The Lottery, By Shirley Jackson - 925 Words

It was a sunny summer day when all the villagers gathered in the village on June 27th for the annual Lottery. The actual event did not start until later on in the day, so there were little activities that the community members could do to keep them occupied. People would also go around looking for stones and collected them so they will have enough for the event. Mr. Summers is the person who conducted the Lottery. He has no kids so running the Lottery gave him something to do since he had a lot of time on his hands. Therefor he created the Lottery event and that was what he did to keep himself busy. The Lottery is the main reason of the villagers gathering together; at the event all the families from the village gather together to pick a slip of paper from a black box to determine who will get stoned by all the other villagers. In short story The Lottery, Shirley Jackson demonstrates the dangers of a culture that requires people to participate in traditions that may lead to death. As I stated before in the beginning of the event all the families get together to pick a slip of paper from the black box Mr. Summers presents in the middle of the crowd. Who ever picks the paper with the black dot in the middle of the paper, their family had to choose again, and the person who picks the paper they will get stoned by all the villagers including their family members. Tessie was the person who got stoned in the story. The annual Lottery was about to start and everyone in theShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1195 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† reads as a work of horror. There is a village that holds an annual lottery where the winner is stoned to death so the village and its people could prosper. Some underlying themes include: the idea that faith and tradition are often followed blindly, and those who veer away from tradition are met with punishment, as well as the idea of a herd mental ity and bystander apathy. What the author manages to do successfully is that she actuallyRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson757 Words   |  4 Pagessucceed but many fail just like the main character Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. When someone hears the word â€Å"lottery†, he or she may think that someone will be rewarded with prize. But â€Å"The Lottery† By Shirley Jackson is different than what one thinks. In the story, a lottery is going to be conducted not like Mega Million or Powerball one play here. In the story, the person who wins the lottery is stoned to death instead of being rewarded with the prize. TessieRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lottery† is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s appr oach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in which random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easilyRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson1504 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson In The Lottery Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even though some people have no idea why they follow these traditions. The title of the story plays a role in how Shirley Jackson used some literary elements to help mask the evils and develop the story. The title â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory. When people think of the lottery majorityRead More`` The Lottery `` By Shirley Jackson894 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Lottery†, author Shirley Jackson demonstrates Zimbardo’s concepts in three different areas: Authority figures, Tradition and Superstition, and Loyalty. The first concept Jackson portrays in â€Å"The Lottery† is the authority figures. Jackson indicates that the lottery is being held in the town center by one authority figure, Mr. Summers, annually on June 27th. Every June 27th, without fail, townspeople gather in the town square to participate in the annually lottery even though mostRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1510 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates several aspects of the darker side of human nature. The townspeople in Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† unquestioningly adhere to a tradition which seems to have lost its relevance in their lives. The ritual that is the lottery shows how easily and willingly people will give up their free will and suspend their consciences to conform to tradition and people in authority. The same mindless complacency and obedience shown by the villagers in Jackson’s story are seenRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson8 11 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† was published by Shirley Jackson. The story was true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their heinous competence in an annual village event for corn harvest . First, her used to word symbolized main point of the story. Second, Jackson was inspired by few historical events happened in the past and a life incident in her life. Lastly, She was able to accomplish the connection between historical and biographical with the story. Therefore, Shirley Jackson’sRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson934 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson799 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some human beings lies. The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time ofRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 Pagesfilled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, created an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than three hundred people, in which a drawing is held once a year. In this â€Å"Lottery,† each family’s husband draws a slip of paper from a black box. The husband

