Who am I? Now that’s both an interesting and good question if only I knew the exact answer. If I try to narrow it down, regardless of where I start, I end up at the same place: I am David Galvez. I cannot say I am one particular person or play any particular role, for all my roles make me who I am. And, although I can narrow them down to which one is most important, I prefer not to because these characteristics are what make me unique and make me stand out.

In life, I play multiple roles whether it pertains to family, friends, or school. These roles are what build up my character and makes me both social and amiable to those I encounter. When I am a student, I am focusing on studying and what areas I need improvement in. As a friend, I am relaxed and enjoying my time of leisure or I am the shoulder to cry on. And when it comes to family, my obligations are much too grand to express all of them. I am an uncle, a son, a brother, a cousin, etc. But, what I find to be the most important role I play with my family is that of a role model.

It seems awkward to say I am a role model to my family since my parents are the ones that set these standards. But, I also enjoy pushing my family and challenging them into becoming successful. This determination brings us closer together and makes us stronger when dealing with life’s struggles. But, the main reason why I am setting the family standards so high is due to my two nieces. With one just starting school in a couple of days and the other half way into taking her first step, I want them on the road to success early on. I do not want them to settle for less or become a failure. I want them to think that if their uncle can make something of himself, then so can they. By me going to college and becoming successful, I am trying to give them the message that there are no limitations to their abilities. Nothing will bring me greater ecstasy than to see my two nieces, Nicole and Ashley, go to college and set a higher standard than the one I set. In a way this is also beneficial to me. By me wanting to deliver such a strong message keeps me in check and work harder to reach my goal in college. No one likes to see his or her family (not to mention him/herself) fail and for this reason I consider role modeling to be my most valuable role.

Furthermore, with my roles and characteristics comes my identity. It’s not just what other see me as, but what I myself as also. I am proud to say that I am Hispanic, a Cuban-American, and a confused one too. I fit all the stereotypical qualities of a Cuban: being loud, a passion for dancing, being the life of the party, and who can forget eating beans. They are considered to be stereotypes, but I see them as characteristics that a common culture have and share, differentiating them from the rest of the world. I accept all these characteristics I grew up with; it’s what makes me who I am. Why deny it?

I find myself to be a confused Hispanic because, even though I fit the personality of one, I also contain the qualities for the other side of the spectrum. I guess growing up as a Cuban-American made me bipolar. I enjoy being the life of the party and at the same time I like to shy away and be alone. I love to eat beans, but for some reason I cannot find myself to eat rice. My characteristics take opposite sides, or contradict themselves, but they are an interesting part of my personality.

To sum it all up, I am one crazy case. I have heart-warming roles and at the same time have a bipolar personality. To be honest, I find this to be a comical, yet exact, description of who I am. I take vital roles in my life to keep me on the ball. I also have unique characteristics that literally qualify me as a Cuban-American. I have all the qualities to categorize me as a Cuban, but I am better. I am Americanized. My personality is what makes me such a great and easily acceptable person by common culture. Whether it was due to my parents that I turned out this way, or life’s handful of experiences and struggles, I am glad I turned out the way I did. I could not have put myself together like this on my own. Thanks!

BILINGUAL EDUCATION: YES OR NO?

I say YES!

Whether you agree or disagree with me on the topic, I say this simply because people need to diversify.

Many would disagree and protest that we are living in the United States and therefore everyone should speak English. However, the reality is that the United States has not enlisted any national language to be the primary one spoken. Although this is true, this is not a strong argument on why there should not be bilingual education.

The United States is known to be a "melting pot" of many cultures and ethnicities. With this obvious diversity, it is practically impossible to force such a great percentage of the population into speaking one certain language. If you cannot beat them, then join them. For this reason I find it unjust to limit a childs education and eradicate a bilingual influence in their life.
By taking away a bilingual education from the public school systems, the ability to be more culturally rounded is also being rended from existence.
With a bilingual education a child can, for one, communicate to a larger percent of the population that inhabit the United States. Furthermore, with the expertise in two or more languages, more opportunities for jobs and careers open up to them. With the ability to communicate with different ethnicities, many business are more than willing to hire that person in order to expand their trade to different areas and nations.

