Cover Letter

August 30, 2013

Dear Bloggers,

What's inside my blog? Well, I try to bring inspiration. Each day, we learn, grow and develop to be the person God wants us to be. We strive to survive this world and everyday we have a chance to discover new wonders. That's is why my blog is quite "random" because you'll never know what life may bring you.

"1 Timothy 4 :12" is the name of my blog because I believe that even though I am only 17 years old, I could share my experiences and make a difference. That we are not too young to make change in this world and that we are capable of making the world a better place! As simple as smiling to another person or doing your assignments gives a big "difference" to the world. Why? because we tell them that teenagers (we) are not what they think we are. We show them that we are capable too.

I hope you'll enjoy my blog. I am still learning to write well so please bare, if there are any, my mistakes.

I just want to express my feelings and share my discoveries here so I hope you'll learn something and enjoy!

God bless.

Love,
Maxine Chua. A56A

Reflective Essay

          Writing is a skill that I am sure everyone has. The only difference that one might have with the other is the ability to write well. Their ideas, perspective, and imagination are unique but, one must always have coherence, clarity and completeness in writing. That is what I lack. At time I want to "write" and share my stories and imaginations but, I have weak grammar skills and at times I cannot easily express what I want to say. That is why ENGLCOM helped me a lot. Not only in writing but, in knowing myself as well.

          The most popular misconception on academic reading and writing is probably, you can never get anything when you read. Even though I might not look like it, i love books. I read books every time I have the opportunity to and that was my mistake. I never really understood that reading should be a daily basis until recently. I learned that reading should be constant so that everyday you could have the opportunity to improve your grammar, your comprehension and even your imagination-which are needed a lot in writing. Reading helped me a lot in making my blog entries. My blog entries are usually reflections about what is happening to the world and some say a bit inspirational, the thing is that I could never have written them without enough "knowledge" about them. You can never write if you have not yet read.

          Another difficulty that ENGLCOM helped me with is my ability to prove my stand. Like what I said a while ago, clarity and precision is my major problem in writing. I cannot easily express myself that is why I had a hard time in my essays, especially the argumentative essays. Yes, you might say that we have sources to refer to but, to be honest, i rely on my own stock "knowledge". For me, it is difficult to write about something you do not know about. Of course, I still consult sources but, sharing what I know is hard because I do not know how to put my words to it! This might sound ironic but, i was able to overcome my weakness through overcoming my weakness. I faced my "fears" and hanged on tight with the little ability that I have and accepted criticisms and correction. I was able to make my argumentative essay on time and I am thankful that I only got a few corrections. Same goes with my entry and exit essays. Somehow I saw the change in the style and coherence of my writing. I developed proper transition and i could say that I improved in my clarity in expressing myself. I think the factor that helped me improved my skills is the fact that I try to write everyday. The school blog really helped me express my ideas as well as improve my writing skills. The school blog encourage me in making a personal blog as well. Everyday, I make it a point to write an entry and I really know that it helped me a lot.

          I really learned a lot in ENGLCOM. It showed my capabilities as well as my weakness. The capabilities improved and my weaknesses, I overcome. The blog entries helped me a lot in knowing and expressing myself. The essays enriched my past knowledge and helped me know more about the world. Truly, writing became part of our lives this term and I am thankful that I was able to experience this subject. I am blessed to be able to study in a good university and I know I would not improve if I am not here.

Maxine Chua. A56A

Entry Essay : Wasted Potential

"Wasted Potential"

          "Social Issues", the Philippines has plenty of them. Corruption, poverty, high crime rates and even certain "shobiz issues" are considered one. A social issue that never gets off my mind though is the lack of education. Every time I was asked to write about a social issue, I write about the lack of education in my country. I believe that all the other social issues can be solved through education. Education can help the Philippines. That with proper education there could be a big difference in our country today.

          "Teach to Reach" is an activity brought by our school's SASS or Social Action Students Staff. This project aims to make us aware of the current condition of the lack of education in our country and for a day, the students get to experience being a teacher. I was able to teach a 7 year old girl named Janella who was very bright with a lot of capabilities and passion to learn how to read and write. My eyes were opened to reality that day. I saw how a brilliant girl would end up to nothing. How her potential will be put to waste without proper nurturing. A gem that could not be found if forgotten. Education tells us our potentials and capabilities! This girl has has a lot of gifts but, I am afraid she might not know them.

