Last Few Weeks of the Semester

Well, it's hard to believe that this semester is coming to a close, but here we are: one more week of regular classes and a week of finals! This coming week I will be submitting a few term papers for classes and reviewing for finals. I hope to be ready for finals this week so that I can spend next weekend relaxing with family. This coming weekend, I will be travelling to Kirksville to see my brother graduate from college. After finals next week, I will be staying to take a month long class at school as well as playing in my church bell choirs spring concert. After my class and concert, I will be back in St Louis working, travelling on LAMP, and taking a class online. So while my semester will be ending in a week, my studying will continue.

Reflections on "Kony 2012"

Uganda as a nation and the issues it has faced is something that has fascinated me for several years. My interest came after researching for a class project about the LRA and the other injustices occurring in Uganda. I also became aware of the humanitarian work after hearing a speaker from Africare, a non-profit working with individuals recovering both from LRA abuses and other abuses by the Ugandan army.

After seeing the newest video by Invisible Children and how it has gone viral, I am happy to see more people are aware of an issue that has been the reality for Central Africa for over 25 years. However, I feel like the video fails to deal with the real issue that is at hand. While the video and IC as a whole advocates the cause of bringing Kony to justice, which everyone agrees must happen, IC does minimal work in the rebuilding process and supports the corrupt Ugandan army, which is responsible for similar atrocities. They seem very focused on the mission of "Remove Kony" without any real understanding of the complexities of the situation.

Uganda is a nation that traditionally is divided by regions of ethnic tribes. Only after English colonization in the late 1800's did the concept of "Uganda" emerge. So when we look at a nation like Uganda, we must recognize that it was established as such by outsiders. It took decades for the old order to integrate into this united entity. Uganda finally gained independence in 1962 from Britain. Following independence, Uganda tried to implement a parliamentary system, only to be eliminated and followed by a series of military coups, which culminated to the takeover by the National Resistance Army (NRA) under the leadership of Yoweri Museveni, the current leader of Uganda since 1986. When we talk about the concept of Uganda, we must view it as a very new idea and a place with a history of political instability.

Because of the foundation of the current administration by brutality, the Ugandan government, and especially the army, could not be called a noble entity. While every government and their army are not perfect, the corruption within Uganda is quite horrendous. Museveni has been known to use children in his national army, which has been lessened over the years but it has not been completely resolved. Additionally, there is little accountability on the army's part, which has led to the looting and abuse of citizens in various regions throughout the country. Destruction of property and rape are common at the hands of the Ugandan army.

So how does Kony fit in? Kony emerged as the leader of the rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in 1987 in the Acholi region of northern Uganda. It appeared that his initial motivation was to overthrow the NRA and become the next in a trend of coups. His motivations are power dominance by means of using a twisted interpretation of the Bible as the driving force. In the last ten years, he has been seen in the Northern region of Uganda, Southern area of Sudan, and the Eastern region of Congo. He is currently believed to be in Congo where the Ugandan army cannot come to arrest him because of the political disagreements between Congo and Uganda. His terror organization no longer has the motivation of overthrowing the Ugandan government; it is a terror organization that thrives on terror. The LRA's brutality and abuse of children (boys - child soldiers, girls - sex slaves) is disgusting and should have been stopped years ago. Today, this organization is much weaker, but Kony is still at large. While Kony is the leader of this organization, the LRA must be viewed much like any other terror organization. The LRA at this point is much more than just Kony, twenty-five years of recruitment has led to a new generation of leadership established in the organization.

So, back to IC. IC's goal is to bring light to the horrors of the LRA and bring Kony to justice. Since 2005, they have produced 11 short videos about the LRA. While it is great that they are bringing awareness to horrors of the LRA, they do not work very much in aiding the abused and the villages affected by these conflicts. It seems that they enjoy discussing the issue without many practical solutions implemented. While Kony may be at large, the victims of LRA abuse are here NOW. The true atrocity of the LRA is that some survivors are not receiving the help they need to reintegrate into society. As the LRA deteriorates, the needs of victims remain. It is insulting to the victims to ignore their cry for help by focusing all attention on the person that caused this injustice. You will not completely defeat Kony as long as he still has a grip on victims through lack of help to restore them into society.

