Alexandria House

I started going to Alexandria house in September and I would only go once a week on Thursdays from three in the afternoon and leave at nine in the night. I kept going every week. At this point I had already exceeded the hours I was supposed to do for my assignment I love going there so much that I did more than forty hours. I was not keeping track until the end and that is how I know.

I remember the first time I arrived to the house; as soon as I walked in the house I started working. Michelle, who is the coordinator for the after school and youth program, she right away gave me a task. The house is always filled with positive energy from both the children and volunteers. It is such a good working environment, despite the fact that most of the people are in the house are of low requisites. They have been open little more then ten years now and the house has been remodeled trying to fit people’s facilities.

I have become so attached with the children that I want to keep going there whenever I have time. I love seeing children grow mentally and physically because it shows me how much progress that have done. I feel that I have helped the children of Alexandria house with their school work and even just by being a real friend. I will never forget opening my heart and harms to Alexandria House, it is one of the best thing have I have encountered in my life.

Gaining Experince

I have liked the experience working with others Alexandria. This included toddlers, children and youth. I also loved working with Michelle who is the coordinator and some of the volunteers that made the after school programs possible. Since I want to be a teacher, volunteering for Alexandria as a tutor was a perfect start for experience. Tutoring children on a one on one level was a good experience. I needed to be patient and a good listener. Children acquire much attention and that is something I did not realized. I also got to remember in my childhood years and acknowledge the fact that I was lucky enough to have some one the thing that some of these children do not have. These kids see Alexandria House as a place where they can escape their own home. When they come to Alexandria House they feel safe and protected because depending on the community that they live sometimes its better in Alexandria House. Volunteering in Alexandria has really helped me gain experience to become a teacher, mentor, and good role model.

What will I change in Alexandria?

If I were to change anything that goes on in Alexandria, my best thoughts would be getting more government money so that there can be more activates to engage the women and children in the house and in the community. The money would be used for the after school programs so that we can get more supplies for the kids which includes more computers. Have a built in playground in the back so that the children can play and escape their troubles. Bring in more leadership workshop because it never hurts to try to help someone be a leader. From the time that I have spent there I have noticed that some of the children that live there, at night or even on the weekend they find themselves having a lone time. What I will like to change about that is actually have someone to come and distract them. I know that when I spoke to one of the teens that lives in Alexandria, she expressed to me that she feels so bored sometimes because everyone at the house is younger than her and she has no one to play with or at least spend quality time with her. I would love to make a difference in her life and also in the others by providing fun activities. Those fun activities can consist of: Pamper Yourself Day, Movie Night, Arts and Crafts, Cooking, Exercise Day, Video Game day, and many more. Alexandria a good place, but don’t get me wrong but there are so many good ideas that can be brought but just so little money.

HIV/AIDS in Brazil

What do you get when you compare Brazil and the United States of America? I asked myself the same question and the topic of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was one of my main concerns. It is obvious that the United States is a developed country that has a lot of advantages towards health care, education, and the standard of living. Brazil on the other hand is a developing country that is struggling to be a better country by battling a poor government and topping it off combating the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. After reading the latest articles on how Brazil deals with a mass of diseases, I would want to share their strategies on how this country sees progress. Battling an epidemic can be difficult for Brazil, but if countries come together and share ideas, battling the epidemic will then become an easier process.

As a developing country, Brazil is based on a population that consists of either rich or poor. The poverty rate is really high. What this means is that poor families that are infected with diseases can not afford to get a cure. According to, UNAIDS 2008 Report on the global AIDS epidemic article, over a period of ten years, Brazil has managed to show a great improvement in containing HIV and AIDS in a low number of cases. The thing that keeps working for Brazil is that fact that they have universal health care. They are provided with ARV’s to whomever is diagnosed with the virus will be fully covered and don not discriminate regardless of gender, where you live, social economic status.


Little by little, universal health care tends to be effective because more people become more aware of prevention of the horrible diseases. The Fighting against AIDS: the Brazilian experience stated that AIDS-related mortality cases have dramatically decreased by more than half of original estimation in ten years due to more people getting testing and being more aware. This gives hope for people who are infected because the people can not afford a cure will be given a second chance to live.

