Earlier Teen Years :: Personal Narrative Growing Up Essays

Prior Teen Years My younger sibling's altogether grown up now, however she's just ten years of age. She resembles a young person. She adopts the thought process of an adolescent. Furthermore, you could state she acts like one since adolescents themselves are not extremely experienced. She wants to stay nearby me, and she attempts to convince me to act increasingly like a run of the mill 18-year-old young lady since she needs to be one herself. She beseeches me to take her shopping and let her do my hair. She needs to be much the same as me. From the start, I thought it was on the grounds that she's the most youthful in the family, and she needed to resemble her older sibling and sibling. Be that as it may, I understood I didn't resemble the ordinary high schooler. Indeed, she dresses more like a run of the mill young person than I do. A considerable lot of her companions are the most established youngsters in their families yet attempt to introduce the picture of an adolescent. They all appear to wish they were more established. Young ladies nowadays simply appear to need to, and do, grow up sooner and sooner. It appears the high school years have changed, beginning great before the age of thirteen. As I have stated, my sister and her companions are prime instances of this change. For example, they have rest overs and keep awake till first light. Their many rest over exercises incorporate tattling about young men and talking about designs, painting nails, and exploring different avenues regarding make-up. I never did such things at that age. My companions and I needed to hit the sack by a couple at the most recent, and we messed around and watched motion pictures. My sister likewise believes that she ought to have similar benefits that I do at age eighteen when she's just ten. She wants to keep awake until late, till ten or eleven o'clock. I was sleeping by eight when I was her age. In addition to the fact that she wants to keep awake until late, however she likewise believes that she can observe any film she needs. It's difficult to pick a film the entire family will like that is appraised PG nowadays, so often we pick a PG-13 film (here and there even R) and let her watch with us. This has given her that she is sufficiently experienced to watch anything she needs. She enjoys the TV show Friends, however at her age she doesn't totally comprehend the grown-up content in the show, nor does she have to.

Strategic Management for Professional Practice Essay

Vital Management for Professional Practice - Essay Example We will decide if what Google is doing is a triumphant procedure by utilizing the Goodness of Fit Test and the Competitive Advantage Test. Google began as a littler organization called BackRub in which they found and set out to utilize the new web and its development making another publicizing vehicle for organizations of various types. Search based includes turned out to be exceptionally well known and were ending up being monetarily energizing with a normal development to $5.8 billion in showcase assets by 2013. At that point BackRub realized that they had an approach to look through the web quicker than any other individual and get profoundly applicable outcomes rapidly. The then vital considering Larry Page and Sergey Brin teamed up and Google was conceived from a numerical term called googol (Gamble, J, 2008). The utilization of the name Google was intended to be a sign of the irregular numbers used to make their hunt strategy. Controlling the outside condition has been a significant quality of Googles from the earliest starting point. Their procedures here have appeared to be created and didn't simply develop as a major aspect of their key reasoning procedure (Mintzberg, H., 1987). Understanding the outside condition is frequently difficult yet Google appears to comprehend it well. It is considerably increasingly muddled in Googles case in light of the fact that their business is the web and they turned into a worldwide element rapidly. They remained, in any case, reliably mindful of the changing of the outer condition and reacted rapidly. At the outset it was the structure of a quicker web index, it has later been the expansion of business to grow their impact. Google rose to the top quickly and needed to react similarly as quickly to change. Their web crawler turned out to be very well known in a brief timeframe and Google was drawing in millions in funding. They reacted with new innovation, search abilities in a few dialects, and a Google device bar program. They followed these with Google News, Product Search, Scholar, and Local to give some examples.

