@ home still self-conscious

A few words until next time

I felt very inspired by Rhea’s last post and decided it would be good I post at least a few final words on my own tumblr left untouched for the whole of the semester—few final paragraphs rather.

The first time I entered the class, I had huge expectations of the class and yet none at all. As a matter of fact I don’t remember my first day in this class. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t think much of the people around me. There was—I hope you don’t mind me using these labels—the Asian facilitator, the little school girl, the girl I met at orientation, the party girl, the calm young woman, the shy guy, the girl from English class, and the Mexican… Yes, this how I labeled you when I met you. Eventually, the labels were replaced by names—thank god—as I got to know you and eventually considered you all like family.

On that last Monday, I would’ve well wanted to return for the evaluation, for the final goodbye. Missing those last two classes for me was difficult, because though the amount of work was for me a great amount of stress, dropping the course meant for me the loss of that time every week seeing my little family. Each and everyone of you are unique. You are full of potential.

Ainsley, you have always been caring and I have never felt let down. So compassionate, so honest, and so persevering, what a great teacher you make! Study well and I can say without a doubt you will make a great therapist! Bravo on doing this class, you’ve done a great job, I hope you are proud of leading these young students towards success!

Christina. The girl who laughs when angry. You work hard to achieve those well-deserved grades and come to class when your lungs are on fire. Though quiet, your sheer boldness can surprise us and we are often surprised to see it. Wow, keep up the hard work!

Rhea, why you so quiet? We may not agree on everything but your enthusiasm is so cute and I enjoy conversations with you. Different outlooks one the world are always nice, and I enjoy conversing with you. Keep fighting for your ambitions and one day it will all pay off! Never stop trying, you’ll see!

Olivia. I may have gotten the wrong impression at first, but I soon discovered you were so much fun to be around. The strength you wield as you take on the nursing and still manage to keep your sense of humor as the education system scorches your very soul. Thanks for all the laughs and stay cool, we love having you around!

Alice, tu es l’artiste dans l’âme. In discussions, you share your wisdom fairly and it is difficult to face you in arguments. Keep your pride and let yourself shine. I admire your determination to do what you feel is right to do and to not let anyone shut your mouth. You are brave, and it is people like you who inspire hope in our future.

Simon. Shymon. You work so hard and so much. My god you’re smart and have so many elaborate things to say. We’ve buddies for the semester and would have long talks after class. Now you’re leaving for France, tu vas me manquer tu sais? Tu t’envas loin et il est maintenant le temps de repartir à zéro. Take the opportunity to stand up and be who you’ve always wanted to be! Je crois en toi, c’est à ton tour d’y croire aussi!

Polina! You strive to work hard and it isn’t always easy. But you’ve made it! Its done! Don’t look back, you’ve got through the storm. Your audacity to overcome the challenge was remarkable. Don’t forget that no matter what happens you can do it, always!

Paulo, I quickly found out you were Filipino and didn’t live in Cote-des-Neiges. **wink wink** I’ve been trying to vlog lately and wow didn’t realize how much work it was. Wow. And you did this everyday for a month?! What the… I don’t think you realize it Paulo, but you are a great guy with a lot of talent. Cinema is the right place for you to be. Don’t be so self conscious and get out there! You are who you are, don’t put yourself down. You have a lot to teach us.

I was lucky to be in this class. There will always be a special place for you in my heart—I’m allowed to be corny okay?! Keep your heads up guys, I’ve seen you in action and no lies, I believe in what I say. Your words at the midterms gave me strength and though I couldn’t manage to keep up all the way, I have found my way and will fight on and on and on… Nothing can stop me.

We ought to meet again soon, don’t contact me through facebook, I’ve seen how much it affects me (read the post on my wall), and have learned I might be better without. I will try. Thank you all for letting me get to know you. It was an experience—oh and here is a cheesy finish—I am not close to forget. Take care!

À la prochaine!

Your classmate and friend,
  Alex :) 

Two uncompleted blogposts

Well well… Here I am, posting my first blog post. I seem to have had trouble finishing things lately, notably this class. Nevertheless, here are two uncompleted blogposts… Enjoy?

      Blog post #1

“Five disrespected “netiquette” rules

We’ve all heard of “netiquette” at one point or another. The term refers to, of course, the social norms to follow to ensure a polite and respectful exchange online. The most knowledgeable one being, in my opinion, avoiding writing in all capitals because it could be interpreted as SCREAMING.

The quick and vast expansion of the web however has made it difficult to educate newcomers in what are “the rules of the web”. This is the case notably with what is of the massive amount of younger users going on social networks to hangout. I took the liberty to list out five rules that are not respected and why they should be.

1. Check spelling before sending a message.
   The fact that kids spend so much time on social networking sites makes the net full of potential. It may seem like the bast way there is to motivate youngsters to practice their reading and writing skills. Unless of course, the rule is not respected… Then, every sentence becomes a challenge to decode, where correct spelling is rare and punctuation either excessive or obsolete.

2. Not forwarding spam.
   Everyone hates receiving a message telling them they will die if they do not forward a message, but some are still obnoxious enough to go on ahead and obey from a reckless form of superstition. It is also recommended to check one’s computer for viruses once in a while before their email contacts flag them as junk.

3. Staying polite and respectful at all times.
   For some reason, the internet seems to have become a place for angry people to rant. It is not uncommon for one to come across a death threat online. It is important to remember that though not face to face, the words can have as much impact as those in real life conversations, and intentions can be easily misinterpreted.

4. Being concise and optimistic.
   Going online is […]”
   
   
   Blog post #2 

“Hate on the Occupy Movement: Could the US break down into civil war?

We’ve seen this before: In Egypt, in Libya, in Syria, in Yemen… The people want change, they are tired of corrupt governments and people who profit more than they should of the system. The government doesn’t do much, and people take the streets to show how angry they are. They are at first ignored; then ridiculed from all around and called “junkies”, “dropouts”, “rich kids”, anarchists, “mental patients”. Eventually, as the movement grows and does not settle, people who do not agree with the movement get angry.

I have came across a lot of hot debates of the internet. Where people condemn others for taking the streets, calling them lazy and obnoxious. The reality here is, that the Occupation has negative impacts on small local businesses and families who cannot continue living their daily lives normally. There are calls from people to authorities to shut down the movement, but the people are staying and the tension is growing. When police uses force, the movement grows, as seen in Oakland […]”
Et voilà, feel free to edit/steal/mix these posts, no rights reserved.