Three haiku poems

Dancing is boring,

I don't want to do it again

Let me play tennis,

School day is boring,

I will go home in the break,

I miss my dear friends.

No biology,

Life will be much better then,

I love CS more.

Haiku poem examples

An afternoon breeze

expels cold air, along with

the fallen brown leaves.

Cherry blossoms bloom,

softly falling from the tree,

explode into night.

The warmth on my skin.

Fire falls beneath the trees.

I see the sun set.

Summer here again.

Music plays sweetly, drifting.

And life is renewed.

A winter blanket

covers the Earth in repose

but only a dream

An ocean voyage.

As waves break over the bow,

the sea welcomes me.

An old silent pond...

A frog jumps into the pond,

splash! Silence again.

 

Autumn moonlight—

a worm digs silently

into the chestnut.

 

Lightning flash—

what I thought were faces

are plumes of pampas grass.

Slowly, graceful wings

Lift skyward; as you lift me

Friends always, grateful

Essay: Do you gather your pearls?

                                                         Do you gather your pearls?

    “Women are like oysters. Just as an oyster takes an irritating grain of sand and creates a pearl around it, a woman can take a painful experience and enrich herself by creating something precious from that pain.”(Choi132) Have you ever heard about such motto? This is from the book Gathering of Pearls which is written by Sook Nyul Choi. It's a story about an international student's life in an American college. Sookan is a Korean girl, she went to American college alone for study. This book is like a journal, it includes everything of her college life, it includes happiness and difficulties in Sookan’s life. The cover of this book is impressive. A girl who wears a black dress is sitting on the floor and gathering pearls with background of pink flowers. The pearls in the image represent strength. The process of gathering pearls is like overcoming difficulties and becoming stronger when she is growing up. The flower represents Sookan herself. After a long and cold winter, flowers will blossom in the spring; same as Sookan, when she experiences a long and hard life, she will be enriched with enormous wisdom.

    Sookan had a hard life in the college. She took many difficult courses in first year, "I signed up for world literature, world religions, Greek and Roman culture, and early European history."(Choi18) She studied early in the bathroom on everyday early morning and spend most of her night in the library."It was five minutes to four o'clock and I had to get up to study."(Choi 73) She studied hard to catch up others in the class. As an international student, I can understand why Sookan did this. Paper, essay, test, projects, those are what I work hard on every night. I need to spend much more time on the reader than my classmates do because of the language. Same as Sookan, we chose difficult class and try best to do everything as good as other students because we don't want to disappoint families and we want to show everyone that we can do it. Too much work brought her health disease. “Suddenly, my head starting spinning, and I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.”(Choi74) She was also under a huge pressure that is from her sister, Theresa. Because Theresa always can't understand her and wanted to control her life which is making her become a nun and work with her together. Sookan is struggling with the traditional Korean culture and desire of being independent. The most bitterness is her mom's death, she lost the most important person and even couldn’t stay with her at the last moment. These difficulties are challenging Sookan all the time in her life.

    Although life is full with pain and bitterness, Sookan overcame difficulties and became stronger. Courses are never easy to Sookan, but she always keeps working hard instead of give up for its difficulties. To keep working is a long and hard process. Families are not always around her, she has to bear the huge load of study. Load can push a person to be better. For me, I have same experience. Under the load, I can find all of my potential, be used to difficulties; and then I won’t be afraid of them or give up anymore. I think pressure from family can destroy someone, but Sookan has begun thinking about her own future, "But now,I was slowly beginning to feel that I didn't always have to obey my sister. Just because she was older didn't guarantee that she had the right answer for me."(Choi130) She knew what she want. Sookan felt pain about being disobeyed to her sister, she couldn't agree with her sister in many ways; but with mother's support, she became acceptable to her sister. “It was my responsibility to try to understand her as a human being. I was older now. I had to realize that no one was infallible. I could respect Theresa without obeying her blindly.” This is a necessary process for someone to grow up; everyone has shortcomings, being acceptable to others is important in the society. And this will make Sookan become a mature woman who is full filled with wisdom and tolerance. Mother is the most important person to Sookan. Mother’s death hit Sookan a lot but this fact also forced her to be strong at that moment. “I would do as she wished for me. I would gather my pearls and forge ahead.”(Choi163) These are all tough times for Sookan, but she remember what her mother told her and follow it; she forges ahead instead of being depressed. The process of gathering pearls is like growing up, Sookan collect strength as pearls to overcome the tough time.

