Words of Everything and Anything

A documentation of anything I have ever written ranging from essays for English class all the way to my innermost thoughts. French and English blog.

[allmywritingcombined]

The Korean War

During World War II, Japan conquered Korea. After the war, in order to get rid of Japan, Korea was split in half and occupied, in the North, by the USSR and, in the South, by the USA. When both occupants left, Korea was left divided between a Communist North Korea and a Capitalist, US supported South Korea. In order to unite the separated country, North Korea invaded South Korea. The USA, wanting to prevent the spread of communism, went to South Korea’s aid and sent the UN army there. China then came in and joined North Korea, which caused the war to be a war of attrition. Although not taking part in the conflict, the USSR helped fund North Korea and China. To this day Korea is still divided and there is a cease-fire between the North and the South. In essence, the Korean War can be seen as a battle between the USA and the USSR. It can be seen as a part of the Cold War. Because of the Korean War, the Cold War became global and there are still high tensions between North Korea and South Korea. Since the USA helped South Korea, the country has remained capitalist and has had a very good economy in opposition to North Korea. Overall, the Korean War is responsible for problems facing the separated country to this day and also was a war that drastically changed Korea.

> April 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

Oral Presentation on World Hunger

Did you know that 870 million people in the world are starving? In other words, globally, one in eight people were suffering from chronic undernourishment from 2010 to 2012 – counting both adults and children. With 15% of their population suffering from undernourishment, developing countries count more hungry people than in developed countries. What are the problems, and why are there so many starving people today?

Problems

Does the world produce enough food for everyone? The world does produce enough food for everyone. World agriculture produces 17% more calories per person than it did 30 years ago. This is enough to provide everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories per person per day. However, there are different problems that prevent people from accessing food: Poverty “In short, the poor are hungry and their hunger traps them in poverty." —World Food Programme Poverty is the core of why many people today are suffering from hunger. Regions that are subjected to extreme poverty are at risk in numerous departments: water and food, natural disasters and war. Three quarters of all hungry people live in rural areas and are overwhelmingly dependent on agriculture for their food. These populations have no alternative source of income or employment and as a result, are vulnerable to crises. Natural disasters: In some areas, territories cannot produce crops. Extreme weather conditions such as droughts, icy temperatures, heavy rain, heavy wind (such as typhoons) can prevent growth of crops. Moreover, some countries lack funding and supportive government to import food and supplies. War & conflict: Studies suggest that countries that are already in the state of poverty and emergency are more likely to be engaged in conflicts, which, obviously, increases this country’s poverty and therefore increases risks such as famine.

Solutions

Many people seem to ignore the fact that there are numerous solutions to the problem of world hunger. When discussed, famine and undernourishment will often be dismissed as something that cannot be avoided or changed, as it is just another flaw in today’s society. It is disconcerting that people do not know how wrong this is. In reality, the basis of the solution to the problem of world hunger is simply determination and resolve, the willpower to act and the ability to care about those who are less fortunate than you. The individual action of people possessing these qualities helps many who suffer from hunger. For instance, donating money to legitimate charities that will send food to people in need is a good option. Or what if you became a vegetarian? This would help because the less people eat meat; the more others can be fed. In fact, studies have shown that the amount of grain used to feed livestock, such as cows, in the USA alone could feed 800 million people. That is virtually the entire population of individuals suffering from chronic hunger. Furthermore, globalization could also contribute to stopping hunger. As mentioned before, poverty is the main cause for undernourishment, but globalization, in fact, lifts poverty. For example, multinational companies in MEDCs often want to move their factories to LEDCs because it is cheaper there. As a result, jobs are created for the people in the LEDCs and the country profits greatly. Next, the United Nations could help by travelling to LEDCs to distribute food but also to ensure that any donated money falls into the hands of the right people and not a dictator. Finally, there is the factor of political action that could potentially eradicate all hunger from the world. It is well known that in the 1990s President Clinton proposed to eliminate the debt of the world's poorest countries which would have allowed these countries to start fresh and rebuild themselves entirely. In the 1980s, 1.5 million dollars per minute was spent on arms, and hunger could have been ended in 2 weeks if the money had been redirected.