History of the Federal Parole System free essay sample

Not all inmates are eligibility for parole, however some inmates convicted of non violent crimes must spend only fifty percent of their sentence incarcerated. Inmates convicted of violent crimes must spend eighty five percent of their sentences. If an inmate is convicted of murder he must spend hundred percent of his/her sentence (Frank Schmalleger, 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on History of the Federal Parole System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Each jurisdiction has a parole board for the inmates that wish to seek parole. For the parolee, they must attend a parole hearing which also has the victims, the institutional representative, and parole board members. Parole hearings usually take between ten to fifteen minutes for the inmates to be granted or denied, the parole committee basis their decision on both eligibility guidelines and interview from the parole hearing. Some reasons of why parole is denied are, not enough time served, poor disciplinary record, need to see movement to lower security and success, and of satisfactory. Finally the parole board will set conditions for parole, the parolees must comply with a average to three years which may include, restitution, substance abuse classes, remote electronic monitoring, or house arrest (Frank Schmalleger, 2010). I believe the parole system has flaws; one of them is that the parole system is too lenient on the most serious offenses; one example is letting a child molester or rapist out on parole for â€Å"good time served†, the offender with these types of charges should have to serve one hundred percent of their sentence, they should not get an option to be released from prison early. The parole system is too harsh on offenders with less serious offenses. One example is a drug dealer getting five to ten years in prison; this offense should be approved for â€Å"good time served† after about sixty percent of the offender’s sentence is completed. This type of offender may be rehabilitated. The parole population has continually increased averaging a growth of 1. 73 percent per year from 2000 to 2008 nationally (Frank Schmalleger, 2010). I believe the parole population has increased because of the increase of offenders coming into the prisons. The prisons do not have room; therefore they are releasing the offenders that have served the majority of their sentences. Once the parolee has been released it is stated that over two thirds return back to the prison population. I believe the parolee’s are returning back to prison population because they lack job skills and also that most employers are not interested in hiring ex cons. The state of Florida parole population has increased to 158,000 parolee’s currently in the state (Frank Schmalleger, 2010). I think changes in the parole system in the near future will be supervision of more serious offenders is going to be much stricter. As a result, lesser offenders are going to be supervised less or not at all.

Why Space Essays - Space Policy, Spaceflight, Apollo Program

Why Space? How does space exploration and an organization like NASA (National Aeronautical and Space Administration) benefit the United States? The formation of NASA to monitor and explore space has served the United States by supplying us with advancements in medicine, military defense, consumer products and the citizens of all participating countries a sense of pride in their countries. Space exploration has evolved from being a source of bragging rights during the cold war to a tool to develop faster ways of communication and scientific breakthroughs that are used to cure and/or prevent diseases. The United States has become a world power by using NASA to develop ways to defend the USA as well as benefit the inhabitants of the world. Early History After the end of W.W.I the United States did not think much about space travel. But as soon as the USSR launched Sputnik I in 1958, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth, the USA quickly began to attempt to create a satellite of their own. Before the United States could create a satellite, the Soviets announced that they made and launched their second satellite named Sputnik II, it was the first biological spacecraft. After the launching of Sputnik II the US felt tremendous pressure to launch its first satellite. The United States quickly launched Explorer I, the first American satellite in space, Explorer was created to measure cosmic rays and micrometeorites in earth's atmosphere. The US then launched another satellite named Vanguard I to measure the amounts of radiation in outer-space. The launching of satellites by both the US and USSR would soon lead to manned space travel. After the launching of Vanguard I by the USAF, the US realized that they would need a federal organization to regulate space travel. In 1959 the US government created NASA to maintain and expand the United State's interests in space travel. Not long after the creation of NASA, the organization quickly experiment with space suits and space vessels to prepare for sending a man into space. The Soviets soon announced that they launched a satellite called Luna II that was meant to take the first close-up pictures of the sun. It was the first rocket to leave the earth's gravitational field. The US continued to work on their goal of sending a man into space by selecting and beginning to train seven men in May 1959. These first seven American astronauts were named the Mercury 6. While the United States was selecting astronauts to start their space program the Soviets were already taking pictures of the moon and planning to get ready to send a man to the moon. 1961-1970 Freedom 7 was launched on May 5, 1961 carrying a Mercury 6 astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr.. The rocket climbed 302 miles into the air making the ship and Shepard the first American astronaut to fly into space. The United States briskly went to work, trying to sent another American into space. John Glenn was selected as the Mercury 6 astronaut that would orbit the earth. On February 20, 1962 the US was ready to surpass the USSR in the field of human space exploration. John Glenn successfully was launched into orbit around the earth, becoming the first human to do so. He completed three orbits around the earth in his Friendship 7 spacecraft. The mission was extremely successful for the US and NASA. After the mission the United States became the leading country in the field of space exploration. The US started to get ready for further missions into space by reaching new breakthroughs in space suit technology. The manned orbiting laboratory suit of 1963 was an Air Force refinement for the Gemini spacecraft missions. The manned orbiting laboratory was designed to carry two or more astronauts into space at the same time for an extended period of time. The suit was supposed to allow the astronauts to be able to move around the Gemini spacecraft freely. However the suit was made obsolete when the Project Gemini lightweight suit was developed in 1965. The space suit was designed to be easily removed during flight to aid to the astronauts comfort, making it easier for the astronauts to tolerate long journeys. These suits were of great value to the Apollo missions. The Apollo missions were meant to eventually land a man on the moon. While Soviet space program was faltering because the government refused to allocate the needed funds to support the Soviet Cosmonauts, the United States was getting ready to send a man to the moon. The first ten Apollo missions were to survey the moon and the gravity fields around it to make planning

