My experience with mathematics

When I was in the elementary school, I was very good in math. I always got high grades. In addition, I was very fast in calculating the number. Because my father was good in math, I liked this subject and did well. When I was in the junior high school, I sometimes didn't get high grades because I didn’t study in a precise way. So, I began to hate math. On one day, the math teacher expressed the questions and answers after ending the exam. I understood my faults and knew how to study math. It required that I focus, that I be accurate, and that I study all possibilities to get the correct result. After that, when I was in high school, the math teacher said, “Math is a very important subject, and if you want to do well, you should understand math very well”. His teaching was simple and he taught us how we must think in a short way to get the result. I like math in this way. In the next year, the math teacher was very complex. He shouted all time and refused any answer that wasn't compatible with his method, even if it was correct. He didn't encourage us to create or imagine. From this year, I didn't like math very much. I couldn’t hate because I had had a good time experience with it. When I was getting a correct result, I was very happy. In college, my study field didn't require much math. Recently, I am not good in math. When you ask me if I like it or not? I will say: “I like it and don’t like it”.

The persistence (short story)

On one day, there was a young man named Frank. He was in the last year of high school. He was very ambitious. He wanted to complete his study in college. At the same time, He was interested in basketball. He thought that he would get a scholarship if he played well in the national championship. Also, he needed to prove himself in this game since this was the best gift to his father who taught and supported him for many years.

Frank didn’t have tall or strong body like other players. He had skill and was fast. In addition, he was training and preparing very well. He played as a play maker. There was another player named James who played in the same position. James had a good height and good body build. Also, the coach of the team always preferred James to play. Frank wanted a chance to show his abilities and skills but he couldn’t get it.

The coach induced James to use stimulants that helped him to play well. Frank was learning about this situation, but he didn’t say anything to anyone because he loved his team. In spite of all these problems, Frank still dreamed and trained very well.

In the final match, James played the first and second quarter and then was injured.  There was only Frank was able to play in this position. Unfortunately, the team was losing, but the chance was coming and he must take advantage of it to change all his dreams to reality. His play was fantastic. He didn’t just score or pass, but also he encouraged his friends to do their best. All his problems changed to power. He was a real leader inside the stadium. Finally, his team won and got the championship. Frank got his goals because of his persistence and hard work. He didn’t give up or forget his dreams. 

Differences in formal eating

      The eating customs are different from one country to another. The most important differences are in the number of utensils and how to use them. In my country, for example, the utensils of formal eating consist of fork, knife, spoon, dish and bowl, but in America there are extra knives and forks. We use knife in the right hand to cut the meat, and use the fork in the left hand to handle pieces of food. Sometimes, we use hand to eat a small sandwich. In American fashion, they put the knife on the margin of plate and then pick up the cutting food by using fork in the right hand. Also, they put the glasses in the right side of the person, while we separate them in front of the person to still be careful of the waiter's movement. For these differences and multi others, I think it is very important to learn the etiquette of dining to make the matter easier and avoid the embarrassment that might happen if somebody isn’t able to use different utensils. 

Disaster preparation

Always the good preparation for anything is taking good results and making the matters easier. When it is expected to disaster with tornado, bad weather or anything else, it is necessary to study all the possibilities and take advantage from previous experiments to avoid the causalities and decrease the problems. So, the lecture was very important since it show the different situations that related to a storm, also it displayed how must prepare and behave, in addition to the steps that should be taken before and during the disaster. Therefore, I think it was very benefit and my attention was increased when I saw the CESL teachers and their careful to attend and listen. In turn, I think the lecture may become more interested if the speaker used photo or video to show the different situations during the storm. Anyway, he and the translator can explain all the required information to the attendance.     

juha has four legs

             On one day, Juha promised the sultan that he would cook ooze him a delicious ooze, hoping to get some gifts from the sultan. Juha went to his house. He and his wife worked together to cook the biggest and best one. When they completed it, he took it and went to the sultan's house. In the road, Juha felt he was very hungry; therefore, he ate one of leg of ooze.Then, when Juha gave the ooze to the sultan, the sultan was surprised and said, “There is just one leg, where is another?”. “Oh, all the oozes in our town have one leg, and if you don’t believe me you can look at the oozes in the lake” Juha said. The sultan looked at to lake and all the  oozes had one leg, because they were at a rest. Then, the sultan sent one of his helpers with a big stick to separate the oozes. “Look, they have two legs” the sultan said. Then Juha said ” With this sticks I will run on four legs” 

Business in carbondale

        One of the most interesting businesses that take my attention in Carbondale is the taxi office. It’s very interesting since its requirements are very simple. They require only office and cars. In Carbondale, there is a need for a taxi, since Carbondale has many students and most of them are coming from outside the U.S. and they don’t have cars. In addition, the town down and many stores and malls aren't near campus; therefore, many people need to get a taxi to take them to these places. 

