tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31529868851857513042024-03-09T05:32:44.367+08:00Curiosity will not kill this KatJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-77598692965226350962010-05-07T10:03:00.004+08:002010-05-10T07:53:53.284+08:00Blog 8: Violence, Rape, Sexual Abuse<span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;">Women as victims of physical and sexual violence occurs too often world-wide. With only a small fraction of rapes and abuses reported, statistics and recognition of the issue is undermined. When unaffected people hear about women who are victimized, they cannot believe or understand to what extent the consequences entails. From psychological to social issues, rape and abuse leaves a permanent mark on women who experience the power of these actions. But how can we solve this overbearing problem?</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;">Gendered Based Violence (GBV) is the biggest battle we have to conquer because this what is victimizing millions of women every day. According to the World Health Organization, GBV has caused more deaths and disabilities among women 15-44 years of age than any type of disease and war combined. This shows the intensity of GBV's consequences and how women are being effected whether it be through death or a long-term disability. There are many types of GBV that takes place across the world, but all have the same goal of targeting women. An example from the readings is infanticides. This is when a female infant is killed in order to eliminate its existence within a patriarchal society. The practice of infanticides is most prevalent in Asia and North Africa where an uncountable number of infants have been killed due to the their gender. This technique of gender elimination and domination is inhumane and incredibly accepted by male-dominated societies. Just think of how many baby girls have not been given the chance to see the light of day due to the unfortunate fate of their gender.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;">Another example of GBV is domestic violence, where the abundance of female victims reinforces the struggles of this battle. The effects of race and class leave domestic violence victims to face an intense amount of stigmas. These generalizations only give excuses for not fixing the situation and avoiding getting involved. For example, in one of the readings, a Korean woman who is abused by her husband does not want to ask for help because she believes it will create a stigma against her and other Korean women. Although the physical abuse was evident through her bruises, she denied any such abuse in order to keep herself away from racial stigmas. She did not want to be associated with whatever type of stereotypes that are given to Korean females who are being domestically abused. This example shows the difficulties in battling the war of GBV. How can we progress if the victims will not or cannot come forward? The pressure of the patriarchy and social stigmas are silencing the ones that need to be heard the most.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;">Is there any way that this issue can be solved? The first step I believe that should be taken is giving victims a voice. This does not mean representatives within the government sign a piece of paper that gives minimal funding to women's shelters and health clinics, but realizing the extent of the aftermath of GBV. Women need more than a place to go, but a place where they can feel guaranteed to be heard. If we ignore the root of the problem, being the lack of reporting incidents, then the cycle of violence will only continue. Yes, we do need shelters, clinics, and funding for other resources. But the focus should be on preventing women from becoming victims, not helping them after they have been attacked. In order to push forward in the war of GBV, we must start from where it begins. Thus, the prevention of victimization is vital for the elimination of gender based violence.</span>Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-28488901971537092922010-04-30T07:18:00.002+08:002010-04-30T07:35:16.695+08:00Blog 7: Body Modification Pt. 2<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:PMingLiU; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:新細明體; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@PMingLiU"; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-family: lucida grande;font-family:lucida grande;" class="MsoNormal">Body Modification can be a complex process both physically and psychologically.<span style=""> </span>People who decide to modify there body through medical procedures must pay large amounts of money for specific procedures.<span style=""> </span>The process of getting body modification is turned into complete consumerism of buying “pieces” of the body. A human’s body is not only turned into an object, but individual body parts are being also being changed and altered like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle.<span style=""> </span>American society has turned body modification into a materialistic process by treating the overall body like an object.</p> <p style="font-family: lucida grande;font-family:lucida grande;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>A person who chooses to modify their body through medical procedures must deal with gender and social stigmas, but still as the individual choice of going through the process.<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> does give citizens the right to their freedom of choice, but is this freedom being broken through itemizing the body?<span style=""> </span>The informational website on body modifications that we looked at for class, describes these procedures in great detail.<span style=""> </span>But the format of the website categorizes many of the body parts based on price of procedure.<span style=""> </span>Descriptions of procedures often include warnings along the lines as; “it’s a financial burden, but if you decide to bare it then do this…” shows how the choice of body modification is not necessarily promoted.<span style=""> </span>But if a person does decide to bear the financial burdens of body modification, then the website can lead them to a variety of procedures that may be done through categorizing specific body areas.</p> <p style="font-family: lucida grande;font-family:lucida grande;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>Another example of body parts being itemized is through personal stories of transgender.<span style=""> </span>People who choose to physically modify their body in order to appear a specific gender.<span style=""> </span>Going through a transformation of the body through extensive surgeries, medication, and other techniques of a transgender can be a psychological battle.<span style=""> </span>By making the body an object makes decisions and procedures even more difficult.<span style=""> </span>The personal stories discussed in class did not specifically mention body parts as objects.<span style=""> </span>But the way the stories focused around altered body parts as defining a person’s gender reinforced the notion of itemizing body parts.<span style=""> </span>If a person has the time and money to get reconstructive surgery on specific areas of the body, then they can be what ever gender they want to be.<span style=""> </span>This is how easy the change in body parts makes a transformation for a transgender to achieve.</p> <p style="font-family: lucida grande;font-family:lucida grande;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>American society has stripped down and turned the body into a tangible puzzle that can be reassembled through medical procedures.<span style=""> </span>In order to identify a person’s gender, one must identify the body parts. <span style=""> </span>Many resources for body modification information cannot help but categorize physical procedures as if they are individual objects to be added, removed, or adjusted on a person’s body.<span style=""> </span>Even though the choice of modification lies in the hands of the patient, society is pressuring people to feel the desire for itemizing their bodies.<span style=""> </span>Transgender people are a perfect example of a social group that is being pressured to itemize their bodies through gender-alterations.<span style=""> </span>The medical procedures may be expensive, but the way in which it is advertised sounds so simple.<span style=""> </span>A cut here, a stitch-up here, and you are a new person with a new gender!<span style=""> </span>But it is not this simple and body parts are not pieces to a puzzle.<span style=""> </span>Instead, body parts are features that may enhance a person’s gendered appearance, but does not solely define a person’s gender identification.</p> Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-79800406018524420072010-04-22T13:33:00.002+08:002010-04-22T13:34:32.059+08:00Blog 6: Body Modification<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:PMingLiU; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:新細明體; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@PMingLiU"; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;">Who has the power and authority to say what is right and what is wrong within a culture?