In our G&T class, our current unit is poverty. We watched a documentary by Morgan Spurlock where him and his fiance, Alex, experienced what it was like to live off of minimum wage. For 30 days, they lived as if they both earned minimum wage and it really made them realize how hard it was.
1. The thing that surprised me the most was how hard it is to live off of minimum wage. I never really realized how difficult it was before I saw this documentary. I was also surprised by how much the fees were from the hospital. I was also surprised by the place where they got all of their furniture from, it was a store where everything was free. I thought that was very nice of the people to give things for free to those less fortunate and who can't afford it. I was also really surprised by that one man that had four kids and got by earning minimum wage.
2. I think this was a realistic portrayal of how it is to live off of minimum wage. As i said before, I never realized how difficult it was to support yourself by just making around 7.25 dollars an hour. However, as my teacher pointed out, I found it kind of ironic how they both had some sort of serious health problem which made them have to go to the hospital. And although it seems odd that both Morgan and Alex had to take a visit to the hospital, it does happen. One thing I did notice was that they didn't recieve any welfare or goverment support.
3. I learned a lot by watching this. I thought that earning minimum wage wasn't that big of a deal because the family would be able to get by but these people are literally on the edge in regard to money and how they can spend. They just barely get by with no room for comforts. Most people that earn minimum wage don't have to support a whole family such as teenagers with summer jobs and such, they even have health care and other comforts provided to them. This documentary really changed the way I see people who earn minimum wage; it makes me respect them more because they work so hard yet earn so little but they are still moving forward.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Pictures & Reactions
In my Gifted & Talented class, our current topic of study is poverty. There are so many people around the world who are living in poverty and they are suffering.
My first picture is a picture of students at the Academy for Peace and Justice in Port-au-Prince. In the United States, schools are a big part of life. All kids are known to go to school and learn. However, in other places, not all children are so fortunate. I think it is great that these children get the opportunity to learn and maybe one day they can use the education they are getting and put it to good use and find their way out of slum life. We always complain about having to go to school but it is a privilege and we should appreciate it more. Picture taken by (Swoan Parker/Reuters).
My second picture is a picture of a cute little Afghan refugee named Nazeeha Taj. She is five years old and in this picture she is playing with a drum. I think it is amazing how even with the condition that she is living in, she has something to smile about. Her life must be so hard and she has clearly seen more than a little girl should have to see but she still has that sense of childhood within her. Picture taken by (Muhammed Muheisen/Associated Press).
My third and final picture is a picture of two sisters that were displaced by war holding hands. They are standing in front of a makeshift hut which is probably where they live. They are at a Bulengo camp just outside Goma in eastern Congo. I am glad that these sisters are still together because there is nothing like family and even though they have lost their parents and any other family they may have had, at least they have each other which is far better than nothing. This picture was taken by (REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly).
My first picture is a picture of students at the Academy for Peace and Justice in Port-au-Prince. In the United States, schools are a big part of life. All kids are known to go to school and learn. However, in other places, not all children are so fortunate. I think it is great that these children get the opportunity to learn and maybe one day they can use the education they are getting and put it to good use and find their way out of slum life. We always complain about having to go to school but it is a privilege and we should appreciate it more. Picture taken by (Swoan Parker/Reuters).
My second picture is a picture of a cute little Afghan refugee named Nazeeha Taj. She is five years old and in this picture she is playing with a drum. I think it is amazing how even with the condition that she is living in, she has something to smile about. Her life must be so hard and she has clearly seen more than a little girl should have to see but she still has that sense of childhood within her. Picture taken by (Muhammed Muheisen/Associated Press).
My third and final picture is a picture of two sisters that were displaced by war holding hands. They are standing in front of a makeshift hut which is probably where they live. They are at a Bulengo camp just outside Goma in eastern Congo. I am glad that these sisters are still together because there is nothing like family and even though they have lost their parents and any other family they may have had, at least they have each other which is far better than nothing. This picture was taken by (REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly).
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Waste Land Documentary
In my Gifted and Talented class, we recently watched a movie called Waste Land. It is a documentary of these people who are "pickers" in a place not too far from the glorious city of Rio.
- I can honestly say that I have never seen another film like this one, and it was actually very interesting. It is so hard to believe that people all the way across the globe are in situations like the ones shown in the movie. It makes me appreciate my life just that much more. The thing about us is that we don't realize what we have and we always want more. However, instead of looking at those who have more than us, we should look at those who have so much less and be greatful.
-In the beginning of the film, I was somewhat confused. I did not understand why all of these people were wandering around and fishing things out of the garbage. Then when they explained how they pick out the recyclable materials, it all made sense. However, it was hard to take in that so many people did this for a living. My opinion did change throughout the movie because I realized how hard their lives were but how seriously they took their jobs as pickers.
-Vik Muniz clearly made a large contribution to the pickers of Jardim Gramacho. He had the idea of making these paintings where recyclable materials would be a large part of the picture. He helped these people realize that there is a world outside of the garbage that they live in. He completely changed their perspective on modern art. Vik Muniz asked one of the pickers what they thought of modern art before this project and he said that he thought it was crap but now he thinks it's amazing. Vik also helped these people realize that they are beautiful and that they should be proud of who they are and where they're from. Also, that they can become whatever they want if they try hard enough. His own story is very inspiring; he grew up poor and now he is so successful.
-This movie did make me think about how much garbage I produce in a day. However, I feel like there is no way I can reduce this amount! I recycle whenever something is recyclable. However, I could probably switch from water bottles to a reusable one. Also, I could switch from paper lunch bags to a reusable lunch bag.
-There are many areas of people in poverty that wouldn't mind getting Vik Muniz's help. There are several places right in the United States that could use help from Vik to realize that there is more to the world than the place that they live in and that they can accomplish whatever they want as long as they make an attempt to and try hard enough.
- I can honestly say that I have never seen another film like this one, and it was actually very interesting. It is so hard to believe that people all the way across the globe are in situations like the ones shown in the movie. It makes me appreciate my life just that much more. The thing about us is that we don't realize what we have and we always want more. However, instead of looking at those who have more than us, we should look at those who have so much less and be greatful.
-In the beginning of the film, I was somewhat confused. I did not understand why all of these people were wandering around and fishing things out of the garbage. Then when they explained how they pick out the recyclable materials, it all made sense. However, it was hard to take in that so many people did this for a living. My opinion did change throughout the movie because I realized how hard their lives were but how seriously they took their jobs as pickers.
-Vik Muniz clearly made a large contribution to the pickers of Jardim Gramacho. He had the idea of making these paintings where recyclable materials would be a large part of the picture. He helped these people realize that there is a world outside of the garbage that they live in. He completely changed their perspective on modern art. Vik Muniz asked one of the pickers what they thought of modern art before this project and he said that he thought it was crap but now he thinks it's amazing. Vik also helped these people realize that they are beautiful and that they should be proud of who they are and where they're from. Also, that they can become whatever they want if they try hard enough. His own story is very inspiring; he grew up poor and now he is so successful.
-This movie did make me think about how much garbage I produce in a day. However, I feel like there is no way I can reduce this amount! I recycle whenever something is recyclable. However, I could probably switch from water bottles to a reusable one. Also, I could switch from paper lunch bags to a reusable lunch bag.
-There are many areas of people in poverty that wouldn't mind getting Vik Muniz's help. There are several places right in the United States that could use help from Vik to realize that there is more to the world than the place that they live in and that they can accomplish whatever they want as long as they make an attempt to and try hard enough.
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