          The lack of education is an issue probably more than half of our population is experiencing! The government should provide more opportunities for the Filipinos. They should provide more teachers and classrooms that are suited for a proper education. The government should realize that if they want to solve majority of our country's problems, education is the key. The problem is, the government doesn't even care if the Filipinos lack education. It's not even the first issue in our country's budget list. What's more, some government officials take advantage of these uneducated Filipinos. They don't deserve this treatment. The Filipinos have the right to be aware and educated! If this issue would not be put to an end, what's going to happen in our country? 

          With proper education, we are able to create a vision- a dream. A vision that could make the Philippines a better place. An idea of innovation and a motivation to have a better country. Possibly a chance to end the lack of education in our country! Education is a vital part of ones life. It's the key to knowledge and to ones success.

           Being able to study in a good school is a blessing from God. Truly, we should really work hard and do well in our studies since not all people are privileged to study in a good school. I may only be seventeen but, I am trying my best to make the people aware of this social issue. I am hoping that someday I would be able to participate with an organization/ project for these Filipinos. I believe that everyone has a potential and discovering them is good but, making the world know that you have that potential- is the best!

Perks of being a Bilingual.

Perks of being a Bilingual.

Bilingualism, the ability to speak in two dialects, has been an interesting topic to scientists- particularly neurologists, psychologists and education specialists. Even reporters, teachers and some of the ordinary people count bilingualism as an "issue", something to be debated about. Moreover, most of the professional know that there is something special and unique about being bilingual.

Jeffrey Kluger, a TIME magazine reporter once said, "Never mind how well spoken you might be now, you will never again be as adept (skilled) with languages as the day you were born". Indeed, the youngest person in every room is almost always the best linguist among everyone else. However, linguistic ability fades fast as the child reaches nine months old. Some of our synapses start getting pruned away, therefore, decreasing our bilingual ability. Thankfully, most of the schools in the world did not forget the advantage of being bilingual or even multilingual. Although most of these schools provide the opportunity to study a second language, sometimes parents disagree. The reason of these parents is because bilingualism will deteriorate one’s identity, culture and language. But the truth is, it would help express one's self, improve one's cognitive ability and bring better job opportunities for their children in the future.

A bilingual person is someone who speaks two languages. A person who speaks more than two languages is called 'multilingual' (although the term 'bilingualism' can be used for both situations) (Borsch, 2000). People tend to look at bilingualism as a threat to one's identity, culture and native tongue. Many countries are paranoid about losing their language and individuality. Take for example, America. America is afraid of losing their English language after the arrival of Spanish, French, and other foreign languages in their country. Advertisements, which are widely available to the people, start to have publications in Spanish and in other dialects (Drefius, 2009). Are these Spanish advertisements wrong? Not at all. In fact, America should not be paranoid about anything. English is a universal language and is present in almost every country so, there is no need for America to be worried. Even other counties do not have to worry about losing their native tongue. Actually, today, no country is still monolingual. We should realize that we are living in a competitive generation- striving hard to always have foreign relations that would benefit the country and oneself. But how about the cuture and identity? One’s losing-of his identity, culture and language is not because of bilingualism. In fact, bilingualism would benefit one's country since one has the ability to converse in two languages, thus, giving a person the opportunity to share his or her culture and language to other nationalities.

The second perk of being a bilingual is the ability to easily express one’s self. "Express yourself". We often hear this phase ringing in our minds when we are caught up with insecurity and timidity. It is a phrase that we all know and we all find comfort in. We all need to freely express our desires and feelings. It is then vital to one's life, because without it we could never live fully. We would not be able to tell other about how we feel, what we believe in and stand for. Being bilingual would help a person express his ideas and feelings more because each language has a certain unique word that could not be translated into other languages. Take the "po" and "opo" expressions of the Filipinos. Can you think of any English, French or any other language that has the same meaning as "po" and "opo" regardless of the intonation you give? None. There is no way to be as polite as the way Filipinos speak. Another is the word "bayanihan". Even the universal language, English, could not translate "bayanihan" for us. "Bayanihan" has its own essence and meaning that only those who know Filipino could understand it. Knowing a second, third or even fourth language helps us express ourselves more because certain words could only be expressed through a particular language.

