Monday, 13 January 2014

Back to the Future

This weeks post is based on the artist Jamie Jessett's photo project :
"Back to the Future".  http://vimeo.com/28051776
Its so interesting to go back and reflect on your childhood and compare it to the person you are today. We recommend everybody tries this. It's so much fun! Enjoy!


Evandro Hoepers


   Our childhood is awesome, the best time of our life, the time which our most concern is what kind of play I will do now. When I was a kid I used to play all day long in the backyard with my friends or alone, my imagination could take me everywhere at any time and I could feel every thing. I could change my name and be the Bruce Willis in Die Hard driving my little cars between gorges, jump rivers and blast every thing and it was so good. Each play and each imagination I have done I grow and develop my mind.THE BACK TO THE FUTURE made I feel my childhood again, sometimes we need to see some pictures from the past and back to our roots.


Carlos Ferreira 




It’s funny, because today you have a lot of things to do, and these things ‘steal’ all your time, and you forget or don’t have time to remember about your childhood, or how that time was happy and important to you, and all the history behind your life. When you find some old pictures or photographs, sometimes you stop your present life and start thinking about that picture, that moment and how those moments were good, bad, sad or happy. In this case, my old photograph can tell me a lot of ‘information’, because always I was a happy, hungry and destructive child. In my teenage years I continued the same with the ‘little boy’ inside, but taller outside. Today, I’m 25 years old, a lot of things changed, I grew up and now I can't be a child all the time, or play jokes like one, but I don't miss my child 'inside' me. This project was good, because I can revive some 'forgotten memories', and play with these moments, and today I know how these moments have been amazing and helped me to be who I am and try to make a good future for me.

Kitty Wu


When I recalled the memory of my childhood, it seems that I never focused on the reality. I had a lot of imagination in my mind and I lived in that.
 
    I think I was every teacher's problem. I seldom handed out the homework and listened to the class. I was late for school almost everyday. My score of tests was always terrible. No matter how many times teachers warned me or punished me, I never changed. But that doesn’t mean I was a bad girl. I was a quiet, shy and sweet girl. I was just stubborn. I questioned the order and refused to do the thing I didn’t totally understand. Because there were too many things I didn’t understand when I was a child, I chose to do things in my own way, the way I could understand but not for others.
  
     Fortunately, I have a great mom who always trusts me, even though she couldn’t understand what I was doing. For example, she helped me skipping the class if I didn’t want to go. She let me use markers to draw on every furniture and wall. She let me play outside all day without curfew. Because of that, I am not afraid of making mistake. I like challenge, solving problems and creating new idea. I think that is the important part causes the person who I am now.  


Claire Ji Su Son





 My childhood was full of happiness. My parents are really generous, kind and nice. We weren’t rich but I feel happiness is more than being rich. I was a little tomboy girl, and always received full parent’s love. However, when my brother was born, many things changed. I was five years old at that time, and I needed more love and attention from my parents. They still gave me love and attention but I didn’t know how, so I hated my brother a lot, and my parents were worried about that.

 In Korea, there’s a notion of preferring a son to a daughter and my parents didn’t prefer son to daughter, but my grandparents did prefer son. They discriminated against daughters, and it was really hurtful for me. I hated my brother more than before when my grandparents acted like that. It was really terrible because I always felt like I’m not one of my family. I was childish and immature. I had my own room, separated from my parents very fast. So I’m a more independent person. Now, I can do everything own myself. It’s really good for me I think. 

Later, I knew that was just my stereotype. My grandparents also love me a lot and they just hope me to be more independent. That’s why they were very strict to me. Now, they are very soft and warm, and my brother and I also have a good relationship. I was immature but I am not immature anymore. I hated my brother, not anymore. I love my brother, my family so much. It was so nice time. We spent lovely time and I thought about my past, my childhood. I feel many things … beautiful time. Thank you.


John Kim



Actually, I can’t remember my childhood. According to my mother’s explanation, I was an active child. It’s my good memories. As I see my past picture, I can remember. So, my past affects me in the present. I have been changing, naturally, so I can guess that. As a result, my character hasn’t changed since. Of course, my appearance has changed a little. I made this project as concept of naked body. In This picture, I was eight months. I was in a bath. I looked clam. At that time I might have prepared a shower. My father took the picture of me. It was so interesting because, I could go back to the past even if it was not real. I would try to take off my clothing but, I couldn’t take off my pants because that would be terrible. This picture was taken by my friend, Faton. We were so tired trying to get it, because my bathroom was so small. On the other hand, I grew too much compared with when I was a baby. To make the position and composition was so difficult. I felt I have been changing many things of me. When I was in the bath, it seemed like going back to the baby, who was innocent. Obviously, It must have been great challenge for me.


