Ethnography

My group decided we visit the Northridge Fashion Center as a space in Los Angeles. For me, this was a new experiment because I had to de-familiarize myself so that I can find issues to write about on my paper. I have been to that mall only a few times because I personally don't like shopping malls and I don't live in the Northridge area.
I went to the mall at lunch time with my sister on a Friday. I ate food at Tommy's, I would not have chosen any other place because I just love their food. While I was sitting I observed people around me. People of different ages eat there, maybe because of the variety you could chose from. Specifically, a group of 4 or more friends or family, couples, the elderly, and kids with their parents. Throughout I want to share issues that I have seen while observed from one place to another. In the food court, I see parents with their little ones and I highly suggest they pay close attention to their kids and not leave them unattended because they might ran off and cause problems to other people. I have encountered in the past you see a kid crying in one corner and instantly I thought "what should I do?" Should I help out or am I too busy shopping and not caring? Of course I would help, talk to security or the information desk, they know what to do.
Not only do people go to the mall to buy their necessities, they go here to share time with family and friends. There is a children's play area and the movie theatre to have some fun time. I see some new renovations as well. Like in my photo they added the fountain which is very nice and gives opportunities for smaller sellers to put a booth on their own.
Similarly the diversity of the mall defines Los Angeles as well. People of different races come together in one place to buy their wants and needs. Los Angeles has been comprised of having the largest ethnic diversity in the whole country and  most of the shopping malls including the Northridge Fashion Center is highly diverse. That said, the Northridge Fashion Center specifically is somewhat overcrowded. Even though there are stores that are going out of business, people still come. I found that the mall is overcrowded because many spend their time to relax and have fun not inside the stores. Also, why are businesses going out of business? Is it the downturn in the United States economy? It could be a reason or people just don't hear much about the specific stores that are shutting down because they don't advertise as much compared to popular stores like Macy's or Sears. To keep their businesses going to prevent closings they must let us the consumers know about their stores.
I hate walking around, hearing my older sister complain "Buy me this, buy me that, lets go to that store" my sister just wants to go on every clothing store out there. I just respond "We both have jobs, obviously you have higher pay. Why should I buy your stuff?" She stops complaining and goes to another store. While I am being dragged to go to one store to another, it's funny how I think which stores
are expensive and not. When there are no customers inside the store "Oh, this is probably an expensive store. I wont go here." While another place like forever21 is always packed this is obviously the more affordable store. Another issue that comes up is my experience of going to swap meets, flea fair, or street markets from my Latina friends. They seem to know where the good stuff are. The street markets are relatively cheaper compared to shopping at a mall.  This is the issue I will be using for my argument essay. Which side am I? It's a secret.
The visit to the Northridge Fashion Center was fun even though it hurt my legs and feet. I found a lot of issues I could use for my argument essay. Definitely visiting it on-hand makes a person realize what more there is worth than not being there physically.


Forever 21, always packed

Front gate



New renovation

Greater Los Angeles

I lived in Santa Clarita for only a couple of years; it is in the Los Angeles County and it seems like it is a new city. A lot of people do not recognize this city, maybe because of having too little of getting amazing entertainment and food. I don’t have the same belief as others do, there are a lot of things you can do where you can have fun with your family and friends. Most importantly the city is safe, there are not many crimes you see, few gangs but those are teenagers who act “cool,” you could see police cars patrolling around neighborhoods. Santa Clarita is home to Six Flags Magic Mountain, the thrill capital of the world. I could not ask for any other place to live in and I am satisfied where I live now.

Santa Clarita is comprised of different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. In my neighborhood specifically, the Asians are the minority while Hispanics and Blacks are the majority. It does not bother me because I am aware that my surroundings shape how I am influenced. I respect all the other cultures that I see because we all live in one city and one roof. Living for only 3 years in Santa Clarita went by fast. I was changed and was expected to become independent since I started working on a part-time job. Since we had the lack of money, to go to work and school I had to take the bus.