For many years, scientists-particularly neurologists and psychologists have been researching about bilingualism. Studies showed that bilinguals have a nimbler and quicker brain and could even resists Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. These professionals believe that bilingualism would help improve and develop one's cognitive ability. Ellen Bialystok is one of the cognitive neuroscientists who have spent almost 40 years learning about how bilingualism sharpens the mind. Her good news: Among other benefits, the regular use of two languages appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Through her studies, she was able to find that bilinguals have multitasking abilities and integrated cognitive abilities. Even at a young age, the ability to concentrate and comprehend is higher than those who are monolingual . Bilingualism is an interesting topic to scientists but, it may be an issue to other people (Kluger, 2009). In an interview Bialystok was asked, "Bilingualism used to be considered a negative thing- at least in the United States? Is it still?". Bialystok answered "Until about the 1960s, the conventional wisdom was that bilingualism was a disadvantage. Some of this was xenophobia. Thanks to science, we now know that the opposite is true." (Bialystok, 2004)

Lastly, bilingualism would open up doors of opportunity because bilinguals have the advantage and edge to enter a globally competitive world. Again, our generation today is different from the past generations. You have to learn how to use a Mac, iPod and other electronic gardgets in order to "survive" this technology advanced world. But aside from learning to be "techy" (a person who is advanced with technology), being bilingual is also important. Emergence of different foreign companies, the increasing number of OFWs abroad and the fast globalization of our world are just some of the reasons why being bilingual could give us "the" opportunity! Whether companies are conducting business overseas or trying to grab a larger market share at home, employers are increasingly seeking out bilingual workers, or people with the ability to speak and communicate in more than one language. In fact, a recent keyword search by Career Builder, turned up more than 6,000 job postings seeking bilingual applicants. Thirty-one percent of executives speak two languages, according to a poll of 12,562 visitors to the Korn/Ferry International Web site. An additional 20 percent speak three languages, 9 percent speak four languages and 4 percent speak more than four. Bilingual people have the advantage to accelerate in executive positions ones they are working.

Being bilingual would help a person express one's self, improve one's cognitive ability and bring benefits to one's future. Some words can only be expressed using a certain dialect, and there are some phrases that increase the essential meaning of a word. Like, "po" and " opo" which shows respect to the person you are talking to. Bilinguals also have the advantage of resisting Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Lastly, being able to converse with two dialects would help a person find a better job in the future- with high positions right away. We may not notice it, but we already live in a bilingual world. Face it, one will never survive this world without even knowing how to speak a few English words. Try studying a language now before it is too late. Learn, grow and achieve your goals. Be a bilingual.

Borsh, Laura.. "Why it pays to be bilingual". (Jan, 26, 2009). Retrieved August 8, 2013, from

     Jobs Website, http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/01/26/why-it-pays-to-be-bilingual

Drefius, Claudia."Bilingual Advantage".( May 31, 2009). Retrieved August 8, 2013, from

     New York Times Website http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conversation.html?_

"Life as a bilingual". (n.d.) Retrieved August 8, 2013, from 

      Psychology Today Website, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual

Maxine Chua. A56A

Never Give Up.

          “Never Give Up”. A phrase that I am sure everyone knows. Three simple words that gives us motivation (strength) and could even change our lives for the better. That was the advice given to me by Lee Juhan, A Korean musician, when I had the opportunity to ask him about his advice to aspiring musicians. Truly, we have to hang on and wait for the breakthrough of our lives because that is what “never giving up” means. 

