Weekly Reflection 11/30/12

Last week, before the break, we went on a trip to two community service projects, on the same day. The first trip we went to was the Georgia Justice Project. The Georgia Justice Project is a community service program to find good lawyers and support for people who have been convicted of a crime but are too poor to afford a good lawyer. We learned how they supported people in need of support, by helping their families and building relationships with their clients. Our tour guide was really funny and I enjoyed it a lot. Our next trip was to the Genesis Shelter, which is a place where homeless families with newborn babies can stay for 6 months. We toured the whole place and got to see some of the classes. I think that community service is good for you and good for the people you are helping. It feels good knowing that you made a difference in someone else’s life. It feels like you accomplished something. I think that people that don’t give back to the community are not as happy as those who do. My father always says if you give then you will get. 

Appalachian Reflection 11/12/12

The Appalachian people have a very distinctive culture. They have a culture different from the rest of American society. They are like their own country, almost. Their culture revolves around music, story-telling and art. They have their own folk tales and mythology. They are influenced by the European and African American music. They sing folk songs and the blues. The Appalachian people usually live in small one room houses where the whole family sleeps. That is why the Appalachian families are so strong because they are always around each other, unlike most Americans who do their own thing a lot of the time. They do not have a whole lot of technology, so they build their own tools. We are going to foxfire, Wednesday, to learn more about Appalachian culture.

I am an Appalachian man

I take care of the farm

And my family

All I own is my farm

My house

And my fiddle

But that is enough

That is all I need in life

I am a man of the mountains

I was birthed by these mountains

Son of the Appalachia

Is what I am

My house only has one room

That is where my wife and me

And my 6 children sleep

Another day another pay

I love these mountains