Similar to Luis Alfaro’s experience in the story “Minnie Riperton Saved My Life,” he was bused and he and his family were moving a lot to different places. I relate to the feeling that busing is a good experience because some of my closest friends now I met because of taking the bus. Also as Alfaro’s experience of moving a lot somewhat parallel to mine. He comes from a valley that differs from the Los Angeles valleys while I come from a country with different standards of living compared to here in the United States. It was hard to adjust to the culture at first but with all the support from people that I have met and my families, it all turned out well.

Recognizing and appreciating the culture of others makes a city a better place. Los Angeles gave its diversity for a reason to unite people of different race, gender, and age. To live in this city together to face great journeys ahead.

 

Some of my great and fun journeys with amazing people:

 

What if?





Living in the greater Los Angeles area made me aware of the diversity LA had to offer. Everywhere I look I will catch myself seeing a different race and I question it- how did we all (of different ethnic backgrounds) come together at this one place? The book Another City by David Ulin gave me different viewpoints that I could relate to such as how racism stands and how my environment affect the way I live in Los Angeles.

In the story “Naked Chinese People” by Diane Lefer recognizes how racism stands in Los Angeles. When a person was of certain race they are treated differently individually. For example, the rules that apply to white people alone apply only to them and for them, while other races have their own designated rules that only apply to and for them. This rule of “applying” shows unfairness and it concerns me how could I make change for this? I have no power whatsoever as of now but I know as a student little by little I could make change by learning and utilizing from it.

I relate to the story of Diane Lefer of losing someone you love. I had gone through a same situation where I lost my aunt who I deeply care for. It was disappointing to find out and I wish I was there at her side to say my goodbyes. The “what if?” question was significant to the story dealing with; what if I had done choice A rather than choice B? What would have been the outcome? It applied to me as well with making decisions and just living my life. In the simple choice of should I have coffee or tea in the morning? The choices that we make affect an outcome that makes us who we are already. Why should I change it? I already like the person I am now.

In the story “The Exterminator” by Rob Roberge shows an effect of how we live in the environment of Los Angeles. Towards the end of the story it emphasizes a snow weather, and I thought of Los Angeles that way which is somewhat to not possible because of having the usual broad daylight and sunny weather. The way the author described it was like “the exterminator stands in the fluff of snow and now staring at the source of it.” Similarly, I had done something like this, as I stood in the fluff of snow wondering its magnificence and what the reason it brings to us. It was amazing watching the snow fall wondering where it came from. That experience was unforgettable especially because of the time it snowed which was in the new year of 2012. Seeing the most joy and hope everyone felt made me realize how this affects the life I live.

Having related experiences to the stories made me realize how we act and live our life relying in the city of Los Angeles. The city I like to call full of stars to catch and live your dreams.

Snow in Santa Clarita

Race does not matter as long as you care for each other.

Smartphone

My phone is so important to me. It might be so common that I chose this but its the only one thing that I use a lot. I am glad my phone has so many features and I will highlight the ones I mostly use. I have the newest product of samsung and my phone as seen in the picture is the samsung galaxy s3 and the case I bought myself. It actually feels great that I bought the phone and used my own money. Everytime I look at it, I see my hardwork put into it.

Not just on the phone but I really like my phone carrier which is tmobile. They gave me a really good price deal on my phone with a good data plan as well. My data plan is unlimitted talk and text with unlimitted data on the web. I use my texting a lot but calls are occasional for me. But the web data is such a great help because I use it everyday. My internet line is 4G LTE, it is a wireless communication for high-speed data processing. Like searching on the web, or anything with the use of the internet, it is just really fast.

First of, the one thing I love the most is how big the screen is. Its just huge and my palm fits perfectly and it is easy to text. There isn't a day that I miss using the web in my phone. I use it to look up my csun website and moodle account-to see if my instructors has posted anything new on it and I am able to be up to date on my assignments. I also search the web for connecting with my friends through the use of facebook, twitter, and other social-networking sites. My phone has an email app that connects all my emails into one place, meaning I have different email addresses and its all in one place. This is useful because I use my email to contact instructors if I have any questions and I use it for family purposes as well.I can check my email really fast, takes a few seconds to refresh then its ready to go.

