Why Study Geography?

I was helping Chan (our Grade 11, Korean Homestay student) with some homework
and this was the question...

Why study geography?

the internet is an amazing resource for answers , although I think he thinks it's like cheating and i keep having that feeling too BUT ITS NOT ....ITS LEARNING.... we found a couple of sites that really answered the question well..in fact i wasn't quite prepared for how well !!!
the first is quite poetic and all you visual learners will love it...

Geography is essential to an education because we, on this spinning blue marble hanging in space, are an interdependent family. Our actions on this planet, like tossing a stone into pond, send out rippling waves, rings of consequences that effect every other person on this planet. To ponder these ripples, to consider what caused each ringing wave, and to reflect on how each ripple will effect each person in earth’s pond, this is the essence of geography .
THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY...WELL..ALMOST!!


Without geography, we are raising young people to be ego-centric, (ouch) thinking that they alone exist in the world, in a world that they share with no one, sole sailors in an empty pond, where their waves effect no one, and no one else’s waves effect them.


WHOAAAA, I don't think I was listening in Geography class way back when.

What a beautiful picture for someone with a limited language base...Chan saw the picture clearly!

Why in the world is geography an important element of education?

To build trust with our global neighbors. " trust" .....never even gave that one a thought..now were learning something....

Last year, then American Secretary of State Colin Powell said,

“To solve most of the major problems facing our county today – from wiping out terrorism, to minimizing global environmental problems, to eliminating the scourge of AIDS –will require every young person to learn more about other regions, cultures, and language

and that's why i love having international students live with us..we see our world and theirs from a whole new point of view...and i realize how much has become familiar in my "little world"

familiarity breeds contempt...thats a proverb..and it's true..at times i can be so unthankful.....until

i met you ..from the other side of my world....

STILL ,there is always a lighter side to life

We found some fun reasons on another site..just to make you smile..
Chan found these ones much more amusing(He's got a great smile and a wonderful laugh..we love him dearly and glad he's back with us this year...) so here goes...

You won't buy an Amtrak ticket from California to Hawaii.

Michael Jordan was a Geography major so you can be like Mike and make millions of dollars.
One of the most admired women in history, Mother Teresa, was a geography teacher. You'll actually know where those coffee beans come from!

Geography 101 and i'm sure there will be more life lessons to come....the year has just begun