A2 RIHLA #3

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Part One: 3.5 The Occupations of Old Egypt

1. From the text, Be a Scribe, historians can learn that, in Egypt, there are many forms of job specialties. If a person's occupation is of little value to the civilization, those who specialize in it are rarely remembered throughout history. Those who bring prosperity to the civilization are better acknowledged by those in power. It is clear that there are superiors and inferiors—the social class division.

2. Being a scribe and learning how to write offers an Egyptian luxury that can never be experienced if they were to take on a job of the uneducated. The scribes receive a mansion, they are able to eat a feast, and they gain the trust of the king. If one became a scribe, they would not have to endure any form of suffering that another person of lower ranking might experience. A scribe is free from "military" duty.

3. The teacher seems most frustrated about trying to convince his/her stuents to become scribes—to understand the importance of earning how to write. The students seemed more concerned with finding a job/occupation in which they grew up with, and the teacher tries hard to convince them of the greatness of being a scribe.

Part Two: College Visit

A. From what I have seen, I can say that the importance of education is not valued enough by American students. In ancient Egypt, it was clear that many believed that getting an education was the key to a life desired by all. In modern day america, I se that almost everyone complains about homework, school and everything involving learning. The majority of the teenage population that can access the internet share the same opinion about school: that it should not exist. Some girls even said once that they would rather drop out and take on a job that will strip them of their dignity and it made me feel a sense of embarassment, not just for them but also for our generation. Education is important and learning is the most wonderful thing anyone can ever experience. The more enthusiastic a person is about learning, the better they learn and the better they are at everything else.

B. College Visited: Illinois Institute of Technology

Person Interviewed: Ivan Ortiz - Student - Junior - Major: Aerospacing Engineer - Works in the Undergraduate Admissions

Q: What activities can the students do for fun?

A: The students here at IIT are given freedom to do almost anything. There are currently about 130 clubs that are started and run by the students. Anyone can start a club and receive funding from the school. We also do campus-wide activities such as the pumpkin launch where students launch pumpkins at one another from across the baseball field. Just this past week we had our Homecoming week and it was widely enjoyed. Outside we also have a frisbee golf course spread around the entire campus and students can play any time to ease stress.

Q: What is the key thing the students have to learn how to do in order to survive college?

A: The key thing students here at IIT have to remember is that time management is important. If you do not know how to manage your time, you will not become successful. After high school, you are thrown into the real world expected to be an adult. You have to learn how to do things on your own, time management being one of them.

Q: What program, offered by the college/school, do you appreciate the most? Why?

A: I would say I'm most grateful for the "Introduction to Professions." It's kind of like a freshman 101 class where, in your first semester here in IIT, you are introduced to various professions allowing you to gain a new perspective on things. Students are given a wide range of careers to choose from and I think that's important—you get to decide for yourself what career you feel best suits you.

C. As much as science intrigues me, I personally don't see myself studying and getting my college degree from this institution, though I do see myself applying. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always loved studying science. I felt as though it was my job to learn and educate people of what I learned. I declared to myself that one day, I will become a scientist. As time passed by and I grew older, my interest in pursuing a career in science slowly faded as I developed new hobbies. I feel as though this institution will simply limit me from trying various fields of work. I can only try different forms of mathematics and sciences, no more, no less. When I'm in college, I want to be able to try so many things I lose track of what I do. I'd like to try all fields of interest—it's the easiest way to form an opinion is from experience.

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