Hi to everyone. First of all, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.
Je sais que j'ai laissé ce blogue à l'abandon. Je m'en excuse. Croyez-moi, je fais ce que je peux, mais je n'y arrive plus du tout ! Me voilà en vacances de Noël depuis mercredi dernier, et tout ce que j'ai fait depuis ce jour-là, c'est travailler, travailler, et courir pour préparer Noël. Car non ! Je n'avais pas du tout commencé mes cadeaux de Noël avant le 20 décembre, ce qui est plutôt inhabituel chez moi ! Pas le temps...
I know I have neglected this blog for a big while now. Believe me, I did what I could, but I just can't do everything ! I've been on my Christmas holiday since last wednesday now, and all I have done so far is work, work and run everywhere to get prepared for Christmas. Because no ! I had not bought any gift before December 20th this year, and that is very unusual of me ! No time...
Si je travaille autant pendant le temps des fêtes, c'est parce que je suis décidée à me payer quelques luxes pendant mon (trop court) congé. Avec une bonne paye, j'aimerais beaucoup, beaucoup m'acheter une paire de raquettes pour faire de la randonnée. Qui sait ? Peut-être que cela va me donner le petit coup de pied au cul que j'ai besoin pour recommencer à faire de l'exercice... Mais comme je n'ai jamais fait de raquette (d'aluminium) avant, je n'ai absolument aucune idée de quoi acheter ! J'ai besoin de conseils !
If I'm working so much for the holidays, it's because I intend to spoil myself while this (too short) holiday. With a good pay, I would love to buy myself snowshoes to trek this winter. Who knows ? Perhaps it would give me the hand I need to start exercice a little bit... But since I have never done aluminium snoeshoes before, I have no idea what to buy ! I need advices !
Changement de sujet. Je veux faire appel à vos idées. Une de mes professeures m'a fortement suggéré de participer à un concours pour gagner une bourse de 500$. Il faut écrire un texte argumentatif de 2000 mots sur la question suivante: «Quelle forme prend la solidarité dans ma vie étudiante ?». Est-ce que ça vous inspire ? Moi, pas un seul mot. Et je dois en écrire 2000 !!! Premièrement, est-ce qu'on s'entend que la solidarité est un concept vague ? Et deuxièmement, je trouve qu'à l'université, on voit beaucoup plus de compétition que de solidarité. Pour avoir étudié en psychologie où tout le monde se fait concurrence pour aller au doctorat, je peux vous assurer que la solidarité n'existe presque pas. Vous, comment voyez vous la solidarité dans la vie étudiante ? Les travaux d'équipe ? Les activités socioculturelles ? L'entraide avec les autres étudiants ? Les partys de programme ? Moi, j'ai beau chercher, mais je n'y vois pas là vraiment de solidarité. En tout cas, ce n'est pas l'idée que je m'en fais. La solidarité est beaucoup plus forte que ça pour moi, et ce n'est pas dans ma vie étudiante que je la voie.
Changing of topic. I wanted to solicit your ideas. One of my teacher suggested me to participate to a contest ton win a $500 bursary. You need to write a 2000 words argumentative text on the following question: « What form takes solidarity in your student life ?» Is it inspiring to you ? It does not inspire myself a word. And I need to write 2000 !!! First of all, do you agree with me that solidarity is a very unclear concept ? And secondly, I think that in university, we see much more competition then solidarity. I've studied psychology where people are in a strong competition to have access to the doctorate. I can assure you that solidarity almost doesn't exist there. Where do you see solidarity in student life ? The team work ? The sociocultural activities ? The help students give to the others ? The program parties ? I keep searching, and I don't really see any solidarity there. Or at least, it is not how I see solidarity. Solidarity is something much stronger to me, and it's not in my student life I see it.
Vous devez vous dire: «pourquoi est-ce qu'elle insiste pour participer si le thème ne l'inspire pas ?» La réponse est la suivante: mon enseignante m'a dit que le taux de participation était très bas à chaque année, et que, étant donné la qualité de mon français, j'avais de très bonnes chances de gagner. Elle m'a parlé d'une année où il n'y a eu que dix participants ! Dix participants, c'est théoriquement 10% de gagner... ce n'est pas négligeable.
You must be thinking: «Why is she insisting to participate if the question is not inspiring to her ?» The answer is the following: my teacher told me the participation was very low each year, and that, because of the quality of my french, I had very good chances to win. She talked about a year there had been only ten participants ! Ten participants is theorically 10% of chances to win...this is not to be neglected.
