Kihoon KimEng 073March/30/06Final DraftMy Definition of SuccessThere are many definitions of success. In my case, I would like to define success as happiness. That means happiness is the most important factor of success. I want to be a good family member as a son, husband, and father. In addition, I want to sustain my health, and if I set my goal and achieve it, this is also a kind of happiness in my view. And even though money doesn’t not grantee happy life, I think financial freedom makes me free and happy life. Therefore, I think my qualities of success can be summed up as: health, personal fulfillment, and financial freedom.First of all, I think health and energy are the most important elements of being happy. Even though someone has lots of money, someone cannot live happy without health and energy because if sick person has lots of money, he or she cannot travel around and cannot meet good people. The patient always has to lay down his or her bed instead of enjoying life. Due to this reason, I think health and energy are the most important things to be happy.At second, another factor of becoming happy life is personal fulfillment. For example, if I have goals, which can include quitting smoking or dieting, to achieve my goal is an important aspect of how I meet my personal fulfillment standards. Whatever goals I have set for myself, my only concern is if I can achieve them or not. Whenever I achieve my goal, whether big or small, I never fail to feel happy and proud of my achievement.Finally, I think financial freedom allows us some degree of happiness these days. According to Joan Marques, “Success should be more synonymous with happiness than with affluence.” Of course, I could not agree with her more. But I think affluence can become a useful tool to become an overall happier person. Sometimes, I dream owning a nice sports car and, very elegant house similar to a palace. Moreover, I want to give my children the opportunity to study at prestigious schools and provide them with the best education possible. For these reasons, I put money as an important factor in becoming happy.In conclusion, I mentioned what I believe to be my definition of success. First of all, I define success as a feeling of happiness. And then, I referred to health, personal fulfillment, and financial freedom as the factors to be truly happy in my life. We cannot overemphasize the importance of our health because too much money or being happiest does not matter if we lose our health. Personal fulfillment is also, principle factor in discovering happiness. I also think money is a good way to acquire the means to become content in one’s life. Although money cannot be the center focus of obtaining happiness, it is just a tool to be happy. In short, there can be many different definitions of success.
Hi everyone. Have you ever heard about Martin Luther King? Of course, yes! Cause we’ve already learned him in this class. I’m Kihoon Kim. Actually I didn’t know civil rights when I was in Korea. After I knew Martin Luther king, I try to know him a lot. Ok! Now I’ll tell you Martin Luther King, especially I want you to know his all life chronologically. AT first, I’m gonna tell you his childhood, and then I’ll say that his education records, rising to a civil rights, and assassination.First of all, I wonna inform you about his childhood. He was born at January, 15, 1929. His grandfather and his father served as a minister of Church in Atlanta. That means he lived in the typical church family.Secondly, this part is about his education record. At 1948, he received B.A degree from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta. After then, he was awarded the BD from Crozer seminary in Pennsylvania. He became finally a minister after he received the doctorate degree from Boston University at 1955. In Boston, he met and married Coretta scott, and they had 2sons and 2daughters into the family.Thirdly, I’ll tell you about him as a civil rights leader. I think this is a key point of my presentation. So please listen carefully.He accepted the minister in Montgomery, Alabama. AT that time, he was a member of the National Association for Colored People. He was ready to accept the leadership f the first great nonviolent demonstration that was a bus boycott. This demonstration lasted 382 years. At 1956, the Supreme Court had declared segregation laws were illegal and White and Black could ride buses as equals. After this nonviolent demonstration, he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank. At 1963, he directed the peaceful march in Washington, D.C. with 250,000 people. And he addressed “I have a Dream.” The end of 1963, he was the youngest man to have received the Novel Peace Prize all over the world.Finally, this is about assassination on the evening of April, 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room because he was to lead a protest march for garbage workers.In conclusion, he was a great civil leader. Even though he was always threatened by White, he continuously protested nonviolent demonstration. For the sake of his spirit, united states commemorate his death as a National holiday.