A great thing that Brazil has established has been prevention programs. As reading HIV/AIDS in Brazil, the article read that Brazil’s government encourages HIV testing worldwide that way everyone knows their status. Brazil focuses on condom distribution instead of abstinence which can be a conflict with other countries, especially the U.S... US government offered $40 million funding but Brazil refused because it did not like the idea of promoting abstinence. Instead Brazil supports sex workers and that is why they promote condom usage. This is something that the US would never permit because they believe it is unethical. When looking at the US, I see that there is no universal health care to provide the poor, and that is one of the root problem that the US has with tackling the epidemic.

I propose universal health care for the US. If a developing country can decrease the number of mortality rate by more than half in a period of ten years so can we. We need to educate ourselves on the use of condoms and other contraceptives and make them available to anyone. Attacking the problem of HIV/AIDS in the US is not a new thing but why is it still happening? It is difficult to determine what causes HIV/AIDS but if we can make similar approaches towards the epidemic then we can finally end the death rates. If we continue with my plan, by 2018 HIV/AIDS will be history.













Becerra, 3

Works Cited Page:

1. UNAIDS 2008 Report on global AIDS epidemic
2. Levi, Guido Carlos, and Victoria Marco, Marco Antonio A. (December 6th 2002), ‘Fighting against AIDS: the Brazilian experience’, AIDS 16: pp2373-2383
3. ‘Brazil Refuses $4014 in U.S. AIDS Grants to Protest Policy Requiring Groups to Condemn Commercial Sex Work’. 03 may 2005. Medical New Today. 11. < http///www/medicalnewtoday.com/articles 123-1244php
4. Bacon O., M. L. Pecoraro et al. (2004), ‘HIV/AIDS in Brazil’, AIDS Research Policy Centre, University of California

Globalization Is a Good Thing

Vivian Becerra
Eng. 1A
9/14/08

Globalization Is a Good Thing

The Philippe Legrain’s essay explains the positives affects of globalizations on foreign countries, “In Defense of Globalization: Why Cultural Exchange Is Still an Overwhelming Force for Good Globalization.” He argues that globalizations enriches and enlarges all countries cultural repertoires. He identifies Western ideas as a good thing because it reshapes the way people view themselves and the world. I strongly agree with all his arguments of globalization because I can relate to what he is saying.

As the prominent philosopher Legrain put many counter ideas in to question like, “Just because someone is born in France does not mean that person can only aspire to speak French, eat French food, read French books, and so on.” Pg 209, Legrain/ In Defense of Globalization. Globalization increases individual freedom. Everyone should be free to try out new things and expand their cultural enrichment. One example is studying abroad program that’s some colleges offer. What this means is that college students have the opportunity to travel to a different country and learn other from cultures and become more open minded. Although it is unfortunate that’s some people are not allowed to be different according to the country they live in. For example, Cuba is a communist country meaning that the people there are not allowed to be different and express their individuality, for example they way they dress. Compared to my case, I was born in America and I was able be bilingual, eat different kinds of foods and read and learn many languages. I was able to do so because the country that I live in is globalize.


Becerra, 2
Western ideas are good ideas, argues Legrain. Think of what life would be like if
People did not get abolish slavery. All over the world people thought that owning a person was okay, it turns out it is not right. Even though slavery still exists in countries there are many attempts to stop it. It is now being called human trafficking and that is very threatening to society because it creates fear for people. This is an example of globalization because the idea of slavery was very common and when it was abolished it made people think of how they see themselves and others.

I strongly believe in globalization because I wouldn’t want to know a person who is identical as me. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone from their own region had the same clothes, ate the same thing. The world needs to conserve the traditions that one culture might have so they won’t disappear. At the same time we need to expand the cultural globalization to be more aware of or surroundings. In the west, we cast off old customs only if they are not relevant. For example, no one forces to shut down night clubs to bring back line dancing. People don’t see how different the world has become, and that is why I feel that globalization is a good thing to be more aware of our actions.

