Personal Development as a Professional to Face the Challenges

Question: Discuses about the Personal Development as a Professional to Face the Challenges? Answer: Introdudation Simple practices like judging the worth of a person, finding the key result areas of personality development in a person or handling an employee with an emotional baggage become a tedious task when we move on the ladder of the management (Templeman, 2014). We get an entry into the job based on our merits related to the subject knowledge and IQ levels. However, with a passage of time, our emotional intelligence becomes a token of our success. Education systems across the world are designed to cater to the information levels and IQ levels of an individual. Developing an Emotional quotient is a different ball game where a person has to employee his own conscious and subconscious brains. It is a process where self-help and self-motivation plays a vital role (Shipman, 2014). A few months back I was introduced to some Metacognitive tools during the course of my studies. In the initial phase, I learned them to my heart. It was a process done by conscious mind. However, I realized that within a few months my sub-conscious mind also started responding to the wisdom that I learned as a part of this curriculum, the current reflective essay is an attempt to display that what I have learned and how I am implementing them in my day to day life (Salas, 2001). The creation of this essay also gave me this opportunity to adjudge the growth of my EQ at a professional level. My personal development as a professional to face the challenges of the industry Prior to the study of metacognitive tools word professional was having a different meaning for me. For me, it was a word denoting a skilled person who can never go wrong because he knows the job and faced all the nitty-grittys associated with it. As a general impression, I assumed a poker-faced person with a vast pool of knowledge. Things changed when I read of five states of mind, now I got a clear impression that what is running in the mind of a person when he is delivering all those decisions of responsibility without even blinking an eyelid. There should be a method to your learning, every situation is a new situation but the guidelines to solve this situation lies in the theories of five mind, self-help groups often describes it under the phrase that "every problem has a solution hidden in it (Brown, 2000) My reflection on the concept of Five minds for the future Theories On a personal level, I realized that five mind for the future acts like a gearbox for our brain. Here we can compare speed with the intelligence levels and five minds can act like a gear. Just like acquiring the knowledge, handling the knowledge is equally important (Collins, 2014). In my views the future theories of five minds allow us to adjust ourselves with this traffic quite efficiently. The disciplinary mind: Every learning process is a discipline in itself; you are required to adjust yourself in accordance with the rules of the game all the time. This is why during the phase of learning or information retention one should have a disciplinary mind (Silver, 2013). The synthesizing mind: A synthesizing mind is a beautiful mind, yes we are referring to this very popular novel which was adapted into Hollywood film. A synthesizing mind has the power to correlate the information with the life, currently, I must say that my mindset supports the concept of the synthesizing mind and disciplinary mind on most of the occasions because I feel like a restless soul bubbling for questions all the time (Guterman, 2010). The creative mind: Creation they say is the state when super ego moves in guides an individual towards creating something out of the box. The stage of having a creative future mind can be a gift for someone and sometimes people can develop it as well. In my case, I am developing it. For this development, I am taking a constant support of the information which is coming to my way and history of the events and inventions is acting like a source of inspiration for me (Ward T. B., Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within, 2013). The respectful mind: While driving your car on a higher velocity you are required to take care of the movements of other people who are moving on the same road. The same thing is applicable to the thought process of an individual as well, the respectful mind is a state where our awareness levels reach to a level where we can identify and restrain ourselves against the undue expressions that can hurt the sentiments of others (Castens, 2012). It is too early for me to reach to this state of mind because right now I am busy in finding facts and form some opinions. The ethical mind: Knowledge clubbed together with ethical treatment and social responsibility brings in an ethical mind, I have an ethical mind backing up my acts all the time because it was a part of my upbringing where they added some values into my thinking process and converted my thought process into an ethical thought process (Ward, 2011). On second thoughts is the buzzword for anyone seeking a better EI existence My introduction to the basic concept of emotional intelligence brought me closer to the concept of "on second thoughts." Prior to my introduction to the Metacognitive theories, it was yet another phrase for me (Roberts, 2004). I personally used it in my life in order to express a contradiction of my thought process. The basics of emotional intelligence clearly state that when we respond to any situation based on the theories of the emotion then our brain starts thinking on two levels, first levels supports the flow of the emotion and we act (Beran, 2012). It can also be termed as an emotional response, whenever we feel an emotion, at automatically takes us to the second level of cognition or Metacognition, this is the time when more sensible thoughts occupy our brain. In most of the cases, these thoughts return back our sanity and give us