 Raquel Komura




I can start describing my childhood with three words: home, books and church. Since I was a kid, I haven’t paid much attention to the world outside my door. I used to live in a dangerous neighborhood, so my parents wouldn’t allow me to go very far. I didn’t have permission to go out and explore the streets by myself, so, as a result, I became an introspective child. While the other kids spent their afternoon playing outside the house, I stayed at home, reading wonderful stories from all over the world. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, me and my family used to go to church, even though I didn’t know exactly why. My parent’s religion had an important impact in my life, because I was taught how to distinguish right from wrong in a very extreme one-sided way (only to learn how to deconstruct it a few years later, through a lot of reading) and that was a part of me for a long time.

I guess I started to grow up in the moment I figured out how to think by myself. Parents will always want the best for their children, but it doesn’t mean that they actually know what that is. It’s up to me to choose my own way.

This project reminded me of that. I had a very sweet, dreamy and secure childhood. Maybe I have been living in an imaginary protective bubble. It’s time to get out.



Andrey Moreira


Let’s say I was an active child. A very small kid that was always jumping around with his bike, paying soccer with no shoes at all, getting into house constructions with his cousin and messing up with everything inside, trying to build bridges with rocks over the little muddy streams at the farm and climbing the saddle of the horses, because his height just didn’t help and the damn horses were very big! Of course, doing all this things means coming back home with a lot of bruises, and facing an angry mother. Besides that, childhood was full of inside activities too. Man, I could build everything with a box of LEGO! And how exciting was watching the heroes in the TV cartoons and I really helped Goku to do the Genkidama (Dragon Ball’s fans will understand it). A lot of things in my childhood made me what I am now. The weekends spent with my father in the farm made me crazy about the country side. The nights when my father used to gather with his best friends and play their guitars developed in me a deep interest in music. Most the best friends of my childhood are still the people some of the people I’m closest today. Certainly a lot of things have changed, but the delightful memories of a time without worries are still clear in my mind, and that still makes me feel good.


Hyongku Kang


I was a very good boy, our family was not rich in my childhood, but I was happy. My brother and I played mini basketball in the house.At that time, I liked tae kwon do so I learned it and liked soccer too. I ate food that I wanted when I was young so my mother worried about me .Sometimes I fought with my brother. As brother and I wanted to use computer but there was no computer in my house My mother always said. “you are a good boy”, “I love you”, so  I was proud of myself; I think this affected me now , as I am positive , and well grown , so I thank my mother very much. Now my appearance has changed and mow I know many more things in the world than when I was young and I have to have responsibility now that I am an adult.




Boyoung Kim


 I remember my childhood was both happy and terrible. When I was a baby, my parents didn’t have a lot of money. But I was happy. I think that real happiness isn’t about money, but people’s feelings and experiences. My family was happy. Though we only had one room in my house, we didn’t feel hungry and cold. Because we shared everything, food, money, etc. Also, we slept together in a room. But, it caused one mistake. I became shy and weak. So my father told me “you should learn some sports or exercises”. After, I learned Tae-kwon-do for 2 years. Now, we are living in an apartment which has three rooms and we are warm in the house. Also, I’m not shy and weak anymore. I became a strong man for sports. I have more confidence than before. Although I am far away from my family now, I still have strong feelings from my parents’ love.  

Thursday, 2 January 2014

Passions:

"The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover something you love that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, and gives you a sense of meaning, joy and passion."


"Learning to play an instrument"


Learning to play an instrument is an experience that every person should try at least once in their lives. Some say that playing an instrument is like therapy, makes you feel relaxed, and makes you forget your problems. Yes, it is true, but this definition makes the whole experience too simple. An instrument is a challenge. Learning how to play it is definitely not easy, and it is not meant to be. Playing is actually a mind game, a game that requires time, patience, feeling as well as thinking. If you don’t want this, play Guitar hero.  Playing my guitar is to challenge myself. I have to dare. Every time before playing I keep telling myself things like “I bet I can play that song better this time” or “Can I make this sound on my guitar?”. Of course I fail, but that is just part of the game. The failure is actually one of the main reasons I keep pushing myself to try again, try different things, different sounds and rhythms. And that is the fun of it. 