<span style=""> </span>Technically, no country should have power over any other country’s cultural and social existence.<span style=""> </span>The issue of body imagery causes debate on whether <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> is normalizing their own practices and pointing fingers in disbelief towards others’.<span style=""> </span>For example, if an American citizen took a bird’s eye view of the techniques used to maintain, enhance, and display “correct” body imagery, I would strongly predict that this person would realize how blinded they are by their culture.<span style=""> </span>From an outsider’s view, things such as artificial tanning, body-building, extreme dieting, and cosmetic surgery appear to make no sense, and even cause unnecessary harm on citizens.<span style=""> </span>But the variety of choices many Americans can make towards how they uphold their body imagery shows the individualism within our culture.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style=""> </span>Individualism, in relation to body image, means that each citizen is mostly concerned with them selves, and therefore spends the extra time, money, and energy to maintain or change the body they have.<span style=""> </span>This may be done in the ways previously stated, but also in many other techniques that come in a variety of forms and styles.<span style=""> </span>Although many of these body-imagery practices are technically unhealthy on many levels, our culture accepts it and therefore normalizes the physical and mental obstructions of our bodies.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style=""> </span>In contrast, American views towards indigenous countries’ body-imagery practices will most likely be negative and ignorant.<span style=""> </span>So is <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> enforcing their generalization upon other cultures?<span style=""> </span>I believe so because American citizens are used to individualism.<span style=""> </span>In contrast, many other cultures and societies focus on the collectivism of its people.<span style=""> </span>For example, in ancient <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region></st1:place>, females starting from the early ages of childhood would begin the process of foot-binding.<span style=""> </span>This entails of breaking the arch of the foot and tightly wrapping the foot in bandages, which would cause excruciating pain.<span style=""> </span>An initial reaction from an American may be, “I can’t believe they would do that to the women!”<span style=""> </span>But one must take into account that the females didn’t necessarily have a choice, due to social rites of passage and the dominance of the patriarchy.<span style=""> </span>Also, it was something Chinese women did as part of their culture, whether or not it was healthy and humane to do so.<span style=""> </span>But women did in order to be a part in their community.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style=""> </span>In comparison, women in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> who have breast-augmentation surgery will go through pain after their surgery, and even loose sensual feeling in that area.<span style=""> </span>Not only is there a major difference of modernization verses ancient history, but also the fact of an individual’s choice.<span style=""> </span>The woman is focusing on increasing her chances to be successful through her body-imagery, but does not necessarily need the surgery to survive among her people.<span style=""> </span>Women in ancient <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> did not exactly have a choice to not have their feet bound because they would risk losing their rite of passage within society and having a family. <span style=""> </span>Not only would it greatly decrease a woman’s chance of marrying, but also of the possibility of being disowned by her own family.<span style=""> </span>This shows how the practice of foot-binding does not focus on the individual, but on the community as a whole and for the better of the people.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:lucida grande;"><span style=""> </span>Body imagery is a complicated topic to justify, explain, and even comprehend.<span style=""> </span>But this does not mean that there is any one country that has control over all other countries of what type of body imagery is appropriate.<span style=""> </span>But I think there are many contradictions towards the safety and humanity of the people who are personally experiencing techniques for their body image.<span style=""> </span>This does not mean American citizens have the right to degrade and undermine others’ practices, because that would be contradicting themselves into thinking their practices do not affect one’s health.<span style=""> </span>A country’s history of culture always needs to be taken into consideration, not just the action itself of someone’s body image.<span style=""> </span>We have to ask ourselves if body image is being expressed and practiced through the individual, or through a whole community.</p> Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-1369878600507677012010-04-09T05:09:00.006+08:002010-05-10T07:54:26.397+08:00Blog 5: Body Image<span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;" >An individual's body image is controlled by the physical power over their body, which creates their self-identity within society. This control is being done both by the individual and the culture they are living in. For example, the reading about the football players and other male athletes shows how males are forced to physically control their bodies and restrain to reveal pain in order to uphold their masculinity within American society. The masculine body image creates the ideal for self-identity for these male athletes and pressures them to silence and endure their pain, even to hazardous levels. Pain/injuries are then being normalized within American society and by individuals in order uphold the self-identity of a masculine body image. This image also increases the competition for "successful" images of masculinity through aggression, strength, and unhealthy levels of endurance, which are pathways to self-identity as a male. Not only are male athletes straining themselves to be extremely masculine men, but are silencing themselves, or by coaches and peers, of showing and expressing any amount of pain. Male athletes even go so far as to denying pain and injuries and "intense pain is controlled an masked" (Sabo and Gorden 173).<br /><br />An example of female body control is anorexia. Anorexia serves as a pathway to achieving a cultured self-identity through the physical control over the female body. Again, both the individual and culture is controlling the body because society is controlling the stereotype and norm, and women are then controlling their bodies in order to gain their self-identity within the stereotype. Women are typically associated with their bodies more than men, and therefore anorexia fits perfectly into the trend of women being associated with the thinness of their bodies. Anorexia is a way to help them achieve, in an unhealthy manner, their goal of self-identity by cutting of food intake through self-control over the mind and body. The control over not eating or having an unhealthy and irregular diet are the main skills needed to be an anorexic. In order to have control of establishing self-identity, a woman must have control over her body image through the physical control through something like anorexia.<br /><br />Both women and men want an identity, but the pressure and force of American society and culture defines identity as self-control over the body. Therefore, men and women must learn how to either silence their pain or starve themselves to gain their self-identity through their bodies. The imagery of the body has taken priority over the male and female health because the physical control of the body is being attained through unnatural and unhealthy techniques such as injury-endurance and eating habits. Physical alterations and unnatural control are being naturalized, which creates the body image that establishes a person's identity. Men and women must then unnaturalize themselves in order to become the redefined version of what is physically natural for one's body image. Body image within American society is distorted and inaccurate, yet it has become the norm that pressures citizens to uphold the stereotypes in order to gain self-identity through their body.