   The cover of Pink blossomed flowers is not only a cover, flowers also represents Sookan. Flowers will blossom in the beautiful spring season after bear a whole cold and harsh winter. In that cold winter, some flowers will be died, but some flowers can fight with the chilly winter and finally show their beauty to the world. “Tough times are the times when one gathers one’s pearls.”(Choi163) Tough time is like that chilly winter. Some people will be stuck by the difficulties in their way and give up, but some woman can take in the misery and bitterness and then turn them into precious pearls instead of letting them hurt us. Sookan's mother always hope Sookan can become this kind of women. Difficult times will finally make the Sookan enrich with love, understanding and wisdom. That will be the time for beautiful blossoming.

   Sookan has changed a lot and grow up during the one year in American college. Before, she had hard time on the study, obeyed her sister blindly, met a lot of difficulties in life and felt painful. Now, everything goes better; she do nice work on the study, has own goal, became independent and acceptable to her sister’s shortcomings and still forge ahead after bear the mother’s death. Sorrow and bitterness make Sookan get precious experience from life. These help Sookan to become a independent, kind, confident woman. There are a lot of people still fighting with the difficulties in life, gather your pearls, wait patiently for the blossoming, everyone can be strong and accomplish dream.

Citation:

Sook Nyul Choi, Gathering of Pearls, Houghton Mifflin Company Boston, 1994, Print.

Epilogue

The class bell is ringing, I grab the book and rush into the classroom. Children are sitting in the group, as they see me, they smile at me. To see these children's pure smiling is the happiest thing for me everyday. This is the fifth year from I graduated from college, I don't obey my sister, I became an elementary school teacher and work at Mr. Bennett's children's school. Whenever I remember this, still feel guilty to my sister, I know I should choose to be a what kind of person by myself and now I don't think I'm doing wrong things. But Korean culture influenced me too much, I can't completely forget it. 

As soon as I graduated, I went back to Korea for one time, my little brother has grown up, my older brothers are busy working, my sister is working as a nun. We hugged together, I sobed even can't say anything. I know what to say, I have missed them so much after all I couldn't  see any of them in the whole four college years. My sister is so relieved that I came back, she told a lot about the nun work. I breathed deeply and said:"Theresa, I know to be a nun is the best thing for you. But I just think it's not for me. In these four years, I have thought a lot about the future. It changed my mind. I'm sorry I don't obey you, but I think being a teacher is better for me." My sister starred at me and was silent for a long time. She sighed:"I know something changed you a lot in America. If you had decision, just do it. I can't control you now, but I hope you are not swepped by the American culture." I know my sister was angry with me, "No, I'm not. I won't forget anything about Korea." She didnt respond and leaf tthe room.

After I came back from Korea, I went to Greece with Marci. Greece is such a beautiful and mysterious country. Marci took many pictures. In these five years, Marci tried to accept her parents. I sometimes went to Ellen's home, she has got married with Kyle. Ellen always tell me to find a nice boyfriend. This reminded me Tom. In the whole four years, he has ever invited me for many times to go out, but I have too much work to do. Sometimes I, Ellen, Kyle and Tom go out side together, I would more like to regard Tom as a nice friend. Ellen always complained this, she think we should be a nice couple.

Study guide 13-18

Chapter 13

1. Marci has a bade relationship with her parents. Because Marci have own interest, she likes classics; but her parents always want to control her entire life, ask her to learn photography, chemistry and work with Father in the company.

2. Marci gives Sookan advice that Sookan should tell her sister the truth about hard life in college and want to make own decision for the future life. And also suggests that Sookan needs to live her own life, not just imitate her sister's and be the kind of person her sister wants her to be.

3. No. Because I think Sookan is still a Korean girl; although she has realized that she can be more open and expressive since she got America, she has Korean opinion. In her mind, it's the obligation and duty to obey elders. National culture is usually not that easy to forget. So though Sookan has conflict with her sister, but Sookan won't do as what Marci suggests, she won't against her sister in that way as Marci against her parents.

Chapter 14

1. Sister Reed gave Sookan a string of cream-colored pearls with a platinum-and-diamond clasp. Because sister Reed's aunt asked Reed to make a special present of pearls on her behalf when Sister Reed came upon a truly extraordinary young woman. Sister Reed thinks that Sookan accomplish every school work and study well and Sookan is a extraordinary young woman, so she gave this present to her.

2. Ellen was engaged with Kyle and announce it in the college, but her parents were so upset and disagreed with that engagement, then Ellen has conflict with her parents.

