Lessons from Leslie Knope and Sheryl Sandburg: By Watching ‘Parks and Recreation’

The TV sitcom show, 'Parks and Recreation', stimulates one of DSKUSSS members. She loves to share her feeling and thought on this show with you. Let's see what she learned from the show! Please let us know your thoughts through comments. Enjoy reading! :-)

Lessons from Leslie Knope and Sheryl Sandburg:

By Watching ‘Parks and Recreation’

Yunzee Kim

Graduated from Dongseo University

Communication and Media Studies

The sitcom of ‘Parks and Recreation’ is fun. However, it also gives you a lesson. Especially, if you are a woman, you can understand what I mean. The main character, Leslie Knope, is a government officer who works at the Parks and Recreation department of Pawnee. Ever since she started to work, she has been through lots of ups and downs. Sometimes, she meets good people who continue being her friend for the life time. From time to time, she fights all matters like financial problems and lack of interests by citizens in Pawnee, it is hard to make the project related to parks real. These situations are exaggerated by her friends who are so wired and dramatic all the time and these make viewers laugh. Through 7 seasons, she has become the national politician, friend, mother, and wife.

Leslie is passionate and confident. This character naturally reminded me of Sheryl Sandburg who is the CFO of Facebook. Sheryl is well-known for her passions on the women issues, specifically gender equality. Sheryl and Leslie have several things in common. They are so passionate on what they want to do. They seem not to know the word ‘give-up.’ When they face some issues, they are eager to find the way to solve the problem. Also, they share what they think with friends, families, co-workers. It means that Leslie and Sheryl make sure their idea be understood by their friends. So, they start to make supporters who help them do a job. Then, they solve the problem and share the victory with the people they love and care. These process keeps me think how I should do when I get a job as a woman.

The situations comedy seems to give us only laugh but this is not true. In the sitcoms, many precious lessons that people should know exist. In the “Parks and Recreation”, I am so happy to say that I could learn how to be a successful and happy woman. Hey, girls (also boys)! If you have time and if you want to be like Leslie or Sheryl, start to watch this show. It will give you tremendous wisdom for your life. I bet You would not regret!

DSKUSSS Webzine from Paris: Cliché on France regarding Speaking English

One of our members went to France as an exchange student. Since she really loves to share her thoughts in there and she sent DSKUSSS a piece of writing in a letter format. She was especially surprised at the fluency of French people's English speaking. What a interesting! Read this and share your thoughts through comments. Also, thank you Hyunji Yoo for your love and care toward DSKUSSS.

DSKUSSS Webzine from Paris:

Cliché on France regarding Speaking English

Hyunji Yoo

Global Studies

Pusan National University

Greetings from the city of light and love, Paris! It’s not just because I was a president of DSKUSSS before, I feel a huge love and passion whenever I think about DSKUSSS. Plus, I feel grateful to say hello to all DSKUSSS members and fans of DSKUSSS.

Before I arrived at the ground of Paris, I have been heard a lot of times that French people only speak French. Since I was not confident in my French, I was almost afraid of my life here even before it started. “Je sais pas! (I don’t know)” was my premier idea on France and French in general. However, this typical cliché on French was destroyed as I live here mingling with French friends. So far, I’ve never had a serious problem because of the language – of course, there exist some exceptions in the supermarket and my accommodation though. Beyond my first expectation, they have spoken English pretty well.

Throwback my past experiences with them, I think I would be more fluent in French if they could not speak English. Unfortunately, I could not achieve my original purpose to be like a Native French speaker but I at least knew how much they have passion to have a willingness to communicate through English. They recognize English as a global language and feel it as a necessary, or mandatory to live out in this century.

If you have been hesitant to visit France or European countries due to linguistic problems, forget about it and just come! Like my stereotype on France was broken down, you will fully enjoy the culture itself.