David Bastien

English 1121

Feb.19.2014

In my life there have been challenges that I had to face over the years. Growing up I was considered the underdog in anything that I did at a very young age; always had to prove myself to others. Over the years I have come to liked being overlooked and undervalue by others such as teammates, coaches and even my own parents, it gave me and edge  over many people that were in my way of fulfilling my dreams or goals. This gave me relief for not being held to the same highly place standard that many of the teams favorites player were put under on a year to year basis. It gives me a chance to just show they what I’m capable of and to be successful in it.When it comes down to facing my challenges I don’t get scare I face it head on with power no matter  the causality that led ahead, cause power is paved with hypocrisy and casualties. Without casualty nothing is ever achieved .what way can we handled our challenges to help fit our needs.

In Coney Island, located in Brooklyn, I have always felt a sense of importance in what is part of my job inscription to watch and prevent danger from happening inside the pool or beach are; whatever area that I was working that day. I was a lifeguard in beach club, an effortless job on a good day if my so called boss wasn’t there to constantly complain that we weren’t doing our jobs. Which to be honest is a lie, well expect for a lifeguard called Lee Lin who thought; just by looking once in a while, and meant that you were doing your job, but constantly I and my co-worker would catch him asleep in his chair. The only problem that we had was our boss, who would act “two-face” toward us one minute all caring and supporting and then inflicting us with emotion pain through verbal usage. Some of her favorite things that she used to say was “you guys have to watch the water no talking to these kids “while at the same time she on her cell phone talking to God knows who ,right in front of the pools area. This problem of our and mine has been affecting me for over two years but I didn’t let affect in anyway, cause I had a goal to accomplish; to become head lifeguard when she left next year.

By trying to accomplish this goal, things started to become more complex than it had to be. Trying to the perfect lifeguard and get my bosses attention and acknowledge me that have a higher chance of becoming a chief. Halfway towards the middle of the summer I started to receive acknowledge by my boss say if I  keep up the good work that ,there is a good chance I can fill her shoes when she leaves to get a full time job. At the same time hearing this I thought to myself I can start to relax and take it a little easier now, so I did and for first time while working this summer I actually started to relax. This all change when we had two big emergencies in which I was called to help solve the situation, but since I was taking it easy I was beginning to slack on studying my skills on lifeguarding, but was still able to retain what was need to help the girl who had just suffered from a heat stroke, but while I was doing the proper steps my boss later told that I took too long to do what was needed to help the patient. Which by the way wasn’t my fault because she forgot to tell me where the person was located for a good five to eight minutes cutting away important minutes if it was a very big emergency. After the situation was resolve Zhana was talking to someone and was talking about me over the radio which every worker had it on him or her could hear saying “these lifeguards this year are slow, undedicated especially David who thinks, just because his one of the few lifeguards that know what he’s doing doesn’t give him the entitlement of becoming a chief all because I’m leaving.”  This nearly destroyed my chance of become a chief next year; but it wasn’t for Sal the owner who was there and saw what I did and then defended me from my boss saying “this young man here is a very good and helpful part of your department and if you throw under the bus, I will not hesitate and do the same to you and then re-hire him on the spot”. After hearing what Sal did for me by my co-workers; who were on their lunch break I went up to him saying “thank you, thank very much, that was the most unselfish and thankful someone has done for me”. As I finish thanking Sal I pass by my boss while I was going to get something to eat, as I looked at her face I saw that she neglected to make eye contact or even acknowledge my presence to even say sorry about that.

After this incident many of my co-workers suggested to me that I should get revenge on my boss for what she did to me over the radio, but even I myself believe that I should receive payback for what she did to me. I said to them “so if you guys were me how would you go about getting revenge on somebody who can fired you in a instance all because he or she felt like doing it.My friend Stanley replied saying about you getting her doing something wrong or something out of place to get her fired and embarrassed by everyone around us; I thought to myself what would that prove that I’m no better than her by doing the same thing that she did to me. So I made up my mind that I was to wait and do my job if I get the promotion or not that I will still do the best job that can and not the deep betrayal made by my former boss. But later now in the summer she apologize for what she did to me , saying that she wanted to see what I’m made of. To see if I could take on the pressure that comes with the job, also saying that I meant be a perfect fit for the job but in my head I didn’t believe her after all the problem she had created for me during the summer like nearly destroying my reputation with my friends and the beach club members and also trying to stop from going on my vacation. Being deep betrayal by my boss left a big influence on me not to fully trust someone and their promises unless I see it firsthand.