One thing that concerns me about this non-profit is the amount of marketing they participate in. While I agreed with some of what was said in the video, the portion where they were advertising their "Kony 2012 Kit" and other merchandise angered me. The entire tone of the video was very serious and advocated for awareness, but then it switches to "if you care, you would want to wear our $29.99 bracelet." It turned the plight of the people of Uganda, Congo, and Sudan into a sales pitch. IC functions as a non-profit, but they refuse to have an auditing group (people to analyze their distribution of money) which has resulted in IC's reputation to be quite negative compared to other non-profits. Estimates show that 70% goes towards expenses for producing videos and advertising, 30% goes towards aid with the majority to the Ugandan army, and a small portion to the region. Any non-profit that refuses to follow this kind of accountability should leave a red flag in your mind.

If you were moved by the video by the Invisible Children, wonderful. Everyone should be aware of the destruction and trauma by the hands of the LRA in regions of Uganda, Sudan, and Congo. However, I urge you if you are moved to act, donate to a non-profit that works in action towards restoring the region by helping victims of the LRA and the abuses at the hands of the Ugandan army.

A couple of Non-profits I would recommend that have both excellent reputations in using donated money to aid people in the region directly and have wonderful programs that aid this region.
Samaritans Purse - http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Where_We_Work/uganda/
Africare - http://africare.org/our-work/where-we-work/uganda/index.php
Compassion International - http://www.compassion.com/about/where/uganda.htm

Time and Space

So, I'm not a huge science fiction fan, but I do have several friends who are. From hearing their discussions about various fictional worlds, the theme of challenging the established notion of time and space seems prevalent. While it sounded like a strange concept when I first heard it, I now have a new understanding of the idea.

This coming week is my midterm week here at SEMO. I feel like this semester has moved faster than every other previous semester. While I didn't believe that any semester could compete with the speediness of last fall, which flew by, this semester feels like it is passing in the blink of an eye. I truly feel like my perception of time is being construed much like the plot of a fictional story. I feel like I will fall asleep only to wake up walking to receive my diploma. While I am excited to be getting near the end of this stage, I am not quite ready for it.

Additionally, I feel a time paradox is occurring. Today, while I study for exams in the middle of my semester, my friends at SCH are beginning their semester. The time difference already messes with my mind, but to have semesters in completely different moments is bizarre. Granted, this happened last year, but now being on this side of it has really hit me.

Skyping friends in Korea over the past few weeks has also left me in a bit of a space paradox as well. While I am here in Missouri and being involved with life on campus, I still feel a part of myself in Korea. I don't like the fact that regardless of where you are in the world, you are always missing someone. This emotion has only intensified for me now that I am missing many people in all corners of the globe. If only there was a way to be in two (or more) places at once!

I think all these conflicts with time and space concepts are things that I have to learn to accept and embrace. Yes, life will continue to move faster = embrace every moment, I will always be missing friends and family = cherish every moment I have with them. I hope I can learn these lessons with grace and a mature perception.

Pre-Midterm Update

With Midterms looming in two weeks, I can say the past few weeks have been very academically busy. I am very happy that my classes are varied and I find myself enjoying each of them for different reasons

My night communications course has been very interesting and has stretched me in my return to SEMO. It is the highest level communications course, so there are a lot of long presentations and papers involved. It has really whipped me back into shape coming from a lot of language courses in Korea.

I have also really enjoyed my literature class especially these past few weeks where we have been reading creation myths. I think you can learn a lot about the foundations of a civilization from how they view their formation. We have had a lot of good discussions and will soon be analyzing the Odyssey.

My Oboe lessons have been a lot of fun. Laura my teacher has been pushing me to internalize the fundamentals in order to improve my artistic expression of the instrument. I am also making a lot of reeds which has been a new challenge that I readily accept!

I have also connected with a few Korean students on campus and have spent a few evenings with them eating Korean food (oh how I miss home made Kimchi) and chatting with them about Korea. It has been great to connect with Koreans here in Cape and maintain a piece of Korea from our discussions and meals.

I also went to my first live Gymnastics meet cheering on SEMO's team. It was amazing to see so much athleticism and grace in a sport. While SEMO didn't go home with a win, it was incredible to see the dedication of the team. I also saw the show "The Pajama Game" for the first time put on by SEMO's theater department. I was so happy to see some of the theater students I had as classmates two years ago in my fine arts class performing in the leads of this show. It is so nice to see that every person in their college journey finding their place and setting future goals.

I am still adjusting to this feeling that I have been in a coma of sorts in my study in Korea. What I mean is that while I feel my life at SEMO was paused during my travel, everyone else moved along. It has been strange reconnecting with old classmates, seeing what they have been up to these past three semesters and trying to describe a piece of my experiences.

