HW 42: Last Podcast

I am episode 61

HW 37: Podcast two! Eid

http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&query=&b=play&id=8538&cast=51170&castPage=

Episode 41!

HW: 36 Pod Cast Number 1

http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&query=&b=play&id=8538&cast=49510&castPage=

I am Episode 6

HW 35: The End is Near

I’ve been writing this blog for about 13 weeks now. This is actually my first blog that I have ever written. I am very proud of the work I’ve done because I thought that blogging was going to be really hard. Actually, in the beginning of the semester, I didn’t even know what blogging was. I’ve learned a lot since then. Making this blog was actually very easy. I learned how to post and group my pod. Blogging is actually easier than making papers. It was easy to keep up the blog. I liked responding to books that I have read because I get to write my own opinion. Whether or not people agree or disagree. I would like it people commented on my posts. That would be awesome. Even if their opinion was different from mine. I know my parents and family are going to want to see this blog and all the work I have been doing. I want people to read it and maybe just get a sense of what I am talking about and maybe buy one of the books I posted about or watch a blog that I watched. I think the best blog I did was one on Riverbend because I really enjoyed reading it and I do have a strong opinion about the readings. I actually really liked writing all of the blogs. The best thing that I liked about the assignments is that there really wasn’t any specific amount of words that was needed. My professor had us use a 150-400 word constraint. But if I didn’t really have a huge opinion about that topic, then I can lean toward the 150 range. But when I liked to write more, I wrote as much as I wanted. I also liked the fact that it was informal writing. So I didn’t have to stress about writing formally because that is not my strong point. I probably will keep this blog just for historical purposes. I want to remember what I wrote about but I don’t think that I will write more. But, to all my readers…feel free to comment on my blogs if you want to!! Thanks for reading!

HW 34: Traditions as a Way of Life

In Baghdad Burning the role of gold in the Iraqi family means everything. Usually, the Iraqi people, especially during the war, took their money out of the bank and turned into gold. By doing this, it shows how wealthy they really are and if there are problems among the family, the gold can always be turned back into money if needed. Riverbend says that the troops usually takes the gold and jewels because they think that Iraqis are not people who own fine jewels like that (Riverbend). Riverbend’s aunt actually made her and her cousin wear the jewelry because they saw tanks on their main street, and the last thing she wanted was her jewelry to be confiscated from a raid. This gold is a possession that has been either passed down from generations. Riverbend states about her aunt “The ’mistress’ called out that we could laugh all we wanted but since the jewelry was everything she had since 1965, we had better be careful” (Riverbend 102). They were very important. No matter what the family was doing that day, they would all meet up for evening tea. The tea is not just bagged tea, its more special than that. Actually it offends the Iraqi people if someone uses the bagged tea. Tea is part of the everyday life in Iraq. “People drink tea with breakfast, they drink tea at midday, they drink tea in the evening and often drink tea with dinner” (Riverbend 109). They all gather around a tea-like table and talk about issues that are happening. It is a place and time were the whole family can get together and drink homemade tea and converse. It is family bonding time that is traditional.

HW 33: Work vs Fun

The episode that I watched was “Iraqi Teens Work to Help Their Families”. The series title is Alive in Baghdad: Life From Iraqis to You. It was published on 10-15-07. The link to this video is: http://aliveinbaghdad.org/2007/10/15/iraqi-teens-work-to-help-their-families/. The whole video is based on these boys who help out their father in making furniture such as: Beds, Tables, and Chairs. They say that it is hard to find work because you really can’t go outside that often. Also, the job that the boys do is very risky, because they have to make this furniture outside. It states that “50% of Iraqis are jobless”. Some of these young men are: Hussein Kamal (15 years old), Mustafa Melak Fathullah Ali (14 years old), Yousif (college student). Yousif is currently unemployed and has to endure tons of surgeries because he was born with a skin disorder. He goes to college at the College of Agriculture in Abu Ghraib. He usually just sits at his computer all day. The background is mostly trees and dirt road. There is mostly brick buildings and white plastered walls. Sometimes the boys are interviewed on a couch. But, they are mostly outside. It might show the viewer what life is like for these young teens. Instead of playing games, they have to work. The videos I’ve seen before is mostly the same, except in this video, we are in the backyard almost. Other videos, are in the street. The most memorable thing I find is watching these kids at work. I cannot believe that these kids make furniture by hand. That is crazy!

HW 32: Empty School

I decided to focus on shopping for school supplies. I was really touched because I act the same way when I go school shopping. I loved having all my supplies organized and getting new pencils and notebooks. She smelt the erasers too! The children were really excited to go see their friends and use the new school supplies. The schools have been replaced but there were still not that many kids in the classrooms. The classrooms felt empty. Since the children really didn’t have a summer because they were mostly indoors and not allowed to go outside and play. The children were really excited and anxious to see their friends. There were no desks or chairs in the classroom. It was a big deal to go shopping. Even though E and her cousin had to wait outside the stationary store. (Riverbend 94-97). Riverbend out of all the people were excited to see the bright colors all lined up in rows so organized. It gave her some relief because outside wasn’t as pretty.