A Thanksgiving Thought

This year for Thanksgiving I went to the family I stayed with last year. It was a quiet Thanksgiving comparing to last year’s twenty people; this year we had a small nice dinner with only five people. The food was easier to prepare and conversations just came out more naturally. Of course since college is new to me this year the conversation consisted elements of my college life, roommate, friends, and major. I just read Enich’s blog about his Thanksgiving dinner and his conversation with his parents about his new religion/theology major. I believe that for all of us, the conversation on the dinner table for sure had something to do with college and majors. I enjoyed talking about my life at St. Olaf a lot as if all the hard work were worth it when I could proudly show them my achievement and all my future plans for success. I had to explain what American Conversation was when I was telling them about my classes, and they were particularly interested in it because unlike other class like biology and Spanish I have right now that is self-explanatory. Then blog showing was unavoidable after talking about blogs. They enjoyed reading them and made some really interesting comments. It was not until then that I realized that people appreciate the work I have done. Today when I was talking to Will and Enich, I realized that they have been reading my blogs, which really made me feel good.

Another thing that was new to me and to the family was that the dad is taking some classes at St. Thomas this year. It really surprised me when I found out about it. For such a privilege family and a successful businessman, I didn’t expect him to go back to college and take more classes. When I asked him why he did it, he said something that I had probably heard a million times but hadn’t really got it until that moment: “ It’s never too old to learn”. I once told myself that after I graduate I would burn all my textbooks and never study ever again, and I would like to be someone like my host dad, who is wise, successful and generous.

It is such a coincidence that one of the assignments for tomorrow is about good conversation, and the conversation we had over Thanksgiving was definitely a good one.  

A good conversation

I believe that a good conversation is very similar to what we have done in our ORC groups in the beginning of the semester. First of all, everyone has to engage and participate in the conversation either by voicing the opinion or listening carefully. The conversation has to have a topic that all members of the conversation agree to be significant to talk about. Every member should be involved in the conversation by contributing his or her own thoughts, and at the same time be a good listener and pay attention to others’ opinions. Disagreements are welcome, but the conversation should be a friendly discussion not a quarrel. The conversation should develop in the process; the points should be reiterated but not just simply repeated over times. Questions are brought up and comments should be made during the discussion. In the end the conversation should stay on topic and a conclusion or summary would end well.

Slavery

I meant to write this blog a long time ago but just did not have enough time to get to it. Last Thursday night I read Morgan’s chapter “Slavery and Freedom: The American Paradox”. However it was Harry Potter night so everything got kind of chaotic later. It was a good discussion the next day in class, talking about house elves and slavery. Morgan stated a paradox in America history showed slavery and freedom co-existed in colonial America. To eliminate the paradox we have to assume that the founding fathers were hypocrites. They believed in freedom and self-government but many of them were slaveholders themselves. Jefferson, who wrote “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence, owned more than 100 slaves. More and more indentured servants became free and these freemen were mostly unable to afford land. And these freemen threatened the colonialists’ property rights after the Bacon’s rebellion. African Americans replaced the indentured servants because they were unable to claim rights to the English and they could not carry arms. And when the number of slaves was more than the indentured servants, the freemen were less threatening. These freemen were later aspired to become slaveholders, and sought for more “freedom” by showing others that they owned slaves. “The rights of Englishmen were preserved by destroying the rights of Africans” as Morgan wrote in his chapter. American slavery is the foundation of America freedom and democracy.

Above is what I gained from the reading and in-class discussion about some logistics knowledge. I wonder what were the founding fathers and the slaveholders thinking when they seemed just to automatically divide the human race to two separate categories. I don’t believe that color was the only issue. If we don’t have African Americans as slaves, we would still have White slaves in our history. The Africans just happened to unluckily step on the land that was deprived of cheap or free labor. All men are created equal; however, how do we justify and define equal? The equality of having the same opportunity to pursue freedom? The same financial background and the same chances to reach a financial state? Or everyone should just have the same of everything- much like communism or socialism? We all use others to gain something we would like, both consciously and unconsciously in different ways. It is impossible for one man to claim that he is free without having people who are not free to compare with him. Once someone asked me weather I considered that I had freedoms or not. I answered immediately without even thinking that of course I had freedoms. “But you lived in a country that is totally manipulated by the government and has no human rights.” He considered himself free by comparing the situation in China to the situation in the United States, and came in conclusion that Chinese are enslaved by the government and the socialist/ communist party and the United States is a free and ideal country. I do not agree with him but at the same time I don’t disagree completely. I compared myself too, with other people around the world. For me, freedom is a term that can go further and further into definition depends on the person who defining it and using it.   

Tsinghua Xue Tang

What a coincidence: After reading David Orr's chapter "Architecture and Education" not that long ago, I was told by parents over the phone last night over the ocean that the oldest building in Tsinghua University was damaged by a big fire. Tsinghua University, one of the top rated university in China, has a special relation with me and my family. I went the middle school attached to Tsinghua University, which is in(or at least right next to) the University. Going to school every day, I walked across the campus, hoping that one day I will be able to go there. I knew that Tsinghua was the place for me since middle school until my whole life path changed when I came here to the US.

