I visited Monroe elementary school and volunteered. My volunteer work is to tutor and mentor to elementary school students. Since high school, I really would like to tutor and mentor mathematics. By this chance, I was very happy that I could volunteer what I've wanted. I love spending time with children by playing as well as helping them do assignments. That’s why I chose this volunteer work. But, I was worrying a lot because I've been here just for a year and English is not my mother tongue. My English may cause problems communicating with the kids. I was really nervous due to this fact. ‘Can I really help them?’ I can't teach or revise their writing, and other subjects except math. What if they hate me because I am not a native?
I arrived the school, and checked-in. I and some of other volunteers were waiting the students at the cafeteria. I signed up to volunteer for 5th grade students. When we first met, they were very funny. It was my first time to have a chance to talk with American kids. During first 2 hours, I was supposed to help them do their assignments. However, they didn't really ask questions. They were trying to solve their assignments by themselves. And they had gossips! Especially Gavin called King Gavin. He is very funny! I was very bad at memorizing English name. I don't remember even my classmates' names. But I was trying to memorize their name! I wrote their name on my note several times. I can remember Gavin, Riana, Alexia, Kira Actually these might be wrong spell. And they seemed to be interested in me!?! and next 1 hours , I was playing soccer with them as well as helping folding paper into various figures. I think I had a lot of fun. I really want to get along with them! I can not wait volunteering there. In my opinion, this would be a good chance to learn American culture. Today I was very excited! I cannot wait the next volunteer.

2nd volunteer

This was 2nd volunteer at Monroe community elementary school. This was more hard time than the last time. I was working for 5th grade students. We had homework time for the first 2 hours. They were doing their assignment, and when they had some questions, they asked to volunteers. I was trying to answer their questions. Because they are just 5th grade, Questions were not much difficult to answer. For example, they seemed to learn graph. One of students asked me what the title of this graph was. First, I was very embarrassed when he was asking because I didn’t remember instantly. But I knew the answer. I felt relieved and I taught him.
They were usually very gentle. However, they were saying inappropriate words in a classroom. They were not supposed to do that! For instance, they said “what the fuck, bitch and gay� When they said something about these thing, I was very embarrassed and didn't know what to say. I just said "No, you were not supposed to say that.". I had to learn what to say when they say inappropriate words!
Last time, I was trying to remember some students' name working with me, and they called my name! So I thought we were familiar enough each other to remember each others name. I expected them to at least remember my face. Unfortunately they did not! Because I'm going there biweekly, not weekly, it may be hard for them to remember me. I want to be a good friend with them. I really want to be better volunteer to them. After homework time, we were playing soccer. I enjoy playing soccer since high school. So it was pretty much interesting time
I believe I have to make my volunteer time worthy, even though it's tough as a foreigner and I am going to learn something through volunteer. It’s so interesting to volunteer at Monroe.

3rd volunteer
Today, Monroe school invited newspaper sports journalist who had graduated from northwestern university. Impressively he is a Korean like me. The reason why school invited him at Monroe was to make students understand sports journalism by talking with him. Students asked questions about sports journal such as why he decided to be a journalist, what kind of sports he liked to play, and if he had met any famous sports star, something like that questions. They seemed to be interested in sports pretty much, and they looked excited. I noticed big difference between Korean and American elementary students which is that commonly American students are crazy for sports such as baseball, basketball, football, while Korean students are not. American students are enjoying watching games since they were young. In school, one of their assignments is to write a relay broadcast. Sports are their favorite play. Even they are grown, they love sports, you know. When their state baseball team game is held, everyone is going to cheer up. In contrast, Korean kids don’t really like sports as much as Americans. After talking with journalist, we were taken pictures. And then we had elective class. I played sports with them; soccer and baseball. I think they are really good at playing sports. In my opinion it's very good to love sports since they are young. It’s very sound and healthy.
I went to Monroe elementary school 3rd time. I was thinking what volunteer means, because I was thinking what the hell I was doing there. I believe volunteer is to give a hand people who need help, so it's very worthy time. But when I went to Monroe school, I did nothing but just sitting and standing. I don’t think this was volunteering. They seemed not to need any help or assistant from us. Is it helpful for them that I volunteer for them? Have I spent worthy time as a volunteer? If not, I think I don't really need to be there. You know, I don't want to waste my time if there is nothing to learn from volunteer. The problem is the time was worthy to me as well as them, students. To just waste time is not what Ozayr wants. There must be something to learn. So far, I don't think I've found something. I feel it's time to do something.

