Process Writing

            This was a difficult class for me. I have always really enjoyed journalism classes, and definitely enjoyed this one, but felt more challenged than before. Was this due to being just back from abroad and lacking the school-skills I’ve normally developed by this point in the quarter? I’m not sure. I think that I was too scared to get out and find a really fantastic story and played it safe too often in this class. While I’m proud of the work I did, I hope that one day I am able to approach a random stranger and grab their story, like many of my classmates did, or as many of the brilliant journalists we read did.

            I find narrative journalism such an opportunity if done correctly. I just imagine all of the incredible people I could meet if I had the time and energy that some journalists have had in the past. I have felt really inspired this quarter through our readings, not only by the stories themselves, but by the insane amount of blood, sweat, and tears some have gone through to put these words and experiences on paper. Whew.

            I found my peers to be very helpful in editing. I appreciate the way our work-shops are set up – peers are discussing the work excluding the author – I think this makes for a very professional environment, and makes it easier to be honest and critical when necessary. This class was full of talented writers, and I feel that my respect for my classmates also helped in accepting constructive criticism when given.

            Finally, the video-audio slideshow was a very valuable part of the course. Learning to work with and create other forms of media is such a valuable asset! Saying this, it was also fantastic to have classmates introduce me to so many forms of media – radio, video – things I hadn’t paid much mind to in the past.

            I think what I’m really trying to say here is, thanks.

Girls on the Run Kalamazoo

            Music could be heard ‘round Western’s Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan last Thursday evening as thousands of third through fifth grade girls, their faithful coaches, parents, and hundreds of community members prepared to run the 5K they’d been training for since March. Traffic was blocked from the far-most right lane of Stadium Drive, and proud parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, and more lined the streets to cheer on their runners.

            With a “fun hair” station provided for girls and coaches, pink, green, sparkling, and crowned heads littered the football field as the girls stretched and jived to the beat of the music breaking the hot air. Reminded often as they warmed up to drink water, the girls were all smiles as they marched out of the stadium to take their marks.

            Kalamazoo boasts the sixth largest of 191 total Girls on the Run (GOTR) chapters in North America. Sixth place comes from the outstanding 2,100 girls served during this year’s program. GOTR Kalamazoo has not always been so large. When director of GOTR Kalamazoo, Sandy Barry-Loken, attended the first Kalamazoo GOTR 5K in 2002 to support a friend, only 350 girls were running. Even with so few, Sandy knew she had to be a part of the program. “I really could see that they were about to take on a challenge that was huge and to just watch them finish and to know what they accomplished was amazing. And you could just see it on their faces that they felt like they could do anything when they crossed that finish line.”

            Nine years later, she’s “seen a lot of changes.”

            As word spread about GOTR, girls poured into the program. “We knew we wanted to serve as many girls as possible, and we took every girl who came.”

            Every girl is right! “We have girls from every ethnic background, from every socioeconomic status, because truly our program is for all girls.” GOTR Kalamazoo in its 10^th anniversary race boasted a more diverse group of girls than the population of Kalamazoo County itself. “We are in every type of school in the community. We’re in public schools, private schools, parochial schools, we’ve had home-schooled girls participating.”

To ensure a wide range of socioeconomic background in the girls, a “sliding fee scale” of $0-$150 has been implemented. While GOTR provides suggestions to families on how much they might contribute – based on number of family members and family income – ultimately families determine what is a reasonable amount they are able to pay for their child to participate. There are no economic background checks or scholarships. Families simply pay what they can.

The $150 fee per girl covers access to a special curriculum targeted for the third-fifth grade girls, fees and dues to the national organization, materials and supplies needed for lessons (such as orange cones or lap counters), a brand new pair of running shoes, two t-shirts, a water bottle, a healthy snack at every practice, a medal at the end of the race, and the 5K participation fee.

Sandy attributes such a low cost to the help of community members and sponsors. One such sponsor is Gazelle Sports.  “They are a huge partner to our program.” Gazelle provides a brand-new pair of running shoes for every girl as well as fits them for the shoe via a combination of visiting low-income schools where rides to open houses at the YMCA may not be available, and about 10 open-houses held during a two to three week period at surrounding schools and facilities. Their time is solely donated. “They don’t charge us to go and do that. That is just Gazelle’s commitment to the community.”

While many community members support GOTR Kalamazoo with money contributions, many more give time. Several hundred volunteers helped to make the May GOTR 5K a success, whether by standing and cheering, announcing, dj-ing, beautifying girls hair with ribbons and glitter, or running alongside the girls as allies.

Among the many running alongside their teams was Jordan Earnest, a Kalamazoo College sophomore. Jordan was an assistant coach at Woods Lake Elementary. After 24 practices, Jordan was ready for her first GOTR race.

            The 24 practices are part of a set curriculum designed in 2001 by Dr. Rita DiGioacchino DeBate. In reviewing academic research on girls and sports, Dr. DeBate found conflicting data concerning self-esteem and athletics. While girls involved in normal physical activity tend to have a higher sense of self-worth and are better able to avoid peer pressures, girls involved in sports that encourage a small build may be at higher risk of falling into the trap of disordered eating. This research helped shape the curriculum for girls involved in GOTR, and thus instills messages that squash this tendency. The curriculum is reassessed every two years to ensure that what is being taught is relevant for girls today, and that new information is included, such as new lessons surrounding social media and texting.