Yes it is true that it is much easier for everyone in the United States to just learn English. If everyone were to learn English, then we would all speak one same common language without language barriers. We would not have to learn multiple languages in order to communicate with every different culture residing in the US. But are we going to force the rest of the world to also learn English. We are not the center of the universe. The world does not revolve around us Americans. So do we force the French, the Italian, and the Germans to learn our English. I think not.

It might make it easier to have all Americans speak English. But by enforcing such an act does not prepare us nor save us from the rest of the world. We will still need to learn different languages if we want to trade or communicate with our neighbors.

Just like we cannot force the entire world to learn one certain language (English), we cannot force every American to speak the popular language. This nation was founded on equality among diversity. Our founding fathers left Europe and came to America in pursuit of a place where their diversity will be welcomed. If the ideal from this country's beginning was to be welcoming to those who are different, why are we going to change this ideal now? Who are we to force upon the nation to speak one common language? Who are we to set up qualifications of what must be done in order to live in this country?

If we force everyone into becoming English speaking robots, then the reason why this country was founded, makes it strong, and holds it together will collapse.

Therefore, having a bilingual education (and continuing the process) is vital for the survival and success of our youth. Having a wider perspective in both a culture and language is sure to expand a persons horizon to many opportunities that may pass you by if you are uneducated.

I cannot believe that I almost lost something so important to me, over something so minimal. It wasn't minimal to this person, and my words choice may not be the right one, but I cannot comprehend how something so beautiful can be corrupted so easily. I was too scared to confront the situation because I was terrfied at what the outcome may be. I almost lost a friend, no, a sister, I hold very dear. I have known this person since the third grade, and for something to come between us after the bond we share is out of the question.
A couple days back I began to realize a sudden change in the way a friend acted around me. I no longer received and Instant Message from her. My cell phone was left silent. The only ringing that I could hear was the one caused by insanity. I no longer heard a "hello" nor "good-bye" from her. Where did I go wrong? How could it have changed so rapidly without my acknowledgement. What's worse is that the only time I got to spend time and talk to her was filled with no other than a gap in between us. By this I mean the thousands of desks (as it appeared to me) that were keeping us apart. The desks were an ocean separating the island I resided on from hers. The waves and crashing sounds of water were no longer music to my ears. The mouths, created by the waves, only served to ridule and torment my already broken down soul. They laughed at the power they possessed into splitting us up. Little did they know that, although not stronger, I was wiser. Maybe not now, but sometime down the road we would find a way back to each other.
Much to my surprise, time works faster than I thought. Although far apart, we put our focus and effort into one main goal, to find each other and become one once again. With this at mind, the taunts only served as motivation to defy the power of nature. With the knowledge we gained through the years of "togetherness", we managed to build a raft to get to the other. It was rough waters, but after what seemed like years of sailing (talking about the situation) we knew that nothing can keep us apart. We knew that we would end up on the same island one way or another.
This serves to show that life works in mysterious ways. No matter how far life tries to keep you away from the ones you love, you should never forget that they still love you. And I know the story does not end beautiful from here on out. This was not the first time such a situation occured, and it sure won't be the last. These experiences, although they tend to be hurtful, are necessary. With every obstacle we encounter and face, we only grow smarter and wiser. And from this wisdom, we are only more prepared to tackle any unwanting force that tries to keep us apart.

LOVE YOU CHINI!!!