In conclusion, there is indisputably one major problem preventing the world from being rid of hunger: lack of will. People and the government fail to realize how inhumane it is to let people starve to death when you could in fact be saving them. People do this because the deaths are not occurring directly in front of them, rendering them incapable of fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. Individuals suffering from starvation can be helped but they are not receiving this help and that is a very significant problem. The question we should all be asking ourselves is shouldn’t all humans have a right to gain access to the basic necessities that sustain life, such as water, shelter and food?

> February 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

European Unity

What was the most important step towards EU unity?

After the devastation and horror of two World Wars, Europe was desperate for peace. This is what led to the creation of the European Union, the political association of certain European countries that would facilitate harmony throughout the continent for over 65 years.  There were certain contributing factors put in place that united Europe. Most noticeably, the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, the Treaty of Rome and the Marshall Plan. Essentially, all these plans were meant to improve the overall European economy, bind the countries in the EU closer together and ensure that there would never be another disastrous war again.

All these plans succeeded in doing so; however one of them was, in my opinion, the most important step towards EU unity. The European Coal and Steel Community was the idea of the French minister Robert Schuman and was introduced by him in 1950. It was the first step towards the creation of the European Union. It consisted of creating a single market for coal and steel, materials used for making munitions, between the countries of Europe making a war both economically and materially impossible within Europe, evidently promoting peace in the continent.

The ECSC was, from my point of view, what truly connected Europe because of what it did as opposed to all the other plans. For instance, although the Marshall Aid was the first act to build back up Europe after the war, it consisted only of the US giving Europe money and wasn’t enough to entirely unite Europe. Next the Treaty of Rome was the treaty signed by the six founding countries of the EU, and although a very important act, not one that could keep these countries working well together for long. Furthermore, the European Economic Community consisted of the distribution of that wealth but, as said previously, wealth in its own cannot unite a continent. What will is promotion of peace, a connection or bond between countries and both industrial and economical stability.

In conclusion, although several aspects contributed to the unity of the European Union, it is clear in my opinion, the most important one was the European Coal and Steal Community. In any case, the creators of the EU succeeded in their goal of bettering Europe as the continent has become an extremely economically and politically powerful continent.

> March 2013

[allmywritingcombined]

Think of a piece of advice that was important to you, what was this advice?

I cannot think of any single memorable piece of advice someone has given me. I think that I have learned the most from teaching myself. If there is one thing however, that I always try to keep in mind it’s that you should try your best to be kind. I constantly try to add positively to my surroundings. I feel like the world is a sad enough place as it is, and every single person has their own troubles to worry about, so you might as well try to brighten their day, or at least not worsen it. The exception to this rule would be when you are faced with someone who is out of line and being utterly rude, in which case they need to be firmly told that what they are doing is not okay. I know that every single person in the universe is faced with their own personal demons every day and if someone is being unkind to them this just adds to their sorrow, so you should always try to put yourself in the shoes of others and remember to be kind, gentle and forgiving.

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

What is the one quality you most admire or respect in other people?

There is not one single most important quality that I respect in other people, but rather a large amount of different qualities that are all important to me. For instance, I respect intelligence very much. I also admire humility, refinement, determination and perseverance and also kindness. I don’t think it’s very useful for someone to have one single exceedingly prominent quality, because that doesn’t leave that person with much. I find it better to practice a various amount of positive qualities in order to be the best person you can be. 

 > May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

If you could move anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why and how?

If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go to the United States of America. There are two different occasions in which I would want this travel to occur. Firstly, I would want to go to New Jersey during the summer holidays to visit my family. My mother has five brothers, three sisters and I have fourteen cousins and out of her entire family, my mother was the only sibling that decided to leave New York City, where she was raised, and move to Europe, consequently, leaving my family isolated and separated by an ocean from my aunts, uncles and cousins. Most of my cousins live in New Jersey, with the odd few that are in Chicago or Ohio. I would love to be able to visit them again since last summer I could not. We would all stay at a beachside hotel and go to the boardwalk and I would finally be able to spend some time with them again. Next, the second instance in which I would want to go to America would be to study there after graduating from high school. My inclination would be towards a university in New York, close to my family, but one in Wisconsin or California would be equally as satisfying. How I would be able to go to America would be by earning money through a job and then perhaps obtaining a scholarship, tasks that seem all too unachievable. I truly wish nothing more than to go back there for it is a home that is equally as dear to me as the one I live in now, and maybe even a little more.