The curriculum is well organized and provided for each coach at each practice, but Jordan describes her practices as less official than they sound. “It’s just based on - to get moving.” The attitude of the program might sound strict or rigorous – training for a 5K, but Jordan explains, “we’re not out to win anything, everyone gets a medal at the end. We don’t time anyone, anything like that.” Rather than measure the girls times, the race is about finishing and feeling empowered in their accomplishment. Physical activity is an important part of the program, but so are other aspects, as Jordan explains that it’s based on “feeling empowered in different ways.” At the end of the day, Jordan explains that the teams, “pride ourselves with being healthy and being healthy girls.”

On that hot May evening, it was clear to see the empowerment, love, friendship, and pride felt amongst the thousands of girls running throughout downtown Kalamazoo. The flood of pink shirted girls made it easy to feel the urgency Sandy felt at her first race 10 years ago, “just from the moment I saw them start running, I thought, this is amazing!”

Audio Slideshow - Girls on the Run

GOTR - Process Writing

      The piece is only about half done at this point. I have a meeting with a coordinator for GOTR set for Thursday morning. I am having difficulty deciding whether to insert myself - as I was obviously at the race last Thursday, hence my descriptions. I also wonder whether or not to include the race atmosphere at all? Should I focus just on Jordan, should I wait to see what I might incorporate when I meet with the GOTR coordinator? 

     On a lighter note, this piece has been really awesome to get into. The race was so fantastic - I think that it why I want to incorporate it. I guess on that note, I took lots of pictures of the race and also got a whole other bit on why Jordan chose to become involved in GOTR, and was thinking of using that piece of audio for my slideshow. If I am omitting Jordan's words from the piece, should I also omit the race description because I have pictures that will "describe" it?

     In workshop I hope you will help me decide where to place the spotlight for this piece. Should it be on the overall program, the race, Jordan, or a combination of all three?

GOTR Article (For Workshop)

Music could be heard ‘round Western’s Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan last Thursday evening as thousands of third through fifth grade girls, their faithful coaches, parents, and hundreds of community members prepared to run the 5K they’d been training for since March. Traffic was blocked from the far-most right lane of Stadium Drive, and proud parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, and more lined the streets to cheer on their runners.

With a “fun hair” station provided for girls and coaches, pink, green, sparkling, and crowned heads littered the football field as the girls stretched and jived to the beat of the music breaking the hot air. Reminded often as they warmed up to drink water, the girls were all smiles as they marched out of the stadium to take their marks.

Among the many volunteers running alongside their teams was Jordan Earnest, a Kalamazoo College sophomore. Jordan was an assistant coach at Woods Lake Elementary. After 24 practices, Jordan was ready for her first Girls on the Run (GOTR) race.

The 24 practices are well organized, but not in the training for a 5K sense. “In all honesty,  our training process isn’t that official,” Jordan admitted, “It’s just based on - to get moving.” Jordan described the attitude of the program, “So we’re not necessarily - and it’s definitely a non-competitive, we’re not out to win anything, like, everyone gets a medal at the end. We don’t time anyone, anything like that.” When inquired about practice schedules, and whether or not the work-outs are rigorous, she said, “Some days, our activities are like, freeze-tag type things, or just about getting moving and being active, rather than like, ‘okay, we gotta run 15 laps today.’ ” 

While she talked about empowerment for the young girls, Jordan laughed as she remembered, “Which is like, kind of ironic, ‘cause the 5K is today, and I was like thinking the other day, I’m like, ‘oh, I should probably like, I should probably start running around campus a little bit more to get in shape for it. I’m like no!’ If they’re gonna - I’ve been training, training, in quotes, as much as they have, so.” The empowerment seems to reach more than just the third through fifth grade GOTR.

Girls on the Run has been studied since 2001 by Rita DiGioacchino DeBate, Ph. D., MPH, CHES. In reviewing academic research on girls and sports, Dr. DeBate found conflicting data concerning self-esteem and athletics. While girls involved in normal physical activity tend to have a higher sense of self-worth and are better able to avoid peer pressures, girls involved in sports that encourage a small build may be at higher risk of falling into the trap of eating disorders. Dr. DeBate’s research has helped those in charge of providing lessons for girls involved in GOTR which instill messages that might squash this tendency.

Jordan agrees with the ideas of prevention and positive influence, “I think it’s targeted as a prevention program, because it’s for girls third through fifth grade, and just like, just when they’re hitting puberty, and that’s I think when girls images of themselves start to change, around that age, or at least I remember it did for me, involved in athletics of that age.” Empowerment is a theme in which Jordan discusses frequently. “It’s supposed to integrate the physical activity - and it’s feeling empowered in different ways, so with the knowledge we talk about these things, but also pride ourselves with being healthy and being healthy girls.”

