Surfing is only my Hobby

As I was reading through my surfing magazines I was particularly interested in the articles regarding the young surfers of today. Each magazine I would read there would be several articles on these surfers that ranged from 14 – 20 years of age. These surfers all had a few things in common, that further made me think about the generation I come from. All these young surfers are on their way to becoming pro, they have sponsors and all they do is surf.  They do not only surf to become pro, but they surf because they love to surf and all they want to do is surf. The main similarity was that they were all homeschooled, all their time and effort was put into surfing and nothing else. Most kids from my generation have their eye on one goal for the future; if they enjoy something they wont just make it a hobby but will turn it into their life. An education was not important to these kids, because they could only see themselves surfing and nothing else.

This also relates to me in a way, not the surfing part, but the direction in which I want to live my life. I have experienced the want to become a pro surfer; I wasn’t homeschooled I was just in a Christian School on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.  I practiced all the time, but never made it to the stage I wanted to be at.  Then my dad was offered work in Byron Bay, the most eastern point of Australia, and the surf there is amazing, I thought this is were I could take my next step in become a better surfing. However, that is not where we ended up, we moved to India. I started to do homeschooling, and the one direction I had in my life was gone, surfing. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my future now, until we started travelling, and one thing that always stood out to me as we travelled was architecture. I found direction in my life, not surfing, but something that I also enjoyed. I am now at Woodstock school, and my whole high school life is moving to become an architect. I had changed my hobby into my future again. Surfing will always be apart of my life, however it will continue to just be a hobby. That is one thing I am also happy about, as architecture is what I am crazy about and I cannot imagine my self-being anyone else.

Word Count: 408

Is Garrett McNamara’s wave really a world record?

Was Garrett’s Nazaré monster wave really 90ft?

April 18th, 2012

Big wave surfing is one thing that can only be done, and only wants to be done by thrill seekers, but not just any thrill seekers.  Garrett McNamara is said to be “One of the most extreme high sensation seekers on the planet.” He proves this when he sits out in freezing water to wait for a “Kids Glacier” to cave in hope for him and his friend to surf a tsunami size wave. He is also known for taking on some of the biggest barrels and escaping from wipeouts that most people would die from. But this article is not just about Garret McNamara and his life in thrill seeking, but is about him possibly surfing the biggest wave recorded in history. On the Portuguese coast called Nazaré is where McNamara tackled a wave that most people could not even believe could be so big. The possible 90-foot wave was built off a three-mile deep slice in the sea floor off the coast that can produce waves that can be compared to Jaws and Mavericks. Once he was on this 90-foot monster, he ran down the line for 20 seconds while avoiding the falls and a massive wipeout. The wave didn’t get much attention until Kelly Slater (11 time World Champion) made a tweet about it telling him to post it ASAP. Then there was a lot going around in the media about this wave, as there was no official measurement of the wave, it was forwarded to XXL judges to be considered the “Biggest Wave” and “Ride of the Year.” The current world record for largest wave is still held by Mike Parsons who surfed a 77-foot wave, however, Kelly Slater and Greg Noll (both highly respected surfers) still believe it to be a big wave, and one of the biggest waves documented. This might be the biggest wave ever surfed but everyone has to leave it up to the XXL panel to decide. 

Greg Noll’s said “You ride big waves for the love, and the joy, and the adrenaline rush, and that’s what Garrett, hell, what all these guys have in common. How they express themselves may come out a little differently, but they’re all part of the same family.” Personally big wave surfing looks awesome, it is one of the craziest things human do till this day, however it is something that most people should leave up to the extreme thrill seekers. I have seen the wave surfed by both Garret McNamara and Mike Parsons has surfed, and I still believe Mike Parsons wave is bigger. It could be the cameral angle and all that stuff, but the time it takes for Mike Parsons to surf his wave takes a lot longer. But who am I to judge though? I would never in my dreams attempt anything close to this size, I surf the small waves I do for the love and the joy of it.

Word Count: 490

http://www.surfing-news.com/is-garrett-mcnamaras-wave-really-a-world-record/

My Experience with Surfing

For the next couple of weeks the topic I will be writing about will be surfing.

