OUR MISSION
SUBMISSIONS
Published monthly, The Talon strives to be an innovative student magazine that is entertaining, intellectually provocative, and visually engaging. We are conscious of the responsibility of writing and publishing, and we seek to create a dynamic magazine that is worthy of its readers. We show respect for our readers by exposing them to a variety of perspectives. Ultimately, The Talon seeks to bring Graded to the world and bring the world to Graded.
The Talon wants to hear from you! We encourage submissions and ideas for articles and themes from all members of the Graded community. We publish in English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily of The Talon. For this reason, we do not accept anonymous submissions. Send submissions, ideas, and themes to: talon@graded.br
TALON STAFF 2010-2011
About the Cover
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Danielle Aguilar & Danielle Bryant (a.k.a. DA & DB) LAYOUT EDITOR: Naty Arenas (a.k.a. The Fixer)
To celebrate Graded’s 90 years and this edition’s seniors theme, I used a 9 and 0 in the back and front cover with pictures of most of the seniors. Although we have almost finished a chapter in our lives, we still have more to go so I used a half-opened book to demonstrate the many pages we have ahead of us. Thank you for to those who showed up for my photo shoot and became part of my last cover for The Talon. Good luck to all of you! —Elaine Chyung
NEWS TEAM: Chris Thomas (Editor), Laura Deckers (Assistant Editor), Artur Renault (Reporter) FEATURES TEAM: Andrea Estrada (Editor), Ho Jun Yang (Assistant Editor), Melissa Fiszner (Reporter) ENTERTAINMENT TEAM: Luiza Justus (Editor), Olivia Dupasquier (Assistant Editor), Ashton Kim (Reporter) SPORTS TEAM: Isabella Zevallos (Editor), Yana Ahlden (Assistant Editor), Fernando Lima (Reporter) COLUMNISTS: Edu Estrada & Melanie Vladimirschi
Welcome! Mr. Berg and Ms. Pfeiffer are pleased to announce the Talon staff for 2011-2012, which will be putting together their first edition (the last of the year) during May. Join us in congratulating the following students: Editors-in-Chief: Andrea Estrada & Artur Renault Layout Editor: Isabella Zevallos News: Yana Ahlden (Editor), Courtney Villenueve (Assistant Editor), Daniel Almeida, Mendel Schwarz
GENERAL REPORTERS: Gini Chi, Lupi Gontijo, Julia Wu
Features: Ho Jun Yang (E), Adam Fertig (AE), Mariana Lepecki, Lucas Zuccolo
BLOGGERS & ARTISTS: Luisa Alcântara and Leo Porto
Entertainment: Julia Wu (E), Ines Gil (AE), Kevin Bengtsson, Yasmin Della Nina
COVER ARTIST: Elaine Chyung
Sports: Kyle Bissell (E), Kevin Wolfson (AE), Andrea Ferreira, Rafa Rocha Columnists: Maria Alas, Carol Di Roberto, Julia Abreu
PHOTO EDITOR: Julia Greenwald TEACHER ADVISORS: Josh Berg and Mary Pfeiffer
Bloggers: Camille Saliba & Paty Kim Cover: Dani Reis Photographer: Nicole Vladimirschi
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE CONSULTANT: Maggie Moraes SPANISH LANGUAGE CONSULTANT: Guillermo Loyola ▪ ▪ ▪ E-mail: talon@graded.br Blog: http://tal-on-line.blogspot.com
Next & Last... The theme for the final Talon edition of the school year is Serendipity; remember, though, that you can submit an article on ANY topic. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 9 May.
We be green: Since August 2007, The Talon as been printed on recycled paper. Reduce, reuse, recycle!
editors-in-chief
Talon’s HS Top 20 Things we’ve learned senior year Danielle Bryant & Danielle Aguilar 1. Always Room for More Honestly, probably the biggest thing that we have learned from Graded is that no matter how much work we need to get done, no matter how many extracurriculars we have committed to, there is always room for more. It seems that no matter how busy the Graded student is, there is some way in which their time can be stretched or space can be made in their schedule to accommodate some new commitment. Even if they are busy to the point of reaching a breaking point, a true Graded student will willing add new activities to their repetoire, accumulating to the point that silly luxuries like sleep are no longer something that can be afforded.