University of Newcastle Essays

University of Newcastle Essays University of Newcastle Essay University of Newcastle Essay 1)What segmentation base has Red Bull adopted to target consumers? How should Red Bull further segment the market in the future? When marketers begin instigate their strategy they will begin by selecting a marketing base at which they will aim their strategy. The Bases can be broken into four segments on the basis of two criteria: 1- Facts, which can be determined by a single objective or cognitions that are more abstract 2-Consumer rooted features relating to consumers physical, social and psychological needs versus consumption specific behaviour or preferences towards a product. Based on this criteria the four segments business use include: -Demographic, based on general features of human life -Geographic, based on the region the consumers live in -Behavioural, based on the consumers preferences towards products -Psychographic, based on the personality traits of consumers While many companies choose to aim their marketing strategy at a single consumer base, many successful companies choose to engage many segmentation bases with one marketing strategy. This process is called hybrid segmentation. This can be seen with Red Bulls â€Å"guerrilla marketing† strategy that established them as a successful company. It is clear that the marketing strategy segmented the market demographics and psychographic segments. For example the unique strategy that was developed to demographically target students/young adults and aimed to psychographically appeal due to their active and outgoing lifestyles. In order to continue their success in the market, Red Bulls targeted consumer base can be further segmented to increase profitability. ) How Does Red Bull arouse the motivations of consumers to purchase energy drinks? Motivation can be seen as the driving force that impels the consumer to act in fulfilling their needs, hopefully through the consumer purchasing their products. Red Bull achieves this through providing positive motivation for the consumer. 3) Describe the Brand Personality of Red Bull. Why do you think the concept of brand personality is so important to Red Bull?

Convincing Irans leadership to stop its nuclear program Assignment

Convincing Irans leadership to stop its nuclear program - Assignment Example The shahs, who you serve, are responsible for enforcing harsh laws which make Iranians comply with your government’s directives, since their fundamental human rights and freedoms have been ignored by your administration. Your media is a good example, where local journalists who voice their concerns are being silenced. As the international community, we have observed the following measures to deal with the situation which is slowly getting out of hand. As you well know, this is a way of thinking that is dangerous. The notion is that violence or the threat of it, must be responded to with violence, though in this modern day and age, seems outdated and uncivilized. As per your government’s behavior, you well know that vexing problems cannot be solved with force. This is not the correct method for America and the international community.1 Your country so far poses no existential threat. Your government is seen to be in internal disarray. We see that your political, economic and moral power is so inferior that resorting to terrorism and assassination to carry out international agenda seem to be your administration’s viable option. Your country threatens to develop nuclear capabilities, but you should know that the international community and your neighbors like Israel would not hesitate to resort to military action if and when the threat materializes, but as you know, military options against your country is not wise. This kind of retributive, vengeful action will lead us to even a trillion dollar expenditure.

