Journal #14

Lee Server wrote a very elaborate article about Jackie Chan (the article we read in class). In the article, Server discussed Chan as a unique artist in the display of his cultural identity. Also last Wednesday, we discovered 8 nationalities represented in our classroom. Although there are features that make us unique as an individual, more often than not, our culture plays a big part in our identity.What makes you unique? How do you display your cultural identity.List (in a paragraph form) the features which make you unique as an individual. Connect your individuality with our cultural identity.

There are many different cultures on the world. The culture is feature of country that it make the people in this country is unique the people in another country. There are some features that they are very important in VietNam. First of all, the children must respect the elder. When I was a child, I have to respect the elder such as my parents, my grandmother, my grandfather and others elder. Not only had I done that but also almost others children must respect elder. For example, when I meet my grandparent on the street, at home or everywhere, I have to bow them. Second of all, almost people were old, their daughter or son have responsible that it is they must take care their parents. That is my country traditional to teach many people when they are a child. Actually, some people did not follow that but there is a little bit. When parents retire, they have poor healthy, poor money. So they need take care of their daughter or son. Usually, the son will be together with his parents to take care them when they have problem in their life. In short, these are some features in my country. The features are really important to teach the people when they are a child. That is good traditional feature to make the people are kind or honest in their life.

Journal #13

This is a free journal. You may write about anything you like, as long as it's clean.

PLAYING SPORTS HAS MANY ADVANTAGES

Playing sports has many advantages. First of all, sport is healthful. Every one need have activities in their life that it is important for their healthy. If they do not do exercise, they will be more fat or have a lot of cholesterols. They are fat that it is more illness. So they usually must do exercise, play sport. The second reason, playing sport can be low stress. Sometimes, they must do more work, have worry about something or have some problems in mental. For example, they have to hard work at office to earn much money and then they take cared their children at home or do something out side. Therefore they get more stress. They can play any sport that they like it in their free time to remove their stress. It will help them better. When they play sport, they miss stress. So they will feel relaxed. Another thing, they play sport that is opportunity to make many new relationships such as new friend. Playing sport usually play together so they know many other person, so they can make many new friends. Maybe, in of all, there is one friend who can share feeling with them. For example, they play soccer that play a team and they have to play a group to achieve win for their team. The first time they only know one, two people in their team but they will know all team later. Finally reason, playing sport is funny activities that most of people like it. In sum up, many people like playing sport that has a lot of advantages in their life.

Journal #12

What kinds of movies or books do you like? Choose one movie or book that is your favorite and write about why you like it.


My Big Fat Greek Wedding
I used to watch many interesting movies before. Last weekend, I watched an interesting movie whose title is My Big Fat Greek Wedding. This movie told about a big Greek family in Chicago. Actually, the movie is a funny and romantic movie that it showed much emotion about real life and real love. That it is why I love this movie so I will watch it again if I have free time. Special person in their family is Toula who is 30 years old but she did not get marry. Her father is so worry about her because he wanted her did something like Greek woman such as get marry, take care their family and make baby, etc. so, her family introduced many Greek men for her but she did not agree with anyone. Finally, she met her dream man who is Ian Miller. And she fall in love with him but her family never agree about that because Ian Miller is a non-Greek man. She was bored. Then, she did anything to convince her family. Day pass day, week pass week, month pass month, a couple passed many difficult things in their love and they can get marry together. A big Greek wedding was celebrated that is happy, excited and many fun for a couple, their family. As a result, Toula and Ian had a happy family with a daughter. In short, above movie that it is interesting movie, so I like it.

Journal #11

We are almost halfway into the semester. By now, all of you have had the chance to talk with me individually about your performance in the class. Now, I want you to evaluate your own progress. Think about how much you're writing has improved since the beginning of this semester. How can you improve your learning habits for the latter half of the semester. Name some areas in your writing and language ability you want to focus in and write some strategies to improve this area. The more specific you are, the better it is for you.

My Evaluation



I am almost halfway into this semester. I took composition class that it was useful for me to improve my English. For example, I know how I can write different kind of paragraph. However, I still have some difficulty in writing. First of all, my writing habit is not good. For example, I have thinking in mind by my language, and then I transfer these words into writing English. That is a problem for me. Actually, the rule in my language is so different the rule in English, so I can’t transfer like that. Another thing, my vocabulary is poor. Therefore, I want to talk about something but I don’t know how I can describe my ideas. Then, I don’t know that word in English to describe my ideas. Actually, I have to study more and more new vocabulary by many different ways such as read news paper, listen to music, watch television and communicate with native people. Furthermore, I also get mistake on grammar part such as use relative pronoun, build structure. Actually, my teacher helps me to improve that. She shows my mistake that I got in my paragraph. And then, she suggests some advice to me to do correct. Finally, these are some mistake that I usually get them in my writing. So I have to study more and more to get better in my writing skill. I will follow teacher’s suggestion to start my thinking that is from English ideas to English writing.