5. A Word About Sleep We have already expressed the fact that Graded students have an awkward relationship with sleep, that is, they don’t get any. However, in the last few weeks as our daily tasks seem to be winding down, seniors seem to at least have a little less homework and a little more free time even though we are preparing for IB exams. With that said, even though we have the perfect opportunity get some extra shut-eye, now that we have the chance, we seem to stay awake for the most inexplicable reasons. Who in the senior class hasn’t stayed up past midnight in the last few weeks just to mindlessly watch YouTube videos?
2. Second Semester Senior Myth Like unicorns, centaurs and other mythological creatures, there is no much thing as a second-semester senior—at least in the way that they are usually perceived. A secondsemester senior is known for having few classes, no work, and an easy ride. However, here at Graded, there is no such fate for seniors returning from the December holiday. With college applications finished, all that awaits seniors is not a semester of snoozing and slacking, but one of stressful nights, final Internal Assessments, IB cramming as well as a full plate of melancholy emotions to deal with.
6. Everything Changes After 2011 Has anyone ever noticed how things always change after the class of 2011 does it? For example, after completing the Sophomore Project, the format of the project was totally overhauled. Also, after our class began to finish our IB English courses, it was decided that the sophomores i.e. the rising IB Diploma candidates, would have a new array of IB English courses to choose from. Are we envious of these new changes? Maybe. Are we conceited enough to believe that it was our class that brought about a revolution of sorts here at Graded? Most definitely.
3. Internal Assessments Deadlines We have learned that no matter how far in advance internal assessments are assigned, they always have a way of not getting done until the night before. The infamous IAs that were once something that as sophomores and freshman we did not understand, suddenly became that nagging thing that was constantly in the back of our minds until we realized it was due the next day and could no longer be further avoided.
7. Lunch Lines On a recent Friday, we witnessed the mania that is Graded when hamburgers are served for lunch. In the span of minutes, we converted from composed students to a group of crazed and obviously hungry teenagers. Will we ever witness anything of this likeness again? Probably not.
4. Fish for Lunch This is something new that we actually learned this last year at Graded, especially in the last few months. No matter how many times we had to eat fish for lunch last week, you can bet that we’ll be getting it again this week. Not that there is anything wrong with fish, but, umm…what happened to the chicken? Ironically enough, in about four months we seniors will probably remember the cafeteria’s fish with nostalgia after being introduced to college cafeteria cuisine.
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8. Traffic Tardies We have learned that no matter how many times it happens, and no matter to how many people, being tardy because of traffic never is accepted as a valid excuse. We have also learned that living in Sao Paulo, we probably should have come to terms with traffic and learned to get to school on time. 9. Some Things Never Stay Secret We have learned that even with our best efforts, nothing is a secret from Graded teachers. Yes, it’s true, perhaps we should have been a little more discreet with certain things like…senior skip. Okay, even though some still think so,
editors-in-chief kidding aside, because if anything, it gave them the advance notice that they deserved. 10. The IB We have learned that no matter how much pain the IB inflicted upon us, somehow by the end of senior year we have completely forgotten all of this. Maybe it isn’t that we forgot as much as it is that time has smoothed and glossed over our memories. Now we find ourselves eagerly advocating the program to young sophomores and preaching the IB gospel. 11. Free Blocks No matter how much work you’ve put off the night before, no matter how hard your test is going be to next block, no matter how many pages of annotating you have left, free block will never be productive. Get ready for and hour and a half of trips to the snack bar, YouTube and Senior lawn and laziness. 12. Being a 7 End of senior year: time for exams. Despite the constant review of class notes, Powerpoints, course book, IB Biology students know that they will never have studied the right material to be prepared for the level 7 questions on the IB Biology Exam or any exam for that matter. Never. 13. The “Senior” Rule Senior Skip Day, Senior Trip, and Senior Spirit Week. Just because the word “Senior” is placed in front of a phrase doesn’t mean that all seniors are going to help plan, prepare or participate. 14. Shaved Heads We have learned that no matter how much someone protests, runs, hides and fights, head shaving is an honor to wear proudly. After January, the Graded senior hall fills with shaved heads of all patterns and designs as the colleges begin to send out more and more acceptances. 15. Graded Technology Despite the fact that Graded has some of the best facilities and technology labs a high school can have, the computers and printers often don’t seem to work when we need them. Five minutes before our final math portfolio is due, the entire student body seems to be in A3 trying to print at the exact same time. Or, just when the final edits have been made to the Talon, just before “Save” has been pressed, the entire InDesign system decides to shut down. One benefit to the lat-