</span>Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-2385777612801633292010-04-08T05:21:00.003+08:002010-04-08T06:16:38.350+08:00Reproduction and Health Pt 2<span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: lucida grande;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Positive and negative views of reproduction systems/process is based off of which gender is being discussed. For example, in the readings on the female reproductive system has a negative label because the menstrual cycle and menopause are burdens to women.<br />The media reinforces the side effects of menstruation as "bitchiness", mood swings, and having emotional out-breaks when a female has her period. The media does this through advertising medications that will help control the emotional "problems" that women may encounter once a month. The problem is that why try to control things that are happening naturally to a female body? And why is there such a negative condensation of the experiences women go through due to their reproductive organs? American society has caused the naturalness of females to be unnatural and bad; something to watch out for and avoid. Not only are women expected to take medications or alter the levels of their side-effects during menstruation, but other people should be aware and cautious too, according to class discussion.<br />Also, the media reinforces these stereotypes through television, such as the Golden Girls clip viewed in class. In this clip, the female characters discuss the burdens and struggles women endure during menopause. They mention the side-effects of hot flashes, mood swings, and losing some of their femininity after the menopausal process is completed. Through this discussion, it was obvious that they were trying to mock and make fun of the fact women go through menopause, turning a natural process into a joke. This is another way in which media causes American society to perceive reproduction systems of females as a negative occurrence.<br />On the flip-side, men have been catered way to enhance their reproduction bodily functions such as products that can increase sperm count, sexual arousal, and anything that indicates the increase of a man's masculinity. Men are expected to increase their natural reproductive organs that produce sperm and cause erections, which would enhance and sustain their reproductive ability. As discussed in the past week's readings, there are legal drugs that may be prescribed by a doctor to help a man sustain his sperm count and his ability to have an erection. These medications are given a positive label through the media's advertisements and other sources of marketing such products.<br />Male reproductive systems have been given positives labels because men create the patriarchy that rules American society. Men must sustain their masculinity through the performance of their reproductive organs in orders to uphold the patriarchy. Women and their reproductive systems are looked down upon because the natural process of their cycles are a burden to both the female experiencing menstruation or menopause and the person not experiencing. As for men who are given priority of attention towards upholding and sustaining their reproductive systems as a positive process. Importance and positive labels is given to the males; the patriarchy.</span>Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-24322616321539323762010-03-18T09:56:00.002+08:002010-03-18T10:21:27.502+08:00Blog 3: Reproduction and Health<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Chobaja01%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Chobaja01%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5Chobaja01%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>ZH-CN</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>HE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:宋体; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 680460288 22 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;} p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing {mso-style-priority:1; mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:SimSun; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I will state the obvious and say that sex sells in Western society.<span style=""> </span>But why is it selling and what are the negative and positive views towards the reproduction organs that are actively being utilized?<span style=""> </span>First off, men dominate once again within a patriarchal society and are put on a pedestal when it comes to importance of tending and pleasing them.<span style=""> </span>Their sperm count is virtually endless as they reproduce millions of their little “mini-me’s” inside them every day.<span style=""> </span>The man is granted leadership roles when discussing sex and given priority for sexual pleasure.<span style=""> </span>So what happens when their sexual needs are not being met due to age or becoming “rusty?”<span style=""> </span>Men go to the doctor and are diagnosed with a condition called <i>andropause</i>, which means that they lack testosterone levels and simultaneously have a low sex drive.<span style=""> </span>But wait, men can’t be seen as weak or non-horny!<span style=""> </span>They must be cured to stay on top (pun intended).<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Male reproductive systems are given first priority within the gendered world of sex because science is allowing the patriarch to continue dominating.<span style=""> </span>Doctors have created products for increasing and replacing lost amount of testosterone within men that is being sold on the market.<span style=""> </span>Their sexual lives and manliness cannot be lost with age, and must be maintained through keeping up their libido and sustaining their testosterone levels which define their masculinity.<span style=""> </span>Losing control is negative, but upholding a good sex life and manliness is positive, therefore making their sperm count and amounts of testosterone a health concern with positive reinforcements of treatment.</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Women, on the other hand, have everything but priority when it comes to medical attention to enhance their reproductive systems.<span style=""> </span>Their monthly cycle of menstruation is not their forte or sign of womanhood, but instead a sign of weakness.<span style=""> </span>Medicine and other products relating to women’s monthly cycle of menstruation are perceived as negative and embarrassing; a time to take medication to cover up women’s symptoms of womanhood.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>This particular time of the month they will not only become a sensitive and emotional female, but also a bleeder.<span style=""> </span>There “mini-me’s” are not congratulated or recognized, but silenced and degraded as women are pressured to take medications that will control their emotions and prevent them from become a complete bitch (excuse my language, but this is an honest label put on females who are menstruating).</span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Both menstruation and menopause are considered painful, discomforting, and emotional points in time that hinder a woman physically and mentally as her feelings are metaphorically bleeding out her mouth and eyes, if she cries, and her egg is literally bleeding out of her body, or the process of menstruating is coming to a stop all together. <span style=""> </span>A woman’s libido and her pleasure are rarely, almost never, taken into consideration, when reviewing the types of medications offered to women and their monthly cycle.<span style=""> </span>Sex is not something that raises importance when discussing menopause, unlike a male going through his aging process of testosterone levels.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Both male and female reproduction organs are natural ways of living and one’s health.<span style=""> </span>Why then is there a bias towards male reproduction organs as priority and concern when levels drop, compared to a woman who is losing her eggs every year and eventually will not be able to reproduce after a certain age?<span style=""> </span>The patriarch reinforces the notion of male reproduction systems as critical aspects of a man’s masculinity.<span style=""> </span>But a woman is degraded by her outburst of emotions and a sense of internal and external ugliness she must experience throughout her lifetime of menstruation and menopause.</span></p> Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-67665203254194991202010-03-05T07:37:00.006+08:002010-03-09T12:42:30.235+08:00Blog 2: Sexuality and Health<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:PMingLiU; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:新細明體; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@PMingLiU"; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:PMingLiU; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:新細明體; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@PMingLiU"; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapedefaults ext="edit" spidmax="1026"> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:shapelayout ext="edit"> <o:idmap ext="edit" data="1"> </o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">We cannot ask ourselves this question enough, but who is spreading HIV/AIDS?