Truth, Honesty, and Integrity

Truth, Honesty, and Integrity By: Alexis Woodward Some of the basic fundamentals for creating a meaningful life are those of truth, honesty, and integrity. In order to maintain a quality of purpose in life we need to base our actions of the things we know are right and avoid doing any of those that are wrong. Truth allows for us to be relaxed in our lives creating a more security and less anxiety. If you do not need to worry about what you told each person you do not need to constantly being thinking about what response you need to appropriately give.In order to for us to have a true sense of self you have to be as honest with admitting the truth to yourself as well as to others. Integrity is telling the truth to oneself in the purest form possible. Honesty is how much of the truth you allow yourself as well your truth to other people. The truth is what cannot be swayed. Without others being truthful we would not be able to efficiently cohabitate together. Without integrity we would never be able to appreciate ourselves for our qualities and effectively work to fix our flaws. Honesty and integrity are of the higher forms of our value system.We all seek for the truth both within who we really are as well as in others. True honesty is not just telling the truth but feeling the truth. If you say one thing but feel another you are not being honest with your integrity. Feel better about your accomplishments when you can know what you truly accomplished. We prosper in our development as individuals through truth. Honesty creates a natural peace in the heart. Honesty and integrity when involved with our values generate power and success. Life benefits from being honest with others and ourselves.When I went through recovery the number one thing that was necessary was integrity of being able to be honest with myself and with others. To accept things for what they really are and stop trying to hide from the pain and learn to face and concur it. This allowed for me to mak e the appropriate changes in my life that were necessary for the success in my future. Although truth contains mostly positive results, there can also be negative side effect to being honest. Things like rejection, isolation, hostility, jealousy, animosity and hurt feelings can also stem from too much honesty.Whether something is true or not is irrelevant to whether it is something that should be brought to the light of attention. People tend to avoid hurtful truths so they do not need to face not so desirable aspects of life. However, if you allow the truth through honesty and integrity, it will all link back to positive repercussions. You will find that people will hold you with a great deal of respect, more peace of mind, strong self-belief, and what I find to be the most important aspect of all, strong relationships with others.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 14

â€Å"YOU see,I like James,† Ash said. â€Å"I think he'sa little soft on vermin, but I don't want to seehim in trouble. I certainly don't want to see him dead.† Poppy felt the way she had last night when herbody was starving for air. She was frozen, too stillto breathe. â€Å"I mean, do youwant him dead?† Ash asked, as ifit were the most reasonable question in the world.Poppy shook her head. â€Å"Well, then,† Ash said. Poppy got a breath at last. â€Å"What are you saying?†Then, without waiting for him to answer, she said, â€Å"You're saying that they're going to kill him if theyfind out about me. But they don't haveto find out about me. Unless you tell them.† Ash glanced at his fingernails thoughtfully.. Hemade a face to show that this was as painful for himas it was for her. â€Å"Let's go over the facts,† he said. â€Å"You are, in fact,a former human.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, I was a vermin, all right.† He gave her a droll look. â€Å"Don't take that so seriously. It's what you are now that counts. But Jamesdid, in fact, change you without clearing it with anybody.Right? And he did, in fact, break cover and tellyou about the Night World before you werechanged. Right?† â€Å"How do you know? Maybe he just changed mewithout telling me a thing.† He shook a finger. â€Å"Ah, but James wouldn't dothat. He's got these radical permissive ideas abouthumans having free will.† â€Å"If you know all about it, why ask me?† Poppysaid tensely. â€Å"And if you've got a point-â€Å" â€Å"The point is that he's committed at least two capital offenses. Three, I bet.† He flashed the wild, handsome smile again. â€Å"He must have been in love withyou to have done the rest.† Something swelled in Poppy like a bird trapped inher rib cage and trying to get out. She blurted, â€Å"I don't see how you people can make laws about not falling in love! It's insane.† â€Å"But don't you see why? You're the perfect example. Because of love, James told you and then hechanged you. If he'd had the sense to squash hisfeelings for you in the beginning, the whole thingwould have been nipped in the bud.† â€Å"But what if you can'tsquash it? You can't forcepeople to stop feeling.† â€Å"Of course not,† Ash said, and Poppy stoppeddead. She stared at him. His lips curved and he beckoned to her. â€Å"I'll tellyou a secret. The Elders know they can't really legis late how you feel. What they can do is terrorize youso that you don't dare show your feelings-ideally, so you can't even admit them to yourself.† Poppy settled back. She'd seldom felt so at a loss.Talking to Ash made her head whirl, made her feel as if she were too young and stupid to. be sure of anything. She made a forlorn and helpless gesture. â€Å"Butwhat do I do now? I can't change thepast†¦.† â€Å"No, but you can act in the present.† He jumpedto his feet in a lovely, graceful motion and beganpacing. â€Å"Now. We have to think fast. Presumably everyone here thinks you're dead.† â€Å"Yes, but-â€Å" â€Å"So the answer is simple. You have to get out of jthe area and stay out. Go someplace where youwon't be recognized, where nobody will care ifyou're new or illegal. Witches. That's it! I've got some cross-cousins in Las Vegas that will put you up. Themain thing is to leave now.