an adult iranian student proudly informed me that she is unable to ear rice with her hand. while this fact saddened me, she viewed this as a good thing. it was her way of telling me that she was from a well-off family.
unfortunately, i don't share that view. i think you're culturally poor if you're no longer able to do the things that others in your culture are able to do.
there is nothing to be proud of if you no longer are able to eat using your hand, sit on the floor comfortably, and do other things that is performed with ease by others in your culture.
while i would like to believe that i am westernized, i would like to believe that i am being open to accepting different ideas and ways of doing things while remaining true to who i really am. i am proud of my culture. it is who i am.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
"why should i use my dictionary when i have you?"
a few days ago, in a reading task, a student asked me for the meaning of a word that he didn't know.
in the quest of trying to make him an independent learner, i suggested that he use his dictionary. he said to me that he didn't like using his dictionary and why should he use a dictionary when he had a teacher to ask?
it's not easy trying to make an arab student an independent learner. their culture is as such that they prefer being told than seeking for the answers for themselves. seeking for answers seem to not be a challenge that arab students embrace.
in the quest of trying to make him an independent learner, i suggested that he use his dictionary. he said to me that he didn't like using his dictionary and why should he use a dictionary when he had a teacher to ask?
it's not easy trying to make an arab student an independent learner. their culture is as such that they prefer being told than seeking for the answers for themselves. seeking for answers seem to not be a challenge that arab students embrace.
on learning
before one can learn, one must acknowledge that one does not know before one can proceed to the next stage of looking for the answers. It is the process of seeking for answers that constitutes learning and not the answers in themselves.
there are many people out there who are in learning institutions but who really don't know what it takes to lear
the frame of mind of "I know" hinders one from progressing with the learning process.
learning also requires one to be humble and not to be defensive. it's difficult to learn when you have your guard up.
in this day and age, it is about making technology work for you. it is not about knowing everything but about knowing where to get the information when you need it.
many are still of the frame of mind that what they need to know will be taught to them by their teacher. they understand not that by doing so, they are limiting themselves.
question is --- why limit yourself to just one teacher when you can have so many other teachers out there?
learning in the age of the information technology is liberating but it only liberates those who want to be liberated.
many people think that they want to have an education but are they prepared to make what is available to them so that they can not only acquire knowledge but also contribute towards the bigger body of knowledge? now that is the real question.
do these "students" really know what it really means to be learners?
there are many people out there who are in learning institutions but who really don't know what it takes to lear
the frame of mind of "I know" hinders one from progressing with the learning process.
learning also requires one to be humble and not to be defensive. it's difficult to learn when you have your guard up.
in this day and age, it is about making technology work for you. it is not about knowing everything but about knowing where to get the information when you need it.
many are still of the frame of mind that what they need to know will be taught to them by their teacher. they understand not that by doing so, they are limiting themselves.
question is --- why limit yourself to just one teacher when you can have so many other teachers out there?
learning in the age of the information technology is liberating but it only liberates those who want to be liberated.
many people think that they want to have an education but are they prepared to make what is available to them so that they can not only acquire knowledge but also contribute towards the bigger body of knowledge? now that is the real question.
do these "students" really know what it really means to be learners?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
on being "right" all the time
why do some people seem very adamant about being right when they are clearly wrong?
why do some people pride themselves in knowing everything when they clearly don't?
why do some people not know how to accommodate others?
in the end, being "right" is not really all that important is it?
i think, in the bigger picture, it's about knowing how to play in the sandbox and knowing how to accommodate others along the way that really matters.
why do some people pride themselves in knowing everything when they clearly don't?
why do some people not know how to accommodate others?
in the end, being "right" is not really all that important is it?
i think, in the bigger picture, it's about knowing how to play in the sandbox and knowing how to accommodate others along the way that really matters.
Friday, June 11, 2010
relections
many blog for fame. strangely enough though, i blog to remain anonymous.
how is that so, i hear you wonder... it doesn't really matter to me that i don't have a following.
this is more of my space, written for me and in my time.
it is a place for me to reflect and ponder and put things out there in writing.
to see my thoughts in writing while being aware that i also need to be politically correct at the same time... that's what this is all about...
how is that so, i hear you wonder... it doesn't really matter to me that i don't have a following.
this is more of my space, written for me and in my time.
it is a place for me to reflect and ponder and put things out there in writing.
to see my thoughts in writing while being aware that i also need to be politically correct at the same time... that's what this is all about...
Monday, June 07, 2010
Cleo by Helen Brown
I'm currently reading Cleo by Helen Brown. It's about a kitten who changes the lives of the family members who adopts her.Certainly a must read for cat people :)
Friday, June 04, 2010
claiming to know stuff when one clearly doesn't
why do some people not want to admit that they may not know everything and that that is not the end of the world???
why are some people not open to the fact that they may not know everything???
why do some people want to argue on things that are so clear cut???
fancy claiming that you "grew up in Australia" and still claim that glasses and trousers are singular nouns and thus sentences should sound like this ...."My glasses was broken" (instead of "My glasses were broken" and "That trousers" (instead of "Those glasses").
