Favorite Book

My favorite book series is ‘The Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ by J.R.R. Tolkien. The ‘Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ is composed of the following three books: ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,’ ‘The Two Towers,’ and the ‘Return of the King.’ The series chronicles the adventures of Frodo Baggins and his companions, who are sent on a quest to destroy the One Ring and vanquish the Dark Lord Sauron. The book was written by Tolkien in the early 20th century when he was a professor at Oxford; however the book was not published until the 1950s.
In December of 2001, I spent the holidays with my family on Guam. During the break, I attended a screening of the ‘Fellowship of the Ring’ with my cousins who dragged me along to watch with them even though I showed no interest in the movie.
Although I walked into the movie with low expectations, afterwards I developed a deep appreciation for the movie and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ universe. I bought a copy of the first book on Guam and eventually the second and third books on Saipan. However, I did not limit myself to reading the books, but I purchased ‘Lord of the Rings’ memorabilia as well.
The Lord of the Rings has always been an inspiration when I write short stories of fiction and has also interested me in the world of Norse mythology which plays a huge influential role in the ‘Lord of the Rings.’

The Value of Diversity

I was about 5 years old when my mother accompanied me to my first day of school in the fall of ’98. I didn’t know what to expect of school; would I be a great student? Will I be able to complete the assigned work or comprehend the day’s lessons? Will I be able to make friends or would I otherwise be labeled an outcast and therefore subjected to a school year of social withdrawal? As I walked into the classroom, I did not notice the neatly furnished blackboard, or the teacher greeting kids upon their arrival or the numbers of desks waiting to accommodate the new batch of kindergarten students. Instead, I took notice of my new classmates who shared the same look of anxiety and apprehension on their faces. Aside from the similar facial expressions, we varied in faces, skin tone, height, hair, clothes, etc. Although it didn’t occur to me on the first day, throughout the first few weeks of school, I realized that my island community was a ‘melting pot’ of races and social classes. In order for our community to function and prosper, we must accept that we need the cooperation of people who share a different cultural background.

If I were to take a walk into the downtown area today near restaurants, salons, basketball courts, shopping centers, etc. chances are high that I will encounter many different sorts of people that pass alongside me. Some are local business workers, and others are tourists who gaze at the area around me and witness the amount of racial diversity present on our island. I couldn’t imagine an America without diversity because it is through diversity that America exists.

Countries are connected through a network of business and transactions which involve different ethnic groups and citizens. Imports and exports from foreign countries are responsible for the convenience we are unable to find in our current locale. Look at the everyday materials we use in the classroom or workplace. If I were to look at my watch and examine the origin of the manufacturer, it would simply state ‘Made in China.’ My laptop computer is manufactured by Toshiba, a Japanese-based company. Garment workers from around the world are responsible for sewing our clothes and providing materials for tailoring. Oil drills are operated by locals of oil-rich countries which in turn sell us oil necessary for the operation of our cars, airplanes, trains, and many other various machinery we have in America. These are examples that America cannot exist without a multi-cultured society. International business affects the economy of every nation.

We must take advantage of the opportunity to communicate with different kinds of people every day for they share a different set of knowledge. We may have not been raised with the same paradigm or perspective but we can put aside discrimination and force ourselves (for the greater good) to establish a better world.

We need a world not infested with racism and unnecessary criticism, but one that can accept the value of diversity.