ter, our lovely nights in the Writing Center. 16. Senior Privilege No matter how many rumors we’ve heard about senior year during the three previous years at Graded, we know now that senior privilege is a myth. Although we enter senior year with the mentality that we are better than the other 75 percent of the Graded community, we are in fact, not. Skipping class is still frowned upon by teachers; we are not automatically allowed to cut the line at the snack bar; and we still have to study for IB exams. Our only beacon of hope is the Senior Lawn, so let’s at least have our one real privilege, ok, juniors? 17. Graded Events We have learned that no matter how many times we’ve been to the events that Graded holds, it’s always worth it to go again. Celebration of the World, Halloween Benefit Bash, Zombie Zoo, Run for Humanity, and sports games—it’s all worth it. Every time is a new experience, always full community and will always be remembered be seniors, whether they want to or not, as part of the Graded experience. 18. “Didn’t I used to teach a whole class?” There gets to be a certain point in the year where despite the teachers’ warnings that missing class will be detrimental to exam preparation, there will always be a large population of senior that will choose sleep over study. 19. Wake Me up When September Ends If there is one thing we’ve heard over and over again from ex-seniors, teachers, parents—just about everyone— is how quickly senior year flies by. One minute it’s the first day of school, taking class surveys and cracking the spines of textbooks, and the next, the entire class is standing in black gowns, cap on head, with tears in their eyes. No matter how many times it’s been said, it can’t be said enough. Cherish every single moment left, seniors. 20. As Much as We Say We Won’t… As much as we say that we won’t miss Graded, it goes without saying that we will. It has been the site of so many of our learning experiences over the past years, some of us for our whole lives. On behalf of the entire senior class, we would like to our teachers and the Graded community for all of your help and support. You have been the inspiration for so much of our learning and for that you will always be remembered.
the talon • 3
editors-in-chief
Kindergarten Blues What Seuss taught me Danielle Bryant
O
ne Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Yurtle the Turtle, The Lorax, Green Eggs and Ham, The Grinch, Oh! The Places You’ll Go. These are a few of the countless Dr. Suess books I read as I child. As they contained simple rhymes and words, I had virtually all memorized and would recite them daily in that singsong tune that always seemed to accompany his writing. For me, it was the funny make-believe words and places that drew me in, but for my parents, the attraction of reading me these stories was on another level. Little did I know that I was being subjected to, from a very early age, lessons about life and morals that I would carry with me. When I was in kindergarten, every holiday was celebrated with a flourish, class parties and stories and activities. So naturally, when St. Patrick’s Day rolled around in March, we were not surprised to enter the classroom and find green “leprechaun” footprints all over, as well as actual green eggs and ham being cooked for us. Being perhaps the pickiest eater in the world, eating nothing but cheddar cheese and waffles without creating a dramatic fuss, I eyed the green food with a certain skeptical eye. However, once my everpatient teacher sat us down and read us the story of the ever optimistic Sam I Am and his trials and tribulations involving the infamous unappetizing meal, I decided that maybe I should try the eggs and ham. As I raised my fork and the quivering green piece of egg to my mouth, chewed and swallowed, I realized that Hey! I did like green eggs and ham! I DID like them, Sam I Am. And I finished off the plate right then and there. Throughout the book, the antagonists reject the offer of Sam I Am, until the very end of the book when he finally agrees to try the food and finds out he actually does like it. This character represents the eternal pessimist in all of us, the part of us that is too scared to try something new. But there is that ending hope, the chance he takes, representing the change that all of us can make. In the simplest terms, Dr. Suess has taught us not to knock something until we’ve tried it. Another of the numerous lessons of Dr. Seuss deals with is the meaning of Christmas. As far back as I can remember, every year my mother always read me the story of the Grinch,
the infamous scrooge of Whoville, every Christmas Eve. It is one of the few childhood stories that I still remember ever single line of. It was my absolute favorite story, for no other reason at first than its familiarity. One year, however, when I was a bit older, I remember bursting out in tears at the end of the story upon realizing the extent of its meaning. As the Grinch stood there on Mt. Crumpitt and realized that Christmas wasn’t about the presents, the trimmings, the trapping, the gift ties and wrappings, I too had an epiphany there in my room. Christmas was about love. My family was not overly religious, and I rarely attended church on a regular basis, and I knew the “Christmas story.” Yet to that point, I had never particularly associated Christmas with anything other than Santa Claus and the mountains of presents. But now, without quoting or reading any religious text or profound ideology, just a simple children’s story, I learned that Christmas was about love and loving one another, a idea that applies to everyone, religious or not. From that moment, yes, I did look forward to presents a little less, but it was because they were no longer the most important thing to me; my family, friends and the ones that were close to me were what mattered most. Even know, as I read the story, and the Whos all gather together hand in hand, I get teary eyed and thank Dr. Seuss for teaching me one of the most important lessons you can learn. Since first being published, Dr. Seuss has taught many readers many lessons. Green Eggs and Ham teaches us to try new things. The Grinch teaches us about love. The Lorax teaches us about the environment (by third grade, I knew that our environment was not sustainable to swamy swams and brown barbaloots unless we took care of the truffula trees). Yurtle the Turtle teaches us about how it is wrong to take advantage of others, and perhaps even a simple history lesson about dictatorship (I can’t help but think of Yurtle when leader such as Hitler are discussed). And finally, Oh! The Places You’ll Go does just that, describes our grand future as we march off into the world, giving us hope and faith in society and in ourselves, as we take with us Dr. Suess whimsical lyrics and profound moral lessons in our hearts and minds.
