Conclusion

After weeks of researching and preparing for this four minute presentation, it's all finally over. Initially, especially after learning of the requirements of this project, I did not think that I would get much out of it other than a solid grade. However, it was much more than that. Especially because my topic is heavy, I was able to gain a different perspective on the events that are happening around us. Having to read about the events that happen to the children and people of Syria, it was extremely difficult and heartbreaking. I had to read about bombings, killings, and drownings that were occurring everyday. This project allowed me to be aware of what was going on outside of the little bubble that we live in. I was also able to gain some history knowledge of the country and it's rocky past. I frankly had no idea why this civil war was occurring or who was behind it so I was able to research and understand it. 

Personally, this project affected me because it was very difficult to read about the injustice that these people were going through. There were many times where I felt angry or upset because of the stories and news articles that I was reading. It also made me realize that I have to be more aware of these events because if I am not, these people's voices are not being heard. I was inspired to become more politically aware, especially with recent events, so that I am not ignorant about current events. Being more educated, I want to be able to actually do something about it. Whether it's donating money or clothes I want to be able to somehow reach out and help these people. Although I am no where close to being an expert of the history of the background of Syria and the civil war, I am definitely more knowledgable of the aftermath and the effects of it. I am aware of the rising number of death tolls and amount of hospitals bombed which allows me to tell people who are not aware of the suffering these people are going through.   

The Morning They Came For Us

The Morning They Came For Us written by Janine Di Giovanni chronicles the war outbreak in Syria through the perspective of four ordinary people, a doctor, nun, musician, and a student. The desperation and heartache of the crisis in this country is shown through the eyes of these four normal people. They witness and experience events that no one should and never will. Instead of hearing of these events through warped news media, the atrocious things that are happening are told from someone who is right in the middle of the madness. What shocked me the most was the violence and harm that people are inflicting on other but have no care for the pain and tragedy that is caused. There are brutal killings, families being ripped apart, and homes burned down leaving the people of Syria with nothing and no where to go. The four perspectives gives a variation of the different types of people that are dealing with the situation. They are all in different stages, occupations, and ages but all share the same country. The thing that really stood out to me as I read this book was the perseverance, strength, and courage that each of these individuals carried. To be so strong and courageous when everything is going utterly wrong simply amazed me. I personally cannot imagine the stress and fear that must be imbedded in these people as tragedy surrounds them. However these four showed such bravery. They showed me the power of perseverance and hope. Even when everything was wrapped in violence, the small glimmer of hope is enough to keep one going. I initially asked myself What was actually going on, who is being affected, what is the background, will it ever end, and why is this all happening? This book definitely answered my first two questions of who and what because of the four main people that the book follows and the events that are described.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28427125-the-morning-they-came-for-us 

Syria & The Outbreak

What I learned: 

In my rash decision to change my topic from traveling in Asia to the Crisis in Syria, I first wanted to understand what as actually happening in Syria. Although I did some light research on the background of the country, I wanted to first grasp the fighting and the tension that was amongst the people. It's very easy to access news about this topic simply because it's devastating and something new is occurring everyday. One day there is no bombings or fighting and the next the war continues. When I scroll through my Facebook news feed, I always see the graphic images and videos of children, citizens, and buildings broken and in shambles. I scoured the news every time we spent time in class for the Senior 20 and every time it's always the same. There's horrible fighting, bombing, and ISIS attacks. It's hard to read about quite honestly. The main stories that I have been focusing on is the war in Aleppo. Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the main fighting area between Syrian opposition and ISIS. The two are fighting in order to gain control over the major city. Not only are these two forces involved but also Russia and Turkey. Russia consistently bombs Aleppo although they claim that they never did so. Because of the terrible fighting and bombing, there has been humanitarian pauses for the citizens to evacuate the area. Buses and transportation has been provided so that citizens can escape their broken homes however there has been a good amount of people who refuse to leave. In the words of one interviewee, he said how he is devoted to stay in Aleppo simply because it is his home. Children were even found swimming in a large hole created by a bomb that broke the water supply. As I read these stories about fighting and the citizens who are caught in between, I can only shake my head. It is beyond scary to imagine what the children, families, and fighters are dealing with. It's easy to forget about what's going in areas such as Aleppo, however reading about it during Senior 20 days reminds me what others are going through. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/04/world/middleeast/us-suspends-talks-with-russia-on-syria.html?_r=0

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37741969

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37741969

 

Combining my passions

As cliche as it sounds, I love traveling. It was difficult for me to find a topic that is extensive enough for me to research and enjoy learning about simultaneously. I decided to combine traveling and Asia because I always wanted to gain more knowledge about the differnet cultures and customs across Asian countries. Asia consists of a grand number of countries such as Korea, Japan, China, Philipines, Thailand, etc. I want to delve deeper into the various cultures and foods that vary in every country. Through this project, I want to pinpoint specific countries that I would either like to travel to or study abroad in. I currently do not have the specific countries that I want to research because I want to learn about various countries first. However I am still pondering if I should focus on this topic or Syria. I'd like to do a topic that isn't so cliche however I would also really like to research various Asian countries for myself. Therefore, I'm still not 100% sure if this is the topic I'd like to focus on. 

However, countries such as Japan, Laos, Thailand, and so many others have beautiful beaches and landscapes. The type of foods these countries consume is such a wide variety that there really is no limit. I'd love to look into these beautiful landscapes and historically important places. I'd also like to delve into the specific customs that each country has. In Korea, it's a must to be utterly respectful to your elders while in Cambodia, it's respectful to cover up to your ankles. Every country has different customs and traditions that I'd really like to look into and compare. I'd also like to gain extensive knowledge about my own culture as a Korean American. I want to know more about where I came from as in my history and culture. I'd like to use this opportunity to talk various people from all over the continent. I have peers who are from Japan, Philippines, China, etc. I'd really like to talk to these people so that I can gain a perspective from the mind of a peer.

Hi welcome to my blog



-Hanna C