Can Consolidating Debt Help Your Credit Score

Can Consolidating Debt Help Your Credit Score Can Consolidating Debt Help Your Credit Score? Can Consolidating Debt Help Your Credit Score?Consolidating your loans and credit cards can definitely improve your credit ratingâ€"but you have to be careful.You know you need to be careful about taking on too many loans but it already happened and now you’re not sure what to do. You’re wondering if there’s anything you can do to fix your debt problems and improve your credit score. You don’t want to start missing payments and end up with bad credit or turning to payday loans and no credit check loans.You might have heard of debt consolidation, and you’re wondering if consolidating your loans and credit cards helps your credit score. You might even have found this article while searching online for an answer to that very question!Well, we’re here to provide those answers, as well as explain what loan consolidation means in general. Read on, and consolidate your knowledge.What is “debt consolidation” anyway?On a basic level, debt consolidation means taking multiple lo ans and turning them all into one loan. (It can also work with credit cards.) There are multiple reasons you might consider debt consolidation, but on a basic level, you hope that paying off one big loan will be cheaper and more manageable than paying off all of the smaller ones.To learn more about debt consolidation, check out our three-part blog series, Debt Consolidation 101.So that’s the idea. But does it work out that way? And how does it impact your credit? Let’s find out!Credit where credit is due.One of the most common ways to turn many loans into one loan is to take out a new loan big enough to pay off all the other ones entirely. Then you’ll just be paying off that new loan. And it can be a good move for your credit.“If you take out a personal loan from your bank to pay off your credit cards, you can see your score go up as the cards get paid down,” nationally recognized credit expert Jeanne Kelly (@creditscoop) told us. “This can help you pay the credit cards faster since the interest rate is lower, but you have to be careful not to rack up more debt on those cards now that the balances are low again or paid off.”Katie Ross, Education and Development Manager for American Consumer Credit Counseling , also explained how debt consolidation loans can impact your credit:“Consolidation can help improve your debt and credit situation. One way to consolidate credit is through a personal loan. This way you will pay off balances on multiple accounts, likely see lower interest rates, lower monthly payments, and a shorter payoff time.“In turn, by consolidating with a personal loan, you will see a significant reduction in your credit utilization ratio, which accounts for 30 percent of your credit score. Credit utilization is the amount you owe on your credit cards versus the total amount of credit available.”All right, so loan consolidation sounds like a great plan. Time to find the first loan consolidation place you can and get all your loan s consolidated. Right?But tread carefully.Not so fast! Like with any kind of loan transaction, you’re going to want to do your research before getting your loan consolidated.Jeanne Kelly stresses the dangers you have to watch out for: “If you sign up for a debt consolidation program, you do have to read the fine print as many do damage your credit if the accounts with your creditors get paid late and get noted as making partial payments. I see this often and most times the client never knew this would report as such. Again, be careful what you sign up for as you signed an agreement with the credit card company to pay on time.”Natasha Rachel Smith, a personal finance expert at TopCashback.com (@TopCashBackUSA), gave an extensive overview of the cautious approach to loan consolidation:“If you’re in debt, only four things â€" simultaneously â€" will help you avoid greater debt: changing your attitude towards money, putting the brakes on spending, throwing more cash towards ou tstanding debts, and getting the interest rates of your borrowing as low as possible. It’s essential to put all four points into action to avoid greater debt; not only one, two, or three.“Regardless of how badly you are in debt, always make the minimum repayments on your credit cards and loans. This will preserve your credit score as best as possible. If you’re not able to meet even just your minimum repayments, you are spending more than you should and have to address that immediately. Write down a budget, pause any non-essential spending, and investigate getting a second job; that’s how serious not being able to cover your minimum repayments is.Is debt consolidation a good option for you?Smith continues:“When it comes to getting the interest rate of your debt as low as possible, if your credit score has been affected because you haven’t been able to keep up with your minimum repayments in the past, you won’t be eligible to move balances to new credit cards that offer dirt-cheap introductory interest rates. Therefore, your call to action is to try to negotiate with your current lenders. See if they will lower their interest rates. If they won’t, look into how much the interest rate of a balance or money transfer and its fee would be with your existing cards to switch debt around.