Official Start Time: 8:30 p.m.
Date: 11/24/08
Official End Time: 10:00 p.m.
So today was the big day as we (Jay, Steve, and myself) confronted Tufts University and prepared our presentation for a class of students later that day. The experience was pretty cool but the ride there and everything else that happened was what really opened my mind to the things that surround me and the opportunities I have/might not have. It was a long day that gave me more information than I might have expected.
The day started around 7:30 as I got ready and waited for Steve to come pick me and Jay up. Around 8:30 Jay gave me a call and was ready to hit the road with Steve. Steve showed up around 9 and we met two Chinese partners that would be coming with us to Tufts University. One of our partners was Wuyan. Wuyan currently goes to UConn and hopes to major in business. Our other partner was Suri's mom who has been in America for about a month now visit UConn and other educational facilities to learn something about American teaching techniques.
The car ride there was bit awkward in the beginning as we weren't to sure how to start the conversation. Steve started by giving everyone the agenda for the day and what we should be expecting later today. Jay and I soon enough started to talk to Wuyan and ask her a few questions like what she liked to do to on her free time, what type of music she listened to, and what she hoped to do in the future after college. The conversation warmed the atmosphere in the car but wasn't exactly enough to kill a 2 hour ride to Boston.
As we started to get closer to Tufts, Steve started telling Suri's mom about all the stuff we've been doing on the website and how we're great students. He said that I should go to a school like Tufts and how Jay should go somewhere like Berkeley. He said that we would be millionaires by the time we were 25 and that we had a bright future ahead of us. The compliments were nice but the words sparked something inside me that made me look at the environment that surrounds me and Jay and something that I hope would never be the thing that labeled us.
We finally reached Tufts and met with our tour guide for the day. She was a bit nervous but more concerned with our lack of interests. It wasn't that we didn't care but that we had no prior knowledge of Tufts and what made the school so special. We did hit a few brick walls as we talk about nepotism and the rank of the school but we eventually moved on and where able to get through our hour long tour.
I thought the campus was nice and the library was pretty cool. The campus was rather small and like Suri's mom said, "I think I would need more information to take a better look at a school like Tufts". There wasn't a high level of enthusiasm about the school but our mission today wasn't to visit the school but to give a presentation to a class of students at Tuft.
The time finally did arrive and we started to set up for our presentation. The presentation went well but I imagined it being a longer presentation with me and Jay doing more of the speaking. The message we tried send to students wasn't well received in my opinion. They were more anxious to get out of there and see their families for Thanksgiving break. In the end it really came down to Steve and having him crack down on a class that questioned everything and basically criticized the Chinese government to it's political core. They did however have a tough time saying that to Suri's mom. This brings up a great point about how students and American's today are easily influenced by the media and quick attack the people of that country not realizing that they should be attacking the political leaders of that country. Furthermore, reasoning needs to be taken into consideration when a accusing someone of degrading their people and not providing them with the great opportunities America has to offer.
Many Chinese students and parents that I have come to met over the last couple of months admit that America does a great job of teaching their students how to think critically and creatively. But these elements are not what give results and therefore it is only an addition to a student's education and not a requirement.
We soon hit the road and started to drive to take a drive through Boston as we got closer to our destination. Wuyan was very pleased with the scenery in Boston and thought that it would be a great place to come and visit. We kept getting closer and closer home as we made stops for food and what not. Jay was hungry every 2 hours and couldn't stop eating. We finally did make it home; exhausted and ready to hit the hay.
In case your wondering Jay and I come from very rural neighborhoods and not to bright backgrounds. We aren't rich and our schools aren't exactly spectacular. We work hard and we're determined to rise above and make a difference. I often fear that as minority students who have taken it upon themselves to rise above we are looked as role models for other minorities in our situation instead of kids who took the initiative and made the difference themselves. I think its unfair to be labeled for something I've tried to escape so much and that instead I should be looked at by the follow through and work I have proven myself possible of doing.