Kihoon KimEng08307/10/2006First DraftTuition in America and KoreaEvery university needs a lot of money for good education and environment. In this reason, American universities are raising tuition as every year. However, it is not helpful both of students and university because students are leaving school due to burden of paying tuition. Before I came here, I was a student in Korean university for five semesters and I have studied in America for almost 2 semesters. As I have lived in America, I met some American friends who have lots of stress about paying tuition and money. I thought American have more stress about tuition comparing with Korean. Accordingly, I wanted to know what differences and similarities are in paying tuition between American universities and Korean universities. I surveyed 5 CMU students and 10 Young Church friends. Through this survey, I found some differences and similarities about tuition fees, living fee, scholarship system, and the ways to pay tuition betwee in Korea, I paid for tuition about $3000. It was very cheap price because I took twenty credits in one semester. If CMU students took twenty credits in one semester, they have to pay about $5000. It is almost twice price. In addition, American university’s tuition fee depends on university level. In some universities, their tuition fees are extremely expensive because of their name. CMU is the one of the low tuition universities. In case of University of New York, their tuition is $950 per one credit. However, in Korea, every university doesn’t have big difference in tuition price. Another difference is that Korea students do not need to pay for tuition per one credit. They pay for same amount of tuition per one semester. It means if they want to save money, they can take more credit in one semester and can graduate earlier than 4 years. Also, it is similarity that Korean students have burdens in paying tuition although their tuition fees are much cheaper.Next, I noticed that living fnd cafeterias in universities are so cheap that they can save a lot of money. When I come to America, I was so surprised because of high living fee. After my survey, one of respondents said that “CMU scholarship is enough but the housing fee is very expensive.” Another one said he will stay in CMU although there is university whose tuition is much lower than CMU because he lives near CMU; it means that he can save money in living fees. In America, not only high tuition fees but also high living fees bother university students. In other hand, there are similarities in living fee between Korea and America. Above all, Korea students also spend some money for the transit fee. Especially, both of them think about the priority of living fees, and those priorities are similar. Both of them largely consider cell phone’s fee, transportation fees, and meal plan. Naturally, I think those three things are big parts among their living fees, so even though they lived far away, they regard those thinswered they have ever tried to get financial aid and almost 50% of respondents answered it is hard to get financial aid. It shows most of students need financial aid and half of respondents think it is possible. When this result compare with Korea, it is so amazing. In Korea, only small number of students can get scholarship following their result of grade. Moreover, it is really hard to get financial aid. Only the people who get some help from the government can get financial aid. In some parts, scholarship system is similar between America and Korea. Scholarships motivate students and it is helpful to universities and students. And universities in both of nation give some scholarship to talent students.Lastly, another thing I found through survey is the way to pay tuition. I was curious about who usually pays for tuition either own selves or supported by their parents. As can be seen in chart 1, 14% of respondents pay for tuition by themselves, 50% of respondents is helped by their pheir children until the children get married. In this reason, Korean parents usually pay for their children’s tuition instead of children. I’ve never seen the Korean students who pay for tuition by themselves. However, American students seem to have a responsibility to pay for the part of their tuition. Furthermore, some students who are totally supported by their parents feel guilty to parents. However, I also found the similar things about way to pay tuition. That means Korean students also try to get a part-time job in order to pay for living fees or make their allowance, although most parents pay for tuition and living fees.In conclusion, I mentioned that some differences and similarities about tuition fees, living fee, scholarship system, and the ways to pay tuition between American and Korean students. Regrettably, I can not overcome survey’s weakness and limitation because I surveyed only 5 CMU students and 10 Young Church friends. They can not represent whole American’s opinionlar.
Kim Ki-hoonEnglish 07502/02/06Final DraftThe Struggle through one dancer’s lifeThere is one dancer who was a famous celebrity in South Korea for a long time, because through his struggle I realized how to solve one’s struggle. His name is Won-Rae Kang, 38 years old, and he made a team, the Clone. He was an extremely famous power dancer and rap musician. The title of his best song is Kung-ta-ri-sha-ba-ra in 1997. It means just living with fun. But heaven must have been jealous of him. Although many of his fans usually advised him not to ride motorcycle, he could not followed their advices. He finally had a motorcycle accident. As a result, he became handicapped and could not use below the waist.From that time on, most people guessed that he would never stand up again. Furthermore, the fact that is a little possible to rehabilitate was much mournful. Besides he was hurt by other’s sympathy to him. He had thought, “I cannot do everything”, “I cannot overcome my problems”. In the recent interview, he spoke out that he had tried to kill by himself but , of course, he fortunately failed his attempt.Nevertheless, he ultimately overcame both of his handicapped body and weak mind which repeated to himself, “I can not do anything”. He changed his mind from lamentation to positive thinking, because he was eager to stand up again, so he repeatedly trained himself to restore his handicapped body as hard as possible in the hospital and a community welfare center. He said he had already known an impossibility of restoring his perfect body. Now he expresses he gains and lives second life and he always smiles everywhere.Though he had a handicapped body, he finally became a role model to handicapped people. He finally made a center in which many people can help handicapped people. Also, he has helped other people directly, even though it was hard for him to move to another location. Due to these wonderful good conduct, he is respected from many people. He got an award for the Seoul mayor last year, and he was selected as a model in Koreans.In conclusion, “accidents will happen” everywhere. As I mentioned before, the life of Won-Rae Kang had completely changed, unexpectedly. Everyone thought he could not live any more. But he did. Today he lives happily with his wife, Song Kim, and shows hope to the handicapped people. He shows us that even though we was an accident, we can solve problems with positive and bright thinking.