“If that avenue doesn’t prove fruitful, possibly because you don’t have enough credit available or your providers aren’t offering you a lower interest rate for balance or money transfers, consolidating your borrowing to be with one provider might be something worth considering. Before you commit to the idea, call each of your existing lenders and write down the interest rate you’re paying for each debt. If you have personal loans, find out if there’s an early repayment charge attached to your agreements.“If the interest rate is five percent or less, put that debt to one side and continue chipping away at it. If the loan has an early repayment charge, put that debt to one side and continue to repay it.“For all debts that are charged more than five percent in interest costs, as a last resort for those with a very poor credit score, it could be worth considering combining them to be paid off with a reputable loan provider. It’s vital to find a loan provider that will lend to you with a poor credit score but that also doesn’t charge an extortionate rate of interest or makes you agree to a lengthy term or unfair penalties if you accidentally miss a repayment. Read customer reviews online to guide your decision.Sadly, it’s likely that the interest rate will cost much more than your existing interest rates, but it’s important to get to a point where you’re able to afford your minimum repayments again; for the benefit of trying to rebuild your credit score to aid your future financial worthiness. Check whether you can pay more than the set repayment amount each month without a penalty. Only take this consolidation route if you a re confident you can remain disciplined and change your spending habits once you’ve combined the applicable debts.“Never, ever switch debt simply to have it with one lender because you think it makes it more manageable; that’s a falsehood and will cost you so much more in the long-run. That attitude will lead you into accruing further debt, snowballing additional borrowing on top of the debt you’ve already consolidated, bringing you back to square one.”If you already have not-so-great creditâ€"and have taken out the bad credit loans to matchâ€"then you are going to want to think long and hard before pursuing debt consolidation. Lower credit scores mean higher interest rates, which means that finding a consolidation loan with a lower rate (and qualifying for it) might just not be in the cards.But dont let that get you discouraged. Follow all of this advice, and you should be able to figure out if loan consolidation is a good option for you.What have your experiences been wi th debt consolidation? We want to know! You can email us  or you can find us on Twitter at  @OppLoans.ContributorsJeanne Kelly  (@creditscoop)  After being turned down for a mortgage 15 years ago, Jeanne Kelly realized she needed to get her credit in order. Not only was she able to fix her bad credit, but she took the skills and knowledge she gained and decided to share it with the world. Now she’s a nationally regarded credit coach and expert, with multiple books and television appearances. She’s also been kind enough to share her insights with us  on  many  different  occasions. Follow her on Twitter and check out her  site  to get the credit help you need!Natasha Rachel Smith  (@topcashbackusa) is head of global communications at  TopCashback.com. Natasha’s background is in retail, banking, personal finance and consumer empowerment; ranging from sales to journalism, marketing, public relations and spokesperson work during a 17-year career period. She’s originally from Lon don, UK, but moved to Montclair, New Jersey, USA, several years ago to launch and run the American arm of the British-owned TopCashback brand; a global consumer empowerment and money-saving portal company.Katie Ross joined the  American Consumer Credit Counseling  management team in 2002 and is currently responsible for organizing and implementing high-performance development initiatives designed to increase consumer financial awareness. Ms. Rosss main focus is to conceptualize the creative strategic programming for ACCCs client base and national base to ensure a maximum level of educational programs that support and cultivate ACCCs organization. Ms. Ross is certified by the Center for Financial Certifications as a Certified Personal Finance Counselor.