People around the world are seeing images in the media of people acting a certain way in the West and defining themselves but it should not be like that. First one is to learn how other countries culture before acting upon it. Although being born in a country does not symbolize who you are. This means that someone shouldn’t be forced to eat, talk or read the same. People gain more knowledge when they are multi culture by choice. It is okay to love foreign customs and only you can define who you are. As time pass the world is slowly changing but for the best. Thanks to cultural globalization people are enriching their lives and becoming more open minded about tolerance.

Becerra,3



















Becerra, 4Works Cited Page:
Philippe Legrain. In Defense of Globalization: Why Cultural Exchange Is Still an Overwhelming Force for Good Globalization. New York: June Johnson: 2007: 209-14

English 1A (8am) Pre-writing

Human trafficking is cruel. Due to human trafficking innocent people have lost their lives. From what I know the act of trafficking human is done mostly by drug dealers. I heard an incident that happened to someone: they were visiting Mexico for a short vacation in a small group, they went out to a restaurant for dinner, they were few drinks here and there, suddenly a friend of the group decides to go to the restroom alone and that is when she is kidnapped. The friends went back to the US without her because they had given up looking for her. As they were crossing the border they noticed her friend in back of a car sleeping, quickly they reported that vehicle to the guards and found out that her body was open and stuffed with drugs. Can you imagine how inhumane people are to commit crime? So far most of the stories that I have heard about human trafficking have taken place in Mexico but I’m sure that they take place all over the world.

Introduction Paragraph

Having to introduce myself is a difficult task because I feel that I have a distinct personality. Writing about myself is not the same as when you meet someone for the fisrt time and get a first impression. I am going to attempt to do my best to describe myself. I consider myself a Mexican-American. I am nineteen years of age. My hometown is Bell Gardens. I am a caring person that loves school so much that my goal is to be a teacher one day. I consider myself very independent. I am responsible. I joke constantly because I love to laugh. I stay optomistic at all times. I am one of the dorkiest persons you will ever meet. I dont know what it is but I cant avoid being clumbsy. I am sure that if you spend at least five minutes with me you will not regret ever meeting me.

Proust Questionare

Name:Vivian B.

1.)What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Playing sports and being outdoors

2.)What is your greatest fear?
Death or illness

3.)Which livivng person do you admire the most?
My Mom and Grandma

4.)What is the trait that you most deplore in yourself?
When i say things without thinking about it first.

5.)What is the trait that you most deplore in others?
when people bite their nails

6.)What is your greates extravagance?
buying a lot of starbucks

7.)What is your favorite journey?
When my family took a road trip to Texas

8.)What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Patience

9.) On what occasion do you lie?
When there is a surprise birthday party, I am a bvad liar.

10.)What do you most lislike about your appearance?
My smile

11.)Which living person do you most despise?
No one

12.)Which words or phrasesdo you most overuse?
Oh My God! aka OMG

13.)What is your greatest regret?
I dont regret anything that i do under the age of 25

14.)What or who is the greatest love of your life?
I love many so i would have to say that i love my family, my puppies and significant other.

15.)When and where are you the happiest?
when i get to play with my puppies, they are so cute.

16.)If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
To have perfect hair

17.)What do you consider your greatesst achievement?
Going to college

18.)If you could choose what to come back as, what woulkd it be?
i would come back as a man.

19.) What is your most treasured possesion?
a 20 year old blanket that i still sleep with

20.)What dou regard as the lowest depth of misery?
When my dad cut my long hair as a child

21.)Where would you like to live?
By the neach

22.)What is your favorite occupation?
Teacher

23.)What is your most market characteristic?
My glasses

24.)What quality do you like in a man?
A sense of hummor and their smile

25.)what quality do you like in a woman?
Thier smile

24.)What dou you most value in your friends?
Loyalty

25.)Who are your favorite writters?
George Orwell

26.)Whos is your favorite hero or heroineof fiction?
Batman

27.)What is it that you most dislike?
When people dont clean after themselves and throw trash on the floor.

28.)How would you like to die?
I dont want to die but if i do i would like to die doing something that i love doing like playing softball.

29.)What is your motto?
Dont regret anything before the age of 25



When doing the questionare, I found myself taking the time to actually answer the questions to my fullest potential. I enjoyed answering the questions because I found out things about myself that I wasnt aware of. Im looking foward to look back at the questionare five or ten years later and filling it out again.