Little did I know that I was being subjected to, from a very early age, lessons about life and morals
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editors-in-chief
Dreams, Plans, and Change How things find a way of changing in high school
Danielle Aguilar
I
t seems inconceivable that three and a half years ago I stepped onto Graded’s campus for the very first time. As much as this memory of the campus and my first impressions seem to have been as recent as something that happened yesterday, at the same time, fourteen-year-old me feels very far away. She and I don’t really share any of the same dreams anymore. I know that change is completely normal, especially for a high school student, but it is so strange to look back on the person we once were and compare to who we are now. It is so strange to think that even what I was so sure of as a fourteen-year-old freshman now seems unimportant or even pointless to me. Thinking about this as I write my last Talon article (at least my last as Editor-in-Chief), I am remembering exactly why I joined the Talon in the first place: as a freshman, my dream and only aspiration was to be a journalist. In my application for the Talon, this was all I could think of. Well, this and the fact that someday I wanted to go to Northwestern (to study journalism, of course). I held onto this dream sophomore year although it somewhat faded as I learned that, as much I liked to write, I didn’t think the journalism thing was for me. Then, everything that I had been planning and hoping for got turned upside down the summer before my junior year when I toured what I thought was the holy grail of all universities: Dartmouth. I didn’t care what I would study or what I would do so long as I was studying or doing it at Dartmouth. Although it doesn’t mean to me now what it did then, Dartmouth seemed to be my driving force through junior year. It all seemed doable when I considered that all my hard work would pay off and get me one step closer to my favorite Ivy. Now, I can hardly believe that that was what I wanted for myself. It’s not that I think any less of Dartmouth; it just doesn’t really seem like “me” anymore or even something that
I would want. It still shocks me a little bit that I have strayed so far from what I used to think that I wanted (or maybe I really did want it but I just don’t anymore?). It still seems a little unreal that I will not be going to any of the universities that I considered attending over the years, but instead will be studying in Spain. So why am I sharing this anecdote for my final Talon article? I honestly don’t know. Perhaps I just wanted to find some way to say that dreams are sometimes nothing more than just dreams. I don’t mean this in a pessimistic “don’t get too attached” way. Honestly, I see it as dreams being nothing more than a reflection of a specific phase of Julia Greenwald life. Right now, I am so sure of all of my decisions for my future, even when I know that four years from now, I might once again be in this same situation: happy, but not in the situation that I had imagined. I really don’t know where my life is heading, but if I could offer one piece of advice to underclassmen, it would be to not worry about it so much. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t think or plan about their future; I’m just saying that they shouldn’t obsess about it either. I have spent the last four years meticulously planning and thinking about where I wanted to go to college and what I wanted to study so much so, that when something that wasn’t a part of my original plan came along, I almost overlooked it. As for my classmates, I can’t imagine that any of what I have just related is unique to me. It seems that we all go through this process: changing hopes, dreams, and of course the occasional change in plan. My time at Graded has been some of my best, and I can’t imagine a better group of people to have gone through this with. I sincerely wish you all the best in your futures and everything you do. Best of luck Class of 2011!
the talon • 5
point of view
1,2,3...TEAM!
