Interview with Vinn Chung

May23

Me: Thank you for meeting with me and I’m very excited to hear all about your past.

1.Q: Why did your family have to go on a boat?

A: My family had to leave Vietnam in a boat, because we were seeking freedom and a better future. After the Vietnam War, my family lost everything, even our own house. The new communist government persecuted my family, because we were Chinese and had a successful business. My parents believed that it was better to risk our lives for freedom than to spend the rest of our lives under oppression

2.Q: How long were you at sea for?

A: We had made it safely to the beach of Malaysia on a large boat, where we hoped to be admitted to a refugee camp. However, the Malaysian government placed my family in a small broken fishing boat and towed us out to sea. We drifted in the South China Sea for six days.

3.Q: What was your main source of food while you were at sea?

A: We had no food at sea. We only had the rain to drink.

4.Q: How many people were on your boat and was it just your family?

A: There were 93 people crammed into the little fishing boat.

5.Q: When World Vision rescued you guys where did they take you to?

A: After World Vision rescued my family, they took us to a refugee camp in Singapore, where we stayed for 100 days before being resettled in Fort Smith, AR.

6.Q: Was your family actively involved with World Vision after they rescued you guys and what did you do with them?

A: My family became involved with World Vision over the years by financially supporting their international projects. Today we are raising money for clean water in Africa and for protecting children in Cambodia.

7.Q: When you were a kid what was your dream and did it come true?

A: My dream as a kid was to become a doctor. Today, my life is even better than that dream. Not only am I a doctor, but I am also a father and a husband. These are important roles in my life that I never dreamed of being so fulfilling.

8.Q: What did you think your life would be look today when you were a kid?

A: When I was a kid I wasn’t sure what my life would be like as an adult. However, I knew that I must get a good education to have a bright future. This is why after high school, I spent 15 years training to become the doctor I am today.

9.Q: How has World Vision influence your life because of what they did for you?

A: World Vision not only saved my life, but it has become an important partner in rescuing other children today around the world. My life is so much more meaningful, because I am able to change lives through World Vision.

10.Q: If you could go back in time at this age to when you were on the boat what one thing would you change?

A: I would change nothing. God has rescued my family, despite every painful thing that has happened. My family is so blessed today that I am afraid to change anything.

11.Q: If you could give one piece of advice to the people of the world right now, what would it be and why?

A: We all must know that every child has been created in the image of God and has so much potential. If we can help just one child, we can make an impact that lasts for generations and possibly change the world.

Me: Thank you for taking this time to answer my questions. I think you have a very interesting story and I think the world is excited to hear about it.

Giant Pandas

May15

Pandas are black and white, fuzzy, adorable animals that live mostly in China. I think pandas are the best animals in the world! They eat more bamboo than any other food. Yet we use their food source as decorations, houses, and sell it for money. My question is why should we benefit from their suffering? Also, why do so many people ask why the Giant Pandas are almost extinct as they put their expensive bamboo in a crate to be exported? It is purely pathetic! I think we could use more environmentally safe materials for decoration. Like paintings or mirrors. I know that not everybody knows about this concern, but I do and I’m ready to take action! Some people think that it is cool to have something related to pandas in their house and that it is good for the pandas to have this in our houses. I know this because I thought that when I was young, but now I am more aware of the reality of the bamboo’s story. This might not mean much to you guys, but it does for me. Let’s not let the pandas go extinct and let’s take action!

Surviving the Applewhites Review

May14

After reading halfway through the book I find it to be getting a little bit more exciting. I think that it is more interesting with Jake being in the play because now it actually seems like the book is going somewhere. I do think it needs a little bit more action though. Eventhough it is getting better, I find the T.V. show part to be loosing my interest.

Surviving the Applewhites If I Like It Or Not

Apr15

I think that I might like the book Surviving the Applewhites. It is an unique and interesting book so far. There are a couple of different subjects that I don’t normally read books about, for example smoking, but it might just be a minor part of the book. I think characters that having interesting names, like E.D., normally turn out to be the most interesting. So, I will pay attention to see if that is true in this book. Also,in this book the Applewhites have their own little school/ public school which is different from most schools. I think seeing how the school changes with Jake Semple in it and also how he might change will be entertaining to read about.

What is Passion?

Apr3

Your passion drives you to keep going. It is like having an extra gene where it decides what you love and what you care about. Passion is like your fantasy life path, it can play roles in what your dream career is, or what your dream family is like. I believe passion is one of the top most important things in your life, and as long as you follow it and try hard you can accomplish anything.

Passion relates to genius hour by it is what you care about so, it gives you ideas on what a fun project could be for yourself. Without passion your project wouldn’t be fun and interesting to you. Your passion is the spark in your project, the little thing that makes it unique and interesting. It is what makes it feel like you accomplished something important and that feeling makes you want to keep going. That feeling is special and is worth more than all of the money in the world.