Lost Boys, Journey to The 'Heaven'?

The situation in Sudan has been continued for over 20 years now. During that war, thousands of people were killing and were killed since the war had begun between the 2 opposing cultures. The innocent villages including the Dinka community, were destroyed and burned down, and some of their family members were captured and were killed. This made many people to be left out with their people, their family and friends. This included the Lost Boys of Sudan, the once who escaped from the invaders. The story of lost boys is represented to us by different media and movies (etc). It has touched many people around the world today. The story about the boys who had walked across 3country boarders in order to get to the refugee camp in Kenya. This story was wildly spread throughout the world by the ones who are now Americans, the ones who were sent to America inorder to search for the 'Heaven'.


For the Dinka boys, who had been sent to their new society, it wasn't a simple process for them to become familiar with their new culture. Every aspect in America were somewhat different from their culture in the Dinka society. Their house was so big that even one of them was saying that the house would fall on them since it's so big. Their food had changed to their traditional food to the local fast food such as burgers and pizzas. Schooling was another difficult aspect towards the Dinka's Lost Boys. Since they were the Lost Boys, who were kept at the refugees, and since they had lack in speaking English, they had disadvantages in applying for their schools. The boys also had to deal with their jobs since they needed to pay for their school fees and their house fees. It was difficult for them to get an official job because they didn't have the right skills and technique in working with goods that they have not used or have seen before. This encouraged them to work at the factories and supermarkets at night or in the afternoon after their studies. Probably the biggest problem that the Dinka boys have gone through is the money. They were forced to send the money that they make to be sent to their family back in the refugee. However this could not be done by every single boys who went there; this was because some didn't have jobs or didn’t paid enough money to be sent to their family. As time passed the Dinka boys realized that just by living in America would not make your life a ‘Heaven'; constricting to what they thought it was going to be like.

It was Lost Boys who had to deal with all these differences and problems towards the different culture which had left them with different decisions and sacrifices to make. To begin with, they had to live in a new life style, unlike the pattern they had back in the refugee. They had to make everything American, such as their language, their food, their education and jobs. They had to make this sacrifice even though they had promised to their parents that they would not forget their culture of Dinka. It was their situation that that had to adapt those aspects and replace them with the ones that they used to have. They started to wear clothes like Americans, even though they knew that they could not change their life completely, they were trying to look as if they were one of them. They also acted like one of the Americans, playing basketball, and went to school like one of the Americans did. This later brought them a great result in their new life. Such as, Peter graduating the high school, others were getting along with the other Sudanese or with the neighbors by going to churches or working together. In one year, which the movie had documented, they were able to make huge progress in their life from the Dinka boys to an American. However this could not have been possible if they hadn't have sacrificed their past.

Despite the fact that a significant amount of progress has been made by the Lost boys, there still lots of Dinkas who are struggling in their life in America. I wish that the improvement to be more rapid and would like them to be accustomed to their new culture.

Then I was There, Stepping on the Soil of America

There I was, sitting miserably on the plane, just waiting for the time to come. Just sitting in that freezing airplane, with a tasteless apple juice in front of me. There, in front of my eyes, I see lots of activities, as if it will go exactly like that when I arrive to that place. This place is an unordinary place. We were on a plane, which was heading towards one of the greatest place on earth.

This group called ‘Operation Starship’ had taken off from Malaysia and was to Korea. Both the places where I have unforgettable memories, however, the place where I was going to end up after this 30hours of plane ride, was completely different from the countries I’ve previously been to. Often, I had thoughts, ‘How much more of this? When are we going to be there? To the New Place?’ When I think back to the beginning, my hurt still pounds, since this trip is something special for me. Special, because this was the place, which will make others to open their mouth once they know that I’ve been there. Now, with just few minutes apart from arriving, I had no movements, no thoughts and no feelings and without a notice my hands were shaking and the expression of my smile exceeded to its fullest extent; with just one thing in my whole body: The excitement.

There was an announcement saying, “We’ll be arriving in about ten more minutes”. My heart like a basketball, pounding on the wooden ground. Looked liked others had the same feelings, since we all knew that it was near. We all laughed and giggled, showing how excited and nervous we were about visiting this place. There now, was the sound, telling us that we were near, and we put on our belt. By meter-by-meter, passing through the white clouds and the view of the United States emerged. We passed through many thick layers of white clouds, there it was, the country, United States of America; the city of New York

It was one of the greatest views I’ve seen, just like the pictures or paintings on the Internet. Then shortly after, felt the body, thrilled with excitement; there was the wheel making a loud but a pleasant sound. The outside view was just amazing and could feel the coldness outside. Which made me even more thrilling since I couldn’t experience the winter weather for at least 3years and was about 20minutes away from going out and be able to feel the coldness of New York. Then there I was sitting on a plane and will soon be breathing the air of New York, the United States where it had made me ecstatic for the months before visiting this place.