         We all have dreams and we all want to accomplish them. I mean, who does not? But at times, we concentrate too much on our weaknesses or our limits and we feel like giving up. My dad never really wanted me to be too inclined with music. Before, when I was in High School, I asked him “Dad, what if I take Music for college?”. “I think you better make that as your sideline instead”, he replied. From then on, I never again thought of music as a “career option”. Until when I had the opportunity to ask Lee Juhan about it through Arirang Radio. To give you a bit of a background, Lee Juhan is a jazz-musician and leader of a Korean Jazz band, Winter Play. He plays the trumpet and is specially trained in the genre Jazz. I asked him “What is your advice to aspiring musicians? Especially to those who’s parents disagree?”. This was the most “serious” question out of all the other given ones during the broadcast. “Maxine!” he says, You know what, my parents... never really supported me in music completely. But, I just went on. I majored in Mechanical Engineering but, I still played music. My advice is... Music? The work of art which you're in Sam (the DJ) and which you know He-Won’s in is no easy job. And even if you hit the stardom it’s never easy. There’s low times and high times. So my advice is just simply...Don’t give up! You can’t give up.” “There’s no one way of accomplishing. There’s no one solution. The only one solution that I know is don’t give up! Don’t give up! What is my point in writing this essay? It’s because I know as first year college students, we are still finding ourselves and discovering our purpose of living! I want music but, at times I think I don’t really “have” enough capabilities like the other aspiring musicians or musicians themselves. But, again... what will I lose if I try? What if we “never give up” on our dreams and passion. Just like what Lee Juhan said to me, the only solution I know... is to never give up.

           In accomplishing something, we always experience bumps on the way. But, let us be strong and courageous admits the obstacles we face. If you want to be a professional football player, dedicate an hour or two for practice. If you want to be a doctor, start reading books and increase your knowledge of your dream field. If you want to be a musician... work hard, practice and never lose your passion to it. Whatever your dream is... Never Give Up. I know I won’t on mine. 

Maxine Chua. A56A

Exit Essay: We Need Education.

         Everybody knows that poverty is present in the Philippines. Almost everyone agrees as well that corruption is the main reason poverty exists. Well, is it? For me, corruption is just one of the many social issues that cause poverty. From a number of social issues, I believe that the lack of education is the main reason for poverty. Education would help the Philippines progress because it would help the Filipinos discover their capabilities, become more aware of their country and would help them know their purpose in their country.

          The first people who taught us the things that we know now are our family members. They taught us the alphabet and even a bit of math when we were little. But, out of all of these basics, the school is the one that provides all the intellectual knowledge that we have to learn. One of the great things about going to school is their desire for their students to know more about their capabilities. In school, we have about seven to eight subjects per day. We discover our weaknesses and capabilities through the tests and challenges we face in these subjects. For a math genius, he could be a professor one day or even an accountant. For someone good in art class, he could be a painter or even a fashion designer. The school provides us the opportunity to learn and discover our talents and skills. It helps us discover our capabilities with no limitations and distractions. Limitations and distractions such as some parents who force their children to do something they do not want to do and be someone who they do not want to be.

           Education would also help us become more aware of the situation of our country. As citizens of the Philippines, we have the right to know and learn about the happenings in our country. But how can we learn if we cannot read, write or even understand the circumstances that our country is facing? Let us take the elections as an example. Majority of our population are, sadly, uneducated. What do most of our politicians do about our Filipinos being uneducated?. They take advantage. Politicians take the opportunity to bribe, lie and cheat to these Filipinos because they know that all these poor Filipinos want is money-not proper leaders. These politicians know that they will all fall for money and so they use that as their tool for a sure win in the elections. We need education for these Filipinos because , again, we have the right to learn and we should not be taken advantage of. We all deserve to be educated not cheated.

          Lastly, education would help us know our purpose for our country. When we realize what we are good at and when we already understood our country's situation, that is where our purpose falls in. Knowing our purpose for our country is important because it helps us live and it gives us the chance to make a change in the world. Take our Filipino artists as an example. A lot of our Filipino artists, particularly our painters, create a beautiful picture of our country's culture and even a scenario in our country through their arts. They paint jeeps, which is one of our famous transportations, Sampaguita vendors, who depicts the poverty in our country which should give awareness to people, and a lot more. These paintings then travel around the world displayed in various exhibits and appreciated by many. You see, even though these things may seem so little, they bring our culture and identity as Filipinos throughout the world. These paintings tell how we Filipinos feel and it helps other people become aware of the things that we do not usually take as "important". Education would help us express our desires and it would help us discover our purpose for this world. Painting is just one of the talents that one might have, others might think it is small but, it actually brings a lot of light and change to the world.

