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Rita
Jan 28, 2015 15:17:06 GMT 9
Post by Admin on Jan 28, 2015 15:17:06 GMT 9
Please introduce yourself.
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Rita
Feb 3, 2015 3:45:56 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 3, 2015 3:45:56 GMT 9
Hi
I am Rita. I'm 25 years old and I'm from India.
I have been working as a public relations consultant for the last four years in India. We do not have Soka schools or colleges yet in India but I do hope to see them mushrooming here soon. I love reading news and books. One of my all time favorite books is Matilda by Roald Dahl.
I got to know about FILA during an orientation programme of Soka University Japan in India. I felt that I wanted to re-start my education once again.
I'm very excited to meet you all this spring.
See you soon!
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Rita
Feb 6, 2015 3:18:53 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 6, 2015 3:18:53 GMT 9
Hi, Vocabulary: I learned 15 new words this week.
Reading: I have been reading 'I am Malala'. I really want to know her story well. I know she was shot in the head by the Taliban. I am on the chapter where the then dictator of Pakistan, General Musharraf ordered 10,000 army troops into the Swat valley to launch an operation against Fazlullah. The poilce tried to capture him but he managed to escape. I am really looking forward to reading it further and updating you.
Listening: I love watching American sitcoms. Currently, I'm hooked on Hart of Dixie. It is a story of a doctor from New York who found out that her father used to live in Bluebell, Alabama and wanted to know more about him from the people of Bluebell. She hated Bluebell initially, but has now fallen in love with the city and also in love with a guy from the same town. It is the fourth season that is currently being aired and I love to keep myself up to date on my favorite shows.
Writing: As a part of my work, I recently wrote about how Bill Herbert, a famous creative writer from New Castle from UK had come down to India to tour three cities, Pune, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. He hosted a creative writing workshop as a part of his visit. I love how we can convert our thoughts into words. I feel I'm not a good creative writer yet, but I definitely want to improve this skill.
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Rita
Feb 7, 2015 10:20:34 GMT 9
Post by Admin on Feb 7, 2015 10:20:34 GMT 9
Dear Rita, Welcome to the FILA message board and good job posting your first weekly report. Vocabulary: Excellent job learning 15 new words. Please be sure to use them so you don't lose them. Reading: Great book! For those on the board who haven't read this book we highly recommend it. Great choice Rita! Listening: Good! Why do you think people who live in big cities like New York dislike small towns or even states in the South? Is there a similar situation in India? Writing: Yes, we will be working on your writing skills (creative and academic) in FILA. This is a great start on your weekly posts. Please keep up the great work. Please also read your classmates posts and comment on them. Sincerely, Miyagi H
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Rita
Feb 10, 2015 21:37:35 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 10, 2015 21:37:35 GMT 9
Hi Mr. Miyagi,
I have been born and raised in New Delhi. New Delhi is the capital of India thus it has much developed than some of the other cities of India. I do not feel that the people from larger or rather more cosmopolitan cities hate small town people. I think hate is too strong a word. I think we're not able to adjust to that mindset. I think every city in the world has its pros and cons. We must be able to embrace people from various cities and various cultures and background. We'd be able to live much more happily. However, this requires a lot of patience and calm. I'm looking forward to meeting different people from different countries this spring.
Thanks, Rita
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Rita
Feb 10, 2015 21:56:35 GMT 9
Post by rita on Feb 10, 2015 21:56:35 GMT 9
Hi. My weekly report:
Vocabulary: I learned 25 new words this week.
Reading: I finished reading 'I am Malala' this week. I must say, it's an absolutely incredible story. Just makes me believe that if you stand up for the right cause, every fibre in this macrocosm of the universe will make sure that you are able to achieve this. I think the spirit of Malala Yousafzai is so pure and she;s so courageous that even death couldn't defeat her. She is a perfect person to have won the Nobel Peace Prize 2014. I have started reading Soka Education by Daisaku Ikeda now.
Listening: I watched this video of a girl from UK named Aisha Chaudhary. Aisha who is 15 years old, has been battling a life threatening medical condition. She found happiness in the most simplest of things in life. She said having a pet helps you fight your sadness. Their unconditional love is unbelievable. One of her statements is "You live every moment twice, once in your mind and once when you actually live it." And she spoke about how dreams help us get closer to what we want to achieve in life. I just got to know that she passed away on January 24, 2015. I was really sad to hear that.
Writing: I quit my job a month ago as I am in the middle of packing for Japan. Feb 6, 2015 was my last day at work. I had written good bye mails to my seniors, my peers and my clients. It's just so amazing to hear from people around you that your work made a difference to their lives. I am surely going to miss working.
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Rita
Feb 16, 2015 3:53:55 GMT 9
Post by malcolm on Feb 16, 2015 3:53:55 GMT 9
Hi Rita!
