Goodbye!

I hate to say "goodbye". I feel sad when I think this semester is ending. 3 months for a semester seems a long time, however I feel the first day was just several weeks ago. This is going to be my last semester in ALP and I know some of my friends will leave, too. I have many memories with this class. I also improved my English skills a lot. I remember that the first time I came here, I was difficult to say something with others and afraid of having conversation with American. They talk to fast and I totally didn't understand. I was frustrated. Now, I feel better and familiar with American voice, so I can get their means and easier to talk to them.

In this composition class, although I still have some grammar mistakes, I improve my writing skill a lot. I know how to write an academic essay,a reaction, and a research paper ( it is the hardest one with me now :( ). In anyway, I feel more confident to continue studying in the US. Thank you Sean, all my instructors and all my friends who always share my feeling and help me in here.

I hope everyone in this class will join in the ceremony next Monday. This is the moment that I can say goodbye to you guys.

Vivian

Reaction to Baraka film

When watching the Baraka film, I was very impressed by the beautiful natural scenes and some of touching scenes. The most powerful sequence is the manufactured world sequence. It is a series of our industrialized life. It focused on China and Japan, where are very crowded and bustling. People who live in those countries are always busy. While other sequences showed with slow motion technique, this sequence is opposite. Every scene passes quickly, so it makes people feel people in this movie are busier than they are doing.

The most impression in this film is the grave yard. Not only do people in industrialized countries have to share their spaces of live which is in a small space, just enough space for sleeping; but they also have to share their funerals (like small boxes) which others when they died. I'm sorry to say that, but it's true!

It makes me so sad and think more about our lives. We are trying our best to get good jobs, or high salaries, however when we'll die, we are still don't have our own spaces. So, death is the grand leveler and we have no choice for making it better. I think now we should do somethings for us, for family, for public ( if you can) and enjoy our lives before we say " it's too late to do".