My experience as an amateur senior softball player Melanie Vladimirschi
L
et’s face it: I am not an athlete. I have never been into sports, I generally run away from the ball instead of running towards it, and I don’t particularly enjoy doing push-ups or planks. So, when I broke the big news to my family and friends in the beginning of the semester, they were amazed: “You? Melanie Vladimirschi, playing softball? Out of all people? What has become of this world?” Indeed, joining varsity softball was a decision I made alone, and quite suddenly, too, at the end of last year. I did not know anything about the sport, but at the same time, it would be my senior year and I wanted to join a new team before heading off to college. I had been a cheerleader for all my high school life, since it was the perfect sport for a spirited and loud girl like myself. I loved it, but it was time for a change. I figured that undertaking the challenge of being part of a very different team at Graded would help me try out new things once I moved to the U.S. Little did I know what this new challenge called Graded Girls Varsity Softball had in store for me. At the very first practice, my expectations were completely reversed. When the coaches told us to run two laps to warm up, I panicked. I had always been the last kid in P.E. when we ran, and I was sure all the girls in the team would speed by me while I suffered by myself, limping and desperately trying to catch up. Although I was still the slowest girl on the team, my teammates and coaches never ceased to cheer me on. I remember Rachel Bass, who didn’t even know me, screaming, “Go Mel, you can do it!” and Grace’s adorable smile making me want to continue running. Even Brianna and Sam Tonks, who hit amazing rockets that rush straight through the outfielders and earn them home runs, never gave up on me. What’s more, they were eager to help me improve and to make me feel like I was just as valuable to the team as they were. I could not throw one good ball and I did not know how to use a glove, but I have never had so much fun. I looked
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forward to practice everyday, not only to learn new skills and constantly improve, but to be in such a supportive atmosphere surrounded by people with a positive work ethic, strong sense of unity, and who know when to be focused and when to have fun. The laughter, the cheers, and the motivation are what I think about when conditioning is tough and all my muscles are sore, or when I had an incredibly bad day and just did not want to practice. I know now I am never alone; my softball girls will help me just as I will help them whenever they need it. I chose a sport that I thought would last only for one semester, but it ended up a culmination of my 15 Beatriz Gallo years at Graded. I have learned a lot in school as I challenged myself academically and personally through each step up the Graded ladder, realizing what my own strengths and weaknesses are. In the course of a few weeks in softball, I already knew what I brought to the team: spirit and dedication. I obviously also knew what I needed to improve, such as carelessly letting balls swoosh by me on the field or swinging the bat when it clearly is not time (but that would be enough points for a whole other article). I have made mistakes at Graded as well; I might have chosen wrong paths, but I learned to let these mistakes go and positively affect the development of the person I am today. A very wise girl (and one of my best friends on the team) wrote in an e-mail to the rest of us: “Focus from the very beginning—don’t wait for that home run in the 4th inning to kick it into gear. We begin strong and we end strong.” I have had the time of my life at Graded, my second home, and the place where I belong. I will miss the vibrant and welcoming community, but I am glad to leave it knowing that I began and ended strong.
