Exam Question 1

1.      In the following graph, there is a sudden dip in 2001. This is because of the attack on the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Statistics are greatly affected by what is happening historically. For example, the number of immigrant to a country may depend on whether or not the country is in civil war. If a country is in war immigration into the country is probably going to be low, but the surrounding countries will probably be high as people flee their own country for the safety of others. Another example is when a country is at war before and during the war factory and their emissions will increase because of the equipment needed for war, but after the war the emissions will go down. This is why statistics and history are interconnected.

Language Q and A

I have decided to interview a John Carroll student whose primary Language is Gujarati to learn about what it was like to learn English and to find out about his experiences. I found it interesting how Gujarati is still important to him today. Also, I liked seeing how happy and proud he was to know multiple languages.  This is my Interview with him.

Q: What is your full name?

A: My full name is Faizan R. Multani.

Q: Does your name have any meaning in your language or special importance?

A: Yes, It means prophet, but not a prophet like from God. It is more like a money prophet.

Q: What grade are you currently in here at John Carroll?

A: I am a senior here, but for the past three years I went to Calvert Hall. Over the summer I transferred here to John Carroll.

Q: What is your primary language?

A: My primary language is Gujarati.

Q: How many languages do you know in all?

A: I know about six altogether. In addition to knowing both English and Gujarati, I know a few other Indian languages. In India there are a million different languages, so it is common to know more than one.

Q: What language do you take in school?

A: I took Spanish back at Calvert Hall, but I am not currently taking a language here at John Carroll.

Q: Where were you born?

A: Actually, I was born in Philly.

Q: How old were you when you began to learn English?

A: I was about five years old or so.

Q: Was it difficult to learn English?

A: I would have to say no, not really.

Q: Do you like knowing more than one language?

A: Yes, I guess.

Q: Has knowing multiple languages provided new or unique opportunities for you?

A: Yes! It definitely helps my ability to relate to more people. Overall though, there is nothing that really sticks out to me.

Q: What are the benefits of knowing multiple languages?

A: Well, you can talk in front of people without them knowing what you are saying. My cousin Quasay and I talk in our primary language when we make fun of people in from of them and we don’t want them to hear.

Q: Do you still speak your primary language at home or with family and friends? Why or Why Not?

A: Yes. It just makes sense to because that is our first language, although, I do not always speak it with my cousin Quasay. Most of the time I talk to him in English, that is, unless we are together with all of our family which is already speaking Gujarati.

Q: What influenced your parents’ decision of to America?

A: I guess work.

Q: Can you write in any of the languages?

A: After learning how to speak languages, I also learned how to write them. For example, I know how to write in Arabic.

Q: How many languages?

A: I can only write in Arabic which my dad taught me. Also, of course I can obviously write in English. I have to know that especially because of school.

Q: Do you enjoy learning languages? Was it fun to you?

A: It kind of was and kind of wasn’t. Most of the languages I learned when I was younger so it basically came for the most part naturally. This made it more fun because it didn’t necessarily seem like work to me. Later, when I was older, my dad made me learn Arabic. That was more difficult and wasn’t quit as fun because it was more challenging.

Q: Have you ever visited India? Why or Why not?

A: No, and I just haven’t been yet. I don’t exactly know why though.

Q: Do you think you will ever visit India? Why?

A:  Yes. I think I will be visiting this coming summer.

Q: How much family do you have in the U.S.? How much family do you have left back in India?

A: Most of my family is in India, but almost all of my uncles are here in the U.S.!

Q: How did you learn English and your primary language?

A: I learned my primary language first and later learned English through school and television.

Q: What was the hardest language to learn?

A: Arabic

Q: Does knowing multiple languages help you learn new ones?

A: Yes, definitely.

Q: Will you seek a profession where you would need both or multiple languages?

A: No not really. At least, I will not search out a job because of it.

