Wednesday, August 26, 2020

English Language Essay on Spoken Text

Text B is a meeting on network show led by two moderators with the object being to imagine as much data as possible from J. K. Rowling, a renowned writer on her most up to date Harry Potter book. The crowd here would overwhelmingly be devoted youthful perusers of the book who need to think about the book and ordinary supporters of the show. The predominant speaker in this content B would be the questioners and the talk show depends on nearness pairs.Using a bogus beginning and logical inconsistency in â€Å"no, I don’t †yes I do† delineate parts of communicated in language in spite of the fact that there are clear components where the crowd may realize the questioners had an essential thought of what was to be asked before-hand. The absence of non-familiarity includes all the more unmistakably propose the inquiries were recently arranged, for instance, when Richard says â€Å"All the papers that have been advancing this meeting today obviously need us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This reveals to us research was attempted on what kind of inquiries the crowd or perusers needed answered.The change of tone toward the finish of a sentence recommends suddenness and prompts the different speaker’s go to talk. For instance, â€Å"But obviously the last one right now is living in your safe†, depicts the adjustment in tone toward the end. Judy, the questioner utilized more interrogatives like â€Å"two much friends and family? † while Richard utilizes ellipsis to attempt to make suddenness and certainty, â€Å"you told your better half, clearly you trust in him all things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  permitting turn-taking.The interviewee likewise appears to be a little uninterested through her short answers, for example, â€Å"He did one of the, yeah†; to maybe show she isn’t in the state of mind or the reality she’s attempting to be cautious in order to not uncover any data along these lines thinking of her as words. Text C is a play co ntent from American Buffalo by David Mamet, with the reason essentially being to engage. The crowd here would be dominatingly taught auditorium going audience.The play content is fundamentally composed using contiguousness sets, with interrogatives being a primary perspective. Wear is depicted as the predominant speaker as he controls the discussion and states his situation through discourse. Don’s discourse is additionally more and progressively authorative to additionally depict his higher status than Bob. The utilization of turn-taking and the casual setting offers approach to idiom, for example, â€Å"well she was genuine frantic at him†, â€Å"jewed† and â€Å"yup†.Don likewise utilizes â€Å"Bobby† to show nature with the other character just as it being a bit of belittling to speak to their particular positions and relationship. Wear additionally affects subject moves fundamentally as he attempts to show Bob business, â€Å"Things are not g enerally what they appear to be†, demonstrates how a buzzword to maybe depict Don’s development and intelligence in contrast with the young and naivety of Bob.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Images by Mann, especially her family picture series, and carrell Essay

Pictures by Mann, particularly her family picture arrangement, and carrell - Essay Example He got numerous honors for his scholastic accomplishments in science. He started photography in the year 1856. Photography developed to be his wellspring of motivation on account of the still-life, sculptures, scene and trees that his photos were comprised of. Sally Mann was an American picture taker who was conceived on first May 1951 in Virginia, Lexington City. She was hitched to Larry Mann and they had three youngsters; Virginia, Jessie and Emmet. She did her Bachelor’s certificate at Hollins College. Furthermore, she did her lords recorded as a hard copy at a similar school. She started capturing during the 1970s. She for the most part took photos of scenes across North America. Her takes a shot at Man’s kids made her famous and furthermore welcomed a great deal of pundits on her works (Sally, and Price 2012). In Mann’s picture she showed kids in bare stances. She abused their guiltlessness, and simultaneously she likewise portrayed and brought out message of isolation, vulnerabilities, and organized conduct in the adolescence. She for the most part utilized high contrast photos. Every one of her works were still photographs of her kids. Her works permitted the crowd to share and welcome the excellence of the body and the sexuality of the body in the idealist mode and type of nature. Carroll photos were like Mann’s as the two of them for the most part included scenes still-life and trees (Sally, and Price 2012). He took photographs of little youngsters to bring out various story lines and subjects. Carroll fundamentally utilized shading in his photos yet different pieces were done in highly contrasting so as to draw out the rich impact. He likewise took photographs of elderly people men. Socially their photos were offensive to the crowd as they appeared to be exploitative to the little youngster kids. In spite of this the photos showed youth inclinations that were based on sexual residence, blamelessness and youthfulness improvement of feeling, contacting and connection of other gender. Their expressive methodologies were

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Are you an admitted international student FAQs answered!