Journal #10

Free journal.Although this is a free journal, try to stick to the current writing strategies, descriptive. That being said, I will accept any journal format.

MY DREAM VACATION
I watched discovery program on the TV about Europe that it is beautiful place. I like traveling to the Europe so my dream vacation is to travel to the EU. I like to travel although I have not gone many places yet. I never go to the EU but I know thought news paper, television and sport. I feel interesting place to travel because the EU have many country and every country also has different beauty. The first, France is famous about wine, perfume. The most famous on the world is tower in Paris that it is very high and beautiful. I want to see it and take some photos with it. I like go around Paris and stop anywhere to drink a cup coffee, it is interesting for me. The second, Spain is famous that has soccer club in Madrid capital. I like Madrid and I want to visit Madrid soon. In Spain, they have celebrated bull fight that is excited. Another beautiful place, I can not forget it. That is Rome. Rome has many histories in the world. If you visit the EU, you will have to visit Rome. Do not forger that. Beside there are a lot of another beautiful country such as Turkey, UK, Greece, etc. I love EU. I want to visit it soon and take many photos about EU. I think that will be wonderful vacation for me in the future.

Journal #9

Describe your favorite Disneyland ride. Please indicate why this is your favorite over the other ones. I am looking for attitudes and general feelings towards the specific ride in your topic sentence.If you did not join us in Disneyland last weekend, please use another place similar to Disney park.

Space Mountain



Last weekend, ALP office celebrated Disneyland trip for ALP students and staff. So, I enjoyed this trip with my ALP friends. It is the first time for me to go to Disneyland. I knew this place before but I never came there because I thought Disneyland Park where was for almost children. Actually, when I came there, I was amazing. And then, I changed my mind about Disneyland. This place is not only for children but also it is for adult. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed many interesting parks there such as Adventure land, big thunder mountain railroad, Star tours and Space Mountain. At last, I found my favorite park that was Space Mountain. After I had had lunch with my friend, I came to Space Mountain Park. Suddenly, I would be surprise because the line was so long there. I didn’t know why many people liked it. I thought it was so interesting. Then, I had to wait for this park about one hour. Finally, I also enjoyed it that was so excited. I sat down with my friend on the train that it went so fast to the dark. The first, I closed my eyes. After that, I opened my eyes and saw all starts around me. I don’t know how I can explain my feeling about this park. It made feeling to me that was wonderful feeling. I felt I was coming to out space and seeing many starts there. Another feeling was relax, nothing in my mind. Actually, that feeling was so short only about few minutes. I liked it so much so I wanted to enjoy this park again but I didn’t have enough time to do that. I had to enjoy others park. To sum up, Space Mountain is wonderful park to enjoy at Disneyland. If I have opportunity to come there, I will enjoy this park again.

Journal #8

In class, we watched a video on Yosemite National Park. In the video, we learned a little bit about the place and the people. Write a paragraph about a place close to your place, either here in the US or in your country. This place does not have to be as famous as Yosemite National Park. In fact, this place does not have to be well known at all. Make sure you use spacial order and as much adjectives and adverbs in it. Be as descriptive as you could.

Heritage Park

Heritage Park is a public park in Irvine city. It is an interesting park near my house. I have been living for five months in Irvine city but I don’t know this place. One day, I came there with my grandfather home stay. Then, I was amazing about this park. The first in my mind, this place only is normal park like many others park. Actually, when I came there, I had different thinking about this park. In the frond of, this is parking lot for everybody who wants to come in the park. In the middle, there is a beautiful lake. Around the lake have many chairs that people can use them to sit down. So, I like it so much because I can sit down on the chair and look around the lake, the park. At that time, I feel so relax and remove all stress in my mind. That is wonderful feeling for me. Another thing, the park is covered by the green grass. On the left, there is a big land that people can play soccer or others game there. On the right, there are many games for children. That is favorite place for children when they come to the park. Furthermore, the park has many trees that it makes fresh feeling for many people. At the weekend, people can come there to do exercise or go picnic with their family or go around to relax. Finally, many things which people can enjoy at this park. This park is interesting place for me so I usually come there to relax.