Firsthand History: Introductory Profile

One of my recent projects has been on documenting somebody's story in relation to social justice- see Firsthand History.net for more info.

I interviewed Soroush Azadi. In this interview, Soroush tells the story of his troubles in Iran as a victim of religious persecution, and the hardships him and his family faced on their escape from Iran, journeying to the US. 

Soroush Azadi is tall, with a shaven head and a black beard. He’s funny, and nice to be around. You can’t tell that English was his second language, he speaks very clearly. He was born in Iran in the 1970’s, and he has lived in the US since around twelve years of age. He works as an optometrist, with a wife and two small children.

Soroush is clear, sincere and composed throughout the interview, as he describes his childhood and journey, as he describes how this problem hasn’t stopped and more refugees are coming every day. As this interview was taking place, and I heard Soroush’s story, I felt frustrated, I wanted to help solve these problems in Iran. And my hope is, maybe this story will help, you can all hear it too.

My Autobiography: In Spanish

I know what you're thinking: This is for Spanish, and it's supposed to be for English. Well, once you get past the part that it's in a different language (it just makes it more interesting!) it's a really good description of my life right now, and if you don't know me... Well, here it is. It describes many different, important attributes of my everyday life. (if you can't read spanish, plug it into google translate) ;)\

Yo soy Sierra Guequierre. Tengo doce anos. Yo naci 15 de febrero de 2000. Soy americana y soy de Austin, Tejas. Soy una alumna en una escuela “Kealing”.

Yo soy bastante linda. Mi pelo es de color cafe Mis ojos son azul. Yo soy una deportista. Soy una estudiante ambicioso. Estudio mucho. Yo soy comico, sociable y inteligente. He leído un montón.

Me gusta macarron con queso muy mucho. Me gusta una merienda de chocolate con granadas. Tambien me gusta patatas al horno. Mi fruta favorita es una manzana y mi verdura preferida es tomates. Son delicioso!

En mi casa me conoce como una chica que es un poco perezoso, pero por lo general muy trabajadora. Estoy bien pero a veces sarcasticos, aunque siempre me encanta mi familia.

Mis amigos de Kealing crees que soy estudiosa, agradable y un poco tímido. Mis otros amigos crees que soy locuaz, amable, y un poco de mal y loca. Yo soy un poco en el medio.  

Tengo una casa de un piso. La casa tiene un gran patio. Hay tres dormitorios, pero sólo un baño. Mi casa tiene bonitos suelos de madera y es muy cómodo y acogedor. Mi dormitorio está pintado de amarillo y rosa, y tengo una buena cama de tamaño doble. Hay un montón de estanterías y una alfombra en el suelo.

Tengo siete mascotas. Tengo tres perros, tres lagartos y una tortuga gigante. Sus nombres son Bogie, Cormac, Toki, Larry, Mo, Curly y Donk. Todos son muy lindos en sus propias maneras extrañas.

Mi mejor amiga es Mia Fitzpatrick. Mia va a la escuela media Fulmore. Mia y yo hemos sido mejores amigas desde la guarderia. A pesar de que van a escuelas diferentes, Mia y yo vemos casi todos los días y hacer cosas divertidas juntos, como dormir fuera de casa y TCTA.

Inner/Outer Circle Discussion Questions

We had a circle discussion on the basic ideas of the third sixth weeks (the stories that we had read and their main concepts). Any of us students could contribute at any point, but we had to keep the discussion going and sort on on-topic. Everybody had to come up with five discussion questions... and so, here are mine. They make more since if you've seen/read what I'm talking about, so do, I would recommend anyone of these books/movies. :)

