Story Corps - Julio Diaz

I have so many "favorite" stories on Story Corps, but this is really one of my favorites. It is a story by a guy named Julio Diaz, who lives in New York City.




Before You Listen
Discuss these questions with a partner.
1. Did anyone ever rob you? What happened? How did you feel?
2. Why do people steal things?


Vocabulary
Do you know what these words mean?

rob

join

diner

kid

behave

bill

figure

complicated



Listen
Listen to Julio's story here.
You can hit your "back" button to return to this page.
Listen to the story as many times as you need to answer these questions.

1. Where was Julio when he met the teenager?

2. What did the teenager pull out? What did he want?

3. As he was walking away, Julio said, "Hey you forgot something". What did he offer him?

4. Where did they go together?

5. Who came to talk to Julio?

6. How did Julio treat the people who came to talk to him?

7. At the end of the dinner what two things did the kid give Julio?

8. What did Julio give the kid?

9. Julio says, "If you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right." Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

Vocabulary
Here are definitions for the vocabulary words.

rob - steal, take something from someone illegaly

join - do something with other people, for example, "Will you join me for dinner?"

diner - an informal type of restaurant that is usually open 24 hours. Mel's Diner is a famous diner.

kid - another word for a child, or teenager

behave - act. How did you behave when you were a child?

bill - the check. He asked for the bill.

figure - think. I figured = I thought.

complicated - not simple. "This complicated world" - means that this world is not easy, it's not simple.

Body Language

In this talk, a social psychologist talks about how your body language can affect how others see you and how you feel about yourself. Do you want to feel more confident? Practice power postures every day.

Here is a link to an article that summarizes everything from the talk.

Joy Luck Club

Chinese Etiquette

Observation Task

Kramer vs Kramer final scene



Kramer vs Kramer - I want my son

Jane Goodall

Here is a short video about Jane Goodall, an English woman who went to Africa to study chimpanzees. Her work helped us to understand chimpanzees better and led to conservation efforts to try to save them. She found that they are very much like humans.

Adele - Someone Like You

This is a beautiful song by British singer Adele. It's about her ex-boyfriend.



I heard that you're settled down
That you found a girl and you're married now.
I heard that your dreams came true.
Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you.

Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light.

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I'll remember, you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.
Yeah.

You know how the time flies
Only yesterday was the time of our lives
We were born and raised
In a summer haze
Bound by the surprise of our glory days

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.
I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded
That for me it isn't over, yeah.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I'll remember, you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."
Yeah...

Nothing compares
No worries or cares
Regrets and mistakes
They are memories made.
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember, you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love
But sometimes it hurts instead."

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I'll remember, you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead."
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.
Yeah.....

Dr. Maya Angelou

Dr. Maya Angelou is a poet, award-winning writer, a journalist, an activist, a performer, a dancer, an actress, a director and a teacher. She has written many books, including her autobiography, several poetry collections and a number of books for children. She was asked by President Bill Clinton to read a poem at his inauguration in 1993. Here she is reading one of her poems called, "Still I Rise". It is a beautiful poem about the human spirit. In it, she talks about how no matter what happens, we pick ourselves up and move forward. It is a very inspirational poem, and the way she reads it is beautiful.

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
Just 'Cause I walk as if I have oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like suns and like moons,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Don't you take it so hard
Just 'cause I laugh as if I have gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your lies,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But just like life, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness offend you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance as if I have diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past rooted in pain
I rise
A black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak miraculously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I hope and the dream of the slave.
And so, naturally......
There I go rising.

SF Architectural Styles

Here is a link to a page with really good information about architectural styles in San Francisco. The videos are pretty technical, but you can watch and enjoy looking at the many beautiful San Franciscan homes. Click here.

Here is a video with an overview of all of the Victorian styles.

Japanese-American Internment

Here is a short film produced by the U.S. government explaining the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Many years later, the government admitted it was a mistake and those who were affected were given $20,000 in reparations for everything they lost.