<span style=""> </span>It cannot possibly be you or me.<span style=""> </span>It must be someone else that I do not know or lives half way across the world.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately, this is not true and Americans cannot expect to have complete confidence in doctors to explain the spread of this epidemic because the public is equally just as important in the search for these answers.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>Traveling and migrating to new places can play a surprising role in the spread of HIV/AIDS because if the people who are travelling come in contact with the infected, they contract the disease typically without knowing.<span style=""> </span>For example, the reading about <st1:city st="on">Oaxaca</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region> discusses the migrant workers who traveled to the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place> boarders.<span style=""> </span>In their free time they found themselves bored and able to hire prostitutes for entertainment.<span style=""> </span>The specific men who told their stories admitted having sex with the same women during an evening of pleasure.<span style=""> </span>There is a high chance the men contracted the disease through one another’s semen.<span style=""> </span>This does not necessarily mean that these men had sex with each other, although sex between two men is another prevalent cause of spreading HIV/AIDS, but their semen was spread to one another through having sex with the same women.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>Also, by the public admitting to how they contracted or spread the disease challenges the stereotypes and assumptions in the world of science of how HIV/AIDS is spread.<span style=""> </span>Some of these confessions include sexual contact with a spouse or intimate partner in which, the disease was transmitted, or an over-all lack of using condoms properly and consistently.<span style=""> </span>Every victim or carrier of this disease have different backgrounds and reasoning as to why or to whom they passed the disease onto, but these people are included in all types of categories ranging from prostitutes to workers to married couples, showing the diversity of who is involved and infected by the disease.<span style=""> </span>This challenges generalization that only the poor and underdeveloped countries are suffering.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>In <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>, there is a heavy blame put on females for spreading HIV/AIDS within the country, but in fact these women are contracting the disease from someone else such as a husband, boyfriend, or male acquaintance.<span style=""> </span>The men had it first and then gave it to the women, therefore the accusations are incorrect and needs to be reevaluated as to who is carrying the disease to the African women?<span style=""> </span>Not only are gender inequalities within <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region> degrade females, but also globally is hindering the care for women who have contracted the disease.<span style=""> </span>“In every country, women with AIDS tend to be more socially and economically disadvantaged than men-younger, poorer, less educated, and less employed than men with AIDS.<span style=""> </span>In consequence, women do not have the same access to HIV testing” (Lorber and Moore 110).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;">According to the South African traditions and views discussed in the reading, women have the highest rate of becoming victimized by HIV/AIDS, but have the lowest rate of attention and medical care provided for them.<span style=""> </span>Also, the sexual intercourse the females have with a particular male is not always voluntary.<span style=""> </span>The women are frequently forced in a variety of social and economical ways, and also the overriding desire of bearing a child.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>I find it extremely important for the world outside of science and medicine to take part and feel just as important as conquering the battle of HIV/AIDS, because the public is who it is effecting and the doctors who are only there for limited support due to access, funds, and resources.<span style=""> </span>Although doctors are the ones who help treat and research the disease, they can only do so much for spreading the word on the streets.<span style=""> </span>Therefore, I believe everyone should take advantage of their right as a human to demand to be informed, aware, and surmount this extreme and devastating epidemic of HIV and AIDS.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=""> </span>I have never met a person with HIV or AIDS, but know that they are somewhere near me.<span style=""> </span>The readings helped me grasp the reality of how close this disease may be to you or me and are not something that solely exists in underdeveloped countries.<span style=""> </span>I also believe that when fear becomes a reality or when someone you know personally becomes a victim of HIV/AIDS, the whole spectrum of having a shield against this disease is torn down.<span style=""> </span>The rawness and bona fide reality of this disease is present and may affect anyone at anytime.<span style=""> </span>So don’t think that the sorrowful television ads of African people suffering from HIV/AIDS are not also making a family or friend in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> suffer at the same time.</span></p> <p></p> Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-58264430456237594012010-03-01T10:58:00.003+08:002010-03-04T08:15:11.821+08:00Blog 1: Health and Human Rights<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:PMingLiU; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:新細明體; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@PMingLiU"; panose-1:2 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:136; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 137232384 22 0 1048577 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language:ZH-TW;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;">When feeling slightly under the weather, middle-class Americans can easily go to the pharmacy and choose from an assortment of medicines and legal drugs.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The process sounds extremely easy and accessible.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">But this does not hold true for the rest of the world, and even among the poor within <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Availability to drugs internationally is quite limited, and the inequalities that are intertwined with the constricted access to medical resources are hindering countless lives.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Social class plays one of the biggest roles in dividing health privileges and rights.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Governments have made and are making laws that will seclude the poor to unfortunate health and the wealthy to excellent health care.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Not only are the poor already typically in bad situations, but are being stigmatized for their social placement and cut off from the abundance of medical resources that should be available to everyone.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Being poor is not solely defined by one’s financial state, but poor may mean a person living in unhealthy conditions through their household, their culture, or even incarceration that is limiting health access and rights for medical attention.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">For example, the reading that discusses the Russian prisoners who are being untreated for tuberculosis due to the cost-efficiency debates shows the importance of money over a human body.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Living in the underprivileged condition of an over-populated prison with no precautions or treatments towards the health of the prisoners is showing the lack of equality towards medical treatment.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Due to the concerns towards cost-efficiency for treating the Russian prisoners have put their rights on hold for inhumane reasons.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The prisoners are being pushed aside by the over-ruling social class of the privileged and treated poorly for the state they are currently in; being jail-junkies.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Governments and the groups that are making patents on medication and health care laws are overly concerned about money.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">This raises the question of health being a business instead of a right, so in fact a person’s life will be determined on the amount of money they have to spend on treatment.