Ha Sung Kang's ESL Blog

“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” exclaimed Nelson Mandala, a president of South Africa and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Humans are different from any other living creatures. Unlike animals and plants, we have an innate ability to choose our own destiny. Our daily life consists of gamut of choices, some beneficial and some harmful to us. Those who believe that society limits a person can be perceived as ignorant. Whereas, those who know that they are not bound by society’s expectations and restraints, are wise and often successful. We are free to make our own choices in life and are responsible for our actions.

We make a variety of decisions everyday. We choose when to wake up in the morning and when to rest. Society may influence our choices, but it doesn’t make the choices for us. For example, you want to be a professional basketball player in a city where there is no basketball court. You can choose to practice hard and make your own basketball “court” or to just complain and not practice at all. Whether you play basketball or not, it is ultimately your choice.

We were created to have freewill, which means that we can choose what to do with our lives. An archetype of this is Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook. Zuckerberg who created Facebook in his Harvard dormitory. It was originally a social networking page for other universities and colleges alike. However, more and more people grew fond of it, and it spread like wildfire. Knowing that his invention was loved, the young genius dropped out of Harvard University and enabled Facebook to all people. Now he is one of the youngest millionaires in the world. Nobody expected him to leave Harvard, but he chose to do it for his own benefit.

Lastly, I realized that I am who I am because of my past decisions. When I had taken piano lessons, I didn’t take it very seriously. As a result, I am amateur pianist. I regret not practicing harder, but it was a consequence from my own decision and not from the piano teacher or the society. I can’t blame anyone else but myself.

This world is full of choices and decisions. We must know that we are not confined by the social expectation and limitations. Instead, we are given the freedom to choose what we want to do, and how we want to do it. We are “masters” of our fate and “captains” of our soul. As the adage goes “only the sky is our limit”.

Apostle Paul told the people in the Ephesian Church to be very careful of how they should live, not as unwise, but as wise; making the most out of every opportunity. This is a great counsel, especially for us who have entered the realm of summer vacation. With the full 24 hours in our hands, we are in control of most of our daily activities. However, it is very easy for us to get lazy and not do anything productive during summer. You may not have been aware of it, but summer is a great opportunity for self development in different areas of your life. Here are some recommendations.

Create a hobby or a summer project. These can be anything from photography, writing, Working out, etc; things that interest you and the ones that you want to learn or improve on. For example, right now I am doing a summer writing project where I have to write at least one essay every week. Whereas one of my friend has started a photography/art summer project by routinely taking and drawing pictures and sharing them through Facebook.

Learn a new skill. If you want to join chapel next school year, start learning how to play the guitar, drums, bass, or piano. If you want to pass out of the Indonesian exam, start studying Indonesian. If you like cooking, make dishes and try new recipes. I am currently practicing piano as I hope to perform in one of my school’s concerts for the upcoming school year.

Continue to grow in knowledge and wisdom. Spend time reading God’s Word and grow in wisdom to know what God has planned in your life. Read books and newspaper articles to understand other people’s ideas and worldviews. Prepare for the next school year by studying grammar and learning new vocabulary words.

These are great way to spend your summer and probably the only time where you can actually accomplish these tasks. With more than 60 days all to us, it will be wise to manage our time wisely. Playing and having fun during summer is necessary, but it isn’t the only thing we should do. We should find ways to advance on our talents and gifts. Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” I hope you will have a meaningful summer!

“If you read a lot of books you are considered well read. But if you watch a lot of TV, you’re not considered well viewed.” said the comedian Lily Tomlin. Have you ever had to choose between reading a book and watching TV? If you did, you would probably have chosen TV over a book. You might argue that reading is boring compared to watching TV. That it has no significant use other than making you look nerdy and unpopular in front of your peers. In reality, reading is helpful to you in many ways and also entertaining. Whether you’re reading your 9^th grade Literature book or Cinderella, reading is worth every second of your valuable time.