So much for "growing up in Australia", huh?
why are some people not open to the fact that they may not know everything???
why do some people want to argue on things that are so clear cut???
fancy claiming that you "grew up in Australia" and still claim that glasses and trousers are singular nouns and thus sentences should sound like this ...."My glasses was broken" (instead of "My glasses were broken" and "That trousers" (instead of "Those glasses").
So much for "growing up in Australia", huh?
Sunday, May 30, 2010
what gives???
Somebody at work was telling me that she was going to get married by the end of the year --- that's her deadline.
Well, that sounded pretty normal only that there's a small problem here --- she's not seeing anybody at the moment!!! Yes, it is a pretty strange situation.
On top of that, she says that this man she will marry (note that he is, at this very moment, still very much a concept) has to be no less than 6' 4" in height.
So, here's the next question --- how tall do you think this woman is? If you think that she's tall, you've guessed wrong --- she's vertically challenged!!!
So, the question is this --- is she being idealistic and dreamy and keeping away the real man who may be the love of her life (but who may not be a 6'-4" Greek god) or is it right for her to demand for this person and not to entertain anyone else who falls short (literally) of her wish???
Could this possibly be her escape from reality? From having to explain to the world out there why she's without a man (not that the world is interested in her private matters, really).
Personally, I think that some of us set unrealistic yardsticks for the people we would allow into our lives. Greek gods come with problems of their own. They are high maintenance not unlike beautiful women really.
Personally, I prefer the ordinary Joe but hey, that's me. Okay, so he may not be drop dead gorgeous but he's the sweetheart who would try to make me happy and really, that is what it really all about, isn't it?
Well, that sounded pretty normal only that there's a small problem here --- she's not seeing anybody at the moment!!! Yes, it is a pretty strange situation.
On top of that, she says that this man she will marry (note that he is, at this very moment, still very much a concept) has to be no less than 6' 4" in height.
So, here's the next question --- how tall do you think this woman is? If you think that she's tall, you've guessed wrong --- she's vertically challenged!!!
So, the question is this --- is she being idealistic and dreamy and keeping away the real man who may be the love of her life (but who may not be a 6'-4" Greek god) or is it right for her to demand for this person and not to entertain anyone else who falls short (literally) of her wish???
Could this possibly be her escape from reality? From having to explain to the world out there why she's without a man (not that the world is interested in her private matters, really).
Personally, I think that some of us set unrealistic yardsticks for the people we would allow into our lives. Greek gods come with problems of their own. They are high maintenance not unlike beautiful women really.
Personally, I prefer the ordinary Joe but hey, that's me. Okay, so he may not be drop dead gorgeous but he's the sweetheart who would try to make me happy and really, that is what it really all about, isn't it?
my current read
i'm currently reading the journal of mortifying moments...it's hilarious and i'm enjoying it :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
i found myself taking that extra 5 minutes to read in bed this morning only to find the extra 5 minutes turn into an extra 30 minutes (horrors!).
Sunday, April 25, 2010
my current read
i finished reading The Piano Teacher today and am now on my next book, the Chinese Whispers.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
books, books and more books
i have a mountain of books that i purchased at warehouse sales that i have yet to read....not that i'm complaining really.
it's really very comforting to know that i have a constant supply of books to read. the only problem is that i don't seem to have enough time to indulge in my book reading habits.
...sigh... if only i had more time to hang out with my books more... nothing like a lazy morning in bed curled up with a book...
it's really very comforting to know that i have a constant supply of books to read. the only problem is that i don't seem to have enough time to indulge in my book reading habits.
...sigh... if only i had more time to hang out with my books more... nothing like a lazy morning in bed curled up with a book...
Sunday, April 18, 2010
my current read
i finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns last night and this is my current read...
Sunday, April 04, 2010
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
...and this is my current read. I started reading it today.
It's by the same author as The Kite Runner. I bought both books in the same warehouse sale.
It's by the same author as The Kite Runner. I bought both books in the same warehouse sale.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
I finally got around to reading this book. It's a sad story really. I wonder if I would want to watch the movie version of it now...
Monday, March 29, 2010
ahhh....such bliss...
the much awaited for b r e a k is finally here... i have looked forward to this four day stretch of a break for a long time. nothing like having some time to myself just doing the things that i want to do and not have to think of work.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
from now on...
... I will speak less
... I will listen to no evil
... I will leave work on time
... I will not get involved with the politics in that place
... I will keep my opinions to myself
... I will not let the paranoia get to me
... I will not let the negative vibes affect me
... I will listen to no evil
... I will leave work on time
... I will not get involved with the politics in that place
... I will keep my opinions to myself
... I will not let the paranoia get to me
... I will not let the negative vibes affect me
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