Myself

Through the past nineteen years of my life, the identity that I have reached at this time is difficult to explain. I believe that I have different personalities toward different people. Family, friends, and boyfriend are all part of my life; therefore, I treat them all different. I consider myself a unique person. I feel that whom I am today is due to my past. At the end of the day, it does not matter what people think of me I know whom I am deep inside.

Who am I? I rarely ask that question to myself. I have many sides to me, and one of them is the way my parents see me. Towards my parents, I am honest, responsible, hardworking, studious, friendly, independent, and determined. Whenever I get the chance to have a conversation with my mom I say how I feel and we talk for hours about anything. Recently while have one of our conversations I happened to ask her to describe who I am and one of the answers that I still carry with me is when she said “responsible”. I started working my senior year in high school because in my house it was always taught by my parents to work hard for something that you want. My senior year I had to buy a lot of thing for last year students. I did not want to ask for money from my parents because I felt I was asking for too much. I started working at a fast food restaurant which I hated and made me feel made enough money to pay for my things, like my yearbook, cap and gown, prom, and grad. night. Ever since then I have been working to buy my own things and rarely ask my parents for money. This experience has showed my parents and me that I could be independent, hardworking and responsible.

I like to hang out with my friends, but the question is, do they like hanging out with me? I believe so, they have told me themselves. Another question that I think about is what do they think about me? Wonder what they would say if they had to describe me? Sincerely, I believe they would say that I am a happy person that loves to crack jokes, outgoing, caring generous, kind, responsible, and clumsy. When I am with my friends, I am calm but at the same time hyper. When friend comes to me for help, I stay calm. When my friends need me to do something for them they know they can rely on me. I act this way with my friends because I know that they are the same towards me.

My boyfriend has shaped me to be the person I am at this time. When I asked him about how he sees me he said confident, caring, loveable, unselfish, giving responsible, smart but most of all encouraging. Who I am with my boyfriend is different from when I am with my family and friends because we see each other at different levels. I think he has seen all the sides there is to me and that is something that my parents and friends are never going to see. In his family he has a niece who is five years old I sometimes take care of her. I love her as if she is my little sister. Whenever she needs anything, I am right there to take care of her. Whenever I am around her my kind and caring characteristics tend to show. My boyfriend also tells me that I am encouraging and I strongly believe that. We are both freshmen at college and we both go through the same things like doing homework, working, and going to class. When he needs help in his homework, we do it together or when he feels like giving up, I do not let him. I make him realize that education will take him wherever he wants to go. Sometimes I feel like he knows me more than I know myself. One thing that I could truly say is that I stay true to myself when I am with him.

It has been difficult trying to find who I am. I did not realize that there are many things to say about me. I have discovered who I am today. I am proud of myself. Whenever I am alone I reflect back on my day and I know that overall I am a good person.

Cooper

In the essay A Clack of Tiny Sparks: Remembrances of a Gay Boyhood, by Bernard Cooper, the author describes his confusion during his adolescence years about the longing for boys. This essay is important to me because it shows how some people deal with being a homosexual and hiding in the closet. In the essay, the author tries to find out why it is wrong to like boys. Therefore, this essay is important to me because it helps me understand what goes on in teenager is whose mind is confused.

The essay that Bernard cooper writes makes me remember how my high school I went to would treat homosexual people and how they were looked upon as wrong. When the author describes how Theresa call him a “fag”, it reminds me how we would do the same things in my high school, and now that I see it in other peoples perspective of that word I understand that it is offensive. Thanks to the author, Bernard Copper has made my understanding with other homosexuals different.

After reading the well described essay by Bernard Cooper, learned how to write a descriptive essay, but most importantly the way he dealt with his sexuality. The reason why he wrote this essay is to make people understand and be considerate of people who have to deal with people being teased at school for their sexuality. Even though Bernard Cooper did not tell anyone he was homosexual, it was still hard for him to be himself because he would be teased. I will never forget this essay because it helped me understand the way people are and to accept tem.

