The Academy News - July 26, 2013 by Jessica Stern

The Academy News

 Check out The Academy News online: www.usc.edu /langacad.Go to “Student Information” and then click on “The Academy News.”

 Looking for a car. Here are some tips for getting a good deal on p. 4.

 Find out how to call home for the cheapest rates . See p. 7.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Language

Labs

Driving in Los 4 Angeles Kazakh

Wedding Sunday

Brunch

V O L U M E

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I S S U E

Language Academy tudents went to the famous Orange County Fair for their third Language Academy activity last Saturday. They were really excited because this was the first all-day-long activity. The OC Fair is a big event consisting of various elements, among which the rides must be ranked as the most thrilling ones. There is a variety of rides, and most of them will be beyond your expectation. If you want to challenge yourself, the OC Fair has the terrifying free-fall drop machine which carries you to the top of a meters-high tower

Students won minions at the game booths at the Orange County Fair.

then suddenly drops down in free-falling speed. You can also try a ride named Insanity which revolves in high speed

Friday, July 26, 2013 1:30PM-6:00PM If you signed up for this activity, meet in JEF Courtyard at 1:30pm. If you have not checked in by 1:45PM, we will give your place to someone on the waiting list. The Third Street Promenade is an upscale shopping, dining and entertainment section of downtown Santa Monica. Please bring cash if you plan on eating or shopping.

Pics of the Week

with 360 degrees rotation. “Now I understand why it is called Insanity. It is crazy but awesome,” See Orange County Fair on p. 3

U PC O MING A C TIVITI ES Third Street Promenade

Work

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By MATT SUN, LEO WU, and JINGYI WANG

Mountaintop 7

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Fun at Orange County Fair

Quiet Time on 6 Volunteer

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Hawaiian Luau Party and Group Picture Friday, August 2, 2013 Come experience Hawai'i in our very own JEF Courtyard. Become a hula or Tahitian dance master, compete with your Language Academy friends in the hula hoop and limbo contests, enjoy Hawaiian performances, and feast on delicious Hawaiian food! We will take a group picture after the performances. Sign-up at 12:00PM in JEF Courtyard ($5 payment).

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Tuesday, July 30th Time

Location

Description

Facilitator

12:30-1:30pm

KAP 150

IELTS Prep Lab (Levels 2-5)

James Hutzell Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

THH 107

Statement of Purpose (Levels 4, 5 & 6) Limited to 1 time per week

Marisa Garcia-Crocker Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

VKC 204

Grammar Q & A (Levels 1, 2 & 3)

John Esposito Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 1

Liza USC Student

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 2

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 3

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 4

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 5

Belen USC Student Lucy USC Student Demetri USC Student Jay USC Student

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Levels 6

Rachel USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

GFS 104

GRE/GMAT Prep Lab (Levels 4, 5 & 6)

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 1

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 2

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 3

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 4

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 5

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Levels 6

REMINDER: Last Chance to Attend Language Labs Next week is the last week for Language Labs! You must sign-up online this weekend in order to be registered. In order to be eligible for an A in your oral skills class, you must attend at least one Language Lab.

IELTS Preparation: Test Overview—In this lab, you’ll have the opportunity to learn tips and tricks on how to ace the IELTS test. This week we’ll discuss the overview of the test. Conversation Practice—Practice speaking English by level with USC students. This is an interactive discussion in which you will participate in group discussions about several interesting topics. This is your opportunity to practice speaking and to ask questions. Statement of Purpose Workshop (Levels 4-6): Learn how to write an amazing SOP for graduate school.

Jeminah Jones Faculty Lucy USC Student Blaire USC Student Demetri USC Student

Grammar Q & A—Are you confused by the rules of English grammar? Come to the Grammar Question and Answer lab for help with your grammar questions!

Rachel USC Student Liza USC Student Jay USC Student

GRE/GMAT Preparation (Levels 4-6): Find out the best ways to succeed on the new exam

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Thursday, August 1st Time

Location

Description

Facilitator

12:30-1:30pm

GFS 104

GRE Prep Lab (Levels 4, 5 & 6)

Peter Guekguezian Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

THH 107

Statement of Purpose (Levels 4, 5 & 6) Limited to 1 time per week

Marisa Garcia-Crocker Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

VKC 204

Grammar Q & A (Levels 4, 5 & 6)

John Esposito Faculty

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 1

Liza USC Student

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 2

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 3

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 4

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 5

12:30pm-1:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Levels 6

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 1

Belen USC Student Jay USC Student Demetri USC Student Blaire USC Student Rachel USC Student Blaire USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 2