It was a childhood dream to learn to surf. I lived on the beach and my parents would take me down to play in the sand with my shovel and spade however, it was surfers that had my attention. I would say to myself one day I would be out there do that exact same thing. From that point in time, surfing has been a major part of my life from the moment I saw a person stand up on a board and ride the wave. There is a certain aspect in surfing that draws people to want the same experience as the surfers.

I remember my first surfboard I got when I was five, and it was everything I wanted. I would be so excited when I could just stand up on a wave. That experience was life changing and I knew that I wanted it to be a major part of my life. I would look at websites for good swells, check out future surfboards that would suit me, and would read every surf magazine I could get my hands on. Surfing was something that changed my personality too; I would be calmer because of the time I would spend by myself out in the waves. Then I got my first real surfboard, a 6-foot 6-inch fiberglass, short board the board I had always wanted. That’s when surfing got that much more serious, because the beach was down the road any day with good waves I would be surfing. The weather was never an issue me, as there are wetsuits for the different conditions. So any day with waves for me was perfect.

Surfing also holds one fear of mine; I have always had the fear of drowning, seeing other surfers get dumped and being held under for long periods of time. But seeing these same surfers come out of the situation safe helped me build confidence. I still remember the first time I got dumped really bad, it was as if I was in a washing machine tumbling left, tumbling right, not knowing which way was up, hitting the sand until I finally pierced the surface and gasped for air. This stuns anyone for a while, until you catch another wave that give you that joy and experience of surfing. The thrill I get from surfing out does any fear that I may have.

Without surfing my life would not be the same, I would not be the same person, which is why I still find time for it when I can. I am always training and keeping fit for when I have the chance to get back in the water and reading up on the latest news in the surf world. So until the day that I get back in the water and experience the thrill of surfing, I can only close my eyes and imagine sitting in the sand again and watch the surfers inspire me.

Word Count: 509

The Changes in Cars

For me I have traveled to different parts of the world, lived in a few different parts of the world, and have had the experience of living in wealthy places and not so wealthy places. My family has owned a variety of different cars, from expensive cars to cars that are just a body and an engine. I have grown up with different cars and have grown to have a pretty strong interest in them. In my free time I am always looking up and researching two of my favorite things, cars and surfing. Cars are something that I enjoy looking at not only to see what is out in modern day, but also to see how the car industry has changed over the last couple of decades. 

Growing up with cars my whole life I have seen just in my lifetime how cars have changed over the last decade and a bit. The efficiency in which they use fuel and how they starting to move away from oil based fuel in new modern day cars. Cars are now moving to a more efficient and environmentally friendly way of powering the cars, such as hydrogen and electricity. There has also been a major change in the interior design of a car, were they have no only changed the layout but the materials used. They started with plastics and cloth fabrics, which has now moved on to fiberglass and leather. The final thing I have seen a major change in is the body shape of a car. Even though cars bodies have mostly been about the dynamics to help the performance of a car, the car industry is now using technology to make sure they get the ultimate result in the shape of the body. Cars have changed to take on the new technology that gives drivers the perfect driving experience. 

So just during my life of 16 years I have seen massive developments in the car industry that have changed cars forever. Cars are a part of most human’s life, so companies are changing at rapid paces to keep people wanting newest cars, but how much can one change on one simple idea of transport. There is no way to see how much the car industry will change before a completely new way of transport is developed to wipe out cars. 

Word Count: 395

59. Discuss how a specific place can be used to help illustrate your personality.

There is one kind of place that can illustrate my personality and it can be found all over the world. This place can build up and cause mayhem but at a completely different time be calm like there is not a care in the world.  It is the kind of place I have spent a lot of my life. This place is a beach, but not any beach a costal beach where the conditions can change from any given time. The sun can be out or the clouds could role out and change the whole mood of the place. I am a person that does not change moods from second to second but builds up over time to change the way I act for time to time. The beach is a place I relate this to very much because the ocean and weather conditions do not change at any given second but build up to alter the kind of day. 

