Undergraduate / U of Chicago: " Powers of Ten" [8]

Essay Option 2 . The short film Powers of Ten begins with an aerial shot of a couple picnicking in a Chicago park. The camera zooms out ten meters. It then zooms out again, but the degree of the zoom has increased by a power of ten; the camera is now 100 meters away. It continues to 1,000 meters, then 10,000, and so on, traveling through the solar system, the galaxy, and eventually to the edge of the known universe. Here the camera rests, allowing us to examine the vast nothingness of the universe, black void punctuated sparsely by galaxies so far away they appear as small stars. The narrator comments, "This emptiness is normal. The richness of our own neighborhood is the exception." Then the camera reverses its journey, zooming in to the picnic, and - in negative powers of ten - to the man's hand, the cells in his hand, the molecules of DNA within, their atoms, and then the nucleus both "so massive and so small" in the "vast inner space" of the atom. Zoom in and out on a person, place, event, or subject of interest. What becomes clear from far away that you can't see up close? What intricate structures appear when you move closer? How is the big view related to the small, the emptiness to the richness?

Inspired by Lee Burwasser, a graduate of J. R. Masterman High School, Philadelphia, PA.

Salif sat on the curb of la route de Ngor. His empty tomato can in his hands; he looked left, then right, but still couldn't find anyone to approach and ask for money. He lowered his head and got caught in his thoughts. He knew that when he got home that night he would get beaten by the Marabout - his religious leader.

This 8 year old boy, Salif, is a Talibé. He goes out on the street every day to beg for money. He is one in thousands of Talibés in Senegal. There are other Salifs in Yoff, in Almadies, in Point E, in Fann, in Médina, in Mermoz and in every other neighborhood of Dakar. Less visible, but every bit as miserable are the millions of others.

Along with the Talibé, a group of handicapped women beg in downtown Dakar, some in wheelchairs, others on the ground. A car passes by; stopping on the red light; one woman with a baby comes close and asks for money. The driver just looks at her, puts up the window and turns his head to leave. In his eyes, the woman saw pity, the worst thing a human being could ever feel towards another one. Oh, how she hated that look. All these women feel ashamed of begging, of raising pity; they have no other choice. It is the only way they can bring food to the table.

In the neighborhood of Ouest Foire, in the backyard of a small house, Fatou is doing the laundry. She is 16 years old and the third wife of Mamadou, a 50 year old. Having been forced into an arranged marriage, Fatou was first raped then made pregnant by her husband. Now her days are made of taking orders from her husband's other wives, taking care of her child and their children, cooking, and sometimes enduring the sexual advances of her husband. As she was married young, Fatou hasn't had a normal youth. She was forced to grow up too quickly.

Salif's life, hard as it is, is common in misery compared to the beggars', Fatou's, and to all the other problems in Dakar: corruption, unemployment. One little boy's hardship is just like a speck of dust in a giant's eye. Yet, he still survives and manages to find some joy. Not only him, but they all survive because of their sense of togetherness. One other thing that Salif, the women and Fatou have in common is that they are all Muslim.

Within the many values of Senegal, the sense of togetherness is one of the most important ones. It is the reason they all keep going on. Knowing that when in trouble or in need, someone will be there to help you, keeps up their faith. This help may just be a piece of bread or just a 100 fcfa coin, what really counts is that it's there. When one Talibé is given something -food, candy, clothing - he will share it with the other Talibés, no matter how big or small the gift. The women who beg may be from different areas, different families, and different tribes; in the end the most important thing is they will still support each other through their hardships. Sharing meals, sometimes the little they collected and whenever one needs one, a shelter; and Fatou may dislike her husband and her fellow wives, but she is sure that if she needs their help, they will help her no questions asked. She might have been forced to live with them and she might dislike them, it doesn't matter, in the end they are her family, and family is supposed to stick together through thick and thin. The family is known as the foundation of Islamic society.

94% of the Senegalese population is Muslim; therefore Senegalese values are highly influenced by their Islamic culture. The Qur'an, their central religious text, teaches them that togetherness promotes goodness, which is why no matter what misfortunes they may be going through; it is still possible for them to have faith and hope. Muslims believe that the Qur'an is the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind; therefore they are very strict when it comes to following it.

If one looks from far at Senegal, they see poverty, corruption, uncleanness; but as you get to know the people, the culture, and the country itself, you see one population united through Islam. One of the fundamentals of Islam is that all human beings consist of a brotherhood. Before Allah, there is no rich, no poor, no ruler, no ruled, no man, no woman, no child, no race. Everyone is equal. Hence, Muslims will share what they have, in good times just as well as in hard times, just as long as no one is left alone.

Hey guys, Happy New year!! I know its new year, but if you could please check this real quick for me, it would be real nice.. its due tomo... thnx...

Undergraduate / Common App: Fundraising consultant, physical therapist and neonatologist [8]

Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. This personal essay helps us to become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself.

Fundraising consultant, physical therapist and neonatologist. Three jobs that I dream of doing. The reactions to them: "Why don't you do business instead of fundraising consultant, it's better". "Physical therapy? That is a job of an assistant, why don't you be a general doctor? Plus, physical therapists don't get paid as much." "Neonatologist? What exactly does a neonatologist do?"After the explanation: "ah...now that's better". These are all the answers my dad came up with when I told him about the different jobs I wanted to do. My father has always pushed me to move beyond what my young mind conceived for my future, and I am now very glad that this loving pressure proved stronger than my inexperienced resistence.

Every time I would tell my father one job that I want to do, he would go online and start researching it. He would look at what it is exactly, how much it pays and probably how needed it will be in the future. Sometimes, when I wouldn't agree with his opinions, he would even ask his friends and of course, they eventually would end up having the same opinion as him. This would get me even angrier, but one other thing I've got to admit is that I am a little stubborn, so sometimes even if I knew they were right, I would still not change my mind.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not complaining and I certainly don't want to make him look bad. I've got to admit that, though I actually appreciate his answers now, before, they would get on my nerves, and I would think that nothing pleased him. I would go and complain to my sister, telling her that I don't see the point in him telling us we can do what we want, if in the end he is going to change it into something else. But with time, I've come to understand him and to understand what he meant. We always see in movies and in life, a parent that puts his child on his shoulders, so that the child can see well. The parent takes his child to a vantage point. He does this every time, until the child reaches the day when he is old enough and tall enough to see properly by himself.

Well, my dad is kind of like this. He may say things that seem mean, but all he is trying to do is help me see better. He knows there is more out there, he is preparing me for my future. I mean I've got to agree, he's the adult, and he stands much taller than me when it comes to such things. Him telling me that my job is not good enough really means that I could do better. His research shows me that there are more opportunities. He makes me research even more because he wants me to see everything clearly.

His "higher perspective" not only made choose a better career path, but also helped me find a vocation that I really liked and in a way fulfilled what I liked in the other careers. As a neonatologist, I will be able to help the most innocent beings on earth, babies. I already knew that I loved babies, and that I would like a job that helped people. However, I didn't know a job that would include both. But, it is the fact that my dad always pushed me, which made me find out about neonatology. What felt like pushing, was actually lifting. I came to find out that his answers weren't degrading but rather encouraging and protecting, and for that I will forever be grateful.

Basically if you could just please help me review it and maybe find a title. I can't find one yet.. Thanks in advance.