4th volunteer work at Monroe
03/24/2008
Today I was working for 3rd grade students, not a fifth students. I had worked for only fifth grade students before. When we met first time at cafeteria, they suddenly asked me to say some words like their name. They thought that because I was not a native-speaker, my accent was weird and funny. I just said what they wanted me to pronunciate over and over. I was little bit annoyed at that time, because they were making fun of me. It was OK. It's true that my English sucks! They seemed to be interested in myself, foreigner negatively. We and a teacher went to a classroom. For about 40 minutes, we had a time to complete their assignments. Students were solving some math problems which were something about a area of parallelogram. After that, I and students played a game about multiplication. We solved some problems together. A teacher talked about something. I don't remember exactly. During that time, a student was kicking me over and over. At first, I said just “Why? Stop kicking me, please � but he ignored and kicked me over and over. I was fucking annoyed. I said "stop it seriously, please ", but again he didn't stop. He pissed me off, but I controlled myself, and went away from him. He was kind of trouble-maker and no respect for a volunteer and a teacher. They are too energetic to be controlled? They’re crazy! But also sometimes they're very kind and friendly. After regular after-class, I went to a gym to play sports with them as usual. We played a baseball. They were fast......I felt again that they were more energetic than I was. It was funny time as well as annoying time. I want to work again for 4th grade students

04/07/2008 5th Volunteer AT MONROE
This was my 5th volunteer at Monroe school. It's already April. Time really flies like arrows. I was volunteering for 4th grade students. It was different group from the last time 4th grade kids. There were 5 kids. At first we went to library. I introduced myself. They wanted to tell scary story. So we turned off all lights in library. Then, one of students began to tell scary. I did want to say a scary story. But I didn't know any scary story in English. After this, they had time to think about environment. So each student received articles which was written about global warming, recycle something like that. They were asked to read it, write main point of it and draw some picture about it. It was likely to help them to understand environmental problem, importance of environment as well as the point of writing, we were playing game like seek and hide in library. They looked so excited. I joined the game as well. I and some students went to gym to play sports. I played soccer with kids.
Today I felt that I was alone. Since when I was at Monroe school, everyone- volunteers, teachers, students- were American. I was the only foreigner. And I've been America just for 10 months. I could not express what I wanted to say instantly. Usually I was so silent. I was just sitting. When they needed help, just helped them. But other volunteers seemed to have fun with kids! They talked some jokes. To me it was pretty much hard to get familiar with kids. Some kids seemed to treat me as a weird person. I really wanted to participate in volunteer more enthusiastically. But I didn't really know what I should do.

04/21/2008 Volunteer
Today, I volunteered for the 4th grade kids. A teacher told me that we were going to have a mess. 4 students came to meet us at cafeteria; two of them were boys and others were girls. We went to Art class room. A teacher gave kids powder and some water. With teacher’s instruction, they were adding water into powder and molded to make it sticky like glue. A teacher provided them two balloons. Kids pasted papers and feathers with glue that they made on the balloon. It was really messy, but very interesting class. I did not know exactly what it was though. After art class was over, students had time for doing homework. Some kids who did their homework already made their own owl. They colored the owl, cut the owl by scissor and stick it. While doing this, one of students asked me about Korea. He wanted me to teach some Korean words such as Hi, How are you doing, and so on. When I taught Korean, they looked very having fun.
In a choice class, some kids and I went to outside instead of going to the gym. The weather was really nice. Some played soccer and others played basket ball.

This was my last time to volunteer at Monroe. It was such a good experience as well as a meaningful time. I do not know if I gave them some help (Maybe not). I regretted that I had not participated in volunteer work as hard as other had worked. Since it was my first volunteer at US school, honestly I did not know well how to say or what I was supposed to do there or how to get along with the kids easily. When they asked me something difficult, I was just embarrassed. While volunteering, I was trying to understand kids and help them as much as I could. Now I've experienced a volunteer and understood what volunteer is. In next time, I would do better.

- My Analysis?

1. topic
there topic's creativity. Their goal was developing nationsworldwide. and focused on dubai. I think That was so creative. I think the topic was related to the goal, developing nationsworldwide very well and architecture. Thru their presentation, I could understand the reason why they chose Dubai as the objective of their research which is that Dubai's plan to utilize other coutries and firms technology to be one of high-developed cities could be a model or good example for other cities.
And I think its good example.