          Education is the key to poverty. Knowing our capabilities, discovering our weaknesses and strengths, awareness of our country's circumstance and knowing our purpose in this country are some of the many things that education could bring. Even though our government does not prioritize education, I am glad that there are Non-government organizations (NGOs) who raise awareness about the lack of education in the Philippines. I am really grateful that I am given the opportunity to study in a good college. I know that we are all blessed to be a blessing to other people. I want the world to know that we have amazing gifts and talents waiting to be discovered. I want everyone to have the opportunity to shine their light. Let us make a difference and help others discover their capabilities. We would not want them to be put to waste don't we?

Game Boy.

GAME BOY

          As we can see, children or kids of our generation today are very fond of playing games. Online games and high-tech gadgets, such as PSP, Wii and DS; are one of the most common things kids use to play games. When asked, most of them spend hours on these things. The sad part here is that kids spend so much time in playing these games that they have no time for their family, siblings, and even school work. Surprisingly, some parents allow it. These games are so addicting that they have no idea how much time they have spent there. Other games give bad influences such as fighting, killing, shooting and so much more. It’s really important to be aware of these things and tell your brother or other family members who are addicted to these games to limit or stop. As for me, I always tell my brother to spend little less time for his video game usage because he might end up from a boy to a crazy game boy.

Oh My "Mamma Mia"

Oh My "맘마미아"

        Korean Broadcasting System, more known as KBS World, has released a new variety show called "Happy Sunday- Mamma Mia". It centers on the relationship of the celebrities and their mothers, revealing childhood secrets and getting to know more about each other. It has truly captured the hearts of many audiences and has been a hit since it aired last April, 2013. 

        I just recently discovered this show and I can say that it's a very unique and heart-warming program. It not only makes the audience laugh but, it gives a realization that mother's are truly a gift to us. Our moms are the ones who really brought us up to be who we are right now and we should be thankful of that. Mothers truly sacrificed a lot of their time and effort just to enrich and help up grow up in a proper way. I am really happy that a program like this was made because it gives our mothers the "spotlight". It's not about the dazzling dance performances, amazing singing voices or the celebrities this time but,  the love and affection of a mother.

        I personally admire the people of Korean Broadcasting System, KBS World, they never fail to create a program that entertains us at the same time exposes us to reality. They always hit two birds with one stone! "Happy Sunday-Mamma Mia", is one of these shows and I really recommend you to watch one. You will not only have fun but also realized that your truly blessed with a mother.  It's always been about us, now it's time for our mothers to shine. 

Dream High

DREAM HIGH

          We all have dreams regardless of how big they are. It can be as simple as being the class president in grade school or as significant as being your university's suma cum laude and in becoming a successful businessman in the future.  We can never escape the fact everyone has a goal and that there is something that “moves” us- that drives us out of our comfort zones and releases the inner courage in us. The existence of dreams is a very vital part of our lives. Dreams inspire, motivate and bring out our purpose in life.

          When we say something is inspirational it means something is giving us happiness regardless of the difficulties we face. A good attitude towards defeat and an unbreakable determination to achieve something. Dreams as inspiration gives us a new point of view in life. It makes us see the goodness of things and it changes our negative attitudes into positive ones. Let us take for example our belief about problems. Problems are a  part of our lives and we cannot do anything about it. We often see problems as adversities and simply something that ruins everything. An inspired dreamer on the other hand would look at adversities as blessings. He or she believes that life is full of trouble and the only thing that would change is our attitude towards it. With every problem comes a solution and with every struggle comes a step closer to our success. The fact that we need to learn and improve each day and that we will experience hardships and trials along the way to our goals help us understand that we need failure in order to achieve. Similar to riding a rollercoaster, life involves ups and downs, in the end you will always enjoy the ride. Our  dreams brightens up our day and it reminds us to live our lives well because there is always something good going to happen. That each day is a step closer in reaching our dreams. 