By Andrey Moreira 


 "Glorious labour; A merchant of the market"






My passion is journalism. Also, I’m interested in photojournalism. I studied journalism and photography, that’s why I am doing this project with photos. Moreover, I wish to continue this for the rest of my life. In my opinion, the most important thing I want to express is the labor in markets. If we want to live, we have to do something like make money and overcome frustration. I believe I can find the meaning of life by taking pictures of merchants labouring in the market. In the market, many merchants are labouring very hard. They could be someone’s mother and father. They are so glorious and must be beautiful people who sweat to make valuable things, so I will take pictures of their working life. I’d like to show my passion to the masses by photography. What a glorious sacrifice. On Sunday I went to Steveston Fish Market. There are many fishermen. Among the people who work in the market, I saw one special family. They were fisherman, wife, and son. Carefully, I took a picture of them from far. Father and son were working at that moment.

By John Kim

"Lightist"

My Passion


Members of Lightist

My passion is taking pictures. When I was a freshman, one of my friends introduced me to the club named ‘Lightist’, which is a photography club. ‘Lightist’ is a combination of the words ‘Light’ and ‘Artist’, so it means “Artist who uses Light”. I think it’s really cool. The members of ‘Lightist’ are very generous and kind, I really like them. They are the most passionate people I know. In Korea, we usually travel around and take pictures in famous places. When we plan to take a picture, we have a plan to take pictures of something like the place, the time, the cost ...etc and then just go! It couldn’t be better! I feel free when I go to take pictures with them. Before I joined this club, I was really stressed and it was really annoying. I was depressed everyday and I needed something special. Taking pictures is a special thing for me! I feel better than before, and also I’m getting brighter. If someone who is very close to me feels depressed, I always recommend them to take pictures and your feelings will get better. That’s why it’s my passion, and I hope everyone feels like me when they take pictures.

By Ji Su Son (Claire)



"Traveling"



Traveling. I like traveling because it gives me not only good feelings but also new experiences. More specific, if I go traveling, I can get rid of my stress. It helps me to forget all of my worries. It helps me to feel free. For example, I went to Cebu 4 months ago. At that time, I tried scuba diving for the first time. When I saw everything under the sea, it was awesome and it made me more comfortable. I have always gotten good feelings from traveling. Secondly, I can get many kinds of different experiences through traveling. I usually make a plan to go on trips. But sometimes, if I make a wrong plan, it causes problems. For instance, when I went to Las Vegas, I was supposed to use a travel agency going to the Grand Canyon. But the information about finding the agency was wrong. So I made the decision to rent a car. I was able to control time and places to take pictures or rest. As a result, I think that the situation was better than it would have been. Finally, even though, sometimes, traveling causes situations that I don't expect, it always makes me happy. And I think that the wrong plans were also valuable experiences for me. I am getting to learn about the world from my trip. That's why I'm passionate about traveling.

By Jayden Lee


"Snowboarding"
In Whistler  ~ December, 8th, 2013 ~

  My passion is snowboarding. I learned about snowboarding  for the first time from my older brother in 2009. He lives in Nagano which is a snowy city. Therefore, he has gone snowboarding every winter for seven years. Every winter, I go to my brother's house with my friends and we enjoy snowboarding together. Snowboarding requires concentration in my mind and if I have unpleasant things I am able to escape all of my stress. I like trying new techniques even when new techniques are scary, I like the feeling of accomplishment when I can do new techniques. It makes me feel awesome!!

By Misato Mito


"How do you enjoy the winter in Vancouver?"


 I hate cold but I like outside activities sports because I like to play winter sports which are skiing, snow boarding and ice skating. For me, winter sports are thrilling, exciting and dangerous. When I ride a snow board or ski, I feel alive and thrilled. I love exercises but I hate cold and don’t like to go a fitness club. It’s boring. You can exercise in the gym. Inside exercise is that yoga, stretching of body, barbell that is good sport making heath. So I like to play outside sports which are winter sports

By Boyoung Kim

"A passion for photography"


When I was young, my mom always took pictures of me even when I was crying. After that she gathered every picture to make an album. I think it's amazing.Nobody remembers when they're a baby and it's difficult to remember everything in our life. But if we make an album, we can see what happened in the past. That is attractive to me. So I became interested in photography naturally.My mom gave me a camera as my birthday present. That  was my first camera.I always brought it with me and took pictures daily. I began to make albums when I was 11years old. I print pictures and attach them to the album and include  a short memo.The memo is very helpful to remind me of the situation in the past.So I have 5albums and they make me proud of my photography efforts.

