|
April 29, 2011 To the Educational Department of Pakistan,Hi, my name is Hannah. I'm writing this letter from American regarding children's formal education in Pakistan. Recently, in class we have been discussing the importance of education, so I thought I could use some of those educational concepts to influence on the education of Pakistan. I saw on the GEO Pakistan T.V. channel that some parents feel their children shouldn't start a formal education at an early age; instead, they should spend their time only playing. In addition, most of the educational departments there are in favor of such a view. I have found this perception isn't a good start for children's maturation, cognitive and sensory development. Unlike in Pakistan, in the United States parents encourage their children to be involved in activities that can expand their intellectual skills. Since Pakistani children have fewer opportunities for extracurricular activities, they should at least start their formal education early to develop strong thinking skills. A formal education allows a child to develop an intense interest in education, which later can lead towards success. At an early age, a child is neither faced with life's ups and down nor family stress. For example, they are free from worry about employment, relationships or household responsibilities. This is a stage in which the brain is very creative and in this stage of motor and cognitive development, children are able to learn words much faster than young adults. They repeat the words that they hear; they imitate what they see. For example, almost all of them are inspired by the movie characters such as Superman or Hannah Montana, and they start to act out as their favorite characters. As many say, “Education is the key to success.” I know some of you might oppose the idea and feel that children shouldn't be overloaded with books. Instead, they should enjoy their development years at play. However, education is the only way to decrease illiteracy. Many preteens develop a lack of interest in school and get involved in peer pressure. There are some teenagers that neglect their education and drop out of school. Some of them either go on independent studies or go to an adult education school to complete their GED. Others become single parents or get involved in illegal drugs. If they do end up in college, they face challenges with math and science classes. Most of them start with Math E classes and lower English levels as if they had never studied those before. I'm sure some of them in their late 20s, 30s or 40s now regret the mistake of never developing an interest in studying as a child. At an early age, the brain's focus and understanding are very sharp. If the child spends his time only playing, he might view education as boring. Being sent to school, they not only will achieve an education but also a positive attitude towards their future. Their brain is in progress of maturation. Therefore, involving them in studying will enable them to build high self-esteem in Math, English and Science courses. Formal education for children shouldn't be seen as a punishment; instead, it should be viewed as an initial step towards a successful future. Whoever has neglected his education has suffered later in his life. Learning to develop an interest in education at an early age will help a person avoid future obstacles. And in their teenage years, they could use their education as their experience towards getting well paid jobs. I really hope that my views on education for the children of Pakistan have influenced your perception. I really appreciate your time to read this letter, and I would be very happy to hear your response. Thanks. Sincerely, Hannah  April 22, 2011 Dear Shania,How are you? How are your mom and dad? Aren't you going to ask me how I'm feeling? Well, I am not feeling good today. I think I'm catching a cold .Yesterday my condition was worse than today. Yesterday at work I couldn't open my eyes; they were all watery. My boss gave me some suggestions for the treatment of colds which sound strange. At first I thought he was joking about it, yet he was very serious. In today's letter, I will be addressing his suggestions for the treatment of a cold. I know it sounds crazy to talk about colds, but I found his treatment very weird. I'm sure you are well aware that the cold is a viral infection which mostly occurs in late winter and spring. It is now almost summer, but we still have cold weather here. At 3: 30am I always have to pass the Ramp Area of the airport to go to Terminal A; the ramp area is very windy and cold at that time. The wind that blows in my face in the Ramp feels as cold as ice. At that period, I always wish I were in the African desert. I think that's why I'm catching a cold. Luckily, I have gotten a flu shot. O yeah, I was going to tell you about my boss's suggestions for the treatment of colds. His treatments for the cold include eating ice-cream, staying indoors with the windows closed, eating fruits and vegetables to help the immune system, drinking herbal tea to clear up the sore throat, eating chicken soup, getting rest and trying to exercise to keep the body active. I think some of his suggestions are reasonable, yet some aren't. He mentioned eating ice-cream, which is not a proven