Plaits

American society in the nineteen fifties thought that the ideal beautiful women should look glamorous. By glamorous I mean the clothes that women wore had to be high class along with blonde styled straight hair. In the story “Plaits” in The Mee Street Chronicles by Frankie Lennon, the author describes the images of beauty like Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple was a young child that started in many movies and that signifies as beautiful. This Shirley Temple image was programmed in females in American society because everyone wanted Shirley temple hair. Females wanted to assimilate their hair to Shirley’s hair.

American society now is still having to deal what the media portray what women should look like. In television and magazine supermodels are seen as beautiful if they are a size zero and long blonde hair. One should not worry about the physical appearances because what really counts is hat is inside the person.

The word beautiful according to dictionary.com is, “having qualities that delight the senses, especially the sense of sight”. This means that when it comes to describing someone who is beautiful is not all about the appearance; it is about qualities that a person offers. Therefore, American society still believes in being skinny and looking like a million dollars but in my opinion, those people are ignorant.

No Escape

In the story “No Escape” from The Mee Street Chronicles by Frankie Lennon, the first impression that I got from the narrator was sacred and lost. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she calls her parents and hears no responds and becomes scared. Her imagination goes wild as she thinks about the monsters that are going to eat her. I felt that the narrator was lost in her house. Every room she went to she didn’t know what to expect. She was not accustomed to walking in her house in the dark.


The narrator of the story “No Escape” from The Mee Street Chronicles by Frankie Lennon made two clear characteristics, courageous and imaginative. The narrator shows courage because she was brave enough to conquer her fear of the monsters eating her. She did not want o move from the living room where she was at and wanted to stay still. The godfairy told her that if she stood there the monster was going to eat her. I saw courage when she finally decided that she needed to go to the kitchen even though she did not want to. When I read that the narrator believed in godfaires, I knew she was imaginative. The way she had the power of forming a mental image of something not present made her imaginative. In the story, she relies on her godfairy to tell her what to do. For example, “Push the stepladder chair up close to the door, so you can be tall enough to open it” Pg21.


I can certainly relate to her frightening situation because I remember when I was eight years old I woke up from a nightmare thinking that monsters had killed my new born brother. At this moment I didn’t want to go look if my brother was in his room because I felt that the monsters were going to take me too. I finally got the courage to get out of bed and go to my parent’s room. I saw that my brother was still alive and all my worries were gone.

Living On My Own

I learned how to be a college freshman living on my own a semester ago. For some students living on their own could be painful or pleasurable but for me it was both. This experience has helped me be a more mature person as well as responsible one. Once I knew how to live with almost any assistance from my parents that is when knew that I could live on my own.


It was fall of 2007 when I moved in to my dorm. I was alone. I was disappointed because I didn’t have any roommates. Sooner or later not having roommates was a positive thing because I didn’t have anyone to bother me. It was painful getting adjusted to the environment of an all girl school but I knew that is what I had to do in order to get my education. It was painful not having my mother around waking me up and taking me to school because in the car ride to school was the only time we had to talk and now it seems that I never see her or talk to her. Living on my own does have its pleasurable moment. I didn’t have a curfew anymore meaning I could come whenever I wanted. I didn’t have parent always on my back about helping them out at the house. Another pleasurable moment that I experienced was that I had more time to study and get a lot of things done. Back home I didn’t have anywhere to study or simple a quiet place. Learning to live without my parents has made me more mature and I am proud of my self for that.


I couldn’t believe how hard it has been to manage my time but time management one is thing I learned last semester. I was overwhelmed with all the things that I needed to do that sometimes I just felt like quitting. I couldn’t take all the pressure of getting good grade. It was painful to see myself struggling on my own. I then found out that I was not alone. There was hope for me. I could go to the Learning Resource Center at my school and get help. Sooner or later I started learning that there was a lot of help out there and that I was not impossible for me to fail. It was pleasurable when I saw myself the honor roll list. Knowing that I made the honor roll made me feel like I was responsible enough to be living on my own.


I have grown a lot as person from both my pleasurable and painful moments that I have had last semester. For a moment in my life I didn’t think I was going to see myself succeed in college. Some how put myself together and because a mature and responsible student. Thanks to my first semester in college I now know what my priorities are and I will never surrender. I feel strong as person knowing that nothing can stop me.

Today I Feel........