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

Choose a profession that embodies the quality you most admire or respect in other people.

The profession that embodies the qualities I most respect in others is professional marathon running; in more general terms athletes contain these qualities, however, marathon runners in particular are those who I admire the most. Running requires not only a great amount of talent and strength, but also determination, endurance and a very strong mind. When running one must choose to push past the pain and persevere in order to finish a race. Running also requires self control, because wouldn’t it be so much easier to simply end the pain and stop all effort to keep running? Also, sportsmanship and solidarity within the running community are also very highly regarded traits. Furthermore, the talent required by runners is not merely given to those who ask for it, talented runners train for years and years before success is attained. This will to never give up, and always be ready to improve oneself is also what I admire most in runners. To conclude, although there is an infinite amount of other professions and jobs that encompass very honorable qualities, professional marathon running comes most distinctly to mind when asked what I think exemplifies both physical and mental power but also drive and endurance. 

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

What makes you want to throw up the most?

What makes me most want to throw up is sea food. I simply cannot stand the sight, smell or taste of it. The story behind the dislike I have towards sea food comes from when I was in primary school. Evidently, when one is traumatized at such a young age, the memory of the trauma tends to be quite vivid and stays with the person for a long time. At the canteen in my primary school we were often served “purée de poisson” (mashed potatoes mixed with mashed fish). Now that I think about it, the kitchen staff probably mixed the fish with the mashed potatoes because they were recycling fish from the day before. The students were actually strongly pushed to eat what was on their plate, and I, fearing that I would be in trouble if I didn’t eat the food, took a huge forkful and tried to eat it as fast as I could. I then proceeded to throw up the mixture back on to my plate. I can assure you that I never tried to eat the dish again and nor have I since then been inclined to eat seafood.

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

What would you do if you were trapped on a desert island?

If I was trapped on a desert island I would probably be quite content with my situation. Now if survival wasn’t an issue, so if I had food, water and shelter, I could very easily lead a happy life since I love nature, the sun and swimming in the ocean (assuming my desert island was surrounded by an ocean). Being alone would also feel very peaceful to me. However, if survival was an issue evidently the situation would not be as pleasant anymore. I’d like to think that I would be able to survive on my own but I don’t think I’m even beginning to grasp how difficult that actually is. In the end though I would probably try to find a way to be saved and go home because my bedroom is probably my favorite place in the world.

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

My Past Present & Future

My Past

To me, my past is a thought-provoking topic to reflect upon as it often feels like it is both everything that I represent and nothing at the same time. One of the first memories I have is from when my family lived in our first house in France after we moved here from Germany when I was two. I would often take these plastic bunny rabbits (two baby ones and one mother) to the back yard and I would play with them in the grass (see page 13 for picture reference). There are small memories like this that I can recall quite distinctly thanks to an acute sensation I had been feeling. For instance, with the bunny rabbits, I can still remember the feeling of holding the rabbits in my hands and the texture of the toy, which was modeled after rabbit fur. I remember trips to the zoo, snack time in pre-school, dressing up as Snow White, and painting with my father. I can still perfectly distinguish learning how to ride a bike for the first time but not knowing how to brake. I can picture my grandmother’s apartment in Brooklyn, my cousins’ apartment in Brooklyn too, getting lost at an amusement park and going to baseball games.  When I think of my past this is what I see. Sometimes these memories are veiled by the haziness that comes with forgetfulness, but thanks to photographs, in an instant every detail can be known. I am thankful for all the pictures I have of my childhood. They show only joy and they make my childhood appear perfectly beautiful. It is important to be able to have that impression, to bask in the good times that once were, but I also find it crucial to recall when life wasn’t picture perfect. These memories should be kept away in a corner of everyone’s mind as a reminder of the facts of life, as to ensure that you may never be deluded into thinking life is only uphill. This is the most important lesson I can pull from my past.