Belen USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 3

Demetri USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 4

Rachel USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Level 5

Liza USC Student

1:30pm-2:30pm

JEF Courtyard

Conversation Levels 6

Jay USC Student

what about the food? OC Fair collects the most delicious food in the country: sauContinued from p. 1 sages, mountain of curly fries, cakes, Haoming Zhang said after he tried this ride baked corns, lemonade juice, you name it! and being hung in the air for five minutes. As for the shopaholics, there is also a big The terrifying rides are too challeng- mall selling high quality clothes and bags for reasonable prices. ing for you? Don’t worry. There are nuThis is not all about the OC Fair. merous games worth a try. Buying ten There are more interesting activities waittickets with $5, you will get a chance to ing ahead. Have you heard of All-Alaskan win the cutest stuffed toy ever---the minRacing Pigs? They are a team of the fastest ion in the famous cartoon film Despicable and funniest athletes to serve up entertainMe. If none of the games attract you, then ment in the OC Fair events. When the pigs

Orange County Fair

started to run, Mike yelled “Unbelievable! They are really fast with their tiny limbs.” More surprisingly, these little creatures could jump over the hurdle which is two times taller than themselves. “It is the funniest race I have ever seen. I really enjoyed it,” said Jingyi. With a long history (since 1890), the OC Fair is also a great chance for us to experience American culture. “This fair contains a little bit of everything” said Elin, “It is great fun just to walk around and soak up the atmosphere.”

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Are You Ready to Explore L.A. by Car? By XI KANG (SILVIA) and YUAN FENG

Los Angeles is a fascinating city with lots of interesting places awaiting you to explore. You can reach Hollywood, Disneyland, Long Beach as well as many fabulous places within an hour’s driving from USC. Since the public transportation here in Los Angeles is not very satisfying, having a car is of great necessity. There are only a few steps before you can get your driver license and have your own car. Getting Your Driver’s License You can either sign up at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) website to make an appointment for your written test and then take your test on the appointment date or go to the department to take your written test without reservation. By making an appointment, you can avoid waiting in the queue for a long time. Do not forget to bring your valid ID with you when you go to DMV. Before taking the written test, you can review the traffic rules by reading the brochure provided by DMV or do some practice online. The written test includes some multiple choice questions. Having fewer than six incorrect answers in the test indicates that you have passed the written test and you will receive a “Learner’s Permit” after the physical examination. With that permit, you can practice driving on road under the instruction of a tutor or someone with a driver license. For international students who already have their driver’s license before coming to the U.S., they can get a temporary driver’s license after passing the written test. Typically, the temporary license allows them to drive legally up to three months, but they have to take another driving test before getting their official driver license. The driving test requires an appointment in advance. There is a

evaluator from the DMV sitting next to you and giving you instructions. You just need to follow the instructions and try your best to make fewer than fifteen mistakes so that you can pass the exam. The driving test includes driving, parking, turning and the test of driver's capability to obey the traffic rules. If you pass the driving test, you can receive your official driver’s license in two weeks.

sites: just type your requirement of a used car and the websites will list all the possible deals that meet your needs. Once you pick the cars that you are interested, you can start to contact the sellers to schedule an appointment for a test drive. There are two things that you need to remember before you go for the testing drive. First, ask the seller to provide the VIN number and the CARFAX report for the car. If the seller doesn’t provide a CARFAX report, you can buy the report online. Those documents provide detailed information about the cars that you’re interested in. If it shows “salvage” on the report, it means the car has a serious damage and you need to look for others. Second, request the seller to provide smog check history. In California, the seller is required to provide a certificate of check no later than 90 days. After you have a full knowledge of the cars’ conditions, you can schedule an appointment and go to see the cars for a test drive. While you are driving, pay attention to the brake, listen the sound of the engine, and other noises throughout the test drive. After driving, check the AC, windows, radio, CD, etc.. Before you made your final decision, take the car to do a final evaluation and check the price value on Kelly Blue Book. Before you pay your bill, make sure the registration is current and the Certificate of Title (pink slip) is cleaned. If your car is purchased from a dealer, you don’t need to worry about the title transformation process. The dealer will take care of that. However, if you get it from an owner, you should remember to report ownership change to DMV and to pay the fees within 30 days after your purchase. Last but not least, don’t forget to get a valuable insurance before driving your car.