Profile - "The Coffee Cafe of Jackson, MI"

     Everyone’s a friend at The Coffee Cafe. The roughly 300 square foot trailer is located at 1513 Horton Road in Jackson, Michigan; thought it may be easier to search instead for a small yellow trailer neatly situated in front of Scruples Hair Design, at the intersection of Weatherwax and Horton Roads in Summit Township.

   
  The Coffee Cafe may be small, but business is big for owner of 15 years, Lonnie Bostwick. Even after 9:00 am on a Thursday morning, as most have already made their coffee stops on the way to work, Lonnie is continuously busy. She never stops moving, chatting, and enjoying her customers as much as they seem to enjoy her. As soft wordless music plays over the stereo, there is the warmth of a panini-maker, two humming refrigerators, and countless coffee grinders sufficiently claiming their needed space. With two windows to attend to at once, and as the sole worker, Lonnie still manages to sip her coffee and answer the questions of an earnest young reporter.

  Though it has been her home for 15 years, this was not always the way Lonnie planned to spend her years. Lonnie had been a buyer for 21 years, and when she lost her job she “wanted something different.” Acquiring the shop was not by dumb luck, but instead by a deliberate inquiry of the previous owners. “This was not for sale, I just asked him if he ever was thinking about selling, and he got back to me three months later, and I bought it from him.” But, don’t be fooled. Lonnie was not always a coffee connoisseur. “I bought this not knowing anything about coffee.” As if she sensed disbelief, she assured, “I did, I didn’t even know between a cappuccino and a latte, I really didn’t.”

  Fifteen years later, Lonnie now offers 15 different flavored coffees, homemade hot chocolate, smoothies, lattes, cappuccinos, donuts, bagels, and sandwiches - for breakfast and lunch. Lonnie orders her flavored coffees from Michigan-owned companies, and buys her donuts from the Jackson-owned Hinkley Bakery. “I try to do as much local as I can.”

The Coffee Cafe offers a unique atmosphere. Unlike many coffee joints, the cafe is a drive-up only place. Drive-thru windows more often provide a speedy alternative to walking in, and often result in a more detached feel. Lonnie’s place is far from impersonal.  She says, “And it is speedy, for people you don’t want to know, but when people come in here on a regular basis, you do become friends.” With these connections comes deep loyalty from her customers, and this loyalty might just be the reason for Lonnie’s 15 successful years and counting.

Lonnie has always been able to sustain her small business, but times have changed since she first began her venture. “The competition is more out there now, when I started there was only the Gourmet Bagel [another local coffee joint, which has since gone out of business], nothing else.” Now Jackson is home to chains such as Starbucks, Biggby, and Tim Hortons. Also heavy in competition with other local coffee shops is the powerhouse, Jackson Coffee Co. Lonnie had long had the advantage of a location in which there was little interaction with these competitors, but this quickly changed with the introduction of the Bearclaw Coffee Company.

The Coffee Cafe may have been in for trouble when one of the Bearclaw Coffee Company chain stores was opened down the street some years ago. A frequent customer of Lonnie’s, Deb Krajewski, said, “She was worried when Bearclaw came in.” The Bearclaw offered a space in which one could sit and enjoy their coffee, or study, read, chat with friends, as well as the lure of the quick drive-thru. Even with the Bearclaw’s seemingly more personal feel, the loyalty of Lonnie’s customers rang true in it’s success, and perhaps the eventual failure and closing of the Bearclaw.

Deb Krajewski gives insight into the reasons for this loyalty, “She has relationships with all her customers. She knows everybody’s names, she knows their families.” In watching Lonnie bounce around the small kitchen of the trailer, laughing and chatting with her beloved customers, it is not difficult to see such intimate relationships forming. Everyone is “hunnie” or “sweetie,” she knows who was sick yesterday, who will be back tomorrow, and what they will want to eat or drink.

Not only does Lonnie’s friendliness attribute to her customer’s loyalty, but also it’s locality. Deb says, “I don’t feel that in a big city she would have survived. People in Jackson are pretty loyal to home-grown businesses.” Maybe it’s just her coffee. Steve and Teresa Schramm seem to think so; “We’re loyal customers. She always treats us great - she goes above and beyond.” Teresa is quick to add, “Plus it’s the best coffee in town!”

"The Events of October" --

     The Events of October was quite a read. I am feeling unbelievable tired upon these last chapters. My heart has been hurting and my thoughts on overdrive for hours and hours. Mixed emotions; guilt, responsibility, disgust, compassion, remorse, confusion, exhaustion.

     I have heard Maggie’s story - Maggie & Neenef - that slip in itself plays into my dilemma - countless times since arriving to K in the fall of 2009. I have been to her memorial services, readings, I have seen the infamous 201, I have stood near her bench in silent remembrance. But never have I listened to her story told from such a wise perspective as Gail. No hearsay interrupted this story.

