Journal #20: Farewell My Friends and ALP Instructors

Dear ALP instructors,

I am very grateful to Mr. Sean, Ms. Plenert, Ms. Snavely, Ms. Michelle, Ms. Chong, and Ms. Minnis who dedicate all energy to instruct international students as me. I also am so pleased to have all of you to be my instructors in Fall semester. A good technical instruction from you is really meaningful to me to gain knowledge of how to write several essays and research paper ( Sean’s Class), how to read fast (Plenert’s class), how to write business letter (Chong’s class), how to write a report or to edit the newspapers ( Michelle’s Class), how to listen from diverse sources ( Snavely’s Class), and how to answer the trick’s TOEFL question ( Minnis’s Class).

Knowing several essays leads me to know which topic I should write in comparison and contrast essay, cause and effective essay, in argument essay, in descriptive essay, and in reaction essay. In a political science class, students need to know how to write the compare and contrast of two leaders. For instance, leader in Democratic Party has different policies from Liberal Party. Also, this class guides me to know how to find material from library sources, such as database, book, and other sources. The most important in this class, I am able to write a research paper which it can meet the university requirement.

Reading class is very helpful for me to build my vocabulary through writing vocabulary journal. Also, reading class helps me to improve my speed reading via some techniques, such as skimming, scanning, previewing, finding a main idea, and other abilities. The most important is group discussion. Therefore, the students are able to brainstorm deeper than just only reading article individually.

Business writing class is very vital. After I finished this class, I am able to write several letters, such as business, public relations, social business, email, resume, cover, recommendation, reference, proposal, and other letters.

Newspaper class incredibly is essential to me to improve in writing skill via writing a report, and editing an article. Moreover, being a journalist or reporter, this class guides me to know how to write a newspaper to match the target customer (ALP students). Moreover, after I finished this class, I know what it is different format between newspaper’s class and composition’s class. Furthermore, this class also educates me to know the technique of how to write main stream newspaper and alternative newspaper.

Oral and speaking class helps me to improve listening skill through several sources, for example, talk radio, English TV, English movie, internet, lab, and other sources.

I warmly am so thankful for your instructing international students like me.

Sincerely yours,

Veasna Chay


“Instructors in one semester become second father or mother for a whole life,” respectfully said Veasna Chay.

Baraka's Reaction

Baraka word signifies as blessing in several diverse dialects. Baraka film was released in 1992, and it was directed by Ron Fricke. The motion picture was also recorded at the six continents in twenty four countries, such as Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Iran, Israel, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Kenya, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Thailand, Tanzania, and the United States. Baraka was a confidential story which didn’t reveal actors and the dialogue of oral communication except for music by Michael Stearns and Dead Can Dance. Furthermore, Baraka illustrated several sceneries, skeletons, religious rites, temples and municipalities. Additionally the big screen linked to the comparison between the natural and technology, such as the Japanese’ tatoo in the bathing and an inhabitant Australian ethnic paint. What was more, the film didn’t conceal the Nazi regime and Pol Pot regime. Baraka was very amazing film with incredible mixtures of images and good digital soundtrack after I watched last night. Some parts of the movie were gorgeous, and the other parts were poignant.

After I viewed Baraka, it was very meaningful to me to perceive many terrains with a beautiful planet and with a variety of species all over the world, and I also noticed several cultures from different countries, such as Tibetan monks, Buddhist monks in Nepal, Kecak dance in Bali, and other cultures. At the beginning of panorama movie from part one to part four it revealed the biggest Himalaya mountain range. Himalaya connoted Sankrit “Adobe of snow.” Moreover, Tibetan monastery was suited on the edge of the mountain. The snow monkey rested in warm water with his meditation near a mountain of Japan. As I saw this picture, I think that it was very useful technique to teach everybody to solve the stress disease with staying in tranquility. Everybody is very busy with their daily work, and they sometimes need to stay in harmony.

Also, I saw a beautiful solar eclipse with light and darkness, and it was an extraordinary planet which I used to see it in Cambodia. After the solar eclipse disappeared, there was a variety of cultures all over the world as below. There were several activities in Kathmandu of Durbar square and Patan in Nepal like giving rice to the god by Nepal people and praying to god by Tibetan monks. When those activities were finished, I spotted old man who sat near the temple read a bible in India. Near the wall of crying in Jerusalem, several Jewish men wore a religious uniform to be ready to pray to the wall by kissing.

