My training

In this term we all had to accomplish training. I choose to do it in my native town in Children's Rights Protection Service. I have to mention that I liked my work very much and all training was joyful.
First day of my training I had opportunity to watch how experienced professionals work with clients and make important decisions. In my situation it was question of custody. It is very sad but in that situation child had to live without parents, because they did not care their own child.
Second activity that was really useful and interesting for me was participation in proceeding. I was participant of proceeding in few cases. But most interesting case for me was the case of filiation. It was almost like in Mexican serial, because father thought that he is biological father and took care of that girl until 15 years old. When the girl was about 15 years old her mother told that this man is not her biological father. So that person became aggressive and furious and decided to check it out by him self and if it is true divorce with girl’s mother. However in this situation biggest stress gets girl, because she is teenager, probable divorce process also should affect her very much and she did not know where she is going to live tomorrow…
There were works with documents, clients and other specialists too, but these two situations were most interesting for me and kept in my mind most clearly until today.
In conclusion I would like to say that training like this one is very useful, interesting and important for us if we want to be good specialists after graduation.

SELF- ASSESMENT OF ONLINE LISTENING TO PODCASTS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/yyhealth/
YYHealth: Tooth Whitening 01 Nov 07
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/farming/
Farming 06 Nov 07: Who gets the profits?


I have listened two podcasts. One of them was about farming and its benefit, another about tooth whitening. The main purpose of this task was to prepare better for my listening exam. I think that was very useful and interesting practise.
Podcasts were quite difficult for me, so I had to listen it 2-3 times in order to understand clearly. I perceived that I have to build up my vocabulary, because there were a lot of unknown words in these podcasts. However I think that I learnt main ideas and information quit well and I could answer the questions asked correctly. I am glad that the pronunciation was very clear and I could get the meanings of the words.
Most annoying things in listening are interferences. I managed to understand everything plainly when people were talking at the studio, but when somebody talked by phone I had to listen it twice or even three times. When my roommate hanged around and made noise it was more difficult to concentrate for listening. Another difficult thing in listening is expressions. But you can’t do anything in this situation. You need help of lecturer or big dictionary if you want to find the meaning of one or another expression.
In my opinion I should practise much more, if I want that extrinsic sounds do not disturb me. I should read more English literature or watch more films in English in order to expand my vocabulary.
In conclusion I can say that I feel comfortable when I watch English movies, there usually conversational English is used. But when language is more scientific and it is talking for a long time about one process or event, it is hard to understand all aspects of it.

Alcoholism

For many people, drinking alcohol is nothing more than a pleasant way to relax. However sometimes it becomes an illness
.
Drinking problem has multiple causes, with genetic, physiological, psychological and social factors all playing a role. Not every individual is equally affected by each cause. Some individuals drink to cope with emotional problems. Poverty and physical or sexual abuse could lead to alcohol dependence too.

While some research suggests that small amounts of alcohol may be useful, but heavier drinking can lead to health problems. A lot of people die from alcohol-related causes each year.
Sequence of drinking:
Short-term-memory loss, hangovers, and blackouts.
Long-term- stomach ailments, heart problems, cancer, brain damage, serious memory loss, and liver cirrhosis. Increased chances of dying from automobile accidents, homicide, depression, or anxiety.

Alcoholics often hide their problem or deny it. Some people with drinking problems work hard to resolve them, and often, with the support of family members or friends, these individuals are able to recover on their own. However, most of them usually can't stop drinking without professional help. They may need to get into Anonymous Alcoholic centres and start detoxification process. There also are twelve steps program. In that program alcoholics are communicating with each other, all of them have same problem, so they can share and advice how to solve that problem.

Hhere you can do test: ,, Has drinking alcohol become a problem for me?”

• Can't stop drinking once you start?
• Have tried to stop drinking for a week or so but only quit for a few days?
• Fail to do what you should at work or at home because of drinking?
• Feel guilty after drinking?
• Find other people make comments to you about your drinking?
• Have a drink in the morning to get yourself going after drinking heavily the night before?
• Can't remember what happened while you were drinking?
• Have hurt someone else as a result of your drinking?

