Week 1 January

She did it! Dutch girl,16, becomes youngest to sail around the world on her own

By:  Beth Stebner

Date published: 23^rd January 2011; Date accessed: 23^rd January

Summary: A 16 years old girl from the Netherlands completed a 518 day around the world voyage. Laura Dekker travelled around 27,000 nautical miles in her a 38 feet yacht, Guppy. Dekker started her voyage despising the disapproval of the Dutch government for her to travel solo around the world. The Dutch government tried to detect her from the journey many times through bought inspection and many others. Laura started her journey from Netherland and passed through the Canary Islands, Panama, the Galapagos Island, Tonga, Fiji, Bora Bora, Australia, South Africa, and completed her journey at St. Maarten. Luara farther claimed that she may never go back to Netherland due to the legal disapproval of her journey.   

Response: Laura Dekker, in my point of view, has shown the world that anything can be accomplished despite age and legalization. She proved that if we follow our hearts, happiness will come even if it may bring many problems afterwards. One will not have any regrets if we do what we truly want. However, Laura Dekker is also acting like a child for not facing the problems with legalization and plan to run away by never to return to her homeland. This is very irresponsive action.  

  

Vocabulary:

1.      Deter (verb)

a.       “She said government organisations tried to deter her from her journey, and because of that, she may not return home to the Netherlands.”

b.      To turn aside, discourage, or to prevent from acting. Origin: Latin deterrere, from de + terrere to frighten; first use in 1547. (Merriam-webster.com)

c.       The students in Woodstock School will soon be deterring from playing video games on weekdays.

2.      Traumatic (adjective)

a.       “It was all a frightening and traumatic experience.”

b.      An emotional upset. Origin: Greek traumat, trauma wound; first use 1693.  (Merriam-webster.com)

c.       The classroom was filled with traumatic atmosphere after the school has been attacked.

3.      Reef (noun)

a.       “‘Now, after sailing around the world, with different port approaches, storms, dangerous reefs, and the full responsibility of keeping myself and Guppy safe, I feel that the nightmares the Dutch government organisations put me through, were totally unfair.”

b.      A part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating size. Origin: Middle English riff; first use in 14^th century. (Merriam-webster.com)

c.       Every sailors need to learn about the reef before going out into the sea.