† Poppy's head wasn't just whirling, it was reeling.She felt dizzy and physically sick, as if she'd juststepped off Space Mountain at Disneyland. â€Å"What? Idon't even understand what you're talking about,†she said feebly. â€Å"‘I'll explain on the way. Come on, hurry! Do youhave some clothes you want to take?† poppy planted her feet solidly on the floor. Sheshook her head to try and dear it. â€Å"Look, I don'tknow what you're saying, but I can't go anywhereright now. I have to wait for James.† â€Å"But don't you see?† Ash stopped his whirlwindpacing and rounded on her. His eyes were green andhypnotically brilliant. â€Å"That's just what you can't do. James can't even know where you're going.† , what?† â€Å"Don't you see?†Ash said again. He spread hishands and spoke almost pityingly. â€Å"You'rethe only thing putting James in danger. As long as you're here, anybody can look at you and put the piecestogether. You're circumstantial evidence that he's committed a crime.† Poppy understood that. â€Å"But I can just wait and James can go away with me. He would wantthat.† â€Å"But it wouldn't work,† Ash said softly. â€Å"It doesn'tmatter where you go; whenever you're together,you're a danger to him. One look at you and anydecent vampire can sense the truth.† Poppy's knees felt weak. Ash spoke soberly. â€Å"I'm not saying that you'll bemuch safer yourself if you leave. You bring your owndanger with you, because of what you are. But aslong as you're away from James, nobody can connect you with him. It's the only way to keep him safe. Do you see?† â€Å"Yes. Yes, I see that now.† The ground seemed tohave disappeared beneath Poppy. She wasfalling,not into music, but into an icy dark void. There wasnothing to hold on to. â€Å"But, of course, it's a lot to expect, to ask you togive him up. You may not want to make that kindof sacrifice-â€Å" Poppy's chin came up. She was blind and empty and giddy, but she spoke to Ash with utter contempt,spitting out the words. â€Å"After everything he sacrificedfor me? What do you think I am?† Ash bowed his head. â€Å"You're a brave one, littledreamer. I can't believe you were ever human.† Then he looked up and spoke briskly. â€Å"So do youwant to pack?† â€Å"I don't have much,† Poppy said, slowly, becausemoving and speaking hurt her. She walked towardthe bedroom as if the floor was covered with broken glass. â€Å"Hardly anything. But I have to write a notefor James.† â€Å"No, no,† Ash said. â€Å"That's the last thing you wantto do. Well, after all,† he added as she swiveledslowly to look at him, â€Å"James being so noble andlovestruck and everything-if you let him knowwhere you're going, he'll come right after you. Andthen where will you be?† Poppy shook her head. â€Å"I†¦ okay.† Still shakingher head, she stumbled into the bedroom.She wasn't going to argue with him anymore, but she wasn't going to take his advice, either. She shut the bedroom door and tried as hard as she could toshield her mind. She visualized a stone wall around her thoughts. Stuffing her sweat pants and T-shirt and whitedress into the duffel bag took thirty seconds. Thenshe found a book under the nightstand and a felt-tippen in the drawer. She tore the flyleaf out of thebook and scribbled rapidly. Dear James, I'm so sorry, but if I stay to explain this to you, I know you'll try to stop me. Ash has made me understand the truth-that as long as I stick around I'mputting your life in danger. And I just can't do that.If something happened to you because of me, I woulddie. I really would. I'm going away now. Ash is taking me somewherefar away where you won't findme. Where they won'tcare what I am. I'll be safe there. You'll be safe here.And even if we're not together, we'll never really beapart. I love you. I'll love you forever. But I have to dothis. Please tell Phil goodbye. Your soulmate, Poppy. She was dripping tears onto the paper as shesigned it.She put the flyleaf on the pillow and went outto Ash. â€Å"Oh, there, there,† he said. â€Å"Don't cry. You'redoing the right thing.† He put an arm around hershoulders. Poppy was too miserable to shrug it off. She looked at him. â€Å"One thing. Won't I be putting youin danger if I go with you? I mean, somebodymight think youwere the one who made me an ille gal vampire.† He looked at her with wide, earnest eyes. They happened to be blue-violet at the moment. â€Å"I'm willing to take that risk,† he said. â€Å"I have alot of respect for you.† James took the stairs two at a time, sending probing thoughts ahead of him and then refusing to believe what his own senses told him. She had to be there. She hadto be†¦. He pounded on the door at the same time as hewas thrusting the key into' the lock. At the same timeas he was shouting mentally. Poppy! Poppy, answer me! Poppy! And then, even with the door flung open and hisown thoughts ricocheting off the emptiness in theapartment, he stilldidn't want to believe. He ran around, looking in every room, his heart thudding louder and louder in his chest. Her duffel bag was gone. Her clothes were gone. She was gone. He ended up leaning against the glass of the livingroom window. He could see the street below, andthere was no sign of Poppy. No sign of Ash, either. It was James's fault. He'd been following his mother's trail all afternoon, from decorating job to decorating job, trying to catch up with her. Only to find,once he did catch up, that Ash was already in Elcamino, and had, in fact, been sent over to James'sapartment hours ago. With a key. putting him alone with Poppy. James had called the apartment immediately. Noanswer. He'd broken all speed limits getting backhere. But he was too late. Ash, you snake, he thought. If you hurt her, if youput one finger on her †¦ He found himself roving over the apartment again,looking for clues as to what had happened. Then, in the bedroom, he noticed something pale against the light brown of the pillowcase. A note. He snatched it up and read it. And gotcolder and colder with every line. By the time he reached the end, he was made of ice and ready tokill. There were little round splashes where the felt-tippen had run. Tears. He was going to break one of Ash's bones for each one. He folded the note carefully and put it in hispocket. Then he took a few things from his closetand made a call on his cellular phone as he was walking down the stairs of the apartment building. â€Å"Mom, it's me,† he said at the beep of an answering machine. â€Å"I'm going to be gone for a few days. Something's come up. If you see Ash, leave me amessage. I want to talk with him.