I am usually in the kind of mood that is relaxed and not easily disturbed. Where everything seems to role out and I flow with everything that is happening around me. I like to sit and do my own thing and at this time I just reflect on life. My imagination may start to go crazy where there are no boundaries to how much I can imagine and create. I relate this to the kind of day or days where the beach is calm, no dramatic waves, just a flat ocean that you can see out into the horizon. The sun is out and shines down and reflexes off the sand and water. The sun is not burning hot; it warms your skin from the inside out. These are the days the beach is calm and you can see where the water and sky meets. This side of my personality can be illustrated by this time at a beach very well.

Everyone also has a energetic side, full of playfulness and happiness where all you want to do is have fun. Me, I am the person who loves this side of me, where I do not see the boundaries where the fun can stop. This side of me can last days on end where all I do is enjoy life, but not by myself but with the people that want to enjoy it with me. This is like a beach in the sense that the day is full of sun that burns you up and keeps you hot and active. There are waves rolling in, perfect waves which happens to be the best time to be in the water. Everything is moving; full of energy like this time will never end. These are the days at a beach where everything is energetic and moving like everything was planned to go that way. 

 Now my angry side is different to a lot of people in that fact that most people can get angry straight away. My anger does not turn on from a flick of a switch, it takes time. When I am angry, frustrated, stressed, depressed, and sad they all kind of come out together. Each one slowly builds up, combines together until it is too much to handle. I get to a state that everyone know that I am in this kind of mixed mood, so everyone stays a way. You can see this mood come from a mile away, so I feel like I have time to prepare for it. This relates those stormy and destructive days at the beach. Where the waves are washed out, rough, and choppy no one dares to enter. It is over cast, thunder, and lighting everyone knows there is a storm going on. These days are miserable down at any beach and everyone stays away. However, this storm does not come out of anywhere you can see it build up and come towards the coast. This kind of weather down at the beach really illustrates this kind of personality I have in tough times. 

Beaches are a very central part of my life and I can relate to them in so many different ways. Although my personality is not always the same I feel like a beach is still the best place to relate it too. Beaches are unpredictable in the sense that you do not know what is coming to far ahead. So if I had to choose a place to illustrate my personality, I would choose a beach. 

Word Count: 748

Payoff for Efficient Cars Takes Years

Payoff for Efficient Cars Takes Years

By NICK BUNKLEY

April 4, 2012

New York TImes 

People around the world are looking at different car alternatives as the prices of gas go up. The main cars people are starting to look at hybrid and electric cars, but what the people do not realize when they by these cars is how long it takes before they start saving money. All the different car brands are bringing out their version eco-friendly and efficient car, which uses technology that puts the car prices, quiet high. But data from TrueCar.com says that this new technology does not necessarily save you money. This is expect for two hybrid cars the Toyota Prius and the Lincoln MKZ, the other hybrid cars have the added cost in the fuel-efficient technology which gives it those added years to start saving money, over a comparable conventional fuel-combustion engine. This is compared to today’s fuel prices that are at $4 per gallon in the U.S and even if prices were to climb to $5 per gallon it would still take a decent amount of time. For people to start to save money on the newly bought eco-efficient car fuel prices would have to rise to $8 a gallon over 6 years (average time a person owns a car) before the car would be paid off and start saving money. The hybrid car market has grown 60 percent this year but sill only holds 3 percent of the total car market. For these hybrid cars to become mainstream the companies are going to have to wait for oil prices rise and the demand for them to rise, or they find a way for the cost of the car to be cheaper. The current pay off time ranges from two years to six and half years. A lot of people who buy these cars often do not do the math before they by these cars; they think higher mileage the better they will come out in the end. Were some people are just buying these hybrid cars to do something better for the environment, not worrying about the costs. So in the end hybrid cars are not going to save you as much money as you think, but will help the environment. 

