How are you? How is life back in Vietnam?
I am not so good here in America. I don't like it here, and i miss you! Everything is so unfamiliar, I don't know anybody here, I've got no one to talk to and not much to do. My only light these days is my little girl, Suri, and my husband. I can't believe he still puts up with me after all the mistakes I've made because I do not always understand him. He is really kind to me, and fortunately he never gets mad when I have done something wrong. Even though we do not always understand each other, we love one another and this love is what sustains me when I feel sad and alone. At times I dream of coming home, of being with people of my own kind.. But then I think of Suri and that I have to give her a good life together with her father here, in the land where all dreams can come true. I don't think mine will though, but maybe for my little girl life will be better and she might learn to love this country in all the ways I don't. We will have to wait and see what fate has in store for us in the future, maybe I will learn to adapt and feel like I fit in here eventually. I do hope so. I will write to you again soon! Until then; hugs and kisses from me.
(In response to Elizabeth Gordons On the other side of the war: A story)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
My life in the states.
To my family at home, I write to tell you a bit about my life in the states.
Everything here is so different from home, the food is different, the houses, the cars and the people. Eventhough life with my baby and husband is good, everything else is not good. I can't make the food correct, and my husband doesn't know what to do or say. We don't fit in, we don't belong here. But I guess everything will be better after a while. At least I hope so.
(In response to Elizabeth Gordons On the other side of the war: A story)
Everything here is so different from home, the food is different, the houses, the cars and the people. Eventhough life with my baby and husband is good, everything else is not good. I can't make the food correct, and my husband doesn't know what to do or say. We don't fit in, we don't belong here. But I guess everything will be better after a while. At least I hope so.
(In response to Elizabeth Gordons On the other side of the war: A story)
Note to self: Do not peel the pinto beans!
Round pieces of meat
frying in the pan.
Not to be mistaken for pancakes
and must not be served with jam.
Round pieces of meat
coming from the cow.
The meat is already frozen
since the cows live outside, in the snow.
We don`t eat rice
and you know what this means:
You are not supposed to peel the pinto beans.
In response to E. Gordon’s ”On the Other Side of the War: A Story"
frying in the pan.
Not to be mistaken for pancakes
and must not be served with jam.
Round pieces of meat
coming from the cow.
The meat is already frozen
since the cows live outside, in the snow.
We don`t eat rice
and you know what this means:
You are not supposed to peel the pinto beans.
In response to E. Gordon’s ”On the Other Side of the War: A Story"
My own Heritage
Based on the poem by; Linda Hogan.
From my mother, who still watches every step I make,
I take on her good moods
and smiles that reach my eyes.
This gives me strength to fight my way through life.
“ Smile, and life will smile back at you”.
From my father I take on his sensitivity
and caring for others.
Don’t give in no matter how big a challenge you face…
There is no problem that can’t be solved.
“If you fail once, then try again”.
And grandma’ who passed away a long time ago,
but still is by my side every day, whispering in my ear..
She has made me believe that there is some good in all people,
and that love makes the ones I care about bloom…
“Positive thoughts are contagious”…
From my family I have learned that life can be a big challenge.
But by remembering their words of wisdom I should be able to
open the right doors to find myself a wonderful life… and I have.
G. ( In response to Linda Hogan’s poem “Heritage”)
From my mother, who still watches every step I make,
I take on her good moods
and smiles that reach my eyes.
This gives me strength to fight my way through life.
“ Smile, and life will smile back at you”.
From my father I take on his sensitivity
and caring for others.
Don’t give in no matter how big a challenge you face…
There is no problem that can’t be solved.
“If you fail once, then try again”.
And grandma’ who passed away a long time ago,
but still is by my side every day, whispering in my ear..
She has made me believe that there is some good in all people,
and that love makes the ones I care about bloom…
“Positive thoughts are contagious”…
From my family I have learned that life can be a big challenge.
But by remembering their words of wisdom I should be able to
open the right doors to find myself a wonderful life… and I have.
G. ( In response to Linda Hogan’s poem “Heritage”)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
My Heritage by Solveig
From my father, his cradle,
made a hundred years ago.
My mother gave me
an eye for snowflakes.
My grandmothers took me
in their lap
and sang old chants and nursery rhymes.
From my grandfather,
who I never met, I learned to love literature.
My second grandfather
taught me to cycle, and he gave me a pocket knife.
They all taught me to take care of
memories.
What is this all about?
Its life, isn’t it?
(In response to Linda Hogan’s “Heritage”.)
made a hundred years ago.
My mother gave me
an eye for snowflakes.
My grandmothers took me
in their lap
and sang old chants and nursery rhymes.
From my grandfather,
who I never met, I learned to love literature.
My second grandfather
taught me to cycle, and he gave me a pocket knife.
They all taught me to take care of
memories.
What is this all about?
Its life, isn’t it?
(In response to Linda Hogan’s “Heritage”.)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Linda Hogan's, "Heritage"
I'm sure some of you have written interesting texts in response to that poem. If you submit them here, you will have completed 1/4th of your creative writing requirement! I'm looking forward to reading some of them! Phoebe
Monday, January 5, 2009
English Course Spring 2009
Students taking this course will submit at least 4 short pieces of creative writing and will comment on at least 4 pieces of creative writing submitted by their classmates. At least 4 of the pieces submitted should be in response to the literary texts covered in the course. At the end of each piece submitted, students will also note the title of the text that the piece was written in response to or that inspired it. For example: Written in response to Alan Sillitoe's short story, "Uncle Ernest."
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