PART 3:At 9:30 every night Jorge drives his truck to Queens where he serves hungry immigrants what may be their first meal of the day. A line forms on the street as the laborers anxiously await Jorge’s arrival. A typical meal consists of beans, rice, bread, and hot chocolate. On average Jorge serves 34 meals a night. The immigrants are all very appreciative of Jorge’s generosity. One man called him the angel of Queens. Another immigrant admitted that Jorge’s meal was the only thing he had eaten in 3 days. I was moved by the level of compassion Jorge showed towards the immigrants. Jorge said, “My paycheck is seeing their smiles.” He is extremely humble and asks for nothing in return. The video showed Jorge’s mother being brought to tears by the thought of anyone going hungry. Jorge does more than just provide these laborers with a meal, he gives them hope. Being able to instill hope, faith, and trust in another human being is the greatest gift of all. I am inspired by Jorge’s generous offerings and hard work.
PART2: A typical day in Jorge’s life consists of waking up, prepping the food, going to his shift as a bus driver, returning home, finishing cooking, and then serving meals to immigrants. His mother and sister both graciously help with the cooking. Jorge discussed why he devotes so much of his time and energy to helping the immigrants. He said he was from Colombia and arrived in the United States 20 years ago. Jorge can relate to what the immigrants are going through: trying to find labor and providing for their families. Due to the competitiveness in the labor field many immigrants go days without finding work. Family is a very strong component in the lives of Hispanics. Immigrants are committed to their families, that is why they work so hard to provide for and send money to them.
My knowledge about illegal immigration prior to Tuesday’s class consisted of what I learned from the media and news articles. We briefly covered immigration in one of my Spanish classes but did not go in-depth into the economics and politics surrounding the issue. I know feel more informed about the current situation. I was surprised to learn that businesses are the primary factor shaping immigration policies. The video we watched at the end of class today had the biggest impact on me regarding immigration. The video was about a man, Jorge Munoz, who provided dinners for day laborers in Queens, New York. This man exemplifies qualities of generosity, kindness, and selflessness. Money does not mandate his life. Jorge prepares food all day in his house, paying for the ingredients primarily out of his own pocket. He also receives excess food from friends who work at restaurants
PART 3 I cannot deny that I have benefited from nepotism, however, I do believe in hard work and skill. Last summer I applied to an internship with the International Center for the Study of Terrorism on campus. I became aware of the internship through the Liberal Arts newswire. I applied and was thrilled when I was informed that I had been accepted as an intern. I received this internship based on my academics, skill level, and experience. I did not know anyone involved in the organization or in the department who gave me preferential treatment. Looking back I realized that the internship was one of the best experiences I have ever had and I am glad that I can say I received it on my own merits. Even though nepotism has its benefits no one can deny the truth and respect that comes from hard work, education, and skill.
An example of how Penn State endorses networking is the Liberal Arts Mentor Program. I am fortunate to be a member of this program which pairs students with an alumnus who has experience or works in the field that the student is studying. Due to my major in Crime, Law, and Justice and my interest in the federal government I was paired with a mentor who works for the U.S. Justice Department in Washington D.C. The purpose of this program is to offer students networking opportunities through the contact of a devoted mentor who offers guidance, support, and expertise. I am particularly interested in working for the FBI and have discussed this goal with my mentor. She has offered to introduce me with a friend of hers who is an agent in the Bureau. She also suggested I talk with other colleagues and friends of hers who work in other federal government agencies in order to gain a perspective on other possibilities for a future career. I am very grateful for her guidance and resources and look forward to the networking process.
Yesterday in class we discussed affirmative action and nepotism. Nepotism is defined as, “patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics.” An example of nepotism includes receiving a job or internship based on a connection one has with a family member or friend. Professor Richards commented several problems with nepotism, such that we assume we deserve this opportunity because we are better than others. Many argue that nepotism is unfair in that people who are unqualified for a job or internship receive the position solely because of the connections they have. As nepotism grows and becomes more evident in the job market I do believe it will have a negative effect in the long run. However nepotism is inevitable, I do not see it disappearing any time soon. As Sam mentioned in class from the day we enter Penn State it is engrained into our heads that our future depends on the connections and networks we make. Hard work is not disregarded but connections are more valuable when seeking a job after graduation. Penn State prides itself in its alumni, and rightfully so with its 164,000 members involved in the Alumni Association. These alumni provide a great resource for networking.
PART 3: Later that day my teacher brought us outside to discuss the details of what had happened surrounding the attacks. When I came home that afternoon I remember my mom had the news on television; that is when I first saw a visual image of the horrible attacks.
One student in our group discussed the conspiracy theory in which it is believed that the United States had some involvement in the attacks. The student mentioned the possibility that the US either had prior knowledge about the attack or that we were actually involved in its implementation. I was shocked at this idea. How could our government have played a role in the destruction of so many innocent American lives? I cannot even fathom this idea. Part of me refuses to believe that such a conspiracy could exist. Will we ever truly know? Will we ever be able to separate facts from fiction?
PART 2: The discussion about oil was very enlightening. I really never considered how Arabs feel when the U.S. comes over and “steals” their oil. I understand how they may perceive us and interpret our actions. Many are outraged at the way we handle the oil situation. I would feel the same way if another country was coming here claiming our resources and disregarding our interests.
We addressed emotional and challenging topics today in our discussion group. We tied in yesterdays lecture with the 9/11 terrorist attacks. One student mentioned the conspiracy theories associated with 9/11. I was surprised that I was unaware of many of these theories. It was informative to hear other student’s points of view and knowledge about this topic. I remember I was sitting in my 6th grade social studies class when my principal’s voice came over the loud speaker and announced the tragic event that had occurred at the World Trade Center. I was very confused and did not understand what had happened.
I think how Professor Richards approached class yesterday was very interesting and helpful. By asking us to put ourselves in the shoes of a Middle Easterner we were forced to take a different perspective. He kept enforcing this new perspective by asking, “How would that make you feel?” and “What do you think?” As Americans we have our own viewpoints and knowledge about terrorism, the war in Iraq, and the military. However, people from the Middle East do not have those same perspectives. Stereotyping and bias come into play here. Middle Easterners may think all Americans are corrupt, basing their claim for example on a negative experience they encountered with the US military. Similarly some Americans have the preconceived notion that all Middle Easterners are Muslim or support terrorism. These prejudicial preconceptions need to stop. Yesterday’s lecture opened my eyes to both sides of the story.
PART 3:The federal government is currently not hiring for any positions. I know this because I applied to a federal agency’s summer internship program and was denied because the program had to be eliminated due to financial reasons. Many federal governmental opportunities for students that were once paid are now volunteer programs. These programs are highly competitive and prestigious. It has been my goal to pursue one of these internship programs and further develop my skills, knowledge, and experience in legal affairs and criminal justice.
The ability to speak more than one language not only benefits one in the job market but also in everyday social life. It provides one with the opportunity to communicate with a wide variety of people and learn different cultures. This ties in with what we discussed in class pertaining to multiculturalism. People learn aspects of one another’s cultures and thus become more aware of traditions, beliefs and values that are practiced around the world.
![[Avatar]](/images/avatar26.png){kind=avatar}
Branch