an intelligent solution (Quirk, 2006). Since it is an aftermath of a very strong emotional response that came out after a lot of processing done by the brain it holds a special status (Garner, 1987). The Metacognitive response can be considered as an intelligent response because of the processing is done by the brain. It cannot be the best solution; however, it can serve as the quickest solution. This is why responses coming out the emotional situations can be considered as the best response (Santrock, 1961). Professionals across the world are acknowledging this fact a great deal as a hardcore professional for the future industries I also admire the concept of emotional intelligence. Human beings can never beat a computer when it comes to processing a data, in the current world database, systems are creating an artificial intelligence, and these artificial intelligence solutions are replacing human interventions. In a condition like this, a professional can survive in an organization only if he has a strong emotional intelligence quotient to support his decision support system (C.K.Logi, 2005). The Comparison between IQ and EQ of an individual Let us blame it on the colonial mindset of the world during last two centuries. This colonial mindset forced the governments to promote IQ as a superior tool to measure the workforce. Digital era proved that IQ is none but a myth (Mensh, 1991). When we check the basic definition of the IQ then it suggests the ratio of the actual age of an individual and his mental age denotes the equations of the IQ. Now think about a computer or an OLAP system. Both of them denies the concept of mental age and real age, both of them has the power to match the human efficiency and sometimes they can even supersede it as well (R.K.Gupta, 2014). No machine in this world can match the speed of EQ on the other hand; if an individual is well trained to respond to this metacognitive senses then EQ can supersede the decisions making processes based upon IQ. No wonder, EQ is emerging as the new buzzword in the sections of HR fraternity (Gary, 2011). Where I am standing on the scale of emotional intelligence The answer is quite simple, still, now I am learning this art of controlling the threshold of emotions. It is quite a bit of unlearning for me where I am unlearning certain emotional traits and bitter past experience (Jeff, 2015). I am trying to connect myself to the positive side of the events. This connection to the positive side of the events is helping me in two ways, first, it controls my over excitement to react to an occasion and second, it gives a chance to my Metacognitive senses to do their job (Wharam, 2009). Let us move back to the definition of the professional, which was presumed by me prior to my introduction with Meta-cognitive senses. I mentioned about their poker faces. They can maintain a poker face devoid of their emotions because they want their emotional intelligence to come forward and take a command of the situation for them (Beck, 2013). The poker face allowed them to react to their second thoughts. When we compare and contrast EI with five stages of mind then we find that EI is more about the mindset. As a professional I wish to lead a team in the coming future and in order to become a leader, I am bound to follow the models created by these leaders. Most of the leaders try to change the mindset of the people and bring them closer to a new mindset where they can interpret the things in a much better way or a desired way, which is closer to the objectives, set by any given organization (Walton, 2012). Dispositions that can be converted into an organizational asset After studying the course material that has been given to me, I came up with many conclusions related to various personality traits that I am having right now. For instance, I am a quick learner and my grasping power is good. I can see it more clearly within no time. My personal analysis about my basic nature says that I am squiggle, it means I am keen to experiment, I want to come up with some solutions that can be rated on the scale of What if phenomenon. This what if phenomenon once again makes me a keen learner. In my views, the learning capacity of mine can be cultivated into a great disposition for an organization or a team for which I am working (Mumford, 2013). It can also make me a front line employee or a forward if we can compare it with a football team. It is important to have some front-runners working in an organization because business models are changing very rapidly and creative talents that have the power explore new territories is the need of the hour for various organizations (Sality, 2013). The dispositions of an employee are a complex phenomenon where apart from subject knowledge and IQ, EQ and positivity also plays a crucial role (Anna-Lucia, 2015). I am waiting for some rigorous training schedules related to organizational culture and organizational behaviors. This training schedule will further put me on a scale where they will be able to judge my qualities and shortcomings. I am waiting for that feedback to come my way. This primary quality of mine also allows me to check myself on the scale of Dispositions (Miner, 2013). Social Justice and Equity: My upbringing as an only child kept me under the dark about the fact that as a human being we share our life, time and space with people. We move with the people, sometimes we succumb to their needs in order to make the things work. As a grown up person, I have complete respect for human equality against the dividing factors like race, gender, and ethnicity. It has become a basic nature for me I am standing in the bracket of meets and exceeding expatiations, this I can say because I am working on my social skills very positively. Collaboration: Collaboration is another part of dispositions; here I can say that I am standing in the first bracket where "the work is in progress." I am a team player; I can contribute my bit while playing for a team. However, I often