3. Ellen's parents are upset and furious aboytvthat Ellen announced the engagement in school, they told Ellen to call it off and go back home.

4. I agree with Sookan. Because eloping is a kind of way to avoid the conflict. But engagement is an important event. If Ellen eloped with Kyle, she will have more conflict with her parents which causes worst result. Ellen should talked with her parents and try to solve the problem. And Ellen' parent loves Ellen a lot, it will hurt them if Ellen eloped.

Chapter 15

1. Sookan had positive emotion because she had a wonderful night, she enjoyed the college life, enjoyed herself and makes Ellen happy with that. She also had negative emotion because she felt guilty that she spent all of the money on the outfit even can't buy presents for families, and she thought if her sister knew this, she would say that Sookan has lost her values.

2. I would go to the dance party. Because this is the only one time in whole freshman year to have a break. And such kind of social activity is part of college life, it is important to a college student. And I don't want to be said as a bookwarm.

Chapter 16

1. Sookan has done well in study and school job, she got passing grades. She made friends with Ellen and Marci. She had her favorite art class, draw painting and gave to Marci and Ellen as presents. She bought present for her families.

2. At the beginning of the year, she felt nervous when she talked with others and have to study extremely hard. And she can't balance the time on job and study. But later, she did better. She can speak more in American ways 

Chapter 17

1. Father Lee told Sookan that her mother died in the first of May.

2. Sookan shouted, sobbed and can't believe it's true.

Chapter 18

1. She realized that growing up is like the process of gathering pearls. As her mom said, she should take that suffering, and create a pearl around the pain, not let the hurt poison herself. Come through those difficulties and sadness, turn them into pearls of wisdom, make herself stronger.

2. I would say to Sookan that: you are a strong girl, although mother's death gives you hurt, you must be stronger. You have done well in the first year, maybe next year you can choose some more difficult classes or classes you like. And enjoy your college life, study and job is not everything I college after all. And try to be accepting to your sister, everyone has disadvantage, but she is your sister, that relationship is precious in the family.

A story of International student adjusting to life at US college

Gathering of Pearls is the book I'm recently reading. It is written by Korean-American writer Sook Nyul Choi. It's a story about international student's life in American college. Sookan is a Korean girl, she went to American college alone for study. And in the school, she was popular and get friends with Ella and Marci. This book is like a journal, it includes everything of her college life. This is a special and interesting for me. Because firstly in some ways, we have common experience and also it's a book easy for me to read.

Compare my life with Sookan, there are similarity and difference. When Sookan first came to America, she has language problems, this is also happened on me, on every international student. When she said answered Ella:"Yes, I don't like it." This sounds weirded for American girl Ella because in American way, it should be "No, I don't like it; or Yes, I like it." Just as Sookan said: "I was still thinking in Korean way. Everything seemed so different here-not only the language, but the way of thinking, too.” I can understand why Sookan said this. I also have this kind of experience. As a Chinese student, we have similar way of thinking, we have common point in Asian language. When I'm talking foreign student in English, I feel embarrassed and sorry when I made grammar mistake and confused them. And there's also culture difference. Sookan was taken aback by Marci's candidness because she showed that she didn't have a good relationship with her sister. Sookan thought she should obey her sister, although she didn't want to write letter. This is Korean culture, she can't refuse. If I'm Marci, I won't say how I had a bad relationship to friend who I first time meet with. Sookan chose many challenging course for her self because she didn't want to disappoint her families. This is real opinion. I decide by my self to study abroad, learn more things and improve myself. So I want to show that I can do this, I hope my families can be proud of me.

But in some ways, Sookan's experience is a bit different with mine. The background of Sookan's story is in 1950s. At that time, There were not as many international student as nowadays. Sookan was the only Korean student in school. She felt homesick and worried. And when she first got in the airport and found there was no body pick her up, she was anxious and full with fears. Her elder sister always talks with her like a parent and this makes Sookan have conflict with her sister and herself. But as time goes by, many things have changed. Because of better family and society conditions, nowadays many teenagers can solve problems in a calm way. They won't feel such desperate when they are in trouble. And in school, students can find more friends who are from same country so they won't feel such lonely. And in the family, elder sister or brother won't forced us to do something. Everyone is independent and has own opinion about the future.

Two thinking questions

How did Sookan feel when she lived in Ellen's home?

Why does Sookan's sister want Sookan to be then nun?