First of all, books are great resources for knowledge, especially for literary skills. As a motivated student who wants to attend a good college, I often ask the seniors and alumni what the best way to prepare myself for college is. Most of their advice is the same: “Read, Read, and Read. Read whenever you have the chance.” When you read, especially American Literature, it develops your vocabulary skills. You will understand and be able to use unfamiliar words. Also, reading improves your grammar. By reading a lot, you will be familiar with how a sentence is formed. This will make less chance for error in your English papers and essays.

Secondly, reading is important as it helps you enlarge your worldviews and ideas. In every book, an author wants to convey a certain theme(s) or message(s) to its readers. Through reading, you get a glimpse of the author’s thoughts and beliefs. Reading a lot helps you understand more about the world through a wide spectrum of opinions. That is why President Harry S. Truman said “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” because a great leader must know what his people needs from different perspectives.

Lastly, reading is exciting and full of adventures. The famous writer, C.S. Lewis, said “In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself…”  Through reading, you can join Jim Hawkins in his epic adventures to Treasure Island or mourn together with the Montagues and Capulets for the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet. When you read, you warp into the author’s world; seeing, hearing, and feeling what the author has written.

A C Grayling once said “To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.” By reading, we have a greater understanding of the world and ourselves. It also gives us amusement as it connects us with emotion. When you have nothing to do, take your time to grab a book and read instead of playing games or watching TV. In the long run, you know that reading will be more beneficial to you than two or three hours of video games or TV shows. Spend your time wisely; don’t trade short term convenience for long-term success. Reading is a gift from God, and we should not overlook the grace that God has generously given to us.

As I am studying at a Christian school, it is easy for me to assume that everybody has accepted, and believed in Jesus Christ. However, I often wonder whether we have a genuine relationship with God or if we are “Christians” only by name, because we were forced to believe by our parents and peers. What are the qualifications of being a true follower of Christ?

Born from Christian parents, I adapted Christianity at an early age. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and invited him into my heart numerous times. Although, I made many commitments to love and follow God, my life was still the same as before, and I couldn’t see any radical changes in my life. I had put God inside a box, and would open it only when I needed Him to help me. I had been living as a “fake Christian” for almost all my life until this year. I have repented of my past sins and turned back to God again. Now, I strive to worship God through how I act and speak to others everyday.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus said that “a bad tree can’t bear good fruit and a good tree can’t bear bad fruit.” Thus, we will recognize people by their fruit. Think about what you have done these past few weeks. Did your actions and thoughts reflect God’s love and glory? Or did you just go through the motions, and live as if you are no different than the world? You can’t say that you’re a Christian when your actions and words contradict your faith.

Being a Christian is surrendering your whole body to God. You will have to deny yourself, and carry the cross daily to follow Jesus. By this, it means that you will start building God’s kingdom instead of your own worldly kingdom. Every morning will be a continuous battle of your spirit against your flesh. As time passes by, you will see less of yourself and more of Christ in every aspect of your life.

Lastly, as believers of Jesus, we are obligated to tell others about God. We should be like stars, shining brightly to those who don’t know Christ. Being good examples to the people around us is one of the ways to share about Jesus. Nonbelievers will be attracted to the inevitable light that is shining inside all Christians.

Once you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and king, following Him will be an on-going process. Although we have been saved by grace and not our works, faith by itself is dead. Our faith must be accompanied by our everyday actions and deeds. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you should encourage others to know and follow Jesus. If you are like I was, “Christian” only by name, I pray that you will realize that God wants an intimate relationship with you. If you don’t believe in Jesus yet, I urge you to closely observe your Christian friends and teachers, and wonder about the light that is shinning within them. Believing and following Jesus Christ means that we are constantly reflecting His love and glory through how we live each day.

It is said that our bodies are holy temples of God and that God’s Spirit lives in us. Therefore, it is important to take care of our bodies well, and live a healthy life. Three things are essential to a healthy life: eating healthy foods, exercising, and having a good relationship with God.

