Boston University as you may all know is located at Boston, Massachusetts. It is among one of the best universities in the Boston area as well as in the USA.
I have been taking classes at the University this summer at the graduate level. What do I have to say about Boston University.
It is a great place to study, it is located near the Fenway park, there are many restaurants, bars and lounges around. So far I find the classes interesting, especially the people that you meet. There are people from all over the world, they are open minded, very nice and friendly. The administration is very helpful as well. They organized two events for international students so that we can meet and share a great time all together. The administration even offered free Red sox tickets to those international students who participated in the events that they had organized. The professors are very concerned about the students progress. You will not fell as one in a million but in the contrary as one who belong to a community who excel in what they are doing. I have taken three courses so far that I have given me the appropriate knowledge that I needed to acquire. It is not about coming to class and listening to the professor reading through the power-point slides. It is about interaction in the classroom, it is about the actual news that you hear in the media, it is about reasoning, giving your point of view. One class that make you think outside of the box is the Business communication for international students, where students have to write on going blogs about specific topics and also topics of their interest. It is about learning how to think proactively if faced by an impromptu situation. I give you an example of what we did, the professor called it, the elevator speech. Let's say you are in the elevator and your are face to face with someone who can change your life, what would you do? The professor was that person and we were us, doing the extemporaneously speech in an actual elevator. It was different, in a good way. We all had to do our elevator speech and learn from each other. That what I call great learning improvement, being able to be judge not only by the professor, but also by the students in the class and also having an activity that put you right in the actual place where you can really feel what you are doing instead of talking about it from other people perspectives.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
BBQ on the Harbor
Today, Sunday the August the 3rd, I have organized a BBQ with some friends of mine at Harbor point not far from the Boston Expo. It was one of the best day in the summer so far. But just like every event we were faced with some difficulties.
So this event was planned two weeks ago, I had created an event on Facebook inviting most of my friends who are still in Boston. No one did reply to the invitation. I should not say no one but out of 20 people 5 did reply. I had talked to some you gave me their confirmation by phone. The plan was to have people either ship in $10 or bring something. Since I was not sure of the people who might come, I just plan with the people who had confirmed. Guess what on Sunday, people started calling another friend of mine who was organizing the event with me saying that they would be coming. We started worrying about the food, about the fact that we will have to pay more food, but finally decided that they should come with something instead of us buying more food and not having our money back. The BBQ was supposed to start at 2pm, but African time it means 5pm, and guess what people started to come at 4pm. By the time people started to come the meat was on the grill, we were enjoying our time, children were playing, guys were playing soccer, the sky started to cover up. We felt some drops but, heah, we did not want to leave so we wait for the rain to pass. It was just a small rain.
To conclude we had more people than expected, the food was enough for all of us, and the rain did not last too long, and I had a great day. Now I need to blog "like hell."
So this event was planned two weeks ago, I had created an event on Facebook inviting most of my friends who are still in Boston. No one did reply to the invitation. I should not say no one but out of 20 people 5 did reply. I had talked to some you gave me their confirmation by phone. The plan was to have people either ship in $10 or bring something. Since I was not sure of the people who might come, I just plan with the people who had confirmed. Guess what on Sunday, people started calling another friend of mine who was organizing the event with me saying that they would be coming. We started worrying about the food, about the fact that we will have to pay more food, but finally decided that they should come with something instead of us buying more food and not having our money back. The BBQ was supposed to start at 2pm, but African time it means 5pm, and guess what people started to come at 4pm. By the time people started to come the meat was on the grill, we were enjoying our time, children were playing, guys were playing soccer, the sky started to cover up. We felt some drops but, heah, we did not want to leave so we wait for the rain to pass. It was just a small rain.
To conclude we had more people than expected, the food was enough for all of us, and the rain did not last too long, and I had a great day. Now I need to blog "like hell."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
That' s my Earth
This song was sung by Christophe Mae from his album "Mon Paradis" released on 2007. This song is about harmony among human being.
We are all human on Earth who tend to forget where we are coming from and where are heading. It is convenient for us to lose memories but when there is a danger we look at the neighbor, that's is weird, without knowing that we left him on the side for sometime.
The chorus goes like this:
Is there a heart that rises for everyone to agree?
A heart that is going to carry on
Someone whose going to come to help
That's my Earth where I seat
That's the river, the water that I drink
No one better not touch it
That's my brother around me
My way and my only route
No one better not touch it
We feed more our fears by looking the other way
From our great values, which are only duties
What if we learn how to hold hands
Not seeing each other as strangers, who do not do anything, but fighting
We are all human on Earth who tend to forget where we are coming from and where are heading. It is convenient for us to lose memories but when there is a danger we look at the neighbor, that's is weird, without knowing that we left him on the side for sometime.
The chorus goes like this:
Is there a heart that rises for everyone to agree?
A heart that is going to carry on
Someone whose going to come to help
That's my Earth where I seat
That's the river, the water that I drink
No one better not touch it
That's my brother around me
My way and my only route
No one better not touch it
We feed more our fears by looking the other way
From our great values, which are only duties
What if we learn how to hold hands
Not seeing each other as strangers, who do not do anything, but fighting
Fear
What is fear? How would you define fear? How was it used before and how is it used now in every society?
