EAP Term 2 2025

  Volunteering abroad gave Olena and Carmen a chance to learn about different cultures and to grow as people. They also helped local people by teaching, supporting education, and sharing ideas. I do not plan to volunteer abroad, but I would like to do volunteer work in Japan. For example, I want to help foreign tourists when they are in trouble. I think it would be a good way to use my English and make their stay in Japan more comfortable.

First of all, I really impressed with the two interviews to Olean and Carmen. I think it is not easy to go to abroad since some part of country is unsafe. Moereover, the phrase Olena said "I went to Morroco cause I wanted to know the  world and just experience" is strongly fasocinated to me. And in my opinon, volunteering is an memorable experience for two of them. It surely affect to their lives in some way. I would like to do volunteering for the any country where need help. wherever it is, I would like to provide help as much as i can. For example, if some country are trying to rebuilt their city, I can help them. If some kids need an education, I would like to teach them. 

After I have watched two interviews with Olena and Carmen returned Peace Corps volunteers, I felt that their dedication and their strong determination are really inspiring.   In my personal opinion, volunteering abroad gave Olena a memorable experience for her life to immersed into the Morocco culture and make a lot of friendship with local people.  On the other hand, for Carmen, I believe that volunteering abroad made her feel fulfilling because she completely dedicated her talents or knowledge to help other people who are in need. In terms of how volunteering abroad enrich the lives of those they were working amongst, I believe that for Olena, she made those people have an opportunity to improve their English skills as she taught English language to them.  Moreover, she also taught life skills to them.  Therefore, they could be able to handle a real life issue better.  Furthermore, for Carmen, she also made those people to have an opportunity to have a bette...

 As we watched the clips, Olena, who volunteered in Morocco, said that she was able to get to know the culture deeply and meet many people. Another person, Carmen, who volunteered in Costa Rica, explained that she could be dedicated to self-growth, pursuing her interests, and matching her talents with people’s needs. I suppose that these experiences wouldn’t only give them wider and broader perspectives, but would also build their confidence, and eventually enrich their lives. In terms of the lives of those they were working amongst, I think that they might have helped children in each country to develop their English skills and grow mentally and physically in a healthy way by using their skills and talents. Besides, they probably also gave their colleagues inspiration in their work. To be honest, I don’t like the word “volunteer” because it separates “receiver” and “giver.” However, in the future, I would like to do something like volunteer activities to gain new insights and kn...

When I watched the interviews with Olena and Carmen, I learned how much volunteering abroad changed their lives. Olena said she became more independent and confident after her experience. Carmen explained that she developed strong relationships and learned how to understand different cultures. These experiences gave them new skills and helped them grow as people. At the same time, they also gave a lot to the local communities. Olena supported education and helped children to have better chances in the future. Carmen shared her knowledge and encouraged people in her community to learn new things. Their work made a positive impact on others. In the future, I would like to volunteer abroad too. I think it is a good chance to learn from other cultures and to share my own ideas. If I could choose, I would like to volunteer in a country in Southeast Asia, maybe Thailand. I would like to help children improve their English, because language can open many opportunities for them.

 The interview were quite interesting for me because I could hear the different experience in different countries. I believe that volunteering abroad absolutely enrich their lives and working lives. For example, Olena who went to Morocco and she did teaching, she is now English teacher in South Korea, and she still keep in touch with friends in Morocco. It means that her experience affected on her future career and was opportunity to make lifelong friends and second home. In the future, I would like to do some volunteering abroad when I got a enough English skill for working because I like to contribute to someone or something physically, and I think it is important that seeing  what happening in overseas in my eyes. I do not have any specific countries which I want to go, but I want to do some work related to environment or animals. 

  You have watched interviews with two returned Peace Corps volunteers - Olena & Carmen. How did volunteering abroad enrich their lives and how did they enrich the lives of those they were working amongst? Would you consider volunteering abroad in the future? Why or why not, and if so is there a country you would like to volunteer in and what would you like to do there? Title your post "Volunteering Abroad -- Your Name" & add a relevant image to it.