           Dreams inspire us to live life to it's fullest and then it motivates us and helps us have a "go go" attitude. Regardless the falls we experience in life's journey, our dreams give us the strength to go back up again and continue our journey towards our goal. It gives us light when everything else seems so dark.  It gives us hope when we think nothing is out there for us. When we have a dream, we would do anything just to make that dream happen and that is where courage comes in. Courage is present in every dreamer because without it we can never have the guts to get out of our comfort zones and pursue our goals. Ever since I started playing the guitar, I had a dream of becoming a worship leader. Every time I hear Hillsongs or just the worship team in  our church, I become more inspired in becoming like them. This year I took the courage to sign up my name in our church's music team. At first I was hesitant because I don't have enough confidence in my skills but, then my mom told me "You have to believe in yourself! Take courage and you'll achieve your dream. Remember there is no easy way out on things... You have to strive to become better and you have to try to know yourself". Courage, it is not the absence of fear, but rather it is not letting your fear control you. There are times that we feel weak and lacking.  We always face difficulties and problems through out our lives and at times people bring us down and belittle us. But, take courage and do not fear. With a vision and a dream nothing can stop us because we have a something to live for. We have an unending motivation and an unbreakable desire in pursuing our dreams. Remember that when you do not take that first step, you would always stay in the same spot.

          Lastly, our dreams are our purpose-givers. Our dreams keep us going and give us reason why we need to live. They tell us who we are and what we are here for because they lead us to our destiny. Just like why everything else has a reason, our dreams have meaning. God gives us such visions for us to follow so that we would not go the wrong way. Let us take for example mother Delia Tetreault. When she was young she had a dream to help children. She believes that each child has his or her own capabilities, that they are gifted and talented. When she was older, she then built a school, that we all know now as Immaculate Conception Academy. If she did not  have that vision, she would not know her purpose. If she did not have that dream of helping children, she would not be able to build a school for them. When you do not have a dream, what would you live for then? Imagine each day you're wondering what would you do in the future-  what do you want to be and who would you want to be?  Life is not complete without our dreams. Dreams lead the way in achieving our purpose and destiny.

          Dreams inspire us, motivate us and brings out our purpose in life. It is true that without courage we can never take the first vital step in reaching our dreams. Without passion and inspiration we can never see things differently admits the adversities present. Without purpose we would not know who we are and what we are here for, because there is no reason for living. Everyone has dreams no matter how big or small. Believe that you can achieve your goals. People may bring you down at times, but do not listen to them. At times you doubt your capabilities, but always remember you grow each day. Life may seem rough but, hang on tight to your dreams. Just like the famous quote from Walt Disney, "All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them". Learn to take risks and see where your brave heart can take you. Dream High.

Chua, Patricia Maxine O.  //   A56A

Beauty Lies.

 

Take a minute and watch the Dove Commercial .

          Why do most of us girls tend to cover our faces when a camera suddenly pops out? It’s like when we have no make-up, we have no confidence. What have we done wrong to be so afraid? Is there something wrong with our faces to be so shy? What I am experiencing and I concluded is that most of us are insecure. We are insecure because we are not the girls of media.

        Our generation today portrays the ideal lady as a woman who is sexy and pretty- those who had a nose job! Media wants women to wear short skirts, high heels and a plunging v-neck shirt. I am not saying that their is something wrong in being sexy, what I am saying is that media has a new definition of “sexy”. Sexy for media is girls who wear almost nothing, who are skinny as a stick and those who party all night long. Pretty on the other hand should be someone who is “attractive in a delicate way”, as Google Dictionary defines it. She should be gentle, calm and lady-like. Media ‘s “pretty” is totally different! Media says that to be “pretty” you should look like Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Beyonce and other “stars”. Media somehow teaches us to be “uncontented” of who we are and what we look like. That we shouldn't have our own style and we should follow theirs. I actually am a victim of media and insecurity – I always wanted to look like the famous Korean girl group “Girls Generation”. For me, they were the perfect symbol of beauty! I always wanted to be as skinny as them ( because I am gifted with fats) , tall as them ( because I am short) and as pretty as them (because I wasn't contented with what He gave me). I was desperate to be like my idols and I wanted to copy them so badly. I thought when I became thin and when I had the right hair and the proper looks, I would be confident. The truth is, I ended up losing and I felt untrue to myself. Has that ever happened to you? Do you know how it feels to be insecure? It is very depressing and sad to not be who you wanted to be! But, I realized that it’s more stressful to not be who you are.

