3+cups+Discussion+Notes+for+Section+B


 * __5/4/10 notes__**
 * Writing Technique
 * from Mortenson's point of view--but written by journalist David Oliver Relin
 * got the information by learning his life up close
 * quotes at the beginning of each chapter: play into what the chapter holds
 * purpose to his mission-->Christa
 * was he meant to fail at climbing K2??
 * yes, has strong power in "fighting terror in the right way"
 * allowed for him to make history, but he would have done something regardless--maybe not so extreme, but if an opportunity presented itself to help somebody he would take it
 * school conditions
 * a lot of kids here at FA take things for granted
 * 82 kids dedicated to learning, would not be the same here in the US
 * over crowded schools..
 * only cost 1 dollar a month for a child to get educated
 * PASSAGE: pg. 30
 * really nice in Korphe
 * children came and took his hands
 * nice blankets, a room, sugar is really rare and special and they let him have some in his tea
 * wonder how his story was found...
 * family? Mentioned wife in introduction, Tara Bishop, but was he married during trip?
 * family can have an influence of how long he could be gone or how much money he spends
 * climbed Kilimanjaro at age 11--climbing is a passion
 * grew up in Africa
 * predict:
 * hard time funding the project
 * getting the support of his friends and people to build schools in this area of terrorism
 * not really well known, or financially secure
 * education is the one thing the people of Korphe desire most for their children

5/6/10

Passages Mortenson had almost no computer knowledge and was trying to type letters with a typrewriter. A pakistani helphed him become computer literate so he could write letters to get money to help Pakistani children become literate. "Overseas pennies can move mountains" This book is telling a great story and is highly interesting. "Your not going to go piss of some beach in Mexico, smoke dope, and screw your girlfriend are you." His first serious contributor is this eccentric guy and is very straightforward.

Mortenson never gives up. His determination is his biggest asset. He can barely ype, and here he is determinde ot write 500 letters and when he gets turned down he always continues to struggle on. He never quits. Self sacrficing- gave up his relationship and all his personal possesions to help the kids, when in pakistan hes staying in the cheapest places and keeping nothing for himself We were surprised at how quickly he got the money, most turned him down, but as soon as Hoerni got wind of him, he was fully funded, it all sort of fell into place Very considerate of others, gets plain brown robes so as not to seem above the villagers Wants to know how to pray, learn the culture of the people

Everything he does wouldn't be possible if he was a woman, woman aren't respected Do you think he would be how he is if it wasn't for his childhood? His parents were very humanitarian, created schools and hospitals, did it for others not themselves, his childhood played a huge role, always part of helping others He lives his whole life on nothing, but is determined to helping others, even persecuted at times for his differences like hwen he came to america Things in Pakistan is vastly cheaper compared to stuff in US Everything is about tea, to welcome someone, to bargain, everything is done with tea, very important Essential Question- The environment and the way Mortenson was raised helped create his personality and make him who he was, introduce him to helping others and humanitarianism, determined. However, its his efforts and his alone, his determination and influence and effort that is making the difference and getting the money and building the school Circumstances can help, but ultimanetly its the individuals actions


 * felt sorry for him when he had to build a bridge
 * had it rough
 * bad luck
 * luck changed when he got 10,000 more
 * wife?
 * passage pg 86
 * "very near, nearly 6 or 7 hours"
 * things take long
 * patience is a virtue
 * desperation
 * life being stretched
 * Mortensons being stretched too
 * but life for people of pakistan is stretched too
 * lack of moneyyy
 * inspirational
 * gender is a big deal
 * women work, women are treated less than men
 * proportionally less than us here in a rich country
 * yet they can still enjoy life, they're still happy.
 * passage pg 112
 * have a teacher!
 * intermingled stories. because the author David Relin is reporter
 * gives lots of context
 * Essential question
 * individual
 * everything is against him
 * but his strength to push forward against everything, even when they said they didn't want a school, they wanted a bridge.
 * strength and endurance of a great individual fights against everything and everyone.
 * strength and endurance of a great individual fights against everything and everyone.

5-12-10
 * Mortenson and Tara Bishop got married in 6 DAYS
 * Shes all into climbing, cause her dad was a photographer
 * Unique, love at first sight
 * Kept going back to the airport but didn't leave for Pakistan
 * Didn't tell her mom till a couple days after they were married
 * He's the Director of the central Asian to set up schools throughout the Himalayan
 * Different concept of time in Korphe
 * Everything is hustle and bustle in U.S., in Korphe they have all the time in the world
 * He goes to Waziri people and was too trusting
 * Osama Bin Ladin at the time was hunting Americans
 * His wife is at home pregnant
 * told his captors it was a boy (when really its a girl)
 * the birth of a first son is super important
 * Goes into this Pakistani region and has no idea how to do this
 * Ate a feast with the Wazir people
 * Wakes up and gets kidnapped
 * Don't know the reason of why he was there or why he was released
 * New life of traveling and building schools
 * He can't go back to a normal life
 * Maybe his wife will get involved
 * His kids will grow up with worldly knowledge
 * very much like his own life, growing up in Africa
 * His wife is gonna be a psychiatrist
 * His life is always going back and forth
 * He was born to change history
 * His wife is perfect for him cause she understands his ways
 * Knows that hes never on time
 * When he is kidnapped, they judged him for being American
 * History influenced their opinion
 * He's American
 * Quotes are good.
 * Hoerni has leukemia