2 Million Minutes Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

2 Million Minutes - Movie Review Example Directed by Robert Compton, Adam Raney and Chad Heeter; 2 million minutes is a documentary film which raises stark questions on the competitiveness and efficiency of education system of America.Taking examples of students from three major competing nations ought to become superpowers- America, India and China, the film addresses issues of schooling, establishing balance between education and extra-curricular activities and overall power of these nations in supplying innovative and intelligent minds (Harvard Educational Review 2011). The movie revolves around 6 students- two each from America, India and China. While American students get themselves more involved in friends and extra-curricular activities; students of India and China not only develop long term goals in fields of Science and Math, but also maintain a balance between other activities. All in all, schooling system in India and China exposes its youth to more comprehensive education and extra-curricular experience than do American system. This is why Indian and Chinese students aspire to become scientists, engineers and doctors, while American kids are dazzled by football players, actors and sports persons. Issues raised in the film The film highlights numerous issues which the American economy is exposed to. Dealing with education system and its contribution in making a nation competitive and self-sufficient; the movie revolves around seeking answers to how American system has lost its motivation of developing entrepreneurs and inventors and how parents are setting deviated priorities for their children. Lack of motivation and unclear priorities Aspirations of students take shape by prominent inventions and research work going on in the nation. America was once the land of space research, math and science geniuses which molded student aspirations to become scientists, engineers and researchers. Now when students see football players, sports persons and actors steal the show, their motivation level a nd direction has changed. This is seriously going to hurt the American economy in the long run as the latter category of careers do not make a nation self-sufficient and competitive in the fight of global reliance. Responsibility of parents In India and China, most of the poor parents want their children to be educated and independent as they themselves have been living in miserable plights. As such, both the parents and children have their goals clear and focused upon. This is not the case with American parents who have been living affluently and whose children do not understand what poverty is. Thus, American education system suffers from confusion between what parents think and what children want. Another point revealed from this discussion is the level of involvement and responsibility sharing by parents in making their children competitive globally. In India and China, parents are equally responsible for how their children fare in their exams and career. They invest time, effor t and obviously money in their child’s endeavor to fly with bright colors. American parents, however, do not take this much of their child’s academic responsibility as they prefer sports and athletics to academics. This is something which raises brows on how students are supported in their goal formation, planning and execution in America, India and China because after school or college, children learn from their home and parents. Stress taking Many experts opine that Indian parents put unnecessary pressure on their children. Students get stressed by subjects and are also not allowed to play or socialize much. To some extent, this is true. But on close observation, it is actually the need of the hour. The world has already been grappled with economic crisis, employment levels have plummeted and careers are not secure. In such circumstances, students need to be accustomed of functioning under stress conditions; otherwise hardships and challenges of life could not be fac ed. This is what Indian