Moreover, I set eyes on dervish in Turkey with happy feeling to see. Besides dervish in Turkey, I made out Mausoleum people, who kissed the door lock. Also, I was merry to see the Kecak dance with monkey chant in Bali of Indonesia and was happy to see Brazilian tribe dance in the rainforest. What was more, I was excited to catch sight of beautiful scenery on this planet, such as Big Sur in California, Bali in Indonesia, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, waterfall in Argentina, donkey in Kenya, forest in Brazil.

In part five to part six the film revealed the hard work of people to labor in cigarette factory, NMB keyboard factory, and the other factories. The film exposed the poor people to find a good thing in the rubbish as well. It also disclosed the poor young family to go to work with getting along with his wife and kid on his motorcycle. In part seven to part nine the film didn’t hide the skulls of million people who were died by the Nazi regime and Pol Pot regime who were the dictatorship leader. I didn’t feel so vibrant when I saw the million of skulls. In my reaction I really want to fight against for this regime. I yearn for seeing the bright world with solution of discussion rather than weapon.

“Bright world comes from the brilliant discussion of all leaders without using weapon as solution,” said Veasna Chay.

Sean and Ceyda

Journal #16: Confucius Quote

I do disagree with this theory. As you know, you can become whatever you want to be because right now there are many majors in university which are waiting for you to absorb the knowledge. Therefore, it exactly depends on how hard study you devote on it or not. It means a strong commitment and self-motivation lead to success.

“A strong commitment and self-motivation lead to success,” said Veasna.

You know there is nothing to be constant in this world. The technology evolution also advance forward gradually in the 21st century. Consequently, the people are also upgrading their wisdom, intelligence, education, and erudition in order to apply for the new change too. I think they are ready to accomplish whenever they want. Therefore, I need to change myself first in order to become what I want to be. First, I need to learn a new philosophy, and I must seek never ending improvement. Second, I learn from problem, and seek the past experience as a guide to reach my goal. Third, I continually do a commitment and train myself to suit what I want to be. As you see, everybody can reach your goal whenever they have a strong commitment to do it and have self-motivation. Right now we live in freedom and peaceful country, so we can do whatever we want. For example, we can study a major we really are keen on. I think if someone who is working in a job they really love, they absolutely have a strong self-motivation to accomplish a company’s goal with a great productivity easily. Moreover, they are not bored with what they do even it is a repeated performance. Therefore, the company can boost their productivity incredibly. Right now smart chief executives aren't looking for bachelor degree but they are also looking for a person who really loves the career too.

Journal #18: Reaction of Raven Rhyme

An isolated man feels mourning to his beloved girlfriend, called Lenore, who was vanished from this world forever. He almost falls asleep while he is thinking of his adored girl. However, there is a wind visitor to knock his door, and he also assumes his dearly loved woman arrives. Then he happily rushes to open the door, and there only is gloom outside his house. He also speaks with his soft voice with the word “Lenore,” but the sound coming back is “Lenore…Lenore..Leno..Le...” in repeat response of voice. After that he sadly returns to his board room, and he wants to snooze. At the moment there is another faucet on a window “window lattice.” He is off to open it as well, and he sees a raven that rests on the Pallas. The crow is inquired by the cheerless chap about his name, and he replied with the word “Nevermore.” Therefore, the miserable gentleman approves of his warmth greeting toward raven, and he also is terrified of his new companion to disappear tomorrow. Then the bird responds “Nevermore.” In this case the word “Nevermore” is so interesting to the single man stalwartly. Subsequently he grins due to the bird’s tongue. Because of the bird’s speech, the chair is dragged by the poor chap to sit in order to solicit the bird about his sweetheart’s fading away. Then the conversation is pioneered by the pitiable chap with several questions, such as “Is there the balm in Gilead?”and “ Leave my loneliness unbroken”. The bird retorted in the same answer “Nevermore.” Afterward the poor guy questions to the bird about his dearest girl. For example, is Lenore able to be discovered in paradise? The same response of “Nevermore” is appeared by the bird’s dialogue (para.16). At the end of this question, he apprehends it is worthless. In my opinion, the poor chap deems that the raven will be a new friend to help him to find his beloved lady who evaporates from this universe. In contrary, the bird also comes up with the same stupid reaction “Nevermore.” In this case, it denotes that his beloved Lenore quits to return to meet him anymore. Moreover, the bird takes wing on the floor and answers that “Shall be lifted-nevermore!” It implies that the bird wants to convey the man’s sadness away through his fly into the sky. Therefore, the bird wants to courage the man to become fearless, and stands up to live on earth.

Candy and Ceyda