1. In both Life of Pi and Big Fish, the main protagonists go on “life-changing journeys”. Though Pi did not choose to go on the journey and Edward Bloom did, it cannot be denied that they both sort of “found themselves” during their adventures. Do you think these journeys  (whether or not they were true) were the character’s way of growing up and maturing? In Pi’s case, how did his attitude change from the beginning to the end of the book?
2. One of the most emotional parts in The Little Prince is the scene in which the Little Prince departs this world, having been willfully bitten by the poisonous snake. The author was very much sorrowed by T.L.P’s departure of soul from body, and feared that he has lost him forever. However, the Little Prince assured him that all was well, and though he was afraid he was sure he would be with his flower once more. The wisdom of the child kept him strong while the grown-up’s prevailing fear of death brought  him sorrow. Why do the child and adult think differently? What changes does age bring to our way of thought?
3. In the beginning of the poem “Reading the Brothers Grimm to Jenny (by Lisel Mueller)” it states “Jenny, your mind commands kingdoms of black and white, you shoulder the crow on your left, the snowbird on your right”. The crow is a black bird generally associated with evil, while a snowbird is white and pure. What effect does this theme of “grey” have upon the poem? What do you think it means?
4. One of main themes in “Big Fish” is the “love of family”. The father/son relationship between Edward/Will had always been strained because of Edward’s love of tall tales, and they didn’t speak to each other  for three years. Why did this “love of tall tales” lead to their estrangement? Do similar relationships exist in real life?
5. Possibly the main theme in all of these works is the theme of storytelling, and the concept of believing “the better  story”. In Big Fish, Edward Bloom embellishes his life stories with tales of fantastical adventures, and in the end immortalizes himself through them. In Life of Pi, many people feel that the first version of the story is “the better story” and choose to believe it. What does this theme of  “the better story” have to do with fairy tales, and the poem “Reading the Brothers Grimm to Jenny”?

Therese Carter: Just A Housewife (Second Post)

This is another component of of my Monologue project (as described in "Therese Carter: Just a Housewife" First Post). It is basically my character analysis of Therese Carter... what I view her to be.

Sierra Guequierre

11-6-12

A2

Therese Carter: Initial Character Analysis

All throughout this interview, Therese Carter expresses different opinions on what it means to be a housewife. First she acts ironic, talking about how she’s “just” a housewife and talking about how lazy she is and how anybody could do the work she does.  But her true point of view is eventually revealed, everybody puts down housewives when they’re actually really important. She loves being a housewife.

Therese Carter has a funny, sarcastic personality. She loves to relax in the house, and drawls about her schedule in depth, especially about the books she’s read. She loves to read. She doesn’t really do any art except cooking, and occasionally painting the house. She prides herself on that small achievement.

Despite her sarcastic demeanor, Therese Carter really loves her family. She talks a lot about them- what they’re reading, where they work, what books they’re reading. She has a husband, Bob the foreman, and three children, two boys 21 and 14 years old and one girl 18 years old.

Therese Carter talks a lot about what she’s going to do when her children leave and start their own families. “I’ll never say I’m really a good mother until I see the way they all turn out. So  far they’ve done fine.” (Carter, 397).  She’s looking forward to having more time to herself, she wants it to be a “happy kind of time”. She’s the sort of person who likes to have fun and relax, but isn’t lazy either. She doesn’t see housework as a chore, she sees it as a pleasure. She know’s she’s needed, and she thinks it’s the greatest satisfaction in the world to know she’s pleased somebody.

Just A Housewife: Therese Carter

This is one of the products of an ongoing project throughout this six weeks (The Monologue Project). I'm going to post other parts of this project also. My project's based off an interview by Studs Terkel: Therese Carter, an American housewife. I created a portfolio to go along with the shortened interview I gave an oral presentation on (COMING SOON). One of the pieces was a historical paper, relating to the context of my interview. Here it is!

Sierra Guequierre

11-14-12

A2

America’s View On Housewives (Women’s Rights): Historical Context Paper

Throughout our history, Americans have struggled for civil rights, religious rights, etc. We are trying to free ourselves from many different prejudices that have been accumulated over time. Every single bias and stereotype affects somebody and needs to be stopped. However, I feel that one of the most important of these struggles is undoubtedly our struggle for women’s rights, and recognizing (not looking down on) the women known as housewives, who are a very important part of our society and possibly the basis upon which it is founded.

More than 90 years ago, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was certified. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. Today, American women are generally considered equal to men, we have come a long way. Women serve in many important political positions and cast the majority of votes in political elections. However, studies have shown that we still have barriers to overcome. Among other issues, women are twice as likely as men not to have a driver’s license, of all Americans without a license, 70% are women.