† He didn't say please. He knew his voice was clippedand sharp. And he didn't care. He hoped his tone would scare her. Just at the moment he felt ready to take on hismother and father and all the vampire Elders in theNight World. One stake for all of them. He wasn't a child anymore. In the last week he'dbeen through the crucible. He'd faced death andfound love. He was an adult. And filled with a quiet fury that would destroyeverything in its path. Everything necessary to getto Poppy. He made other phone calls as he guided the Integraswiftly and expertly through the streets of El Camino.He called the Black Iris and made sure that Ashhadn't turned up there. He called several other blackflower dubs, even though he didn't expect to find anything. Poppy had said Ash was going to take her far away. But where? Damn you, Ash, he thought. Where? Phil was staring at the TV without really seeing it.How could he be interested in talk shows or infomercialswhen all he couldthinkabout was his sister?His sister who was maybe watching the same showsand maybe out biting people? He heard the car screech to a stop outside and wason his feet before he knew it. Weird how he wasabsolutely certain of who it was. He must have cometo recognize the Integra's engine. He opened the door as James reached the porch.†What's up?† â€Å"Come on.† James was already heading for the car.There wasa deadly energy in his movements, abarely controlled power, that Phil had never seen before. White-hot fury, leashed but straining. â€Å"What's wrong?† James turned at the driver's side door. â€Å"Poppy'smissing!† Phil threw a wild glance around. There was nobodyon the street, but the door to the house was open.And James was shouting as if he didn't care whoheard. Then the words sank in. â€Å"What do you mean,she's-† Phil broke off and jerked the door to thehouse shut. Then he went to the Integra. James already had the passenger door open. â€Å"What do you mean, she's missing?† Phil said assoon as he was in the car. James gunned the engine. â€Å"My cousin Ash has taken her someplace.† â€Å"Who's Ash?† â€Å"He's dead,† James said, and somehow Phillip knew he didn't mean Ash was one of the walkingdead. He meant Ash was going to bedead, completelydead, at some point very soon. â€Å"Well, where's he taken her?† â€Å"I don't know,† James said through his teeth. â€Å"Ihave no idea.† Phil stared a moment, then said, â€Å"Okay. Okay.† He didn't understand what was going on, but hecould see one thing. James was too angry and toointent on revenge to think logically. He might seem rational, but it was stupid to drive around at fifty five miles an hour through a residential zone with no idea of where to go. It was strange that Phil felt comparatively calmit seemed as if he'd spent the last week being wacko while James played the cool part. But having someone else be hysterical always made Phil golevelheaded. â€Å"Okay, look,† he said. â€Å"Let's take this one step ata time. Slow down, okay? We might be going in exactly the wrong direction.† At that, James eased up on the gas pedal slightly. â€Å"Okay, now tell me about Ash. Why's he taking Poppy somewhere? Did he kidnap her?† â€Å"No. He talked her into it. He convinced her thatit was dangerous for me if she stuck around here. Itwas the one thing guaranteed to make her go withhim.† One hand on the wheel, James fished in his pocket and handed a folded piece of paper to Phil. It was a page torn out of a book. Phillip read thenote and swallowed. He glanced at James, who wasstaring straight ahead at the road. Phil shifted, embarrassed at having intruded on private territory, embarrassed at the sting in his eyes. Your soulmate, Poppy?Well. Well. â€Å"She loves you a lot,† he said finally, awkwardly.†And I'm glad she said goodbye to me.† He folded the note carefully and tucked it under the emergency brake handle. James picked it up and put it in hispocket again. â€Å"Ash used her feelings to get her away. Nobodycan push buttons and pull strings like he can.† â€Å"But why would he want to?† â€Å"First because he likes girls. He's a realDon Juan.†James glanced at Phil caustically. â€Å"And now he's gother alone. And second because he likes to play withthings. Like a cat with a mouse. He'll fool around with her for a while, and then when he gets tired ofher, he'll hand her over.† Phillip went still. â€Å"Who to?† â€Å"The Elders. Somebody in charge somewherewho'll realize she's a renegade vampire.† â€Å"And then what?† â€Å"And then they kill her.† Phil grabbed the dashboard. â€Å"Wait a minute.You're telling me that a cousin of yours is going tohand Poppy over to be killed?† â€Å"It's the law. Any good vampire would do thesame. My own mother would do it, without a second thought.† His voice was bitter. â€Å"And he's a vampire. Ash,† Phil said stupidly. James gave him a look. â€Å"Allmy cousins are vampires,† he said with a short laugh. Then his expression changed, and he took his foot off the gas. â€Å"What's the-hey, that was a stop sign!† Philyelped. James slammed on the brakes and swung into aU-turn in the middle of the street. He ran over somebody's lawn. â€Å"What is it?† Phil said tightly, still braced againstthe dashboard. James was looking almost dreamy. â€Å"I've just realized where they've gone. Where he'd take her. Hetold her someplace safe, where people wouldn't carewhat she was. But vampires wouldcare.† â€Å"So they're with humans?† â€Å"No. Ash hates humans. He'd want to take hersomeplace in the Night World, someplace where he'sa big man. And the nearest city that's controlled bythe Night World is Las Vegas.† Phil felt his jaw drop. Las Vegas? Controlled by theNight World? He had the sudden impulse to laugh. Sure, of course it would be. â€Å"And I always thoughtit was the Mafia,† he said. â€Å"It is,† James said seriously, swerving onto a freeway on-ramp. â€Å"Just a different mafia.