Week Seven

Welcome to this week's topic - Diversity & Inclusion III - Instructions Not Included

Monday night sunset!

CCF Flag Football Game

This week has been very good! I feel as though I have fewer assignments, but I think that I am just learning to manage my time better. I have been making to-do lists, and I am working to stay on top of my tasks! This week I have had lots of free time to spend with my friends. On Tuesday, I had a flag football game with CCF. On Wednesday night, Gracen, Riley, Kaylee, Carleigh and I stayed at the apartment and played the Wii. Afterwards, we drove around town and listened to music. As I am writing this, today is Thursday. Around lunch today I met up with the fourth graders from my school that I graduated

Fourth Grade!

from. They were on a field trip visiting the planetarium. I was a teacher aide for these kids when they  were in first grade, so it was really fun to meet back up with them, and it really brightened my day! I am planning to go back home again this weekend, and I might go to Perry Fair this weekend.

(3)

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the FYE Film Instructions Not Included (1). This film was very touching, and it was actually entertaining. In class on Monday, we took a short participation quiz. On the quiz, Dra. asked each of us to list three themes that we would like to discuss regarding the film. I remember listing the issue of child custody. The class was divided into groups, and I discussed the film and my "quiz" answers with JD and Kinsley. I enjoyed getting to talk with the two of them because we sit far apart in class, and I am rarely paired up with them. The three of us agreed on most of our points. We listed one of the stereotypes to be "playboy" because at the beginning of the film, Valentin is portrayed as a man who sleeps around with multiple women. On the quiz, I had to describe the importance of the scene where Valentin has to jump off a high balcony to save baby Maggie from drowning in the hotel pool. After he saves the baby, Valentin realizes that he will go to any extent to protect his daughter. In this moment, he realizes that he wants to be her father, and he wants to provide for her.

In class on Wednesday, we continued our discussion about the film. I had a great discussion with Ebeni about the activity sheet that we were given. I always enjoy talking with her. Ebeni mentioned her family as the leading factor that caused her to experience selfless love, but outside of family, she mentioned her boyfriend. I was surprised at how similar our answers were, and I feel as though we really connected during this discussion. Overall, I really enjoyed the film. I liked hearing everyone's opinions and personal experiences with the various themes Dra. gathered from our quiz answers. This film is my favorite out of the ones that we have watched so far - probably because the film was more light-hearted, and it wasn't a documentary about unsettling issues.

For this blog, I read a review over Instructions Not Included by the Los Angeles Times (2). This review was rather short, and it listed mainly facts rather than opinions. I agreed with relatively the whole article. One thing I found interesting is that the article pointed out the difference between the English translation and the direct Spanish translation. The article declares that "No Returns Accepted" is a more appropriate description of the story. Dra. pointed out the difference to us in class, and I was surprised to see the similarities in the article and in our class discussions.

I really enjoyed class this week, and I am excited for next week! Thanks for reading!

Resources:
(1) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oDpARriao25gQMMwX6xTx6O211i5mdFm
(2) https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-instructions-not-included-review-story.html
(3) https://images.app.goo.gl/9n5jRZU8L7myS3Q96