point of view
Opiniões gerais sobre politica Não existe caos Fernando Lima
E
u sou obrigado a concordar com o trabalho do cientista político bielorrusso Evgeni Morozov quando o assunto é a internet e os seus efeitos na política. A sua tese diz que a internet é a maior ferramenta para se estabelecer uma ditadura no mundo de hoje. Vemos casos atípicos como o caso egípcio onde a internet foi um dos vários protagonistas que causaram a queda de Hosni Mubarak, um dos últimos herdeiros de Gamal Abdel Nasser. O que Mubarak não percebeu foi que a força da internet era muito maior do que ele achava que fosse e ele acabou pagando caro por isso. Sim, a internet é um bicho raro e não sabemos ainda o tamanho do seu poder. A internet revoluciou idéias, mercados, resumindo, revolucionou para sempre o mundo. Só que, isso é uma faca de dois gumes raramente percebida pelo público que assiste na televisão revoltas contra Kadafi. Voltemos ao trabalho de Morozov. Ele cita casos como ao redor do mundo de como a internet tem feito mais mau do que bem a movimentos democráticos. Em seu blog, ele fala sobre dos ativistas, um armênio e o outro azeri, que eram “amigos” através do Facebook e quando um foi preso, o outro foi levado em dias. Aí, por causa do inerente conflito entre os dois países sobre a província de Nagorno-Karabakh, criou-se uma intriga ligando os dois e até hoje, os jovens de vinte anos estão sumidos. Morozov, em seu trabalho, declara que os mitos da cyber-utopia e de que os ditadores temem a internet foi criado no final da década de 80 e no começo da década de 90. Supostamente, se o ocidente conseguir democratizar a tecnologia em países como o Irã, China e os países da ex- União Soviética, o povo automaticamente tentará conseguir os mesmos direitos das sociedades ocidentais (ouso até dizer, sociedades sob influencia yankee). Porém, com a exceção da Coréia do Norte e de Myanmar, esses regimes autoritários permitem o debate na internet em assuntos como mudança climática, mas, não sobre direitos humanos. De acordo com Morozov, os governos toleram isso porque isso os ajuda a administrar melhor o país. Se há um blogueiro bravo com a corrupção no interior da China, o governo pode ir lá, mudar a administração, se tornando amigo das pessoas. Esse processo se dá de formas diferentes ao redor do mundo. Na Taliândia, por exemplo, há um site chamado “proteja o rei”, que na verdade é um movimento anti- revolucionário
onde as pessoas providenciam, voluntariamente, informações sobre sites que apóiam pessoas, como o famigerado Thaksin Shinawatra, que já tentaram dar golpes de estado. Em 24 horas, foram bloqueados 3.000 sites que, de alguma maneira, foram achados ofensivos ao rei. O Irã usa as famosas redes sociais que liberaram o Egito para fazer um crowd-sourcing dos ativistas locais com a finalidade de prendê-los. Uma estratégia interessante do governo de Ahmadinejad é publicar as fotos de ativistas na Internet para que sejam identificados. Não se dá para planejar uma revolução (ou nada, por assim dizer) pela Interrnet porque, sendo uma plataforma pública, a maioria das coisas está visível a todos. Então, ao invés de se torturar para conseguir tais informações, os governos estão usando as redes sociais. A uma famosa frase que diz “A KGB quer que você use o Facebook porque assim eles não terão que mandar alguém até sua casa”. Isso se dá em grande parte porque as pessoas, por causa da impessoalidade da Internet, postam coisas mais “picantes” do ponto de vista político mais voluntariamente do que em outras décadas. Morozov também fala sobre como a nossa geração, mesmo sendo aquela que foi influenciada pelas tecnologias muito mais do que por governos, não será mais politicamente engajada do que outras gerações. Morozov fala que somos muito mais propensos a procurar um vídeo engraçado do que usar a Internet para a política. Ele também fala sobre um dado vindo dos EUA que mais de 90% de todo o conteúdo disponível na Internet é composto por conteúdo adulto, portanto, ele conclui que somos muito mais propensos a usar a Internet por diversão do que para o ativismo político porque é simplesmente muito mais cômodo. Eu concordo plenamente com Morozov. A Internet é muito boa para várias coisas e eu parabenizo os manifestantes egípcios por tudo que conseguiram, mas, não achem que isso será o padrão daqui para frente. Em minha opinião, não acho que se conseguirá organizar uma revolução pela Internet porque os líderes estão cada vez mais de olho na Internet. Tudo estará muito vigiado de agora em diante. Será mais fácil se organizar um protesto em países democráticos ocidentais do que fazer alguma revolução funcionar através da Internet em países que tem regimes autoritários.
