Identity Portfolio

By: Matthew Poulin

Family Tree

Historical Narrative

Interview

What   were   your   feelings/what   happened   to   you  after  during  this  time?

• Scared• Went   back   to  his  post   to  eat,  had   a   coffee.  Had  no  counselor  so  he  had  to  talk  to  the  priest

• The  Israeli’s  solders  after  said  sorry  to  himWhat  was  your  surroundings/  what  was  the  weather  like?

• Sinai  Desert  • Hot,  dry

What  were  your   feelings  when  the  gun  was   to  your  head?

• Thinking  about  his  kids• Saying  “  contact  my  commander”• Please  don’t  kill  me• 29  years  old  when  it  happened• He   had   no   intentions   running   away   or   saving  himself,   because   you   are   not   allowed   to   shoot/  harm  anybody  unless  you  are  told  to  do  so

What  was  happening  around  you?• They  were  violent  to  him,  because  they  were  at  war  and  they  felt  as  if  they  had  captured  a  random  guy

How  do  you  feel  about  the  war  right  now?• He   has   a   lot   of   respect   for   the   Israeli   because   he  values  their  training

• He  did  not  have  any  contact  with  the  Egyptian  army  so  he  did  not  really  have  any  feelings  for  that  side

The gun to my head

“Halt!”  An  Israeli  solder  stood  straight  in  front  of  my  car.  He  glared  at  me  like  he  was  the  tiger  and  I  was  his  prey.  My  training  kicked   in.  I  kept  myself   neutral  at  a  time   like  this.  I  slowed  down  the  car,  not  sure  what  they  were  going  to  do  to  me.

The  whole   post   stood   right   in   front   of   me.  Knees   weak,  hands  shaking,  I   told  myself   to  calm  down.  They  hauled  me  out  of  the  car  like  some  kind  of  toy  that  a  child  threw  around.  I  glanced  at  my  surroundings.  Only  one  thing  caught  my  eye.  A  gun.  In  that  moment,  things  raced  through  my  mind.“Are  they  going  to  shoot  me?  Will  they  even  use  that  gun?

My  heartbeat  slowly  increased.  My  hands  started  to  sweat.  

They   circled   around   me   a   few   times   like   they   knew  something,  but   they  were  not  sure  of   it.  He  walked  over   to  the  other  ofNicers  and  whispered  to  them.  The  suspense  took  over  me.  One  word  popped  out.

“What?”

I   stopped   myself   immediately.   My   heartbeat   increased  gravely,  I  failed  what  I  trained  to  do.  I  am  not  allowed  to  say  a  word  in  a  hostage  situation  unless  it  is  life  threatening.

I   glanced   at   him  one  more   time.   In   that   split   second,   he  pulled  out  a  gun  and  pointed  it  to  my  head.

“Okay,   I  am   only  29   years   old.   I  will   never   get   to  see  my  kids   grow  up.   I  wont   see   their   performances  or   play   catch  with  them  in  the  backyard.  I  wont  get  to  say  goodbye  to  my  wife.”  

  A   thought   sprang   into  my   head.  He  wouldn’t   shoot   me.  He’s  just  making  me  nervous.  Or  maybe  he  was  seeing  how  I  would  react  to  the  situation.  

“Call  my  Commander,”  I  screeched.  My   life  was  zeroed   in  on   this  moment.   I  prayed   that   this  

was  not  the  moment  that  I  died.  

  “I  am  going  to  kill  you!”  Although   his   voice  was   stern,   I   knew   that   he  would   not  

shoot  me.  He  simply  hadn’t  had  the  command  to  do  so!  

“Call   my   commander,”   I   was   practically   pleading   now.  Time   slowed   down   and   I   saw  my   whole   life.   From  when   I  was  a  baby,  to  now,  when  I  am  a  U.N.  peacekeeping  solder.  

Finally,  he  walked  over  to  his  commander,  chatted  for  a  bit  and  walked  back.  

“You  are  free  to  go,”  he  muttered.

My  heart  sang  with  joy.  I  would  not  die.  I  would  get  to  see  my  family  grow  up.  Even  though  I  was  jubilant,  I  knew  that  this  was  probably   a   one-­‐time  chance.   I   have   to  be  more  careful  next  time.  I  hopped  back  into  my  jeep,  and  drove  back  to  my  base.

Research  

• March  26,  1979  signed  a  peace  treaty  • 1948  Israel  became  a  country  • October  6,  1973,  Jewish  holiday,  Egyptians  and  Syrians  attacked  Israel.  Israel  pushed  them  back  into  their    own  territory  

• Canadian  solders  from  1974  to  1976• The Yom Kippur War began when Egypt and

Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel• Also called the six day war • War started on Israeli holiday • killings of 8000-15,000• Peace keepers came in • They are part of the U.N • Two/three countries were fighting• The countries were Israel and the Arabs • They peace keepers were Canadian Peace

Keepers • The Yom kippur war was also known as the

October War

Bibliography

“  Yom  Kippur  War”  Britannica  Middle  School.  Pudong     Secondary.  Web.  17  October  

16,  2012  http://school.ebonline.com/comptons/article-­‐225908?query=yom%20kippur%20war&ct=null  

"Yom Kippur War." Reference.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www.reference.com/browse/yom kippur war>.

“  Yom  Kippur  War”  World  book  Middle  School.  Pudong  Secondary.  Web.  18  October    

16,  2012    http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar027260&st=yom+kippur+war

"Zionism and Israel - Encyclopedic Dictionary Yom Kippur War." Yom Kippur War- Milchement Yom Kippur. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://zionism-israel.com/dic/ YomKippurWar.htm

ReNlection  

1.How has working on this project helped you learn about your family’s history and given you a better sense of your identity?

This project has opened my ideas about my family. I could see that if my grandpa got shot, i would only just be here. My dad was only one year old! I even though i did not choose other stories from my family, I am still proud of what they have been through.

2.Why do you think doing a project like this is important?

I think a project like this is important because:

A: You get to learn things about your family

B: It helps you learn how to write properly

3. What part of this project did you enjoy the most? Why?

I probably enjoyed making my family tree the most. I was just so fascinated about what my family has been through. From being authors, to being in a war.

4. What specific challenges did you face during this project and how did you over come them?

The hardest challenge that i had to overcome was writing the story. At points I would just have break downs and i didn’t know what to write.

5. What advice would you give future students as they begin this project?

Don’t give up and try your hardest. Also DO NOT procrastinate