America

During my high school years, I never cared for the United States. If anything, I did not think my country was all that great. When the class would say the Pledge of Allegiance, I would stand up out of obligation but would never put my hand over my heart of recite the words. It was not until I travelled through Europe did I become in love with my country where people would flee to in order to start a new life.

Summer of 2010 and 2011, I was fortunate enough to visit Europe.  In the summer of 2010 I went explored England, Switzerland, France, Croatia, Turkey, Greece, and Italy. Since I went to these countries with a group of people my age on a Teen Tour, I did not pay much attention to the living conditions and life style of the areas. I was too focused on the social aspect of the trip. The European trip with my family in the summer of 2011 kicked me into reality. My family and I ventured through the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Romania. Every time my family tours a location, my father always makes sure we are paying attention to everything. He points out every little detail that he feels is important to the family’s experience for the trip. I recall visiting a Jewish cemetery in Romania filled with garbage and syringes. It was a depressing sight, not just due to the fact that its cemetery, but because it was an ill kept cemetery and just plain right disgusting. All through these countries I saw a repulsive amount of rubbish that took over the streets and sidewalks. There were even an unrealistic amount of stray dogs roaming through the area accommodating to the city life. The atmosphere in these countries grossed me out immensely. The whole time I was in Europe, I was comparing everything to the way of life in America. I compared how Europe you are not able to drink out water out of the tap because the water is not sanitary, the way most places in Europe do not have air-conditioning and that you have to pay to use the bathrooms. During the trip I kept thinking, “It’s beautiful and all, but would I really want to live here?” The appealing parts in these countries are the tourist attractions, but that is how it is for almost every country. Each country has their own source of beauty.

 That trip fully changed my perception of America. I now think it is the best country and am grateful to live here. Red, white, and blue are my official favorite colors. I even now go out of my way to buy American flag merchandise. I have a variety of different American flag styled shirts, an American flag backpack, an American flag purse, two small American flags hanging up in my dorm room, and a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I verbally defend this country during arguments and any song that mentions America in a positive context I automatically love. I am so thankful to live in the great, secure country and can not even dream of leaving elsewhere.

No Place Like Home

     Like most children, they typically feel comfortable in their homes and view it as a safe haven. 11-year-old Ryan Aguirre once thought that he was always safe in the comfort of his own home, until the night of January 5, 2011. Ryan was at home with his father while relaxing playing a game in his family’s apartment located in the Bronx when someone knocked on the door. Ryan is an innocent little boy and a well-behaved honor student at his school, he would never think something so undeserving was about to come to him. Ryan was casually walking towards the door when he heard the knocking. All he asked was “Who?” then three rounds of bullets started coming at him through the door. He was clinging onto the wall and calling for his father while his dark brown eyes stood out with fear. While latching onto the wall, Ryan just stood there while the bullets were cutting through the door and making their way into the apartment. He did not move only stood there. It was probably for the best that he did not leave his current spot, for who knows what would have happened to him if he tried dodging the bullets. While fear and a stir of emotions were running through Ryan’s body, he was shot in the stomach. He did not feel anything, fortunately enough, but is now scared physically and emotionally. The bullet did not puncture any vital organs or kill the young boy, if anything it only left a wound. This incident did more damage to his mental state. He is now paranoid that the shooter will come for him again. He’s terrified to stay in his own home. Ryan never saw the shooter behind the door; he was only a victim of the man’s anger. Ryan was not the man’s target. The shooter was actually targeting Ryan’s sister who is involved in a gang. Due to his sister’s poor life choices, Ryan got caught up in her mess.    

Source:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/don_want_to_go_back_RoDrmcYTwsGZ9yRdmy7NwK

Daisy Dukes

            The typical daily outfit for the summer would be shorts and a tank top. Being from Florida, that use to my yearly attire. I interchanged my shirts but only had a few pairs of shorts. One of these pairs of shorts I had since 8^th grade and surprisingly still fit. I found them on sale at Abercrombie and knew I had to get them. They are exceptionally short and light blue denim with a ripped up look at the bottom. I refer to them as my Daisy Dukes. When I would wear them my mom would always complain that they were too short on me, but I brought them everywhere I went regardless. I remember wearing them during my most memorable summer.

Summer of 2009 was when I was fortunate enough to travel Europe with America Trails West teen tour. My shorts and I traveled through England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey, which totaled exactly a month. I wore my Daisy Dukes when two of my friends and I got lost in Florence, Italy. We were touring art museums and Roman Catholic Cathedrals for half of the day with the teen tour. After the organized activities were completed, the counselors let us go shopping and said to meet them back at the hotel. My friends and I joyfully adventured through the city. We finished our need for shopping then went on a horse carriage tour. We then decided it was time to head back to the hotel but did not know which way we were suppose to go since the counselors never told us the directions to the hotel. We found ourselves a map, I forgot why, but the map was not useful. We then tried asking these two police officers for directions, but they did not speak any English and none of us knew any Italian. We attempted to figure it out ourselves by pretty much walking down some random street we thought was the correct way. Even though it was against the rules of the tour, we had no choice but to flag down a taxi. Thankfully most cab drivers in the area were able to speak and understand English. We gave him the name of the hotel then he started driving and made a U-turn, meaning we were going the complete opposite direction.

Later that night, still wearing the same outfit, my two friends and I almost got kicked off the tour. All three of us roomed together. We were supposed to be in our rooms at ten, which we were, but we did not know that the balcony was off limits. It was a small, compact hotel. Our room was on the second floor and our balcony faced the balcony of two other rooms of the first floor where some of the boys on the tour roomed. We were talking to them from the balcony. Somehow the counselors knew we were all relaxing on the balcony, and came to each of the rooms to reprimand us for not being in our rooms and threatened to kick us off the tour. Since the balcony was apart of the room, we all thought it was acceptable to be on.

I also wore my Daisy Dukes through my other adventures in Europe. I wore them the day the counselors forgot to wake my group up to tour Switzerland so we were given permission to walk around the town we were staying in. I also wore them during the gondola ride in Venice, the day a few kids on my tour got in trouble for getting drunk, and while I was at Disney in France.

I still wear my Daisy Dukes whenever I go back to Florida but only at the beach. They became even shorter than they were on me when I first got them causing them to be inappropriate to wear out in any other location. Even though I cannot wear them as much as I use to or in certain locations, I will always keep them to remind me of Summer 2009.