Three Cups of Tea essay #2

Question: What lesson(s) can someone learn from reading this story? Are these lessons universal truths? Explain.

Three Cups of Tea is a book about keeping promises, doing what you think is right, and changing the world. It doesn't take a special person to do these things. Anyone can apply these lessons to their own lives.
In the book, Greg Mortenson was trying to find his way home from K2, the mountain he had tried, unsuccessfully, to climb. Disoriented, he turned down the wrong path and ended up in a small town called Korphe. There, he realized how desperately the children there needed a school. Before returning to America, he promised to come back and build them a school. After getting the money needed, he fulfilled his promise and returned to Korphe to build a school. Plenty of people had made the same promise in the past, but no one ever did anything about it. Anyone can keep the promises they make if they want to.
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Mortenson received many letters from people all around the world, telling him that what he was doing was wrong. However, he decided to ignore them and to keep building schools. He did what he felt was right, and he didn't let anyone stop him.
Mortenson lived in Bozeman, Montana, with his wife and two children. He didn't have a lot of money or a high social ranking. He was just your average, everyday guy. Despite that, he managed to change the world. His work overseas changed the lives of thousands of people, and he did most of it on his own. His story shows that anyone can change the world.
In conclusion, the lessons told by the story Three Cups of Tea are universal. Anyone can keep a promise, do the right thing, or change the world. All they need is motivation.

Three Cups of Tea essay #1

Question: How has reading this book affected the way you look at your own education?

After the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, everyone was concerned with fighting the war on terror. The American government decided to do this by sending in the army and killing innocent civilians. However, Greg Mortenson had a different idea: he would fight the war on terror with education.
In Pakistan, schools are a rare thing to behold. Even more rare than schools themselves are schools for girls. Most people didn't think that girls needed or deserved an education. While building schools for girls in Pakistan and other countries in the Middle East, Mortenson ran into some problems with local leaders. They felt that girls shouldn't be educated and that Mortenson was going against the word of Islam. Eventually, with help from friends he met during his travels, he overcame these obstacles and continued to build schools.
I have always taken my education for granted. Ever since I was five years old, I have come to school every day from August to June. I never knew that there were people in other countries, specifically girls, who were denied of an education. After learning this, I have become very grateful that our government provides schools and supplies to help us learn. I hope that, one day, the Pakistani government will be able to do the same for the girls in their country.
In conclusion, the book Three Cups of Tea has definitely changed my perspective on education. I have come to appreciate it much more, and I no longer take it for granted.

"Into Thin Air" Cause and Effect

The story Into Thin Air tells the story of the deadliest climbing season Mt. Everest has ever seen. With the end of the season, thirteen lives had been lost. There were many different reasons that these people didn't make it down the mountain alive. First, there was a lack of oxygen. Because of this, many people experienced a decrease in their energy levels, and their judgement was affected. Also, the guides that were leading the climbers up and down the mountain didn't notice the approaching storm in time to warn everyone of its presence. The extremely cold weather also attributed to the number of people that died. Frostbite and other affects of the temperature made amputations necessary, and even killed some people. Finally, there were a number of other dangerous conditions that came along with climbing Mt. Everest. It wasn't very hard to slip and fall to your death.

Miep Gies quote

In the movie The Freedom Writers Diary (TFWD), Miep Gies says, "Even an ordinary person can in a small way turn on a tiny light in a dark room." She is saying that it doesn't take someone special to change something, whether it be insignificant or extraordinary. It only takes one small action to impact someone or something in a really big way.

For example, in the book Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson was able to change the world just by doing what he thought was right. By building schools for girls in the Middle East, he changed the way that the world viewed Muslim people.

Also, in TFWD, Ms. Gruwell is able to change the lives of her students by fighting the school system for what she thought was right for them. The administration felt that the students weren't worth their money or time, but Ms. Gruwell fought to make sure that they had the resources necessary to succeed.