The building, "Tsinghua Xue Tang" (Tsinghua College) was one the first architectures on campus. It was built in 1911 by the education directers in Qing Dynasty. It was originally built for the use if offices similar to the "study aboard office" here at St. Olaf. Since then this building has become a symbolic architecture not only in Tsinghua but also in all colleges and university in China. I find it surprising at first because when I think of an iconic architecture in China a picture of old tradition Chinese building with red paint and stuck out roof like this.

Tsinghua Xue Tang is a classic German style building, contrasting the "Chinese old" college environment. It was later used for classrooms and dorms for the science department after the Qing dynasty. This reminds me of Holland Hall here, where it was also home of the science building, and it was also the sort of different style building. Technology and science in old China represent the western continents. It seems reasonable that the science department was set here.The building was also used for the architecture department. If I were the executive decision maker I would make it the architecture department too because its architectural structure is so distinct, special, and innovative. Just before the fire, the building served as the administration building, especially when first year students arrive on campus on their first day of college, they come to Xue Tang as their first stop.

It was heart breaking when I heard the news that it was mostly ruined by the fire. It is soon going to be the 100 year anniversary of the university. As one of the major and important symbolic building, there exists so much history, stories, and for me, a lot of good memories.

Tea Party Dense Fact

After talking to Matt on Friday, I realized that sometimes talking about what you do know and speak it well might be more effective than trying to haul massive information and just pile them together. I went back to some of my earlier blogs, and just like Matt said, my earlier ones about home, about my own experiences are way more rich than the ones I did recently. One of the reasons might be that I did those later blogs just to complete the assignments.At the same time, I do not just want to rely on things and knowledge I already know. I'd like to learn new things too. Maybe I will find better methods and probably spend more time thinking and writing.

Today when I was writing my editorial I found a video on Youtube. I was worried about my dense fact for the paper but after I saw the video I decided to make it my dense fact.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx7fNQcJAjs

I showed it to Enich, Mike and Will, and they all had really different reaction, which make sense because different people have different opinions regarding the Tea Party. Enich, after seeing video, told me that it was really intense. Will said that it was a good dense fact and it was a good claim. Mike told me a word that I did not understand and later I discovered that it was not a word at all. I noticed that China has become sort of a punching bag in terms of economic issues and political issues. In relation to the Election, they threw a bomb to the audience saying that China is taking over the United States of America and everyone should vote for them so that it is not going to happen.

Takaki

Just like the front cover of Takaki's history book convey: A History of Multicultural America, he focuses a lot on the immigrants, cross cultural events and the significance of America being a multicultural nation. From the previous discussion about Tea Party, Benjamin Franklin, Takaki just bring ups these important figures/events in order to support the points he is making about the Irish, immigrants, and Native Americans. The Declaration of Independence is mentioned a couple times in the book: all in relation to immigrants, except one has something to do with Jefferson- his reaction towards the Indians. The document itself is not presented in the book, nor is any of the analysis and context and background. However, I did find a passage particularly interesting after reading The Declaration of Independence and Takaki’s reference. “Students were learning about freedom and equality as they recite the Gettysburg Address and the Declaration of Independence… But they “saw that it wasn’t so much on the plantation.” They saw whites on top and Asians on the bottom. Returning from school to their camps, students noticed the wide “disparity between theory and practice.” “(250-251, Takaki) It is very ironic that everyone can quote from the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal”, and this equality only exists in a part of whole population. At the same time I know that it is very hard to really spread the idea to everyone.

Choir

I participated in the St. Olaf Choral Festival last year as one of the many high schoolers who admire the wonderful musicians at St. Olaf.This year I finally became a part of the St. Olaf choral ensemble, singing proudly. Dr. Armstrong, our director, made a speech at the end of rehearsal that really struck me. He said that he had friends who lived in South America got injured because of their intention and efforts to vote. And we, as Americans, who have the right and privilege to vote, should feel blessed, and therefore should cherish the opportunity to vote and to care about our country. Everyone matters in this nation. He also said that having lived through the civil right movement, he wouldn’t stand over here conducting fifty years ago. Choral day is when choirs from high schools, churches, and communities all came to St. Olaf to experience the greatness of music. I am proud and thankful that I can sing in one of nation’s finest choirs, but I also know from Dr. Armstrong that there were small choirs with only twelve people participating in this festival. Even though it seems impossible to run a choir with these few people, they came and sang with a full heart and they were happy to have what they have. This really made me think: we all have passions, and sometimes even though it takes a lot of hard work to pursue, there is great joy from little things that we’ve done.

???

I can still recall some of my knowledge from US history class two years ago about The Declaration of Independence but I have to admit that everything I learned went in my right ear and came out my left ear since it was my first year in the United States and at that time speaking English was still considered to be a big struggle to me. I guess without the general knowledge and background, or simply just not having been living here make everything difficult to comprehend. After reading Cullen's chapter about the Declaration, I was very confused: nothing really makes sense. It was not that I didn't read the chapter carefully- I did read it word by word, and even reread a couple paragraphs that I thought were somehow crucial,judging from the word "freedom" and "independence". Last night Enich, Mike, and Gina spent a good chunk of time explaining how American politic work because we were just talking about the election - obviously I didn't contribute much because I didn't know anything about it. I wish I can have a magic book that contains everything I have to know and just read it through.