BlogEntry12

Writing is not easy because this requires self-discipline, organizational, and linguistic skills. I finish college in my country where I wrote 75 pages for my diploma work but writing in language that I do not know very well is completely different. When I started my English class I was full of fear that I cannot handle it. After few months of reading Fast Food Nation written by Eric Schlosser, writing class blog, and working with my classmates I can say that it was not so bad.

I have to admit that research project was a challenge not only because of my English skills but also because of my researcher ability. At the beginning it was important to find right and reliable sources about the topic I would like to write about. I found many articles, books, and journals that concern my topic but to find exact information it was more difficult. I read many pages that were not important for my work, so it took my few hours to find my own system that will help find only right information. During the writing of my work I had the biggest problem with grammar and vocabulary. Many times I knew what I want to say but I could not find the right words. I my head there were mostly Polish words that reflected what I want to explain in my research project.  With some help from my more experience friends and school teachers I solved my problems. I also appreciate that I did my project step by step during my class hours which helped me to understand how to write research project understandable and valuable for the reader. I know that every project is different but now I feel more confident about my work.

This class is not just about writing because the topic we focused on opened my eyes for many issues relate to food. Most people realize that food contain chemicals such as hormones and antibiotics, but food in our stores mean also terrible working conditions in slaughter houses and the legislation that allows for destructing our health. This class helped me to understand how important what we eat is. Every time I do my grocery I pay more attention to the labels and origins of these products. It is better to pay a little more money for the organic products that are so easily available in New York City than save few dollars and risk food poisoning or antibiotic-resistant infection. There is nothing more important and valuable than health.

Life, especially in New York, is very demanding because people lives fast and try to use their time as good as they can. They work, talk and eat fast without thinking what they really put inside their bodies. Reading and writing about food have taught me that I can make conscious consumer decisions and decide what is good form my. I agree with Eric Schlosser who says in his book “You are what you eat” (10).