     I happen to have the pleasure of having Gail in class this quarter. In some strange way it was comforting to hear her voice shine through this piece. I saw words she often uses in lecture, I could feel her deep hurt and anger, as I’m sure other readers with less knowledge of her could as well, but it was helpful to know how passionate she is in telling true stories. Again, without having had conversations with the author, I appreciate her willingness to expose her methods from the get-go. On page 7 she says, “What follows is a chronicle of the days leading up to a particular October morning in 1999, and the days that came after. It’s a fusion of fact, memory testimony, impression, and one other ingredient, a potent and dangerous catalyst: imagination.” I so deeply respect such a statement. She exposes herself to what potentially could come as criticism, as others may have encountered this tragic experience in a different light.

     As far as her writing and reporting style, Gail seems to include narrative surrounding every imaginable aspect of this event. She discusses in serious depth Maggie Wardle, and to what depth she is able on Neenef Odah. She brings us as close as she is able to their relationship, via their messages back and forth and friend’s and parent’s accounts. She is sure to give a well-rounded picture of both, never casting Neenef as an inhumane person who simply murdered his ex and nothing more. She spoke of several faculty members, community members, students, student groups, counselors, and the list goes on. I don’t think one could honestly argue her credibility. It is also comforting to know that the author of such a story was very much a part of this event, this also seems to give her the credibility some other authors we’ve read have lacked.

Response to "The French Fry Connection"

     This article was informative, to say the least! I appreciate the author’s choice in expressing the issues of Asian nations in the late 90’s. I did go into this piece knowing very, very little about Asian politics. While I wonder how things have changed within the last 14 years, I do feel that I got a taste of what was going on at the time of this narrative. In saying this, I wonder to Tanj & Saskia why you chose this piece from so long ago. How did you come across it?

     The piece at times held my attention, and at other times did not. For whatever reason, at times while reading this I had The Omnivore’s Dilemma in the back of my mind - particularly in Part 1 as we explored where the McDonald’s fries begin as spuds! Part 1 was a little less readable than say, the fire scene in Part 4, but we read at times for information, and this article presented much information!

Response to "Held Hostage"

     I enjoyed this radio piece. It is a very interesting topic that again I did not know a thing about before listening. While I do know some Spanish, it was still spoken too quickly for me to understand, and while it is always frustrating to not know what is being said around you, I felt that the non-translated pieces were short enough that they remained effective rather than a hinderance to listening. The reporter’s story - of her father’s kidnapping - was much more enticing than Viviana’s story. I actually had forgotten about her story until it was brought back up toward the end. I am not sure of the usual nature of the show, but in this case, the two narratives worked, but might have worked better if Viviana had been mentioned again more quickly, how her father’s kidnapping was similar, different, etc. I think it was helpful to have more than one story in this short section as the overall theme was something larger than one kidnapping, but focusing on the caller hotline for families of kidnapped individuals as well as the epidemic kidnapping once was in Columbia. Overall, very cool piece. I’ve got to start listening to these online shows!

Reading Response(s) - Aaron Aupperlee

Reading Aaron’s Cit Pat pieces was especially interesting to me because I am reading about my my hometown. That being said, it was still incredible to me how little I know about my home of nearly 21 years. I do not know where Chittock Street is. I have never driven down it or walked past it, because Francis Street isn’t the loveliest place to walk or drive, depending on the time of day. Even as an insider, I read this story as an outsider. That is what is so great about the “news.” You are constantly able to learn something new, and find new stories that must be written. Also, I just love the last line he uses in the article about Dylan and Paul, “So, in the end, the boys’ biggest challenges at Homecoming had nothing to do with wheelchairs or accidents. Their issues were all too-normal: a loose bow tie and an ill-fitting crown.” Beautiful

“The Marriage Cure” was a sad and powerful read. The article was well-written and kept me turning the pages. For me, I was taking a look into another world. Not only have I never experienced the true South, but I have never experienced poverty. I have never worried for my next meal or that my electricity or phone may be shut off. The article left me feeling somewhat helpless. There are so many ways in which people need help, and there are just too few willing or able to give it. What a character Corean was. The love and support she gave to her family and friends was inspiring. Each character, and especially her, were painted very honestly and deliberately. I’m very happy to have read this.

For the Post article, I have to admit (embarrassingly) that I did not know anything about this situation with Robin Madrid before reading, and so for me, while I see the lede as effective, I myself did not understand it as well as one who had been keeping up with the story (or the war, for that matter). It was effective in that it added suspense and tension to the piece immediately. The reader is intrigued and urged by it’s teases to read further. 

Profile - David Iocca - For Workshop

     Okay guys, I ended up changing my initial profile idea. I am not yet sure if I want this profile to be specifically on Dave or on DJI. Please give me your feedback! Thanks :)

     It’s 7:00 on a Monday night as I walk into DJI & Associates, Inc. to find it’s sole owner David Robert Iocca at his disheveled desk sipping a Coors Light, finishing his work for the day. It it not uncommon to find Dave here at such an hour, though the other workers clock out at 5:30 PM each day. Dave is no longer working for pay, but ensuring that the jobs get done correctly.

     Dave began DJI fourteen years ago. He wasn’t trained in engineering or business management, but rather accounting, yet he sits as president and manager of 25 men and women as well as the architect of much of the natural gas pipeline they are contracted to construct. 