treatment. Pretty strange! It will definitely make the person feel worse. Even eating fruits and vegetables are unusual treatments. By the way fruits and vegetables are part of every healthy diet. They should be eaten every day, not just occasionally. Lastly, I would like to comment on his idea of closing the windows. When a person has cold, he should open his windows so that the fresh air can come in. Breathing fresh air might help treat the symptoms. Whenever you feel any illness, try to go for proper medical treatment and be very cautious about using medications that haven't been proven scientifically. I hope to hear from you soon. Take care Sincerely, NILUFA April 13, 2011 To environmentalist Shari Mila,My name is Hannah, and I'm writing this letter to you from America. I heard in the Geo Pakistan Television program, that you are planning on writing a book on the environmental issues. Therefore, I would like to share some of my views on those issues. Our current topic in our class is America's natural environment. Sasawang Duangrat asked the question how can we change our world? I think we can never change our world, yet we can reduce the problems that our world is facing. Some individuals neglect a variety of problems that our world is facing today. Such problems deal with education, crime, prostitution and pollution. Guns and bombs are the root causes of these crimes. Because of these weapons, death and injury rates are getting higher day by day. Many individuals have guns without licenses. Due to prostitution, husband and wife relationships are breaking apart. Even AIDS and other sexual diseases are the result of prostitution. We need to be concerned about these issues and find solutions for them. Due to poverty, illiteracy rates are getting higher. Such individuals are living in poverty and in dilapidated houses. Many children are yearning for better education yet are helpless. These children can end up committing crimes for their survival. Changing our world is hard, but helping those individuals who are living in poverty isn't hard. When poverty rates get higher, unemployment, illiteracy, crime, starvation, suicide and depression rates also increase. Therefore, I strongly believe that addressing this in your book might help the individuals realize that environmental problems can only be reduce if we find solutions to the above problems. I really appreciate your time for reading this letter. Sincerely, Hannah March 25, 2011 Dear Aunt Mariam,How are you doing , and how's everyone else back home? How's Asma doing? I was shocked to see how tall she has grown. You mentioned to my mom that Asma wants to participate in the singing competition in her school, and my mom suggested that you shouldn't allow her. Well, I strongly suggest you should let her show her talent at school. Girls in Pakistan are always seen as less competitive than boys because parents don't encourage their daughters as much as they do to boys. You should let her compete to prove that girls' capabilities are stronger than boys'. I don't understand why you have to ask anyone's advice for that; you never asked anyone when your older son Aryan wanted to participate in cricket. I guess you are implying that everything is possible for boys but not for girls. Just put yourself in Asma's place and feel her desire to sing. Don't only teach Aryan about competitive sprit, but teach Asma as well. This will help her to gain the confidence to overcome difficult challenges and live with pride in a male-dominant society. Today I will tell you how the competitive spirit can help a person fight their inner weakness. Competitive spirit has given me many opportunities in life such as an outstanding student status, a job at the airport and charity work for Seton Hospital. During my four years of enrollment in Balboa High School, I was an outstanding student with a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA. Even though I was surrounded by peer-pressure, I focused on not involving myself with that. I pushed myself with the aim to be an outstanding student in front of my teachers and parents. Now at City College I have been following the same path. Whether it's an essay or a quiz, I feel determined to get an A. Though sometimes I lack interest in my school work due to my work stress, I try to convince myself that I must get an A. Due to my competitive spirit, I was hired as a sales associate at the San Francisco International Airport. At the group interview, there were many individuals who were more qualified than I was. Nevertheless, I presented myself in a manner that I had equal qualifications as they had. I focused on my determination not to lose this great opportunity. During my summer job, I was offered a volunteer position for Seton Medical Center. My friend and I had to gather money for the charity care foundation. In the beginning, it was a bit stressful to get people's attention for donation. My friend lost hope in people, yet I moved on believing that there's humanity hidden in each one of us. Thus, I was able to convince many of them to help. Even though I collected less than three hundred dollars , I was able to impress the charity care foundation with my effort and determination to help others. Teaching your daughter to be competitive will make her feel determined