I learned that confidence is actually being comfortable- having your own style. It's about being proud of you who are. 

"For you created my inmost being;
     you knit me together in  my mother's womb/
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful.
      I know that full well."

          Says, David in Psalms 139: 13-14. Our beloved Father, knows what is best for us, that includes our looks! “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” From beginning, He already had a vision and a unique design of who should we be and what should each of us look like. We are created perfect and we are special! “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” You see, we are made in his image and likeness- His beauty and His grace! I bet we all know this verse and we always fail to remind ourselves of it! We know that God says “We are beautiful” but it gets blocked by media’s “You are not”. We know that we are special and unique in our own way but it gets buried down in our hearts because media says “ You have to be like her” and “You have to dress like her”.  Being human, it is really hard to always think of what God thinks of us. We are sinful beings- uncontented. We are also exposed to media and so it is very easy to believe and side with it. But, we can never escape the fact that we have a choice! That we can be different- in a good way. So then, what do you choose? Be dead in the false reality of what beauty is and what girls should be like? Or would you chose to be alive in Him and believe that you are perfect in your own way? Being beautiful isn't based on what you wear and what other say about you, it is based on your heart.  Don’t believe the lies and Photoshop!  You are beautiful just the way He created you and you are perfect just the way you are.

"Charm is deceptive , and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" -Proverbs 31:30

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF BEAUTIFUL.

Maxine Chua. A56A

Korean Wave hits Teenagers.

       

         I am sure everyone has heard a K-POP song. May it be Girls Generations “Gee” ,  2NE1’s “I Don’t Care”  or the more popular Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry”.  K-POP is now spreading all over the world. Korea is definitely happy about this because  It gives their country fame and it boosts their economy since a lot of tourists wants to see their favorite K-POP Idol Groups.  K-POP  also influenced a lot of people, particularly teenagers. Sadly, K-POP became our life, our dream and our identity.

        “Life without music is wrong”, a popular quote that almost everyone believes. Music has become a part of our lives but for others it is their life. I am not referring to musicians who make music their “life”- that is understood, what I am referring to though is that some K-POP addicts make K-POP/ K-POP artists their lives. I heard from a Korean news broadcast that students in Korea skip school just to follow and stalk their favorite Korean Idol Group. They would spend all their allowances for taxi fairs just to follow that singer’s car. Weird? There is more. At times these students also sleep in the singer’s condominium parking entrance just to wait for the arrival of their king. They even barge in the singer’s unit! K-POP has become the lives of these students. They quite studying just to try and meet up with their idols which they don’t really meet at all! Strange, but true.

        A lot of news articles, particularly in Korea, also shows how students are desperate in going in the K-POP industry. They want to be famous admits the fact that Korean singer are mistreated and are paid low.  In Korea, aspiring singers are trained in a minimum of 1 year, depending on how “good” you are, and a maximum of 7 years just to be a K-POP star. They experience rigorous training and at times lack rest because of dance practices and because of the pressure from their perfectionist trainers. Regardless of this issue, people still want to be K-POP stars. They want fame more that anything! That becoming a K-POP star is a dream come true. A fantasy into a reality.  Statistics even show that Korean parents would prefer their child to be a superstar s rather than to be in a professional career. K-POP has truly become their goal in life.

Some statements from DBSK, a K-POP Idol group who sued their agency, SM Entertainment because of maltreatment and abuse.

“We are exhausted both physically and mentally from the intensive schedules both planned and initiated one-sidedly by our agency for the last 5 years since we debuted.” 

“Except for 1 week in an entire year, we ran schedules that allowed us to get only 3-4 hours of sleep per day.”
“A 13 year contract, in reality, meant a life-long contract. Including the time we would need to complete our military service, this contract would lengthen to over 15 years. This meant that there were still almost 10 years left in our contracts. Realistically, this meant that we would be bound until we retired from the Entertainment Industry."

