Justin Bieber compared to MJ?!

Justin Bieber being compared to Michael Jackson?! WHAT?! I just heard about him being compared to MJ! I would have never imagined that he would be compared to the King of Pop. Michael Jackson has been around for a very long time and worked very hard to get his title, but now teenage Justin Bieber is being compared to that!

Michael Jackson definitely worked long and hard to get his title of: 'The King of Pop". He started performing at a very young age and was singing until he died. Although, he was a bit weird, but most really great singers are. Michael Jackson did some strange things in his life, but he continuously made good music. His hard work and great music gave him his title, he greatly deserved it.

Justin Bieber on the other hand is just in his teens and has only been popular for about 6 months. Justin Bieber is really no different than any other pop singer today. Michael Jackson was amazing because he changed music for ever. Justin Bieber is just copying every other pop singer. Justin Bieber's music isn't even good and the only people who like him are crazy teenage girls who like him for his looks and by this time next year those girls will have moved on to some other singer.

So, I think it is completely unfair for Justin Bieber to be called 'The New King of Pop' because Michael worked long and hard for that title and changed pop music forever. Michael Jackson was also loved by many different people, unlike Justin Bieber fans who are just teenage girls. Michael Jackson will be remembered forever as the true 'King of Pop', while Justin Bieber is just a silly fad that will soon pass.

-Fiona XOX

I commented on: Olivia's Blog

Traveling

I think that being able to travel to all these different places is a very great thing. Going to different countries can be such an eye opener, because all these different countries have different cultures, religions and different ways of life! I think that it is so interesting to see them. It's very different seeing people in exotic places in pictures or movies, you have to really be there to feel how different it is. Like when we're shown videos from World Vision and other organizations they show us the people they help, what they're doing and where they are, but once you actually see people like the people who are being helped by World Vision in person it's so different and has so much more meaning.

Many people haven't had the experience of traveling, but fortunately many people at our school have been able to. If you can travel I think it's a bit of a waste if you just stay in your sheltered resort instead of actually going around and seeing how people really live there! I know so many people who have travelled to these exotic, interesting places, but have just stayed in their resort, sun bathing by the pool. I think that it is a waste of being in an amazing place and just lying by a pool, which you could do at home. Every time I travel I try to take advantage of what is offered to me and I think that people should do the same. Every place has different things that it can teach you. From traveling I have learned so much, I would be a very different person if I hadn't gotten the opportunity to go to the places I have.

When I travel I love to actually go into a real city where people from wherever I am actually live. While I was in Africa we didn't even stay in a resort. We travelled around with a group and went to different hotels. We were always safe and still guarded, but we weren't completely closed in. I got to meet people who really lived in the bad areas of Africa. We went to what's called a "Shanty Town", which is a small place where very poor people make homes from discarded cardboard, sheets of metal, corrugated iron, etc. The people who lived there were in such an awful place, yet they seemed happy. Those people were happy with everything they had, they never wasted anything. Everyone there treated each other like family and always helped each other. It made me think that if they have such a bad life and treat each other so well, why can't we? We live such an amazing life yet we always complain and I never heard any of those people complain about anything once.

This weekend my cousin came to visit me, she had just come back from backpacking through Asia. Before she was in Asia she was in University in Australia for environmental studies and tourism. She told me about all these experiences she has had with traveling. My family has travelled a lot, mainly backpacking. Almost all of my cousins have gone backpacking, whether it be in Asia, Africa or South America. When I'm done high school I also plan on backpacking. From everything I have heard about it it seems like such an amazing experience. You can learn so many things. My cousin who just got back from backpacking in Asia said she probably learned more things from traveling than she did in University. My family while traveling always met local people, while backpacking they relied on local people. They were always amazed at the different cultures and how different every place really was! For instance, in Asia they drink tea like water. Everywhere my cousin went they always had free hot water and had so many different teas for sale. Now that she's home she still drinks tea about 7 times a day.

So, I think that traveling is a great experience, but can be wasted if you don't take the opportunity to actually see the cultural side of it, not just soaking up the sun. I strongly encourage everyone that next time they travel to get out of the resort and actually go into a real part of the country. I also think that after high school traveling is a great thing to do if you have the chance. My cousin said it changed her life so much and that if she hadn't traveled she would have probably would have studied business in Canada, instead she studied the environment in Australia. You can learn some really great things while traveling, that I can't explain, no video or picture or person can ever really show you what it's like. You have to see it and feel it for yourself. Traveling is really something that I hold close to my heart because it has helped me learn so many important things and has really changed who I am today.