Fear is defined as being afraid or scared of; be frightened of.
In different countries, Governments use fear to stop their citizens in doing things they would have done. The type of fear that are inflicted can be done in many ways. In some countries to reduce the degree of criminology, technique are being used to discourage the people to do any arm to others. For instance in some countries in Africa, if someone steal something, he or she will get his or her arm cut. If someone rape another person he will be killed in public. In some countries if the people try to rally against the Government, they get punish by going to prison or they can lose everything they have worked for all their lives. This type of fear is very radical and harmful to a person body, wealth, spirit, everything. There are other type of fears, the type that the Government does with more subtle ways and the people does not even know that they are being scared of. It is done through the media. The media tells the people all type of stories that just make the people stop from living.
They have been crime in this place, hundreds of people have died. There is a disease that is spreading around the world, it is a pandemic, we advise that no one travel, the market is very bad, people are losing their jobs everywhere in the world. Those type of information can be destructive to the persons receiving them. The persons feel scared of everything, fear to invest, fear to lose their jobs,fear to travel, fear about their children future. Fear, fear.
Compare those type of fear that I have just describe, which one is the most destructive. The one with no freedom, the one where your could lose your life or the one where you still have your freedom but not free in the mind.
In my opinion it is all the same, at the end of the day both situation create people who are afraid to live, afraid to lose what they have worked for all their lives, people who are afraid to give their opinions. Fear, fear.
Fear is defined as being afraid or scared of; be frightened of.
In different countries, Governments use fear to stop their citizens in doing things they would have done. The type of fear that are inflicted can be done in many ways. In some countries to reduce the degree of criminology, technique are being used to discourage the people to do any arm to others. For instance in some countries in Africa, if someone steal something, he or she will get his or her arm cut. If someone rape another person he will be killed in public. In some countries if the people try to rally against the Government, they get punish by going to prison or they can lose everything they have worked for all their lives. This type of fear is very radical and harmful to a person body, wealth, spirit, everything. There are other type of fears, the type that the Government does with more subtle ways and the people does not even know that they are being scared of. It is done through the media. The media tells the people all type of stories that just make the people stop from living.
They have been crime in this place, hundreds of people have died. There is a disease that is spreading around the world, it is a pandemic, we advise that no one travel, the market is very bad, people are losing their jobs everywhere in the world. Those type of information can be destructive to the persons receiving them. The persons feel scared of everything, fear to invest, fear to lose their jobs,fear to travel, fear about their children future. Fear, fear.
Compare those type of fear that I have just describe, which one is the most destructive. The one with no freedom, the one where your could lose your life or the one where you still have your freedom but not free in the mind.
In my opinion it is all the same, at the end of the day both situation create people who are afraid to live, afraid to lose what they have worked for all their lives, people who are afraid to give their opinions. Fear, fear.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Follow up
Good Morning, Ms Soundele,
My name is Akouassi Yao, we have met in the elevator last Tuesday at Boston University. I would like to thank you for listening to what I had to say about the business of mangoes that I operate in West Africa.
As I told you, I have been in the business for two years now. I have noticed a real interest in dry fruits from Westerners. The demand has been increasing due to the fact that people are more bias to consume healthy food. Mangoes are great sources of vitamins but are rare in continents like Europe and the United States.
My business is thinking of expanding in those continents. Europe will be the first target because we have already established a good liaison in countries such as France and Spain. The next target will the United States, which will be slightly difficult to enter because they already have their fruits from Brazil. I said difficult but not impossible. The marketing director and myself have come up with plan to enter the US markets and get some shares. One marketing plan that I can share with you, Ms Soundele, is that we are thinking of selling our products at a lesser price compare to the Brazilian products. Asia already produce mangoes and are the first in the world, but since the population in Asia is the most dominant in the world, they are always in need of importation.
As I shared with you, we sell our products to distributors and companies that use mangoes in their products. In Europe, Asia, and the United States we are targeting big companies such as Ben and Jerry, Hagen Daz, Kellogs.
I am contacting you to thank you for your time, and follow up with the proposal that I have made you about becoming a partnership. I have faxed and mailed you over the business plan of the company and would like to invite you on the farm so you could visit our facilities and discover from yourself what we do.
I will have my secretary contact you and set up a date and time at your own convenience for you to come. I will put my chauffeur at your disposition.
Sincerely,
Akouassi Yao
My name is Akouassi Yao, we have met in the elevator last Tuesday at Boston University. I would like to thank you for listening to what I had to say about the business of mangoes that I operate in West Africa.
As I told you, I have been in the business for two years now. I have noticed a real interest in dry fruits from Westerners. The demand has been increasing due to the fact that people are more bias to consume healthy food. Mangoes are great sources of vitamins but are rare in continents like Europe and the United States.