the talon • 7
point of view
Qual o limite? O Trote nas universidades brasileiras Victoria Menezes
A
fronteira entre a brincadeira de recepção e a de mau gosto é difícil de estipular”, afirma o advogado Fábio Romeu Canton Filho. E ele está certíssimo. Hoje em dia, é difícil, ou melhor, impossível distinguir entre o que é certo e o que é errado – a população universitária brasileira parece ter perdido a noção dos limites entre celebração e violência. Não é o primeiro (e nem o último) ano em que vemos manchetes alarmantes sobre os aclamados trotes universitários, nos principais jornais do país. O caso mais gritante foi o absurdo ocorrido na Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG), no Paraná, quando três alunos, após o trote da, foram internados em coma alcoólico. Ou mesmo um caso mais antigo, acontecido doze anos atrás, na USP, quando o estudante de medicina, Edison Tsung-Chi Hsueh, foi encontrado morto na manhã seguinte ao trote. É lamentável que uma mera brincadeira se transforme num pesadelo de caráter violento e masoquista e irracional. E não se trata apenas de agressões e mortes. Além do exagero de bebida, os alunos de faculdades do interior de São Paulo são expostos às fezes de animais, ao cheiro de animais em decomposição e obrigados a comer uma espécie de sanduíche, feito de lingüiça crua e leite condensado, numa alusão óbvia e infantil ao sexo oral. Em ambos os casos, calouros humilhados e violentados emocionalmente passam a ser “aceitos” pela faculdade. E os veteranos que inventaram essa “diversão,” o que ganham com o sofrimento de um colega? Talvez uma boa risada... e consciência pesada, eu espero! Parece que virou rotina. Daqui a pouco vou achar nor-
mal ver que todo ano, por volta do mês de março, alunos de todo o Brasil encham a cara e entrem em coma alcoólico. Que vergonha! Até parece que estamos entorpecidos pela morte de inúmeros estudantes brasileiros. Antonio Álvaro Soares Zuin, professor da Universidade Federal de São Carlos diz que “Não há diferença entre o trote e o trote violento, pois a lógica dele é a da ‘domesticação’ do calouro, de caráter ‘sadomasoquista.’” E ele está certo? Não sei. Só sei que a violência (física e emocional) tem que parar. Felizmente, acredito que certas instituições acharam a solução. Por exemplo, calouros da Santa Casa da USP que são recebidos com muita tinta, cortes de cabelo e música barulhenta. A UFRGS criou o “trote solidário” que visa a “conscientizar os alunos para os problemas sociais da comunidade, difundindo conceitos de cidadania no momento em que ingressam no mundo acadêmico” e substituir o “trote sujo” por algo mais passivo. Ou mesmo a IESB que promoveu nesse ano o trote solidário com doação de medula óssea pois acredita que devemos “usar a educação para ajudar a resolver problemas globais, como alfabetização, sustentabilidade e conscientização” ao invés de expor calouros de maneira constrangedora e violenta. Dois extremos que podem fazer toda diferença. Quando penso na palavra universidade, imagino uma sala de aula aconchegante, acolhedora e repleta de pessoas que desejam aprender, discutir e aprimorar seus conhecimentos, praticando o bem. Infelizmente, essa não é a realidade do Brasil e isso precisa mudar.
Elite da tropa Yes, nós temos cinema Stephanie Feder Que brasileiro não assistiu a Tropa de Elite 2? Filme brasileiro mais visto em 2010, com 4,14 milhões de espectadores, o longa dirigido por José Padilha não apenas superou os números de bilheteria, mas alterou, para sempre, os paradigmas do cinema brasileiro. Mas, por quê? O enredo é típico de um filme de ação: o capitão Nascimento, dez anos depois do primeiro filme, torna-se comandante do BOPE e sub-secretário de Inteligência do Rio de Janeiro, tendo de enfrentar os verdadeiros maus-caracteres da polícia e do governo. Será que o sucesso se deve à direção do filme? De acordo com o próprio Padilha, há melhores diretores que ele, mas por causa de uma combinação de contatos e momento, ele obteve sucesso. Em termos de efeitos especiais,
8 • the talon
Tropa 2 não apresenta nada de novo. Os atores, especialmente Wagner Moura, são ótimos, mas há uma série de filmes estrelados por ele que não conseguiram sequer a metade do sucesso de Tropa 2. E a questão permanece: o que fez Tropa de Elite 2 ser o filme brasileiro com maior audiência em 20 anos? Talvez a combinação da universalidade do tema abordado, com o talento do diretor e dos atores, junto à ótima estratégia publicitária possam explicar o enigma. Mas, apesar de tamanho sucesso, há um filme americano 3D com trama igual a de Pocahontas, que obteve, em 2010, mais que o dobro da bilheteria de Tropa 2 no Brasil, atingindo 9 milhões de espectadores. Sim, trata-se de Avatar. A direção de James Cameron pode ter ajudado, mas nem
point of view mesmo o Oscar prestigiou o diretor, preferindo sua ex-esposa, Kathryn Bigelow, que ganhou pelo filme Guerra ao terror. O fato de o filme de Cameron ser 3D poderia explicar o suceso, mas Alice no País das Maravilhas, de Tim Burton, também lançado em 2010, não obteve tanto lucro nas bilheterias brasileiras. De qualquer forma, não há como saber exatamente o que faz com que um filme seja popular tanto para o público quanto para os críticos, mas uma coisa é certa: há de ter uma explicação para o fato de o cinema brasileiro sofrer tanto preconceito. Filmes como Ônibus 174 e Lisbela e o prisioneiro certamente contrariam tal perspectiva, pois apresentam boa qualidade têm grande apelo popular. Entretanto, os filmes enviados para festivais internacionais parecem ser justamente
aqueles que contribuem para que o preconceito aumente. Por exemplo, o filme Lula, o filho do Brasil foi escolhido para representar nosso país no Oscar este ano, no lugar de Tropa de Elite 2. Como podemos superar as críticas negativas se escolhemos esse tipo de filme para nos representar internacionalmente? O cinema brasileiro ainda tem muito o que aprender com o cinema americano, francês e italiano. Mas, estes também têm muito o que aprender com o brasileiro. O que não nos falta é talento. Já ultrapassamos os preconceitos da literatura, com escritores como Machado de Assis e Jorge Amado, da música, com Tom Jobim e Gilberto Gil, e da arte, com Anita Malfatti e Di Cavalcanti. Quem poderá nos levar a quebrar o preconceito contra o cinema brasileiro? Que tal José Padilha e Fernando Meirelles?