† â€Å"But, look, wait. Las Vegas is a big city.† â€Å"It's not, actually. But it doesn't matter anyway. Iknow where they are. Because all my cousins aren'tvampires. Some of them are witches.† Phil's forehead puckered. â€Å"Oh, yeah? And how didyou arrange that?† â€Å"I didn't. My great-grandparents did, about fourhundred years ago. They did a blood-tie ceremonywith a witchfamily. The witches aren't my realcous ins; they're not related. They're cross-cousins.Adopted family. It probably won't even occur tothem that Poppy might not be legal. And that'swhere Ash would go.† â€Å"They're cross-kin,† Ash told Poppy. They weredriving in the Rasmussen's gold Mercedes, which Ashinsisted his aunt Maddy would want him to take.†They won't be suspicious of you. And witches don'tknow the signs of being a new vampire the way vampires do.† Poppy just stared at the far horizon. It was evening now, and a lowering red sun was setting behind them. All around them was a weird alien landscape: not as brown as Poppy would have expected a desertto be. More gray-green, with clumps of green-gray. The Joshua trees were strangely beautiful, but alsothe closest thing to a plant made up of tentacles as she'd ever seen. Most everything growing had spikes. It was oddly fitting as a place to go into exile. Poppy felt as if she were leaving behind not only herold life, but everything she'd ever foundfamiliarabout the earth. â€Å"I'll take care of you,† Ash said caressingly. Poppy didn't even blink. Phillip first saw Nevada as a line of lights in thedarkness ahead. As they got closer to the state line,the lights resolved into signs with blinking, swarming, flashing neon messages. Whiskey Pete's, they an nounced. Buffalo Bill's. The Prima Donna. Some guy with a reputation for being a Don Juanwas taking Poppy in thisdirection? â€Å"Go faster,† he told James as they left the lightsbehind and entered a dark and featureless desert.†Come on. This car can do ninety.† â€Å"Here we are. Las Vegas,† Ash said as if makingPoppy a present of the whole city. But Poppy didn'tsee a city, only a light in the clouds ahead like the rising moon. Then, as the freeway curved, she sawthat it wasn't the moon, it was the reflection of city lights. Las Vegas was a glittering pool in a flat basinbetween the mountains. Something stirred in Poppy despite herself. She'dalways wanted to see the world. Faraway places. Ex otic lands. And this would have been perfect-if onlyJames had been with her. Up close, though, the city wasn't quite the gem itlooked from a distance. Ash got off the freeway, and Poppy was thrown into a world of color and lightand movement-and of tawdry cheapness. â€Å"The Strip,† Ash announced. â€Å"You know, whereall the casinos are. There's no place like it.† â€Å"I bet,† Poppy said, staring. On one side of her wasa towering black pyramid hotel with a huge sphinxin front. Lasers were flashing out of the sphinx'seyes. On the other side was a sleazy motor inn with a sign saying â€Å"Rooms $18.† â€Å"So this is the Night World,† she said, with a twingeof cynical amusement that made her feel very adult. â€Å"Nah, this is for the tourists,† Ash said. â€Å"But it'sgood business and you can do some fairly seriouspartying. I'll show you the real Night World, though.First, I want to check in with my cousins.† Poppy considered telling him that she didn't reallycare to have himshow her the Night World.Something about Ash's manner was beginning to bother her. He was acting more as if they were out on adate than as if he were escorting her into exile. But he's the only person I know here, she realizedwith a dismayed sinking in her stomach. And it's notas if I have any money or anything–not even eighteen dollars for that crummy motel. There was something worse. She'd been hungry for some time now, and now she was starting to feel breathless. But she wasn't the dazed, unthinking animal she'd been last night. She didn't want to attacksome human on the street. â€Å"This is the place,† Ash said. It was a side street,dark and not crowded like the Strip. He pulled intoan alley. â€Å"Okay, just let me see if they're in.† On either side of them were high buildings withcinder-block walls. Above, tiers of power lines obscuredthe sky. Ash knocked at a door set in the cinder blocka door with no knob on the outside. There was no signon the door, either, just some crudely spray-paintedgraffiti. It was a picture of a black dahlia. Poppy stared at a Dumpster and tried to controlher breathing. In, out. Slow and deep. It's okay,there's air. It may not feel like it, but there's air. The door opened and Ash beckoned to her. â€Å"This is Poppy,† Ash said, putting an arm aroundher as Poppy stumbled inside. The place looked likea shop–a shop with herbs and candles and crystals. And lots of other weird things that Poppy didn't recognize. Witchy-looking supplies. â€Å"And these are my cousins. That's Blaise, andthat's Thea.† Blaise was a striking girl with masses ofdark hair and lots of curves. Thea was slimmer and blond. They both kept going out of focus as Poppy's vision blurred. â€Å"Hi,†she said, the longest greeting she couldmanage. â€Å"Ash, what's wrong with you? She's sick. What have you been doing to her?† Thea was looking atPoppy with sympathetic brown eyes. â€Å"Huh? Nothing,† Ash said, looking surprised, as ifnoticing Poppy's state for the first time. Poppyguessed he wasn't the type to worry about other peo ple's discomfort. â€Å"She's hungry, I guess. We'll haveto run out and feed-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, no, you don't. Not around here. Besides,she's not going to make it,† Thea said. â€Å"Come on,Poppy, I'll be a donor this once.† She took Poppy by the arm and led her through abead curtain into another room. Poppy let herself betowed. She couldn't think anymore-and her wholeupper jaw was aching. Even the word feedsharpenedher teeth. I need†¦I have to †¦ But she didn't know how. She had. a vision of her own face in the mirror, silvery eyes and savage canines. She didn't wantto be an animal again ,and jump on Thea andripher throat. And she couldn'task how-that would give her away as a new vampire for sure. She stood, trembling, unable to move.