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Again, social class is placing the unfortunate into an even more devastating position of unfair treatment due to companies’ greed and obsession over their profits.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">With educated and well-researched groups that can fight these monopolies, rules can be changed to make health care accessible to all areas of societies within international cultures and increase efforts towards prevention of bad health and curing the ill-fated victims of disease.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">An example of fighting back towards inequalities of health care is shown through the AIDS activists who fought the South African government’s AIDS treatment policies.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Reading</st1:place></st1:city> and seeing the global inequalities of health rights has helped me look at my own in health with a different perspective.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">As stated before, I have complete access to any grocery that has a pharmacy and pick up cold/”under the weather” remedies.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">This makes my health problems seem so minute when thinking about who really needs treatments world-wide.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It also makes me grateful for the access I have to medical treatment and health conditions that I have had vaccines for.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">But it also upsets me to know that health has indeed been turned into a business instead of sincere concern towards human rights.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">AIDS is one of the leading causes of death as seen in the movie we watched in class.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Every day, thousands of people contract or die from the disease and most cannot be properly treated for it due to lack of funds and conditions of clinics.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Yet, companies continue to be greedy with their money and cost-efficient investments with their products.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The real concern should be towards the well-being of every individual has a human right.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">In some of the most extreme cases of painstaking lack of health care, the government should think to themselves, “What if that was my family member and wouldn’t I demand the best health care available?”</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Everyone that is dieing or infected with disease is someone’s family member, relative, or close friend, so everyone should be given a fair chance to live.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Instead, the focus is put towards where the most promising income may be stimulated and not towards the people who truly need immediate care.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The scenes from the movie were breath-taking as I sat in my chair and could do nothing for these suffering AIDS victims.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:webdings;"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I understand health care changes within the government cannot be done and put into action at a fast rate, but I feel like there is a lack of consideration towards such changes.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">It shouldn’t have to take an AIDS activist group to convince the South African government to make changes in their treatment access, but should be common sense that infected need treatment, and the dieing prevented.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">If I worked in an American clinic or hospital where I would witness numerous health-related problems, I know I would want to give those patients equal rights to treatment and life.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Also, I would expect as an American to be treated the same way.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Therefore, international cultures and governments who are privileged should consider how they personally would want to be treated, and think of how they would feel if they were deprived of equal care.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I know it is difficult to transfer these words into actions, but my main concern is for all the governments’ focus to be turned towards humans, not money.</span></p> Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-78589163974485282912009-11-27T13:07:00.000+08:002009-11-27T13:17:30.441+08:00Gobble Gobble GobbleHappy Thanksgiving!<br />My program went out for a Thanksgiving dinner at one of the nicest restaurants in Hangzhou. Our teacher/program paid for it of course. There were a lot of interesting dishes...the food was so-so. I definitely missed an all-American feast! But guess this had to so suffice considering we had not other choice. But I had a chance to call my family during Thanksgiving (States time) to say hi and hear about all the delicious food they ate. Wow, I was super jelous. But we had a friend from Valpo school come and join us from the States for dinner and he brought some chocolate and Cheez-its for us. Wow, fake cheese never tasted so good! Ha, and I had a mac 'n' cheese from one my friend's care packages from home that just about made me pee my pants it tasted so much like home. Nothing like a bowl full of sodium and processed cheese. Yes sir.<br />So I am super relieved to not have any finals in my Chinese classes. We just found out this past week. All the teachers decided the mid-terms were so recent that there wasn't necessary to give us a final...thank goodness! So, next week will be my last week of class and then I will have just under two weeks of free time and relaxing time. I might even travel if I have the money and time to. I would really like to go back to Beijing and spend more time enjoying the scenery without rushing through everything in a day. Plus we really didn't have much time to travel during the semester and kept cramming in site seeing into short periods of time, so it will be nice to have some free time on our hands. We do still have a final in our Civilization Culture class...a paper at that. So guess that will be all the homework I will need to work on.<br />Can't wait to come home!!!!Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-86100159832050248942009-11-17T18:47:00.000+08:002009-11-17T18:57:35.558+08:00Mid-termsWow, it's getting so cold here in Hangzhou. The rain is miserable to be out in because it is so cold and dreary. But everyone has their umbrellas out and continuing to walk everywhere. I have recently come down with a cold and coughing on a daily basis. I finally got over my stubbornness and went to the school's clinic. That place really concerned me...with their different sense of hygiene and how all the rooms were outdoors, or at least looked that way because they never close any doors! <br />After some confusion, I finally had a thermometer put in my mouth and seated in a small room. The doctor didn't check for anything else after I told him my common-cold symptoms. Because I didn't have a fever, they were not too concerned. So I was given a list of four different drugs to pick up in the next room which cost about $15 total. I got a box of Tylenol Cold medicine, some cough syrup, some other pill which I will not take because I cannot read anything on these boxes, and then some packets of natural herbal medicine to mix in hot water. I tried that herbal stuff...man it made me miss sugar so bad. It smelled and tasted like poop or something along those lines. But I do feel better having been on the medications for about a day now. I have also slept every free minute I have on my hands. This is hard because we have mid-terms this week and last Friday. *Big stack of flashcards, here I come!*<br />Friday we had our speaking/oral exam which went okay. Then listening/audio yesterday which I thought was a breeze. And I could actually understand what they were saying for once because they didn't talk a hundred miles a minute. So that was a relief! And then this Thursday I have my grammer/comprehensive test that will take about two hours to complete. It is all in Chinese characters, no phonics! Yikes, that will be interesting.<br />Anyways, next week is Thanksgiving!! That's crazy and really makes me crave mashed potatoes and gravy. Ha, and some cherry pie on the side with a dash of vanilla ice cream would truly be splendid!Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-74836299618911776422009-11-08T08:27:00.000+08:002009-11-08T08:44:54.325+08:00PoopSo tomorrow I have another unit test in my Chinese comprehensive class. That means I have a lot of flashcards to go through! We learn a lot of new vocab every week and sometimes it's hard to keep up. But so many of the international students don't even care and just skip classes and never do the homework. There have already been three students who have been kicked out of all the classes for not coming for over a third of the classes already. I just don't understand if you are paying to study abroad that you wouldn't actually have interest in what you are coming for. Many of the international students are only interested in learning Chinese on the streets and don't care to read or right the characters. I mean, it's not the funnest thing to do and it's challenging, but it also has meaning and it expands you're ability to use Chinese in the future. Well, whatever. Not my problem.