Graciele Joie P.

Reganit

INTSOCI A54

In the year 1999 on the month of April, world economy was in big trouble as everyone

had their fingers crossed for the two economic giants, China and the United States, to restore

their ties again. Not only that. Online business had its debut, and people were on board with

going into and buying from online businesses. Moreover, Muslims built extravagant Mosques as

.the Islam population grows larger and larger

Even with a competent and firm righteous Premier, China was dealing with economic

problems, as well as trying to mend ties with the United States. Both countries mentioned are

valuable players in world economics. Being caught up with the rivalry, developing countries are

at stake with their economy as well. As a young child, I wasn’t aware and couldn’t care less

about the economic development of the Philippines; but that didn’t mean I was oblivious to

everything. I knew for a fact that my father works in the United States, and that most of the

items he bought there were labeled ‘Made in China’, something I didn’t get since he wasn't from

China. I realised that these two countries were powerful enough to build their names and set

standards followed by the world. They were giants and economic anchors. But at a young age, I

realised that United States had more power compared to China, as the Chinese offered their

.labor to American companies

With the booming technology, it is not a surprise that it will make its way into the

business world, and eventually conquer it. Amazon, eBay, and other e-retailing and online

auction companies were catching the screens of various of people from all around the world.

Aside from the convenience and connection it brings, these companies give everyone a chance
for business with flexibility and high income. When I was introduced to technology in my

elementary years, it didn’t take me long to find out about online shopping. After a wave of

excitement, I became stressful as I scrolled through items I desperately want to get my hands

on, while having limited knowledge about terms like shipping or cash on delivery, and living in a

faraway province. Because of this, eight-year-old me nagged on my father who a magic card

apparently with money in it to get me Taylor Swift ballers. This triggered a part of me to shop

unwisely and impractically. Learning that you can get anything you want from anywhere in the

.world with a single click sounds appealing, but I became more impulsive and luxurious

Islam is slowly yet surely becoming prevalent, building huge, extravagant Mosques in

Mecca, accommodating more than one million worshipers on pilgrimage. Some citizens in Saudi

frowned at this, and complained about people in authority corrupting money, prioritising the

construction of extremely luxurious Mosques rather than helping the less fortunate. Because I

was raised in a religiously strict household, I was obliged to hear mass every Sunday and attend

a traditional Catholic school. I was taught to only believe in one God and to follow his

commandments. That is why I didn’t get why there are people who didn’t believe in the same

things I believed in. Learning about art, I came across a kind of play called Moro-Moro, revolving

around the unending war of the Muslims and the Christians. I feared about the wellbeing of

each party and came to the realisation that a diversity of beliefs is not a bad thing. I became

more open and accepting of the culture of others as I moved out of my comfort zone and

.egotistical ways

Being aware that there are outside forces that shaped me into becoming the person I am

today, I came to realize that everything doesn’t revolve around me, that there are people who
influence me as much as I influence them. Because I was raised in a family with strict religious

rules and thrown into the whirlwind of the world’s diversity, I came to be accepting and open-

minded, but with a strong foundation of values and morals. Having said this, my actions are not

just focused on what I want, on something that will benefit solely myself, but others as well. I

know that everything I do does not just affect me, but also the people around me. That is why I

occasionally volunteer in charity events. Also, because of this realization and the empathy and

love I feel towards the children, I chose to study early childhood education and someday help

the children, most especially the ones who are in poverty, by providing them quality education. I

am part of the society, and I believe that I can do something in order to improve where I am and

who I am. This also means being mindful of my surroundings. Caring for the environment and

the animals is also one of my advocacies. I segregate my trash and conserve energy as much as I

can. Along with this, I feel compassionate towards animals and plants for we are all living

.beings. This is how I see myself in the society, someone with hope and someone who will act

References

Eisenberg, D.(1999, April 12). One big market. Times

McCarthy, T. (1999, April 12). Zhu Rongji’s year of living dangerously. Times

Macleod, S. (1999, April 12). Mega Moques. Times