Admission Essay for Counseling Psychology Program

My country, Serbia, underwent a period of terror and wars, especially during the NATO Bombing in 1999. This marking event in our history taught me more than what my formal education could. Before this disaster struck, I was a full-time student and the University of Pristina majoring in English Language and Literature. During the high of political upheavals, the situation in Kosovo was already tense.Minorities had constant provocations, and hatred had a firm imprint on the people. My life was heavily influenced, as well as my education. I had experienced first hand what it means to be â€Å"persona non grate† in the your childhood community.I wished everyone could understand what this meant for all of us, regardless of who we were and where we came from. Being prosecuted and not having the right to enjoy our college days was a sour memory, but something I live by as a source of my strength. I experienced biases and prejudice, yet I stand firm.I was treated badly, but my dreams never blurred from my sight. I was emotionally affected, but I was more inspired to pursue these dreams, and become a counselor. Freedom in this country was taken for granted, and our college life overlooked.The war made it necessary for me to leave Pristina and Kosovo. Shocked and scared, I came back to a home where fires, bombings and NATO planes assailed my daily itinerary. The screeching sirens did not help our situation. It seemed that we merely waited for the bomb to drop on our heads and defy us from mere existence.During all the madness, I tried to suppress my stress by being optimistic for my family and friends.   As a child, I have been my family's â€Å"corrupter of words†, as I've always seen myself as one of Shakespeare’s fools. My mom always pointed out my ability to rearrange words and it's meanings to create a personal â€Å"philosophical† statement.I would often add humor when the our lives would seem bland, other times when we feel the panic crawling through our bones, and fear completely etching our faces. The bombings taught us this.As you watch the planes every day, you'd get to realize that there are things you can do as not to be so stressed. Since we could not prevent the many disasters in our lives, we can re-frame the fear and pain to something more positive. The idea was to live your life as normally as possible, by teaching yourself to be blind of some of the negative events in our lives.It wasn't all that bad during those terrifying days. There were positive outcomes as well, like in social gatherings where the unique humor and spirit in my culture gave me a good faith and optimism to survive next days. If I couldn’t eliminate stress by changing or ignoring the situation, the least I could do was offer social support.My profound interest in teaching English to people of different languages didn’t falter due to the war. It allowed me to complete my education on time, and start my career as an Eng lish teacher. In the classroom, it is particularly important for me to understand the point of view of the student, and use humor and real-life situations to get my points across.I developed my interest in researching about language through my undergraduate studies. My greater interest is on how sociocultural factors have an impact on the awareness, design, implementation, and assessment of a second language in a multicultural community, in comparison to those in culturally homogeneous communities.ESL classes in Serbia were more British oriented, both in linguistics and culture. As a young teacher, I have always been open to new teaching methods. I also tried to add novelties into the curriculum. My decision to spend a year in the United States was supported by my desire to learn more about the American culture.I believe this will broaden my perspectives on cultural diversity and different systems of education. Furthermore, this will heighten my personal and professional development . I can say that life can be very unpredictable because my one year visit become a life of adventure and possibilities by studying psychology.You would know if you are experiencing life if the wind pushes you in all directions. My senses were surrounded with uncertainty as I involved myself in a different culture. I knew how it felt to be a little fish in a big pond. Being an international student from Eastern Europe did not prepare me for the many interesting things a new country can offer me.The initial knowledge gained from textbooks, and the places I've traveled to see, were put to waste as I stepped onto unknown territory. I felt helpless, and wanted desperately to go home. I could have been with my family, a cup of cappuccino and the newspaper within my grasps. However, even though I experienced culture shock, I believe hands-on education is still the best teacher.Soon after arriving in a new country, I was caught between my old values from my native culture, and the new value s of the host culture. I was pressured to adapt in order to survive. Adjusting to a new culture, new system, and new life, was not an easy task. But my ability to adapt allowed me to face any obstacle. My goals were always set whenever I face any challenge. I never let my self-esteem falter.I love to feel challenged because it makes me work twice as hard. I proved this by obtaining my second undergraduate degree (BA in Liberal Arts/Psychology) and graduating with the highest honors.   I always tried to reach for the stars.   But the opposite side of the coin is nostalgia. Something that is present when I am working, studying, eating, and even when sleeping.Being an international student among fellow foreigners in the US made me realize how much social support and understanding was necessary to challenge and achieve academically in other countries. By considering the problems students have in the US, and by developing different approaches and solutions, I believe I can be a great counselor in a multicultural world. Just by the thought of it made me eager to learn more, and increase the repertoire of counseling styles and skills alongside others.During my senior year of college, I conducted an extensive literature review on â€Å"psychosocial adjustment issues of international students and the need for social support†. I refined my research skills in data analysis using SPSS, as well as my ability to present my findings in the manner of an accepted professional research paper.I enjoyed conducting the literature review the most, approaching it as a scavenger hunt and considering the quantity and quality of information found as my reward. This project, along with my other undergraduate studies, prepared me for the rigors of graduate study and the parameters of successful research. Professional experiences, research, and undergraduate courses at Menlo College have further stimulated my interest in psychology and reinforced my conviction that I am well su ited to the field.Although these varied research experiences have provided me with fundamental skills, I still feel the need for more training. In retrospect, college was one of the most stimulating periods in my life, and I found tremendous determination to achieve my goal of helping others through the study of psychology.Looking from the prospective of a student gave me more retrospection on my teaching profession, which I love so much.   However, life is an intriguing railroad with many stations.   Some of those stations I got off at were good experiences and some bad. But over all, it has been a journey that continues on.Helping others reach their goals, having a positive attitude, and dedicating both personal and professional growth were the traits I held when I entered Menlo College.   They remain as an integral part of my work ethic today.My international student experience, and many research projects, have helped me achieve a theoretical foundation for the important wo rk of helping students succeed in college. We must have an understanding and compassion for diverse student populations. I learned this from the years of teaching experience. Furthermore, I am able to demonstrate my strengths and abilities to relate effectively with individuals from all levels and cultural backgrounds.These experiences have not only taught me valuable lessons about student life, but have also reinforced my interest in pursuing my career in counseling psychology. Graduate school will enable me to develop vital research and counseling skills, and the solid academic background that I need to be a successful counselor and researcher.A master's program in counseling psychology will not only cultivate and refine my involvement in research, but also equip me to deal with the challenges of an MS program. The combination of MFT and my counseling degree will enable me to fulfill my career aspirations and passion for helping students in need. Furthermore, I can prepare myself in facing the complexity of psychotherapy and unpredictability when dealing with emotional issues of individuals and their families.I have all the traits needed to be a good counselor. Undoubtedly, my devotion to my education will be the greatest asset of all. Being able to successfully help   individuals in the future will be my greatest reward for the effort and investment I will put myself into