2, Information.
They researched Dubai's Economy, Education, Tourism, Structure, and Technology which were in detail
It was pretty well organized. Their analysis was Very logical in terms of their Goal, which is developing city. thru their presentation, I noticed they had been participating in term project hard.


* Their presentation *




3, Design.
As you see, they used good pictures and simple explanations which were comprehensive. So the portfolio looked very clear, simple. I believe we don't need to include too much information in portfolio. but do need just very main ideas.
The design looked like kinda book. I dont know what program they utilzed making the portfolio. It was pretty much good as a portfolio.

This was my last time to volunteer at Monroe. It was good experience as well as meaningful time. I don't know if i was helpful to them. (maybe not). I regretted that I couldn't participate in volunteer as hard as others did. It was my first volunteer at school. Actually I feel like I didn't know well how to say or what I'm supposed to do there or how to get along with the kids. When they asked something difficult for me, I was just embarrassed. While volunteering, I was trying to understand kids and help them as much as I can. Now I've experienced volunteer and understood what volunteer is. In next time, I would do better.

1) their topic was Goal 7 Ensure environmental sustainabilty. and they talked about green roof , bamboo construction and . I was pretty impressed, because they found the relationship between architecture and the goal pretty well.I think that the idea was very creative and amazing. That was really good. Especially green roof and baboo contruction were really really interesting to me.

2)when presenting, they were talking about definitions, examples, and some details of the factors.

3) desgins
They organized their portfolio very well. when i just took a look at it, it was easy to see and understand what they explained, because they had bunch of pictures to illustrate. That was good point. Their design was cool, not putting too much informations but enough paragraphs and pictures. and they didnt fill up all the margin. I can say they used blank, photo, and paragraphs properly. so It looked pretty simple and clear, rather than complex.

4) Comprehension.
About this..well...they seemed to explain pretty well..actually English is not my mothertongue. even though I understood most material they explained, i cannot say whether they explained pretty well or not.

In conclusion, Generally they were really good. Though they were the first group to present, they were too good.

Interesting pictures from their presentation

1.http://www.gardenvisit.com/assets/madge/newyork_roof_gardens_/original/newyork_roof_gardens__original.jpg
2.http://www.roofsystemsconsultants.com/images/TypicalDetail.jpg
3.http://tropist.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/greenroof1.
4.http://www.urbanaddiction.com/archives/bambu18maior.jpg
5.http://www.mauirealestate.com/blog/blogpics/bambootechnologiesweb.jpg

today I felt that I was alone. It's because when I was at Monroe school, everyone; volunteers teachers students is American. I was the only foreigner. and I've been America just for 10 months. I couldn't say what I wanted to say instantly. usually I was silent. I was just sitting. When they needed help, just helped them. But other volunteers seemed to have fun with kids! They talked some jokes, For me it's pretty much hard to get familiar with kids. Some kid seemed to treat me as a weird person. I really wanted to participate in volunteer more enthusiastically. but I don't know what I should do.

Second,

It looks cool!, simple, clear. I love this one.

Third,

The picture which was used to make this design is pretty nice, I guess. Without any explanation, the picture is including all information that we're gonna talk about. The design looks simple, clear and distinct, I think.

citation.
1. enews.toxicslink.org
2. wikipedia.org
3. www.umanitoba.ca
4. www.spiegel.de
5. http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/teams/art.gnome.org/backgrounds/NATURE-SunsetBlissIl

I went to Monroe elementary school 3rd time. I was thinking what volunteer means. because I was wondering if what I was doing at monroe was volunteer. I believe volunteer is to give a hand people who need help , so it's very worthful time But when I went to monroe school, I did nothing but just sitting and standing. I thought this was not volunteer. and they seemed not to need any help or assistant from us. what I've done there was just sitting, standing and playing soccer. is that helpful to them? and have I spent worthy time as a volunteer? If not, I think I don't really need to be there. You know, I don't want to waste my time if there is nothing to learn from volunteer. the problem is the time was worthful to me as well as them, students. To just waste time is not what Ozayr wants There must be something to learn. So far, I don't think I've found something. I feel it's time to do something!!

Before get started, take a look at some of pictures of built environment.