Analysis Of The Movie The Kids Are Alright - 2460 Words

Media Logs, Psych 4 Johanna Allen 1. One of my favorite movies of all time is â€Å"The Kids Are Alright†. It centers on a lesbian couple, Nic and Jules, and their two children, Laser and Joni. Laser and Joni are biologically half brother and sister, sharing the same sperm donor father. Laser is only fifteen, but interested in getting to know his biological father. He convinces his older sister to look him up, knowing he would have to be eighteen to do it himself. The movie follows the repercussions of the discovery of their biological dad, and also examines Nic and Jules’ relationship, and Laser’s development of independence, self, and identity. Throughout the movie it is clear that Laser is still stuck in the transitional place between†¦show more content†¦We see him to begin to develop self-confidence, and a true sense of independence. 2. For this portion of the assignment, I chose to watch a rerun of one of my all time favorite TV shows, Law and Order Special Victims Unit. In this episode, Choice (season 5), we are introduced to an assault victim who is pregnant. Over the course of the episode, we discover that the victim, Jennifer, has been drinking heavily due to the stress she has been put under. Initially she agrees to stop, but it is soon discovered that Jennifer is a severe alcoholic, and has no intention of altering her behavior. The lead detective, Olivia, tries to get her help, but it’s eventually discovered that Jennifer has already given birth to another child who was later adopted, and who is now suffering with fetal alcohol syndrome. In this episode, we see that Jennifer’s husband, along with many of the SVU detectives try to provide her with resources, support, and advice, but it takes her being introduced to her biological child and seeing the severity of the consequences of her action s that she chooses to accept the help she needs. There were many other factors in this pregnancy that could also be harmful to the child. Not only was the mother an alcoholic who continued to drink, she also was under a severe amount of stress throughout the pregnancy. She suffers a nasty fall and countlessShow MoreRelatedAnalyzing the Themes in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry1105 Words   |  5 PagesAfter watching the movie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, I felt enthralled to dive deeper into the topics associated within the movie. So I begin by researching and conducting sociological analysis of the characters’ genders and sexualities. In addition, I will be examining the movie based on gender, socialization, media and evaluating the acceptance and portrayal of gay people in this particular movie. To further increase the depth and validity of the paper, I will be using terminology thatRead MoreViolence on Television Can Have Negative Effects on Children1210 Wor ds   |  5 Pages and pertain to more people in order for them to be effective. Another way that sex, and violence negatively impact todays youth is that sex on television contributes to adolescent sex, and even adolescent pregnancies. A study conducted showed Analysis indicated that adolescents who viewed more sexual content at baseline were more likely to initiate intercourse(Collins 114). The study showed that teens who viewed more sexual content on television were more likely to have sex. In addition, theRead MoreThe Negative Effect of Television on People Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pagesfor before viewing it, unlike that of the television which can be watched for free. Moreover, movie shooters promote sexual activities through the television by using storage devices such as compact disks which contain pornographic videos and images; watched by all genders. Since children are very good in emulating whatever they see, it is necessary to know that early exposure to pornography c an prompt kids to be sexually obsessed. 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Recent content analysis of video games show that as many as 89% of games contain some violent content and that about half of the games include serious violent content towards other game characters (D.A. Gentile, 2004). It is now a known fact that playing violent video gamesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Song That I Selected2664 Words   |  11 PagesIndependent Study Unit ISU Task 1 – Research Literary Analysis 1. The name of the song that I selected is Mockingbird by Marshall Bruce Mathers III also known as Eminem. Marshall was born to Marshall Bruce Mathers Jr. and Deborah Rae Nelson who at this time were 21 years old and 17 years old respectively. Marshall’s father had abandoned him and his family when he was a newborn, which in return made his mom raise Marshall as a single mother. Deborah was never able to keep a job for more than aRead MoreComics, The X-Men, and Popular Culture Essay4876 Words   |  20 Pagestitle and story line to read. 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The movie begins in July 1971 amid racial tensions at T .C Williams High School. It is theRead MoreAnalysis Of Alexie s Poem Alexie 2924 Words   |  12 Pagesthat there are 566 federally recognized tribes. He doesn’t even give any specific detail about his own tribe, the Spokane, which he most often uses as the background of his characters, instead creating his own generalizations. Through a Marxist analysis of his works Ten Little Indians, I will explore the question: Is Sherman Alexie is terrible at his job? It is clear that Alexie intends for everyone, particularly the youth of America, to benefit from his writing. He strives to get readers beyondRead MoreAnalysis on Conversation Features. Differenfes Between British and American English16034 Words   |  65 PagesIt usually takes place in an informal context. That is why contractions, double negation, and use of extended forms stated as incorrect by the prescriptive grammarians can be found. Also in this group would be included regional dialects. 2 ANALYSIS In this part we are going to analyze the two scripts we have chosen. We have counted and classified the conversational features. In order to support the results, some tables are included. Both texts have similar characteristics, so we have explained