5/14/10 5/18
 * strong characteristics
 * curiosity--open and wanting to learn about other people
 * accepting of their beliefs, not imposing
 * embracing of their culture
 * our society is so secular--not connected like Pakistan, Church on Sundays but that it....
 * sher has power to overrule government
 * good so if govt. becomes corrupt, takes control
 * bad if power hungry
 * CAI
 * will continue being successful, people are hearing more about it, taking action
 * people to help, ask for donations
 * essential question
 * meeting with the different group of Pakistanis, he was able to bring them all together in peace, he's changing the way they look at each other
 * the shatwa made Mortenson work as fast as he could in case he was to be forced out of Pakistan
 * Mortenson keeps building schools in a period of 6 months
 * Pakhora
 * Kashmiri
 * Kuardu
 * Halde
 * paid for Teacher's salary
 * Korphe
 * built womens center
 * Mortenson must have magical powers on having an amazing first impression on people
 * Sher accepting a bribe?? HE'S CORRUPT! Money always wins in Pakistan, wealth is greater...
 * Even if he hadn't discovered Korphe when he was lost, he would have followed this same path
 * influenced by his father

If Mortenson had gotten different news about the fatwa, had been banned from Pakistan we think he would have continued his mission in another ocuntry, continued to fight somehow. Connects to essential question- individual creating history, hes going to help no matter what

Mortenson is still facing a lot of financial troubles and is well-supported in Pakistan, but back home people are disgruntled with him because they think he's not devoting enough time to the organization back home. He's spread to thin, gaining weight, completely devoted to work.

People are taking advantage of him, using him as sideshows for events or personal gain, and then not giving him any donations. However, he continues to persevere because he so desperately wants/needs a big donor for the CAI to replace Hoerni.

Taliban are erecting wahhabbi madrassas, indoctrinating tons of kids to be the next generation of terrorists. Mortenson can;t compete with their saudi funds and is afraid of the effec their teachings will have

Gave point of views of Pakistani people and hteir lives and then meeting Mortenson, shows how big a difference he is making in these peoples lives, very good and interesting technique

Mortenson in Pakistan at the time of 9/11. Outside research- pre 9/11, taliban existed, supported a lot of al-quada and related terrorists groups, ran a lot of terrorists camps, government was a main conduit of terrorist funds, gave nuclear research to N. Korea, Iran, Iraq, etc.. post 9/11 right afterwards made agreements with us to move against terrorists and keep control of the madrassas and take control of nuclear assets, but all they allowed was for the US to use military bases. How is this going ot affect Mortensons ability to help Pakistan. Negatively influence ability to get into country? People persecute him for being american?

Pakistani's afraid of being viewed terribly by the world because of attacks, they feel terrible people in their country did such a thing and know that most of them don;t want any part with any such thing

Mortenson returned ot korphe to visit Haji ALi before going home, but the old man had died the winter before. LEft him with a message of listen to the wind, basically told him to continue what he was doing helping the children

Essential Question- Mortenson is still and indiviudal making history. Bringing help to the refugees etc., but events are having a bif influence as well. Mortenson can integrate into this life of Pakistan because his whole life from when he was a baby has been on the run, with different peoples and he's well prepared for it. But it's still his determination. However, events have changed others. Hes a rare individual. For example, a lot of the youth in Pakistan is being affected by history. They are being indoctrinated by the wahhabi madrassas, they made no conscious choice to become a terrorist and bring down the infidels, but rather over time are brainwashed by events and teaching.


 * do you think that Mortenson's program has the capacity to grow in this time, when terrorism is such a huge scare, and people are calling him a traitor?
 * is still strong and can work like he had when he was unknown
 * giving speeches
 * getting supporters
 * fight war on terror with education
 * but it was taken badly in America
 * helping the Taliban
 * do you think that the balance has changed, regarding the essential question. is mortenson now reacting to events that transpire?
 * yes
 * 9/11, war in afganistan, made him want to fight for these people more.
 * no
 * still believes in himself, and believes that he can fight terrorism with education
 * depends on the person
 * if it were someone else, they would have reacted differently
 * do you think it's possibly for Mortenson to fulfill his promise to Haji Ali.
 * if he were closer to the war zone, it might affect him differently
 * make him more determined, more persevering!
 * connection question
 * where were you when the planes hit. did you have the same reaction that the people in Pakistan did.

5-25-10 Notes
 * Is Mortenson a real American Hero?
 * He is what he stands for and he fulfills his promises.
 * The guy from the magazine recognized him as a true hero
 * Helped him money wise
 * Payed people raises
 * His salary reflected his hard work and that he deserved it
 * out of all his new fan mail he got only one hate mail
 * It is the individual that makes history?
 * Individual creates history because of his perseverance and everything he does makes him more respected.
 * Keeps his promises and fulfills them
 * Believes in his causes
 * And feels anger and defensive for the Pakistani people
 * Traveling
 * They get stuck between opium drug wars
 * and in a tunnel their truck breaks down.
 * How he has changed?
 * He has become more responsible and flexible
 * He's more experienced, so he reacts better
 * He has something to come back too
 * His family extends to the Pakistani people
 * How have people changed?
 * More educated
 * Women are stronger
 * Foreign interaction, they love an American
 * Are his goals successful
 * YES
 * it started out as one goal in Korphe and now he has 81 in Pakistan