Are you an admitted international student FAQs answered! Are you an admitted international student with questions about next steps? Or maybe you are just confused on how to make the decision if Illinois could be your home for the next four years. Im hoping this blog will provide some answers to your frequently asked questions and help settle some of your uncertainties about whats next. We get asked a lot of questions this time of year, so I hope you realize that there are no silly questions. We want to be sure you have all the information you need before you make the big decision where you want to attend for four years. Once youve decided you want to call Illinois home, we also want to help answer your questions about the next steps. Here are some of the most common questions we receive (in no particular order) with some answers and tips to help you through them. Making a Decision What if I cannot visit campus before I make my decision? Thats okay! We have a lot of resources to connect you to campus to get a feel if this is the place for you. Check out my blog about other ways to visit campus from wherever you call home. TIP: Reach out to a current student to ask about their experience on campus. You can email international-admissions@illinois.edu, and there are Global Ambassadors from all over the world in a variety of majors ready to help answer your questions! What types of questions should I ask current students? You can ask them anything thats on your mind, but I have some great conversation starters: What advise would you give a student like me? What do you love most about Illinois?Why did you choose Illinois?What was first semester of college like? What is one thing you would do over? What advice would you give someone deciding between their final list of schools? Decide what is important to you. Make a list of things you want on a campus and decide if Illinois checks all those boxes. Do your research and explore what opportunities are available for you during undergraduate studies. Ultimately, this decision is up to you and we want you to be happy and successful for the next four years! Academics Student Life What if I didnt get in my first choice major, can I switch? We would advise if you are wanting to switch before you enroll at Illinois to call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and talk to an admissions counselor first. You can call us at +1 217 333 0302. If you want to switch once you are on campus, you can work with your academic advisor to come up with a plan and start that process. Some majors are easier to switch into than others, so we advise you contact us with any questions you might have about either process. Can I double major or add a minor? It depends, but most of the time the answer is yes! We have over 150 majors and 300 minors you can choose from. It is best if you work with your academic advisor to talk about your options and how you can fit them into your course plans. How easy is it to get involved in research on campus? Almost 70% of our undergraduate students participate in at least one research experience while on campus. We encourage all students to explore if this is something you want to experience while on campus. We have an Office for Undergraduate Research that is a great starting place for all our students. Can I have a job? If so, how do I get one? Yes, absolutely. International students are able to work up to 20 hours a week on campus. We have several resources to help you through this process. We encourage students to work closely with International Student and Scholar Advisors to make sure you are staying within visa regulations. We also have a virtual job board, which makes finding on campus jobs easy! Next Steps When do I need to make my final decision? Soon! The National Decision Deadline is May 1. We will not guarantee your admission after May 1. You can log in to your myIllini account to accept your offer. What do I do after Ive paid my enrollment deposit? Check your myIllini admitted checklist. Everything you need to know about next steps can be found there. University Housing applications and submitting your official test scores are due by May 15. Students will also need to sign up New Student Registration (NSR). If you live more than 500 miles away from campus (which most international students do ?), you can do an online registration. Each student will have different placement exams and college homework required prior to registration, so again, check your myIllini account for details on this process. These are just a few of the many questions we get. I understand this is not all that you are thinking. Please reach out to us with whatever questions you have! This is an important decision and we want to make sure you have all the information you need. We are so excited to welcome so many students to our campus from all over the world. Go Illini! Jess admitted international Jess International Recruitment Coordinator, Undergraduate Admissions I work with international students throughout the admissions process. My biggest piece of advice for anyone going through the college search process is to ask questions. There are no questions too small. That’s why we're here!

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Investigation Of Turkish Students Mathematics...