Some other features that I love are; the direct call interface-when I text a friend and I'm just too lazy to keep typing and typing how my day was that I dont even have to go press buttons for calling I could just lift my phone and put it in my ear and it will start calling my friend, has smart stay-it waits until you're asleep and the screen stays on until you don't look at it. My phone has this talking person called the S-voice, it helps you set up larms through what the owner of the phone says. It reminds you of events you put on the calendar. The camera that is built on the phone is very clear, I am so glad I don't even need a digital camera I could just straight take a picture. It also has a flash which is useful at night.

Most of all, the feature I love the most is being able to store music, pictures, videos, and documents in my phone. The memory of it is big and the amount you store will stay there. I do love every bit of it, I believe I wont be changing my phone in for a while since this phone is so useful and provides me with resources that I need.

Summary of poem

     The time period of the poem, “It’s a Woman’s World by Eavan Boland was not mentioned, if it was I think we could have understood more of the meaning behind the poem, I understood the most common generalization that not only woman could benefit by this poem but also other people with different ethnic backgrounds and  also laborers.

     I believe that this poem has been written in the era of not gaining woman’s rights, in lines 1-16 it represents the time that had passed by and nothing had changed, all was the same, woman are left behind the men are always the one in the sight of the people, the woman’s accomplishments cannot be real because they just overlook it and they can’t really do anything much about pursuing their careers or anything since woman’s rights were limited. Woman have been criticized of doing the same things over and over again, well they can’t really do much about it.

     Throughout history woman were defined but we forget, It’s because most historians who write our history books are men, we are defined wrongly but then if it was a woman who will write woman’s history it would be a right choice-all of the woman’s experiences will be right based on what she experienced in her life. Nowadays power to the woman are stronger, woman had gained more rights till the mid-20th century and still improving woman’s way of life. Woman can never be as great as men for being an astronomer or being brave, because it was never meant for woman to gain this kind of achievement, in time the stars will reign on woman. it was described in lines 32-36, how a woman is a stereotypical housewife (who gossip, cook, clean, take care of children) while men go to war and fight, woman couldn’t accomplish anything while men go through life with pride and achieving their goals, men lived by the lights of honor while woman stay at home and gain no achievements. Everything the same, woman took care of their children bring them in in their home but not of history.

     Comparing for the present time of today, I am glad that woman had gained more rights, me as a woman myself cannot imagine my life without accomplishing anything, I want to prove to myself and to all that I could do what men does and I can’t be pushed down because I will surely fight back.

     The last two stanzas are still unclear to me, further explanation of it is what I need, and I couldn’t see a connection of that to the poem.

Letter to author

Dear Eavan Boland,

     Your poem “It’s a Woman’s World” was very interesting and to me it was agreeable, as I keep on reading it, to better understand the true meaning I came to a point that I could make a connection with your poem. Being able to connect with lines 22-23, describing star-gazers, fire-eaters” it reminded me of reaching my goals and being a brave woman who stands up for herself.

     In lines 22-23, my connection to those lines are being able to find my goals and achieve it as I look above the stars and also being able to deal with difficult not impossible obstacles, it is described in those lines “star-gazers, fire-eaters.” Could women never be as great as men? My experience in describing “star-gazers” was looking back at myself for being insecure and thinking how my future will be? I’m scared to fail in life because it is such a big deal towards my family life, it made me feel like there was no room for mistakes, but then I was able to realize to not bother yet about my future, since it is still way ahead of me and I should not rush things and just take my goals and think about slowly with making right choices. I see myself looking at the stars at night, staring at it, all my goals in life are in those stars, and being able to say in the future I achieved that one star which will give me great confidence which is important to me. 

It was also described that woman can never be “fire-eaters” in line 23. I believe the meaning to that is being a brave woman, being able to stand up for oneself. Everyone experiences a day in high school that they will get picked on and laughed at, I have been there had many experiences with bullies that discriminate because of ethnic background. Back then, I still remember I was like a turtle always hiding in my shell being scared of getting eaten by predators, I was a new student in my high school, a few years ago, I had a new environment and different people to meet because I came from a different country and I had to face with new changes that I did not have to deal with before and I just let those teasers push me around and discriminate me. 