Multi-Cultural Paper Essay Example for Free

Multi-Cultural Paper Essay Introduction Finding a â€Å"multicultural† experience that brings me out of my comfort zone is something I found difficult. I moved to the city but am a small town girl at heart. I grew up riding a dirt bike, partying in fields, listening to country music, and hosting birthday parties that my friends and I built tree forts at. My first vehicle was a rear-wheel drive manual Chevrolet pick-up truck that I had to put weight in during the winter so I would not slide across the road. I lived on 140 acres of land, and the closest town was 15 minutes away. Since then, I have moved to the city and began, enjoying the convenience of everything like, bringing clothes to the dry cleaners, riding my bike to work, and preferring to lounge by the pool on a summer day, rather than explore like I used to. In college, I studied abroad in Scotland for a semester and had the opportunity to travel around Europe to England, Switzerland, Spain, and France. This experience exposed me to a number of different cultures, currencies, and experiences. It was the highlight of my college experience, but I became extremely homesick after a month and a half and, since then, have had no desire to visit anywhere abroad for longer than a couple of weeks. In addition to being familiar with both the small town and city lifestyles,not many things turn me off or make me uncomfortable. On the other hand, because I come from a small town, there are a few things I am unfamiliar with. I am not as familiar with different races or cultures, the wealth and fashion that comes with living near city suburbs, or the religion of anyone who isn’t Catholic. This is excluding the Europe experience, when I spent most my time in English speaking Scotland. Because of this, I chose three events that would expose me to new things in each one of those categories. Event #1: A Brazilian Carnival The first event took place at the Fine Line Music Cafà © in downtown Minneapolis. Classmate, Sarah Holman and I went to a Brazilian Carnival. I was interested in this sort of event because, in college, I worked at Afton Alps Ski and Snowboard, where they had a Brazilian exchange program and brought a number of Brazilians up for the winter to work. They became the best part of working there most years because they were so much fun and lived life to the fullest during their time in the United States. The event was fun, colorful, active, and something I had never been to before. There were dancers, drummers, people dressed up in costumes, and a band. After the introduction of drummers and dancers, a band began to play. Since we chose to attend on a Sunday afternoon, it was more of a family function but, if we had decided to attend on the Friday or Saturday evening before, I imagine the setting would have become a little wild after a few drinks because the music was so much fun. Instead, kids, parents, and couples were out on the dance floor dancing away innocently. When looking at what I know personally about Brazilians and comparing it to the event, it is clear that they typically like to have a good time. Their music is good, the people are often good looking, and they are extremely passionate about where they come from and their culture. My behaviors will not change in the workplace because of this event but the carnival did confirm the impression I had of Brazilian culture. Event #2: Omaha Fashion Week The second event took place in Omaha, Nebraska, where my youngest sister now lives. Once we found out that she would be walking in two of the shows, on both Friday and Saturday night, my mom, sister, her husband, and my boyfriend and I began planning our trip right away. When planning for the shows, I had no idea what to expect. I have never been to a fashion show, know nothing about fashion and, most importantly, I had no idea what to wear! Going into the first night we had been traveling all day, were hungry, and the guys weren’t around yet to stay at the hotel and babysit so we had to bring my two-year old nephew. One of the things that I am most insecure about is not knowing what to do and, worse, looking like I do not know what to do, in any given situation. To explain, I am always tentative to try new restaurants because I know that each one has a different culture that I may not fit in with. The way they do things, like the way one orders, dresses, and acts, are always altered. This doesn’t mean I avoid the experience but, when deciding to go somewhere new, I always get a nervous feeling with some immediate regret, wishing I had chosen to go somewhere familiar. This is something I am working on because, every time the experience is done, I’m glad it happened and always want to try something else new as soon as possible. This is how I felt going into Omaha Fashion Week. This time, I was more excited to see my sister but, since I was with my mom, sister and a two-year old at an adult event, and since they also had no clue what was going on, I was mortified. The first night felt like a warm-up, and I began to understand the scenery, people, what was happening, and everything else that was going on. There were individuals who were much more casual looking than me, but there also many who were more dressed up. By the end of the night I felt like I could pick out the more important faces by just looking around the crowd. My method probably wasn’t very accurate, but it led to some excellent people watching. The second night was a girl’s night, consisting of my mom, sister, and me. We were able to leave the boys and nephew at the hotel for the evening. Learning from the first night, we showed up right when the event was supposed to begin, which means that we only had to wait half an hour for the show to start, instead of an hour, like the night before. We made sure to get some pictures on the red carpet and relax while enjoying a couple drinks in advance. The challenge for me going into this event was having to go somewhere new, where I had no idea what the culture was going to be like. When looking at the event in a professional context, I was intimidated, going in, by those whom I thought were â€Å"better† than me. Meaning, those who know fashion, have money, status, and the wealthy (not so nice) personalities you see on teenage television shows. I did not encounter any of these stereotypes when at the event. