I am a writer

I tried to write this essay to submit on coursera.org. The class I am taking is "English Composition 1."
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I am not a writer. It was not my profession, and now, as a stay-home mom, I am not a writer at all. But I have to write. I write in my Vietnamese for my baby's blog, telling about her events so that my mother living in another hemispheres can know about her grand-daughter. I sometimes write something not important on my facebook notes to let my thoughts out of my brain, in Vietnamese too. So, I am an amateur writer in my mother tongue. However, I want to write to communicate with my foreign friends, who usually see my writing awkward.
I am from Vietnam. I was educated to become a teacher of English in high schools. Then I studied Master of TESOL to teach English in colleges. I should have been a teacher if I had not followed my husband to the U.S. He is studying for Ph.D while I become a stay-home mom with a brains always filling up with so many questions. Sacrifice or not sacrifice? Family or Work? My baby or my career? 3 years staying home because my visa status does not allow me to study higher or work, even part-time. Therefore, writing is my relieving solution.
But I used to writing in my mother tongue, I wrote well when I was in high school. In my country, students depend on sample essays to learn more beautifully-written phrases to write well. However, I didn't follow that. I read a lot instead. Regretfully, I didn't do the same when I learned to write English essays in college. I still read Vietnamese novels then and felt it hard to digest the thinnest English novel in the library. Another reason is I didn't practice writing much. That's why I am not a good writer in English.
I am trying to correct that mistake by learning to write in English again. 3 years staying home with my baby, I have chance to read materials about parenting and children books. Still, American people find my writing "awkward", the word they describe my writing. I am also worried about grammar mistakes. From my language background, I am not used to using articles, prepositions and tense. That's the reason why I enroll this class with the hope to be helped from others.

Be Creative in Poverty

I have 2 essays to write but can not help sharing this. Writing this way is also some kind of practice, so... Write!
The news is in Vietnamese. The context is in Vietnam. The school is in Yen Bai, north Vietnam where teachers have to live together in the same room. Although the school was funded to build a two-story building, teachers have to use their creativeness to furnish the school.
While many people complain about the government's wasting money in other projects, I feel the teachers should feel proud of themselves. They don't let poverty conquer them but make creativeness flourish.
Here are pictures from the news:

This is the picture of the school. It has a 2 story-building with about 10 classrooms, I guess. They have the gate but the fence is made from bamboo branches.

This is the picture of a room where teachers live together. They sleep in metal bulk beds.

They painted mathematical formula on the side of the stairs so that students from the yard can look at and learn by hearts. However, I don't understand why they painted a picture of Snow White and 7 dwarfs. They should have painted a picture of an ethnic hero in their literature. Just my opinion.

The container of shuttlecock is cut into halves and used as a flower vase. Green, right?

The flowers on the windows are from old CDs. Beautiful classrooms, huh?
Creativeness has no borders. Hope that all school in Vietnam can learn their green ideas.

I am studying about GE Food

What Is Genetic Engineering? | Union of Concerned Scientists

Let's see.
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I tested to share this website when I learn to evaluate it. Is it credible? Sometimes it's hard to know if a website is credible at the first time. My teacher showed us how to evaluate it.
The people behind the website want it to be widespread so it has a "Share" function. The difference is that it can be shared via more than 300 weblogs, emails all around the world. Last time I tried sharing it on blogger.

However, I ended up using sources from books in addition to this website. I don't have time to stay on the computer to read internet articles. Moreover, I can borrow books from the library. I can read books while playing with my baby. I tried to let my baby away from the laptop as much as possible. But, usually, she found me in the other room working on my essays on the laptop and she insists watching some video clips.

Oh, she's awake. Stop now.

Reprting verbs to write an article summary

I am taking ESL 101 in Parkland college. It is more heavy load than the Research writing course I studied when I was junior in my college 8 years ago. The class teaches me different kinds of academic writing with the most basic structure. I may have written them when I studied Master of TESOL from University of Canberra from 2005 to 2007, but I have a little impressions about them until now...
The first week, 3 page opinion essays. I missed the discussion on the first day. Then the class discussed more about typing format, basic structure of an American essay and culture differences affecting how to write essays among international students. Then, the essay was due last Tuesday. Boom, no ideas, a lot of ideas to narrow down, my baby being sick, housework, and so on. I feel I was behind.
Next Tuesday is the due date for the second assignment- an article summary. Just in one page.
After 3 years staying home, totally devoted to housework and baby care, I had no ideas to write, if yes, I wrote in my mother tongue. Now, If I want to be prepared for back-to-school, I have to learn again, seriously.
I started this blog. I force myself to write English on this blog. Just tell myself to write more, and read much more. If you find grammar mistakes or silly sentences, please help me by telling me. This blog is a place I try to write naturally by trusting myself, as my teacher suggested, but I need help. Thanks a lot.
Hey, I found this very useful material for writing the summary. Just want to share with you.
First is VERBS used to report the information in the article. Sometimes I can't distinguish when to use "argue" and "reckon". Here is the explanation. Thanks to University of Adelaide. It has explanation about meanings, patterns and some examples to use in a summary.
Secondly, you can practice paraphrasing and summarizing on this website. It is so useful. I love websites having exercise for me to practice.
Just one class but I feel overwhelmed. Now, a course in Coursera is waiting for me.

How to make a paper gift box

Here is the instruction for making an origami box, using a square paper
Video: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-paper-box-2?sourcelink=verticalrecommendation

It's a good source when you have a lot of gift wrap paper around your house. I made some tiny boxes, put several chocolate candies in and voila, a tiny gift from Santa Claus. My daughter didn't have any desire for Christmas gift, and after California trip, she was so happy to find 2 tiny gift boxes for her.
Here they are:

 And this is a pillow gift box making from the core of bath tissue paper. The instruction is found here.

Thanks to all creative crafters.

Crocheted mittens and fingerless gloves

I pinned these useful instruction to make fingerless gloves and mittens. They are for adult size but I used Patons sock yarn (number 1), which is 80% washable wool. I drew my daughter's hands on the paper and tried to try them on when I was crocheting. I intended to make for her first because they will be faster to make.

My daughter love them and doesn't want to put them off though she is in the class. A boy in her class also likes them and ask his mom to make a pair for him.

Here are the instructions:

http://crochetandknitting.com/mitglov2.htm

tutorial: http://itzibitzitinka.deviantart.com/art/Crochet-Glove-Tutorial-106948905

http://www.woolcrafting.com/crochet-gloves-pattern.html
fingerless gloves: http://petitepurls.com/Winter12/winter2012_p_wristy.html
http://myfavouritethingsblog95.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/confessions-of-crocheter.html

how to make a cardboard box

I am frugal. I don't know what you feel but I feel regretful to dispose all the cardboard boxes after unwrapping gift boxes though they were torn so I kept them in my closet. Garbage huh?

I saved them and made a smaller box to contain my crochet hats, wrap them up and send it to my friends.

I have to figure out how people cut and glue it to make a box  so it was not so nice but still acceptable. Here it is.

You can make one by following the instruction in this page.

Other pages for your reference:

http://www.echocartons.com.au/Style.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-A-Cardboard-Box/

http://zedomax.com/blog/2009/01/23/warehouse-diy-how-to-make-a-box/

Happy box making!