I lifted my self up searched, if I have dropped something, then I smiled. I pulled up my bag and I landed it on my shoulders and my face was still stretched with excitement. I walked out my seat and step-by-step, I was walking to the destination. I was waiting for my friends at the exit of the plane, walking away, dismissing the plane, while the people with the green ribbons hard bowed. I continued walking along the trail, but this time, the sight was pleasant, outside, there was America, with green glass, blue sky and every thing was just, ‘different’. With crowds of people in the migration, I had to stay in one spot for a long time, without any movements. However, once I got there, to the entrance of this Air Port, I was happy as if I was free from everything. I walked out, looking at all the differences in America. I was keep walking, moving my feet forward till I felt something different on my feet. Then my movements had stopped. I was there, stepping on the soil of America

From Colonization to Exploitation

Through out our history, there has been lots of cases, which a country’s been colonized, or a countries colonizing other weaker countries and there are different reasons to colonize other countries. When British colonized Australia, they came up with different reasons to colonize them. In the book 'Reasons for Colonization' by Englishman, Richard Hakluyt, he said that the main reason that the British colonized Australia was to please the God. He also justifies the colonization by stating it's purposes. For instance, he stated that it was for the 'The glory of God by planting of religion among those infidels', 'The increase of the force of the Christians' and to The possibility of the enlarging of the dominions of the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, and consequently of her honor, revenues, and of her power by this enterprise'. In addition, they came to traffic and to conquer. However, if you observe the purposes that the book had proposed that they are all for the good of religions and the Kings/ Queens. Rather than showing the negative actions that the colonizers had done to the Aboriginals.
Another glimpse of colonization could be shown in the poem, White Man's Burden by Rubyard Kipling. This poem sounds like that it was written so the Americans will be influenced to colonize the Philippines. He influence the Americans by stating different reasons through out his poem. This poem I believe has a great similarity with the main ideas of the book: 'Reasons for Colonization' which makes it even more interesting. To begin with, when the poem states, 'To seeks another’s profit, and work another’s gain' gives us the meaning that it is to show that the colonizers wants to gain profits/ money. This is reasonable since in America during these times, were many jobs which will make the Americans to be persuade more easily. Which is showing that there were increasing amount of colonizers at a specific places.

Colonization I believe occurs in many different ways and it leads to exploitation in different matters too. However, they do not realize that even though they colonize the other countries thinking of helping, or giving no harms, their behaviors changes and they mostly end up with giving severe impact to the people (aboriginals). For instance, like the event in Australia, first they looked like they understand each other, however, after a while, the British had over taken the Australia with their modern technology including the weapons. To sum up, colonization could lead to being exploitation because of the stronger countries being power thirsty and find other countries to be theirs.

The Apology by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Apologies shouldn't be a word which could be thrown out simply just to me make the others feel better about a negative action that you took to harm them. On the other hand, it should be a word that should be brought out with your true feelings and don't just think that it will be okay because you used a word 'apologise', this is because once you did something wrong, there is no ways that you can go back and try to fix it. Which is showing that the word should be a kind of word that must be sencere have to show true feelings.


The apologies by the Austaralian prime minister, Kevin Rudd in febulary 13 2008 was a significant and is important event since the aboriginals have suffered from 'Aboriginal Protection Act' which have occured in 1900's. The apologies by the prime minister gave us a glimpes of how sencerely they were sorry about this issue by looking at his facial expression and his word choice... Which gave me an impression that this could be the starting point forthe aboriginals to start forgiving the Australians about the unforgetable history that they had in the past. If this is carried out effectively, it might lead to greater relationship between the two kinds. To be closer and could be a chance to understand one another more. More specifically, for the aboriginals, they will be able to feel less painful about the past; such as Roach who said that "I still feel the pain, every day. Sometimes it threatens to engulf me. But I'm not going to let it destroy me.". Rather, they would try to and would be challenged to act and feel stronger so they would not be depresses and would not fall in to a wrong path. On the other hand it will be a lesson for the colonizers since it will be a chance for them to learn more about the terrible past in the nation's(Australia's) history. How the natives have suffered throughout the years when Australia was conlonized by the British. Such as about 100,000 aboriginal children being sent away from home who were, physically and sexually abused, sold in market places, and were influenced to alcohol... To sum up, I believe that this act by the prime minister is an important, effective and could lead to great improvement of the Australian history.

Music can change the world because it can change people

'Music can change the world because it can change people.'

This quote was by a band musician, Hewson, Paul (Bono). I used this quote for by title because I believe it expresses how I enjoy playing music and how I feel and think about music. Although many people just think that music is nothing but a simple song which makes them to have feelings that music is nothing special. For me, I play or at least listen to music at least once a day and the music is what makes me to feel free and energetic from all the stress I get from different events. This tells me that this quote reflects me because music changes people's emotions and feelings.

Music takes one of the greatest parts in my life since I enjoy it a lot and have lots of experiences which has to do with music. Through those experiences, I've found out that music effect a lot on our daily life since music has changed me into different of emotions when I rather listen to or play music myself. Music is exciting, amusing, original and moving which can change the world and the people who belongs to that world. This is why I agree with Hewson Paul's quote 'Music can change the world because it can change people which help me to feel and think in a more positive ways.

This picture on the top shows that with music, you can express your feelings and expressions. The darkly shaded man in the picture seems like he is showing excitement and his actions are expressing his feeling as if he is free and can his spread arms might indicate as if he is flying. Which tells how the music can affect you in a more expressed and positive ways.



Picture Citation: http://www.marcandangel.com/