module review
During this module we were taught about the many tricks to becoming a more confident public speaker. We watched youtube videos which compared good public speakers to bad ones. The tip that stuck out to me most is that you should be confident about the subject you discuss. When we were given the task to write out own speech I was nervous at first. This is because i have never excelled at public speaking. However, I chose to speak about a major event in my life which caused me to have a very unique childhood. It is all about my experience living in Jamaica, an island that faces many economical issues such as poverty, which then leads to major violence. I compared people of Jamaica to those of Ireland and discussed my experience in both countries.
My speech
When I was just nine years old, my life changed drastically. Due to a new job opportunity for my dad, my while family moved to Jamaica. This was a tiny island in the Caribbean that I had never even heard of before. When I looked at pictures I was amazed by the white sand beaches and the crystal clear ocean. However, I was unaware that these were the glorified aspects of the island that were advertised for the tourists to see. In reality I discovered the shockingly high murder rate, one of the highest in the world. There is also a lot of sexual assault and an ongoing threat of gang violence, along with drug exportation. The most dangerous part of the island is the capital city, Kingston, which is where I lived. Being a young girl in Jamaica, I had many limitations. I had to be driven everywhere and was rarely left alone without any adults. This aspect was tolerable when I was young, however as I got older I craved independence.
Jamaica made me realize how lucky I am as I was exposed to the horrific aspects of extreme poverty. While there are wealthy Jamaicans, most Jamaicans live in squalor with poor housing, limited food supply, and inadequate access to clean water, quality healthcare, and education. Tourism is the main industry of Jamaica and the tourists spend all of their time in the luxury resorts on the north side of the island. Most tourists never leave these resorts to acknowledge the culture of the island such as the music, arts, and the natural beauty it has to offer. I believe that being exposed to the poverty has bettered me as a person.
Along with the element of poverty, environmental issues such as pollution and incorrect garbage disposal occur. Some Jamaican beaches in the capital city are filled with washed up rubbish such as plastic bags and bottles. This destroys the beautiful natural aesthetic. This also affects the sea life and sea activities such as scuba diving, as the waters are no longer clear and the animals are slowly dying. With my school we took part in many intense beach cleanups and even traveled on a boat through the mangroves with a large garbage net. There is definitely a lot of work to be done in order to preserve the purity of this island.
All of these aspects inspired me to want to make changed in my community. I joined the Global Issues Network and Model United Nations. In these groups we completed projects and we banned Styrofoam from our school, supporting it with the many negative effects of Styrofoam on our environment. I have only recently moved back to Ireland and there are many differences between life here and life there, the teenager’s inn Jamaica were a lot more laid back and less interested in drinking and parties. This was due to the danger of the country. Also, I find that teenagers in Ireland are more sensitive because they have been sheltered from poverty and violence. To me, the problems people face in Ireland are often very minor to those faces by the Jamaicans. My experience in Jamaica has showed me how culture and economic issues affect the personalities of those in that area. Even though Jamaica has its problems, its culture and people should not go unnoticed.
Jamaica made me realize how lucky I am as I was exposed to the horrific aspects of extreme poverty. While there are wealthy Jamaicans, most Jamaicans live in squalor with poor housing, limited food supply, and inadequate access to clean water, quality healthcare, and education. Tourism is the main industry of Jamaica and the tourists spend all of their time in the luxury resorts on the north side of the island. Most tourists never leave these resorts to acknowledge the culture of the island such as the music, arts, and the natural beauty it has to offer. I believe that being exposed to the poverty has bettered me as a person.
Along with the element of poverty, environmental issues such as pollution and incorrect garbage disposal occur. Some Jamaican beaches in the capital city are filled with washed up rubbish such as plastic bags and bottles. This destroys the beautiful natural aesthetic. This also affects the sea life and sea activities such as scuba diving, as the waters are no longer clear and the animals are slowly dying. With my school we took part in many intense beach cleanups and even traveled on a boat through the mangroves with a large garbage net. There is definitely a lot of work to be done in order to preserve the purity of this island.
All of these aspects inspired me to want to make changed in my community. I joined the Global Issues Network and Model United Nations. In these groups we completed projects and we banned Styrofoam from our school, supporting it with the many negative effects of Styrofoam on our environment. I have only recently moved back to Ireland and there are many differences between life here and life there, the teenager’s inn Jamaica were a lot more laid back and less interested in drinking and parties. This was due to the danger of the country. Also, I find that teenagers in Ireland are more sensitive because they have been sheltered from poverty and violence. To me, the problems people face in Ireland are often very minor to those faces by the Jamaicans. My experience in Jamaica has showed me how culture and economic issues affect the personalities of those in that area. Even though Jamaica has its problems, its culture and people should not go unnoticed.