 What surprise me the most is how fast people dying in those pandemics, especially Spanish flu, so many millions died in only short time. I think, at that time,  they were very terrified because they did not know what cause the sickness, like in plague or cholera, people just guessing . That feeling must be very scary. From these pandemics we can learn lesson about importance of science and communication. If people understand early and share information, maybe less people die. Also prepare hospital and medicine before it too late. Speaking of Covid-19, even it was very hard time, I think some positive change happen. For example, people start use online technology more, like studying or working from home, and also many people realize importance of health, clean hands, mask. Maybe society become little more flexible because of that.

  What surprised me most about the bubonic plague, cholera, and the Spanish flu was how quickly they spread, even though people did not travel like today. I think the most terrifying factor would have been the lack of medicine and knowledge. People did not understand the real cause, so they could not protect themselves. From these pandemics, we can learn the importance of clear information and strong health systems. If people share correct knowledge and listen to science, we can reduce fear and save more lives. Covid-19 also brought some positive changes. Many people started working and studying online, which made life more flexible. It also showed us how important community support and mental health are. Even though pandemics are scary, they can push society to improve and prepare better for the future.

    I found it surprising that the death tolls were so high in those pandemics. It was shocking that so many people died because there were no effective treatments at the time. However, I also realised how important science and medicine are, because once scientists discovered the bacterias or viruses that caused these diseases, they eventually became treatable and preventable.      From the Covid-19 pandemic, I think one positive change is that the world has learned how to respond together to a highly contagious disease. Now we have a clearer framework and  guidelines for how to react efficiently if another pandemic happens in the future. 

One thing that surprised me the most about the bubonic plague, cholera, and the Spanish flu is how quickly these diseases spread across populations even without modern transportation. The most terrifying factor, in my opinion, would have been the lack of medical knowledge and effective treatment at the time, which made people feel helpless. The lesson we can learn is the importance of early detection, strong public health systems, and global cooperation to control pandemics. From the Covid-19 pandemic, I think one positive change was the rapid development of vaccines through international collaboration. Moreover, during that time, digital technology became more important, and communication improved greatly, such as through working from home and online learning. This brought a major change in the way people live, which will continue to benefit society in the future.

From the videos on the bubonic plague, the cholera epidemic, and the Spanish flu epidemic, I think the death toll of the Spanish flu was a lot more than I expected. I knew that we are often encouraged to get a flu shot every year just to have immunity against influenza due to how severe it was, but I did not expect the number of cases would be so high in the past. Personally, the most terrifying factor of these epidemics is the unprecedented nature of pandemics. In other words, the pandemics happen without warning; we cannot predict when the next outbreak would be, what kind of infectious disease would occur, what treatment would work, or how severe the symptoms would be. We can only find the treatment later on and then eventually find ways to prevent it. For example, in the case of Covid-19 pandemic, it was unprecedented and it spread quickly. However, these pandemics taught us to respond quickly to mitigate the spread of infection, which helped with the advancement of healthcare know...

Throughout human history, we've faced many major pandemics. What they all have in common is the tremendous loss of life, a stark reminder that health challenges have always been with us, often made worse by our own lack of knowledge. The COVID-19 outbreak was another turning point. Cities went into lockdown, lives were lost, and economies suffered. Yet amid the crisis, we learned a vital lesson: we began to truly recognize the importance of health and started taking these issues more seriously. Preparing for future pandemics isn’t just about treatment. It’s about learning from the past and applying those lessons. Every loss drives innovation, sparks new technologies, and helps us build better ways to respond to future health threats. While pandemics test our strength, they also push us to grow, giving us a deeper understanding and greater readiness for whatever lies ahead. 🌏✨

The most surprising thing about pandemics for me was COVID-19, because it happened in my own life. I was shocked that schools and shops were closed for a long time, and that international travel almost stopped. The most frightening factor was the speed of infection. The virus spread to every country in only a few months, and many people died. This was scary because we could not control it quickly even with modern medicine. From past pandemics and COVID-19, I learned that we must prepare better for the future. For example, governments should improve medical systems, share information faster, and people should know how to protect themselves. Finally, I think there were also positive changes from COVID-19. For example, online classes and remote work became common. Also, people began to care more about hygiene and public health. These changes can be useful in the future.  

