TCKs!

Here is the link to my presentation for a paper I wrote in my journalism class. It focuses on third culture kids-- people who have lived and traveled in different countries, taking on aspects of other cultures and so having a complex sense of identity.

Well. You can see the presentation for yourself. It should be pretty self explanatory, and much shorter than reading my actual paper. Though if you'd like to do that, let me know.

Plus, it's my first try using Prezi.com. And I had lots of fun doing it. I hope that doesn't make me sound like too much of a nerd.

Anywho. Here it be.

https://prezi.com/secure/954e111d06690547a7f169a484321a352d4493b5/

Enjoy!

In response to the paper request, this is a link to the paper. If it doesn't work and you really want to read it, shoot me an email.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6096022/Jomc446_finalpaper.pdf

strange things

I was walking across campus today, and saw this thing that...astounded me. It had this large pipe that reminded me of a monster from Star Wars. There was dust and leaves floating in the air around it. Then I realized what it was. A vacuum. For leaves. Perhaps this seems like an everyday appliance to you, but this just blew me away. No pun intended. I mean, leaf blowers make sense because I know I've almost slipped on a couple as they blanket the sidewalks, but the large vacuum just cracked me up. Why was this funny to me, you ask? Well, in my mind, leaves are all natural, so I just assumed it would be saving money on fertilizers or other soil additives by leaving them to break down on the dirt where they land.  As I was staring at this super-sized vacuum, I wondered what they did with the leaves. Burn them? Mulch them? Recycle them? I laughed as some of the leaves that had just been sucked up floated out from the large container where they were being siphoned to.  But I suppose I don't know anything about landscaping and horticulture, so maybe I should keep my mouth shut.

As I continued on my way, I thought that I would add this to a list of strange things that Americans do. Not that Chinese people can say anything. They cut branches off of trees, leaving awkward, lonely looking trunks lining the roads.  So I guess I'm just not meant to understand the complex workings of plant cultivation.

I've always liked plant life. When I was little, we lived at the foot of a mountain and then in a botanical garden and would always go for walks, enjoying the creation that God had designed. Having lived in large Chinese cities for elementary, middle and high school, I really appreciated the amount of greenery I encountered as I moved onto the college campus. I suppose that is why I'm so fascinated and in awe of the intricacy and beauty and diversity in the plants that I'm surrounded by. When I travel, my dad has often remarked that I take more pictures of the flowers than of people. I suppose I just love the quiet beauty that I see and want to share it with others.

Ever take time to just marvel at the miracles around you?