Perspectives on conflicts and disputes Essay

Legal positivists postulate that individuals are intrinsically greedy, which is the main root of conflicts among them. Thomas Hobbes posits that beings are doomed to dispute because of their primeval nature, which is deduced to selfishness that causes them to struggle to maintain their social status. In this milieu, Charles Darwin furthered this stance by conjecturing that species’ selfish ways are embedded to their genes because life is nothing but a struggle for survival. To curtail this selfishness, law is of necessity because only it provides rules and restrictions to protect the interest and upholds the rights of each individual. The advancement on the epistemological aspect of conflict starts at the ontogenetic condition of the specie and continues in its phylogenetic condition. Ontogenetic state means that the being develops from the conception of its genes up to the end of its life cycle. Conversely, phylogenetic event transpires in between of the beings conception and death, meaning the individual develops throughout the time it exists. Therefore, Homo sapiens understanding of conflict’s anatomy begins at phylogenetic level and its full comprehension happens when Homo sapiens reaches the end of ontogenetic level. The epistemic acquisition of conflicts thrives in human playground or to events and settings that necessitates human actions and interactions. Conflicts undergo a succession that perpetually exists within the life-world of beings such as their surroundings, environment, politics, business, science, etc. Having drawn this conclusion, we can infer that in existing innumerable of conflicts there is a myriad of ways of resolving it. Conflict is impossible to annihilate because of the following reasons: first, it thrives at the very heart of human volition, which is the source of human selfishness, and second, it has been part of human psyche to transfer it from one generation to the other, which resulted to a vicious cycle within the epistemic system of conflict. And throughout history, individuals have learned the art of conflict, and some even mastered the usage of conflict in their everyday lives. Handling conflict is very vital to human existence because it can totally change the landscape of one’s own existence. The coming of twentieth century proved that beings are becoming more and more aware of how to comprehend the nitty-gritty details of conflict, and what are the effective means of handling conflicts. There is no panacea that will medicate continuous existence of conflict, but humans strive to find a better solution to satisfy the needs of a prominent conflict because they are challenged by the difficulty it embodies. It must be noted that conflict is getting more complicated as time passes by, which means that better solution must be concocted to counter-attack more severe problem. The vastness of the universe implies a far more serious condition because the contingency of the world can necessitate an unknown conflict, which greatly needs a novel constructs or to put it simply, man has to go out of the box to resolve a new or unknown prevailing issue. This kind of conflict serves a greater challenge to human reason because it is something that our very reason has not yet encountered. The enigmatic characteristic of such new issues demands transcendence in our rationality. Using Karl Marx philosophical stance, we can infer that conflict has a crisis-response blueprint or a thesis-antithesis pattern. Multiplicity of conflicts has evolved into a more complex manner within the continuum of time, as well as the individual effort to manage and to elucidate it. In order for a human specie to understand the mechanism of conflict, he/she must know its intrinsic values, and in doing so, he/she can decipher appropriate solution for different conflicts. The epicentre of conflict lies on the innate nature of man and its solution lies on the rules that have been drawn to curb the natural operation of human volition. Development is the life-source of conflict, ironically speaking, the more we formulate means to make life easier the more we recognize new conflicts. In the primeval condition of humanity the only existing problem is the source of food, and then it further develops into the issue of territory, and finally when men resolved these issues another conflict sprouted when they realized the significance of property. The birth of science and technology intensified the man’s struggle to annihilate conflicts. Science and technology successfully medicated the prevailing conflicts of our society but it also paved for the birth of novel conflicts, and in some condition aggravated an existing issue. As of this modern day period, science and technology provides a myriad of solutions in human crises in the field of poverty, education and medicine. But it also exacerbates war between nations because technology brings forth weaponry of mass destruction. Man by Nature is Selfish According to Richard Dawkins introduction in his book The Selfish Gene, man’s attitude is greatly affected and designed by our genetic composition. Our genes made us. We animals exist for their preservation and are nothing more than their throwaway survival machines. The world of the selfish gene is one of savage competition, ruthless exploitation, and deceit. But what of the acts of apparent altruism found in nature – the bees who commit suicide when they sting to protect the hive, or the birds who warn the flock of an approaching hawk? Do they contravene the fundamental law of gene selfishness? At the onset of Dawkins book, he clearly stipulated that all species either man or animals are machines fashioned by their genetic design. As mentioned earlier, Hobbes believes that men are naturally born selfish, and it is the same in Dawkins case. According to him, the selfishness of man is deeply embedded in our genes, and due to this we must learn the virtue of generosity and altruism because if we failed to do so, men will perpetually live on catastrophic state. Dawkins stance must not be misconstrued as an ethical justification of human behaviour or a moral treatise that must be followed since his insight is loud and clear; that men are selfish because of their genes, no more, no less. Having said this, it is a challenge for us to control it if not exterminate it because we are the only species who can desired to do it. In the furtherance of man’s selfish genes, Dawkins incorporated Darwin’s biological conjecture that man is doomed for the battle of its own survival. However, the former believes that survival is not controlled by man; rather man is machinated by genes to strive for its own survival. The genes are the building blocks of human existence, it is the one that created us, and these genes even dictates how we should reason out. Men are innately selfish for the sole reason of life preservation or prolongation. They are willing to do everything just to ensure that their interests are satisfied. Satisfaction of interest is tantamount to the validation of one existence. This is the embodiment of human existence, chaotic and full of struggle. The machination of individual is further elucidated by Dawkins through his explanation of gene mechanism. Dawkins adopted G. C. Williams’ definition of genes, which stated that gene any portion of chromosomal material that potentially last for enough generations to serve as a unit of natural selection . The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of man thrives within our body. It must be noted that DNA is not contained in a particular