Where are you going, where have you been

This title is the title of a short story I read in my Literature class. While the story was quite shocking and uncomfortable to read (although I do recommend it, very well written, gripping, and will leave you questioning in its conclusion), the title of the story brought about a set of emotions as well.

"Where are you going, where have you been?"

I think we each have these questions looming in our minds quite constantly. How has your past shaped you to this point and how will it drive your future decisions? For me, this experience of being back at SEMO has brought these questions to the forefront of my thoughts constantly.

Looking back to where I have been, I can answer that, but the answer to the first question remains a mystery. While I had hoped that as more is added to that "where have you been" aspect, the first portion would become more clear, I remain wondering. While I enjoy not knowing exactly how my future will play out, I still wish that I could be at peace about it more. I enjoy the adventure of the mystery, but sometimes I wish I had more clues.

Coming back to SEMO with less than a year of school remaining, I am constantly asked the first question: "Where are you going?" While I see some paths that I would love to pursue, I am not sure which path I am meant to travel.

I believe that prayer and time will bring the answer to this first question.

The Goal of Education

Alright, before I start this post, there is one fact about me you must know in order to understand where I'm coming from in my comments on this topic

I was Homeschooled.

When people first learn this fact about me, they are usually surprised and intrigued. I usually tell a friend after asked about my education background. Like most of my traditional schooling counterparts, I do not introduce myself as "Hi I am Rebecca, I was Homeschooled, I'm from Missouri..." While most people would believe that Homeschooling is this all encompassing aspect that defines an individual before all other traits, this is not the case. Homeschooling is a part of who I am, but it does not define me and place me in a status that cannot be determined by any other fact of my life.

The reason that I am posting a piece about education and the philosophy behind learning is the amount of shock I have felt about the attitudes of some of my fellow students at my university towards their education. Now I am not grouping every student into this reflection, I have been surprised and challenged by some of my classmates who remind me why I love learning. I just want to bring a few observations to light and the attitude students should conduct especially at this level of education.

One of the aspects that have shocked me is the fact that students live on this internal time clock. With this clock, students will only sit half attentively for a lecture for 50 minutes. Once that 50 minutes has passed, an automatic response of shuffling papers and packing bags commences. I had a teacher today yell over the rustling saying that she still had twenty minutes of lecture time left (it was a 70 minute class). Somehow, this shook them out of their state, and they half listened once again. Once that twenty minutes passed, the rustling began again. I was quite frankly disgusted by this behavior. It was disrespectful towards the teacher to disregard the fact she was in mid sentence when the packing began. Regardless of the length of the class, if a teacher is still talking YOU LISTEN!

Every teacher at this school has devoted years of their lives to learning and to passing their knowledge of their passion to the next generation. To disrespect them by refusing to give them your full attention is abhorrent. In addition, each student is investing a considerable amount of money in this higher education. With such an investment, wouldn't you want to be attentive to every minute you are paying for?

I think a part of this behavior comes from the conditioning of learning in 50 minute blocks that is a fundamental part of Public Education. Students are told to sit for 50 minute classes, when that time is up, you go to the next 50 minutes.

I can't even describe how contrary this is to the way children learn naturally. Think about it: When you are a toddler and you are learning how to walk, there is no time determination of blocs in which you must learn how to walk. Learning this is a fluid concept: You try to stand up, you fall. You try again, you succeed. Now you try to take a few steps, you fall. You try again, you take two steps. The curve of learning is not divided in time segments. This is universal throughout your life. To implement this method of learning that for a certain span of time, you must focus on one concept and once that time is up, you do not think of it until the next time bloc is absurd

Another issue that I have with the attitudes of students (gosh this culture shock just won't leave) is belief they hold that the things they are learning will have no part in their life out of college. This idea that education is only relevant to being able to pass and get out is completely contrary to the philosophy I was taught in my Homeschool education.

With this idea of learning being a fluid concept, my parents taught me that you are continually learning throughout your life. Education prepares you for your life by giving you the tools you will need to solve any question you will be faced with or any lesson you must learn. With this idea in place, math no longer becomes the "dreaded subject" but an opportunity to look at a problem and logically find a solution. History no longer becomes "nap time" but a chance to learn from the triumphs and tragedies of the past in order not to repeat them in the future. Because my parents viewed education in this light, results weren't as important as the individuals ability to grasp a concept. Learning was not a one size fits all manufactured phase of your life, but a individual driven search for finding the application of these concepts.