<br />Sense of time has been frustrating me lately. Just the fact that I like to be punctual and for the most part on time for whatever. But that definitely does not apply to everyone and can really waste a lot of time in a person's day. Words can also have very different meanings when moving from one culture to another. For example, if you say you are going to be there soon, it translates into at a least an hour and a half later. And when you say you are coming, that translates into 30 minutes minimum. It's really quite frustrating because then you have to reset a watch in your mind to try and predict and re-plan the time you will ask someone to meet you. But punctuality is really not a word in some people's vocab. I just don't know how I would get through a day when I knew I was making people constantly wait for me. I would at least feel a slight sense of apology.Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-47871209446713013632009-11-05T23:07:00.000+08:002009-11-05T23:24:27.010+08:00Sarah's TripSo let's start from the beginning. I left for the Shanghai PuDong International airport around 11am last Friday from a travel agency. The bus took me directly to the airport. I was so anxious for Sarah to arrive that I became very impatient as I stood at the entrance of the international arrivals. When I finally saw her a huge hug because I was so happy to finally see someone from home! She looked exhausted as I did when I walked off the 13hr plane ride. And we were off to Hyatt number one...<br />The hotel was beautiful and Sarah had a room on the 28th floor that overlooked the Bund. It was so amazing at night with all the buildings' lights. I really enjoyed our stay in Shanghai as it consisted of a personal tour and a champagne brunch. We also spent an afternoon at the spa where we got full-body massages and free time in the hot tub and steam room. It was rejuviating and relaxing. Shanghai is definitely a modern version of China so Sarah did not quite get an accurate view of how the Chinese leave. I left that opportunity of experience for Hangzhou!<br />Well after a scary and confusing night in Hangzhou four nights later, Sarah and I are back at another Hyatt hotel. This one overlooks the West Lake, which is another beautiful attraction in China. We got a chance to check out a tea museum and take a paddle boat ride around a section of West Lake. Sarah stayed in Shanghai for three nights and Hangzhou for three nights. And now she is enjoying her last few days back in Shanghai at the third Hyatt of her trip. She will return back to the states this Saturday. I hope she enjoyed her stay, as I very much loved having her come here. It meant a lot to have a close family member come across the world to visit! And I know it wasn't easy.<br />Now it's time to crack down and prepare myself for the three midterms I have coming up in less than two weeks!!! I am scared and hope my cramming study habits will work this one last time, haha. Let me tell you, green tea is going to get my through the cold weather and save my voice! I bought a small teapot strainer at the tea museum that is quite handy. I really love tea and having China's loose leaf tea most definitely puts Lipton and Arizona tea to shame! Time is flying and already over half way done! Where has the first month and a half gone? I have no idea. But I know I am loving every minute of it here and hope to be able to readjust to American lifestyle when I return home.<br />Miss you all and have a great Thanksgiving!!!<br />PeaceJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-80611363182353029372009-10-23T18:06:00.000+08:002009-10-23T18:18:34.178+08:00Sarah is coming!!Hello Hello, so sorry it's been so long. I have completely lost track of time lately as I have had a big test, a birthday, and a class fieldtrip. So I finally had a test in my grammar class last Friday which I did okay on. Just so many characters we are learning and putting them into the correct order is really hard to remember! But everyone did a pretty good job on the test I believe and our classes are fun.<br />My birthday, which I celebrated 13 hours before it really was my birthday in the States, was fun fun fun! I invited a nice group of friends out to dinner at a restaurant down the street from our campus. It was such a diverse group of friends that it was slightly difficult to start up conversations that everyone could join on. There were two Chinese, a French, two Germans, three Nigerians, and then me and my friend from the States. But it was still fun. Then after wards we four of us went to a fancy wine tasting party which was filled with classy Europeans...so we felt underdressed and out of style. But they had some killer wine that was pretty delicious. After that we moved to a few other places and finally ended up at some dance club as usual. I had a good time and didn't die, so that's always a plus on your 21st bday! Haha.<br />Last weekend my program from America went on a group fieldtrip to Xi'an which is to the West of Hangzhou and about a 2hr plane ride. We left for the airport at 6am the morning after my bday party...I was going off of about an hour's worth of sleep. Ha, but we were on time and I was just dandy after I slept on the plane. We had a very busy weekend as we went to see one of the most popular Pagodas, the Tarrocatta warriors excavation sites, a bell tower, a drum tower, and a Muslim neighborhood. It was pretty cool and we all made many purchases. Sunday we shopped like all afternoon because our flight home wasn't til 9pm. So after I had already spent a few hours shopping, I split off from the group and found an awesome video game arcade! Yes, videogames. The only reason why I was so interested in the arcade was because they had DDR! So I made some Chinese friends who I played the game with and had a ton of fun. Two hours have never gone by so fast before! I felt like such a nerd, but I told all my friends back home that was one of the things I was looking forward to when coming here. It was so worth my lunch money!<br />The mosquitos are still biting the crap out of me even though it's cooling down. Unfortunately, I think my legs will be covered with scars when I return home. And it's not from scratching and having the bites turn into scabs, it's just from the bites in general. Of course I have cream to help the swelling and itching, but dang these mosquitos have some crazy juice in them!<br />Anyways, off for a nap. They are becoming my new favorite habit here!!Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-21895764041177644832009-10-06T18:02:00.000+08:002009-10-06T18:24:03.733+08:00Temptation for a vacation invitationSo the holiday...it's great! No classes and good weather. I just got back from Shanghai last night from a short weekend trip with a few friends from Hangzhou. We stayed at our friend's friend's apartment and he took us out on the town Saturday night. We had some amazing sushi and then went to a really nice cocktail joint on the roof of a really nice building. The tables were lit up in the dark and there was a great view of all the city lights. Then we just explored some other places to hang out and had some great "American" at the end of the night. This included hamburgers, ceasar salad, fries, and a reuben sandwich! The next day we just lazed around in the apartment then went shopping and out for dinner. Ate pizza the second night which was just as delicious as everything else we ate. Shanghai pretty much spoiled my appetite and as soon as my day started back in Hangzhou, I was craving American food again. Dang it, and I was doing so well too! But Shanghai is such a modernized version of Chinese culture that it is not very accurate to how most of Chinese people live. It's like saying New York City represents America or something.<br />Anyways, sent off my second batch of postcards last week so hopefully one of you will get them! It's always crazy for me to think that all of you back home are just doing your thing 13 hours after I do mine! I am so caught up in Chinese culture that I truly loose track of time on a daily basis and I can't believe that I've already been here for a month. It feels like I've been here for a while because it was so easy and fun to adapt to the culture here.