There are so many feeling going through my mind today, but the one I feel most concerned about is being busy. I just don’t know where to start. I wake up busy and go to sleep busy. When will I have some time to myself? It is hard to maintain a busy schedule. Every time I try to plan stuff out, it works out, but I end up not taking care of myself. I feel like time goes by so quickly.


I feel excited. Today, I get to go up to Chalon and meet the girls from a sorority which is recruiting new girls, and I want to be one of the few they pick. I feel nervous as well because I don’t know what to expect. I feel happy that I’m actually going to try something new. But then this activity also adds on to my to-do list, which leads me to be busier.


Today I feel cold.I literally feel cold because the temperature is cold. I need to wear more clothing in order for me not feel cold again. I don’t feel good about wearing a lot of clothes because then I feel heavy and I don’t like that feeling. Therefore, I need to suffer and choose one or the other because things can’t always seem to go my way.


Today I feel tired. I haven’t had a good rest and I need it. I worked this weekend for eight hours and all I did at work was stand up. I got home and I went straight to doing my homework. I feel my body yearning for sleep and relaxation.


Today I feel like working out. I made a bet with three of my friends of who could loose twenty pounds the fastest would end up winning twenty dollars. Therefore I feel like I should start working on that. I ate a lot of junk food this weekend, and I feel like I should work harder than ever trying to loose those pounds a.s.a.p.


The feeling that I have everyday day with me is the feeling of love. There are many kinds of love feelings, but the one I’m feeling the most is the kind of love I receive and give to my significant other, Jimmy. Everyday I wake up to hear his voice that tells me “good morning.” He calls me in the morning and acts like my alarm, and thanks to him I wake up. Love is a passionate feeling, and I’m happy that I feel this way. I love the fact that I feel cared for when I’m with him. At the end of my day if I had to describe in word how I felt, I would say love.

My Holidays

The end of the year holidays is what people are always looking forward to. The traditional thing for me to do for Christmas and New Year’s is to spend time with my family, receive presents, and celebrate. Unfortunately, I was disappointed this year since I didn’t have enough money to buy presents, and I didn’t spend the holidays with my family.


Holidays. I sometimes forget what their real meaning is. To me Christmas is the holiday of giving and receiving. Ever since I was a little girl, our family tradition was to stay up very late on Christmas Eve and celebrate with our family. We would the open our gifts at midnight. It seems that every year that passes by, our family tradition slowly fades away. This year, my family did not celebrate Christmas or New Year’s. My parents did not feel the spirit of Christmas because they did not have the money. I was not working; therefore, I was not able to buy my family any presents either. It was important for me to have money to buy presents because I wanted to bring my old family tradition back. I wanted to be able to see my little brother’s happy faces when they would open their gifts again, but unfortunately this did not happen. The same goes for New Year’s, my family did not do our tradition of counting down the last seconds to the New Year. Instead, my family just saw the holidays as an ordinary day. The holidays in my family were dead. This is the most disappointing end of the New Years holidays that my family has ever experienced. I am not looking forward to next year’s holiday.


What exactly did I do for Christmas and New Year’s? I spent it with my boyfriends’ family. It is sad to say that my family did not celebrate the holidays; therefore, I ended up spending them with him and his family. I loved the fact that my boyfriends’ family had a big party for Christmas and New Year’s, but somehow I felt out of place. I did not feel comfortable knowing that I was celebrating and meanwhile my family was just at home watching movies. I was disappointed because the traditional thing to do for the holidays was to spend it with my family and that did not happen. Even though I was disappointed, I could not ruin the night so I celebrated. I met my boyfriend’s family and that was the highlight of the evening. At least I was not alone for the holidays. I hope that next year my holidays are not the same as the year of 2007.


When I look back at how my holidays went, I feel selfish. So many people do not even have a chance to know what a Christmas and New Year’s is like. Instead, I am thankful that I have friends and family that love me. I thank God that he has put a roof over my head. I also thank God for providing a meal to me everyday. The real meaning of the end of the year holidays is not about receiving gifts, but about being thankful that we made it through another year. People have high expectations of what Christmas and New Years should be like, that is, in the end, wrong. Things do not always go according to plans. I now realize that the word “perfect” does not exist and I should not try to make my holidays perfect. Next year I hope I will spend the holidays with my family.