Visual Mihi

This is collage of pictures that symbolise my life. The first picture in the top left corner represents my cultures.

  The blue background is there because blue is on the Samoan flag. The same reason why the red is there. Red is also there to stand by the black because those are the Maori colours on the Maori flag along with white. The patterns are mixed samoan/maori patterns because those are my cultures.

  The second symbol is a cross with the word Jesus. Its symbolises who my family believe in. My family and I aren't Christian but we do believe in him.

  The left bottom corner is a heart. Its there to represent that I love everything thats got me to where I am now.

 And last but not least, is a music note. Music is practically my life. From playing music to dancing to it I love it either way. When I grow up, I would like to be a dancer, so I put the note there because to be a dancer you have to have music.

  So theres me summed up in four symbols. Here is a link to flickr to view some of my friends work too.

New Zealand Troop Diary

In extension, we have been researching about the Boer War that took place in South Africa 1899 - 1902. We were assigned to write a diary as if we were in the Boer war. Then we had to create a picture to go with it. 

Empathy Explanation

Empathy… something so easy to show but insanely hard to explain. Also easily muddled with sympathy. What does empathy REALLY sound, look and feel like???

    The dictionaries definition doesn't completely define empathy for what it actually is. To me, its to feel for someone and see their dilemma through their eyes. Its all centered around a feeling that leads up to an action.

 Talking to a friend who is feeling grief or depression, is simply just one of the ways of showing empathy.

The sound and feeling of empathy, depends on the situation. For instance, if a friends dog just died, you'd try to relate to their problem by  talking to them. If necessary, you could give them a hug. To me, that characterizes what empathy sounds and feels like.

 Sympathy and empathy are a bit similar but still very different. Stating the differences between the two, as hard as it is, its much easier to show.  

 For example, a friends house got robbed and a friend empathising would say, “Omg, I am so sorry for what happened if there anything I can do come get me”. Where as a friend sympathising would say, “Oh I heard the news, must suck to be you at the moment.”

 I guess the basic explanation is put yourself in their shoes. There is empathy for you.

Tyla Empathy from Team 5 PES on Vimeo.