  My Present

I believe my past made me who I am today but I also believe that I have chosen which parts of my past to hold on to and learn from and which parts to forget, and that is truly what defines me. I never fail to forget the fact that I am born in Germany, of Irish and American descent but was raised and live in France. I feel lucky that I come from different cultures and have been able to explore them all my life. However, something that has made me sad my entire life is that I feel that my true home is in the USA. English is my first language and I prefer the society and cultural ways there more than the French ones. The language barrier is so aggravating. I do speak French fluently but it’s like I can’t say quite exactly what I mean to say since my vocabulary in French isn’t as vast as my English one. Then, my entire family lives there, which is 7 aunts, 8 uncles and 14 cousins. Our family tries to visit every year but the expenses make it difficult. Every time I see them I feel like I have missed out on so much, I want to be close to them. I find it interesting how my nationality is such a great part of my identity. Nationality is one thing, but then there are also my parents and siblings. They alter the way I live every day. I learn so much from all of them, such as how to share, how to treat people correctly, but also how not to treat people and how not to act. Essentially, your family is like a limb on your body. They’re always there, and when they’re gone you’re left with a gaping hole. They’re there to aid and help you and they’re an essential part of who you are. Oftentimes though, family members might bother you or you might despise them and I feel that just because someone is a member of your family it doesn’t mean you are required by law to love them unconditionally. How infuriating when someone says “But they’re your (insert name of family member)! You don’t hate them!” because being a member of a family doesn’t give a person the right to do whatever they want and have me still love them after. The most dominant part of my life right now though is school. At my age, I live, breathe and think of school all the time. It is basically the only form of work I have known since I was a child. It’s difficult for me to say whether or not I actually enjoy it because I don’t have much to compare it to. Often I feel like I’m wasting my time, the worst being when I encounter a teacher who clearly hates their job and does not want to help students, but will college be any better? Or will it be a hundred times worse? What about when I’m an adult? Will that be more difficult? My guess is that school may be easier now than “the real world” but it also restricts your freedom and isn’t satisfying. Finally, my present is constituted mainly by those who I surround myself with: my friends. The company you keep says many things about you since you both choose who you stay with but at the same time those who stay with you must choose you. My friends make the world seem less lonely and ominous and they bring laughter to my life, and laughing is my “raison d’être”   

My Future

I have a very idealistic vision of what I’d like my life to be like as I grow older. There are many things I wish would happen to me or that I wish I could do, however there are much fewer things I truly see myself doing. Throughout the end of my teenage years I could imagine myself going into the “filière ES” because I don’t really enjoy science and I definitely don’t enjoy French literature the way I do in English. I truly wish that I’ll be able to reach a grade point average of 15 or 15.5 but it all depends on the teachers I have in the next two years. I want to continue running and try to run in competitions, although I’m not deluding myself into thinking I’ll win any of them. However, I want to continue tennis and, unlike with track, I do actually hope I’ll win some matches in order to raise my “classement” to 15/0. I’d also like to get a job in order to earn money for college. Then, I aspire to receive the “Mention Très Bien” at the Bac and I plan on doing everything in my power to reach that goal, however crazy it is for me to even try. The one goal I don’t even want to image not fulfilling would be to not get into a good university in the US. It is one of my biggest dreams to go to a good school in America. Throughout my college years, I want to gain as many experiences as possible all while earning a Bachelor’s and then maybe a Master’s Degree in a field I am truly passionate about but will also, with any luck, permit a few job opportunities. I know I will probably be working part time to earn the money to pay for college, if I manage to get into a school in the US. Something that has been troubling me for some time though is which major I would choose. I am interested in so many different fields of work such as Film & Video Photography, Psychology, Writing, Sociology, Theology, Journalism and Languages, and I actually don’t know which one to choose. The only fact I am sure of is that I want to do something I love and I want to be able to spread a message. During my adult years, I want to try to establish a successful career but I also want to discover the world. I want to travel to many places, both in the US and in all the continents. I wish to explore cities, oceans, mountains, forests, waterfalls and beaches. I want to go to music festivals, concerts, conventions, art expositions, conferences and protests. I hope to make many friends and meet a myriad of different people. At some stage I’d like to move into a home on either the West coast or the East coast of the USA. I’d like to have children that I would raise as best as I can but I’d also like to keep working.

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

Why I Love to Read

It never fails to shock and disappoint me when I hear some people saying that they don’t read. They truly do not know what they are missing out on. Reading is like going on an adventure; you experience and live the sadness, joy and thrills contained in the book. Additionally, you can learn so much from reading, whether it be a basic fact such as in what year JFK was shot or a life lesson about the human condition. I believe it’s a sad life to live without a thirst for knowledge, because aside from our minds what do humans have to develop and grow in unlimited depth?

