ISLAND VIEWS

The following are written by the students of the Writing Classes of Mrs. Robinson at the Northern Marianas College. The views expressed are solely those of the students.

[B]President Obama[/B] [I]By PISANTY NACHU[/I]

The person I want to meet is U.S. President Barack Obama. As the first African-American President, Mr. Obama is doing everything he can to help the people of the United States and its territories. The reason I want to meet him is that I want also to be the first Chuukese to meet a President of the United States. Back in 2008, President Obama was my first choice when he faced Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in the run-off. When Mr. Obama was declared the winner, I was happy because he became a historical person. Even though some people do not like him today, he is still my favorite President. He is the President who ended the war in Iraq after U.S. Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden. For me, President Obama is the greatest Western leader today.

[B]My mother[/B] [I]By SELENA WANG[/I]

My mother is a college professor in China. She has taught me many things about life. She is one of the most important people in my life. I learned many good values from my mother. Those values include the necessity to fear God, the importance of studying hard, the necessity of faithfulness, how to prepare myself to be a wise woman, and how to cook. The most important thing she has taught me is to have faith in God. Her teachings continue to influence me today. When I was very young, she told me Bible stories and taught me to trust God. She did not talk much, but it was the way she lived that influenced me. I learned values of good character from my mother. She has taught me many good things about life.

[B]The best meal[/B] [I]By HEIRSZAN MARTINEZ[/I]

The best meal I have ever had is red lobster boiled in coconut milk. I learned the recipe from my father before he passed away. First, you boil the lobster for a few hours until the lobster’s outer shell turns red. In the meantime, prepare to husk a mature brown coconut. After husking the coconut, split the round coconut in half. Next, grind the white coconut meat from half of the coconut that you husked. Put the white coconut meat in a bowl. Next, put the white coconut meat in cheesecloth and add water. As you add water to the cheesecloth, squeeze creamy white coconut milk into a bowl. After the lobster is boiled, put the cooked lobster in another pot. Add salt, onions, garlic (for seasoning), and creamy white coconut milk to the lobster. Boil for about 10 minutes. By the time you know it, the lobster will be ready to eat. Trust me, it will be so delicious you will not even think of your problems. Feel free to use my recipe if you have a chance to cook lobster. Let me know how you like it!

[B]Colors[/B] [I]By MIKI ITO[/I]

There are many colors in our lives: red, black, white, blue, yellow, green. …Each day we see different and interesting colors. For example, black glass is transparent when light shines on it. However, it is dark black in the darkness. Colors can also affect the way we feel. We can get more energy looking at primary colors like red, orange, yellow, or green. So it is a good idea to wear clothes of a primary color when we are feeling a little sad. By wearing a primary color, we will feel more energy and also feel better. Many athletes wear red when they play their sports. Do you know Tiger Woods? He is a famous golf player. He always wears a red polo shirt in the final round of a tournament. A professional sports player like Tiger Woods may get tense when he plays an important tournament. That is why professional athletes wear red clothing. So different colors can affect our feelings and our behavior.

[B]My favorite color[/B] [I]By IN JU AHN[/I]

My favorite color is purple. I also like black and white colors, but I prefer purple. For example, I have many purple shoes and eye shadows in different shades of purple such as violet and orchid. Some people have told me that the color purple is a gloomy color and makes a person feel down. They also say it is difficult to coordinate purple clothes. I agree, but I still believe purple is a more attractive color for me. When I wear purple clothes, I feel blue but calm. Moreover, when I wear purple make-up, I feel better than before. For me, the purple color pleases and refreshes me.

[B]Soccer[/B] [I]By HO JIN WOO[/I]

I am an excellent soccer player. Soccer is a very good sport for my health. So I like to play it with my friends at the American Memorial Park. Sometimes I play soccer with my son and daughter. They like to play soccer with me. However, my wife does not like to play soccer. I am a member of the MP United Team on Saipan. I am Korean but I do not belong to a Korean soccer team because I want to gain more different experiences playing soccer. My position is mid-fielder. When I play soccer, I do my best.

[B]Islandstyle Sushi[/B] [I]By HAN JEON[/I]

The easiest food to prepare is “Islandstyle Sushi.” First, you need to prepare warm rice, thickly sliced Spam, and strips of black seaweed (“nori”). Depending on your preference, you can add a spicy sauce such as a local hot pepper or Tabasco on top of the Spam. Second, put enough rice in a small bowl to hold a thickly sliced piece of Spam. Next, put a little water in the palm of your hand so that the rice does not stick to your palm. Third, shape the rice into a rectangle to fit a sliced Spam. Put the sliced Spam on top of the rice. For your last step, add a strip of black seaweed on top of the rice and Spam. Although it is not traditional Japanese sushi, “Islandstyle Sushi” is a simple and convenient food that can be eaten right away. You can also bring it to work for a nice snack.

[B]The color red[/B] [I]By DONG MEI GU[/I]

Red is a very popular color in my country of China. People like the red color, because it represents enthusiasm, happiness, and blessing. For the New Year’s celebration in China, each household will put wreaths of red on the door and windows as preparation also for the spring festival. The red wreaths represent blessing and good luck for the New Year. My country’s flag is also colored red. The red represents peace. When I see my country’s flag, my heart is very proud. I really like the red color. I always have red colors in my life. I like to wear red clothes and red shoes. If you see my room, you will see a red computer and red furniture. So the red color is very important in my life.