Anna Fink

In Cod We Trust

                Eric Dregni has an impressive resume. He's written over 14 books, and he has a masters degree in Italian. He took a year of his life to live in Norway to discover how Norwegians really lived and to find his families heritage.  His story starts off on an interesting note. His wife just found out that she was pregnant, right around the same time he got the good-to-go with his trip. They worried whether insurance in would cover a birth overseas. It turned out that he had nothing to worry about. In the most expensive country in the world you get paid to have children. This is supposed to help the declining population. If you a working for six months and have a baby you get 52 weeks paid maternity leave and up to 60 weeks of 80% of your salary, or something like that.

                This wasn't the only cultural difference he noted in his speech. Taxes and the expense of things there was mentioned quite a lot though. I would imagine that the transition from a country where the conservative party was in rule to a place where almost 50% of you wages are given to taxes would be hard. He said that the people of Norway didn't mind the taxes at all. It was just a way of life, and this way there were no poor. Norwegian traditions include Rockfish. This is an old fermented fish that is buried in the ground for 3 months then cooked and eaten. Dregni's experience seemed quite interesting.  It was also apparent that Norwegians were pranksters.  They loved to drink and laugh and pull jokes on one another. He said that the high school seniors there get a month off of school before they graduate, where they have free reign. This whole concept seems pretty crazy to me.

                This convocation was a lot harder to relate back to what I have learned in honors this year. I haven't learned about any European country. I haven't learned about the importance of tracing back family roots. The connection I do make is the importance of culture and assimilation. At the end of his speech today he said that Norwegians in Norway would not consider those who are of Norwegian descent, yet live in America, Norwegians. They are Norwegian - Americans. Eric Dregni's great-grandfather had to make decisions about what from his Norwegian culture he wanted to keep, and what he wanted to give up, to assimilate more easily into American culture. Every generation after that made decisions about how they would live their lives that affected their culture. In just the four generations that Eric's family had been removed from Norway, a lot changed. But at the same time, some things didn't. He found his relative's grave's and his great-grandfather's old house. Life just gets more interesting the more you learn about it

Dr. Carl J Schoenbeck was a great speaker. I have to admit I didn't think I would like going to this convocation. I don't really like going to convocations at all, but Dr. Schoenbeck was really great! The title of his speech was "Teaching the Children Well: One educator's perspective on integrating faith and learning." He admitted getting this title from the song that can be found playing on oldies stations across the country. His main point was that effective teaching produces learning.  Now you, the reader, studious as you are, would ask, "But Anna, what makes a teaching effective?" You have just demonstrated one of the classic way's teachers have been trying to get kids to learn, since Greco-Roman times. Dr. Schoenbeck emphasized that asking leading questions, which force the students to think, and they in turn asking questions produces learning. In his speech, Dr. Schoenbeck encouraged going beyond this traditional approach and suggested some ideas that reminded me very much of what I learned in honors first semester.

Dr. Schoenbeck made it clear that he believes the disciplines of learning, or ways of knowing, work best when they are put together like a rope. His model that showed on the screen sent me flashbacks of that first terrifying Monday night lecture in honors. The words "Interpenetrating Magistra" came to mind. This was the model that Dr. Schuler taught us. All the ways of knowing were overlapped and mixed together.  They are concentrated in their own individual areas, but at many points they mix with other subject areas. I personally always wondered if physics counted as math or science. Dr. Schoenbeck's model of the rope was different, and I think I liked it better. He put faith in the middle as the core of learning. Outside of that were other subject areas. They touched each other and twisted to form a tight foundation of knowledge, but most importantly they all looked to their core of faith for their sense of support.

After the speech, a few of the honors kids and I had a really nice speech with Dr. Schuler.  He told us that Dr. Schoenbeck was actually the person who suggested the honors program to Dr. Schuler. I found out that our little honors project is just a test run for what the college may look like in a decade or two. Dr. Schuler then said, "So we are either cutting edge or insane." I think that sums up this whole lecture, really this whole year in honor, quite well.  We are trying something pretty different in this class, but I think it's really working out. Dr. Schoenbeck's lecture was really great. Integrating subjects can be a great way of inspiring learning, but most importantly faith should be at the core of everything.