1. Cappadoccia, Turkey

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2007/08/derinkuyu-or-allure-of-underground-city.html

2. Petra, Jordan

http://www.iipt.org/worldpeacetravel/images/lost-city-petra-jordan-big.jpg

3. Meteoro Monastery, Greece

http://picasaweb.google.com/sandhya.sathyan/GreeceMarch200702/photo#5054973657720975682

4. Ouro Preto, Minas, Brazil

http://picasaweb.google.com/NewGardensBand/Postcards02/photo#5088981271186419202

5. Acropolis, Athens, Greece

http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/greece/acropolis_athens_greece_ert.jpg

6. CN Tower, Toronto, Canada

7. Dar Seffarine Palace, Fez, Morocco

www.fez-riads.com/Dar_Seffarine

8. Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, France

http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/03/400px-NotreDameI.jpg

they're marvelous and amazaing, arent' they?
Let's talk about framework, clockworks, phenomena, opposition
1) framework - what is framework? It's very difficult to define framework. it can be thought as a set of relationships, which is fixed and also systems, rules. In my opinion This is kind of order, procedure that we have to keep in mind.
2) Clockworks - this is a cycle. rotation, circulation. for example, season,
3) Phenomena - this is something happened under framework, clockworks., opposition.
4) opposition - literally this means resistance. everything oppose against something. For example, architecture have to oppose against time, weathering, gravity in order to be permanence.
I think the built environment affect me positively everyday. As you can see through the pictures, these buildings have great frameworks, procedure. rule. so, they look perfect, elaborate. Do you think to build these kind of structure is easy? No way, It may require a great precision, structure, clockworks, phenomena, oppostion. Architecture is not simple study, but complex and practical study. When I first saw this kind of buildings from books or web, I was very much fascinated by architecture. Even though some old buildings were built long time ago, such as church, It still has an impact to me. Even now, It looks so marvelous. How did people build architecture like this? And also modern architectures are marvelous. They are such tall and looks like future buildings, high-technologic. while seeing pictures of architecture, I thougt that I did want to design gorgeous building and learn how to design it. Because I have been fascinated by these architecture, I really want to major in architecture. So due to this, I've got here, university of minnesota!

(japaness traditional house)

(Malaysian)

(South Africa " Rondablo")

(Indonesia Sumatra Minankabau)

(korean Han-ok.)

they were developed over long history. In my opinion, they’ve understood ground, climate, people living in them, time around them which means they were changed and developed according to environments. This is architecture that I’ve learned in lecture. That’s why these are quite different each other. And even though they look very old, they were built by ancestor’s wisdom and scientific intelligence. So some of techniques utilized in those building are so effective and good that we are utilizing it still now. Let me give you a good example – Ondol which is literally meaning "warm stone", comprised three main components: a fireplace or stove, which is also used for cooking and located below floor level; a heated floor underlayed by horizontal smoke passages; and a vertical chimney, located lower than the roofline, to provide a draft.

(korean illustrations priciple of Ondol )


The heated floor comprised a network of underground flues that transported heat from the kitchen to each room. These flues were covered by thin, flat, wide stones two or three inches thick called kudul that lay underneath the floor. Kudul, literally meaning "fired stone", was covered with yellow earth, and the floor was leveled. To top it off, several layers of yellow paper sheets were pasted on the floor. This process was efficient since the heat and smoke generated during cooking would be transported automatically to each room in the house. Usually the kitchen would be built at a lower level (about one m), and the heated rooms would be in an elevated position to allow the flues to run underneath. Notably, with just one heating the floors would retain their warmth for extended periods, ranging from more than 30 days to three months depending on the design of the flue structure. It’s very effective system to heat room! That’s why we, koreans are utilizing this still now when we design building.
If we look up other architectures, we would find other great facilites in traditional architectures.
Each country, city, village has their own traditional ways of constructing. There should be worthy reasons to be tradition which are still valid like Ondol. I believe those ways would be very useful now, even future. So If I were released from the constraints of the ‘architecture school’, I would like to study, investigate these buildings over the world by visiting all the traditional building directly and learn forefather's wisdoms, because we may understand their wisdom and intelligence by understanding their architects.

