Zarrina Ubaiduloeva

Prof. Sean Scanlan

Eng 1101

Draft Essay 1

My Intellectual Home

               According to the author Immanuel Levinas (Lithuanian-French Philosopher): “The privileged role of the home does not consist in being the end of human activity but in being its condition, and in this sense its commencement.” What is accomplished by the home? These four: our ability for recollection, our ability to have intimacy, our ability to work, and our ability to make representations of the world. (from Totality and Infinity, 1969. 152-4.) In my opinion, this quote of Immanuel Levinas is the best description of Intellectual home, because it includes everything that are needed to accomplish to do your best academic work and study. My chosen field is nursing program, so to be accomplished in nurse program and get promotion in my future carrier I have to study a lot, for example, I have to learn new words, improve academic writing and speaking skills.In fact, I think my Intellectual Home is similar to the idea of Esmeralda Santiago’s Intellectual Home. At the same time, I like and admire Salvatore Scibona’s Intellectual home which was centered at St. John’s college with his friends and professors, where Bilal Rahmani’s turning point happened in City tech college in English class with teacher and the girl next to him. My Intellectual Home is my living room where I can learn English language and do my academic work. While Esmeralda Santiago’s Intellectual home is centered on her own school, library, Ms. Brown and the process of learning English language, my own Intellectual Home is centered on my own living room, my husband, and the process of learning new words to enrich my vocabulary. In order to prove this comparison, I will first explore Esmeralda Santiago’s School and her process of learning English language. Second, I will explore my own room and process of learning new words to enrich my vocabulary. Third, I will explore the ways of being more confident and learn how to solve problems. Fourth, I will show my and Santiago’s Intellectual Homes are very similar with two keys differences. Fifth, I will describe my turning point in high school when I realized that I have problems with English language and speaking. Lastly, I will describe my ideal future Intellectual home.

             According to the article “When I was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago which was published in The New York Times, in1994, describes about a girl who was thirteen years old when she immigrated from Puerto Rica to New York City with her Mami, to study at school. Esmeralda was very smart girl and her first language was Spanish, so she could barely speak in English. When she and her “mami” entered to school “At the front office we were met by Mr. Grant, a droopy gentleman with thick glasses and a kind smile who spoke no Spanish”. According to the article “When I was Puerto Rican” Esmeralda convinced Mr. Grant to go eight grade and Mr. Grant said “You have until Christmas,” he said. “I’ll be checking on your progress”. Esmeralda’s class number was 8-23 and her teacher was Ms. Brown. According to Esmeralda Santiago, her Intellectual Home was her school, library and her teacher Ms. Brown and the process of learning English. I like the most Esmeralda Santiago’s article, because her intellectual home was school and library, where she could concentrate and do her best academic work and study English language. The article of Santiago “When I was Puerto Rican” is my favorite among the others because it is similar to my Intellectual Home, therefore, I chose this article. Moreover, the process which helped her to learn English language was her teacher Ms. Brown. Esmeralda Santiago loved her teacher because Ms. Brown helped a lot with Esmeralda’s challenges, and I think that Ms. Brown was Esmeralda Santiago’s Intellectual Home.

            My current Intellectual home is my house especially my living room, where no distract, the light of the room is bright, and it has friendly atmosphere. While I am doing my homework, I like to sit on my sofa and drink hot herbal tea, that is all help me to concentrate and focus more on my academic work. I wish and hope to improve my English language skills such as writing and speaking. In order to improve it, I will study very hard, learn new words, read a lot and involve in group(class) discussions.

              When I will be nurse, I have to be more confident in myself in order to give this confidence to the patient and make them to believe in me, that I can help them. Moreover, I have to learn to solve problems such as to deal with patients, listen carefully patient’s complaints regarding their health and etc.

             Esmeralda Santiago’s intellectual home is centered on her school and library, where Ms. Brown helped her with her study and challenges during the study in the school. Moreover, the process of Esmeralda’s Intellectual Home is learning language. However, my Intellectual Home is my spacious living room, where I can relax and accomplish my academic work. I think the process of Intellectual Home is the learning English language and expand my vocabulary.

            When I was studying in high school, I realized that I cannot express my opinion in English language. One day our group was in English class and we were discussing a lot one topic. I had a lot to say about this issue however, I could not because of my language barrier. That was my turning point which happened during my study in high school. After that time, I set a goal to learn new words and read a lot, in order to help myself to express my opinion.

              Lastly, I would like to describe my ideal Intellectual Home which could help to do my best academic work. I think library can be ideal place to study, where the atmosphere is magic, calm, lots of books and people are studying around of me, these conditions could help me to focus and concentrate more on my education and accomplish my academic tasks and goals.

           In conclusion, Intellectual Home is one of the most important part of people’s education during their study. Everybody has different Intellectual Home and experience with that. In order to understand and find your Intellectual Home you should feel free, feel comfort, be able to work, be able have intimacy and lastly, be able to make representations of the world.