I read an article today in Newsweek that was discussing the "Modern Day Homeschooler" talking about how it is no longer just the Christian farm families teaching Bible at the kitchen table that makes up the Homeschool body. There are a lot of highly educated individuals teaching their philosophy of learning to their children. I was very pleased to see that they are removing some of the misconceptions of Homeschoolers. Only then did I continue the article where the misconceptions of Homeschooling came about: "How can a kid go to college when they have depended on their parents? What about attachment issues, it's not healthy for a kid to learn everything from their parents."

Sigh

There is still a lot people need to learn about Homeschooling. I wish people focus all their concern on the social side of Homeschooling, but look at the motivations and values in regards to education that drives these students. If people weren't constantly looking at Homeschooling with concern, but rather the issues facing public educated children, I think we could learn a lot from both sides of education. I hope someday the stigma towards Homeschooling would move past the misconceptions and people would appreciate the selfless parents who choose to provide their children with the best education possible. I also wish people would see the results of what a Homeschooled education brings: A well rounded individual who loves to learn.

Technology Revolution

This past week has been quite fascinating for several reasons. My classes are picking up so we are discussing more substance which is exciting. So far I am really enjoying my World Politics, Mythology, and Senior Seminar courses.

I reconnected with my home church here in Cape. I am playing bells again with the bell choir here at St Andrews and reunited with my church family. While some things have changed, St Andrews is very much the same and I am happy for that.

Speaking of change, here's the big thing that has really revived any undertones of culture shock: I am now one of the old people here at school! It is strange to have left SEMO as an underclassman, the baby. Now I'm an upperclassman and everywhere I go I see students that look way too young to be in college. It has been especially weird since I am taking one of my Senior Seminars, where everyone is in there last semester, and on the other side of the spectrum, I'm finishing my general courses, where everyone is underclassmen. It has been an interesting contrast, but it makes me feel in limbo: I'm not quite to that graduating stage but I feel out of place among all the Underclassmen.

In addition, I am in a situation that I never experienced while in Korea: I have no means of convenient transportation. I do not own a car, there is no public trans like in Korea, and it can be difficult to coordinate rides with other students given our schedules. I like my independence and to not have to inconvenience others in order to help me. It is one of the things I really miss about Korea: I could jump on a bus or train and go anywhere anytime. I miss that freedom.

It has also been difficult to be surrounded by English 24/7. I miss the challenge of constantly trying to figure out what was being said. Now anytime I hear a foreign student I am relieved by that touch of diversity. Fortunately, I have met a Korean girl on my floor here at school. She is very sweet and is willing to help me with my Korean. I have also met several other Asian students, who have been so happy to meet an American who knows about J-pop and Cantonese movies. I hope that I can continue to learn and appreciate other cultures while studying here in the USA.

One of the most interesting aspects of this week was the uproar over SOPA and PIPA by the Internet Community. I first heard about these bills a few weeks ago, but it wasn't until I discussed these bills with a few well informed friends that I fully understood the severity of these proposals and the consequences they would hold. I was relieved to see they did not pass, however, I am sure that more bills like them will be written in the future.

Basically, they were protections of copyrighted material on the internet. While that is a noble thing to defend, the issue was that they would take it to such an extreme that it would shut down virtually every site that is used to connect and share information. The internet is still something that we don't fully understand, and it is dangerous to write legislation concerning an entity that is developing at a rapid rate and has shown potential to revolutionize the way we communicate.

In my Organizational Communications class this week, we discussed the implications of emerging technology and social media in the way individuals communicate. My professor used the example of the printing press as the first medium of media that deemed the previous media obsolete (handwritten books). I had never viewed the invention of the printing press as the first step to today's internet revolution, but it is the first monumental shift in media in history. My teacher also discussed the rapid rate in which both computers and the internet is changing. He talked about how this will revolutionize the way we read (ebooks replacing traditional books, even textbooks, our school will shift to ebooks within the next five or so years), the way we connect with professionals and individuals, the way revolutions begin (as evidence of the Arab Spring from last year), the list goes on. I do not and I don't think the majority of the world fully understands the implications of these new technologies and just how fast they are changing. It will be interesting to see within the next five years just how much changes compared to 2012...