Ki Hoon KimEnglish 073Feb/23/06GLADIATORWhat do you think a real man is? Generally, people think men who are rich, handsome, and generous are nice men. I think those things are insufficient to explain real man. Then, what makes men nice? I can say that you can find out a real man into Gladiator written by Dewey Gram. There is a hero whose name is Maximus, who was a commander of the Roman Army. He was so strong, loyal, and willing.At first, Maximus was a very strong man as a general of the Rome. He won many battles for Rome and his emperor, Marcus Aurelius. He had never lost wars as well as battles. Even though he did not need to rush into enemies at first, because he was the highest general of the Roman Army, he always attacked the enemies first without fear. Moreover, after he became a gladiator, he had to continually fight with everything which was other gladiators, soldiers, and tigers, because gladiators were a kind of death’s fighter who was killed, if fighter lost own fight. As a gladiator, he won several fights without defeats. He was a really strong man as a general and a gladiator. What made him stronger was that he never feared for defeat and death before battles. I regard this strengthen as an essential factor to be the real man.Secondly, he was a really loyal person for Rome. During his whole life, he followed not only Marcus Aurelius, but also he devoted his life to the Rome. Marcus Aurelius nominated Maximus for the next emperor instead of emperor’s son, Commodus. Due to this nomination, Commodus sent his soldiers to kill Maximus instantly. Also, Commodus killed his father, Marcus Aurelius, by himself. And then, he announced that he was nominated for the new emperor because he heard about new emperor before his father died. So he became the new emperor. But killing Maximus failed because Maximus was very strong so that he killed Commodus’s soldiers and fled. Maximus fought for his life, first as a prisoner, then as a slave, and finally as a gladiator who had to fight for everything in a stadium. One thought kept Maximus alive: that he would finally meet and kill the man he hated most, the new emperor, Commodus. After Maximus killed him, he just wanted to give power back to the people of Rome. Even though he could have power to be an emperor, he had loyalty to Rome and the last emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Maximus had a strong loyalty. So I think his loyalty is one factor of a real man.Third, he had a strong will. He always made decisions by himself. He had three willings which are to protect his family, Rome, and faith. Above all, he tried to protect his family because he already knew that Commodus was willing to kill his wife and son. Unfortunately, Commodus killed his wife and son, although Maximus’s efforts. So Maximus decided to kill Commodus by his hands. Even though he lived so hard as a gladiator, he was always thinking about his goal, which is to kill Commodus. He finally achieved his willing. And he also tried to protect Rome against a tyrant Commodus because he loved Rome and wanted to follow his emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Until he came closely to the death, he had a strong will, and finally he did them. He also kept his faith, although he lived a difficult life as a gladiator. Actually, he could compromise for his fame. At first, Commodus tried to believe Maximus because he knew his strong power, will, and a faculty to deal with troop. If Maximus had accepted his hands, he would have lived well without difficulty. But he couldn’t accept Commodus because he realized Commodus just wanted to be a tyrant. Maximus had faith that Rome should be forced to the Romans and government strongly influenced by elder statesmen. Due to his faith, he had to live his life difficultly.In conclusion, Maximus was so strong, he had a loyalty, and he had a strong willing. He was always devoted to Rome, and he never lost battles and fighters as a general and a gladiator. He was a really strong man. He also had a firm loyalty for Rome and an emperor Marcus Aurelius. Even though he could be a new emperor, he never tried to get the position of an emperor. That shows he had strong loyalty. He had a strong will, and he tried to protect his son and wife. And he had a chance to compromise with his enemy. Nevertheless, he kept his faith. In short, I would define a real man as having strong belief and finally achieving own willing like Maximus. That’s why I think he was a real man. After reading this book, I realize what the real man is and what faith is.