It is such a great thing when someone can welcome a child into their own home that is not their own. I am not talking about just an invitation, but of making them a part of the family. Adoption is a wonderful act, giving a child with nothing left to lose, the praise, encouragement, joy of a family.
With all of the homeless children that are present in the U.S. (not to mention the world) there is only one thing I fail to (or do not want to altogether) comprehend. Why negate homosexual couples/individuals the option of adoption?
Many argue that having a child grow up in an environment of homosexuality is unhealthy for a growing and absorbing mind. Yet, no one has been able to prove to me what is so unhealthy about it? The argument individuals of society use in their defense is solely based on their fear that the child growing up in this environment will become homosexual. The irony behind this is that studies have shown that children growing up with homosexual parent had the same outcome of homosexuality as those of heterosexual parents (10%). The child growing up in a house with homosexual orientation has no effect on the sexual preference the child. If this environment has any effect, it would be as an experience and taste of what is already out in the world. Also, homosexual parents are just as and more caring than the majority of heterosexual parents.
Based on all the facts that already exist in today's society, why is there still reproach towards these individuals? Because America is really not the land of acceptance and opportunity. Everything our founding fathers fought for now lie in ashes and buried files. America rests on the hands of strict religious followers that refuse to open their eyes to a part of their community. So much for their religious greatness, that they would prefer to see children starving or live a life without love than to have them fall into the hands of homosexual parents.
America needs to go back to the principles it was founded on. It's time for this nation to start opening their eyes to a group in society that has always been existent. It is time to stop the prejudice that still lives within a once strong and supporting nation. We are the United States, yet we are not all that "united" as we presume to be. One great melting pot this country turned out to be.
It's time to step out of this bubble the United States makes along its coasts. We are not the superior nation, not to mention the only nation. We are a nation comprised of multiple diverse cultures. Whether it be homosexuals, blacks, hispanics, asians, these classifications are made up of nothing other than PEOPLE.

Therefore stop the unjustice and grant homosexuals the rights everyone else is entitled to, this including the right to ADOPT!

I don't know if it's because I have a sick and weird sense of humor, but I began to laugh at the thought that the Americans never really managed to put a man on the moon. Could it be just a conspiracy? Maybe someone wants to defame NASA and decided to put such thoughts out there. Whatever the truth may be, both sides have strong reasons in support of their views.
So was the US landing on the moon a real event, or something that was created in a studio in Arizona? I guess it depends on the person, if they want to believe it, and how much of an American they are.
In the article, one man makes a mockery of NASA, because the science behind men landing on the moon doesn't add up. One example the writer uses is: "The flags shadow goes behind the rock so doesn't match the dark line in the foreground, which looks like a line cord. So the shadow to the lower right of the spaceman must be the flag. Where is his shadow? And why is the flag fluttering if there is no air or wind on the moon?" and "How can the flag be brightly lit when its side is to the light? And where, in all of these shots, are the stars?" These questions are very valid in response to the Apollo moon landing. Why is the flag fluttering if there isn't any atmosphere (nor breeze). Where are the stars in all of these shots, I don't think they are camera shy.
In response to the writers questions, one hurt American wrote back with acceptable reasons as to why things happened the way they did. For the question about the shadows, the fluttering flag, and the shy stars he answers: "Do you honsetly mean to tell me that you believe that this photo hasn'tbeen played with? Somebody (no.. NOT NASA) has doctored this photoreally badly to make people like YOU think that you have a stronger caseagainst NASA. That astronaut was copied and pasted into that photo.And as for the flag.. that shadow goes to the side with the face clearlylit because it's not exactly parallel to the sun's rays! It's on a bitof an angle, which anybody will tell you, is enough to clearly light theflag. And as for the fluttering.. less drugs for you, man. it's notmoving at all. Do you know what happens when a flag is stowed forseveral weeks, all folded up? You guessed it.. It gets wrinkled! Lookat getting some better glasses. As for the stars. in photography, toprevent an over-exposure (phonetically: Ovur-ekspojur) you must closethe iris a bit, or in this case, a lot. The sun is much brighter herethan the brightest day on earth. Whith the iris down far enough toprevent over-exposure, there is no way you would ever, EVER see ANYTHINGin the sky other than the sun and the earth."
Both men have good arguments swaying the reader into either side. It depends on what side the reader decides to take.
But these reasons are only minimal to the arguments the writers make.
What side do I take? Do I want to stay true to my country. Or do I want to expose them for their selfishness. Their selfishness to deceive an entire country for the sake of coming up 1st in the race for who's best. Who cares if the Russians beat us into space! Was it worth lying to millions of Americans, who bragging about their achievements, must now put their head down in shame.
These are theories at heart. I guess that it is all up to the people at NASA whether they want to leave a country living off their lies. Or one day they will accept the crime of deceiving the USA into thinking we are so advaced (that's what we think isn't, that the world revolves around us)and tell us it was all a hoax.
Whatever the REAL answer is, I will stand true to my country. I will back them up on their side of the story. Yes, we were the first one's to place a man on the moon. I will stand by this until the Association, deliberately state that Apollo never reached its destination. Until then, I am one proud and happy American.