If you answered to these questions YES, you have problem with alcohol. So think about it!

Cars

Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems.
I agree with both the arguments. Along with the tremendous benefits that the automobiles give to us, they also pose a serious threat to people's health and environment. Especially it is big problem in our country, Lithuania.
In the pre-automobile days people traveled on horses and carts. The traveling time was very long. Today, the automobiles can run anywhere close to 200 miles per hour speed.They are the cheapest and one of the fastest inventions of transportation and traveling on the land. The automobiles help people to take care of medical, business and other personal emergency situations.
Benzene and diesel, when used as an automobile fuel emits lot of poisonous gases. Automobiles pose a serious threat to the environment by emitting air pollutants like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The Air pollution poses serious threat to the ecology including human's health. Researchers have directly related the cause of various cancers to the air pollution. Automobiles also make people lazy by providing them with an easy means to travel that involves no physical exercise. It is serious problems in Lithuania, because our economy is still low and people can not afford to buy new cars, and old ones pollute atmosphere a lot.
Other terrible problem in Lithuania is Road War. Lithuania is leading country in EU by death in roads. Drivers are driving dizzy of alcohol, do not keep speed limits, and often break traffic rules. In this situation I suggest for government to set much stricter punishments as Latvia did. After that number of roadkills in Latvia reduced considerably.

On-line listening.Choosing a Student Exchange

There are a lot of programs that helps students to go abroad, exactly to the United States. Students can study in foreign country for some time, but if they want, they have possibility to work and travel there too. The main idea of these programs is students’ exchange. It means that one student goes and lives in family of other student for few months.
I would like to go to the United States, because I think that this country is country of possibilities, and there you can reach your dream easy. The salary is bigger than in my native country, work conditions are better. You also can meet new people, make new useful social contacts, start your own business.
However going abroad has a lot of disadvantages too. Your motherland is far away, you a missing your friend and family members. Traditional food and holidays become precious recollections.

Gun Control in the US

The idea of gun control and regulation is becoming more and more popular throughout the U.S. Guns are the most heated topic of debate in the United States of America today.
Regulation of guns is the main action that needs to be taken in order to save lives. Gun control is an attempt to stop the rise of violence by strengthening laws on the ownership of firearms. Persons in the group against gun control believe that gun control is wrong, and that it is a violation of constitutional rights. However there are several big anti-gun control groups, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), and the Gun Owners of America (GOA) which are trying to change something.
There are over 200 million registered guns in U.S and we can just imagine what number of unregistered guns belongs to people who buy it not for self-defence, but in order to execute a crime.
We all know recent accident in Virginia TECH University. Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students. Who should be responsible for this tragedy? In my opinion biggest part of responsibility should take doctors. They knew what this person have psychological problems, but didn‘t start necessary actions. He even could buy two guns legally!!! Doctors and social workers could help him and in same time could help to avoid this massacre! Seung-Hui Cho felt lonely, outcast, what is why he started to hate all surrounding world. Maybe if he had several conversations with social worker his attitude would be changed easily. This tragedy didn‘t happen suddenly. Seung-Hui Cho was sending signals, few students were complaining that Seung-Hui Cho started to be aggressive and even brutal. According to these facts it is to understand that somebody haven‘t done his job properly. Social worker could talk with his family members, students who know him a little bit closer.
All word is shocked of that tragedy and everybody grieves for dead students. However, the most awful thing in this story is that Seung-Hui Cho encouraged and inspired other maniacs in all over the world to do something like he did. He seeded fear in U.S and especially in it‘s schools and universities...

Employment law

Employment law is a law, which protects rights and interests of workers. Regulate rapport between employers and employees. Employment law appeared with industrialization, the biggest part of this law was formed in 20th century. If person is discriminated (for example of his race or sex) he has right to take his case to industrial tribunal. Employers and employees have a right of strike and boycott, but it is harmful for both sides, because companies and workers lost profit during that action. So it is used only in critical situations. Employment law guarantees a standard minimum salary and right to have holiday. Japan has fewer employment laws than in many Western countries. However workers in that county have biggest security of work, insurance and salaries than many employees in other countries.