Investigation of Turkish Students’ Mathematics Performance based on PISA 2012 Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between selected student- and school-level variables and mathematics performance of Turkish students using PISA 2012 dataset. Two research questions were investigated: (1) How much do schools vary in their mean mathematics achievement in Turkey? (2) Which student- and school-level variables are associated with students’ mathematics performance in Turkey based on PISA 2012 results? Theoretical Framework PISA is a 3-year cycle of international assessment, which has been organized by Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 2000. The primary aim of the PISA assessments is to determine the extent to which young people, who are 15-years old, have acquired the wider knowledge and skills that they will need in their real-life challenges with considering a literacy perspective in reading, mathematics, and science. According to PISA 2012 overall results, Turkey ranked 44th, 42nd, and 43rd positions across the 65 countries in mathematics, reading and science, respectively (OECD, 2014b). In this present study, some student- and school variables were chosen to determine if there is any effect on students’ mathematics performance in Turkey. Gender is the first variable coming to mind when someone starts an educational research because there are not any certain statements; therefore, the influences of gender on the

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Public Awareness And Knowledge Of Multiple Sclerosis

In order to examine public awareness and knowledge of multiple sclerosis, a small scale survey and personal interviews will be utilized. Part 1: Quantitative study The first study of the research project will use a quantitative approach to investigate public awareness. It will consist of a convenience sampling technique in which a survey will be given to an undergraduate class at Wilfrid Laurier University to obtain information regarding the public’s understanding of multiple sclerosis. Convenience sampling is the most logical approach for the quantitative study because finding individuals representative of the entire population would be difficult due to time constraints and lack of resources and would be beyond the scope of this research project. The undergraduate class chosen at random by Dr. Timothy Gawley and Dr. James LeClair will provide the optimal sample size of 80 to 100 individuals. The purpose of the quantitative study is to provide details on the general awareness of multiple sclerosis among a small sample of the undergraduate students at Wilfrid Laurier University. It will determine if public awareness is sufficient or highly inadequate in this group of individuals and if awareness programs would be beneficial. These results could also infer awareness patterns that may be present at a larger scale of the population and motivate larger magnitude studies to be completed. If similar results are seen in larger magnitude studies, it could encourage multipleShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Treatment Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Essay1181 Words   |  5 PagesAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or sometimes called Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurological disease affecting the nerves that control voluntary muscle movement. It is the most common type of motor neuron disease. The body isn’t able to operate as it normally does due to the muscles weakening overtime. As the disease progresses, it starts to damage nerves of other vital areas of the body. When the body isn’t able to breath the way it should causing respiratory failureRead MoreA Program For A Non Profit Telecommunications Company Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesMy undergraduate education has given me the ability to take on small tasks in the professional world as a Projects Coordinator for a non-profit telecommunications company. This company is young and has potential for growth, I believe the advanced knowledge of management theories and objectives will better equip me to evaluate proper growth strategies. Along with experience, academic advancement will help me to succeed beyond my current capabilities opening doors to higher levels of responsibilityRead MoreA Program For A Non Profit Telecommunications Company1019 Words   |  5 PagesMy undergraduate education has given me the ability to take on small tasks in the professional world as a Projects Coordinator for