     Dave is the second youngest of twelve siblings. He worked initially for his father, but after some years of intense scrutiny and unfair wages between he and his younger brother, Dave decided to venture out on his own. While working for his father he had learned the “ropes” of engineering and design and felt he could be a successful without his father. He said, “And when I left I told him, I said, you know, I’m moving on, and he said, ‘You’ll be back in six months,’ and that was fourteen years ago.”

     Dave’s frustration with the way his father ran his company drove him to operate his own business exactly opposite. He says of his father, “He used to sit out at the front door and wait for people to come in. He was in the service, so he was, 8 o’clock or nothing.” Dave was also held to such standards. “And I used to get sent home. I came in at 8:05 one day and he sent me home. ‘You’re late, go home.’ And it was in the middle of a winter storm, and there was accidents all over the highway and I was like, ‘God damn, I got here as fast as I could’ and it wasn’t acceptable.” Dave made sure to turn this around in his own company by being less strict and holding his employees to a more attainable standard. Ever critical of his father’s method he admits, “I mean, we all want the same result, we want to do a good job, but there’s other approaches you can take to achieve that goal.” 

     Even with the difficulty Dave had working with his younger brother and his father, he chose to stick with family in his own endeavor. Of his 25 employees, five are members of the Iocca clan. Dave also employs many friends. While DJI continues to thrive, he admits the difficulty that comes with having people close to his heart working for him. He says,“If something goes bad, then it’s hard to talk to your friends that you hang out with. It’s hard to like, say that, ‘Hey guys, we’re struggling here.’ It has it’s pluses and minuses. I mean, when things are going good, it’s great. And you feel good because it’s your friends and you’re doing great. But when it goes bad you have a hard time, you know, trying to figure out why.” Dave recalls a time in the past week that he had to call in a friend who wasn’t performing as expected and discuss the problem. “It’s very hard to understand why we’re doing so bad, and it makes it very awkward.” He admits that it often becomes very difficult to separate work and his social life. “I’m going to be honest with you, I’d never do it again. I’d never hire people I know again.”

     While for now, Dave is the sole owner of DJI, he hopes one day for an employee-owned company. He believes employees would then feel more involved and thus be more invested in the work DJI performs.

     Thought owning his own company can be stressful, Dave says, “I can envision myself being here in my 60’s. You know what, you enjoy what you do, and you keep on doing it.” He says of the nature of DJI’s work, “You can’t beat it. Especially in Michigan. It’s something you don’t learn about in school, they don’t teach you this stuff.” 

     He hopes one day one of his three daughters will take over DJI. “All I can say is I hope one of you guys take advantage of it, whether it’s you, or my daughter, or Kent’s daughter. It’s a shame if you guys don’t.”

Response to "This Must be the Place"

Focusing on “Hill” specifically --

     I really do love the use of video as it is incorporated in this man’s story. The use of video  helps to also tell the story of the place. We are able to see our speaker, and so we understand him in a different way than we are able to in print. 

     I find it interesting that the video waits until about five-minutes in to tell how the building became abandoned and how the man came to live there. It is still a bit unclear, and maybe that is the point of the video. I also don’t believe his name was every given? This aspect is interesting because while we can see the man’s face, we still know little personal information about him. What a funny twist from the usual narrative pieces we find.

     The man’s story is uplifting in a strange way. I related deeply to when he talked about the ways in which people responded to his living in an abandoned building. I was and still am somewhat taken aback by a man choosing willingly (though we’re not entirely sure of his social status) to live in an abandoned building, but also find it cool because of his positive attitude surrounding his environment.  

CYOA - Elaine C. & Stephanie P.

The Most Dangerous Gamer 

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/the-most-dangerous-gamer/8928/1/

This piece, written by Taylor Clark, that profiles a game designer/developer named Jonathon Blow caught my interest despite being a non-gamer. While you read think about the various narrative elements the author employs.

-What are these elements? Are these elements employed effectively?

-What were your favorite parts of this narrative and why? What could have been done differently in this narrative?

-Do you think Clark has constructed Blow's character in an honest and fair way?

-Who is Clark's audience? How does Clark navigate or not navigate his narrative around the non-gamer? 

Profile Pitch --

     I am still interested in writing a profile on Dr. Grossman. I still need to check with the Index and the Kalamazoo Gazette to see what type of articles were written. After the readings for this week, I’d like to try to look at Dr. Grossman’s story from different point of view. With the upcoming memorial/celebration for him - I’m hoping to hear from several different people who had many different relationships with Dr. Grossman. From the little I do know about him, he was an incredibly interesting man who is definitely story-worthy - with a full career as a professor, a practicing psychologist/psychiatrist, and a job at the Kalamazoo State Mental Hospital. I know that he interviewed several interesting people, he came into contact with serial killers, and the list goes on. This story could have so much depth and be written from many different views - I just need to figure out which is best and which hasn't been done!

Spoiled Rotten (Revised)

     People were staring. Was I making it up? My blonde hair and blue eyes couldn’t so automatically make me an outsider amongst Hungarians ... could it? Yet I felt their hard eyes on me as I passed, careful not to utter a word in my native tongue; careful to avoid any extra attention.