This article really lets you have a good look at the real outcomes in buying a hybrid car and the time in which you are really going to start saving money. With the current prices of oil the only benefit I see in buying a hybrid car is to be eco-friendly, and play your part. If you are really looking to save money in buying a hybrid instead of a conventional fuel-combustion car than you should look to buy a Toyota Prius or the Lincoln MKZ. Personally I wouldn’t buy a hybrid car yet, but within the next few years it will be worth it when fuel prices grow to a much higher price.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/business/energy-environment/for-hybrid-and-electric-cars-to-pay-off-owners-must-wait.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

Word Count: 481

56. Discuss how your travel experiences have affected you as a student and a citizen of the world.

As a student I have traveled to many countries around the world and I have seen different aspects of life within these countries. I have been to heavily developed countries where everything runs smoothly and looked after.  I have also been to developing countries that are still growing to become one of the worlds developed countries. Within each country I have travelled to see the different parts of the country, to see the struggling parts and the strong parts. Growing up in a developing country but coming from a developed country, changed the way I lived as I have seen how others live. All this has molded and affected me as a student and as a citizen of the world. 

I have lived most of my life as a high school student in India, giving me the opportunity to travel around the world. During my years in primary school I grew up in Australia being spoiled by everyone. Growing up in India, living in the places I did, seeing the way some people live, and not always having everything, changed the way I lived.  Growing up with this changed me as a student because of this, I now have a broader view on the world. 

Traveling to many other countries has shown me how the different cultures of the world live. Within these travels I learnt about the different religions of the world and how their belief systems works different to mine.  This has let me understand the world and how to view people equally, to accept people for who they are. This has affected me positively into a citizen of the world as I know how to belong and to fit in to any place I go.

Traveling from such a young age and all the way through my schooling life, has given me values that can be seen in everything I do. Giving me the tools to finish up as a student and become a person that contributes to the world. As I have been given the opportunity to travel as a student I have seen and experienced things that has changed me. That has shaped me into a person that I love to be, and I can not see my self in any other way. 

Word Count: 397

Hydrogen Honda arrives in the UK by Richard Scott

BBC - Hydrogen Honda arrives in the UK by Richard Scott 

 14 September 2010 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11297952

The Honda FCX Clarity is one of the first hydrogen fueled cars to come off the production line which has just landed in the UK. This car is one of the cleanest ways of transport out today, and it all works because of the fuel cells. This car is even better than electric powered cars as it does not have to carry a heavy battery to store enough electricity to travel. Battery powered cars struggle to hold enough electricity to travel long distances and takes a while to charge. So Honda has moved on from electric powered cars as they see no future in it, so they have moved to hydrogen to make electricity to power the car. This is a simple process, the hydrogen which is a compressed gas is stored in a tank, the hydrogen is released and has a reaction with oxygen from the atmosphere having two products, water and electricity. The water is the waste product and electricity is moved to the engine at the front of the car. This way of powering a car is more efficient than holding electricity in a battery as the electricity is created on board the vehicle. This allows the car to run just as well a petrol or diesel powered car would. However the infrastructure is not in place yet to supply hydrogen to the owners of these cars. This is a big problem in the UK as it as there is only ten places across the UK where you can fill up. Honda sees this issue and expects it to be the same over the next couple of years. 

I find this car the way of the future as it has over come several problems that the car industry is facing. The issues of gas prices going up and polluting the atmosphere and the ability to store only so much electricity in a battery. This new technology is something that would have been a risk to take out on to the market, but Honda has done it and has done it well. The infrastructure may not be in place to support this vehicle but personally I can see it coming around the conner to support this. This shows that there are people who are looking out for the future and are coming up with more suitable and sustainable ways for it. 

Word Count: 393

BMW i8

For the next couple of weeks I will be on the new topic of cars. 

So many of you may know this new car as the one that starred in the new mission impossible movie. The BMW i8, and there is a lot more than what meets the eye in this amazing looking car. When they reviled it in 2011, BMW had really outdone themselves with their new ‘i series’, they have made the this modern hybrid series into something of it’s own. Although this car is just a concept the road ready car is just around the conner to hit the market. The specs are something of it’s own and the design puts it in a different league all together. 

Because this car has a very futuristic look to it and is just a concept you many may think that it won’t enter the market anytime soon. Well, this new series is only a couple years out from production and will be ready to hit the market. This hybrid super car will be ready to hit the market with a price that will easily exceed the $140,000 price range, putting it in a place where not everyone can have one. BMW does expect 10,000 of these cars to be sold yearly from the release date. This futuristic super car will be the first of its kind to hit the market putting them way ahead of other companies. 