After I have watched the video about all these pandemics, the most surprising fact for me was the number of people who died from Spanish flu was three times higher than the number of people who died in World War I which was absolutely terrible and miserable.   In my opinion, in terms of the most terrifying factor to face would have been that when the pandemic or the virus could be transmitted through air such as the Spanish flu or the Covid-19.  For example, during the Spanish flu pandemic, soldiers who might have the flu had traveled to other countries during the war.  Therefore, the virus spread quickly to other areas.  As a result, there were a significant casualties. Then, there were lessons that we can learn from these pandemics when it comes to ensuring we are prepared for future pandemics.  I believe that if a relationship between nations are bond, we can easily communicate or share information about the situation of the pandemics immediately and try ...

  The bubonic plague, cholera, and Spanish flu were all devastating pandemics that left significant impacts on history. It could be surprising, concerning lessons learnt, or positive changes: It indicates how effective medicine and medical treatment are. Thailand has seen outbreaks of all three diseases, resulting in many deaths and illness. On the positive side, it has resulted in medical developments, the search for treatments, and the discovery of vaccines to prevent sickness. As a result, when disasters or calamities hit, something positive emerges. I am confident that the improvements that occur following epidemics will improve the lives of humans and keep us secure from sickness.

 For me, what was the most surprising was that the Spanish flu outbreak didn’t actually start in Spain. I had already heard of the Spanish flu before, but I hadn’t known that nobody knew where it originated, and that there wasn’t a strong connection between Spain and the Spanish flu. In terms of the most terrifying factor, I suppose that a lack of knowledge about diseases made the pandemic challenging. This is because people needed to deal with an unknown disease with little knowledge.   From the clips we watched, I learned that it is important to unify, not to divide. During the world wars, the Spanish flu broke out and spread. I assume that this situation made the pandemic more severe and longer in duration. In order to prepare for future pandemics, countries should collaborate with each other before it’s too late. When people face a new epidemic, collaboration can lead to faster and more effective solutions.  In my opinion, the Covid19 pandemic changed the world...

Through the videos, I learnt a lot of things about a history of pandemic. Especially, I was amazed that one of the causes of the first outbreak of Spanish flu was people refrained from reporting it in the US because it might violate the 'Sedition Act of 1918'. At that time the public opinion prioritised war rather than stop infection. In addition, People caught the cholera from drinking water is horrible factor of cholera epidemic.  water is definitely essential for people, but if they drink water, they might get cholera. It terrified me.  Although I felt sad that many people were killed by these bacteria or viruses, I could learnt some lessons. For example, we must keep sanitised to prevent germs, or keep going for researching in biochemical to take action as fast as possible when pandemic is happened. COVID-19 affect on us in not only negative way, but also positive way. For instance, the technology of online class, lecture or conference has been developed rapidly since COVI...

         Regarding the three pandemics in historical records, I am surprised with the Spanish flu. That is, the pandemic occurred during the time when the world faced many problems, especially the political matter -- the war. Though, at that time, the knowledge of medication would have been improved and developed; however, people could not pay much attention to their health rather than protecting their families and loved ones. Moreover, personally, it seemed quite self-oriented to coin the term of outbreak 'Spanish flu' due to the fact that Spain was not at war. Spain was seen as the origin of the contagious;  whilst, they were the victims as other nations.          What we have learned from the pandemics is that blaming animals as the source of diseases may be quite biased since humans, ourselves, are also involved in the outbreaks. Since we have to live on the same earth, breathe the same air, and use the same resources,...

Hi class, think about what you have learned so far this week about the bubonic plague, the cholera epidemic, and the Spanish flu epidemic. What about these pandemics has surprised you the most? What factor do you think would have been the most terrifying to face, and why? Are there any lessons we can learn from these pandemics when it comes to ensuring we are prepared for future pandemics? Finally, the clips we watched reported that the pandemics actually paved the way for various positive social changes. Can you think of any positive changes that have resulted from the Covid 19 pandemic? Also, don't forget to illustrate your post with an image.

 Because I was learned some projuects about plastic pollution. I learned a lot of "truths" that others wouldn't pay attention to. No country or government is willing to publish real data on the impact of plastic pollution or energy pollution. After seeing what Boyan Slat did, what iwas thinking about was what was his original intention? I wish the world would more sincere and less business. I hope everything is for the development and continuation. In my opinion, his first invention and achievement are unfortunately un successful. But the later became more publicity than real.  No matter what, doing it is better than doing nothing. I also like to swim in the mirror-like ocean. I thank him firm the bottom of my heart for what he has done, and I also hope that it will get better and better until all human pollution of the ocean is removed. By the way, the water in Dunedin is too cold to swim in.     