     Back at my dorm, as I unloaded my arms of my several grocery bags, uncharacteristically exhausted after a trip to the grocery store, I couldn’t shake the stares. I’d been in Budapest only a few days, but it couldn’t be so blatantly obvious that I was an American student who had come to land in Hungary for a semester, could it? As I pondered, I carefully situated my “essential” grocery items onto my sole shelf (I was sharing the fridge with my three American roommates) careful to stack and shift so everything would fit. With the fridge full, my homesickness faded ever so slightly.

     Still, my mind floated to the helplessness I had experienced as I wandered aimlessly amongst the rows of food items in the corner market. There were only three narrow aisles of non-perishable foods, one short row of freezer doors, and a small section of fresh foods in the front of the store. Everything in sight, except the in-season fruits and veggies, was as foreign to me as the concept of bringing your own plastic bag to the store with you.

     I had studied and written about Hungarian culture for months before traveling to Budapest. I knew about Communism and every battle Hungary had lost. I knew that it was strange to smile at strangers, and not to hail a cab on the street, but rather, call ahead. I was fully unprepared in one crucial aspect of Hungarian culture though - the language.

     Many fewer Hungarians speak English than I had anticipated. No “crash course” in Hungarian had been encouraged through the college I attend, and the academic portion of the program was to be taught solely in English. These feats as well as two visits to a rural French town where many or most spoke English indicated to me that many people in Hungary would also speak English. I was traveling in Europe after all!

     I was crudely shaken from those thoughts upon entering the Hungarian market. While many Hungarians between the ages of 15 and 30 do speak English when necessary, it is not a requirement of Hungarian cashiers. While I was checking out, I had no chance of a warning.

     A large part of learning is through observation. My family at home almost always leaves the grocery superstore with a car load of bags. (Thanks to preservatives for not allowing us to go bankrupt). My first Hungarian shopping experience was no different.

     While the corner market, ‘Spar’, was without a cart to fully load, I managed to drag an overflowing basket to the checkout counter. As usual, spending more money than intended, and realizing too late grocery bags and groceries were not a package deal in Hungary, I managed to cause quite the stir in basic English and hand gestures. We communicated “plastic bag” with a pointed finger accompanied with a carrying motion similar to cradling a baby. Another charge of the credit card and I was off with four or five plastic bags full of fresh fruits and vegetables, a few cheeses, a package of what I assumed to be salami, and a few bags of chips with pictures of onions on the front. (I was thankful daily that I have no food allergies!) 

     Three days later everything spoiled.

     Months into my stay, upon opening the refrigerator door in a Hungarian friend’s home, food was scarce. Missing were the many seemingly essential components. Condiments that clutter my family’s fridge were unseen. It was without an individual salad dressing for each house member. It was without ketchup for my hotdog, mustard for my father’s burger, A1 steak sauce for my mother’s steak, and hot sauce for my sister’s french fries. Missing too were boxes of leftover dinners from restaurant outings alongside plastic containers from last night’s home-cooked meal. The shelves were not filled with jars of you-name-it with expiration dates years into the future.

     Hungarian food is not packed with preservatives or chemicals to extend their shelf lives or plump them up. Hungarians rather make several trips to the market per week, buying only what they are sure they will cook within a day or two.

     After that first trip I got better and better at deciphering what was good, what I could consume within a day or two, and names of certain products with the help of Hungarian friends. While proper grocery shopping etiquette made me less of an outsider in my new home, I was also taught an invaluable lesson in wastefulness. Due to the simplicity and resourcefulness of Hungarians I have gained a deeper understanding of the word necessity.

     Comfortably home in my American apartment, I take a tour of my fridge. Empty space is visible on each shelf, and I know my lesson remains. 

Franklin Outline

Complicating Focus --

Stephanie moves abroad [Hungary].

Development --

1. Stephanie grocery shops.
2. Stephanie makes [Hungarian] friends.
3. Stephanie buys less [food].

Resolving Focus --

Stephanie learns [larger] lesson.

Reading Response(s)

“The American Man at Age Ten” --

     I really enjoyed reading Susan Orlean’s piece on Colin Duffy. The piece was fun and light in the beginning, but delved into something much deeper and more powerful later on. Gender socialization was the underlying tone of this article. I have been learning about this topic in my Intro to Women’s Studies course, and so I found this article fascinating. There was example after example of how young boys are taught through their peers and the media about what it is to be a boy or girl. My only issue with this piece, and it may be attributed to it’s audience or the style, was that Orlean used opinionated descriptions on several occasions. Words like “handsome,” “pretty,” and “awesome” don’t belong in a hard news piece. Because this was a narrative piece are these descriptions acceptable?

“Trina and Trina” --

     I also enjoyed reading Adrian Nicole LeBlanc’s devastating article on the young and troubled Trina. The story was depressing and filled with conflict, and had no feel-good resolution. We have been taught many times over in our readings that this is not necessarily the way to keep readers reading. Why does it work in this article? Does it work? Also, I felt that at some points I had trouble keeping up with where and when the story was taking place. It was a bit jumpy.