Stereotypical housewives are flirty, talkative young women with a skirt, apron and other girly clothing. For example:

I don’t think this stereotypical image is true at all (except the basic style from the 50’s). I think American housewives are women who work hard to make sure their family has a happy and neat home. I think we understate housewives (and women in general) way too much. They are just as important to families as the money maker of a family, perhaps even more important. They are the structure for our society! We need to stop looking down on housewives, and start recognizing them more.

"One Moment"

This is a character development assignment. My character is named Emma, this is the moment when her eldest sister disappears. Note: This is just a rough draft, not final material. I might post the final material later. :) PS: Emma is sort of like my brother...

Emma crouched down in the shadows, behind her favorite tree. She was glad to get away from the party. All the little kids running around, all the teenage cousins texting, and all the adults chatting like they'd never be able to talk again was starting to drive her insane. 
It was enough that she'd had to wear this ridiculous, scratchy dress ALL DAY. If it hadn't been her best friend/eldest sister's wedding, she would have snuck away a long time ago. However, this was her limit. What was the point of wedding receptions anyways?
She adjusted herself to be more comfortable on the dusty, dry ground, but only succeeded in spilling her Coke all over her knees. She cursed and set her tray of food on the ground. Then, just when she had finally reached a nice position and relaxed, her little sister Mauve popped out from nowhere. "Boo!" she said. Emma spilled the remains of her Coke.
"Mauve." she said. "Haha!" said the mischievous little girl, her auburn hair blending in perfectly with the autumn leaves and the dimming light. 
"Watcha doin?" "Nothing. Nothing at all. "Well..." said Mauve. "That's better than something!" She hopped in Emma's slightly stiff lap. Emma seriously wondered about her sense of logic. 
Everything seemed to be perfect at that moment. Even the chaos of the party seemed to fade in the face of the happiness of the occasion. Unfortunately, all of that was about to end.
Another one off Emma's sisters poked her head into the corner. Emma immediately knew something was wrong. Leia's blue eyes were rimmed with red and her cheeks were streaked with tears.
"Emma... I... can't... I..." she sobbed. "And on her wedding day!" Emma shot up, sending a frightened Mauve into the tree. "What's happened to Violet?!?!?!?" Leia was sobbing uncontrollably now. "Emma... we've... been... searching... for as long as we've noticed..." Emma froze in fear. She knew what Leia was going to say. "Violet is missing, isn't she?" said Mauve, her voice trembling. Emma couldn't speak. "Yes." said Leia. "She's disappeared without a trace."

INTRODUCING: THE CHIBI!!!

This was a writing journal assignment (Propose a Product) that was the inspiration for the group-ad mini-project that I did. It's a good example of persuasive writing and rhetoric. I wish I had a pet Chibi!!!

PS: I have drawings but I can't post them on here so you can leave the imagery to your imagination. Just imagine a pomeranian with giant anime eyes.

THE WORLD CHANGING...

REVOLUTIONIZING...

AMAZING NEW PET...

THE CHIBI!!!!!!!!!!!!

This product of genetic research by the esteemed Doki Research Corporation (developers of the first rainbow-colored domesticated foxes)  took over 40 years to develop. After all, we want nothing but the best for out valued customers!

And the "dokitus chibae" is nothing but the best. We bred a bush monkey with a pomeranian, and then bred the most ideal animal with the product of a lemur and a housecat. For the perfect amber coat, we bred the best animal with a yorkie! We used the most humane process possible and all of our results live in perfect conditions. 

When we first set eyes on the little chibi puppies, we gasped in wonder. They are the most adorable little things the world has ever known! With the huge eyes of the bush monkey (but gorgeous, anime charm of the chibi alone), the amazingly fluffy fur of a pomeranian and the soft amber coloring of the yorkie, PLUS the delicate nose and mouth of the feline family... the chibi is designed for MAXIMUM cuteness. And what's more, it's a miracle of modern science! The chibi can run like a dog with pads on its paws OR stretch out its toes and CLIMB like a lemur... right onto YOUR LAP!!!

"Hey! We're chibis, and we're the perfect pets! We just want to play, and we can't wait for you to take us home today!