Buying a Used Car Having your license in your hand, next it is time for you to get your own car. An economic used car in good condition is always a better choice for students like us. Here is some information you should know about the process of purchasing a used car. First of all, you can choose either to buy a used car from a dealer or a private party. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Dealers are generally more responsible and required by law to ensure a car has been sold under a good condition. However, the prices are usually higher than purchasing from an owner. Buying from an owner, in contrast, often cost less, but the condition of the car is not guaranteed. One of the biggest Reference websites where you can find used cars is Buying a Used Car – Tips & Scams to Avoid. Craigslist. On the website, you can ei(n.d.). Retrieved from http:// ther find the cars sold by a dealer or an www.carbuyingtips.com/used.htm owner. It is easy to navigate those web-

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Welcome to Kazakh Wedding Ceremony By YERKANAT ZAITOV

Weddings in Kazakhstan are celebrated noisily, bright, and on a grand scale often turning into a festival lasting days, or even weeks, with more than a dozen families, relatives and friends. In August I will be lucky enough to attend as a groomsman the fabulous wedding of my brother. Before I arrive home let me introduce some Kazakh wedding traditions and customs. Not many people know that Kazakhs celebrate two ceremonies: one from the bride’s family and another the main wedding from groom’s family. Before the first ceremony, the groom’s family and closest relatives all together visit the bride’s family for a matchmaking custom with many gifts for each member of her family. This custom is called “Kuda Tuser,” a ritual courtship of bride. The bride hands a petition to her parents. In agreement with the relatives of the bride, a day shall be appointed when the closest relatives of the groom headed by the Chief matchmaker come to ask the bride's hands. Very interesting is the custom of meeting matchmakers, who greet each other with the words, "Who are you? Who should go?" in the form of a halfjoking and they are sure to throw "Shashu" - a candy and sweets. "Shashu" - this is a mandatory attribute of any celebration. This gesture means hospitality and gives a sense of celebration and is accompanied by fun. The candy is collected and given to children with a wish in the future to become a party to such a celebration (it is said: "Zhugysty Bolsyn" – “Wish you the same in the nearest future”). Upon entering the house of the bride, the groom meet Zhenge (daughters-in-law, wives of elder brothers), who jokingly question him, search his pockets, coming up with different tests. Usually in advance for them, the groom places trinkets, coins, and more recently - money. The matchmakers meeting turns into a cheerful hubbub. Music is played, especially the Dombra (Kazakh national instrument). Arriving guests are seated at the

The Kazakh bride and groom wear traditional clothes for their wedding ceremonies.

place of honor at Dastarkhan (at the table) and there begins the acquaintance with representatives of both sides. At the same time, a playful tone always remains. The general merriment continues, passing in the beautiful songs and games. After the father of the bride publicly agrees to the marriage of his daughter, a special dish is served— Kuyryk-Bauyr" with pieces of boiled liver "- (bauyr) and slices of boiled fatty tail (kuyryk) from the slaughtered sheep. The bride's parents feed their matchmakers, the parents of the bride, and fasten a new sibling alliance between matchmakers. After the completion of the representatives of the groom feast open "Korzhyn" - a bag of gifts for the matchmakers. Most often it is a beautiful decoration for the female half of the bride and gifts for others. The cousin of the bride to the groom wears earrings "Syrga tagu", which confirms the status of the bride. At the end of the feast, before leaving, the groom's parents are presented gifts to the response - "kyit." In modern society, the gifts may bebeautifully embroidered chapans” (national coat with ornaments) and hats with a national ornament. Later, a ceremony is held in the house of the After everything is done in chronological order bride’s family decides the correct date of first wedding ceremony - seeing the bride from the

parental home – “Kiz Uzatu”. For this celebration, traditionally the bride chooses a national wedding dress - Toy koylek, kamzol and saukele. Modern girls can choose an evening dress. Saukele - symbolic head dress for the Kazakhs. The bride bids farewell to a carefree life in the walls of his home. Usually the ceremony takes place in large restaurant with all of the bride’s family, relatives, friends, coworkers, and everyone who is very close to bride’s family, and this ceremony tells that everyone should walk her out to the new family. After the first ceremony, the main party takes place. The groom’s family invites all their relatives, friends and everyone close to them and usually the approximate number of guests is from 200 to over 500. By the evening they are arriving to the restaurant where all guests are gathering already and waiting for the main celebration. Every guest will get chance to wish them a tons of warm words and all of them will have unforgettable memory because Kazakh ceremonies are always passing very colorful, memorable, wonderful and all of invited people are participating in it. I hope this description helps you to imagine how Kazakh wedding ceremonies take place.