First Week of School and 설날

Happy 설날 ("Solnal" Korean Lunar New Year) and Happy Chinese New Year! As many of you know, I just returned from studying in Korea for 16 months. Solnal is now a holiday I celebrate and appreciate for its significance to over a third of the world's population. Almost every country in East Asia celebrates a Lunar holiday, whether it is called Lunar or Chinese New Year. This year marks the Year of the Dragon, which is a significant year in the calendar. We will see if it lives up to the expectations!

This past week was my first week back at school here at SEMO. My classes consisted of reading syllabi, the necessary monotonous week of the semester. I am excited about my classes, from the descriptions they look like they will be interesting and some will prove to be a challenge.

I am taking my Senior Seminar for my Communications degree this semester (I will need to take another seminar for my other major as well next semester), it looks like it will push me to get back into this American university groove. It is a joint upper level undergraduate as well as graduate level course, so there will be a diverse group of individuals discussing the subject matter in this class.

On Wednesday, I celebrated Martin Luther King Jr Day by attending the Civil Rights Celebration Dinner, which is held yearly at my school. I was fortunate to attend by invitation as an Honors student by the Honors school, so I was very excited to be a part of the celebration.

The keynote speaker was Former Governor L Douglas Wilder, the first African American Governor in American History. I was so honored to hear this man, who has lived through so much history, share his life story and words of wisdom to us students. He fought in the Korean War, which was moving for me since Korea remains dear to my heart. He also served in the State Senate as one of the first African Americans in US History to do so. He became Governor of Virginia in 1990 and remains one of the most popular Governors in Virginia's history. He focused on the importance of pursuing your ambitions and never allowing others to degrade your potential. He reflected that this ideal applies to all American young people and urged every individual to fulfill their hopes regardless of what society may say. I found this very inspiring, here is a man who has lived this philosophy that I hope to continue to strive for. His message is universal and I hope to be able to instill that message in every person I impact in my life.

Reflecting on the Civil Rights Movement in America made me realize how far we have come. I believe there is still a lot of work to be done, but we continue to press towards that goal of judging others by the content of their character. It is my prayer that King's message will break the chains of prejudice around the world, that every persecuted people group will find acceptance from those that persecute them. King's message applies to all people, not just here in America, it is a universal message.

The Return to SEMO

I am back where this whole college education thing began. I moved back into dorm life here in Cape Girardeau to begin another semester at SEMO. I was accompanied by an armada of Kehe's (Dad, Mom, Bethany, Hannah, and Ben) for the move. I was assigned a room in Cheney Hall, which is one of the oldest dorms on campus. It also has some of the largest rooms, which is a wonderful contrast to the cozy rooms at SCH. I like Cheney so far because it is small, it has a lot of historical charm, and it is out of the way of things, there aren't any Frat houses right outside my dorm like in my Freshmen year. My roommate is an English major and is focused on her studies, which is very encouraging for me in my studies.

Tomorrow I begin my classes, here is a list of what I will be taking this semester:
Comparative Political Science
Modern European History
Interviewing
Nutrition for Health
Mythic Dimensions in Literature
Organizational Communication

I will also be taking Oboe lessons and Reed making. I am hoping to get involved in a few other activities, more on that later.

Back in the US of A

Well, I felt it was appropriate for my Korea blog to remain a Korea blog, thus ending the life of "To Travel is To Learn." I enjoy reflecting on ideas and events that currently confuse or fascinate me, so the beginning of "Live and Learn" has commenced. This will be a place where I will share what is challenging me or causes me to think as I continue my education at SEMO. I am a firm believer in the philosophy that you never stop learning, life is a series of learning experiences. I hope I can entertain you as I share what I learn in my life.

For those of you who read my Korea blog, I left off with my surprise on Christmas Eve. I spent the first few days completely comatose at home. I was not allowed to drive since I was removed from insurance while I was gone meant that I could only leave when someone else was going somewhere. I also did not enjoy the same rebound to jetlag that I experienced in Korea where I took a two hour nap upon arrival and then ran around Seoul for the first time. Nope, I had no way to leave, so I napped....for at least 4 hours at a time. Ben began to think I would never recover. After four days, I finally began to sleep on a normal schedule and the family rejoiced. Over the last two weeks I have traveled through five different states visiting family in WV and Wisconsin. Like my immediate family, I surprised my extended family, which resulted in just as shocked reactions. Lots of laughs and home cooking!

I am now packing for my return to SEMO. I leave for school Monday and will live in the renowned Cheney Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. It is an upperclassmen dorm and is a much more quiet place than my freshmen dorm in the hub of campus. I am curious to see what has changed since I left.