body parts rather it is widely disseminated within our cells. Approximately speaking, a human body is made of a thousand million cells, and each of these cells contains an exact blueprint of all DNA in our body. The significance of the ontogenetic control of genes is its capability of self-continuation and self-propagation, meaning, genes can preserve itself under the condition of numerous struggles. The survival of genes lies on the efficiency and power of our corporeal body, which they inhabit for its own development. The existence of each human species is not everlasting, it is ephemeral. Dawkins uses an analogy wherein each card in a deck represents the genes. According to him, when a deck of card are being shuffled they undergo a process of survival. And this process of survival is exactly the mechanism of genes wherein every time they are shuffled a gene only assumes the position of another gene, instead of being destroyed, and after the shuffling process genes are still genes that continue to march on. Dawkins draws a conclusion from this analogy, which stated that genes are basically the replicators and we are their machinery for survival. And when we have fulfilled our function we are automatically became useless, but gene will perpetuate its existence because it is a denizen of geological time . In view of that, Dawkins also posits that gene is the basic unit of survival because it competes for its own preservation against their alleles for a slot in the chromosome. With this picture, we can infer that genes struggle for survival of future generation in the gene pool in the expense of its own alleles. Therefore, selfishness is indeed the fundamental foundation of selfishness. The genes are the master programmers, and they are programming for their lives. They are judged according to the success of their programs in copying with all the hazards that life throws at their survival machines, and the judge is the ruthless judge of the court of survival . This phrase only strengthened Dawkins claims that man is nothing but a machinery of genes for its own survival. As pointed earlier, man is different from other specie because a human being has a will power and reason, meaning man can go against the dictate of its gene i. e. a person can choose not to reproduce. In addition, reason has its own domain wherein it has the capability to manipulate habitual operation of gene machine, to envisage what lies beyond its own future, and most significantly, to act according to its own course of nature. Because of rationality, gene machinery is able to be in command of outlining what direction individuals must follow. Rationality can curtail the dictate of gene, meaning, a person can transcend his/her selfishness and reach the condition of being generous and altruistic. The emancipation of man from his selfish nature is only possible if and only if he succumb himself to an agreement. Being established that human beings to be innately selfish also indicate that they are self-regulating. But generosity and altruism can only be actualized if the self-regulating beings surrender their self-regulating prowess. Selfishness is the anti-thesis of the said virtues but because of rationality human beings will submit to an agreement to satisfy the insufficiency of self-regulation. The universal antidote for this insufficiency is the construction of law through its rules. In the vein of Hobbes social contract theory, man must give in to an agreement to restrain his natural tendencies, but he must only surrender to a contract if and only if others will surrender to it in equal footing. But in the provision of rules it is a prerequisite to understand the intricate schema of conflict. The Role of Rules In Using Conflict Theory, Otomar Bartos and Paul Wehr claim that in the wide range of epistemic knowledge regarding conflicts there are two guiding principles that must be comprehended: one, to concentrate on general theories, and second, to carry out these theories on a simplified fashion. The former necessitate an application of theories to innumerable types of conflicts. While the latter focuses on the specific arguments or application of the former. One good example of general theories is elucidation of poverty in the third world countries using the framework of dialectical materialism by Marx. If we convert this general theory into a simplified manner, one must look at the specific causes of poverty such as shortage of natural resources, lack of capital, misallocation of funds, graft and corruption, and the likes. If one is successful in outlining the appropriate general theories in an existing conflict, then he/she translates these theories in its simplified form. And if this will be the case, then concoction of rules will be easier. Rules must embody the principle of the entire society and it must cater to the needs of its citizenry. Rules can be perceived in two ways: Kantian or Utilitarian. Immanuel Kant posits that rules must be made in the context of universal imperative, meaning it must not be used as means of advancing one’s interest rather it must be created for its own sake and for the goodness and betterment of humanity. In lieu to this, Utilitarian advocates such as J. S. Mill argues that rules must be conceptualized in the essence of achieving the goodness of the majority and resulting to the production of best consequences. Kant postulates that a rule must be encompassing and must not reside on the band wagon of majority votes because it contradicts the reason of man, and because number of votes does not imply truth. For example, killing another being is morally unjustified is a universal rule because it affirms the importance of life, which is true to all beings. Conversely, J. S. Mill believes that rules are justified if and only if the â€Å"greatest happiness for the greatest number of people† is reached. But it must be noted that utilitarian theory also entails a qualitative measurement through the intensity and duration of happiness, meaning, it must have greater impact to the society and its intensity must last for the longest time if not forever. For example, death penalty can be either permissible or impermissible depending on the context of society, but the point is, morally justifiability of death penalty lies on majority votes since it can serve the interest of more people. There are voluminous conflicting issues regarding these theories because both of them are in extreme opposition. Kant rejects utilitarianism because it does not uphold a consensual quest for universal truth and it only served the interests of the majority of population in a given social context. On the other hand, utilitarian advocates refute the Kantian theories because of its impossibility or tedious system in knowing the universal truth. But in the modern day period, utilitarian theories are more adopted than Kantian theory because it is more feasible in creating rules for present conflicts and for future conflicts. In most cases, before a rule can be ratified it must undergo an election and must meet certain number of votes to quantify its validity i. e. three-fourths of the voting population or majority votes. But it must be noted that most rules fashioned in utilitarian perspective must follow a universal precept so that it will not contradict the constitution of a specific nation. For example, murder is universally not accepted, which one of the reason why death penalty is not easy to endorse because it contradicts a universal precept, though some countries provided an reasonable exemption on the matter, killing will still be universal precept that they must consider. Rules main goal is to promote the interest of every individual as possible as it can, and to restrict the selfish ways of human beings, in order to maintain an ordered society. Because of this guideline, law has delineated the scope of public and private sphere to guarantee the possibility of generosity and altruism. Public sphere is far more superior to the private sphere because the former promotes national interest and the welfare of the entire populace. Law provides countless rules to reinforce the supremacy of public sphere, which is the apparent implication on the significance of reason. Rules are the product of our reason to rebel against the dictate of our selfish genes. In the furtherance of rules, justice must be encapsulated in its formulation to ensure an effective implementation of it.