to succeed in everything she does. Later in her life, it will create a strong impact on her character and among others. My parents never encouraged me to be competitive; I learned it by myself. However, I would like you to teach Asma so that she won't feel that she isn't supported by any one. Hope to hear from you soon. Give my greetings to uncle. Sincerely, your niece, Nilufa March 11, 2011 Dear cousin Ariana,How are you doing? How's aunt Kathija and aunt Maleek? How's your business management course going? In Pakistan students are lucky that they don't have to complete their college level of education; instead, they take assessment tests and get credit for their courses. Your mom told me that you are planning on opening a business in the U.S. I'm very happy for you. In order to have a successful business here, you will have to rely on advertisement to promote your business. I know you have a lot of negative views on advertisements; for example, that advertisements make consumers waste money on buying new products that are only a bit different from their old ones. To be honest with you, without advertising your business can suffer. Therefore, today I will be telling you about the positive effects of advertising. Not all Americans see it as a negative approach. In my ESL class, we were assigned to read about how advertisements attract consumers to buy the name brand items. Besides the disadvantages it can also have many advantages. I have little time for shopping due to my busy schedule. Sometimes I'm unaware of the new items or products in the stores. When I'm introduced to these new items in stores, I sometimes get overwhelmed. I feel like I just don't have enough time to understand why one product is easier or faster. As a result, advertising saves my time by answering all my questions through presentations on television, the internet , magazines and newspapers. Advertisements help me to become aware of new products. In other words, it helps to expand my knowledge on items that are faster and easier to use such as iPhones and iPads. You should always remember that companies rely on advertisements for their economic growth. Retail stores deliver their messages about coming sales, new items in stock and other events through advertisements. This helps consumers see which stores have cheaper and better deals than the others. There is also an advantage for health issues. Weight loss advertisements help us to realize that it's time to fight obesity. They show ways to cope with it, for example, by exercising and eating right . Just keep in mind that advertisements don't push an individual to buy things. Instead, they show why one product is more effective than another, and it's up to us to make the decision to buy or not. Once you start your business here, you will be able to understand the relationship between consumers and advertising. In the mean time, good luck with your goals. Give my love to your parents. Sincerely, Nilufa March 4, 2011 Dear Aunt Shalia, How are you doing? How's everyone back home? I'm sorry to disappoint you that I do not agree with the arranged marriage to your son. I know your son has every quality that a girl usually looks for in a guy. You have been a great family friend of ours for years, but I can't make my life's decision based on any relationship. I didn't mean to upset or hurt you. I have already made it clear to my parents never to try to arrange my marriage in Pakistan. After seeing my friend's unsuccessful arranged marriage, I found out that arranged marriages can have a lot of negative effects on the couple's lives. My friend had an arranged marriage 2 years ago. Unfortunately, less than a year later, she ended up in a divorce. Knowing that she was in love with a Pakistani boy here, her family urged her to get married in Pakistan. They believe that Pakistanis who are born here or raised here, are more into the American culture than Pakistani, while living here and marrying in Pakistan brings the cultural aspects of Pakistan here. They never agreed with her view of a love-marriage. They told her that they would neither misguide not make any wrong decision to ruin her life. She tried many ways to convince her parents not to force her into an arranged marriage. The more she argued, the more stress developed among them. She felt that if she kept on arguing, there would be endless stress in the house. Therefore, she agreed to marry in Pakistan. After spending 5 months with her husband, she somehow found out that he had been secretly engaged in Pakistan. His intention was only to get a green card and reside in the United States. This was really shocking for her. She spent so much money calling her husband from Pakistan to here. In addition, she was forced into an arranged marriage. Her parents are still regretting their mistake of choosing the wrong husband for her. Since that incident they allowed her to marry by her own choice as long as he is the same religion. I hope this story helps you to understand my feelings. Please tell your son not to misunderstand me. My friend's story has influenced me so much that I would never agree to an arranged marriage. Sincerely, NILUFA February 11, 2011 Dear cousin Mariam, How are you doing? How's your term paper on American road trips going? Sorry I couldn't give you a lot