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and not judging, as I would have thought. This makes me think of those who are more successful and intimidating than I in a professional environment. As I have always been taught, treat others as you would like to be treated. This is something I will remember in the workplace for future reference. If I go in treating someone with the respect I would like to get in return, chances are they will treat me with the same respect. I feel that going to this fashion show cemented this lesson for me. I need to not concentrate on my insecurities as much, and, instead focus on treating everyone the same. This event did not confirm the stereotypes I had imagined like everyone being snobby, rich, and over the top. Looking back on the weekend, I think of it as one of the best times I’ve had yet for year 2013, all because I stepped out of my comfort zone. Interview #1 In attempt to deepen the Omaha Fashion Week experience, I interviewed a friend’s sister, Michelle Olson, who is an extremely successful plus size model, living in New York City. Michelle has experienced a much different lifestyle that is very foreign to me; one that I can relate to class and to the multi-cultural experience above. I was able to ask the questions and get the answers below: Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Michelle Olson Interviewee #1 Q: In class we talked a lot about one’s personal brand. As a model, I assume your personal brand is extremely important and somewhat determines your reputation in the industry. Is this true? Do you have any examples of this you can expand on? A: Personal brand is important in modeling because we have to show our personality somehow with only a few minutes. So its important to just be yourself and wear what you like. A lot of clients are particular about a models personality because they want to show their brand a certain way and target a certain customer. We also cant be too eccentric or too trendy because some clients are just looking for a blank canvas and one that they know their clothes will look good on without being too distracted by the person and their own style. Q: In the business environment one usually has to work hard to advance or know someone to get ahead. Is this true in modeling as well? How do you climb in your industry? A: Eventually a model can [achieve this ] by booking big clients and then having them like you enough to re-book you again. People and clients also tend to take notice, usually if a model books editorials in big magazines. Q: Is it difficult to keep your values in this industry? Is it difficult while keeping a positive image for yourself amongst peers? A: I have been lucky so far in my career in that I have only had good experiences as far as boundaries and my personal values go. Everyone I have worked for have been very respectful and professional. Its important to have an agent that cares about you and will only send you out to legit, professional companies. Q: We also discussed virtual groups/communication in class. Is this a common form of communication in this industry or is it usually easier to do things in person? A: Email is a very important communication tool in my industry. Most of my communication with my agents is by email. All my job details are always emailed to me before the job. When I am in New York, I usually have to actually go in and see and talk to the agents in person at least once a week, sometimes more. Castings however are always in person. They are usually just quick little interview type things where you go and meet the client, have them look at your portfolio, and sometimes maybe take a couple pictures and try on some clothes. If you are unable to see them in person then our agents usually just send our portfolio for them to look at. Q: With the perspective of models being stick thin, does this pressure you to be this way? A: Working as a plus size model is another world than working as a straight size (0-6) model. Plus size is usually like a size 12, so we still have to stay around that size. We still eat very healthy and exercise so that we have good skin and feel good, etc. However, most of us are at our natural size, and therefore theres a lot less stress about size. Its great! Q: Are there â€Å"leaders† in your industry? Or are they always changing because your jobs are always changing? What is that like? A: Our agents are like our bosses. They get us our job so its important to have good relationships with them. We have three of them, and they are all cool and friendly so its quite nice! Obtaining this information from Michelle has provided me with interesting insight on a completely different business environment, than of the corporate life I am used to. Event #3: Scientology Church Tour My third event was a tour and question and answer period at the Saint Paul Church of Scientology. I went to this with three classmates, Sarah, Cody, and Andrea. As mentioned at the beginning of this paper, I am not familiar with many different kinds of religion, beside Catholicism. Through Tom Cruise, I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Scientology. I have also heard the opposite about the religion from his ex-wives. From what I was told, saw, and learned, the experience had a positive impact that made me curious and left me wanting to learn more about the religion. The interesting part about the church is that it focuses on the here and now, versus the Christian religion where their beliefs are based on the Bible, which is many centuries old. The self-guided tour consisted of watching videos to obtain information about the religion. There were different categories, so we could watch the topics we were most interested in. After watching a couple of videos, we felt it would be most beneficial to speak to the tour guide and ask questions about her experiences. From her answers, I gathered that Scientologists like to help people. If you are having troubles in your marriage or need help finding where to go in life, you can join counseling groups. If there is a natural disaster in the world, Scientologists will travel to the location and help out where they can. The part that interested me most is their passion to help individuals with any issues that individual might be having. In a book recommended by Andrea that provided an opposite perspective of Scientology, Jenna Miscavige Hill writes about her