My Blog

Part 1: Bio

what are your interests? What do you care about?

There are many things which take up my time during the day, this includes reading contemporary fiction novels, taking photographs or simply just enjoying the air. My interests range from books to movies to photography. I care a lot about people and the society. I like to read novels that touch on topics such as racism, or cultural differences. My favorite book is "The hate you give" by Angie Thomas, which talks about police violence in America. Another past time activity I like to do is poetry and listen to music. 

Poetry and music are very similar, and listening to music inspires me, and sort of motivates me to write poetry.

What role does language play in your life?

Language definitely plays a big role in my life. Language is what connects people all over the world, and it is also what connects me to my family and friends. Without language, connecting with people would be next to impossible. Personally, I was born and raised in Canada, meaning that the language I grew up learning was English. English was how I was able to communicate with my parents, siblings, and friends. That was how it was all my life. With English, I was able to read and understand stories that were written by authors all over the world, with different opinions on how they perceived the world, thus brewing my love for reading and writing. 

Why do you think it is important to study language? 

Studying a language is very important. In addition to it simply being good for your brain and thinking process, it's the most effective way to communicate with others around your environment. It is also the way for you to be able to express yourself to others and give out your opinions on different matters. Language evolves over time, meaning that as time passes, words that used to mean something would suddenly mean something else, which could be taken out of context if not understood correctly. 

What language barriers have you encountered in your life? 

As mentioned before, all my life I was raised learning the English language, everyone around me spoke English, everything I did was in English. I was submerged into the English speaking lifestyle, and I did not learn anything about my roots as an Ethiopian. This resulted in me not being able to speak the local language in Ethiopia, which my parents and relatives that live in Ethiopia communicate with. This summer, I went to Ethiopia for the first time really - I went to teach English to young children for a month. While there, I could not communicate with any of my aunts, uncles or cousins. They couldn't speak English, and I couldn't speak their language. I felt disconnected from my family and felt like an outsider in my own immediate family. This showed me the importance of language and the benefit of learning your mother tongue as well as other languages as it puts you in the position to be able to connect with the people around you. 

Part 2: Goal Setting

What is 'something new' you will try this year? 

This year, I am going to make sure that I manage my time wisely. Last year, I did all my work without having any sort of solid plan or schedule for work, which resulted in me being not as effective as I can be. However, this year, I would like to be able to change my habits, and create a schedule, or plan that will allow me to manage my time wisely, and effectively, without overbearing and stressing myself out. 

I will also start to participate more in the class. Participation is something that I have been struggling with since the first grade due to my shy nature. It was the one thing that all the teachers complained about during PT meetings. This year, I hope to change that and start participating more in class. 

What will you learn over the next two years and how will it impact your future? 

Over the next to years, I will learn many transferable skills that will help me in my education in the future and simply in life. These skills include time management, essay writing, communication, participation and much more. The skills that I will learn in the DP, will inevitably impact my future in a positive way, and will definitely help make my university journey an easier one. 

What is your goal in Language and Literature? 

After the two years of HL Language and Literature, I would like to be able to understand literary and non-literary writing. By analyzing and getting a more in-depth understanding of different kinds of texts, when reading in my own time, I will be able to use those skills in the understanding of whatever novel that I am reading. Having the ability to understand what you are reading, results in a greater appreciation for the writer and their work. cany