Early Constitutional Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Early Constitutional Issues - Essay Example Today, racial discrimination not only involves African-Americans. It includes Mexican-Americans, Chinese-Americans and the a lot more. America as a country has evolved to be a melting pot of races and cultures. As a result of this influx of various cultures, the problem of discrimination acquired a different face. It no longer existed against African-Americans but to different cultures as well. Also, being a melting pot of races and cultures, a new problem of cultural diversity emerged. We want to be sensitive of cultural differences and yet we do not want to be discriminatory. Finding the balance is the challenge that we face now-a-days. Glenn Freeman raised the argument that today’s notion of multiculturalism and diversity actually divides American into groups instead of uniting them as one people because the focus is on differences. In a way, I agree with Mr. Freeman. By focusing on differences, on what is unique in one culture, the necessary consequence is division in groups. Of course people tend to gravitate on people who they relate to, who they have more things in common with. However, I believe that cultural division is not always bad. Cultural division does not necessarily result in oppression of one group against another. If people have respect for one another, they would respect difference and they would be able to co-exist despite the differences. Alexis de Tocqueville presented the argument that one of the reason why the abolition of slavery became difficult is because white men believed that by emancipating Negroes, they will revolt and take vengeance against those who enslaved them. Because of this fear of retribution, they became hesitant to give them any privilege whatsoever. Slavery becomes universally abhorred and they free the very people they actually oppressed. The fear that the African race would rise up and avenge the hundred years of oppression is very

Bulgaria and the European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Bulgaria and the European Union - Essay Example Although Bulgarian has implemented significant institutional changes, it still must overcome its past and some important domestic hurdles. This research paper will explore the accession of Bulgaria into the ranks of the European Union through an analysis of the process, as well as the challenges this country faces within the EU framework. This is important, not only for Bulgaria and current EU member states but also for future EU enlargement. Accordingly, accelerated Europeanisation will be discussed with reference to the Bulgarian case in the European Union (Richardson 2001, p. 44; Nugent 2003, 23-33; see Warleigh 2004). The EU is a supranational body composed of constituent member states, found largely on the European peninsula. Democracy, negotiation, and collective decision-making through multilateralism are all inherent attributes of the modern EU. As a multinational organization, the EU represents various national interests within an overarching political framework. The EU is an international organization which operates on the basis of negotiation between member states and relies on collective decision-making to achieve its ends. ... Although there were initially only five members of the precursor to the European Union (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and West Germany), there are presently 27 countries in the EU and they are, in alphabetical order, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and finally, the United Kingdom. Countries currently seeking membership in the EU include parts of the former Federal State of Yugoslavia as well as Turkey. A political and economic powerhouse, this intergovernmental organization is estimated to account for up to 30% of the world's total Gross Domestic Product (see Warleigh 2004). Although it has not always been the case, modern-day Europe is characterized by a unifying democratic political culture. While the concept of democracy originated on its shores, the philosophy of democratic governance was challenged in 20th century Europe by authoritarian political movements, including fascism (expressed by Nazi Germany & Mussolini's Italy), and communism (as exemplified in Eastern Europe during the Cold War). With Allied victory in World War II and the recent collapse of the Soviet Union, democracy - in varying degrees- is now a universal trend amongst European states. In fact liberal democracy, best expressed by the states of Western Europe with entrenched democratic traditions, is quickly becoming the standard for the continent. Democratic norms and rules have subsequently been established

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Globalisation - Essay Example Cities in Australia such as Perth and Brisbane offer attractive investment opportunities to potential investors leading to the rise in capital growth rate. Australian cities like Melbourne, Adelaide, Bribane and Perth are also known for the low cost of living prevailing compared to other capital cities in the world. These Australian cities are ranked top 30 globally for the high life quality. Current exchange rates against other currencies are exceedingly friendly in Australia hence making it ideal for foreign investors who wish to make purchases in Australia. The explanation for this is that they have the capacity to buy more than what they would have bought in their own countries with the same amount. Low interest rates in its economy enable investors get big loans from banks, which thereafter yield significant returns that boost the country’s GDP. The Australian government put a lot of money into available growth opportunities hence making it possible for the countryâ€℠¢s economy to survive economic hard times (McLean 7). Question 2 Although Australia is ranked as one of the best-performed economies in the developed world, its citizens are pessimistic about their economy. Some of its citizens thinks that their economy over-rely on non-renewable natural resources for energy used both locally and for export,they claim that they may run at a loss when coal deposits are depleted from the mines. Other citizens do not enjoy the use of coal as a source of energy in their country, they claim that use of coal is one of the major contributors of global warming hence they ask the government to invest on other modes of energy production. Australian’s economy is dominated by small to medium sized enterprises. The entire country’s population thinks that these SME’s lack proper management teams compared to larger companies hence performing poorly in the economy. The citizens think that government should provide relevant training to the entre preneurs to improve their performance. Further still, many citizens perceive the strength of the country’s currency negatively. They believe that it blamable for increasing unemployment rates as many people have lost their jobs in leading companies like Toyota. This has exposed how fragile the manufacturing sector is. Country’s economists blame the Australian dollar for damaging the market at international level. This is because, of the increase of prices of Australian goods. As a consequence, the demand of country’s locally produced goods is decreasing with a notable rate (Martin 1). Citizens have also noted that its government has not put enough money on technology development hence importing more than exports on ICT. Government is also blamed for making its IT purchases outside the country, yet same equipments are available in local companies. Question 3 China’s economic growth and technological advancement have drawn investors’ and governmentâ €™s interest. As such, Australia should take the lead and welcome Chinese’s increasing foreign investment. Australia benefits from it both directly and indirectly. Given that Australia do not invest much on ICT, China gets to supply them with the ICT equipment since it is known as an of the ICT equipments exporter. If Australia accepts to trade with China government, it will get a chance to negotiate better prices on its ICT purchases hence reducing import costs. Australia also exports its