a non-profit telecommunications company. This company is young and has potential for growth, I believe the advanced knowledge of management theories and objectives will equip me to evaluate proper growth strategies. Along with experience, academic advancement will help me to succeed beyond my current capabilities, opening doors to higher levels of responsibility and compensationRead MorePowerpoint. Slide 2:. What Is Socio-Economic Status (Ses)?.1543 Words   |  7 Pagesindependent, catholic, public. As stated in Independent Schools Victoria (2016), one common misunderstanding is that â€Å"non-government schools receive more government funding than government schools. This is wrong†. This is a vital fact to be aware of before learning about why funding differentiates between low socio-economic and high socio-economic schools. Slide 5: Below are some socio-economic characteristics that differentiate the funding between independent and public schools; Slide 6: ForRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Various Databases Used For Academic Journals And Books1061 Words   |  5 Pageswithin the peer-review parameters. The keywords searched included individual searches or pairings of the following words: augmentative and alternative communication systems, severe/multiple disabilities, severe communication impairments, pre-service special education teachers, communication disorders, competencies, knowledge and skills, special education, AAC,. Limitations of the search results. While sources for this review were obtained from academic and scholarly sites, the number of peer-reviewedRead MoreLife Modification For Community Leaders1342 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction This reflection paper is the clear picture of the knowledge I gained from the course â€Å"Lifestyle Modification for Community Leaders. At the time of registration of my courses for this semester I opted this course with a hope of change in my life. As the student’s life is tough especially when you should work along with your studies. The pressure of studies and work is very challenging for the students. This course helped me to fight with this situation. Basically, the course is all aboutRead MoreEuthanasi A Controversial Policy1171 Words   |  5 Pagesin the best interest for patients and doctors alike. Today, I will convince you that physician-assisted suicide should be illegal. The United States must implement a policy stopping the usage of euthanasia for the terminally ill. I will provide knowledge of euthanasia and how the medical advances in technology and hospice can prevent the widespread of euthanasia. Main Idea#1- Euthanasia is harmful because it doesn’t allow people to see human life as sacred. The American Medical Association stronglyRead MoreBiogen Analysis7823 Words   |  32 Pages Biogen is a global biotechnology company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Biogen is engaged in the research and development of biopharmaceuticals for human health care. Its main product is Avonex, a drug for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. Eighty-two percent of its revenues in 2000 came from the sale of this sole product. Biogen is also involved in the research of drugs for psoriasis, Crohn s disease, congestive heart failure, and cancer. Biogen believes that its success isRead MoreThe Relationship Between Smoking And Public Health Essay2171 Words   |  9 PagesThis assignment analyses the relation between smoking and public health and how it makes an impact to individuals’ health and well-being. Smoking can be defined as the act of inhaling and exhaling of the smoke produced by the combustion of a component usually from a tobacco. The most common ways of smoking are in the form of cigarettes, cigars or pipes, electronic cigarettes and via shishas or hoo kahs (WHO, 2016). Although there are different ways of smoking, they all harm in the same way as theseRead MoreVitamin D Deficiency: A Major Cause of Concern in Ireland 2707 Words   |  11 Pagesa person’s Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol level is less than 50 nmol/L they are considered deficient in Vitamin D. Insufficient amounts of Vitamin D has shown to increase the risk of many disease processes including cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, autoimmune disease, and diabetes as well as rickets, osteoporosis osteomalacia and osteoarthritis. Many people in Ireland are suffering from these diseases and many people are at a very high risk of developing one of these diseases