â€Å"secret life inside scientology and her harrowing escape† (Beyond Belief, Cover). This is something I wish I would have known about before going into the tour because I would have asked questions in regards to this book. In the book, Jenna explains about her life as a member of the Sea Org, the church’s most devoted core group of Scientology. She describes how she was sent away as a child to receive an education in Scientology, the manual labor she was forced to perform, and the coercion she faced from officials. Nothing about children being sent away to Scientology school was brought up or asked about throughout our time at the Church. After reading the 10 Juiciest Bits about Scientology from Jenna’s book, it made me think twice about what I found out while at the church. Hearing both the positive and negative sides of Scientology will not change the way I act in a professional environment because, knowing both sides of the religion will not diminish the respect I have for other’s personal religious choices. I think the main challenge for the Church of Scientology is the extreme difference in viewpoints you can have on the religion. Those who are Scientologist think it’s the most wonderful thing, but those who know about it and have gotten out have nothing good to say about it. Interview #2 The second interview I conducted did not relate to any of my multicultural experiences, but was instead with a coworker, Violet. Violet is from Uganda, Africa, and came to the United States in January 2000 to attend school at the University of Minnesota. Violet’s experience relates to the â€Å"Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story† video watched in class. Violet Interviewee #2 Violet Interviewee #2 Since this was an in person interview, not many structured questions were asked. Instead, there was a lot of back and forth conversation, unlike the interview with Michelle. When explaining her experiences growing up, Violet made a point on how the way she was raised and lived is only one view, and not everyone was able to live the way she did. Violet comes from a very successful family. She explained how she lived a very privileged life, in Uganda, and does not know what poverty is when asked about it. When her family came to Minnesota, they brought their maid with them, which is not common for many when traveling to the States. Violet came on a student visa. Due to the fact that she was from out of the country, she had to pay almost three times more per semester than most students attending the university. This is something her father paid for so, unlike me and many others, she graduated with no student loans. I asked Violet about the manifestation of personal brand of Africa and she explained that it is very different. One in Africa is unable to choose their personal brand. When interviewing for positions, the question is always, â€Å"Whose son or daughter is that?† not â€Å"How smart or qualified are they?† In Uganda, there is a strong British influence, so class and tribal system is what makes you who are you. It is all about whom you know or who you are related to. Violet never professionally worked in Africa, but states that one’s choices are limited regarding what they can decide to grow up to be. You either plan to be a doctor, lawyer, dentist, or anything else with a designate d path. There are few opportunities and many talents are wasted. Marketing or human resource careers aren’t options or even thought about in Africa when choosing an education path. When Violet came to Minnesota to begin school, she had it in her mind that she was going to become a lawyer. Not until she was almost done with her Bachelor’s degree did she begin to realize that becoming a lawyer was maybe something she didn’t actually want to do. She went on to complete her MBA, with the mind set of beginning to work toward a law degree. She is now a Senior Human Resources Recruiter, and sometimes wishes she had received her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Communications, instead of Business, realizing that she was still living in the African career mentality when choosing her education. While people in the US think that an 8% unemployment rate is high, Africa has over 50% unemployment. This is partially because there are not enough businesses to employ everyone. Unlike in the US, there are no government services to help the poor. There is also not as much access to goods like in the US. Not everyone has the convenience to go to stores like Target or Wal-Mart. Lastly, when asked if people treat her different based on what the average American knows about Africans – that they are poor – she admitted that people sometimes do. Some are surprised to learn that she speaks English very well, others reject her when they realize that she is not a suffering African, and the black community does not always accept her as black. She has wondered if she had come over as an African refuge; how things might be different in the way people treat her. The interview with Violet was a further look into what I don’t know about Africa. It gave me knowledge and taught me never to judge based what I see on television or read in books. As Violet made clear at the beginning of our interview, she has only one view point regarding Africa, and not everyone was raised like her. This reminds me to never judge when only hearing one side of the story. This is a lesson that can be brought into the workplace every single day. The two interviews and three multi-cultural experiences opened my eyes to things I would never have known about. I learned about what it was like to attend a fashion show, a different culture, and religion. These experiences changed the way I look at life and the way I approach professional environments. Due to this project, I will search for new experiences that will bring be out of my comfort zone, just like the activities above. References Adichie, Chimamanda, perf. Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story. 2009. Film. March 2013. http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html. Fallon, Kevin. 10 Juiciest Bits From Ex-Scientologist’s Tell-All ‘Beyond Belief’. (2013): n. page. Web. 22 Apr. 2013. Miscavige Hill, Jenna. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape. 1. 1. Harpercollins, 2013. 404. Print. Nassalo , Violet. Personal Interview. 9 Apr 2013. Olson, Michelle. E-mail Interview. 4 Apr 2013.