of information on it that day. I was on my lunch break and had to rush back to work. I know road trips are something that you aren't able to experience in Pakistan. Therefore, in today's letter I will lead you on a road trip journey. First of all, road trips here are the most exciting way to experience family vacations. Its like cave adventures; the farther a person goes, the more he explores. It all started with Route 66 the "Mother Road" that used to provide a glimpse of history through its teepee motels, American Indian souvenir shops and reptile farms. Though today sightseeing is less historic, individuals are eager to spend their vacation on road trips. Fortunately, we have wide and smooth roads. Moreover, a person can easily find gas stations every ten to twenty minutes. Hardly any roads are dusty. Usually Americans go on road trips during holidays. Instead of flying to their relatives' place in another state, they go on road trips to explore and experience sightseeing adventures. Some of them feel it helps them learn about family values. Since you brought up this topic, I would like to share my last year's road trip. Though I was exhausted from sitting, it was the most fascinating experience for me. My parents and my friend Alisha's family rented a big van to fit eight people. It was a bright sunny morning and we were all excited about our journey to Las Vegas. Till we reached Vegas, we laughed, sang and ate. We stopped at every rest area for the pictures and sightseeing. Due to this, it took more hours to reach than we had expected. However, being around the people you love helps you to forget about the stress of the journey. When we got there, we were so tired that we had to wait till the next day to explore the places. While heading back home, we went on sightseeing trip to Hollywood. All that traveling made me so hungry that I had to eat 2 large burgers. For the first time in my life, that was the day I felt I had lived a good life. I wasn't thinking about gaining weight from all that junk food. Furthermore, I had never laughed in my life that much as I did that day. I hope I haven't made you feel bored. I can't wait to read your term paper. Give my love to your parents. Take care. Sincerely, NILUFA February 11, 2011 Dear doctor Karina, First of all, I would like to apologize that I haven't written to you for a while. I have been so busy lately that I sometimes don't have time to watch television, and you know how much I like watching T.V. Anyway, do you remember in your last letter you asked me about the causes of my anxiety? I know the way I complained to you on the phone might have seemed to you very serious. Since you are a great friend of my mom's and a psychologist, I will try to share some of the anxieties which I usually feel. However, don't judge them as if they are a serious illness. They're just minor anxieties which are present in most students. The in-class essay is one of my biggest nerve-racking experiences. I feel overly challenged from inside that I have to write an essay that should earn at least a B plus or A grade. For some reason, I can't get the TIME LIMIT out of my head. Due to this, I feel a rushed inside of me. Moreover, I keep wondering how I'll be able to organize my essay and correct the grammar errors in such a short time. As a result, I sometimes end up writing unreasonable ideas. I feel that I am lost in a jungle and have the map in my hands, yet the darkness has obstructed my vision. I have the ideas, examples and strong vocabulary in my brain, but the TIME LIMIT holds me back. Also, I always study for the test 3 hours before taking the test because studying a day before makes me more anxious about the test and pops many negative thoughts in my mind. For example, will the test be easy? Will I be able to get a B or an A? Will I score the highest in the class? O God, I can never give myself a break. I'm not insane, but definitely a person with a lot of curiosity. I would really appreciate it if you could write back to me with some suggestions on how to feel relaxed and how to overcome such behaviors. One more thing, please do not share my story with anyone. You are quite lucky that I opened up my feelings to you very easily; I don't usually talk about this to anyone. Hope my story has not made you feel bored. Because if I were you, I would feel it sounds very annoying, and I would rip this letter up in a second. But thanks for reading it. Sincerely, NILUFA February 5, 2011 Dear cousin Mariam, I know you must be tired of asking me to share my life story with you. You might assume that my day probably starts with excitement and ends with excitement. It might be a bit shocking for you to hear that my day starts with a rush and ends with a rush. Frankly speaking, I sometimes wish that I had a life like you have in Pakistan. Unlike me, when you go to bed you don't have to set your alarm for 2:30 am. Besides, you don't work or go to school. It might sound absurd to you that I have to schedule myself. If I do not keep track of my time, I feel I'll get behind . I work at the San Francisco International Airport. Unfortunately, my company doesn't give free valet parking. In addition, it's not easy to commute by BART if one has an early shift at 5:00am. Today's economy isn't as strong as it used to