 Firstly, I would like to write about my opinions of Slat and his project. I think that Boyan Slat and his project, “The Ocean Cleanup,” is essential for life on our planet. This is because almost all people address the prevention of ocean pollution to save money and avoid complications. Moreover, the reason why I became concerned about environmental issues was the microplastics problem. Thanks to him and his wonderful project, we are still able to eat seafood, and see and enjoy amazing wildlife. So, I would like to be grateful to him. Secondly, I’ll focus on his personal characteristics which have fueled the project. I suppose that Boyan Slat’s three personalities and strengths—taking action, patience, and a pure mind—might contribute to his project. When he was 16 years old, he came up with one simple question, which was “Why didn’t people clean up plastic?” and he started his project. Surprisingly, it has still continued for about 15 years. His pure mind made him start his jour...

       I think Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup project is very impressive. While most people care about the environment, they often don’t take real action or only follow simple, small steps. However, Slat thought differently and carried out his own unique approach. I think his creativity, courage to try new ideas, and determination to act on them even at a young age have all contributed to his achievements.      Although his first idea of an autonomous system did not work, he didn't give up. He showed strong patience and a real passion for solving problems by improving his methods. In the long run, I believe the Ocean Cleanup will be successful because his passion and strong spirit of challenge are likely to lead the project to success.

Boyan Slat is a young innovator. He started The Ocean Cleanup when he was still a teenager. His dream is to remove plastic from the oceans. I admire his courage and vision. He saw a big problem and wanted to solve it while others don't mention about it. Slat is creative and determined. He try to create something with his teamwork to clean up the ocean. These qualities helped him turn an idea into a real project. He also shows patience when things do not work at first. The first design of his autonomous plastic trash collecting system failed. But he did not give up. He tested again and improved his ideas. I think this shows his endurance. In the long run, I believe The Ocean Cleanup can be succeed. The project may not remove all the plastic, but it can reduce pollution and raise global awareness. Success is not only about cleaning, it is also about inspiring people to protect the oceans.

Boyan Slat is a Dutch inventor who founded  The Ocean Cleanup . He started the project as a teenager, which already shows his unusual confidence and vision. His idea is not only about cleaning plastic but also about showing the world that young people can create real solutions for global problems. I believe that his strongest personal characteristic is resilience. When his first design failed, many people might have stopped. However, Slat learned from this and improved his system. This ability to accept mistakes and keep moving forward is more important than the technology itself. In the long run, I think  The Ocean Cleanup  will be partly successful. It may not remove all plastic, but it can inspire governments and industries to take stronger action. Even if the machines cannot clean everything, the project already has success because it changes the way people think about ocean pollution.

I admire his dedication and appreciate the work that he has done. I think the Ocean Cleanup project contributes to solving one of the most important global issues we are facing. I have looked into research around microplastic, just out of curiosity. I came across an alarming notion that some researchers say that the research on the effects of microplastics in the human body is difficult to do because there are no control samples, meaning that we probably all already have microplastics in our bodies! The characteristics of Boyan Slat, in my opinion, that have contributed to his achievements are his curious mind and his passion. I also think that his persistence and his confidence to ask questions are the main characteristics that drive his passion and innovation. Those characteristics have fueled Boyan Slat to keep going with his vision to clean up the ocean, and his achievements so far. Although his original idea of the self-supported plastic collection system did not work as planned, ...

  I have known that garbage in the sea has often been considered a serious problem because it threatens the lives of many marine creatures. However, I had never seen anyone who actually tried to solve the problem. That is why I think his action is very meaningful. His behaviour helps to protect sea animals, and at the same time it contributes to the SDGs. In addition, I believe his character, which makes him act quickly, has led to his success. In the long term, the chance of his action being successful is very high. He is already achieving good results now, and if he continues his effort, the difference between the past and the future will be much greater. Therefore, I strongly believe his activity will make a positive impact on both the environment and society.