(citation)
Pictures, some information from
1. http://www.bougerolle.net/travel/batak_house_sumatra.jpg
2. www.naver.com/image
3. laist.com/2007/07/30/the_japanese_ga.php
4. encyber.com
5. hwangto.org
6. wikipedia.com

Water is essential for all dimensions of life. Over the past few decades, use of water has increased, and in many places water availability is falling to crisis levels. More than eighty countries, with forty percent of the world’s population, are already facing water shortages, while by year 2020 the world’s population will double. The costs of water infrastructure have risen dramatically. The quality of water in rivers and underground has deteriorated, due to pollution by waste and contaminants from cities, industry and agriculture. Ecosystems are being destroyed, sometimes permanently. Over one billion people lack safe water, and three billion lack sanitation; eighty per cent of infectious diseases are waterborne, killing millions of children each year. (more...)

World Bank Institue
WATER POLICY REFORM PROGRAM - Nov. 1999

More than one-half of the world's major rivers are being seriously depleted and polluted, degrading and poisoning the surrounding ecosystems, thus threatening the health and livelihood of people who depend upon them for irrigation, drinking and industrial water

Ismail Serageldin, Chairman of the World Commission on Water for the 21st Century- Water Forum, Netherlands, November 30, 1999

The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our survival is just as much at stake as it was at the time of Pearl Harbor, or the Argonne, or Gettysburg, or Saratoga
JIM WRIGHT, U.S. Representative, The Coming Water Famine, 1966

If you could tomorrow morning make water clean in the world, you would have done, in one fell swoop, the best thing you could have done for improving human health by improving environmental quality.

WILLIAM C. CLARK, speech, Racine, Wisconsin, April 1988

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvrauCqj86g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pgdchkPo60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp3eooTJkY4

These are films about environmental sustainability.

I chose "ensure environmental sustainability " as a research project whose target by 2015 is to reduce by half the proption of people whitout access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. In order to write somthing as well as decide goals for research project, I research, read and saw these pictures and some articles about all goals. As you can see, these pictures were shocking. We're always drinking very clean and safe water, and it's very easy to get it. I don't really know about the fact that there are many children and people who are drinking kind of mud water until I saw these pictures. For them, to get even that dirty mud water is never easy thing. According to a research, A child dies every 15 seconds from disease attributale to unsafe drinking water, deplaorable sanitation and ppor hygien. and also As of 2002, one in six people world wide - 1.1 BILLION total - had no access to clean water and about 400 million of these are children. Four of ten people worldwide don't have access to even a simple toilet. And more than 614 million children have to live in dwellings with more than five people per room or that have mud flooring.
It's incredible. isn't it? and in sub Saharan african such as ethipia, Rwanda and Uganda, four out of five children either use surface water or have to walk more than 15 minutes to find a protected water sourse. I couldn't believe all these things. I feel we have much enough water.For instance, we can get water from grocery market, coffee shops such as starbucks and every restaurants. Water exists anywhere. We can see water anywhere like air. also There are a number of kinds of water; vitamin water, diverse flavour water, mineral water and so on. In contrast, in the other side, the people are struggling to get water!
In my opinion, We believe that we do have plenty clean water and sometimes waste our precious water.we don't think it's priceless. However, It's not true. I think that we have to perceive that there are billions of people who don't have access to clean water to drink which means water is quite worthy. and find what we can do in order to figure out this problem. This is the reason why I chose this subject and what I want to know during research.

quotes, videos , pictures, music videos from (citation)
1.thewaterproject.org/slideshow/GatheringWater
2.www.whale.to/v/africa_q.html
3. www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/nov/10/water
4. www.newsday.com/media/photo/
5.www.plan-international.org/.../uncleanwater/
6.www.globalvoicesonline.org/wp-content/uploads
7.www.ens-newswire.com/.../2004-08-27-01.asp
8. www.afropop.org/img/world_music/african_music...
9.http://www.waterprotection.ca/images/DrinkWater.jpg
10.www.bhopal.net/.../Drinking-water-250.jpg
11.www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd_dbmd_water_2007_new.htm
12.www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=77235
13.www.inhabitat.com/category/water/
14. www.youtube.com
15. jperret.tripod.com/water
16.http://www.millenniumcampaign.org
17.www.naver.com

when I first saw it, I was suprised. they look really good. I felt like the downtown looked very well-balanced and stable. Comparing to chicago (I was in chicago downtown for 7months to study english),I think minneapolis is more fabulous.

minnesota is too chilly city to be active for people. However, skyway could make people be active by protecting them from that cold weather. It is very important.

I believe that skyway in minneapolis downtown is a good example of design.