I wanted myself to be unique and show that to them, who would want someone who is fake? I guess people in my high school thought it was funny that I was scared to talk to people because of my shyness and that I did not know much of the new environment in the United States, 

but then eventually listening to scenarios such as dealing with bullying and discriminating issues which I learned in health and government classes, I was able to find out I have friends that really cared for me, and I myself was able to find courage to stand up and say “I don’t care about what you think of me, I am my own person and am proud of being myself, if you don’t like stay out of my business and leave me alone.” Then after what I said people were able to understand my situation and they accepted how my background is and I made a lot of really good friends that stick by me in ups and downs. It connected with that simple but deep line as fire-eaters that I was a brave woman and I surely am proud of myself and any woman who stands up for themselves will be too.

     Thank you for the time of reading my letter of connection to your poem, “It’s a Woman’s World.” Words in the poem were really in deep thought even I could have made the meanings wrong but this is what I believe that made me connect.

Sincerely,

Jessica Ang

Questions from pg. 17

I hope this is not late. I had trouble with posting on blogger this morning.

Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you."
This is a commonly used poem, or I think it is a poem. It is very catchy and pretty much anyone could use it to change it up. They are poetry with a kind of mood to it, and something that would have important meaning to the person who wrote it. I define poetry as a secretive feeling that you write then cover it with words that are not commonly used but have mostly the same meanings and have your same point of view put in a different way. I am not sure; I am not completely great at explaining especially in poetry because I couldn’t understand it better anyways. I will just explain and try to connect to my friend what I think of the poem that I read.

I believe its popular, people can think their different point of views towards it when they don’t understand what the author wrote. People write gibberish poems, I've experienced it; I have done that at some point in my high school life when you just want to bias homework because of time concerns. I know there are different forms of poetry that are hard to catch, having it narrative while dramatic, with a certain happy or melancholy feel, some examples are  simple quotations, I believe they are supposed to be just a line that has meaning making it a poem.

I don't know what the first poem I read. I don’t think I can remember it. I will just pick a poetry that was my favorite; it is from William Shakespeare’s play, The Twelfth Night:

“The Clown, singing
O Mistress mine, where are you roaming?
O stay and hear! your true-love’s coming
That can sing both high and low;
Trip no further, pretty sweeting,
Journeys end in lovers’ meeting—        
Every wise man’s son doth know.

What is love? ’tis not hereafter;
Present mirth hath present laughter;
What’s to come is still unsure:
In delay there lies no plenty,—        
Then come kiss me, Sweet-and-twenty,
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.”
-Act II Scene III

It was a line on his play the twelfth night, this play was so funny and also I liked it because I acted as one of the main characters and it was a fun experience to do improvised exercise and read Shakespeare’s writings. It comes to my mind having true meaning, I think the longer a poem is with more words and phrases the better you can understand it. It affects me that I know I need to keep rereading poetry if I don’t understand it until looking up words that are unfamiliar and start communicating with other people as well to get different views and to be able to understand it better.

I think the most that my teacher gave me was to read it with feeling, if it sounds wrong read it with a different feeling, and just keep reading by looking up unfamiliar words and never ignore the writer’s punctuation, it certainly gives a different meaning to it.

If in a movie I see a feeling and an important looking scene and then the lead star starts talking and there’s meaning to it, I truly think at an instant its poetry. besides that I don’t have any other experiences, maybe in songs, music has deep connections towards a person because sometimes it describes exactly how you feel and that you think it’s a poem that has been turned into a song.

I’ve written a poem for homework other than that not on my own.  I just wrote what I believe fitted the scene. I didn’t completely get it right but I had fun, at least I know it’s my own writing and I should trust it and believe in my own work. Well if you write something such as a poem, you need to be precise that a person will understand what you write; all depends in the wording it needs to be formal and sophisticated to better understand. Reading a poem is hard because you don’t know how to compare your ideas and towards the authors.