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Haier Acquisition Interest in Ge Appliance Free Essays

It is ironic and coincidental this memo comes on the heals of the massive Anheuser-Busch/InBev acquisition. The leak of our interest in GE Appliance by Wall Street Journal blog â€Å"Deal Journal† has not sullied our position or interest. It is strongly recommended Haier begin to line up financing for an asset purchase of GE Appliance. We will write a custom essay sample on Haier Acquisition Interest in Ge Appliance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Louisville, KY-based GE Appliance is an attractive acquisition target for Haier.As the US market continues to be brand driven, Quingdao Haier (and Haier America) is looking at its best chance to move full steam into the US market. Haier has showed initial success moving into niche areas of the US market through compact refrigerators and air-conditioners. The acquisition of GE Appliance, a 101-year old titan in the U. S. white goods industry will fulfill Haier CEO Zhang Ruimin’s belief that â€Å"All success relies on one thing in overseas markets—creating a localized brand name. We have to make Americans feel that Haier is a localized U. S. rand instead of an imported Chinese brand. The acquisition of GE Appliance will not be a quick, slam dunk in the U. S. market. Haier will not be able to simply slap a Haier sticker on a GE product. Haier will not be able place a GE sticker on a Haier product. To fully take advantage of the opportunity, Haier must be strategic about the rollout of the acquisition, significant changes to the GE brand and the homogenization of brands. Bringing GE Appliance under the Haier umbrella may remove some of the substantial roadblocks to getting top tier retailers and â€Å"big-box† stores to market Haier products. Bringing GE Appliance under the Haier umbrella may help alleviate the stigma Haier endures as a Chinese import. Haier is no slouch in the global white goods market. To be clear, Haier boasts incredible volume. However, Haier’s American brand quality reputation would obviously be helped by fusing GE’s track record of customer satisfaction. The GE brand not only has incredible longevity but is still an industry leader in well-crafted appliances. Caution must be paid to the reality that Haier-GE may suffer initially as reputations of high-quality and low-quality are married together.There is intense pressure in Washington, D. C. and across the US market to alleviate the amount of US holdings owned by Chinese-backed organizations. As the US economy continues to struggle more and more media sources are highlighting the fact China owns $ billions of US debt. From a public policy standpoint, this fact merely highlights how important US-China relations are. But from a public relations standpoint, a multi-billion dollar purchase of a long-standing, trusted US company by a relative new-coming Chinese firm will be difficult enough overcome politically.It might be near impossible to do if the purse strings are attached directly to the Chinese government or the major financing banks. A move similar to Lenovo’s slow-play transition from IBM computers to Lenovo may not have the same positive result. Recent massive recalls of Chinese-made products, food and cosmetics have created unease about imported goods. One of the strongest assets Haier will purchase is GE’s public image as a long-standing industry leader. The US market for appliances is still brand driven.Haier America has made great strides infiltrating the market through small appliances like dormitory refrigerators and window-sill portable air conditioners. But the cost of developing and marketing a full-line of products in major retailers without an industry reputation behind your name (as Samsung and LG already boast) may exceed the capital outlay needed to fund an outright acquisition of market share. It is believed other named bidders may not be in the same advantageous position as Haier.Electrolux, LG and Bosch are already heavily marketing a full range of appliances in every major market. Moves by any of these manufactures might cannibalize their market share as consumers opt between the GE brand and other established brands. Haier’s small market share serves as an advantage in that consumers choice of a GE (and eventually Haier) product will only enhance value to Haier. At the same time, Haier must stress the quality of product gained through the acquisition of GE. LG has already attained a number one customer satisfaction rating from fickle J.D. Power and Associates for washers and dryers. There is immense value in Haier’s ownership of the GE brand. Such value may warrant a higher-than-expected winning bid for the assets GE is the standard bearer in the US appliance, manufacturing, advanced technology, energy and healthcare industries. The GE philosophy of treating efficiency and cost-conciousness like a martial art coupled with an intense drive for innovation can only be an asset to Haier. On an initial pass, the strategy and vision of Haier are perfectly matched.Taking a page from Haier’s playbook, increasing global brand awareness, achieving global expansion of operations using a localized approach for each new market and establishing a foothold in new markets to eventually introduce full line of products can be accomplished with the right recipe following a GE-Haier Merger. This acquisition represents a great deal to be gained by both sides. In a recession crunched 2007, GE Appliance generated $7. 2 billion in gross revenue. An impressive statistic by itself made even greater by the immense drain of medium manufacturing the U. S.This strength means GE can command a price at the higher end of the industry-estimated $5 billion to $8 billion price tag. The ability to respond quickly to market demands is a strength Haier already possesses. It is thanks to this fast-acting product development that Haier has staved off intense competition in China and Asia. In addition to that, the Haier group’s Haier Logisitics is a gem in the organization which will only be enhanced with a GE/Haier merger. Haier Logisitics â€Å"just-in-time† distribution may provide incredible value to the labor-cost-heavy American white goods giant. CEO Zhang’s (and indeed the entire organization’s) focus on localizing manufacturing, development and distribution plays into this merger. GE Appliance already has an incredibly interconnect channel for manufacturing-to-point-of-sale. Why would Haier not want to tap into such a resource? There is not a retail point in the U. S. which does not carry GE products. Without a full line of products introduced in the market, even if every store that carried a GE product carried a Haier product, the unrealized market share would be tremendous.This acquisition gets a full, multi-faceted line of GE/Haier products (which have already met stringent U. S. manufacturing standards) in the stores much more rapidly. Haier would be wise to slowly homogenize the GE brand with Haier. At all costs, this merger should avoid following the path of U. S. -based Whirlpool. The conglomerate is managing a dozen brands of a wide variety of price points. The purchase of a steady, tried-and-true name like GE, while trying to get greater volume purchase from Chinese-made plants, requires Haier to consider re-badging Haier America’s products as GE lines.Haier’s very own CEO Zhang Ruimin summed up our recommendation for the acquisition of GE Appliance best, â€Å"This may be our best and last opportunity to get solid footing in the U. S. market. † Source consulted Chen, George and Michael Flaherty, â€Å"Haier reportedly sniffs U. S. opportunity in GE  unit† International Herald Tribune from Reuters News Service. May 22, 2008 Gerard, Kim â€Å"What to make of LG and Haier eyeing GE’s appliance unit† cnet. com May 27, 2008 How to cite Haier Acquisition Interest in Ge Appliance, Papers