        Lastly, K-POP has become our identity. The powerful influence of K-POP changed who we are. We love K-POP so much that we want people to know and see that we are K-POP lovers. We align are beliefs to what these artists believe in, we even adopted their weird hair colors and style. We no longer have our own identity. There is no originality! We want everything to be “K-POPped” and we want to be “Koreans”. There is actually nothing wrong with changing your hair color to red  because your K-POP Idol Star’s hair is red or with wearing shorts over pants and adopting the style of these K-POP Idols. The bad part is when we lose who we are and what we are here for because of K-POP.

        K-POP is a unique genre. You never know what they’ll give next. I like K-POP, but then I chose what I listen to. I can say I also want to go to Korea to learn more about their culture and style. Liking K-POP or Korea isn't wrong. Being controlled and losing your identity because of K-POP and Korea is what’s wrong.

-Maxine Chua. A56A

Not Too Young

         

      Most people see teenagers as people who "live the highlight" of their lives. They portray them as drunks, smokers and drug addicts. Our world today has the generalization that teenagers waste their lives wondering of and experiencing "different" kinds of things. They see us as "useless" beings-they look down on us. The truth is, we are not what they say. A lot of teenagers today are actually touching lives and making a difference. A 15 year old who raised $600 dollars to help fight abortion, a 19 year old who wrote, produced and directed his own film and won the $101,000 grand prize at the San Antonio Independent Christian Festival Film Festival and more. These teenagers have one thing in common- they have faith, willingness and courage. They are rebelling against the low expectations of our world. Because, they believe they are here for more.

        "'Don't say you are young,' the Lord answered. 'If I tell you to go and speak to someone, then go!... I promise to be with you and keep you safe, so don't be afraid'" -Jeremiah 1: 7-8. Teenagers who strive to make the world a better place have one thing in common- faith. They believe that God would guide them and  He would never leave them alone. Of course, we have doubts just like Jeremiah. Jeremiah doubted his capability to preach, he lacked the confidence to speak to crowds because he thought he was too young. But, even though he had doubts he still chose faith. If you think of it, Jeremiah could just ignore God and "live the life" but, he believed that he was meant for more! He had the faith to step out of his fear and he had trust that God would never leave him nor forsake him. Just like Him, teenagers who make a difference have faith. Without faith they wouldn't even take the idea of being the change in this world. 

        Another factor is the willingness to do whatever it takes to reach your goal. Teenagers who rebel against low expectations are willing to get out of their comfort zones regardless of the bumps on the road ahead. Take for example, Zach Hunter. Zach was a shy guy who has a difficulty speaking in front of people. Who would have known that he would be and anti-slavery activist at the age of twelve? He launched "Loose Change to Loosen Chains", a student-led effort to raise awareness and funds to end slavery. What motivated him? His goal. His purpose. He knew that if he let his timidity control him, the people wouldn't be aware of the on going slavery in our world. He was willing to break the walls of his insecurity.

"No", he said firmly " I have to go. If I don't speak up, no one will"  

                                                           - Zach Hunter, Christian Author. Anti-Slavery Activist.

        Lastly, teenagers that fight against the low expectations have the courage. Yes, we all have fears- who doesn't but, the difference is that these teenagers do not let fear control their lives. They don't think negatively rather, they think of the possible outcome that might happen when they followed and obeyed their calling. They trust that God is bigger than their fears. No God, Know fear. Know God, NO FEAR.

"Courage is not the absence of fear rather it is refusing fear to control over your actions"

                                                                - Alex Harris, Author. Owner of  "The Rebelution" blog. 

        This is the reason the blog's name is 1 Timothy 4 :12 which says "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young but, set an example for the believers in speech, in faith, in love, in life and in purity." I want to share my thoughts about the world and I want to let people know that teenagers are not what think they are. That we too can make a difference. I am not perfect but, I am willing to fight and join the "rebelution". I want to be part of this group of teenagers that rebel against the low expectations of the world. I believe we are here for a purpose. WE ARE NOT TOO YOUNG TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

-Maxine Chua. A56A. 

Examples and Stories taken from "Do Hard Things" by Alex and Brett Harris.