find myself in a fix when it comes to fixing my role in a team, others can fix it for me, but I myself cannot find a place in it. Considering the fact that my grasping power is good, I am optimistic that soon I will be able to improve my standing in the chart. Critical thinking Any person ready to experiment can be rated high on the scale of critical thinking. When it comes to judging myself for this particular disposition then I find myself in the third bracket of "meets/exceeds demands." I am keen to learn things, I love to cross check the information on various sources and this is what makes it easier for me to go for critical thinking at various times. Critical thinking is the first step towards effective problem-solving. Critical thinking allows you to create and understand different scenarios attached to a problem, in normal cases these scenarios can be put down in the form of a set, now you don't need to think out of the box all the time, critical thinking can give you an "into the box" solution to handle the problem (Lau, 2012). Professional Ethics When it comes to professional ethics then I must say that I am standing in the bracket two of the measurement chart, I am approaching expectations. It is happening because I have never found myself in a crunch situation pre say. The time is going to test my worth in this regard in the coming future. Still, I must say that I am supportive of my teammates. Reflective practices to critically review my standings In the absence of substantial real world experience, I must say that I am holding the scale of Work in Progress. I am learning my ropes to understand the standard professional behavior and trying to understand the yardsticks of professional behavior as various organizations and big institutions set them. Bookish knowledge is fine but it cannot match the field experience that I am seeking forward for. Lifelong learning individuals Here I can say that I meet the demands of the third bracket of the rubric because I am a keen learner. I can learn from the experience of the others and this is a positive trait that can take me to the places in life. I contribute this trait to my grasping power completely; grasping power is the first thing that brings you closer to the learning. Apart from it, I am always keen to expand my horizons, for this purpose, I often search for meaningful literature as well. Literature always gives me this intellectual engagement with the industry practices and theories of the organizational behaviors. My standings as a global citizen Football player Pele and Maradona belongs to different countries Pele is from Brazil and Maradona is from Argentina, still, they are global citizens. The reason is quite simple; their skill of dribbling a football connects them to every citizen of this world who wants to dribble a football. I have my skills in the field of management. I am lucky that I am living in a world where I can connect myself to some management communities across the world. The same management studies also taught me many things related to the cross-cultural management of team dynamics. I am very clear about approaching a person hailing from a different culture. If you have a respect for other persons culture and want to accommodate a few things from that culture then it can be the best approach on the path of becoming a global citizen. The current business practices are promoting cross-cultural exchanges on the behest of business, cuisines are traveling across the seas, and fashions are traveling across the sea. We can also say the same thing about intellectual properties as well. I can become a brand ambassador of few such thoughts in the future because I wish to translate these customs and traditions of the management into different languages. On a conclusive note This essay gave me an opportunity to review myself on the yardsticks of being a thorough professional. My reflective study says that I am a through professional in making. There are many areas where I am required to improve my performance. The first area is connected with the understanding of team dynamism. Keeping a poker face while dealing with a hostile colleague and securing a survival in an organization can become a tough job if you are not well versed in controlling your emotional outbursts and come up with some amicable decisions. In the similar fashion, professional ethics is another area where I am lacking far behind. We are living in a world where corporate corridors also follow the principle of "all is fair in corporate wars and battle of stakes." Making a list of proper ethics and following them during heated and demanding situations can bring the best out of me, however, I have not yet attained that best mindset to handle these pressures. On the positive side, I am a lifelong learner and always remain a student of management practices because it is an endless journey of mental expansion. I am also fit for cross-cultural exchanges that take place between the employees while working in a global environment. It can become a disposition for me in future because I have this knack of drawing compare and contrast studies between cultures and traditions. References Anna-Lucia. (2015). The Four Mindsets: How to Influence, Motivate and Lead High Performance Teams. Beck, J. H. (2013). Emotional Intelligence in Everyday Life. Beran, M. J. (2012). Foundations of Metacognition. Brown, A. L. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. The National Academies . C.K.Logi. (2005). Artificial Intelligence in Education: Supporting Learning Through. Castens, K. A. (2012). Earth and Mind II: A Synthesis of Research on Thinking and Learning . Collins, A. (2014). Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: The Digital Revolution and schooling in America . Garner, R. (1987). Metacognition and reading comprehensin. Gary, D. (2011). Human Resource Management. Guterman, E. (2010). Metacognitive Awareness and Performance on Assessment Tasks in Reading. Jeff, B. (2015). Emotional Intelligence: The Secret Tips to Reaching Your Academic and Career. Lau, J. Y. (2012). An Introduction to Critical Thinking and Creativity: Think More, Think Better. Mensh, H. (1991). The IQ Mythology: Class, Race, Gender, and Inequality. Miner, J. B. (2013). Organizational Behavior 1: Essential Theories of Motivation and Leadership. Mumford, E. (2013). Values, Technology and Work. Quirk, M. (2006). Intuition and Metacognition in Medical Education: Keys to Developing Expertise. R.K.Gupta. (2014). Higher Education: Challenges for For The Future. Roberts, R. D. (2004). Emotional Intelligence: Science and Myth. Salas, E. (2001). Linking Expertise and Naturalistic Decision Making. Sality. (2013). Managing Employee Attitudes and Behaviors in the Tourism and Hospitality. Santrock. (1961). Educational Psychology, Volume 2. Shipman, M. (2014). EQ v/s IQ the reason why not every intelligent invetor is rich ! Silver, N. (2013). Using Reflection and Metacognition to Improve Student Learning. Templeman, B. (2014). Leadership Basics for Frontline Managers: Tips for Raising Your Level of effectiveness and communication . Walton, D. (2012). Introducing Emotional Intelligence: A Practical Guide. Ward. (2011). Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within. Ward, T. B. (2011). Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within. Ward, T. B. (2013). Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within. Wharam, J. (2009). Emotional Intelligence: Journey to the Centre of Yourself.

The Prince and the Political System free essay sample

This paper examines how Machiavelli viewed the political system, discussing what constitutes a successful leader, how to govern a nation and maintain strength and political power, no matter by what means, no matter what the cost. This paper discusses Niccolo Machiavellis famous work on how to governing, The Prince. The author examines Machiavellis beliefs regarding ones rise to power, and how to maintain such control. His theory, still practiced in modern times, states that a strong leader will do whatever he can to maintain power, use as much force and deception necessary, but only if for the absolute good of the people, not for his own personal benefit. Throughout The Prince, Machiavelli refers to virt?, or the characteristic that is needed in any great leader. He also says that Agathocles doesnt have this quality for the way in which he takes the power in Syracuse. Because of this, it is important to define virt? so that we can better determine if Agathocles act displays virt?. We will write a custom essay sample on The Prince and the Political System or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Literally, virt? is Greek for manly excellence, but that is too vague and virtue as we know it today doesnt quite grasp the meaning used here either. Machiavelli seems to encompass a lot of personality traits into his definition of virtu.

Sports Violence Essay Example

Sports Violence Essay Example Sports Violence Essay Sports Violence Essay Violence is a natural part of sports, much like breathing is a natural part of the human body. When people take steps to reduce violence, it actually detracts from the sport and makes it less appealing. Lets face it, watching a man get tackled at full speed or body checked into a Plexiglas wall, is far more entertaining to watch from a fans perspective then watching two people hitting a ball back and forth with a racquet. Human beings crave violence in all things, not Just sports. The need to dominate and oppose ones will is as old as time. We see the same tendencies in all forms of life and its what makes us all human beings. The Greeks and Romans were among the first civilizations to have, what we would consider today as organized sports. The main purpose of these sports was to promote violence and death as entertainment to the people. With no moral quandaries, the people embraced there newly founded blood sports with open arms. The early Mayans had ritual games, which often resulted in death. During medieval times, soldiers would use violent games to train for war and often had arlike consequences. Fans would observe these games from a stadium, while eating, drinking and cheering, much similar to todays sporting events. Violence is just a general term but, there are many forms of violence. Violence is the use of excessive physical force, which causes or has obvious potential to cause harm or destruction. Aggression is the verbal or physical actions grounded in an intent to dominate, control, or do harm to another person. Intimidation are the words, gestures and actions that threaten violence or aggression. Todays modern sports uch as; football, hockey, rugby, boxing, and MMA all use these forms of violence. Michael Strahan said ITS THE MOST PERFECT feeling in the world to know youVe hit a guy Just right, that youVe maximized the physical pain he can feel . You feel the life Just go out of him. YouVe taken all this mans energy and Just dominated him. This is coming from a hall of fame linebacker, whose sole purpose was to inflict pain on the opposing team. If the NFL keeps enforcing all these new rules to keep players safe, it doesnt allow the great defensive players to play the game the way it should e played. Some of the more violent sports such as Boxing, and MMA dont have a lot of the restrictions that the NFL or NHL have. Violence. IJFC is a form of MMA, and has attracted huge fan bases in a short amount of time. Its popularity has increased so rapidly because it is one of the most violent things you can watch on television. Broken arms, broken legs, concussions, bloodied faces and bodies are Just a few of the outcomes of some of these fights. Its brutal nature attracts people, like moth to a flame. The media portrays sports in a violent appealing manner. Sports Violence By drew26