David Bastien

English 1121-d428

March/16/2014

Essay # 2

Fitting In A New Place

Coming from another country with a very young child is a very stressful and fruitful opportunity in life. Many immigrants raise their kids based on the old Latino culture and do not take notice that they are in a new place and setting, but others  want to give their children the best chances to succeed  in this “Anglo-Saxon” society. A symbol of this is a quote from the poem, “Immigrant” by  Pat Mora  which says, “Wrap their babies in the American flag.”Which can symbolize many things , such as understanding what she really mean by wrapping the babies in a flag? The way “american” is not capitalized, does it lead to a deeper meaning. To Mora is she showing the different things or ways  that immigrants try to assimilate their children into American society in symbol or  details in her writing.

“Wrapping their babies in the American flag”, is a quote with a deeper explanation, showing that  the parents are raising the child in the way of the American. In which is speaking to him or her  in English ,feeding him or her American food such hot dogs, burger, and many other type of food. This way the child is adapted to the custom and social norms of the society and what is accepted and what can not be acknowledged without being frowned upon  and  subjugated by the people in society.

Also, another explanation is that the quote means being protected by the flag from danger of all sorts from their old homeland , having access to the best education, and health system and, many other public services without any type of problem. By bringing  their child to America they offer the child a better chance at becoming someone important and having  influence in the world ,which lets the parents know that it all wasn’t for nothing.

The flag can mean to covering away their old cultures identity and being replace by American culture and folkways. Since this countries founding it has been a safe-heaven for many people, races and culture to not fear of being persecuted fro problem’s such as. The struggle of African american in finding respect and equal rights with the white of the nation,and the Irish is in  being seen as white trash of the old European countries while just being a hard working people trying to find work to provide for themselves. The Japanese struggle with not being seen as a people who sold out the U.S. to Japan to create the death of thousands of solider and the cost of millions of dollars in damages to the United States government. Every race had their own reason for coming to America  so they shouldn’t have to worry about fitting in. So exactly America has become for many immigrants a mask to hide from or ore like a guardian angel protecting them from danger.

“Naming them Bill and Daisy, buying them blonde dolls that blink blue eyes or a football and tiny cleats,” are things they do to be accepted into the social norm. Rather then focus on making sure that  the children will know their past. They focus more on fitting in then being accepted or they hope to be? by both sides as a people of two distinct cultures and background to get a better chance in society. So rather then trying to get their kids to use both of his heritage rather then one they are   blinded by the need to be apart of the gang then have many eggs in different baskets. By get more for less  is that what human nature is all about, getting the best out of an opportunity without sacrificing too much to gain it.

To many this poem can just be about a race’s way of adapting into the countries more accepted in a Anglo-Saxon way of life then rather fitting in but knowing and showing other that you are not just an ordinary citizen. It can describe the way that coming to the United States is a very tough time for parents and young kids alike. It is difficult to deal with and not stick out like a sore thumb to achieve their goals and dreams. They take a risk entering to not be put down for differences and not mimicking Anglo-Saxon ways and the natural born citizens who don’t have to worry about the day to day problems that these immigrants face. Just like in the beginning of this nations history people came here to escape whatever problem or persecution that they were dealing with elsewhere.

In the poem, the author Mora doesn’t capitalize american in the last two lines of the poem in which it quotes,  “Will they like our boy, girl ,our fine american boy , our fine american girl?”The quote seems to have an deeper meaning in which it can symbolize that “american “ can be interpreted as an mask to hide their cultural or  real selves like a trickster , deceiving people into making them believe that they  are one thing but really are another entirely .To be accepted to the outside world can make their lives easier in the way that no one can question whether they are different , but instead be  seen as if they belong. They may  show the outside what they want to show but at the privacy of their homes or family or close friend they can take off the mask and  act like their totally accepted selves  in that setting.  Changing from one culture to another can be something of an loss for example going from Polish to American it could be that a person is forsaking their past and old ways of life for this unclear undefined homeland with many different unclear paths for  a person to take in life without any real guidance.

So in the end it’s all about one’s goal to try to fit in society, and just worrying about focusing on yourself and not what other think of you  .You will adjust over time and sooner than you think people will see you as an American who has lived here for years ,don’t try to hide your culture. Just accept your self and others will accepted you as well.

David Bastien

English

April/4/12

Research Outline

Trash, the material that people after their done with using it or any other way. Trash in New York City, is something that is untouched by politics or any form of order that can help reduce the increasing amount of trash that is in our city today. Not enforcing the stopping of the placement of where these products are going; for cause damaging effects for no just animals and human but for the whole entire planet. There are many types of trash such as recyclable and not recyclable trash, example glass bottle are trash that we can reuse over and over again and doesn’t cause any effect on the environment. What are the key things or action that we have to take to make sure that our trash is taking care of?

Body paragraph

Topic 1: Solid Waste

• Different types of trash that exist
• A little history on the trash to the coast line or waterfront
• Counter argument of the topic

Topic 2 : Electronic Trash or data from Companies dumping there stuff into the water destroying the environment.

• No correct regulation of how to control what gets dump and what doesn’t get dumped.
• Counter argument of the topic

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