Sincerely, Hector Guzman
Date: 11/24/08
Official End Time: 10:00 p.m.
So today was the big day as we (Jay, Steve, and myself) confronted Tufts University and prepared our presentation for a class of students later that day. The experience was pretty cool but the ride there and everything else that happened was what really opened my mind to the things that surround me and the opportunities I have/might not have. It was a long day that gave me more information than I might have expected.
The day started around 7:30 as I got ready and waited for Steve to come pick me and Jay up. Around 8:30 Jay gave me a call and was ready to hit the road with Steve. Steve showed up around 9 and we met two Chinese partners that would be coming with us to Tufts University. One of our partners was Wuyan. Wuyan currently goes to UConn and hopes to major in business. Our other partner was Suri's mom who has been in America for about a month now visit UConn and other educational facilities to learn something about American teaching techniques.
The car ride there was bit awkward in the beginning as we weren't to sure how to start the conversation. Steve started by giving everyone the agenda for the day and what we should be expecting later today. Jay and I soon enough started to talk to Wuyan and ask her a few questions like what she liked to do to on her free time, what type of music she listened to, and what she hoped to do in the future after college. The conversation warmed the atmosphere in the car but wasn't exactly enough to kill a 2 hour ride to Boston.
As we started to get closer to Tufts, Steve started telling Suri's mom about all the stuff we've been doing on the website and how we're great students. He said that I should go to a school like Tufts and how Jay should go somewhere like Berkeley. He said that we would be millionaires by the time we were 25 and that we had a bright future ahead of us. The compliments were nice but the words sparked something inside me that made me look at the environment that surrounds me and Jay and something that I hope would never be the thing that labeled us.
We finally reached Tufts and met with our tour guide for the day. She was a bit nervous but more concerned with our lack of interests. It wasn't that we didn't care but that we had no prior knowledge of Tufts and what made the school so special. We did hit a few brick walls as we talk about nepotism and the rank of the school but we eventually moved on and where able to get through our hour long tour.
I thought the campus was nice and the library was pretty cool. The campus was rather small and like Suri's mom said, "I think I would need more information to take a better look at a school like Tufts". There wasn't a high level of enthusiasm about the school but our mission today wasn't to visit the school but to give a presentation to a class of students at Tuft.
The time finally did arrive and we started to set up for our presentation. The presentation went well but I imagined it being a longer presentation with me and Jay doing more of the speaking. The message we tried send to students wasn't well received in my opinion. They were more anxious to get out of there and see their families for Thanksgiving break. In the end it really came down to Steve and having him crack down on a class that questioned everything and basically criticized the Chinese government to it's political core. They did however have a tough time saying that to Suri's mom. This brings up a great point about how students and American's today are easily influenced by the media and quick attack the people of that country not realizing that they should be attacking the political leaders of that country. Furthermore, reasoning needs to be taken into consideration when a accusing someone of degrading their people and not providing them with the great opportunities America has to offer.
Many Chinese students and parents that I have come to met over the last couple of months admit that America does a great job of teaching their students how to think critically and creatively. But these elements are not what give results and therefore it is only an addition to a student's education and not a requirement.
We soon hit the road and started to drive to take a drive through Boston as we got closer to our destination. Wuyan was very pleased with the scenery in Boston and thought that it would be a great place to come and visit. We kept getting closer and closer home as we made stops for food and what not. Jay was hungry every 2 hours and couldn't stop eating. We finally did make it home; exhausted and ready to hit the hay.
In case your wondering Jay and I come from very rural neighborhoods and not to bright backgrounds. We aren't rich and our schools aren't exactly spectacular. We work hard and we're determined to rise above and make a difference. I often fear that as minority students who have taken it upon themselves to rise above we are looked as role models for other minorities in our situation instead of kids who took the initiative and made the difference themselves. I think its unfair to be labeled for something I've tried to escape so much and that instead I should be looked at by the follow through and work I have proven myself possible of doing.
Sincerely, Hector Guzman
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