Telling True Stories --

     I felt that this part of the reading was largely informative, rather than entertaining. At times the information was repetitive, but I feel that I am better for having read it. I feel that I now hold many tools for good interviewing. The examples given via instruction were helpful and at times relatable. I also feel that I have a better grasp of how I want to go about writing my profile.

Response to "Wonder Town"

     I really enjoyed reading this article by Sasha Frere-Jones. “Wonder Town” was fun and engaging, filled with several examples and details that took me further than I had expected. 

     The non-music specific language that we were asked to look for was indeed powerful in the article. I liked the example, “The feeling was a little like being held hostage in a room with someone who refuses to turn on the lights.” (Among several others!)

     I felt that Frere-Jones used the release of the band’s newest album to discuss the nature of their old albums. The new was used to compare and contrast the old and also discuss how the band influenced other groups to work in the same manner.

     I thought the story flowed well. Frere-Jones used both storytelling, in her vivid details, as well as fact to compose to readable and believable article.

Response to "Shooting an Elephant"

     This was an interesting piece to read. I neither liked nor disliked it. You could feel while reading that it was somewhat outdated. I am interested to hear in greater depth why Ellen and Jordan decided to use this article.

  If this piece is meant to be a memoir, then I believe that George Orwell shot the elephant. If it were not for the specific categorization of the piece, I would assume that whether or not he shot the elephant isn’t all that important; but again, because it is categorized as creative non-fiction or narrative journalism, it’s truthfulness becomes important.

I believe that he shot the elephant. He seemed incredibly remorseful before and after shooting, and couldn’t stay at the scene to wait for the elephant to die. Even if he didn’t have such feelings of remorse, he may have included them to protect himself from the negative opinions of others after shooting. Either way, it seems as thought he shot the elephant.

     Orwell is sure to let the reader know that he is an outsider in his community. The reader is fully aware that Orwell is a British man living in an Eastern society. It is very interesting that while Orwell is in power, the people of the community still ultimately reign in the pressure he felt to kill the elephant.

Response to "Writing for Story"

     Overall, I enjoyed Jon Franklin’s “Writing for Story.” I felt that some things I knew previously were confirmed, and also that I was able to learn new things about writing that was before quire foreign to me. 

     My favorite part of the entire book (right or wrong) were those two chapters in which Franklin shared his stories, “Mrs. Kelly’s Monster” and “The Ballad of Old Man Peters.” While both of these stories are powerful, both in their actual story as well as Franklin’s writing itself, “The Ballad of Old Man Peters” particularly spoke to me. 

     I have been dealing with some serious anxiety lately. Paralyzing anxiety. I read this story of Wilk Peters and felt inspired and ashamed all in one. I have been given every opportunity to succeed and at times work toward damaging this privilege with my incessant worrying. Wilk’s thoughts from page 51 of “Writing for Story,” made me stop completely, and think very hard. “What if something happened ... What if he got sick ... What if he lost courage?” 

     Making one look at themselves and learn something in return was an idea Franklin frequently talked about as being important in writing a successful short story. Franklin lays out a very sturdy and seemingly foolproof guideline as to how to make such stories a success. I feel that he does it so eloquently and that I have hardly a chance, but maybe now with his tools I can be helped!

Questions --

1. On pages 93 & 94, Franklin talks about words being irrelevant. Does he explain this well enough that we all buy into it?
2. Can we discuss more in depth what Franklin means by the developmental focuses? I had a difficult time understanding where to draw the line between the complication and the first focus, and also the third focus and the resolution. I also want to hear other thoughts on why there must always be three.
3. Is Franklin to quick to shut out ideas entirely? He seems a bit harsh in some respects, but maybe his harshness is just what beginning writers need to hear. While reading I sat back and wondered about my own first assignment. Do I have have each of the parts he describes? Do I as the character resolve my complication?

Response to "Jacob's Ladder"

     What an interesting and informative article!

     While I don’t know as much about profiles, and hope to learn more in class this evening, I thought the author did a nice job in combing facts about Zuma’s life as well as history needed for the reader to understand the context of it.

     Some pieces flowed more smoothly, for instance, when the author spoke directly about Zuma’s personal life I was much more interested and engaged, as opposed to when he delved deeply into the political side of Zuma’s life.

     The piece was overall intriguing and educational, and I believe it was well-executed. 

Response to "Emergence"

     I have to be honest - I’ve never before listened to a podcast. Emergence was my first. I was pleasantly surprised! 

     I payed a lot of attention to the background noise used on the podcast, and there was a lot to pay attention to! I really think that the music and other sounds almost always added to whatever the speakers were speaking on. I especially liked that in many instances the real voices of the people the broadcasters were talking about were used in previously recorded interviews. Hearing the voices of the actual experts was really powerful.

     I found the actual topic of the podcast very interesting. The broadcasters were able to keep it light by frequently changing subjects while still remaining with the overall topic. Again, the noises used added to this light and fun feeling in the midst of the real news being discussed. 

     I really appreciated the bits concerning the psychology behind Google. How interesting! I also couldn’t help but Google Steven Johnson - He’s number four behind Steve Madden Shoes (1 & 2) and Steven Spielberg (3) - Not Steven Curtis Chapman.