                Seexeng Lee gave one of the best presentations all year. He really meant it when he said he'd be speeding through. It went fast, but his timing was perfect. I had just enough time to keep notes on his lecture, and not enough time to get bored.  I also related with him a little bit more since I consider myself to be an artist. This lecture let me know how much I have in common with Hmong artists. Blacksmiths, Weavers, Singers, and all the other artisans created things that had purpose as well as beauty.  I have always preferred making practical things to painting canvas, or other purely aesthetic things.  It's pretty cool that I can share something like this with a culture that is based on the other side of the world.

                Seexeng said, "Art is not a product - art is the journey." This is such a wonderful explanation. I think this applies so well to the art of the Hmong. Since they used their art, it would really be the making of it that is prized. I remember seeing some of the artistic Hmong pieces at the Center for Hmong Studies for one Monday night lecture. I didn't realize then how odd it must be for Hmong adults to see those useful items hung on a wall or held in a glass case.

                I liked how he talked about adapting to a new environment. I think his more recent art is such a wonderful blend of Hmong culture and American mediums. It is just fascinating to see. I really appreciate that we (our honors class) explored not just the scientific and literary successes of the Hmong culture, but we looked into the aesthetic side as well.  This reminds me of our interpenetrating magistra of the ways of knowing from last semester.

                Art is one of my favorite ways to learn, so this convocation was really interesting for me. The pieces were all gorgeous. The Photographs of the woman in the car were just wonderful. Her information about it added to its quality. Driving is a new freedom for a woman like her. I know that she came from an Islam country, but I noticed she did not cover her head. I often forget how blessed I am to live in America where I will not be persecuted for my religion. Similarly I liked the information she added to the cloth art she did.  I didn't realize how rebellious of a work it was until she explained that faces aren't traditionally seen in Islamic art, and that her beautiful writing is actually a unfriendly saying.

                The painting of the family holding onto the tree branch as they tried to cross the Mea Kong River reminded me of the scene from Kalia's book. This painting however had one of their family member's being taken away from the family. How devastating that would have been. The painting triggered that emotion of remorse and sorrow in me right away. I had to read Kalia's book very carefully to really understand what was going on. Both mediums of telling this story that happened to many Hmong are acceptable and will touch people in different ways.

                This convocation really enlightened me.  It isn't very often one see's an art exhibit made by immigrants and refugees. I loved how they didn't follow the same style. Each one of them had been through a different situation, but they were all important events in their lives. These people have a story worth listening too, even if it's told through a framed piece of paper.

                Having Choua and Long come and talk to us was an amazing, enlightening, and worthwhile experience. There is nothing better than hearing information from a firsthand source.  Choua's  determination was so exciting. She is proof that anyone can succeed if they are willing to work hard enough. I can't imagine what she has all seen during her life. She truly has the strength of a tornado. I have a lot of respect for these two. They risked their lives in the name of a government that denied being in their country, and that was farther away than their imagination could reach. They of course must have felt that cause worthy. I'm so glad to see that they were able to take advantage of their positions in America. Both of them are college graduates.

                Some of the information was review. A lot of what Long had mentioned crossed referenced what Dr. Hilmer mentioned as well as the speaker from last week. All of this is really reinforcing the facts of the Vietnam war and the CIA war. I now can say with certainty that it was in January of 1961 that the CIA found general Vang Pao. Today someone in my acting class asked me when the Vietnam War was and I was able to tell them, "1959-1975." I'm really proud that I'm actually able to recite things with certainty. It is all this overlapping between lectures and readings. I think I'm really starting to wrap my head around this whole situation that is rather hidden from common knowledge.

                These speakers have blessed me. Choua's advice and enthusiasm benefited us all. I hope I never forget her. "Take home with you: 1. Have a lot of Dream. 2. Be a good advocate for yourself/clients." Long has such drive and intelligence.  I'm so glad our class was visited by them.

I never knew there were so many Hmong in the world. Lee Pao Xiong's section with us was really enlightening. I can't imagine being what he has been through and having such a good attitude about it. He seemed so happy. He was even able to laugh at his childhood curiosity of plane crashes and death. He kept a smile on while talking about war attacks, and growing up away from his mother. He kept smiling as he talked about fighting his way onto a plane that was his only way out of a war torn country. His life accomplishments were outstanding. I don't think I have ever been in the same room with someone who worked for the President of the United States before.  I really can't imagine having his great spirit.  I really enjoyed seeing all the artifacts of Hmong culture. I was especially interested in the hemp skirts. These just fascinated me. How can a person hand make something that amazing? I love making clothing, but I can't imagine making the fabric out of something you grow. That, to me, is just incredible. The Hmong traditions are so interesting.  They seem like fairy tales.  I really enjoy learning their beliefs because of how innocent and magical it all is.