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Special Sunday Brunch By ZHAKA SHULENBAYEVA

Omelets, Egg’s Benedict, Pancakes, French Toasts, Bacon, Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s. All these meals you can find in the special Sunday Brunch menu in many restaurants in Los Angeles. Sunday Brunch is the perfect decision for those who like to sleep longer on the weekend and miss the breakfast time but could not wait until lunch. The word “brunch” is made from “breakfast” and “lunch,” and it takes the best parts of each of them. The hit dish of the brunch menu is Egg’s Benedict, which is the muffins topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. A legend says that Mr. Lemuel Benedict requested the combination of poached eggs, Canadian bacon, English muffins, and Hollandaise sauce in order to recover from a hangover. Therefore, the chef recognized the dish’s delicious potential,and it’s been a brunch classic ever since.

ago; when you are there, you can feel the old traditional American spirit while you are enjoying freshmade pancakes with maple syrup. If you are interested in the French cuisine, the origin of brunch, which I believe so, you should stop by Gourmet Crepe X-press Café on Grand street and Sixth Street. The chef is a cheerful person who not only loves USC students, but also cooks amazing crepes. Eggs Benedict is a brunch favorite. The next place is well known, IHOP, where you can find different Here are some places close to kinds of pancakes. The nearest USC where I usually have Sunday IHOP is located on Flower Street brunch. and Street. The nice and cute café Jack In case you have a sweet tooth, and Joe, which is located on Figue- you might love the place on the roa and Adams can make your Sun- Spring Street and Seventh Street. day special because you can make “Syrup” is the café where you can your own omelet and actually watch always eat fresh blubbery sandhow it is going to be cooked. wiches or Belgian waffles with The second place that you nutella and strawberry. probably should visit is Original So, my next Sunday is going to Pantry Café, which is on Figueroa start with the smell of fresh brewed and Ninth street, next to LA Live. coffee and the taste of topped mufThis place was opened a long time fins in eggs. What about you?

Quiet Time on Mountaintop By FITSUM FANTA

imagination, and understanding risk taking. “Higher Ground” is used for The Alpine Camp and Conference groups ranging from corporate adults Center is a tranquil campground full of to at risk teenagers hoping to gain selfwonders and adventure that take you confidence. There are also basketball away from the bustling city of L.A. Escourts, swimming pool and soccer field tablished in 1930’s, the campground to enjoy activities. For those who love started its roots in an L.A. like lifestyle, hiking, the mountain gives ideal topoga vacation getaway for the Hollywood raphical views. Still so much more with stars, like Fred Astaire and Ginger meeting rooms, a chapel, and food Rogers. service for all three meals for group Alpine Camp is a quiet mountain retreat. After almost a decade of closure, activities. Alpine reopened through a ministry Thanks to the beautiful and silent now has a high ropes course with a zip environment, you will forget you are service in 1957. This weekend it was -line and climbing tower that reaches home to the Ethiopian Young Adult only 90 minutes from Los Angeles over 35 feet into the trees, the highest when you are at Alpine. Whenever you Ministry yearly retreat. Alpine Camp, located in the moun- natural climb in the western hemiwant to breath air instead of smog or sphere. tains of Blue Jay, above 5000 ft high, hear nothing instead of traffic, think The program called “Higher Alpine can serve almost year round, about Alpine camp retreat which could Ground” is designed for small groups for campers to take advantage of the a smart choice. natural resources of California. Adding to enhance teamwork and problemsolving skills all while gaining trust, new ways to seek adventure, Alpine

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Fresh Volunteer Work Experience in Mixer Event I arrived at the events, hundreds of business people and representatives from Business leaders and careerists mixed leading industries had already showed up and mingled at the annual LA’s Largest and were busy preparing their booths. Mixer, a business networking event held Meanwhile, attendees were coming in on Thursday, July 18, at the Shrine Audi- continuously. torium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. I volunteered to help MAYO, a leading L.A.’s Largest Mixer is an event where public relation company in LA, set up professionals representing companies of their three booths: LA Mixer booth, red all shapes, sizes and industries converge carpet booth, and MAYO communication for the ultimate business working experi- booth. During the event, I was responsience. It was a good opportunity for me, a ble for the red carpet booth, printing or fresh USC student who still knows very identifying people that get their photos little about Los Angeles, to get a close taken on the red carpet. look at local business and start-ups. Although those were all very simple The Shrine Auditorium is located opjobs, I really had great fun and made it a posite to Gate 4 of USC and is only a five worthwhile experience. It was also a great -minute walk from Leavey library. When opportunity to connect with people that I By YATING ZHAO (EVELYN)