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Blondes Across Borders free essay sample

She pulls back a strand of her short, curly blonde hair and gives me a smile from across the room. â€Å"What’s wrong?† she asks me, as she climbs onto her side of the bed. I give her a weak smile, â€Å"Nothing,† I reply, maybe a little too fast for it to sound natural. She looks as me questioningly but lets it go. She begins to talk about her boyfriend back home, her eyes glazing over dreamily as she reminds me once again that when they get married, I am invited to the wedding. I settle down next to her in the bed as she makes wedding plans, explaining to me that she wants to have her wedding in Nauvoo, and that that’s not so far for me to travel. I jokingly declare I might not even be old enough to drive by the time she’s married, and she laughs knowing that my 16th birthday will be in February and that she won’t even be back in the States until June. She continues to make plans as she falls asleep, and I try to listen, to reply at appropriate times, but my mind is someplace else. I keep thinking about earlier in the evening, and about how the person next to me isn’t quite the person I thought I knew. On August 30, 2008, I—a scared and excited teenager—set off for a new world. Only four months earlier I had decided I was going to spend the first semester of my sophomore year in Ecuador. I had been sure about my decision, until this day, when I was confronted with the giant O’Hare airport and realized that Ecuador was going to be much bigger than O’Hare, and that everyone there wouldn’t even speak my language. I was just about to ask my parents to turn around, to take me back home, when I saw a girl with short, curly, blonde hair, waiting in line for the plane, wearing the same t-shirt I was wearing. I walked over to her, and quietly said â€Å"We’re wearing the same t-shirt,† she looked at my shirt, and then at her own, and sure enough we were both wearing the t-shirt our study abroad agency had told us to wear on the plane. Without saying anything else, she gave me a huge hug. I felt so comfortable in her embrace, even though we h ad never met before, and I knew then that we would be best friends. â€Å"I’m Emily,† she said, pulling me out of the embrace, even though I had figured that out since we were the only two girls going to Ecuador through our agency. â€Å"Zoe,† I replied, and gave her another hug. Emily and I were almost inseparable in Ecuador. I had always wanted an older sister, and I had finally found one. She and I were almost the same person. We both were fascinated by the Spanish language and Ecuadorian culture. We’d often play a game we liked to call â€Å"only in Ecuador†, where we would say stuff like â€Å"You know you’re in Ecuador when†¦there’s a pharmacy on every corner,† and â€Å"You know you’re in Ecuador when†¦the eggs in the grocery store aren’t refrigerated.† We both loved to laugh, and we’d often come up with the silliest jokes that no one else would think was funny but it would get us laughing hysterically. We were both so close to our families, and we would hold each other when a wave of homesickness overcame us. We used to finish each other’s sentences. Though we had only known each other for a short time, our mutual experiences made us closer than knowing each other for a long time would have. We were together for the good times, but we were also together for the bad times. One time we went shopping together at the artisan market, and among other things we purchased matching llama sweaters. These ugly striped wool sweaters with llamas on them were all the rage among American tourists (marketed as something worn by the natives which, of course, no native actually wore) and we eagerly put them on as soon as we bought them. We spent most of the money we had brought with us, because we had been warned not to carry too much cash around with us. After shopping, we got on a bus headed toward home, but unsure where it would eventually lead, got off soon. When we got off the bus a young man in raggedy clothes confronted us. He asked us for money and we politely said â€Å"no.