This car has specs that not many cars on the market has and technology that will change every other car that hits the market. The hybrid sports car has the a fuel consumption of approximately three liters for every 100 kilometers (94 mpg). Because it is a sports car it has the ability to go from 0 - 100 km/h in under five seconds (62 mph). This car also has a battery that can be charged out of a domestic home and can travel up to 35 kilometers (20 miles) on electricity alone. With room for four seats this car also gives the nice ability of everyday practicality. Another spec that BMW has put on this car is the new laser head lights. This may sound a little lame, but these lights are like no other. The are about a thousand times more intense then the regular LED head lights, half the electrical consumption of the LED lights and, is very pleasant to the eye. All these new ideas BMW has put on to the i8 concept will make it one of the most efficient cars on the road. 

The i8 concept also has the looks and interior design of a very futuristic car, while looking like super sports car. The car has ideas and looks that can not be found on any other car on the current market. Thiw car has very precise edges to give it a ‘stream flow’ to give it a strong forward look. The transparent doors and roof mergers the outside and inside experience together.  The interior gives the drivers and experience like no other. They feel like they are driving a car in a spy movie. The park brake, gearshift lever and, the stop - start button are placed around the center console making it easy for the drivers position. Where they sit in a low position separated from the passenger seat by the battery that runs down the middle of the car. Everything in this car is designed for a purpose, to give the driver the ultimate driving experience. 

In the next couple of years we will be hearing a lot about this concept of a car as it enters the marketå. As we will hear of other companies making a break into the same market. Technology will continue to grow better and faster in this market as we head in to the not so distant future, as the world finds alternate technology for now days inefficient transportation. It will all start with this car, the BMW i8 concept. 

Word Count: 664

Process of Architecture

So I was doing some research on architecture and I came across a website that had a blog in it. The first post I saw was on the process of architecture and not just the designing of a building, but the process to complete the building too. Choosing architecture as a wanted career path this really stood out and I thought I might share the steps involved to design and build a house. I won’t go into the same detail as this person did, but will give you a brief outline on the seven steps. 

Step 1: So before an architect is chosen there are a few architects that are interviewed in order to get the job. Each architect usually has a portfolio on past jobs and the homeowner would chose their architect that best fit there plans for their future building or structure. 

Step 2: The architect would then do several things before they go to the drawing bored. They would have further discussion with the owner on what they want, their goals, ideas and, the requirements. The architect would then go to the site to take measurements, see what the site consists of and, have a look at its surroundings. They would then put together a simple floor plan of the site and check the for local building codes and regulations. They would also create a work plan on what will be done and by when. 

Step 3: The architect would then put together a few simple designs together on the information the gathered from step two. They would change, add and remove parts of the design to suit the owner. They would look at different parts of their design on how they can make it better and by the end of this process they have landed on one of the concepts that was produced. 

Step 4: This step is where everything starts to become more permeant and decisions have to be made. The architect puts together final documents together of the design to make the main parts of the house (walls, doors, windows) final. The architect discuss with the owner on the materials they will use in the construction of the house. The owner continues to make more detailed decisions on the finishings (taps, door handles, lights). The architect consults with different types of engineers to make sure everything is possible and meets standards. This step is one of the more important steps out of all of them. 

Step 5: This is where you have to make sure the design and future house meets standards from the city/state councils. The council goes over the design to make sure everything meets the codes for the area. While the architect waits for the okay from the council he continues to make the blueprints a lot more detailed, to the tiniest detail. This step is very important as you need permission from various people to make sure they are meeting standards. 

Step 6: The contractors are approached and are sometimes interviewed by the owners to make sure their work quality is good. 

Step 7: Now everything the final documents and drawings are complete with the approval of the city/state council. The construction begins while the Architect stays involved to make sure everything is being met by the builders and to see if any changes need to be made. By the end of this step everyone will be payed and the owner has a new building. 