New Article Reveals the Low Down on Narrative Essay Example Topics and Why You Must Take Action Today

New Article Reveals the Low Down on Narrative Essay Example Topics and Why You Must Take Action Today You can proceed and ask somebody else to go through your essay so that you receive an original look at it. The notion of a compelling first-person narration isn't the just one. Every time that you are requested to tell a story you're predicted to think of new, fresh ideas. From time to time, it's simpler to learn from your own or somebody else's experience. Some of the most important platforms in internet communication are sites including Facebook and Twitter. Narrative essays are told from a defined point of view, frequently the author's, therefore there's feeling and specific and frequently sensory details supplied to find the reader involved with the elements and sequence of the story. There's no need to discover extraordinary stories to compose a narrative essay that's interesting to read. So, it's a remarkable foundation for assorted epic stories! Telling a story isn't always simple and telling a good story is even harder. A superior engaging story is dependent on words. The cost of an essay rides on the total amount of effort the writer has to exert. Give a concise introduction of all of the people that you write about including yourself. Finally, have a look at your list and choose which idea you are able to write most strongly about. There are lots of sites which charge a huge amount for essay writing service. There's more than 1 approach to compose a narrative essay. Despite the first impression, it is not the easiest of all assignments. The very good narrative essay demands enough moment. A personal narrative essay is just one of the greatest tools to stop social issues which are often disregarded. If you're looking for one, below is a list of topic that might help you in your narrative essay. Deciding upon the correct topic may be true problem, but we are here in order to get you inspired. Curriculum proposal topics is a means to try. Deciding on the topic for your essay might be the hardest part. The Hidden Truth About Narrative Essay Example Topics As a consequence, the choice of topic doesn't matter as the writer should keep in mind that everything is under his control in a narrative essay. In most cases, your teacher will provide you with an opportunity to pick the subject all on your own. Therefore, unless your mentor or professor assigned you a particular subject, the decision of making up a good topic is your choice. So unless he assigned you a specific subject the decision of coming up with a great topic is up to you. Keep in mind that even though narrative essays seem a very simple undertaking, it remains an assignment that should be ready on time. Just be c ertain you're following your instructor's guidelines and understand how to construct a narrative essay from starting to end. Don't forget that a narrative essay is a good chance not just to improve grades without a need to finish a research but also a chance to find more regarding your classmates, their life situations and stories. Inside my experience, descriptive essays are only difficult in regards to deciding just what things to write about. In the end, use outside sources to help you have the very best result possible. At times it can be hard to write really intriguing and exciting essay of the very good quality. Think of what steps you took to locate a solution. You may have a content from it. Be mindful of the size it must be and begin writing the narrative essay outline. Based on the duration of the essay, several body paragraphs will be different. With a profound sample, you'll be more mindful of what topic is more inclined to connect with your readers and what's going to miss the target. The relevance to the principal statement you make should be quite very clear. A narrative essay isn't just an overview of your experience, but in addition it gives your thoughts on the background you're depicting and enables your reader to produce a conclusion. Include any personal reflections you may have concerning the topic you're writing about. Edit your narrative when you have completed your narrative, ensure you revise it. Sometimes, however, a narrative isn't about such essential topics.

