To Learn or Not to Learn... Any Favorites?

When presented with the question of selecting my favorite topic over the course of the semester, I had great difficulty in selecting just one. I found that the information presented about health care encouraged me to do more research about the debate our country is currently involved in between public vs. private insurance. I feel more knowledgeable about the current global condition concerning the AIDS epidemic and how it affects many more people than I could ever have imagined. I was exposed to the very informative documentary, A Closer Walk, which I fear I may never have experienced had it not been for this class. I greatly appreciated the descriptive information in the book about sexual health, for I feel as if I received well rounded information, encompassing female anatomy, how everything works, and the variety of different diseases and illnesses accompanied. As well as what happens to a woman's body throughout all the different life changes we experience.
I am sure I could go on and on about EVERY week throughout the course of this class, because each week held something different with very valuable information. I am going to walk away from this class with an excellent, well-rounded, knowledge base that I have previously lacked, and for that I am eternally thankful for the time spent.
I would also like to give a "shout out" to all of you... My classmates and my instructors. Everyone has been so positive AND informative. I feel like all of you have challenged my thought process and helped me to really see "outside the box". I am sad to see this class end, I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Best of Luck to all of you! Before we part, I would like to share one last quote with you...

The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.
Robert Cushing

My Thoughts Concerning Human Trafficking

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I sat down to watch a movie we received from Netflix called Taken. Knowing little about human trafficking, I found myself shocked as this story unfolded before me. Although this film was a fictional portrayal of human trafficking, very powerful images and thoughts unfolded in my head as a response. The story of Taken allows us to follow a man, retired from a lucrative career as a spy and bodyguard, who is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter. The daughter is required to seek permission from him for an opportunity to vacation in Europe with a girlfriend. He ends up agreeing with the promise from his daughter to contact him every day. Once his daughter and her friend arrive in Europe, they are immediately identified as targets for a group of Russians in the trafficking business. The film illustrated specific and gruesome examples of what young girls suffer from the time they are targeted and the progression they take until they are eventually sold to the highest bidder. Despite the incredible amount of suffering and even death, this story ends on a somewhat happy note when father saves daughter, who is able to reunite with her mother and return safely home. (Thank you Hollywood!)
However, though this story effectively shows us what victims of human trafficking are subjected to, very rarely are these victims presented with a happy Hollywood ending. I took the time to read the supplemental reading titled Human Trafficking: A Modern Plague, to expand my knowledge on this growing issue. I feel so ashamed for the people who choose to conduct this kind of business. To select individuals who are already suffering from the burdens of life, with false promises, is devastating to me. I feel physically sick when I read and see the things that these victims must endure, with false hopes that they will one day be free and happy. I do not understand how other human beings can subject and humiliate other human beings to such horrible sexual exploitation and working conditions. I do not understand how people can have such a lack of respect to women and children alike. Don't people realize that these victims are humans such as themselves? Whatever happened to treating others the way you would want to be treated?

I have included a clip from the movie mentioned above for those of you who are interested...