A lot of what I learned Monday night reflected what I had learned through Kalia's book and during Dr. Hillmer's lecture. I had never realized how much the Hmong people went through, and now I feel like an expert (although I know I am far from it.) When Lee Pao Xiong said that general Vang Pao had been to Concordia, I got so excited. A week ago, this would have meant nothing to me. The honor's class still thrills me with the connections that I am able to make.

My appreciation for Hmong culture has grown tremendously. It hasn't just grown since this Monday night discussion, but this whole semester.  I have to say the whole experience is making me a little more suspicious of our government. I am still proud to be an American, but it just makes me want critically think about what I hear on the news, and not just blindly accept it at fact. I have a stronger will to do more research.  (I really hope I can someday read those secret documents that Lee Pao Xiong mentioned.) This whole section on Hmong culture and history is growing more interesting every day.

                Gran Torino is easily one of my favorite movies. I saw it last Friday, but if I could afford to see it again, I would. The story takes place in the Midwest, not in an area that's hard to imagine.  In fact, for me it could have been my own home town. Clint Eastwood plays the crabby, racist white neighbor, Walt Kowalski, who lives in a Hmong community. Having fought in the Korean War he has lots of secrets and prejudices he carries with him. His family doesn't like him, but he doesn't like them either. So alone he lives out the days after his wife's death taking care of his house and Grand Torino. Thao, the Hmong boy from next door, is pressured by his cousin to join the Hmong gang. His initiation is to steal the Gran Torino.  Walt catches him, and Thao shames his family. Thao is made to work for Walt to regain his name. Unimpressed, Walt excepts and sends him on errands that spark a friendship between the two. At the same time, Thao's sister Sue is softening the old man, by inviting him to family gatherings and just showing him kindness. Walt realizes the threat that the gangs pose to his new friends and threatens some of the members to leave that family alone. Instead the gang shoots Thao and Sue's window in and rape Sue. Both Thao and Walt want revenge, but Walt locks Thao in his basement so that his reputation is not scarred. Walt goes out to the gangs house by himself and calls out to them to leave Thao's family alone. Others in the neighborhood come out to see what is going on. Thinking that Walt has a gun, the gang fires at him and kills him. The gang went off to jail, while Thao and his family were safe. Walt had given his life to save them.

                This movie paralleled the Latehomecomer's view on Hmong families. The family was very close held great ceremonies and gatherings. They were thankful, kind people. It reminded me of how hard it is to come into a new country as a refuge. As The Middle of Everywhere stated refuges need certain skills to succeed. As Sue said in the movie, "The girls go to college and the boys go to jail."

                This movie sent me crying. I never thought of how membership into a gang might be forced. I had always assumed that those living in a gang life style went into it willingly. I found myself asking throughout the movie, "How can this violence ever stop?" Walt's actions were heroic and brave, but that's not a good solution for a nation. Violence within our nation could be just as bad as the country refuges come from, but it shouldn't be. I hope that these senseless behaviors can be stopped.

                Literature discussions are among my favorite kind. They are right up there with discussions of good food, and good friends. So perhaps I don't even need to mention that I enjoyed this Monday's class. The book covers many stories of refuges that moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to escape persecution from their home country. Some came to America dreaming that life would be perfect upon arrival, but they soon realized that life in America was a hard adjustment. In our class we bounced around our feelings on the treatment of refuges in their old country, and how we would relate or not relate to those situations. We talked about our families and our shared our own stories. The room felt understand and kind the whole night.

                 My own experience with teaching Somali's English gave me a greater appreciation for this book and our class discussion. I don't know what those people went through before coming to America, and I really don't know how hard of an adjustment it was for them to make. I only see them for two hours a week, but in those two hours I see many of the attributes that Mary Pipher talks about in her book.

                 I believe that reading and discussing this book had equipped me with compassion. I have a greater will to talk to those I don't know and offer my help. I find myself often checking my life plans to see if I wouldn't rather teach English as a second Language. The stories that I read will stick with me for a long time, and I will share them with others. I never knew how much people were suffering. It astonishes me that this happens in the same world I live so comfortably in. Mary Pipher has inspired me to do more.