My Exchange Trip to Haiti

Dear Journal,



            After a month stay at a school in Port-au-Prince and another month stay in the poorer region called Jacsonville, I am excited to be going back to my family and the air conditioning, electricity, and all the other modern conveniences I have missed during my stay. Although as much as it was a struggle, especially in the poorer parts of Haiti, I have still had some pretty incredible experiences here and created amazing friendships that will last a lifetime. This journey I have had in Haiti has been an amazing, eye opening adventure I will never forget. I am so sad that five days from now I will be leaving for home back in the United States. I still remember the huge 15 km earthquake that shook the place where I was staying and Haiti along with it in January of 2010. Yesterday, I went to school at St. Rose of Lima where I have been going for this month I have been staying in Jacsonville. I know I was lucky to have attended one of the nicer schools in Haiti. Although, there tuition of 135 dollars is way less than John Carroll’s for sure. The students are all so kind. I know my teacher, Mrs. Dellss, who accompanied us as a chaperon on the trip knew the principle well, but still! I know I will miss them, most of all. One of the things I learned there was how Columbus was involved in Haiti’s history in addition to ours in the U.S.!  Also, the school is very religious and it surprised me in a good way. Did I mention that they through a goodbye celebration for us? It was amazing. Today, I did not have school so my Haitian friends and I took a walk through the town area. It was sad how poor the areas in Haiti could get and it always touches me when I walk there. Also, we hung out down by the river while the mothers cleaned the clothes. Later I visited all of my friends in Jacsonville and began to say Goodbye. When I visited Johanne, a close friend I met when I was looking around the town one day, she was still morning over the loss of her infant born last week that died only three days ago. In Haiti, there is an 8.5 times greater chance of dying in infancy. But even though this is not uncommon, it is still extremely sad for the family. This is one of the many sad things I have found hard to deal with in Haiti. Tomorrow, we pack up and begin our journey home.  It is not always easy to get where you need to go. Dirt roads that easily get muddy and become unable to travel on can make us miss our flight home. There is just so much to write about Haiti, I don’t want to stop. As much as Haiti may be a nice, eye-opening place to visit the poor parts are not the greatest place to live. I want to do everything I can to help them. Well then, pray for safe travels and for my friend I will be leaving behind in Haiti! I hope everyone has an experience like this at least once in their life.

                                                                        Your friend,

                                                                                    Hope




This is the home of Johannne my firned I met one day in the town.

 



This is St. Rose of Lima School where I attended in Jacsonville.

 



This is how muddy the roads can get when it rains.
These puttles are very deep and trucks can get stuck.



Bibliography

If Haiti were your home instead of The United States you would... (n.d.). Retrieved January 5, 2011, from If It Were My Home.com: http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/HT

Pictures are Personal Pictures

Mexico Drug Wars

I did the Mexican Drug wars with Sydney Setree, Sam Werneke, Tayloy Hoch, and me(Hope Kelly).

Mexico

Mexico G-20 Project

Works Cited

File:Cabo San Lucas Los Arcos 3.jpg. (2005, November). Retrieved November 23, 2010, from Wikimedia: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cabo_San_Lucas_Los_Arcos_3.jpg

Flag of Mexico.svg. (2005, November 28). Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Mexico.svg

File:Government Building In Puebla.jpg. (2006, October 7). Retrieved November 2010, 2010, from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Government_Building_In_Puebla.jpg

File:Monterrey nightview.png. (2007, April 8). Retrieved November 23, 2010, from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Monterrey_nightview.png

Palacio de las Bellas Artes (Mexico City).jpg. (2007, February 28). Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palacio_de_las_Bellas_Artes_(Mexico_City).jpg

File:Imagebysafa2.jpg. (2008, September 5). Retrieved November 23, 2010, from Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imagebysafa2.jpg

A Survey of Special Economic Zones. (2010, February 9). Retrieved November 2010, 2010, from The University of Iowa Center for International Finance and Developement: http://www.uiowa.edu/ifdebook/faq/faq_docs/SEZ.shtml

HEALTH ECONOMICS AND PUBLISHED GUIDELINES TO STREAMLINE THE REGISTRATION AND MARKETING OF MEDICAL DEVICES IN MEXICO. (2010, October 30). Retrieved November 28, 2010, from Gobierno Federal: http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/?DNA=85&Contenido=61102

Introducing Mexico. (2010). Retrieved November 28, 2010, from Lonely Planet: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico

Mexico. (2010, November 28). Retrieved November 28, 2010, from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico

Mexico, doing business in. (2010). Retrieved November 28, 2010, from Reference for Business: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Man-Mix/Mexico-Doing-Business-in.html

North America:: Mexico. (2010, November 9). Retrieved November 22, 2010, from CIA - The World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html

Final HumanGeo Test results

                                                             I got a 47 out of 50.