     I want to know why Emily and Elaine chose this piece. Are the podcasts from Radio Lab always really fantastic? Is this the most non-podcast-listening-friendly podcast?

Writing Process - Spoiled Rotten

     I had a difficult time thinking of one specific idea for this piece. I’m still unsure of the topic I selected. Hungary as a whole was a pivotal moment in my life, and it’s quite obvious that it would be impossible to stretch those five months into one 900-1700 word essay. Grocery shopping and cooking continue to be a difficult thing for me to do. Hungary showed me that I could do it; that I was independent enough to actually feed myself. No one else was responsible for making sure I was fed and healthy. Silly as it may sound, that truly was a new and terrifying experience for me. I didn’t get great at it, I ate a lot more starch than I’m sure one should eat while abroad, but at least I threw in the eggs for protein!

     I absolutely would like to know if you all think this is an idea I can expand and hone in on to make it a “lives” worthy story. I haven’t done too much reflecting on my journey abroad at this point. People keep asking how the trip was - it was amazing. How to write down the things that changed in you or the experiences you had, simply to choose one? So many questions. As I’m writing this of course I’ve just had a thought of another funny abroad moment. It involves a horrifying travel experience. Better? Worse? Thoughts are oh-so-welcome!

Spoiled Rotten

I used to complain about cafeteria food on my small college campus. It upset my stomach, they weren’t serving what I was in the mood for, it smelled funny, and the list goes on. We are required by Kalamazoo College to live on campus for nearly three full years before unleashing us into, another United States city for a study-away program, or like in my case, another country for study-abroad. Two days in Hungary and the ease of that cafeteria was a far-off dream.

  I had studied and written about Hungarian culture for months before traveling to Budapest. I knew things about Communism, battles they’d lost, that it was strange to smile at strangers, not to hail a cab on the street, but rather to call ahead. What else did I need to know? 

  One thing. Many fewer people speak English than anticipated. No “crash course” in Hungarian had been provided by Kalamazoo College, the academic portion of the program was to be taught solely in English. These as well as two visits to a rural French town where many or most spoke English indicated to me that many people in Hungary would also speak English. I was traveling to Europe after all.

Wrong. While many Hungarians between 15-30 speak English, many of those whom are employees of the supermarkets do not. 

Day one: jet lag.

Day two: tackle Hungarian daily life.

  Our dorms in Hungary came equipped with a full kitchen. Stove top, full size refrigerator and accompanying freezer - much much more than what I had experienced in my two years of dorm life at K. It was finally time to tackle cooking. At school in the past I’d gone grocery shopping on several occasions of course, but never for food that would be cooked anywhere other than my microwave. At home, meals were often bought or cooked for my younger sister and I. This alongside the impatience of both parents to pass on any skill at cooking they’d acquired over their 40 some years has left Hannah and I fairly inadequate in a kitchen setting. 

     Crazy as it may seem, learning to cook for the first time on your own is not made easier by living in a foreign country where not only can you not understand labels, but certain elements of a gleaming US superstore are missing in a Hungarian corner market.

     Vegetables and fruits were easy. Bread was easy, although I did try a few different types as I wanted to try many, and in America bread typically lasts a week or two. Cheese was difficult, all of the names were different, and I am not such a guru that I can decide which I want based on texture or color. Meat to some degree you know the look of, but when "csirke" means turkey rather than chicken, things tend to get a little messy. Cognates don't quite exist in Hungarian. All sauces, chips, crackers, soups, yogurts, etc. were a toss up. 

  Another poor American habit, or perhaps a Peterson bad habit is to grocery shop til’ we drop. Almost always, we tend to leave the grocery store with a car load. (Thanks to preservatives for not allowing us to go bankrupt). My Hungarian shopping experience was no different.

While the corner market, Spar, was without a cart to fully load, I managed to drag an overflowing basket to the checkout counter. Spending a whole lot too much, and realizing too late grocery bags and groceries were not a package deal in Hungary, I managed to cause quite the stir in basic English and hand gestures. We communicated “plastic bag” with a point accompanied with a carrying motion similar to cradling a baby. Another charge of the credit card and I was off with four or five plastic bags full of fruits, vegetables, cheese, mystery meat, and anything else I didn’t need to understand the label for. (Thank God I have no food allergies!)

People stared as I climbed the steep hill toward my dorm building. Carrying the several “Spar” bags - still naive to the cool of carrying an H&M bag rather than a plain grocery store bag - I was blissfully unaware of the mistakes I had made.

Three days later everything spoiled.

Another misconception. Hungarian food is not packed with preservatives or chemicals to extend their shelf lives or plump them up. Hungarians rather make several trips to the market per week, buying only what they are sure they will cook within a day or two.

After that first trip I got better and better at deciphering what was good, what I could consume within a day or two, and names of certain products with the help of Hungarian friends. I also learned what I was able to cook with what means I was given.

  I can make a mean omelet and hash brown breakfast ... lunch ... and dinner! Becoming an independent adult is a work-in-progress, right?