Cross Cultural Interview Free Essays

Cross Culture Interview I invited my friends and neighbors Katsumi and Daly to dinner at my apartment on Saturday April 14th, 2012. Katsumi moved to Miami in 2006 from Thailand and Daly was born in New York City from Jordanian parents. We discussed our backgrounds, family relations, women issues, religion, music, and the cultures that shaped and defined who we are. We will write a custom essay sample on Cross Cultural Interview or any similar topic only for you Order Now Also, we talked about how cultures affect our communication behavior and how it influences our perception of the communication we receive from others. Well, we started to laugh at our dinner which consisted of pizza and coke; here we are a Puerto Rican, a Thai and a Jordanian eating Italian food and drinking an American beverage. I think is awesome how small our world has gotten. Katsumi told me â€Å"My first impression about people in this country is that they are so revealing and they are not afraid to express their feelings. I wasn’t ready for this at all. † I learned from my friend Kat, that public display of affection is forbidden by Thai customs. When I asked her about food she said that it was her biggest issue. â€Å"I’m considered an addict to really spicy food and of course I love Thai cuisine. I found the Mexican food is the closest food to suit my taste. † she told me while she kept sprinkling chili powder on her pizza. Thai people like to eat lots of spicy food. White rice or sticky rice is always eaten with every meal on a daily basis. Typical meals consist of rice and vegetables plus perhaps some dried fish, as well as soup and sauce. To my surprise there are similarities between Thai and Puerto Rican cultures, we both eat rice and vegetables on a regular basis with a fork and spoon; I had the perception that all Asian cultures eat with chopsticks. Kat and I found other similarities as well, how our families enjoy spending time together watching television, playing video games, going to the movies, engaging in conversation, celebrating holidays, and cookouts. She also stressed the fact that we differ in how we view time, â€Å"Americans are punctual for everything like work, dinner reservations and concerts. When I was in Thailand I never got to work on time, even though I got so many warnings. Here I would have been fired if I did that. † Another great difference between our cultures, she pointed out is that parents, aunts, and uncles are not sent to nursing facilities, when they get old, they live with their children. I learned that family has a great significance to Thai people as well as religion and their King, since Thailand has a monarchy. She also said that almost everybody has a picture of their king or Buddha in their homes and businesses. When I asked Daly about her religion, she explained that Islam was believed to hold the highest value and is the pillar for all other values that they have. Although she was born and lives in America, her life is mostly influence by her religion and family; it is what defines her as a person. When Daly was twenty years old she decided to stop trying to make people accept her and started to wear her headscarf. She said that it gave her freedom because she was able to live as the truest version of herself. We found differences and similarities between our religions, Islam and Christianity. We both worship the same God, both have primary beliefs that we try to follow in day to day life and both have a great respect for each other faiths and religious choices. However, one of the main differences is that Muslims, do not believe that Jesus, a human, is the son of God. This, in their teachings, means that God must have, with all his infinite wisdom and power, created himself with limitations. A human being will eventually die; therefore destroying the idea of God’s infiniteness. However, they believe that Jesus was a prophet and hold him in the same level of regard as their prophet, Mohammed. At first I was reluctant to talk about religion, primarily because the way I was brought up by my parents. They taught me at an early age that religion and politics is not to be talked outside the family circle. I was glad that Daly was very open and willing to share her cultural beliefs and values with Kat and me, she also wanted for us to erase our misconception about her culture and religion. There are several important things I learned about the Thai and Jordanian cultures. I learned that both cultures are very generous. That their upbringing emphasizes generosity, warmth, openness, and friendliness and that unity and respect for the family form the core of their society. Throughout this project Kat, Daly and I felt very comfortable with one another, mostly because we have a great respect for each other’s beliefs. It was a wonderful learning experience for all of us as well as understanding each other cultures and where we come from. Furthermore, I have learned that in order to develop culture specific skills we need to be flexible and open to change, aware to verbal and non-verbal behavior, informed of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures and sensitive to differences among individuals within a culture. In conclusion, cultural intelligence helps overcome obstacles by acquiring accurate information about the values and practices of other cultures and by developing specific skills needed to be effective across cultures. Generally speaking, patience, courtesy and a bit of curiosity go a long way. Bernard M. Baruch once said, â€Å"We didn’t all come over on the same ship, but we’re all in the same boat. â€Å" How to cite Cross Cultural Interview, Essay examples