I hope this has given you a little more detail in the process of being an architect and how it is more complicated then you think. 

http://blog.buildllc.com/2008/09/the-process-of-architecture/


Word Count: 602

Kings Cross Station's Renovation

Kings Cross railway station is located in central London and is a major terminal that opened in 1852. Today it’s renovation that has taken five years and cost them 500 pounds, that consists of absolute beautiful architecture throughout the new departures area, is nearly done. Network Rail has added this outstanding roof made of white steel, while having restored and persevered the Victorian facades. The structure spans 150m without a visible bolt throughout the whole structure. This roof has no supporting structures allowing moment under the roof to be free and flowing for the 47 million passengers that pass through the terminal each year. They have also thought about the passengers by adding a second floor where you are able to relax in cafes and shops. The architects Hiro Aso who partnered in the project with John McAslan submitted their winning design is the late 1990’s. Hiro Aso shared  "It leaps, it's glorious, organic - a very bold expression of the overlay of new and old. We could have been a bit more apologetic, or subordinate, but this is an absolutely amazing structure." The five-year project has allowed them to build this structure without canceling one train to produce this masterpiece.

 

      This article really stood out to me because of my want to become a future architect. The design of the new roof, at this historic train station is something abnormal that is easily enjoyed. The architects thought about the movement of the mass amount of people that come through the station as well as giving them a place to relax and wait. The idea of a roof the supports it self over a 150m span and look magnificent comes through experience. Another thing that really stood out to me in this article is the ability to mix something so modern, with something old and not make a mess of it. This is the type of building/structure that I would like to be the architect of one day.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/mar/14/five-year-redevelopment-kings-cross-station


Word Count: 329

What I want to do..

When I was young people used to always ask me what I wanted to do when I was older. It would always change until a few years ago when I landed on architecture. It changed everything, I looked at buildings differently and the creative side of my mind went crazy. I would plan out my future designs and goals I would want to accomplish as an architect. This would all be planned out in my mind and till this day I can still remember every unique design and every goal I want to complete.

As I started to plan out the rest of my schooling life to become an architect I realized how difficult it would be to fulfill this goal. But I believe that this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I believe that I can do so much good with this career path and also have fun with it. Just living in India and watching my dad do his work with the poor, I would try and find ways in how I could use architecture to do the same. I want to design cheap but sustainable houses for the poor, put a team together and travel to developing countries to build these places. This is why I see architecture is the best career choice for me, it lets me bring out my creative side, do something I love and, give back and help fellow human beings.

So now when anyone asks what I want to do I say architecture. I tell them my plans with it and why I cannot wait to leave school and get onto it. Because now that I have found a job that I love and can pretty much do anything I want with it, which is what I have seen my dad do throughout his life. When I was young people used to always ask me what I wanted to do when I was older. It would always change until a few years ago when I landed on architecture. It changed everything, I looked at buildings differently and the creative side of my mind went crazy. I would plan out my future designs and goals I would want to accomplish as an architect. This would all be planned out in my mind and till this day I can still remember every unique design and every goal I want to complete.

As I started to plan out the rest of my schooling life to become an architect I realized how difficult it would be to fulfill this goal. But I believe that this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I believe that I can do so much good with this career path and also have fun with it. Just living in India and watching my dad do his work with the poor, I would try and find ways in how I could use architecture to do the same. I want to design cheap but sustainable houses for the poor, put a team together and travel to developing countries to build these places. This is why I see architecture is the best career choice for me, it lets me bring out my creative side, do something I love and, give back and help fellow human beings.

So now when anyone asks what I want to do I say architecture. I tell them my plans with it and why I cannot wait to leave school and get onto it. Because now that I have found a job that I love and can pretty much do anything I want with it, which is what I have seen my dad do throughout his life.


Word Count: 614

Describe your hometown and how you are a product of this environment. (Puget Sound)

My hometown is a place that I can look back to, know matter where in the world I am and still know that is where I belong. It contains memories that will last for ever as it is the place where I have grown up most of my life. My hometown, is placed in Australia, on the east coast of Australia, on a local beach called Freshwater in Sydney. It consists of a little shopping area where everyone knows each other, where you can walk into a shop and have a conversation with the owner, because you see them everyday. Freshwater has its beach-ie feels and the people that live around the area are very relaxed and easy going. It is a very active place where you are always at the beach surfing or playing volley ball. It is a place I that know that I don’t have to share it with tourists or people that aren’t from the area. This beach is filled with memories I share with friends and have experienced by myself as a little boy that would like to explore. This is the place I call home.