-Fiona XOXO

I commented on: Andie's Blog

When I was younger....

Remember when you were younger? I mean when you were really young, like age 5 or 6. Think about your life when you were that old, then compare it to your life now. Think about your friends when you were little, why did you like them? Think about how you acted and what you did for fun. Think about what you had fights about. What were your favorite things in life? Chances are you played with those friends because your parents were friends. You acted how you did because it's how your parents or teachers told you to and most young children act the same! For fun you probably swung on the swings, played on the playground, made mud pies after the rain in your sandbox. You probably also had fights about not getting that toy you really wanted, or your parents not letting you have ice cream at 8 AM. Your favorite thing was probably Lacy, your stuffed penguin. All those things are so simple!

Now, ask your self the same questions, but with your life now. They're much different, right? Things are more complicated now and people are more different. Now you like your friends for many different reasons, but now when you think of your friends you can also think of things you don't like about them. When you were little you probably didn't have any reasons not to like a friend other than the fact that they stole your favorite red crayon two days ago. Now everyone acts so differently from each other! And the things people do are very different! One person might love to draw, while another might love to play soccer! Now the things we fight about are also very different, now we fight about so and so ditching you at lunch or deleting you as a Facebook friend. And your cell phone and laptop is now your favorite thing! See how much more complicated things are?

With how much has changed in about seven years imagine how much more it will change! When you're older, let's say around 22 your answers to those questions will be very different again! And chances are when you think back to what your answers are now you'll think: "Wow, I was so silly! Things are much more complicated now!" Then you'll be even older! Now let's think about your answers when you're 70! Those are very hard to even imagine now!

So, you see how much things will change in your life. But, in my opinion, when your 5 or 70 that is when you're the smartest. When you're 5 years old you may not be book smart, but with friends and family you're smart. When you're very young you hardly ever fight with your friends and your fights with your family last about 5 minutes and always end with a bear hug. When you're 70 you are very knowledgeable about many things. By then you probably have one thing, or maybe more, that you know everything about. Again, you hardly ever fight with your friends and you're now smart enough to cherish your family and not fight with them. So, try to think about how much things will change and not take things too seriously right now.

Albert Einstein - True religion is real living; living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness.

-Fiona XOXO

I commented on: Emily V's Blog

Leadership

A leader must have the courage to act against an expert's advice. - James Callaghan (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)

Have you ever noticed that most leaders are going against what most people do? Leaders really are people who build up the courage to do something or say something publicly that everyone else is afraid to do. For standing up for something a leader will be greatly loved and supported by some people, but also despised by others. That is part of the risk that leaders have to take. Sometimes it is easier to notice the people who hate you, rather than the ones who love you, so leaders would have a hard time sometimes.

Another big part in a big leadership action is the first people to publicly agree with what the leader is doing or saying. Without the first followers a leader really wouldn't be a leader anymore since no one would be following them. Being the first followers is less risky, but the followers don't get much publicity compared to the leader. With big leadership actions or groups people only talk about the group as a whole or the leader, so that is a down side to just being one of the first followers, not the leader. It is easier to be one of the first followers though, because just joining someone else you won't seem as weird or crazy. Being a follower you aren't the first or only one doing something weird or new.

Being a leader is a very good thing. Almost everyone has been a leader at some point, whether it's something small like telling people that bullying is not cool or fun, or starting a new fashion trend. It could also be something large, like Craig Kielburger starting Free the Children when he was just very young. Without leaders the world would be a very different place, you see leaders everyday! Your teachers are leaders, your parents are leaders. Some of the biggest leaders are ones we hear about a lot, they're government leaders, like the prime minister or the president of the country. Those leaders make very large decisions that will impact a whole country.

So, being a leader is not just an act by one person, for a leader to be a true leader they need followers, which are also very important. Leaders can also be standing up about something small, a leader is not necessarily someone we hear about everyday, like the Prime Minister, it can be anyone. So be a leader, if you're supporting something that you really care about being a leader can be very rewarding. Also, be a follower if you agree with the leader, help them out, without people supporting them what they are trying to do or talk about won't happen without followers.

-Fiona XOXO

I commented on: Andrew's Blog