An old maxim states that you are what you eat; hence, we need to have good eating habits to prevent dangerous disease and illness. A balanced diet should consist of protein, vitamins & minerals, and foods that are low in fat. Protein can be found in meat, beans, and tofu, and is necessary for growth, as it repairs body tissues and provides energy. Vitamins and minerals are mostly found in vegetables and fruits. These nutritional substances help cells and organs function normally, and promote normal growth and development in our bodies. Lastly, we should avoid sugary and oily food for it contains fats that increase your cholesterol. Having high cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Having a well-balanced diet is not enough for a healthy body.It is also necessary to burn some calories and strengthen your bones and muscles by exercising. Exercising for an hour three times a week is more than enough to keep your body fit. You can always go to the gym and shoot a basketball or go to the field and kick a soccer ball. If you are not too fond of team sports, you can always exercise by walking around town or running on a track while listening to your iPod.

Lastly, and most importantly, you need to have an intimate relationship with God in order to fill our “God spots”. These are empty spaces inside of our hearts that only God can fill. Most people may not realize that true joy comes only from loving God and following His commands. You don’t need to preach a sermon or lead a worship team to have close relationship with God. You can still worship Him by doing simple actions such as reading His word one chapter a day or share with others how God has been working in your life. God adores you when you pray to Him after waking up in the morning and before going back to sleep. Knowing God and loving Him is significant because it exercises our spiritual minds and bodies.

All these are key factors to live a healthy lifestyle, but you need to consider one more vital aspect: CONSISTENCY. There will be no progress if you have a good diet for a week, and then eat junk food the week after that. Also, you won’t get healthy by exercising 5 hours one day and waiting for another month to exercise again. Lastly, there will be no genuine relationship with God, if you read your Bible everyday, but don’t put it into daily practice. In the end, it all comes down to where your heart is and your willingness to enjoy a healthy and a joyful life.

Everybody was thrilled when Ms.Van assigned my class our new civics project, the Business Fair. Students separated into groups of three and eagerly discussed what they would sell. My group, which consisted of Jindo, Soon, and I, created an amazing plan to sell “very hot dogs” and “I C Juice” at the fair.

On Tuesday, after ESL/Indonesian class, the 9^th graders along with their materials, rushed into the kitchen. I was opening the hotdog packages, while Jindo with the help of Ibu Dewi our cooking teacher, was cooking the hotdogs in the sizzling pan. The kitchen was filled with hot and damp air, but that didn’t stop me and my team from working hard. During this entire event, my other partner, Soon, was busy preparing our hotdog stand at the pavilion. I felt from that point on, that this fair would be a great success.

Our time had come when the lunch bell rang. A crowd of people stormed out from the breezeway.  One by one, people came to our stand until we sold all of our hotdogs and most of our drinks. Our customers were satisfied and asked for more, but we didn’t have any more hotdogs to sell. I noticed that my group was exhausted after a hard day’s work of selling our products. I was very grateful that they had worked hard.

Eventually, the lunch bell rang again, but this time it was telling us that the fair was over. It was our turn to rest and have lunch. As we were eating, we shared about our thoughts and experiences about the fair. We were enjoying ourselves until we were told to clean up the mess. We wiped the filthy tables, washed our utensils, and mopped the dirty floor. When we were finally done, I was relieved, and was proud of what my group had accomplished.

I found great joy in participating in the Business Fair, and I would love to do more of it in the near future.

In the past, women weren’t allowed to join in the army, however, there are as many women as men in the U.S. Army today. They join the army for the same reasons as men do: “patriotism, job training, money for college, and travel”. Women can serve in all army positions with one exception: they can’t serve in the direct ground combat. Some women think this is unfair, while others think that this is a reasonable restriction.

Women can’t serve in the direct ground combat mainly because some military men think they are not physically strong enough. Moreover, people speculate that women can’t take the pressure of combat because of their emotions. Despite these accusations, women have proven themselves worthy when many of them volunteered to serve in the Persian Gulf Conflict. There, women “drove trucks, dug bunkers, established communication systems, and endured enemy attack”. One Army Reserve major reports that “Women proved they were able to work beside men and get the job done”.