If you are interested in the subject and would like to read more examples to both the defense and opposition feel free to visit the website of my findings: http://www.apfn.org/apfn/moon.htm

The Hunger Banquet was a very well organized, learning experience. I learned about the great amount of poverty and famine that exists in the world. Not only how it takes many lives around the world, but also back home in the U.S. The percentage of those living in poverty, in the United States, is outrageous. Even more outrageous is that this great percentage of the U.S. poverty is enormously based within our own backyard: in Alachua County.
Also, I was told about what certain families, based on their social class and financial sustainability, had to eat in order to live to see another day. It’s good to know this type of information, for it opens your eyes to the world around you. But, if you are trying to reach a certain group of people, and trying to leave an impact (as the organizers fulfilled in hosting such an event), why not make them experience this life? I was given to eat the certain foods (hardly considered a meal) that families in other countries, as well as the U.S., had to eat in order to live. What is even more sickening is the portion of the “scrap” that these families have available to them. Sometimes their portions are only enough to eat once a day.
The knowledge and enlightenment I received from such an event is something that will surely change the way I think forever. It impacted me in making feel more grateful for what I have, for there are others less fortunate. Although I might not have the riches or the goods, I can still eat three square meals a day. I can even go a day without eating, or decide not to eat certain foods because the taste is appalling. And why am I allowed to do this? Because I have been blessed and know that even if I decide not to eat today, I will still have food to eat tomorrow. Many of these families do not have this choice. If they miss their daily ration because they dislike it, they are not blessed with the choice of better foods tomorrow. They will not even be blessed with another day to live.
Alongside the enlightenment I experienced, the Service Learning Project also opened my eyes. Not that they were closed before, but I now have the eyes to see the world for what it is. I am no longer entrapped within the glass bubble I have been living in my whole life. I might have thought it once to be a guard, or shield, to the terrors of society. I now see it was nothing more than a dirty window. It was something obscure, not shielding me, but making me naïve to the world around me. With some paper towels (the organizers of the banquet) and Windex (the truth about the world around me) the beams of light shine through everlastingly.
The organizers of the banquet fulfilled their duties and made an outstanding performance. They not only delivered their message, but also made us experience firsthand what the children of poverty must endure. I also feel that the method in which these coordinators delivered their message, assisted in engraving a lasting impact on those who attended. It was key that they were not monotonous, in order to keep the audience alert, interested, and absorbing the information they provided.
One thing that has to be changed in my community is the views people hold about certain issues. At the banquet, I overheard students saying how they don’t have to worry about these issues because their parents are wealthy. Another one that just outright (pardon my French) pissed me off is “It’s not my fault I was born into a wealthy family.” Yes, they are correct. It is not their fault they were born into these wealthy families. However, they are completely guilty of not trying to make a difference. They do not have to endure these families’ sufferings, because they have the money to live better and have a choice. But, they also have the money, and the power behind them, to make a difference. Why not make good use of your wealth, and do something selfless? Give it a more reasonable task to feed a hungry family than to be spent on new “garbage” for your luxury.This Service Learning Project, the Hunger Banquet, was a grand learning experience. It presented to me the paucity that exists in my society. Moreover, it opened my eyes and made me live, that which many families globally undergo. This event certainly changed my views and the way I will carry on with life. I hope that I was not the only one influenced by such information. It’s time to make a change, and this time, TRULY, for the better.

I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER CHANGE!
I thought that getting to college would be a new experience and somewhere I can start fresh. I strongly believed I can start all over and become successful. But it seems to me that HIGH SCHOOL David jumped in my car and came with me to college.
I have always been a good student. I never let myself go, nor get grades lower than B's. I have always been organized and good at keeping my time balanced.
This lifestyle has changed greatly for me. From the ending of my sophomore year in high school, and up until now, I always find reason to put assignments aside. I might say I have ADD and am easily distracted, but this is just an excuse for the procrastinator I am inside...(P.S. this is just a treat. I will finish the rest later.)...