<br />The weather has finally cooled down and I can walk outside without feeling like a sticky jar of honey. But the mosquitos are still biting me on a regular basis. But not as bad as the first time when two of my fingers looked like sausages for a few days. That was painful! I also saw something typical happen while I was Shanghai that just made me run but laugh at the same time. Danita and I were walking around shopping when we passed a group of Chinese people on the sidewalk who were hovered over some filled plastic bags. As I looked over, I see a dead and skinned duck being transferred from one bag to another. Ha talk about raw black market! There stuff is so fresh here though. Another friend told me when she went to the market and walked through the fish section, there was a box of squirming crabs and then a water tank filled with eels. The eels were so jumpy and energetic that one of them slithered out of the tank onto the floor! My friend jumped and ran the other way...wish I could have been there to play with the eel!<br />I have officially given up on my search for a piano to practice...because everyone I've asked on campus doesn't seem to have a clue where one would be. So I guess I'll just have to play catch up when I get home and devote all my time to the music building...NO ROSCOE'S!Jayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-65035235545773427352009-09-29T13:08:00.000+08:002009-09-29T13:15:53.575+08:00Almost thereGetting ready for the Chinese holiday coming up at the beginning of October. We get a week off school and many people travel all over China! Hangzhou will be packed with tourists so I am hoping to find a way out of here for that time. So far my friend and I are looking at a small island in the Southern part of China along the coast. It's right across from Tibet, of course we are not going to Tibet! But in that location. This place has beaches, night life, and is known for their historic music. I think there is some piano museum or something there that I would really like to see! Anyways, from our research we have found some great ticket prices for the train ride (about 13 hours) and then a really nice hotel that is right by the water. I really hope it all works out and the rest of our friends can come with us.<br />I have come down with a slight sickness that is basically due to lack of sleep and the extreme changes in weather from day to day. The humidity is wicked and then we will have a random day of cool breezes in between. I also have been sneezing due to the trees letting go of something in their leaves during the beginning of the fall season. It makes a lot of people sneeze. But I lost my voice last Friday and still have not gotten it completely back. I sounded like a young boy going through adolescence for a few days. And now my voice has come to a steady raspy sound. Bad ass? nope, not quite. It is cooling down though and I have finally been able to just open my window instead of blasting the A.C.<br />If you would like a postcard...email me your address!<br />Peace, JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-43953617201280045192009-09-22T17:04:00.000+08:002009-09-22T17:23:34.035+08:00Found Korean food!So things are getting into a consistent schedule here and I am falling into a better sleeping pattern. It was difficult to sleep in, but then hard to get up every morning which was annoying. But I think my body is pretty much over jet lag or something like that. It's cooling down and raining a lot here so that's always more tolerable when walking outside for everything. People's faces are beginning to become more familiar every day which is a nice feeling to have. Even if it's just the cafeteria women who recognize me every day at lunch. But hey, all the international students do stick out like sore thumbs. I would say we are making our time here worth while as we bring new energy and different ways of having fun to the campus, as I'm sure every group of international students have brought to this University. It's really awesome to finally be in a pool of true diversity, not just a few international students drowning in a sea of Caucasians like most American schools. This school is truly diverse and full of such unique experiences.<br />My group of five that I came over here with have moved past hanging out with just each other for security and familiarity. I would say most of us have parted our separate ways and don't hang out nearly as often as the first few days we were here. It started with James and I meeting the two Chinese boys, and then as soon as classes started, it only broadened with new friendships of international students and Chinese students! The others seem to stick close to each other which is good because I already feel kind of out of the loop with them and it's good that they have one another. But it's been awkward every once in a while because the time you devote to spending with people has obviously had a toll on how they treat you. But it's alright, I've made new friends and I am happy, which is all that matters.<br />Homesickness has not struck me yet! I wasn't expecting it would any time soon just because I was gone in Denver all summer and in a close living situation like here. But I know that I have plenty of resources if the symptoms of homesickness do begin to strike in the near future. I don't think they will because I have been in consistent contact with the people I care about back at home and Skyping has really been awesome! I've seen my whole family (including my dog, Clover), and had a goofy conversation with some of my besties, Dcov and TuttaButta.<br />Things are really going good here and I am ready for a field trip soon so I can get some more great pic's that I will be able to share with you all when I return home and have full access to facebook! But in the mean time, it's always great to hear from everyone and have frequent updates with people's lives back at home. Because I honestly have no idea what's going on in the United States! It's kind of weird, but then again I am half way around the world so guess I put myself in this situation. Haha.<br />Okay, off to a Korean restaurant (got to stay true to my heritage that I know nothing about).<br />Peace and Love, JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-3491410801405525672009-09-20T03:29:00.000+08:002009-09-20T03:43:04.402+08:00Go put your records on, tell me your favorite songWell, it's been a few days due to business. But I have exciting news...my German friend Carolyn and me have met some really great guys who are locals. No, this is not a dating situation, but honest and fun friendships! These guys are part of a band that plays every night at a dance club here called CoCo. They remembered us because we are usually the only ones who sing along with the English songs and interact with their music. The Chinese are so reserved and a bit scared, so they just sit like stones at the tables in the club. But this band is so fun/funny. They sing both Chinese ballads and some American rock songs that are pretty old like "play that funky music white boy". But they just have so much energy and full of spunk.<br />Tony, the lead singer, and then the drummer and base player took us out on the town tonight. Carolyn and me went to hear them play for a third time this week and afterwards Tony took us to a nearby place to play pool. The drummer and base player showed up soon after and we had a great time learning each other's languages. They also teached us how to play pool and not scratch every other time we shot. They are very nice and Tony, especially can speak English pretty well. The others are working on it as we are working on our Chinese. But after pool we got a bite to eat and that's when we really started having fun because we got into some interesting conversations, made lots of jokes, at great food, and enjoyed each other's company. This was a memorable night because the five of us developed such a fun and exotic friendship that will always have us on our feet, as we are so curious to learn about one another. I think Carolyn and I will be going to CoCo regularly :)<br />Tomorrow I am going to the travel agency with a "translator" so I can set up Sarah's trip out here!!! I am very excited to have a true American visit me and share traditions that remind me of home. But at the same time, I am going to teach Sarah how to barter, eat, and "squat" like a Chinese.<br />Oh yeah, still haven't gone on my piano hunt. Du, don't be mad!<br />Peace, JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-34114125074234349942009-09-16T16:38:00.000+08:002009-09-16T16:52:57.134+08:00West LakeSo one of the main things to do here in Hangzhou is to go to West Lake and either walk or bike around it. Me and some classmates did that today even though it wasn't very sunny. But it was really fun. We took a taxi there and back and then rode our bikes around most of the lake. It's pretty big so it takes an afternoon. I have met some really cool people in my Chinese classes who are from Germany, Spain, and Japan. They all speak Chinese much better than I do, but they speak English pretty well and we mostly communicate through that language. But it seems like most of the international students I've met know a minimum of three different languages which definitely makes me jealous that I only know 2.5 languages and I would only consider myself fluent in English. Lame, but oh well.