Pay attention to details

The way we observe is influenced by our perspective or point of view toward something. That something can be objects, circumstances, or even life. Some aspects of our identity like age, sex, or religion can also influence the way we observe. As Alexandra Horowitz explains in her book “On Looking: ElevenWalks with Experts Eyes” people concentrate in what they want to see or only at what they are looking for. We block out many things happening in our surroundings, because we are concentrated looking at only one thing. As Horowitz says right now you are missing a lot around you simply by reading this entry.

In my case being a twenty year old catholic woman influences the way I observe situations and life. Being young makes me see the world with joyful eyes, makes me see opportunity in all of what I encounter in my path, and makes me believe that I can contribute to my society in many ways because the future is on my hands. My religion makes me understand that I am not alone in this world, that I have God always by my side, and that I have to observe the positive part of every situation, because everything happens for a reason and God has a plan for me. Being a woman makes me observe with determined and gentle eyes. Determined because everything I do is to persevere and show many young girls that we can accomplish what we set as a goal and gentle because being a women comes with a feminine touch that makes us have the best of both worlds, to be determined and strong, but gentle at the same time. This gives us a different perspective about life in comparison with men.

I consider myself being very observer. I don’t talk much when I am on groups, but I definitely observe everything, and for me that’s a good quality. Observing people’s movements, glances, facial expressions, and other “insignificant” things I capture what they are thinking, their humor, personality, and a whole other things that I know only by observing. Being an observer has make friends come to me for advice because they know that I have an idea of what they are going through. I recommend to you to practice observing people and stuff around you because you will understand much more things. 

English and its Varieties

Oral communication is the more used method of communication. To communicate with speech, language is essential. In my opinion language is part of someone’s identity because it represents your culture. But the same language in different countries may vary mostly because of the political influences that country had.

We went to a conference on February 4, 2015 about a study in the varieties of English in the United States, England, Puerto Rico, and Malta. The results of the study were that Puerto Rico’s English is influenced by the English in the United States and that Malta’s English has more of a British influence. Another result that the researchers found was that Malta and Puerto Rico’s English have more in common than United States and England. This last result is very curious because Malta and Puerto Rico doesn't have any connections, but in the contrary the United States and England have had political relations. The similarities in Malta and Puerto Rico’s English are probably because the main languages in both countries are romance, Italian and Spanish. The researcher gave examples of phrases that in Malta and Puerto Rico has different meanings. He also explained that phrases used in one country can vary if they are spoken or written.  

English is the globally accepted language in the business world because is a language that represents a majority. With the results driven from the study by the expert we can assume that every person that speaks English speak it with some varieties and that depends of the cultural or political influences that person has. These differences don’t have a big effect on understanding each other because it mostly has one original base.

As a business student I believe that knowing many languages can and will open you many doors of opportunities in your professional journey also expanding your knowledge will enhance your internal journey, you will fly higher and further.  Because I live in Puerto Rico I am very blessed that I can speak, read, and write in Spanish, my main language, and in English my second language.

In conclusion, with the findings of the research we understood that one same language can vary from country to country and that depends mainly of cultural and political influences. We can see language as a journey because it changes throughout countries and their history. It’s like a journey because when you travel culture changes from country to country. 

Billy Mills Running Through Life

Billy Mills, an Indian of the Pine Ridge Indian reservation, had great dreams of becoming an important track athlete. To achieve his dreams he overcomes a hard journey, because of his ‘different’ race. Billy Mills started his running journey in the reservation when he channeled his energy to something positive, then he started to know that he was a good runner in high school where he had very good marks and the University of Kansas offered him a track scholarship. He started college with very good expectations, but those hopes started becoming dull with all the discrimination against him.

Billy Mills suffered discrimination, stereotypes, and he felt like he didn't belong. These stones on the road made his journey more difficult. He felt that the landing was furthest away. His teammates and even his coach didn't believe on his capacity till the end of the story. In the movie we can see that all of these affect Billy in a negative way because at first he won all the races, but he started to lose because of the frustration he felt. This frustration got mixed with the fact that he missed his home and his people, he forgot the reason he started running in the first place. His finish line in life started to blur, because of the challenges he had for being an Indian in a world of white people.

Billy left Kansas and his girlfriend with frustration and went back to his home in the reservation. Back at home he felt part of something again and he felt his passion for running again. Back at the reservation he recognizes and learns that his self-improvement, his personal journey, was part of his reservation improvement too. Billy Mills in a way gave back to his community. His people felt proud for his personal achievements and for representing the Indians in the university and in the world if he decided to participate in the Olympics.

After finding himself again in the reservation he continued his journey at the marines, training for the Olympics by his wife’s side. At the Olympics of 1964, representing his country, Mills again suffers of stereotypes and discrimination, but he proved every one wrong he came from the back and won the gold medal in the 10K event setting a new world record. When he won, his high school coach for the first time treated him as an equal. Billy kept his humility till the end representing his country, but also his Indian backgrounds.

Billy Mills’ life journey was one with many obstacles on the way, but at the end he landed where he wanted to from the beginning, being a great athlete that could represent his country and backgrounds doing what he was passionate about. Billy Mills overcome many challenges but never forgot his past and his people. Billy’s journey is still incomplete because he still gives back to his community and other reservations. 

Me, Myself and I

I have been on a journey for twenty years now. A journey with ups and downs, but that’s what life is about enjoying the good moments and learning from the downs in the roller-coaster. I have to be very thankful to God, to life, and to destiny that my life has been a good one, one with more ups than downs. Nevertheless when you go up, sometimes you have to come down, one of the most difficult time in my journey, called life, has been the death of three of my grandparents, two of them when I was young and one when I knew the true meaning of death, which made it more difficult. Their journey ended, but mine is still beginning, now I live my life with three angels and the grandmother I still have by my side, every step of the way.

Life has given me great company throughout my journey, my life. That company is my family that have been there for me every single day of my life, my friends that some come and go, but make the trip more fun, and people that have come to my life by destiny that are here to stay and complete the journey that have not ended with me. I believe that sometimes you have to be alone to think and reflect, but always having in mind that you have people by your side that care for you, and I am very blessed that I have that kind of people in my life that make my journey more pleasant.

I am a person that believes that traveling nourishes the intellect, the soul, and life. I have been very blessed that my parents have given me the opportunity to visit other countries so I can learn from other cultures and beliefs. I have been to the United States, Dominican Republic, England, France, and Spain. These countries have different cultures, languages, and beliefs, and are very different from Puerto Rico. These countries that I have visited made me acknowledge that not everybody is the same, that every person has different backgrounds, that everybody has different journeys.