Acid mine drainage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Acid mine drainage - Essay Example Authorities reported about the river passing by the spoil becoming orange. A comparison between the analysed levels of the pH of the site to determine the source of contamination based on the Acid generating Potential and the Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) which is calculated directly by adding acid to a slurry of the spoil until the pH falls below some specified value (often pH 4.5) is expressed directly as meq (of acid added) per kg (of sample used). This analysis will help to pin point the source of acid mine, whether it is coming from the spoil heap or mine adit. This information can be used to devise remediation measures in order to reduce the damage on the environment-river pollution. Knowledge of acid mine drainage is not only significant to authorities tasked with environmental protection but also to consultancy agencies in acid mine drainage. Lastly, mining companies need to reduce the damage to the environment by employing technologies for proper treatment of their discha rges. Wetlands engineering can reduce the damages of acid mine aquatic plants and animals. It is theorized that building wetlands can mitigate AMD pollution and have lower or no future operations and maintenance costs.Acid mine drainage can be defined as both ground and surface waters of pH is ≠¤ 4.5. The Acid mine drainage is mainly caused by the oxidation reaction of surface waters with pyrite containing rocks or ores. Sulphate is found almost everywhere on this earth even in natural fresh waters (Drever, 1997). It is usually the second or third most abundant anion in rainwater, where it is derived both from natural aquatic sources and from atmospheric pollution - the sulphur component of â€Å"acid rain† as a result of fossil fuel combustion. 1.01 Apart from human activities, pyrite oxidation also produces acidity, enhancing other weathering reactions. Such as, production of waters with very low pH and high sulphate concentration as a result of buffering the PH. Sulph ate available comes from many anthropogenic sources: they can be coming from farms and agricultural sources. Sulphate fertilizes could be chief source of such contaminants. Sometimes they can come from other cleaning agents agents; and industrial point emissions of sulphuric acid utilised in manufacturing. Main causes of AMD phenomena: 2.0 Understanding the geochemical reactions that generates AMD provides an insight into the three most important reagents that must present – Fe 3+, oxygen (O2) and water. Moreover, â€Å"runaway† AMD production needs Fe3+ dissolved in solution and the activity of different species of bacteria â€Å" Thiobacillus ferrooxidans† to catalyse the reactions ten thousands times. 2.01 In more details, pyrite is oxidised by the oxygen molecules dissolved in water

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership - Essay Example The Executive Maturity model is based on the idea that the leader should be able to respond effectively to the needs of others under pressure (Trathen 2007). The above model incorporates two key phases: in the first phase, the leader needs ‘to be aware of his own feelings, thoughts and values’ (Trathen 2007, p.71). In the second phase, the leader has ‘to manage the emotional needs of others’ (Trathen 2007, p.71), keeping a balance. On the other hand, Alexander (2008) notes that the key characteristic of a successful leader would be his ability to ‘handle crises and mitigate effects’ (Alexander 2008, p.34). Cooper (2010) notes that the identification of a leader’s competencies is necessary before trying to improve the leader’s effectiveness. After reviewing my leadership strengths and weaknesses, as presented in the previous section, I would come to the following conclusion: I should emphasize more on decreasing the time I need for managing complex tasks, so that I would become more efficient in a range of projects; I should continue focusing on details but I would try to limit the time spent on issues of secondary importance. The Executive Maturity model would help me to change my leadership style, setting appropriate priorities and increasing collaboration. Question 2 Are leaders born or made? Each leader has unique characteristics, even if the particular fact is not clear. Indeed, the leadership style is closely related to the personality of each individual and from this point of view it would be quite difficult to identify two leaders that would respond exactly the same to a series of critical events. Yuki (1988) have noted that ‘leadership effectiveness varies across situations’ (Yuki 1988, cited in... The researcher of this essay discusses the topic of leadership that today is a concept that can incorporate a high range of characteristics. Observing several responses to various challenges, the researcher could identify the strengths and weaknesses of several leaders. Referring to his own leadership strengths and weaknesses, the researcher would highlight the following issues: "I am committed to my studies, trying to respond to all the demands of my position. I have always tried to examine thoroughly the requirements of every task assigned to me, focusing on details. In case of mistakes or failures I’ve been able to respond immediately, suggesting appropriate plans of action. On the other hand, I have often failed in identifying early the risks related to a particular task.". Then , the researcher states that The Executive Maturity model would help him to change his leadership style, setting appropriate priorities and increasing collaboration. On the discussion of the second question "Are leaders born or made?", the researcher states that from his point of view, leadership is both inherited and learned, a view aligned with the view of Larkin. Then, the researcher discusses the differences between leadership & management. In summary, it could be stated that leadership focuses on establishing and promoting the practices that will enhance the performance of organization. Management aims to ensure that employees will follow the guidelines of the leader so that the targets set are achieved.

