Week 5 Project 5B

Week 5 Project 5B REFLECTION

1.Who is your classmate, what is the component category, what is the name of the choice?

I chose Jeni Lyons review of My California stories, An Ordinary Place by D.J. Waldie, Almost Home by Gerald Jaslam, My Little Saigon by Anb Do, and The icest Person in San Francisco by Derek M. Powazck.

2. What is something this classmate said about the choice that relates to any of the assignments in projects 2-3?

I really liked her summary and quote in An Ordinary Place by D.J. Waldie, for it made me fully understand that not all people believe that in order to conquer the American dream, they must live in a mansion. She described how homeowners are satisfied and feel secure living in their homes for twenty or thirty years. I also felt her quote showed how real estate agents propel the idea of “mythmaking.” She further summarized Waldie’s main idea of An Ordinary Place by talking candidly about how she liked growing up in a suburb of downtown San Diego. She mentioned in 3C that people have varied opinions about an area before they really know much about it. This is something she mentioned in 5A, too,  for many people think that they need to live in huge houses to have something to talk about, and Jeni made me realize that all people just really want to have a childhood, a place to call home, no matter how big or small. From her project in 3A, she said that she lived in military housing until she was eleven years old, and she learned about different cultures. She also pointed out that not every place has the perfect picture, like we all led to believe. When she finally did live in a suburban neighborhood, she said it took her 15 minutes to reach the downtown minus the traffic, so she is realistic and appreciative of her ordinary, suburbian home and her young life on the military base.

3. What is something different this classmate said about their choice that you did not realize before when you completed projects 2-3?

Jeni found a quote that started, “Loyalty is the last habit that anyone would impute to those who live in suburbia; we’re supposed to be dissatisfied…” I really admired her chose of quote, for it proves that everyone thinks you are dissatisfied if you live in a regular suburban neighborhood. I never have given much thought to this, and Jeni made me really have to think that we are lucky, for there she lived on a military base, and she believed it was her home until she as eleven. As an adult, she is grateful for the exposure on the military base, for she learned  about different cultures. She pointed out that are childhood made us who we are and helped us get to where we want to be. Maybe a military base or just plain suburbia is the best place to live and grow, for it has many diverse cultures and could just be the heartbeat of the perfect existence.

4. How would you relate this to Freire's ideas regarding dialogue? For example, you went in thinking one idea, your classmate had a different idea. What new idea emerged from this process?

Freire would never want his students to lose sight of who they are and where they have come from. Yet he would hope that through dialogue the more fortunate could help the less fortunate. He would want them to learn from one another through active dialogue and discussion. Freire and Jeni made me realize that the simplicity of life is sometimes the greatest gift. And in her summary of Almost Home, by Gerald Haslma, that many people grow and remain attached to an area were they grew up.; she was grateful for her experience as a child growing up until eleven years old on a military base. She also made me think that where we grow up helps us continue to look after what their grandparents and parents have created for them. They are proud of their heritage and their skills that they have acquired through childhood and adolescents. I realized that much of our outlook is rooted in our ancestors. They worked hard to give us a safe and enduring life. We can, but do not need. to not search for things that lure us; maybe we can find our treasure right in our own backyard. She pointed this out in her 5A summary regarding The Nicest Person in San Francisco. She said that the boy wanted to visit the city against his father's wishes and he purchased marijuana from someone. She said that scared her and I agree. Freire would want people to reach their highest good to help humanity, not harm it. Maybe the ordinary life offers a much more rooted existence and teaches us about morality, kindness, and neighborly love so we can extend our knowledge and kindness to others.

5. How has project 2-3 helped you with the readings of the textbook?

Projects Two and Three have allowed me a chance to be exposed to others views and philosophies regarding readings in My California. Reading about and understanding what others have sacrificed, like living on a military base, and built up help me understand the importance of listening, respecting, and responding. Reading what other people have gone through and what others think of that journey gives me a much more diverse and cultivated understanding of the readings, people (my classmates), and life in general. It creates such a respect for our forefathers and their sacrifices to build a life for their families.