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

The Etymology and Significance of My Names

Fiona Claire Meads

Fiona meaning white, fair in Gaelic

There was a tropical storm called Fiona which hit the Atlantic in 2010

I was named after my mother’s sister

I like the fact that my name is relatively uncommon

I don’t think my name is beautiful, but it’s quite pleasant I suppose

Claire meaning clear in French, originally a Latin name

My second name was chosen after my step-grandmother

Quite plain but equally as pleasant as Fiona

Meads is a simplistic name which I quite like too

Very ironic because my first two names essentially translate to “Pale Clear”

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

Mu Bucket List

Visit India, Thailand, Egypt and Brazil

Go bungee jumping

Make a short film

Write a book

Run in the New York City Marathon

Go to the Coachella Music Festival and South by Southwest Music Festival

Build a tree house

Sight see in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin and Helsinki

Create a web site and post weekly content for at least a year

Go on a road trip across the USA, visit Washington DC, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon, Boston, the Jersey Shore, New York City, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, San Diego, Orlando, Austin, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Miami and Anchorage

Go to the Vidcon Convention

Go skiing in Switzerland

Go scuba diving in the Caribbean

Ride in a hot-air balloon

Sell a work of art you’ve created

Collect as many books as possible

Get a tattoo

Go to the Festival of Color in Holi, India

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

My Qualities & Faults

Qualities:

good at sports

satisfactory grades

committed

determined

kind

organized

moralistic

artistic

Faults:

procrastinator

could do better

shy

emotional

lazy

disdainful

unoriginal

too hard on myself

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

My Likes & Dislikes

Likes:

books & reading

movies & shows

chocolate chip cookies & cake

tea

food in general but especially eggplant parmesan and burritos

hot chocolate

shopping & buying clothes

sleeping

music

photography

quotes

getting good grades

playing tennis & winning matches

smooth hair

the beach

the sun

the rain

Declan when he is funny

drawing

Dislikes:

headaches

crying

shouting

violence

ignorance

the cold

being disorganized

an unmade bed

seafood

scary movies

bad grades

sweating

losing a tennis match

tangled hair

excessive amounts of homework

rude people

waking up early

Declan when he is mean to me

people that don’t listen when you speak

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

My Favorites

Movies

The Spectacular Now

How I Live Now

The Life of Pi

Awake

The Way Way Back

The Kings of Summer

Adult World

Juno

16 Candles

The Breakfast Club

Books

Harry Potter Series, JK Rowling

The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

Looking for Alaska, John Green

The Hunger Games Series, Suzanne Collins

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky

Every day, David Levithan

The Giver, Lois Lowry

Warm Bodies, Isaac Marion

What My Mother Doesn’t Know, Sonya Sones

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

Songs

Dancing With Myself, Cover by Kevin McHale

A-Punk, Vampire Weekend

Clair de Lune, Debussy

Midnight City, M83

Both of Us, B.o.b.

My Body, Young the Giant

Youth, Daughter

Smother, Daughter

Not Over You, Gavin Degraw

Doses and Mimosas, Cherub

Food & Drinks

Eggplant Parmesan

Chocolate cake with Vanilla Icing

Salad with cucumbers, carrots, red peppers, hardboiled egg, tomatoes and dressing

Cheese Pizza

Guacamole and Chips

Waffles

French fries

Ice Tea

Tea

Hot Chocolate

> May 2014

[allmywritingcombined]

My Favorite Quotes

“Age is foolish and forgetful when it underestimates youth”

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”

“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference.  The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.”

“A bad attitude is like a flat tire, you can’t get anywhere unless you change it.”

“Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.”

“Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.”

“When it rains look for rainbows, when it’s dark look for stars.”

“A man who reads has lived a thousand lives, a man who doesn’t has lived only one.”

“It’s a rare book that wins the battle against drooping eyelids.”

“Read to your heart’s content, though if you are a reader, the heart is never content.”

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

“A library is a hospital for the mind.”

“I once asked an old man: “Which is more important? To love or to be loved?” The old man replied: “Which is more important to a bird? The left wing or the right wing?”

“Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.”

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.”

“The grass is green where you water it.”

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”

"Sometimes the only available transportation is a leap of faith”