     Boyan Slat , founder of The Ocean Cleanup , I admire his ability to embody the power of thinking outside the box, persistence, and adaptability.       By applying science, engineering, and technology, he tackled the massive challenge of ocean plastic waste and turned obstacles into progress.     His work not only helps restore the oceans but also inspires young people to dream big and take action on global issues. Still, lasting success depends on collective efforts to reduce plastic production and usage at the source, ensuring our oceans can truly recover.🔄

  Truth be told, I never cared about environmental issue. So, I really admire to him achivement. He has started investiment to solve plastic pollution as he was high school student!! As a high school student, they must not be able afford to think about environmental problem.  Speakin of his personality, obiously, he has a curiosity, resilience, leadership, criativity and fearless. These all are viral parts when you start movement like he did. and i wish he would continue cleaning untill every plastic is gone.

  In my opinion, Slat and his project are amazing.   His idea of cleaning up plastic waste out of the ocean is very inspiring because he mentioned in the video that many people think that it is impossible to get rid of these plastic waste out of the ocean or it is too challenging to do it.   Moreover, some people also have the idea that these waste will not have a significant impact to our environment including marine animals or humans.   However, as we learned that it has a major negative affect on the whole of the food chain in our ecosystem. I think the key characteristic of Slat that has contributed to his achievements to date is a strong motivation and determination.  He has a strong motivation that he wants to preserve the ocean to be clean and beautiful as it was.  Moreover, he didn’t give up even though he experienced a failure in some stage of the trial of his invention.  Therefore, he is very determined to solve the plastic waste problem in ...

  I am really impressed his idea. His idea is sustainable and efficient.  I believe the factors of his achievement are his strong will for environmental protection and his ability to take action. Besides his flexible way of thinking is one of key point of this idea. I would never come up with this idea. In my opinion, this project will succeed in the long run because the method of collecting plastic relies not on manual labour, but uses natural forces and AI, also, the collected plastics are being actively utilised (e.g. in high-end sunglasses).

  1. What do you think of Slat and his project?             I like his idea. I think he is a very thoughtful person who is concerned about plastic pollution, which is a global concern. The world is constantly changing and affecting all living things, but few people are interested in solving this problem. His project gives us a glimpse of a long-term solution. 2. What is it about Slat that has contributed to his achievements to date?            I think he is a caring person and is attentive to everything around him. 3. Which of his personal characteristics do you think have fueled them?            He is a dedicated worker, leader, and visionary. 4. How successful do you think The Ocean Cleanup will be in the long run and why?             I think this project will be successful by using modern technology and artificial intelligence to help deal with t...

Boyan Slat is one of young innovators whose idea can change and protect our planet earth. His project came from his simple lifestyle, noticing something around. Collecting garbage, especially plastics, from the ocean, seems to be out of reach for many people, but not for Slat. His idea does not only save the world, but also further create business. From one to many, Slat's idea examplifies the way small humans can save the land and water by gathering unwanted or unvalued wastes, whilst recycling them into profitable products. Achieving the goal or dream, one needs to have strong determination as we can clearly see in Boyan Slat's eyes and actions. I believe his project can continually go on and be stronger with more supports and partners. With our 2 hands and 1 head, we can save the world!

Write a post about Boyan Slat & the Ocean Cleanup. What do you think of Slat and his project? What is it about Slat that has contributed to his achievements to date? Which of his personal characteristics do you think have fueled them?  He has, though, experienced setbacks, with his initial idea of an autonomous plastic trash collecting system not working. How successful do you think the Ocean Cleanup will be in the long run and why? Title your post 'Boyan Slat & the Ocean Cleanup -- Your Name' & illustrate it with a relevant image.

  Today, I am going to talk about global responsibility. In this article, I will from my personal opionin discuss the meaning of global responsibility, and from two different aspects to talk about it. The views are from organization and individual.  Firstly, what is global responsibility. Global responsibility literally is a "consciousness" of human society, which educate people to protect the environment and the behavior behind of some choices both have advantage or disadvantage. So when people star to think about positive or negative, responsibility will judge you. By yourself educational experience or personal knowledge. For example, should I choice ecolifestyle or suitable lifestyle. Because sometimes eco-friendly means expensive, in order to buy an environmentally friendly piece of clothing I have to accept that it may not cast long. However, sometimes the eco-friendly equal expensive. On anther hand, if everyone's lifestyle is unsustainable, then these lifestyle wil...