Mais maudine ! Je n'ai RIEN à dire ! Avez-vous des idées pour moi ?
But shoots ! I have NOTHING to say ! Do you have ideas for me ?
3 commentaires:
Hello Isabelle!
I've just read this last add of your's and the problems you have with writing an essay. It is an essay, right?
Well, I've been thinking... When I get a certain task, that is to say, an address about which I have to write, I spend a lot of time just thinking about it. No notes, nothing. Waiting for a muse to come, haha. ;) I have to sleep it over, if I want the best ideas to come.
And it so happened that I wished to participate to a certain writing competition simply because I wanted to prove myself that I can still write something worth reading, worth of getting a prize, that I'm still capable of doing it.
And it so happened that the title was just horrible, at least that's how I thought of it. My first opinion was: "No, I could never write about something like this. I mean, I simply don't have anything to say! What the hell would I talk about?!"
And that should be the end of my dreams. To make it shorter; I decided then to give it a try. I thought:"I have enough imagination to work something out." I really got into the title, tried to get my own opinion out of it. And it worked, at the end. It took me less than a week. I wrote around 1500 words.
That's a small and happy story to lift your spirits, for a start. ;)
Now, let's get down to real business!
As first, I'm not sure I understand the title on which you want to work. So I'll explain what I would write, from my point of view, the way I see it.
So, what form takes the solidarity in your student's life?
I wouldn't take it as a help between students. I agree with you that there's very hardly to speak about any solidarity between young people these days. Everybody wants to be the best one, the first one, nobody cares about helping, they care about winning. And it's not hard to understand them; they're simply taking care of their own asses. Cruel, but true.
So I was thinking about solidarity to the others, to the "outside" people. You can say that the process of learing helps you to get the better picture about what's going on in the "real" world, makes you want to help solving it, makes you being solidarity. So that you can leave a better place for your children.
Something in this way, if you know what I mean.
So, as a start you could explain your way of thinking, what you really feel. That there's no solidarity among youngs, etc.
Then you can say that you see solidarity elsewhere, etc.
Do you get what I mean? Think about it even if you think there's nothing to think about. Think what else you could add. That's just the way I would do it, an example that can help you to start an internal discussion.
So, that's what I wanted to say about this matter. I hope it helps you. ;)
A greeting full of snow right from Slovenia,
Vesna
(By the way, I'd really like to know the person who gets to invent such silly titles. I bet he/she wasn't a student for a very long time if not half a century. ;D)
Wow Vesna...
Thank you so much for your help and comment ! Honnestly, when I wrote that post, I did not think I would get any reply. So you can imagine I did not think I'd get a long comment ! This is very appreciated that you took the time to sit and think about it.
When I saw your comment in my emails, I did not see right away your name. And while I read it, I was like: "Wow, this person is so wise ! Looks like someone who often write essays". When I saw your name, I have been surprised ! Not that I thought you were not a wise person ! I know you are, but throughout the process of reading thec comment, I imaginated you as a very old and experimented man ! lol
Anyways, I'll think about what you told me and will certainly include it if I can finally write that text.
By the way, it's not really an essay, but it looks like that. The problem with the type of text I have to write is that I can't say "I". So it's hard to make it your own, to make people see what are your views on a topic.
But I'll make my best to make a good text ! And it won't be a drama if I don't win !
So you too think that this is a stupid topic ? lol It is a fact that students sit on their asses ! Even if you don't want to compete, you get into it and don't really have the choice. The proof is that I am competiting to earn this bursary ! he he !
I got to go now.
Thanks again for taking some of your time on this Christmas day !
It makes me think of wishing you a Happy New Year in case we don't write till then !
Bye bye !
Isabelle
Hello Isabelle!
It wasn't a problem at all for me to write such a long comment. I got bored in the evening and said to myself: "Let's see if Isabelle wrote anything new." ;)
I love writing (essays) but such stupid titles really get me question about the amount of my love and patience. That's why I hate them but I know it's not a very wise thing to do. I realize there's at least a dozen of essays with bad titles I will have to write in my life. Plus I will have to write them very good if I want to get enough points to be accepted to the university.
So you see I have similiar problems like you and because I know how annoying it can be, I always like to help. So you're welcome to ask me any further questions. ;)
And thanks for your compliment about me being a wise person. I laughed a lot at the part with a "very old and experienced man". LOL You're not the first one calling me "very mature for my age". At least that's what I think you meant to say. I'm used to it and it makes me smile.
I wish a very happy New Year of 2009 to you too! :D
ByeBye, Vesna
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