This place that I call home has molded me into the person I know I have become, and know that my life right now would be very different if I didn’t grow up there. It has built me into a strong and committed person in most aspects of my life. I find this in my earliest memories, when I was young sitting the sand watching the surfers knowing I want to do that one day. Learning to surf was like learning to walk again, I would fall over but try again and now I am glade I tried again because this is something I continue to do in everything, never quit. Another positive aspect I can see in myself and know I could have only got it from this town is the ability to socialize. Although I like to be alone sometimes I find that without friends around me life can get boring and tiring as I have no one to blow off steam with. There are however, a couple of negative things that I have taken on bored from living and growing up in this place. Which are, the way I would wonder off without telling anyone, where I would explore and discover new things. The other is the way I am a bit relaxed about everything and like I always say “life goes on” so no matter what tough situation I am in,  I try to deal with it but not go out of my way to deal with it because I know time must continue. 

So living and growing up in this place has grown me into a person that I love to be and I can’t imagine myself in being any different.


Word Count:477

13. You’ve just written a 300-page autobiography. Send us page 217. (University of Pennsylvania)

I had just landed in a small hill station in the Indian hills near the India/Nepal border, Manali. 40 years later and not much had changed at all in the small town, the people were friendly and food was amazing. The one thing I had to do while I was in town was the 40 kilometre bike ride through the mountains, which I had done way back when I was 12. The memory of riding through the mountains was one that I had to live again.  I knew that I would struggle a little more than I did last time. During the ride the group hit the little Tibetan restaurant where we were stopping to have lunch. This little shack in the hills of India to this day served the best Tibetan food I had ever eaten. The momos, coriander soup, chow-mein and fried rice all tasted the same from the first time I ate it 40 years ago;absolutely amazing. The door to the resteraunt was still not put on right, the individual wooden panels that made the walls were being held on by rusted nails and the plastic roof was still leaking. We sat outside under some old trees eating our delicious Tibetan food, knowing there was still a couple more kilometers left in our journey. 

The food was cooked in a small kitchen with fresh ingredients that tasted so fresh and pure. Sitting and eating here, letting the memories rush back of the life I had, living and growing up in India with my parents. The view was amazing and at that moment everything just became too much, everything was perfect, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect scene. We had to go. I didn’t want to leave, but the journey to all the places I visited as a child had to continue. We rode back to the hotel to see my wife and there we rested, as the next stop was to be where some of the best experiences of my life had happened, Mussoorie.

Word Count: 337

Climate Change

An issue that is currently directly affecting my life is the cold weather we are experiencing here in Mussoorie. This made me think of the weather conditions that occurred in Europe and how so many people died because of the extreme cold. The unusual weather they were experiencing with a couple hundred people dying because of the extreme temperatures.  This made me think further about the theory of Global warming or as I personally like to call it Climate change. Are these extreme weather conditions the result of humans and they way we live our life? There are a lot of debates going on about the global weather, and how it could affect us more in the coming decades and centuries.  This cold front has also affected the farming and food production Europe. This may have had some affect on the farmers economy as they have no way to make money during the winter. The issue of weather and climate change affects the whole world and directly impacts most people.

This issue of climate change has also been affecting my home country Australia as it has caused unusual seasons that we have never really experienced. This summer we have had so much rain that the state of New South Wales is currently two thirds underwater and in the last few years summers Queensland experienced the same thing. These abnormal weather patterns are putting Australians in a state of stress, as we are not used to this kind of weather. This weather is going to put continued strain on the planet, as some countries are not prepared for the weather that is affecting them. This particular series of unusual weather that is hitting Australia is also being called a natural disaster, is there a connection between climate change and global warming? If so is this all the cause of humans living excessively on global resources?


Word Count:314