Nevertheless, some women don’t want to serve as ground combat troops and are grateful for the restrictions placed on them. Even though they don’t serve in direct ground combat, women can support the ground troops by serving other important roles such as intelligence officers, pilots, or engineers. Still, many men believe that women are perfectly fit and are capable of serving in the direct ground combat with them.

As time passes, things change. Before, women weren’t allowed to serve in the U.S. army, but now they can serve in any army positions except those that involve in direct ground combat. Many women think it is unjust, while others are thankful that they don’t have to be involved in direct ground combat. Perhaps in the future, women in the military will get the rights to join the direct ground combat.

I used to live in a world where there was no war, only peace. A “Utopia” is what they use to call it. Nobody would starve, kill, or steal for any reason. Everybody was equal and everyone had what they needed. Then, everything changed when a new dictator, Nicholas Brown, rose to power. Nobody knew exactly why Brown declared a colossal war against the world, but that was the start of my country’s downfall.

Industrial workers were forced to produce more weapons without rest. Sooner or later, little kids and teenagers had to be involved in the war. Innocent children had to carry weapons and learn to be ruthless assassins. I was taken away from my parents and my beloved younger brother, John, at the age of seventeen.  I was sent into training camps where they taught me how to become a fierce fighter.

Eventually, we were tired of his rule and started to rebel. Young soldiers, including myself, from various training camps gathered and discussed plans to overthrow Brown. We launched a coup at the middle of the night at the president’s house. Our mission ended in vain as the security guards brought heavy armed weapons against the rebels. Brown executed the rebel leaders in public and announced a punishment to those who were involved. The next day, all the rebels had to participate in a gladiator game.

The game was designed to amuse our dictator. Hundreds of us were thrown into an arena. It was a vast land of nothingness except for deadly weaponries. We all knew the rules; that only one man would survive. My motivation of seeing my brother again overwhelmed me to the point that I couldn’t even control my own body.  I went on a rampage and my mind was completely on seeing my brother again. Therefore, I slashed and killed anybody who was in my way. After hours of brutal slaughter, I was the last man standing. The arena was covered with scarlet blood along with my broken body. I was crowned the victor and was released. I could never forgive myself for what I did that day.

As the year passed by, our tyrant, Nicholas Brown, was assassinated and a new ruler came to power. He assigned peace treaties with the other nations. Everything was slowly turning back to normal. But for those who were involved in the war and the rebellion, they had lost many things. Parents had lost their children, sisters had lost their brothers, and sons had lost their fathers. To me, I had lost everything. For it was on the dark and bloody day in the arena that I had unconsciously killed my one and only brother, John, with my own two hands.

The basketball hoop is an essential piece in playing basketball. Without the hoop, basketball would just be a game of dribbling a ball and stealing it away from your opponent’s hands. The basketball hoop, also known as the rim, allows the player to score points. You may have played basketball for your entire life, but you might not be familiar with the hoop’s basic parts.

The foundation of a basketball hoop starts within the wall or the pole. A group of poles called the brackets connect the pole or the wall to the backboard. The brackets hold the backboard in place and adjust how far the backboard will be from the pole or the wall.

The backboard is a big rectangular or fan shaped board that is made of glass, acrylic, or steel. The National Basketball Association (NBA) uses glass for its sturdy and rigid abilities. The backboard is helpful when a player shoots a bank shot, a type of shot that uses the backboard to deflect the ball into the rim.

The rim is connected to the backboard through the breakaway system or springs. This system holds the rim in place and allows the player to dunk without breaking the backboard. The rim is made of steel and measures eighteen inches in diameter. Its main purpose is to give points when a player shoots the ball into the hoop.

The net is a minor part, but it has a huge effect. It is made out of strings of nylon that makes a clean “swoosh” sound when the ball goes straight to the net without hitting the rim. In public parks, they often use metal braids for the net to make a nice metal jangling sound. Many basketball players enjoy hearing the sound of their shots.

Playing basketball is fun, but playing basketball with knowing the fundamental parts is more exciting. You will be surprise how all the parts work together in perfect unison to create the basketball hoop that people use everyday.