As you can see I have decided to put the blog aside. Not only does this affect me, but I am also hurting and affecting those around me. Due to my procrastination of this blog, I have already (unintentionally) hurt someone. Not only hurt them but I have also wasted their valuable time by not having it complete when it was due. You know who you are and for this I am SORRY!(I really mean it, although it doesn't change what I have already caused).

... I feel that I have a serious problem, and I must learn to cope with it, or better yet alter it. I can not continue to live life in such a fashion.
I know this method of life would have changed if I would get grades lower than B's on my assignments. The idea that I can write a paper (or any homework) an hour before its due, and get a decent grade tends to boost up my confidence. It does this soo much that I tend to find myself in this situation with every assignment (i.e. NOW!)
Sometimes I give myself the satisfaction and reason on why to procrastinate. I tell myself that I work better under pressure. Due to this, I wait until the morning the assignment is due and then stress over it. With the added stress and pressure, I complete the assignment in half the time, get a good grade for it, AND I save time I would have wasted if I would have done it in advance.
My ideology does tend to be a little awkward. Many would even argue that this method is unhealthy. Staying up all night, or waking up extremely early in the morning, to do my homework cuts back on many hours of sleep. This in return limits and affects my performance throughout the day. Even the added stress from this way of living can cause both my mind and body to shut down.
Even with so many reasons arguing against this way of life, I continue to be none other than PROCRASTINATOR DAVID. Why do I continue to put my mind and body through such mental and physical torment? Although the answer to this is because I CAN, I need to learn to alter this lifestyle. I just hope it hits me way before it gets worse. I NEED A CHANGE!

It's hard to approach a topic when your belief and faith might be at stake. I am treading on dangerous waters, but how can I help myself? I might even go to Hell for such thinking. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, so here goes mine.
I was approached on my particular views of cloning. If I had the only cloning machine in the world, would I use it? Of course! Why not make use of such a scientific breakthrough? Some may feel that I am playing the role of God or that I am destroying life's original cycle by making use of such a machine. In reality, I am only preserving what is already out there.
If I were to use such an extravagant machine, it would be to clone animal species running the risk of becoming extinct. It's bad enough that I have missed out on the dodo, the passenger pigeon, and God knows what else. But why have the already endagered species become extinct and not let our future generations to enjoy it? If I were the last hope of an endagered species to survive, then it will exist.
I would also use the cloning machine to clone human organs and tissue. Don't misunderstand me for I would not like to clone humans as a whole. I find that sort of cloning to be sacrilegious. But, imagine all the lives that can be saved my cloning a human heart. I say heart as a starting point, but there is so much more that can be done. We can also counter cancer and tumors that bring nothing but pain and suffering. I would clone the body part the person is struggling with cancer and replace it.
I know I will get a lot of rebuttal by God's followers. They will tell me that I am irreverent by performing such actions. My question is, in reality where have I gone wrong?

Isn't God the one that put us here?
Isn't God the one that gave us our knowledge and the power to grow and expand to better ourselves?
If God was the one that gave us our knowledge, and the ability to learn, then why would he be against something that in fact was created by Him?

These are just a few questions to consider analyzing. Having already analyzed them and knowing where I stand there is not much more for me to say or argue. All I can say I'm sure of is, "Let's start cloning!"

