MAST

Life

2009-11-18T13:58:00.000-08:00

There is so much going on constantly that it is hard to step back and look at what is going on around you. When we did the religion assignment I realized that it is harder than you think to look at something from the outside and try to figure out the reasons behind why people do what they do. On the other hand, if you are already a part of something it is hard to take a step back and explain the reasons on why we do or do not do things. I realized today that I don't really stick up for things that I believe in and I began to look at things and ask myself why it is that I don't stick up for myself. After contemplating for awhile, I realized it is because I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that for the most part it will probably not coincide with mine and they also have the right to voice what they think. I do not stick up for the things that I believe in because in a way I feel like they would see it as me judging them, which is the last thing that I would do. And now I am rambling. I just wish that more people would step outside of their own bubble, experience the world, learn to accept the differences in people and to appreciate that there is a whole world out there to explore. I just don't understand how people can voice such strong opinions about things when they have yet to see the world for themselves.

To Blog or Not to Blog...

2009-11-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

To Whomever May Read This:
On our mid-term check list it states that we should have five blogs for this mid-term. However, we were told to take the old syllabus and disregard it, which is what I did. We were assigned one blog to complete, which is the one that I posted. As far as I understand we were not to do any blogs unless further assigned. I could go through and post 5 quick blogs about nothing but that would be a waste of my time and of yours. I feel that my energy is better spent studying for my mid-term and preparing my portfolio rathering than writing about what I did this past weekend. Although if you really want to know, I worked. So, to sum up everything I was not aware that we were to continue following the blog schedule on the old syllabus, but if we are then I will add more blogs for the final portfolio.

Culture and Climate

2009-10-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

From this past week as well as from all of the readings and discussions in class, the thing that has most captured my attention is the impact that climate changes and environmental changes affect Inuit culture. It makes me think about how much I personally have affected life in the arctic. How much of my car emissions, trash piled into landfills, etc. has made its way to the arctic and altered how another person lives? It is very humbling to think about these things, it is also very disturbing that no one really talks about this situation. How is it that people do not know how much they are contributing to the destruction of the arctic? Is it that we just don't want to know, or is that information not readily available. In my opinion, I think that for the most part, people do not want to know. It is much easier to continue what you are doing than to make a change to save some part of the world that most people will never see. If that is the case, if it really comes down to out of sight out of mind, then we need to do something to bring this into sight. I may not always do what is best for the environment, but at the same time it makes me sick to think that I am contributing to the decline of an environment and to the decline of a population of people. Can the arctic be saved? I guess that really depends on who you talk to and their definition of "saved". "Saved" to the Inuit would mean one thing while "saved" to an environmentalist would be a totally different thing. Is there a right and wrong side to be on, Inuit vs. Environmentalist? They both have their valid points, but the issue is bringing those points together and finding a common ground to at least begin preservation of the arctic.

My College Life #1

2009-09-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

I am a transfer student, so Texas A&M is not the first college I have been to and I am not a new student. However, my first impressions of this semester are mixed right now. I am really enjoying school but I am having a hard time fitting everything into my schedule. This is one of the more difficult aspects of being older and being in college. I have a full-time job, which my hours just increased as two bartenders got fired yesterday, plus I have family obligations, a boyfriend and a dog. I am currently working on trying to fit everyone and everything into the few available hours that I have each week. So, with all of that being said, I do not really feel inspired this week. I am feeling slightly frustrated and I know that I need to get it all straightened out now or it will just get progressively worse throughout the semester. Enough complaining, no matter how much we all love to do it. I was inspired by our class meeting on Wednesday. Being a more casual class really seemed to open up the class and got us talking more to each other, which is one of the most helpful things to do in college. You have to get to know the people around you, especially the people that are in your classes and will probably be in the same career fields as you. I think our class on Wednesday made people feel more comfortable to speak up and to ask questions. So, thank you for Wednesday.

Indigenous Rights Essay

2009-09-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

After reading "Who Owns Culture?" in Peoples and Bailey (2009: 91-92) I felt more confused on the subject of "owning" a culture than I did prior to reading about it. My first thoughts on the subject where that it is absurd to say that anyone owns a culture. How can anyone own stories, art, traditions, etc. Where these things not meant to be shared through generations and how could you ever expect to be understood and your culture valued as equally as other cultures if you keep it to yourself? After reading further and understanding the reason behind why these people wanted to claim rights to their culture then I immediately switched to the opposite side and agreed completely that they should have the ownership rights to their culture protected. It was then that I started looking for a way to meet the two in the middle. How can we share our cultures with others and protect them at the same time? Scholars should recognize many, if not all, of the rights of these cultures that need protection. If it were not for previous exploitations of these cultures than the idea of "owning" a culture would not have emerged in the first place. I am not sure where the two can find a common ground. It is best for the culture and for other cultures to learn about each other; for knowledge as well as for preventing such things as stereotyping. At the same time, are we violating the rights of the scholar when we prevent them from learning about the culture and publishing that knowledge for others to absorb? I am still uncertain as to where the rights of the indigenous people can reach a balance with the rights of the scholars, but I know that we need to find that balance for the good of everyone involved.

Autobiography #2

2009-09-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

I imagine that if you are reading this, then you already know my name but that may be all that you know about me. I am originally from Northern Virginia, about fifteen minutes outside of Washington, DC. I have lived in California, Puerto Rico, Colorado, Australia, New York City, Houston, and now Galveston. I guess you could say that I have been on a quest to find myself. I have never really known what I wanted to be when I grew up, good thing I have now figured it out as I will be 29 this year. I came to Houston to go to school and I discovered an appreciation for nautical archaeology, so I transferred to Texas A&M Galveston. My overall plan is to get my Bachelors Degree from Texas A&M then to continue my education and get my Masters Degree. I am going to focus my studies on Old World rather than New World. I want to spend my time doing fieldwork, as I do not think that I have the patience to teach. That is about as far ahead as I can plan, I like to go where life takes me and meet all of my challenges head on.