The Chinese Girl By SCARLETT CHEN

If Yuan hadn’t talked to me, I would never have known she studied at University of Missouri in St. Louis. I did notice she was taller than most of the other girls in Language Academy, but I would never have guessed that she used to be a professional basketball player. Yuan Feng is from Xi’an, China—a city that is well known for the terracotta warriors. She loves clothes from Hollister and always wears a pair of light ashcolored TOM’s shoes. She rides her bike to commute from her apartment to classes. She loves USC and is excited about her new life as a Trojan. “I want to be a journalist, ” Feng said. “I love the feeling of digging out news from other people.” Feng loves to explore, not only in finding news, but also in searching for delicious food, especially Asian food. “I really miss the food in Xi’an,” she said. Feng is a gourmet. She studies hard at Language Academy, but she also works hard on where to try new food. She gets most of her information online, where she uses her journalism skills to research. For the future, Feng wants to be a sports reporter so that she can combine her passion in sports and journalism.

With her background playing basketball in both China and the U.S., she will report the sports news in the world platform.

could follow up later for job openings. As international students, you may sometimes feel distant from local people and events happening around you. One thing you can do is to explore a more colorful world by yourself. Opportunities are there if you are seeking them actively, from your seniors, from networking websites and from anywhere that you can think of. This is a good way for us to adapt to our life here quickly and interact with people from diverse backgrounds. Here is some information about finding voluntary work which may be useful to you: www.volunteermatch.org www.volunteerlosangeles.org www.laworks.com

ing. For the first several days after landing on American soil, I called my parents using my China Mobile SIM card. The rate was about $0.15/min. Later, things got better as my new Verizon iPhone 5 arrived. I could call at $0.06/min according to the contract. Of course, App is also another way. Skype is one of the handy ones, but it requires either Wi-Fi or a computer, and the cost is a horrible $0.23/min. Finally, after trying various means, I found the perfect service in the world: the Google Voice. ___________________________ Cheap and easy is how I describe it. All you need is a Google account with an activated Google Voice number. After adding money to your account, the only By ALLEN TIAN places you are unable to reach will be the Antarctic and the Arctic Poles then. You When I ask my friends about how can simply call via your phone, without often they call their parents, most of requirements for Wi-Fi or computer or them would say they do not call much. anything. Instead, WeChat, QQ, Facebook, MiTo call both landlines and mobiles croblog or other mobile Apps have bein China, the price is a surprising $0.02/ come their favorites when communicatmin. It’s even cheaper than calling ing with Mom and Dad. within China. This does not only apply to Living in a mobile era is the best China. If you want to casually talk to thing that has ever happened to such App your friends in UK, Germany, Japan, fans that spend the whole day posting Brazil or wherever else, you can always photos, videos or “liking” strangers with reach them with your Google Voice. their smartphones. I am an old-fashioned So, bothered by how to call back guy with no particular addiction to those home? Google Voice helps you to hear fancy things, so I call. “hello” from your loved ones in a better The way I call back home is updatway.

Calling Home

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New Editor of The Academy News

USC Language Academy Rossier School of Education Phone: 213-740-0080 Fax: 213-740-0088 Web: www.usc.edu/langacad Check out The Academy News online at www.usc.edu/langacad.Go to “Student Information” and then click on “The Academy News.”

The Academy News is a weekly newsletter produced by students in the Journalism Elective of the USC Language Academy. All students in the Language Academy Program are encouraged to send news stories and photos to Sonja Lovelace at slovelac@usc.edu.

Valeria Wei, the new editor of The Academy News, comes from China. She holds a BA in Italian from Communication University of China. During college she studied in Italy for one and a half years as an exchange student. She graduated in 2011. Before joining the Trojan family, she worked for the magazine Cosmopolitan (China Edition) in Beijing. After Summer Session B

she is going to continue her education for a masters’ degree in Strategic Public Relations in Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

THE ACADEMY NEWS STAFF Editor: Valeria Wei Assistant Editor: Leo Wu Reporters: Faisal Almutairi, Zhiqi (Scarlett) Chen, Shangyi Cheng, Fitsum Fanta, Yuan Feng, Xi (Silvia) Feng, Ranran Li, Zijun (Mike) Lu, Peiyang Shi, Zhaka Shulenbayeva, Mingxu Sun, Lun (Allen) Tian, Jingyi Wang, Yumeng (Valeria) Wei, Daojun (Leo) Wu, Meiyi Yu, Weiwei (Vivian) Yu, Yerkanat Zaitov, Assyl Zhakupov, Yating (Evelyn) Zhao

Pics of the Week

Language Academy students went to the Orange County Fair last Saturday. The pig races were one of the highlights of the trip. Game booths, rides, and food were all part of the fun. The weather helped with cooler temperatures that day.