This is Malcolm, one of the FILA English teachers.
Twenty-five words, good job! What words are you learning? Try using the new words that you learn each week when you write posts on this board or any time you speak or write in daily life. It may seem strange at first, but it does help you remember them. Maybe you have heard the phrase, "Use it or lose it." Using the words regularly with help you to remember them and keep them in your long-term memory. Then you can say with certainty that you have learned them. What was the most interesting word you studied this week?
What has Malala's story inspired you to do? The speeches in "Soka Education" are quite inspiring as well. What is the most inspirational piece from each speech?
I think that we often forget that the simple things are often very important. We live in a very complex world today filled with many distractions. What simple thing in your life are you thankful for?
Work on your Quick Writes more for next week.
Keep it up!
Malcolm
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Rita
Feb 24, 2015 18:23:36 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 24, 2015 18:23:36 GMT 9
Hi Malcolm,
I try and use my the words that I learn in my daily speech so that I remember these words.
Malala has inspired me to not give up on my goals ever. It is very difficult to stand by what you say or feel in today's day and age. The world is very fragile today and getting swayed is easy. There is a need for good primary and secondary education in my country too. I want to travel across the world, learn new methods of education and bring it back to my country.
I think we easily forget the people around us who matter the met. My family, friends, my grandparents, these are the people who matter the most to me. It gives me immense joy to bring a smile to their face. Their trust in us motivates me to work harder and work towards achieving my goals even further.
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Rita
Feb 24, 2015 19:10:25 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 24, 2015 19:10:25 GMT 9
Hi Mr. Miyagi,
Apologies for not sharing my weekly report last Friday. I am currently travelling and it is difficult to find internet access here. Thus, the delay in the report.
Vocabulary: I learned 25 new words this week. I have been using these words in my speech so that I am able to remember these.
Reading: I have now started reading 'Lean In'. It is a book by Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. Sheryl previously used to work at Google. She talks about her expereince as a woman in the corporate field. Recently I read a chapter in which Sheryl says that, in the corporate world, we often use a clichéd word "ladder". We often say that to be in position of power we need to prove our worth and climb up the corporate ladder. I loved how she defies this terminology and says that it is not about a corporate ladder rather this world is a jungle gym. People don't want to climb up the ladder to see the butt of the person before them. Organisations should now invest into nurturing and nourishing each person's individual talent. Employees work better when they are given enough safe to try and experiment with ideas. This way organisations run more holistically.
Listening: I have been watching a new family show called 'The Fosters'. It is about a same sex couple who adopt two siblings and raise them to provide them a better life. The protagonists Lena and Stef are the moms of the house. Lena is a vice principal at a city school and Stef is a police officer. Stef was married to a man earlier and has a son with him called Brandon. Brandon stays with the moms now. Lena and Stef also bring in two faster children Callie and Jude. Callie and Jude do not know who their parents are and were being tortured by their previous foster parents. Lena found this out at school and chose t bring Callie and Jude home. It is a struggle of five teenagers and their moms to lead a happy life. It is difficult to raise five kids with different needs. The different choices they make, their parents have to keep up with that. I haven't seen a show like this in a png time.
Writing: I could try two quick writes this week as I am currently travelling. I was able to write 200 hundred words for each quick write. I will try and improvise on this further.
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Rita
Feb 28, 2015 1:08:38 GMT 9
Post by Rita on Feb 28, 2015 1:08:38 GMT 9
My weekly report:
Vocabulary: I learned 35 new words this week. I have been using these words in my speech regularly.
Reading: I am still continuing to read Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. This week I read about women who plan babies during their work life. She wrote about how girls inherently think about marriage and having kids. Every woman at some point of time has to make that decision and sometimes going back to work after having a child would mean compromising on the designation or the remuneration. On the contrary, men are supposed to think ahead especially about the finances and have to work harder when they become fathers. Although, this is a cliched approach and she defies it by saying that women can bounce back to work stronger if they plan ahead and be honest about their plan with their employers. It gives a more transparent approach to work.
Listening: This is my favourite. I have been watching a detective show called Monk. They solved a case where a police officer had murdered someone and framed someone else for his crime. I also watched a couple of videos on Voice of America. I liked one video that talked about security of school after the Peshawar attack by the Pakistani Taliban. The journalist spoke to the young students of the school who have a zeal in them to study hard and become responsible citizens. They are not afraid of coming to school even after this gruesome attack. They mentioned that they'd like to become army officers when they grow up and bring justice to their innocent who died in this ghastly attack.
Writing: I wrote three quick writes this week of about 200 words each.
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Rita
Mar 5, 2015 12:03:37 GMT 9
Post by Admin on Mar 5, 2015 12:03:37 GMT 9
Great work Rita.
Miyagi H
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