My business is thinking of expanding in those continents. Europe will be the first target because we have already established a good liaison in countries such as France and Spain. The next target will the United States, which will be slightly difficult to enter because they already have their fruits from Brazil. I said difficult but not impossible. The marketing director and myself have come up with plan to enter the US markets and get some shares. One marketing plan that I can share with you, Ms Soundele, is that we are thinking of selling our products at a lesser price compare to the Brazilian products. Asia already produce mangoes and are the first in the world, but since the population in Asia is the most dominant in the world, they are always in need of importation.
As I shared with you, we sell our products to distributors and companies that use mangoes in their products. In Europe, Asia, and the United States we are targeting big companies such as Ben and Jerry, Hagen Daz, Kellogs.
I am contacting you to thank you for your time, and follow up with the proposal that I have made you about becoming a partnership. I have faxed and mailed you over the business plan of the company and would like to invite you on the farm so you could visit our facilities and discover from yourself what we do.
I will have my secretary contact you and set up a date and time at your own convenience for you to come. I will put my chauffeur at your disposition.
Sincerely,
Akouassi Yao
Favorite reading
Have you ever read a book that you could say had changed your life. I had. Two years ago, while I was on a lunch break, I decided to go to Borders and browse over the books. I came across one book, I read the title, "the Alchemist", I read the back to learn about the book, but I did not catch my interest. I kept on browsing and I finally decided to go for "the Alchemist" with no real motivation to read it. As I started reading the book, I could not stop and I finished it in three days. I was really surprised, I had never read a book entirely before.
You might wonder how this book changed my life. In many ways. First I was not the type of person who love loved to read. This book made me read, enjoy what I was reading and understand on my own how important it was to read rather than being stuck in front of the television. Reading allowed me to be more creative, imaginative, I pictured the word in my mind, and I really loved it. I t was like watching my own show. This book made me discover another way to learn English, which is through reading. Reading can really improve someone vocabulary, either it is the first language or not.
The story plot is about a young Shepard who goes in search of his personal legend. After reading this book I asked myself, "why am I here?", "what is my personal legend". The personal legend is our mission on earth, our purpose. I still do not know my mission, but I realized that I needed to set my own personal goals instead of following the dreams that others wanted me to follow. This book made a new person out of me. I started to read more and get more knowledge about life in general.
As the professor once said, write about what motivate you when you write your blog, it will help you better improve your writing and it will be less boring for him to read. The way I put it, do what motivates you in life in order to see you abilities and better improve them.
You might wonder how this book changed my life. In many ways. First I was not the type of person who love loved to read. This book made me read, enjoy what I was reading and understand on my own how important it was to read rather than being stuck in front of the television. Reading allowed me to be more creative, imaginative, I pictured the word in my mind, and I really loved it. I t was like watching my own show. This book made me discover another way to learn English, which is through reading. Reading can really improve someone vocabulary, either it is the first language or not.
The story plot is about a young Shepard who goes in search of his personal legend. After reading this book I asked myself, "why am I here?", "what is my personal legend". The personal legend is our mission on earth, our purpose. I still do not know my mission, but I realized that I needed to set my own personal goals instead of following the dreams that others wanted me to follow. This book made a new person out of me. I started to read more and get more knowledge about life in general.
As the professor once said, write about what motivate you when you write your blog, it will help you better improve your writing and it will be less boring for him to read. The way I put it, do what motivates you in life in order to see you abilities and better improve them.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
A Day Without the Internet
A day without the internet. Since the Internet exits, have you had one day where you could not use it, because of some problems with the connection for instance? Do you remember how you felt? On Friday afternoon, I decided to do my blog for the class that I am my taking at BU. While I was getting myself ready to log into the World Wide Web, I found out that my connection was not working. My first reaction was to call the service provider and I realized that I did not have my roommate's information, since the connection is under her name.I felt frustrated, as if without the internet, I could not do anything useful and I figured "what would I do if the internet did not exist? Nowadays, "people" creates needs that we need to have in order to fill our days. We feel as if we cannot run our lives properly without these needs that we have created.
The internet is great, it is a great tool to have information about anything that exists, but do we really need the internet?
If I have to do my homework and put it on the web, yes, I need the internet. But let's say this homework is not going to be published on the internet. Let's say it is a journal that we have to maintain throughout the course period. The research could be done at the Library, or just by spending couple of hours outside just observing our surrounding, the people around us and write about it. With all those new technologies, I think that we have forgotten the cheapest and more human ways to have an idea and write about it or even to find information. Interacting with people, going to the library, observing what around us can be a great way to look for information just as the internet.
The internet is great, it is a great tool to have information about anything that exists, but do we really need the internet?
If I have to do my homework and put it on the web, yes, I need the internet. But let's say this homework is not going to be published on the internet. Let's say it is a journal that we have to maintain throughout the course period. The research could be done at the Library, or just by spending couple of hours outside just observing our surrounding, the people around us and write about it. With all those new technologies, I think that we have forgotten the cheapest and more human ways to have an idea and write about it or even to find information. Interacting with people, going to the library, observing what around us can be a great way to look for information just as the internet.
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