A school trip to France and the outcomes

A school trip to France and the outcomes Have you ever went on a vacation and never wanted to come back? I traveled to France in June of 2010, and it was the most beautiful place I have ever been to. I went with my high school French class and we took along eighteen students and six adults. We visited beautiful villages, towering cathedrals, and majestic palaces. This trip forever changed the way that I view the world, I realized that there is so much more to the world than our country, and that beautiful places await us just a place ride away. Our journey began in our high school parking lot where we loaded our bags and took a 4 hour bus ride to Washington D.C., once in the D.C. airport we sat in the airport for several hours until it was time for our plane to begin boarding. We boarded our plane and took our seats, the flight attendants instructed us on safety measures and we then waited for our plane to begin its journey to France. The pilot came over the intercom and informed us that we would now begin our ascension. The plane was soon speeding down the runway, and I was being pushed back into my seat, and then we were in the air, I felt my stomach lift as we left the ground and I knew that the next time I step on earth, I would be in France. Our plane ride was boring and uneventful, filled with many movies and unpleasant food. We began our descent and soon landed at the Airport just outside of Paris, though this was not our final destination. We then got off of the plane and continued to our next plane that would take us into the south of France, to Nice. We again waited in an airport for several hours until boarding time, once on the plane and up in the air, I realized that France is beautiful, it has picture perfect landscapes and farmland as far as I could see. This plane ride would be only one and a half hours long, only a fraction of the 8 hour flight to get to Paris. Once we were near Nice, I looked out the window and saw the most picturesque landscape I had ever seen, We were overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the water was a gorgeous turquoise blue and the sun beat down onto the water making it shimmer like a sapphire. Once on the ground and our luggage retrieved, we got on a bus and drove to our hotel, the hotel was small, but quaint, and it felt like home. Later that day we went to the beach and laid in the sun and water for hours, after that we went shopping throughout the city for souvenirs. We spent three days in Nice, it was a laidback city, and there was not much too do, however it is still the most beautiful place I have ever visited. After out three days in Nice, we got on yet another bus, for a fourteen hour bus ride to the city of Tours. When we arrived in Tours we checked into our hotel and I had my daily breakfast of orange juice and a croissant. After breakfast we got on another bus and traveled for an hour to the Loire Valley, where most of the castles and palaces are located in France. We first went to the Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½teau of Chenonceau, a gorgeous castle situated over a river. After walking down a long path with tall trees lining the road, we emerged at the front door of a gorgeous white stone castle, complete with two gardens, and a hedge maze. After out visit at Chenonceau we went to the Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½teau of Chambord, a massive 16th century castle, rumored to be designed be Leonardo da Vinci, this castle as a marvelous double-helix spiral staircase that winds all the way up to the roof. On the roof you can view forest landscapes or examine the architecture of the building closer. Once we were done at Chambord we went to the Chartres Cathedral, which is considered one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in all of France. Inside the cathedral we climbed the many hundreds of stairs to the topmost tower, which also provided us with a closer view of this fantastic piece of architecture. The stained glass windows are Chartres are among the greatest in the world, which are known for their vivid blue color. Upon seeing the blue, I was immediately transfixed and walked around examining each window until I finished. After leaving Chartres we returned to Tours and had ourselves a much needed night of sleep. After getting on yet another bus, we then moved on the walled city of St.Malo. We did not get to do much in this city as we arrived in the early evening hours. During World War II almost the entire city was destroyed, but the townspeople wanted to rebuild and they did so, they rebuilt it the exact same way as it was originally built, so this city was essentially built twice. After our night in St.Malo we traveled to Normandy. We toured the Normandy museum and then went to the American Memorial on the beaches. The memorial was extremely emotional, but serene at the same time. While on the beaches I imagined the