       In my country, the situation is completely different; one can easily get a taxi just by raising a hand because there are many taxis roaming in the street, but you should decide on the wage before riding the car. 

      I recommended my friends to use this service when they need to go to any place. By the way, I think there  are many thoughts that may develop this service, for example, making a discount to any person after using their office for many times. I think that may encourage many people to use a taxi. 

The family business

In my country, the family business is always successful at the beginning of the projects then the problems begin accruing. My uncles have one family business. They were working in a factory and I worked with them in the vacations. The work was great but there are many problems that occurred. One of the most important of these problems was jealousy. In addition, every member felt that there was no privacy in the work and that they killed the creativity in the work and made the work just routine. I think, in turn, that family business is giving the strength to each member. They support each other in different situations. Also, I think that the critical criterion in this type of business is the managing. If manager or leader is strong and able to understand the personal matter with each member, I think the business will be successful.

Oscar Pistorius participation in the Olympic

The authorities of each game are responsible for making decisions that making competition stronger without missing the fair and sport spirit. So, they must determine if the use of artificial legs by Oscar Pistorius is fair or not.

Many people believe that he shouldn’t compete with able-bodied people since his legs give him an advantage because they are taller and much lighter than those of other athletes. In addition, his body will need less power because his heart pumps blood to upper body only. All these make his steps longer, faster and more endurance. For these reasons the competition will be unfair.

Some people, in turn, think that he should be able to compete with able-bodied people because he is very strong man and his power comes from his hard practice and preparation. Moreover, he gives a perfect example of the persistence that many athletes lack. Besides that, he always competes in the 100 and 200 meter, and this type of running requires good acceleration and it doesn't require more energy that is needed in long distance running. Also, he can reduce the length of his legs to suit with other competitors.

In summary, I think he deserves to be given a chance to show his abilities. I think his participation will open a huge door to other disabled athletes and will encourage the sport and financial companies to support them. 

The best sports

    When I was a child, I used to playing different sports, such as soccer, basketball and volleyball. I always played these games with my friends in the school, since the requirements of these games were usually offered in the school. In addition these games are very popular in Iraq, and many people and sport teachers know their rules and skills very well. Furthermore, these games are played as a team and not individually, and this is making these games more fun and competitive.

    Finally, I think the simple rules and requirements of a particular game, besides the strength of competition, are the main criteria that help to spread this game world-wide.  

Soccer is the sport that I like it

  The soccer game is a very famous game in my country. I am used to playing this game from many years ago. when I was in the elementary school, I was playing many times in a week, also I am still playing even now.

      Year after year, my love for soccer has gone up. When I was a child, my parents gave me a ball as a gift, and with this I could make a team with my friends in the school and neighborhood. We always played this game in the day and the night, and the goalkeeper was my favorite position in this period of my life. After that, when I was in high school and college, I usually participated in the soccer teams and always we entered the different competition, and sometimes we won, but most times we lost. In addition, all these years of playing soccer made me a good player, and I began to play as a forward. 

      All in all, I am playing soccer for exercise, training my body and getting me energy, besides having fun. Moreover, I play soccer to remember my friends in different stages of my life and how we spent a nice time to learn a new skill in this game or watch matches on T.V. or stadium. Furthermore I think that soccer is not just a game, it is complete life for you. Two weeks ago, for example, I was playing with my friend. All the members in my team were tired and took a rest, but I still played alone. The opposite team said "give up" but I didn't. I think this taught me a lesson, that anybody should not give up in any condition. Finally I could get a goal. Although my team and I lost this match, I got a great lesson. This is the soccer and this reminds me of a proverb that says    "Life is a game".