Life Update

 This post is going to be an update on my life! I wanted to write about something exciting or fun this week. So, some updates include that I dyed my hair, I get to go to Florida in a week, I officially only have like two months left of freshman year, and that I’m very very excited for summer break. Let’s start with my hair. I constantly like to make changes in my life because I get bored very easily. I think the only thing this does NOT apply to is people. Once I find my people, I want to keep them around forever. Back to my hair, I wanted to change something up and I had no idea what. So I decided to impulsively book a hair appointment and it turned out great! Usually when I impulsively do things it isn’t so great but this worked out. Next, I get to go to Florida in a week. I am so excited! I need sunshine and heat. The glimpse of spring we have gotten in Illinois have been great but then they are quickly taken away by 25 degree weather and snow storm alerts. Third, I officially only have like two months left of freshman year. This is extremely exciting because this year I figured a lot of things out about myself academically and for my future. I figured out that I actually do not want to be a teacher and major in education. This was a HUGE realization for me because it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Now I want to be a social worker and I am so excited to start that path. I am also excited for this year to be over because I am feeling a little bit burnt out. That last part goes with my next point (very excited for summer). So, thats all. I like giving life updates because it allows me to reflect on what’s been going on in my life. My picture was taken in Florida the last time I was there. Florida’s sunsets are the best! 

Guided Reflection: Cartel Land

 I chose to watch the documentary Cartel Land, directed by Matthew Heineman. The scene that stuck out to me the most was at the very beginning of the film. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the film so some of the first scenes stood out the most to me. A local was being interviewed and he explained that 3 men that he knew were murdered and then the film showed a picture of the 3 men with their heads propped up on a platform. The man explained that he had to get a heavy weapon to protect himself because he was the next target. He was saying that if it were you, would you sit around and wait for the bad guys to come, or would you prepare yourself. This scene was very raw and made me think about how I would feel if I were in that position. The situation in Mexico really is life or death. It’s devastating what innocent people have to go through everyday. Something that surprised me was some of the things that the US Border Recon would say. For example one of the men said, “why would you put two races in the same nation and expect them to get along?” He was basically saying that when you put Mexicans in the United States, why would anyone expect white people and Mexicans to get along. Obviously that's very racist and it made me wonder how anyone could like that. I have a few questions left after finishing Cartel Land. First, I am curious about what has happened with the drug and cartel problem in Mexico. Has it gotten worse since the documentary or better or has it stayed the exact same? Next, has the government made any new efforts to end the cartel problem? And last, when and how did the problem get so large that it can’t be handled? I see things from the documentary in my life more often than I would’ve thought. Problems in Mexico are on the news a lot. I recently learned that it was recommended that people do not travel to Mexico because of the high violence there. I also have a friend whose uncle was shot by the cartel in Mexico and his whole family flew to Mexico and had a devastating funeral for him. The last thing that this movie connected with was the show Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad is one of my favorite shows. I never realized that the events happening in the show were so likely to be real. It seemed so far-fetched, however after watching Cartel Land it really set in that horrific things happen everyday. We might avoid research in summaries because it could potentially take away from the documentary.