to go into the mission trip with a set of personal goals. His goals were to get married, see his father, visit the people of Kakuma, and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the mission ran into some trouble. The place that they picked was not very welcoming. The Turkana people were upset with the refugee for invading their territory. The cattle herder’s and the people traveling to and from camp were attacked. For safety, they hired police and trained refugee guards to protect the area.

The quote that stood out to me the most this section was when the author said, ” Education is the only way to help the refugees rise above the circumstances that have brought them to Kakuma. It’s one of the highest priorities in the refugee community. Many of the Lost Boys call education their mother and father.” When I read this passage it just made me realize how much I take advantage of school. I never stopped and thought about how easy I have it, and how I don’t appreciate the good schooling here. There they don’t even have half of the education I have and they enjoy it so much. I really like the quote because it shows people like me who doesn’t enjoy school how they go for fun and by choice; for them, it’s a place to get away.

Research Reflection

coridulmage — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:28:57 +0000

My research paper has so far been okay. I have been having trouble finding enough research for my paper. I have found a few sites that I think will really help me, but still searching for some really good ones that will give me a lot of information. The places that were available for us on Gale are really helpful. I typed in genocide and had a bunch of options to go check out. The reason that I think I am having trouble is because genocide is such a big topic. There is a lot of information about genocide, but its such a baud topic its hard to find information about just genocide. I think that it then end when I find a few good websites about genocide, either in Sudan or Darfur, I will find this paper easy. I have enjoyed reading about the subject. It makes me sad learning about how genocide is so real over in places like Darfur. Even though I feel sad, I am still interested in the subject of genocide. Also, reading my book has helped me learn about if from another persons view. The articles I am finding are about the facts about genocide, reading the book helps me understand when it is like for a person to go through it all. I am understanding genocide the more and more I read the book. Abraham, the main character, does a great job telling about what it is like for a person to experience it.