A Letter to Myself :)

Dear Ms. Lang:

            Congratulation!!!! You have lived in your English class through out this quarter!

            This English class is one the hardest but most interesting class that I have in Foothill College so far. I was a little bit concerned in the beginning of the quarter that I may not get a good grade in this class since my Professor Lewis has different grading strategies comparing to my previous English professors. But the thing that make me stayed in this class is that the topics for this class is just so special and unique which is focusing on our wonderful state California. The first in class essay is about California dream, and when I got the assignment, I was actually happy and enjoy writing it since I feel that as California resident, what it means for me moving to California? And what really is my dream or actually the “California Dream?” That really makes me though a lot for my future. The other assignment that I appreciated is definitely the blog. I have never created a blog especially for writing; actually, I think I would never create one without taking this class. I feel the achievement once I look back the essays on my own blog, and now, I feel that I am more involved to the Californian culture. However, this class has taught me so many things within the multicultural California, and this is what I love about tough classes, because the purpose for learning is to get better understandings not only on the educational level, but how it apply to our daily lives.

            There were five essays that have been graded as total in this class. Even though, I did not do very well in the beginning, but after I do my second, third and the rest of my essays, I have see my improvement. My revision skill on the essay has achieved the most. The outline and free writes definitely helped me out with my writing process, and after revise my essays more than five or six times, I find out that me essays are getting way much better than the previous drafts. And the peer responds from my classmates were pretty helpful as well. The most interesting thing is when my professor says, “I can not teach you guys how to write, as a reader, you have to prove to me that you are a good writer with your own writings.” And I really agree with that, because all my previous English teachers and professors have taught in a very similar way and make me feel that English is not a very attractive topic, and this class has definitely changed my opinions on that. The most important thing that I have realized in this class is that most of the time, people were just proofreading their essays instead of actually reading it, and I have tell a lot my other friends that they have to really read my essays and give me what they really think of it instead of checking out the errors on the spellings or grammars.

            The assignment topics in this class are the other reason makes me stayed in this class all the way to the end. I have never really talk or writing about topics on California dream and multiculturalism in my previous class, or may be I had, but is this class is totally different. We have read book “American Son” by Brian Ascalon Roley, the play “Bordertown” directed by Sam Woodhouse in “Culture Clash in AmeriCCa”, and the movie “Crash” directed by Paul Haggis and the songs that represents California dreams. All of them give me better understandings of the multiculturalism in California and I give a clear vision with what I want do to in this state. Especially the last essay assignment makes me appreciated more within our multicultural society. There are people out there who found a hard time fitting in and getting accepted into the Californian culture since we all have different places. People should not assimilate any cultures bur instead embrace themselves, and diversity.

            I have really enjoyed my life in California with people from all over the world. And I think the diverse cultures have make California so unique that none of the other state would ever have. People can find restaurants with food from all different races and cultures: Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, and African, etc. I have learned so many interesting things from my friends who are from a different culture. Like I never know that Jewish people do not celebrate Christmas until I met my Jewish friends. The multiculturalism in California is just fascinating. This class has taught me even more, not only on my writing skills, but also more about how multiculturalism affect to my personal life.

            Thank you Professor, and the magnificent California!