After reading the article about the defficiency in English by foreign-born professors, I was completely outraged. I can not believe that someone (Rep. Bette Grande) could be naive enough to set up a bill targeting these foreign teachers. All this person is getting out of this bill is cultural segregation. It clearly has nothing to do about the speech impediment. The studies that were conducted by Donald L. Rubin clearly shows that students are the ones that set up the barriers between learning the material and their foreign teacher.
I must say I understand where other students are coming from. I being able to speak and understand three different languages fluently, gives me an advantage over them. However, it is the students responsibility to learn the material. I myself have had past experiences with teachers who do not speak English clearly. As horrible as this professor's accent may have been, I still did not let it stop me in retaining the material. Students must make an effort out of their part, in order to comprehend the lecture of the professor.
I strongly feel that all Representative Bette Grande was doing was giving students a cheap excuse on why to do poorly in their classes. These professors should not be the ones that have to accustom to our needs. Students need to face the reality that the world does not revolve around them nor the English language. More so, the world is a melting pot of different cultures and languages. In fact, students' participation in such classes are only preparing them for what they should expect in the real world. After all, college is meant to be a step up in preparing students for the real world.
What kind of a real world would it be when everything focuses on one central language? I must say I have to disagree completely with the actions of Rep. Grande. Teachers who do not speak English fluently should not have to comply to students need. If the students did infact want to learn, they would over look the fact of the teacher's language barrier and make the effort to learn the material. I feel that professors with speech impediments are actually helping us to adjust to a world that does not revolve only around fluent spoken English.

At one point or another in life, we have all heard the famous line: "Don't judge a book by its cover." From a literal stand point, you look at a "book" and decide not to read it because it's cover doesn't appeal to you. Yet, with a twist and turn of its meaning, the central idea can be applied to almost anything.
I always look for a deeper understanding to everything; I never like to draw a picture without first knowing all the details of the situation. Also, I have never been the one to judge a person by their physical appearance. I find it immoral and unjust to create a stereotype about a person just by their characteristics, especially when I hardly know the person nor have gotten to know them. So why am I thinking and acting different all of a sudden?
The alteration (which I do not like) of my actions is contradicting a way of life I have been following for many years. Although it's not the correct word to use, for some reason, I feel like a racist. I feel and classify myself as a racist based on my current tendings to label people. I do not do it intentionally, but for some reason I see a blonde girl and think, "Oh God here comes another plastic girl." Don't take offense for I am really not this way, but the blonde thing is minimal to what really made me look back at the quote. The same event that sparked such unethical contemplation was none the less the one that inspired me to prove myself wrong. I went on a journey to reveal that the conclusions I came to about this certain person were errorneous. And, what if what I had concluded were infact true? Would that mean my ideology was errorneous? I couldn't even think about it.
The situation along with the quest began on the second day of my English class. It all occured the moment Subject1101 (as I shall refer to this person) walked into class. I stared blankly at Subject1101 standing at the doorway and thought, "Wow, this person must be slower than me." It sickens me to think that I can assume such a thing just by the way the person dressed. Something about Subject1101's style and aura made me want to think the person unintelligent. But I knew I was wrong. I knew that what I have lived by all this time could not possibly fail me now. I knew that the clothes must have been a disguise; the clothes were purposedly used hide and divert the attention from the intellectual the person is inside. I needed to pry open this fortification and find the answer I seeked. I needed to test the knowledge and enlightenment Subject1101 kept locked up behind those garments.
To make a long story short, I got the answer I was investigating. With my skills, along with the help of others, I found out that Subject1101 IS in fact much smarter than what he/she appears to be. I found the news to be both to my satisfaction and some what of a disappointment. The good news is that the theory proved it self to be correct in every aspect. The bad news is that I am the slower one out of the two of us. He/She proved to be much more gifted than I had ever anticipated. But, regardless of my emotional downfall, the good news largely outweighs that of the bad one.
Although I have abriged my quest for the truth, I can not fail to acknowledge my thoughts on the other side of the spectrum. What do others think of me? When I say I am a Hispanic, do people automatically label me as a Mexican or a "Beaner"? Now that we hit on the subject, I don't even like beans!
I seriously hope that my experience comes as lesson to others. We are all human and we make mistakes. I learned that I shouldn't anticipate the personality of a person based on their physical attributes. I hope that my behavior can come as an "eye opener" to others and stop the madness of stereotypes that circulate our lives. Maybe I wanted to test the validity of the phrase. I am glad the results turned out the way they did. Imagine if I would have stood by my initial label about Subject1101. I might have missed out on such a great person, one that I could relate to. There is only one way such a misfortune can be avoided: "DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!"