carnage that took place where I stood. I could not believe that just 70 years before the sand and water was stained red with blood and their were thousands of bodies laying on the beach. As I walked around the memorial I looked upon the cemetery and saw the thousands of people that fought and died on the fateful day. While walking through the cemetery I saw one tombstone with a Jewish star on top instead of a cross, I instantly felt a flood of emotion, I thought that while Hitler was killing so many Jewish, the Jewish were fighting and dying for the United States, I will forever remember that image and will always be grateful for what the soldiers have done for us. We then returned to St.Malo for another night of sleep and the next morning began our journey to Paris, the city of lights. When we entered the city we immediately went to our hotel and then went to dinner. We had dinner at Chez Clement, which is located steps away from the Arc de Triomphe. After out dinner we went into the Arc and went up yet another endless flight of steps until we reached the top. At the top of the Arc we saw a panoramic view of the Paris, the Eiffel Tower glowing the distance, and Parisian nightlife beginning. Every night on the hour the Eiffel Tower sparkles, thousands of blue lights illuminate and last for one minute, while at the Arc we witnessed this. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful things I will ever see. I filled me with delight and at that moment I knew that I never wanted to leave the country. During our next day in Paris we went to the Chà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½teau of . First in the morning we took a forty minute bus ride to Versailles and began our tour of the building. The building was the most elaborate thing I have ever seen, it was dripping in gleaming gold, and shimmering crystal. The walls were lined with expensive silks and priceless tapestries. Although this Palace has a gorgeous appearance, it has a dark history. Versailles is the palace in which Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV lived, an angry mob descended upon the Palace and took the royal family to Paris, where many years later killed them. Even though the building itself was massive it had even larger more extravagant gardens that stretched miles. It has several fountains which all were running while I was there. While sitting on the steps watching the fountains I imagined everyday life here in the 18th century, what it would be like to live there, to walk around the gardens at a leisurely pace and not have a care in th e world. Versailles is and forever will be the most gorgeous building I have ever visited. Not just because of its expensive dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor, but also because it is a supreme example of architecture and a fantastic example of traditional French gardens. After our visit to Versailles we went back to Paris and toured the Louvre Museum. At the Louvre Museum we walked through the marvelous glass pyramid and immersed ourselves into a building filled with gorgeous pieces of art and rich in history. The first thing I wished to go and see was the Winged Victory of Samothrace, it is a second century BC marble sculpture of the Greek goddess Nike, to me it is one of the most beautiful sculptures in the entire world, and it amazed me that something so perfect could be created without any modern technology. The only other sculpture that can rival the Winged Victory of Samothrace is the Venus de Milo, which is where I went to next. The Venus de Milo is arguably the most famous sculpture in the world, most people can recognize the armless figure. The Venus de Milo is a fantastic example of Greek sculpture at its finest, and will forever influence the world as we know it. The highlight of my tour of the Louvre is that of the Mona Lisa. The Mona Lis a painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 16th century, it is the most famous painting the in entire world and also one of the most visited. The Mona Lisa, to me it a fantastic painting, and will forever continue to influence artists around the world, and also continue to be a major icon of the world also. On our last day in France we packed our things and went to the airport and began the long and tedious flight home to the United States. I was extremely unhappy about leaving and wanted to extend my stay permanently. I learned so much on my vacation, some of which I would not be able to learn without being in the country, and I hope to return many times in the future. Also, the trip gave me a whole new perceptive on the world, and taught me to look at the details in things and not just what they appear to be. From the cities, to the churches, and even the castles, France made we want to learn more about art and architecture, and in particular the renaissance works, it also made me realize that no matter what country you live in, you can always find a masterpiece.