<br />Anyways, got some beautiful pictures of the lake and some silly ones by random statues we passed by. But the thing that really stinks is that I cannot upload pictures to my blog or email...like I said pretty much everything is blocked on the internet. So I guess that includes Java software.<br /><br />I feel so bad for my three female classmates I came over here with. They have all been sick at different times since we've been here. One of them has thrown up and feels sick most days, the other had a fever last week, and they have all dealt with some bad digestion issues. I'm not really sure why I haven't gotten sick yet, not that I'm asking to be. But guess my body really likes oils and doughy foods! The only thing is that I wish I had time to take a few naps here and there because we walk a lot almost every day for some reason or another. But it's better than absolutely no exercise which I think is hard to not do while you're here. I still can't believe how frickin' small Chinese people are, especially females!!! They all wear size zero like size and I would say an American small would be a medium or large here. Well maybe if the clothes came from Abercrombie or some insanely small-sized clothing store like that. But it's funny because whenever we've gone shopping, the sales people always run up to us with a piece of clothing saying "extra large, extra large." Oh happy days.<br />-JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-88196193518918492162009-09-15T13:33:00.000+08:002009-09-15T13:35:46.751+08:00I think it finally rained!It's cooling down slowly but surely as the humidity is making me sweat less each day. It was crazy how humid it was the first week we were in Hangzhou. I mean, us Iowans think we know humidity, but this was worse! Plus everyone walks and bikes everywhere and most places don't have air conditioning. But at least I don't have work out for awhile, considering how many calories one can sweat off here. <br />I do like that people walk and bike to many of their destinations. It's fun and adventurous way because we get to enjoy the beauty of this city more easily. And most people barter and shop in the black markets for their clothes, jewelry, bags, and shoes. It's really fun to barter and I'm sure you will not be surprised to hear that I am pretty good at. I mean hey, I like to shop! But for example, lets say I was buying a pair of earrings. The person will start off at like 150 Yuan and type it in the calculator. Then I give some amazed look of disgust of how expensive it is and begin to walk away. They will then holler at you to come back and type in the price you pay. And eventually you typically get things down to half or a third of what the starting price was. It's so much fun! <br />Did I mention how cheap things are here too? Breakfast in the caf costs about 50 cents, lunch about $3 and dinner still under $10!!!! How crazy is that. I also got a haircut much cheaper than LaJames' prices. And those I must say are pretty cheap for the states. Anyways, hopefully I can find a way to upload photos on this thing so you can see me Asian-looking haircut. LOL<br />Second day of classes was dandy. I really like all of my teachers (three Chinese-speaking classes)so far and my class mates are fun for the most part. We are taking it easy this first week just to get us introduced to what the classes will be like. But I know it will pick up quickly as China is known for fast-pace academics. But that's how my Chinese teacher from Luther ran our class so I am sort of, kind of used to it. I can't wait though to become more comfortable with this language because speaking and writing is so beautiful!!<br />I had to bring some "home" to my dorm room. I have an Obama poster with his big speech written out above his face, a Frank Sinatra poster, and a big calendar from Oyama! And then I have some postcards of the Hawekeyes, Englert Theatre, and pictures of friends up on a board. But I forgot my Korean flag! That has been replaced with a rice-patty hat:)<br />I have noticed there are a lot of foreign exchange students from Germany, Britain, and Nigeria. It's crazy because they all hang out in large packs. Like the Germans and Brits always sit out on the front stair case at night just to chit chat and smoke some cigs. Then the Nigerians just travel in packs, if you see one, others will not be far behind. I guess the group I came with is so diverse and small that it's hard to be obvious about always hanging out with them.<br /><br />Anyways, off to do some homework and then dinner at our Professor's apartment.<br />在见, JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-51897238903820359942009-09-14T12:36:00.000+08:002009-09-15T07:37:31.431+08:00First day of classOkay, so they are a lot more strict here than any classes I've taken back home. At Luther, if you are late you can still straggle in and not have it be a big deal. You can also wear anything from your pajamas to work-out clothes too. Here, it does not hold true. Fiver minutes late equals one absence, ten minutes late equals two absences. And people always look nice for class because there are no saggy pants and clevage shirts. People are fairly quiet too and you don't hear someone yelling to another person across the room or hallway. But since this is an international school, there are plenty of people who do not act in this manner too.<br />Geeze, okay, it's out<br /><br />I have the three Chinese-speaking classes with the same set of students and we have two in one room and the oral class in another. But they are all three in the same building as our dorms so getting up early to prepare will be avoided as much as possible! We are taking listening, writing/reading, and grammar courses. I have already run into a guy who goes to Central in Iowa, so guess it's not such a big place after all! James, my school mate from Luther, is also in my class. But that doesn't really effect anything because we don't hang out that much. But I am excited for classes to finally begin because I have been anxious to meet new people and make new friends. Don't get my wrong, I love the girls who are in our group, but since there are only five of us totally, time with them can feel a bit cramped.<br />Now my next project is to try and get Sarah out here to visit!<br /><br />All for now and 在见 (see you later)<br />-JBirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3152986885185751304.post-16285699105462667502009-09-13T21:33:00.000+08:002009-09-13T21:54:43.566+08:00A late startHey, first of all I am terribly sorry about my first blog not working...something to do with all the proxy usage and almost everything on the internet is blocked off here.<br /><br />Anyways, Hangzhou is amazing! I live in a single-person dorm room on the same floor as my four classmates. We all get along and have had many memorable experiences already from eating to shopping to climbing the Great Wall in Beijing! It's hard for me to put into words how awesome it is to be here right now and all the good things that I am seeing and learning from one culture to another. I have honestly become skeptical on returning to the United States...JUST KIDDING, but seriously there are so many things I wish could be changed back in the states. <br />Chinese culture is quite fascinating and I have found myself trying to blend in more and more every day. One of the first things that I noticed was that every motor vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian must fend for themselves meaning there is a lot of close calls in my opinion. Cars whiz by and play chicken with each other while mopeds whiz by pedestrians with only a few inches to spare...which gives me a scare every time! But I have gotten used to it and realize that the Chinese are in fact very good drivers because they have the skills to maneuver in the manner that they do.<br />The food is absolutely the bomb-diggity because I know I am loading myself with light oils, not salt and butter. Also, the simplicity of their dishes also have the most amazing effects on the tongue because nothing is really over seasoned and people enjoy more of the natural flavor or meats and veggies. By the way, I have not seen one bottle of soy sauce at any meal, that is just an American stereotype (surprise surprise). Also, I have come across some interesting, yet popular delicacies such as fried duck tongue, duck feet (toenails, web and all), and whole shrimps that have eyes looking at you while you eat them. I have not tried any of those for now due to fear and the reaction of my stomach after looking at it, but oh well. Maybe over time I will even learn how to cook it and make my family eat it for dinner!<br /><br />Well, I am glad to say that I am living in everyone's future back at home and I hope everyone is having a good semester, month, life, etc. I am crossing my fingers that this blog will work and if so, you will be seeing posts at least ever week. Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you all!<br />Take care and spread the peace, J-BirdJayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01823565670894928714noreply@blogger.com2