Magdela would have preferred the year to be made up of eleven months. August was simply unnecessary—it was too hot to do anything. Unless, of course, a person’s mother ordered him or her to perform a chore in the midst of the heat like Magdela’s had, and then there was no choice but to be active.
And today, there was no cheerful sunshine to accompany the high temperature; the young
Italian didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. While perhaps the sun’s absence meant a few less degrees, the ostensible lifelessness of everything around her was certainly less than uplifting. There was no blue sky above and seemingly no air to breathe. Above her head was a motionless, tyrannical, and humid drabness; the sun only a hope somewhere, a pale thumbprint, a mistake of a splotch. There wasn’t even the slightest hint that the uncomfortable, spongy atmosphere was going to spool itself up into a rain cloud or invigorating thunderstorm. There was not a whisper, not a sigh of wind. It was simply miserable...and she had to be out in it.
Perspiration couldn’t even begin to describe the downpour of sweat covering her body, acting as an adhesive between her skin and her brother’s polyester soccer shirt. As Magdela walked hurriedly down the long expanse of sidewalk, which was cracked and overtaken by weeds in places, she kept her eyes cast downward, so as not to draw the attention of anyone inside the swarm of passing cars. A few had honked their horns or shouted vulgarities from their windows, but most were too busy concentrating on getting to the beach before they roasted in their tiny European cars.
She looked up just a little to see how far she had yet to go, but as she did, Magdela caught the eye of a small group of boys a few m...
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...d one hand over the back of her thigh, hoping to alleviate some of the burning, while she examined the elbow of her other arm.
She reached toward her left foot and found that the straps of her thong sandal had broken, rendering it unusable, not a good thing when the pavement was steaming.
Once her crying settled to soft sniffles and sodden eyelashes, she inhaled deeply to stifle the sobs that threatened to crawl up her throat again. She had another good ten minutes of walking to get to the open-air market, her destination, and now she had no money and one less shoe. Unfortunately, going home empty-handed just wasn’t an option. Maybe the merchants would take pity on a young girl covered in sweat and blood, out of breath, and with eyes red from crying, and perhaps give her something to take home.
If nothing else, Magdela certainly wasn’t too proud to beg.
She thought about her family, and the neighbors, and the town, and the dogs next door, and everyone and everything she has ever met or seen. As she began to cry harder, she looked out the window at the stores and buildings drifting past, becoming intoxicated suddenly with the view before her. She noticed a young woman at the bus stop, juggling her children on one side of her, shielding them from the bus fumes.
For this activity I chose to read the book “The Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Pea. The story is about a boy (CJ) and his grandmother (Nana) taking their daily Sunday bus trip across town. However, this Sunday CJ seems to be noticing the differences between himself and others on the bus. On the bus ride, CJ’s Grandmother shows him how to respectfully interact with different races of people. His grandmother also shows him to see and respect the beauty in the low-income neighborhood that they are in.
Unless you are a wealthy Italian, you live a much humbler lifestyle. A lot of Italians homes are meager, and the material goods Americans want and vie for, aren’t as important to them. I realized how fortunate I was for all the belongings I took for granted. Some Italians would view the home I grew up in as a mansion compared to their own. They seemed so much happier and it was humbling to see them content by having a lot
Last but not least, the Italian-American’s contributed greatly to America’s past and left quite an imprint on our ‘melting pot’ culture. The Italian-Americans came to America following a dream; whether it be temporarily ‘escaping’ South Italy or a lifelong aspirations toward music. There perseverance and bravery left an impact stronger than words can express which assisted our future successes. Slowly yet steadily, Italians rose up the social ladder, opening up like a blossoming flower to their fellow Americans. Establishing their roots, then blossoming into a beautiful flower, revealing all beyond everyone’s expectations. Today, Italians have surpassed all the other ethnic groups in average job income and job prestigious, a true example of hard work paying off. As for, “Chi la dura la vince,”-He who perseveres wins at last...
The rain cried as if the heavens had torn apart and came down to Earth to show its sorrow, beating a gentle yet violent tattoo on the roof. The cool breeze blew fiercely through the shelter sending a shiver down Liesel’s spine, awakening her from her slumber. She peered through the rotten sheet of linen that barely covered her shrivelled, thin body as the sound of little feet and nibbling rustled through her ears. Not of the children, but of mice, eating their way through her pillow; an empty potato bag. She heaved herself up, and staggered off the cement floor, wondering if it was wet or stone cold. Her head spun as she stood for a minute leaning against the mouldy walls to get her orientation back.