By Marie Jung

"Scuba diving"


Do you know scuba diving? The feeling of floating in the water? Imagine yourself floating in a large aquarium on the inside, fish surrounding you.. The sea is quiet, comfortable; I can listen to the sound of my own breath, floating in the water just like a baby in the mother's womb… No more pressure. That’s why I enjoy blending with the sea. Do you want to learn how to scuba dive? The most important thing is to apply to a diving program, learn more knowledge about the sea and equipment, continue practicing, and then I think, day by day, you will do better and love scuba diving.

By Hanna Chen


"Poetry"


My passion is related to the poetry we can find in the awesome random things that surrounds us every once in a while.

Warm and starry nights
In one hand, a beer
On another, your skin
And in my mind,
That smile on the corner of your cheek
Which suddenly disappears, sometimes

Gold is
Getting home after a
Rainy day
To find a boy with his guitar under a lamplight
Or sitting at the dinner table
After a day full of tears
So I can get full of old songs with John
While there’s still the smell of hot meal

Love to find a place in the world
(When there was no room for me)
In your arms, that
As usual
Were my shelter.

By Raquel Komura



"World Cup in Brazil"


In the next year the FIFA World Cup is going to happen in Brazil, it’s the best competition the world, the event which every soccer fan is expecting, it will quicken the heart of everybody in the world and all eyes of the world are looking to Brazil.    Every week many people around the world write about all the things that will happen in Brazil and many of them are concerned with our preparation and what kinds of problems the millions of soccer fans will find. Today we are facing delays with the deadline of three stadiums, the worst one is the stadium where the opening match will happen, in Sao Paulo, because an accident in its building, it will not be ready until April. Another problem is with infrastructure in the host cities, some of the builds planed in the beginning will not be executed and the fans will not have the comfort promised.
    Beyond some problems with the World Cup’s planning and its execution, we have the well know Brazilian issues. In our Hospitals there are many people in the aisles, our transport system doesn’t work so well, our airports are always facing traffic jams and the violence is a big problem, but although all kinds of problems, we are experts in big and wonderful events, every year we have lots of international events that get together millions of people, and the host cities will be prepared.
    So as a Brazilian guy I am concerned too, because I know all the hidden problems of my country, but I also know the ability of Brazilians to manage the problems and to find alternative ways, so I can say: “Don`t worry, every things gonna be all right and we will have the best world cup of all time”.

By Evandro Hoepers


"Fitness"


When I was a middle school student, I went to a fitness club with my older brother. That was the first time in my life and I was very excited. At that time, I always exercised with my brother. There are several reasons why I like my fitness time and why my passion is positive.  First, fitness time is only for myself. No one disturbs me. Second when I feel physical fatigue, I feel alive. Last, I can escape from all of my stress. In my country, I tried to go to the fitness club, if I had time. In Vancouver, I always go Steve Nash fitness after dinner every day. Sometimes, it’s very tiring and difficult, but it always makes me smile.

By Dong Joon Kim


"The Meaning of Travel "




  I love traveling not because of the beautiful views or different locations but because surprising things happen on the way and the mind becomes more open. Doesn't matter where I go, every travel change me more or less. Such as I've traveled around Taiwan by motorcycle for a week. Although Taiwan is just a little island, I could still feel the different cultures between every city. I found a lot of problems on the trip, but every trouble became an interesting story after I got through it. For example, my partners and I were riding in the mountain, and we found out that a tire of our motorcycle had become flat. It would be dangerous if we kept going. So we stopped by the side of the road and tried to fix it before the sky turned dark. Out of our surprise, we fixed it by ourselves. We feel so proud of that. And that is an interesting experience to share with others. After that trip, Taiwan has had different meaning for me from then on. I love my country more. Even though that  trip wasn't far away from my home, that changed my view more than my trip to England. The distance of travel is not the important thing. I  wish I could keep traveling all my life, no matter how old am I. Even if I spend a lot of money, it makes my life and soul rich. It's a good investment I think. 

By Kitty Wu
                                                                               
                                                                                                                            
"Plays make me a passionate person." 

When I was a first-year student of university, my uncle said I should join drama club. So I decided to join drama club. The first time, I didn’t have interest in plays. I only enjoyed meeting people and drinking lots of alcohol with my friends. But after I finished military service and came back to drama club, I got a role in the play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” That role awoke passion in me. When I acted my role, I was wondering about human emotion because humans have lots of emotions and sometimes I asked myself, “Who am I? What kind of human being am I? Why do I do what I do?” I enjoyed my role when I acted in the play. Fortunately, I participated in the national convention of plays, and I won’t forget this experience. That is why I have passion for plays.

By Darren Kim