be; therefore, many individuals are in desperate need of jobs. This has influenced me so much that I have decided to take this job and overcome all the challenges that will come my way. Since my dad also works at the airport, I decided to commute with him every day. However, he starts at 4:00am and I start at 5:00am. In order for him not to be late for his work, I always wake up at 2:30am. It really bothers me a lot when I have to sit at the airport for 1 hour to wait for my shift to begin. It's even worse that I don't have fixed days off. Having a lower seniority is like a nightmare for me. Though I put in the same effort as others, I'm not judged by my hard work ethic. Instead, I'm judged by seniority. By the time I get home, I sometimes feel exhausted. Waking up at 2:30am is very challenging since I don't sleep well. Besides, my brain keeps thinking about having to go to work the next day, which I really hate. Currently, I am enrolled in City College; my classes are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. After work, whatever time I have I spend it on doing homework. Every day I push myself to focus on my education and not to be distracted by other things. This is definitely one of my biggest challenges. My days off go by doing homework and shopping. Unless I go out, my dinner is usually before 8pm. Unlike me, you live a life that changes every day. You get to invite your friends at night and chat till morning. I, on the other hand, don't get to see my friends unless I have spare time. After hearing about my routine life, you will probably never want to live in the U.S. I appreciate your time for reading this. Sincerely, NILUFA January 31, 2011 Dear Shania,The main reason for writing to you this week is to clear your misunderstandings about American values. Most of the students in my class believe that Americans' actions are based on such values as materialism, competition and individualism. Reading the student's perspective on such values reminded me that you also share the same perspective. Though the constitution has given Americans the freedom to express themselves in many ways, not all Americans are materialistic, competitive and individualistic. First of all, you know for sure that in Pakistan people are more concern about their wealth and status; for example, your older brother wasn't willing to marry a girl from a middle class family. Furthermore, the people that we both know are so much into buying new houses, new furniture, new cars, new jewelry and new clothing. Even you mentioned to me on the phone that you tried to impress a guy with new outfits. When I told you this sounds absurd, you mentioned to me that image and status is the first impression there. And you call Americans materialistic. Most of the people in Pakistan are very competitive, aren't they? If I remember well, you told me that you stayed up the whole night just to practice your reading marathon. It was optional, yet you felt so competitive that you became obsessed with it. When you won the second prize, you were very disappointed. Moreover, you were whining about it for a whole month. Remember I said that if I had won the second prize, I would still be proud of myself and would be happy. By the way, my aunt told me that in Mumbai, India one of the Mumbai Medical School students had murdered his fellow classmate. What I was told is that the victim was a very intelligent guy who was getting high marks on all the tests; the suspect was always jealous of the victim's intelligence. The inner competitive spirit of the suspect made him commit a serious crime. Wow, people in Pakistan and India are far more competitive than Americans. I know my ideas might have bored you, but let me point out the last value, individualism. Do you remember my twin cousins in Pakistan? They have grown a lot, but you might have gotten a clue about them. Well guess what? They are so impatient and impolite to everyone. Even their dad was complaining to my dad that his children's behavior is so wild. Most of time, they come home late night. And trust me, they hate being questioned. They not only disobey their parents, but they are also very selfish. They always demand to eat break fast in bed; it sounds ridiculous to me. Now you can see that individualism is not only in Americans' nature but also in others as well. Individualism may be an American value; however, most of the foreigner's actions also reflect individualism. Young adults in Pakistan have been given the freedom to live outside of Pakistan in order to gain an education; for example , there are many Pakistani international students in America. Though parents allow them to move out to an unknown country to achieve success, this is a form of individualism. However, hardly any American young adults move outside of the United States. Do you think only Americans should be criticized as individualistic? I hope you now have realized that people in the United States aren't as wild as some people assume them to be; besides, I want you to stop criticizing Americans. In order to understand the depth of anything, its better not to come to a conclusion based on others' judgments; instead, see if you are capable of coming up with new reasonable answers. I appreciate your time for reading this letter. Sincerely your friend, Nilufa |