† We had been asked for money all day, and had very little left in our pockets. Unfortunately this was no ordinary beggar. He pulled out a sharp piece of glass from a broken beer bottle and threatened to hurt us if we didn’t empty our pockets. Our hearts pounded as we remembered all the warnings and horror stories we had heard of tourists maimed by just such a thief. We gave him everything that was in our pockets (all of $1.50) and hoped it would be enough. Emily clutched her purse, hoping he was desperate enough to take the money and not demand more. She was right, and he walked away with our money. We were able to walk the rest of the way home, shaken but unscathed. Though no blood had been shed that day, Emily and I became bonded as if by blood. That day, we truly became sisters Emily taught me many things, like how to text really fast, and how to make homemade Oreo cookies, and how to see the positive in every situation. But the most important thing I learned from Emily was probably something she never knew she taught me. That night, when I realized I didn’t really know the true Emily, we had been watching a movie. We had bought it off a street vendor for only a dollar, but the label was in Spanish so we didn’t really understand what it was about. It sounded like a romantic comedy, just what we were looking for for our sleepover. We made popcorn, got comfortable on Emily’s host mom’s bed (the only place in the house with a TV) and we turned it on. The first scene was of a couple at a bar. The man sees some friends in the bar and invites them to sit at the table. The man then leaves to get the friends some drinks. One of these friends is a woman, and she sits right next to the man’s wife, and while he is off at the bar, she begins to flirt with the man’s wife. At this point, Emily asks me to turn the movie off. I agree, because it was making me a little uncomfortable as well. Emily went to her room to find another movie to watch, and while she was gone I tried to figure out why I was uncomfortable. I realized that it was the smile on the wife’s face as she returned the flirting of the other woman. I was uncomfortable that this woman was lying to her husband and how she probably had been the whole time they were married. So, when Emily returned I asked her why she was uncomfortable with the movie, feeling sure she’d say the same thing. But she said something else, something I hadn’t even really thought about. It was the fact that there was a woman flirting with another woman that was the problem for her. I realized in that moment that Emily and I weren’t the same person. I have best friends who are gay, and in my school people are very open about their sexuality. I am a strong believer in Christianity, but I would describe myself as a â€Å"progressive Christian† and unlike some Christians, I have never believed that homosexuality is a sin. But Emily did, and I realized that there were other things I probably disagreed with her on as well. She was a conservative, her parents had voted for George W. Bush both times, while mine voted for anyone but him. I live in a town with people of many different racial and socio-economic backgrounds, while hers is filled with middle-class white people. As she slept there next to me I lay awake wondering: Does this change my relationship with her? Could I be friends with someone who was practically opposite from me in many of my major values and beliefs? Part of me realized that she wasn’t any different today than she was yesterday, that she had always been this way and I was just seeing her differently. But the other part of me didn’t think we could overcome this barrier. We were from incompatible worlds, there was no way I would be able to relate to her now. At this point in my thinking, when I had almost decided that this could ruin our friendship forever, Emily must have rolled over in her sleep, because I looked at her. I looked at her and saw the same smiling face I had seen that first day in the airport. I smelled her hair on the pillow next to mine, the same as it always smelled on our thousands of sleepovers. I remembered the laughing mouth that would talk a mile a minute every day at recess, grateful to have someone to speak to in English. I understood then that this wouldn’t ruin our friendship. I understood that we were similar, in important ways, and just because we were different didn’t mean I couldn’t relate with her. Emily was the older sister I had always wanted, and that wasn’t going to change. That night I realized that Emily was not the person I thought she was, but that I loved her anyway. She taught me that people don’t have to have the same fundamental beliefs for me to love them. She taught me that love could cross borders. Maybe, even, that it should cross borders.