Symbolism and Imagery

Choices, one would have to make a lot of these in his lifetime. While there are minor choices, there are major ones, either way, making a choice never come so easy. Making a choice is one of life’s most challenging hurdles each and every person would have to go through. It is one of those times when all of man’s senses are at work. The eyes need to see what to watch out for, as far as it can navigate through the blinding horizon. The ears need to heed the advices of those who has been there and done that, and do their own assessment of hard lessons that come by. The nose needs to smell the roses from time to time as life does not always have to be without pleasures, happiness from simple things fuels the soul to go on and move on. The mouth needs to shout out to release the madness it cannot contain much as it renders a smile at life whenever blessings come its way. And the sense of touch needs to feel the hard trails ahead as it needs to bleed every so often to remind him that he is human and that pain makes him stronger. In the like manner, it needs to feel the smoothness of the sail for no matter how hard the circumstances turns out to be, life is good and it is certainly a thing of beauty beyond words and human comprehension. At certain points in life, one is confronted by certain yields in the road he threads on. These are the moments when he has to make a decision. And yes only one way to go. Every choice a person makes becomes the essential elements that define his whole being. Robert Frost’s poem, A Road Not Taken was written with the use of symbolisms. The poem was about making life changing decision as well as the repercussions of every choice one makes. It tells more than having to pick a single road to thread. While the choice one makes is crucial no one knows for sure what lies beyond the bend of either way. After all, life is a journey and its destination is kept a mystery until one reaches the conclusion as the sun sets to mark the end of his beautiful life. The moment one takes his first stride on that road he chooses to thread, he can never take a step back and walk the other way. The wood Frost speaks about in this poem is symbolic of the world man lives in. On the other hand, the dark wood is symbolic of the solitude of oneself on which confines the finest literary works begins to materialize. Most people choose the other of the two roads particularly the one that is usually trodden for it promises a not so complicated path. As a dictate of human nature, people would not dare take the road less traveled for naturally if one has a choice, he would go for the one with less hassles, with less challenges, with less pain. Frost also utilized imagery in this particular poem that he wrote. The leaves that are kept undisturbed on the ground tell the readers that the road they cover is less traveled by. While making a choice is a fact of life and as usual and certain as the rising and setting of the sun, every time one does make a choice, it is almost as if he has never done so. The imagery of this poem implies the need to choose one of the two roads, where none gives even just a hint of what is laid in store for every traveler who walks by. The poem’s structure is one that is frank, distinct, and strong at the same time. Its focal point is on making a choice, the right one at that as well as the thoughts that runs through one’s brain every time he has to make life – changing decisions. The speaker in the poem opted to thread in the road that is less traveled by. This choice he made does tell so much about who he is and what he is made of. He is one of the few who would dare to set apart from all the rest who would rather stay in their comfort zones for fear of not being able to surface the challenge that lies ahead. He is characteristically more bold, valiant, and full of pride. He knew for a fact that there is not need to conform and seeking to be different can give a tremendous amount of satisfaction in the end. He is someone who is certain about what he wants to gain out of life. For him, conformity is a dead end. The faith he has for his beliefs, he chooses to keep. He knows when and how to battle it out whenever fate tests his principles and the values he holds in high regard. He is someone at peace with his individuality and his uniqueness, the very elements that defines who he is in all the ways that matter. He knows that he is very much capable of making that choice that could do him good. He has confidence that he can very well navigate his life and take charge of his own fate no matter what it takes and how hard it can be. While no one will ever know what could have been if he opted for the road he did not choose, regrets may come naturally. Nonetheless, not taking the easy way out is more fulfilling and thus makes all the difference. For when one deems that he made the right choice, regrets are much easier to dismiss. Each and every person alive live with choices until the last time he gasps for air to breathe. Every choice has its own share of repercussions and do create an impact and leaves a mark in each life it touches. In conclusion, this poem is one piece of poetry that outlives its author. It is timeless as it leaves a lesson that remains true today and even after several years more since it was written. It helps its readers to contemplate more on every choice they make as it would navigate the wheels of life in more ways than one and in every imaginable circumstance there is. Indeed, making a choice is one of life’s most challenging hurdles each and every person would have to go through. For inevitably, every person would have to make a decision for every opportunity in his life wherein he is required come up with one. Whenever he does, he must make it a point that he does so in the best of his ability. All because every choice he makes determines every twist of fate in the life he leads. And every choice he decides upon makes or breaks the life he worked so hard to live the best way he knew how. Works Cited â€Å"A Road Not Taken.† 2008. Bartleby.com. Retrieved May 9, 2007, from http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html.