Food is an important topic around Wesleyan campus. Many students question whether the food fresh, what type of chemicals are on our vegetables, and, why is there not a variety of food available in the cafeteria? Also students want more healthy choices to choose from instead of choosing oily, fatty foods. My question is how can Wesleyan and Aramark fix this dilemma? While looking for ways to help please the students, I found that there are things we can do to accommodate the food situation. Catherine Kryjack, a first year student with a serious food allergy helped me gain an understanding of the needs and request regarding Wesleyan’s Cafeteria, while Christopher Crossing, a chef in Wesleyans cafeteria assisted with the search for common ground. Malae Fiaseu, another first year student stated her issues with the cafeteria food, she believes the cafeteria needs more fruits and less oily meals. Wesleyan Colleges’ cafeteria needs more variety of foods and beverages to accommodate the needs and desires of students.
When it’s hot, the pedestrians are eager to go back to their air conditioned homes. When it’s cold, they bustle by just to grab a coffee. If it’s raining, they hurry home to stay dry. Anne, however, is subject to whatever the world brings her way. Hot, cold, or raining, Anne watches the mirage of people pass by.
As a health care professional it is our position statement that obesity should be considered as a disease. Overweight and obese adults are considered at risk for developing diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, and certain type of cancers. An average of 300,000 deaths is associated with obesity and the total economic cost of obesity in U.S. was about $ 117 billion in 2000. As health care professionals it is our responsibility to increase public awareness of health consequences of over weight and obesity. Obesity as a disease: Obesity fits all the definitions of ‘disease’, that is, interruption in bodily function.
...s a medical condition that can be cured, unlike more serious health issues such as cancer. If individuals would take a chance and change a lifestyle that has become prevalent in today’s society, disability checks for the morbid obese would be a thing of the past, if only everyone would try to maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise.
When I noticed that two of the plays this season had settings in Verona, I decided to find out a thing or two about the place. Reading the section on "climate" in Harold Rose's rather chatty book Your Guide to Northern Italy, I noted that "Italy is very hot in summer" and that Rose recommends that the smart traveler should "avoid August if you can" because it is the "hottest month." Checking another book, I discovered that Rose, in a typically English way, was understating the severity of the summer weather rather considerably. The second book pointed out that there are times when Scirocco winds "sweep Saharan conditions northward"; winds which, by the time they reach Italy, bring "humid, stifling weather" with temperatures commonly topping the 100 degree mark.
Moreover, the controversy over cafeteria food is whether or not it is healthy for all students from elementary schools to colleges. Numerous factors lead to unhealthy eating in schools and on campuses. Sometimes options with better nutrition are offered, but when there are, they tend to be less appealing than the unhealthy foods which turns to obesity. Many schools are undergoing budget cuts and changes, and healthy food tends to take a back burner when deciding where the limited amounts of money should go (Gupta). Unfortunately, when schools do have healthy ingredients, the food is usually prep...
The question as to what dictates the relationships and conflicts between the different political parties in Thailand is an intriguing one. While some may believe that the underlying influence is ambition, there is more substance to the argument that it is in fact political principles, personal loyalty, family alliance and, most importantly, political paranoia, which dictate Thai politics. The paranoia arises from a mutual distrust and fear that a fellow Thai member of the resistance may have some hidden agenda that is incompatible and in conflict with their own. This sense of paranoia is apparent in both the way in which Pramoj was hesitant to accept Kunjara and the way the American Free Thais and pro-constitution NLM were suspicious of the Prince Subha-Svasti-led FSM and their potential motive to return Thailand to an absolute monarchy system. At a glance, Prince Subha Svasti as a natural leader for the Free Siamese movement and one that facilitated the emergence of the movement in the UK. A true patriot, he was quick to oppose the Japanese when they invaded Thailand and attacked th...
...ints of hunger. For the kids who need additional calories, schools are starting to create after-school snack and supper programs. Students are also encouraged to try the new menu items in hopes of getting them away from the old favorites served in the past, which may have less to do with taste and more to do with familiarity. Food service staff can attend trainings to learn how to season food without salt, how to lower the fat content in meals, and teachers, parents, and others involved with students can model healthy eating. To help encourage this program among children, schools can involve students in menu planning and conduct taste tests to figure out student preferences and expose students to new foods. These options will encourage students to eat the healthy lunches, thereby helping to reduce plate waste and benefitting the children eating these healthy meals.
It took ten years for Mathilde and her husband to pay off the debt of buying a new necklace. Those ten years were not spent with the luxuries she experienced so many years ago at the party, nor were they filled with the simple things she once owned and despised. She came to know “the horrible existence of the needy. She bore her part, however, with sudden heroism.” When passing her rich friend again in the street, she was barely recognizable. Who she was the day she ran into her friend was not who she was the night she wore that necklace.