Venezuela Essays (1065 words) - Northern South America, Venezuela

Venezuela As early as 1522 Spanish invaders reported that the Carib tribes in Venezuela used a black, gooey substance for many purposes. The viscous material was crude oil. It was not until the 1950s, however, that oil production began in Venezuela. Oil accounts for a quarter of the nation's gross domestic product and three-quarters of export earnings, and Venezuela is South America's leading producer and one of the few non-Arab members of OPEC. There are also substantial coal reserves, and exploitation of the recently discovered Guasare Basin field is expected to add 10 million tons to annual production. The political instability of the early 1990s shook foreign investor confidence, but Venezuela has emphasized trade links with other South American countries. The mid- to late 1990s saw a series of public and private sector strikes for higher wages. In addition to participation in the G-3 agreement with Mexico and Colombia, Venezuela has a free trade agreement with Colombia and has expressed the desire to become part of the North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The election of Hugo Chavez as president of Venezuela raises the question of the unraveling of the political system in all of Latin America and reveals the disillusionment some are feeling about worsening social conditions that have not improved under democratically elected governments. Venezuela began its democracy 40 years ago with an unusual pact between the country's principal parties that guaranteed an institutional stability not known in the region at that time. But, at the same time, the leaders of the country never diversified the country's economy, instead choosing to rely heavily on its oil revenues. As a result, the Venezuelan economy is highly susceptible to the world market's price fluctuations and has not diversified enough to create jobs and allow for funds for programs of social support to combat the rising unemployment and levels of poverty in the country. Chavez's victory also reflects the growing discontent with Venezuela's traditional political system. But it also demonstrates a phenomenon that is happening in other parts of the continent where leaders with an authoritarian bent are also gaining support.? (Internet-Britannica) Imports: Machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, basic manufactures, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, mineral fuels and lubricants, animal and vegetable oils. Total Imports: $10,827,000,000 (1996); $11,199,000,000 (1995); $8,277,000,000 (1994). Exports: Petroleum and refined oil products, aluminum, iron ore, bauxite, basic manufactures, chemicals, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment. Total Exports: $23,149,000,000 (1996); $19,408,000,000 (1995); $16,560,000,000 (1994). Population: 23,242,000 (1998 estimate) Largest Cities: Bogota (capital), Cali, and Medellin Currency: Bolivares; 100 centimos = 1 bolivar Languages: Spanish is the official language, but Indian dialects are spoken by some of the 200,000 Indians in the remote interior region. Religion: Roman Catholic - 96%; Protestant - 2%; other - 2%. Location: Venezuela is located on the northern coast of South America; Colombia lies to the west, Brazil to the south, Guyana to the east, and the Caribbean Sea to the north. National Capital: Caracas Climate: The Venezuelan climate varies according to region, but ranges from tropical to moderate. The rainy season lasts from May through November. The average annual temperature in Caracas is 69 F. (internet-google) The things that I would like to do in Venezuela would include, watching a bull fight, go golfing, fish for peacock bass, eat a lot of good authentic food, and take a guided tour through the amazon. One of the favorite forms of entertainment is the "toros coleados", where two groups of expert brave riders compete with each other at downing a bull by catching it by the tail and throwing it to the ground. The competition takes place in a festive atmosphere, where music is played between bulls and abundant food and drink is served. Bullfights The "Nuevo Circo," in Caracas, is one of the four major bullrings in Latin America, where bullfighters must perform in order to be fully recognized. Many other "plazas de toros" (bullrings) are also very famous. Maracaibo, San Cristobal, Maracay, Valencia -among others of ten feature first-class bullfights during their festivities. It is sunshine in the afternoon at the plaza, teeming with people and "toreros" risking their lives in front of the bulls, accounts for an interesting experience. Venezuela has a very good breed of fighting bulls (Taurus) and excellent "toreros". The only Latin American bullfighter that has been immortalized in Spain is Jose Giron from Venezuela, who has a statue in Madrid. Giron was the first in a family of toreros who became a dynasty and even created a style of their own. (internet-infoseek) ?El Pavon,? the Peacock Bass in Spanish.