Não é uma aula qualquer Nossa reflexão sobre o Peer Group Connection 2010-2011 Isabella Krell and Luiz Zilberknop
F
omos aceitos no grupo de PGC em abril de 2010. Estávamos extremamente felizes e muito curiosos. Não sabíamos o que nos esperava, nem o que teríamos que enfrentar durante o ano. Logo fomos organizados em pares e, juntos, aprendemos sobre o programa, sobre os alunos e, especialmente, sobre nós mesmos: Isa: O Luiz era um menino qualquer na minha aula de matemática na 10a série... Eu só falava com ele quando precisava de ajuda com a lição de casa. Ele me fazia rir às vezes durante a aula. Acho que devo ter falado com ele umas duas vezes durante o meu Junior year. De repente, ele virou meu co-leader em PGC. No começo eu pensei: “como será que vai ser? Será que vamos liderar bem o grupo de freshmen? Será que vou gostar dele? Vou poder confiar nele?” Luiz: Foi complicado me tornar co-leader de uma pessoa que eu mal conhecia. No começo fiquei desmotivado, mas percebi que, exatamente por causa disso, conheceria uma guria que era misteriosa perante meus olhos. Eu não tinha certeza do que o termo “co-leader” significaria para nós, e então resolvi dar uma chance, e me surpreendi com a amizade que construímos. Isa: Todas as minhas perguntas foram respondidas de uma forma extremamente positiva. O Luiz, que pra mim era somente um menino na turma “two oh double one”, tornou-se um dos meus melhores amigos. Agora sei que posso confiar nele para tudo. Qualquer problema que tenha, seja relacionado a PGC ou não, posso discutir com ele, porque sei que vou receber um abraço carinhoso logo de cara, e depois terei uma sugestão sobre o que fazer, que caminho seguir. Quando acontece algo positivo na minha vida, também corro para contar a ele. Não sei o que seria do meu senior year sem o Luiz.
Luiz: Sinto que nossa amizade vai além do que era esperado. PGC me ajudou a criar uma confiança eterna na Isabella, que sempre estará ao meu lado. Ty Stephenson Te n h o m u i t o que agradecer à escola, que nos proporcionou esta oportunidade apesar do currículo rígido que todos conhecemos tão bem. Nunca acreditei que as minhas aulas poderiam ter tanta influência na formação da pessoa que sou hoje. Mas, graças a PGC, estou certo de que Isabella e eu somos o melhor que poderíamos ser. Crescemos e amadurecemos juntos. Com PGC, desenvolvemos habilidades necessárias para enfrentar os desafios do dia-a-dia e aprendemos a valorizar as várias características presentes em cada um de nós. PGC foi a melhor experiência do nosso senior year porque nos fez conhecer e amar pessoas que não conhecíamos e nos ensinou lições que nos ajudarão para sempre. Além disso, tivemos um grupo excelente de freshmen, que nos ajudaram a ver e reconhecer diferentes pontos de vista. PGC foi, sem dúvida, uma das melhores experiências que já tivemos.
the talon • 9
point of view
“Abuses, Prevarications, and Artifices” Asking questions, and moving a crowd
Mathias Henderson
C
onsidering recent events in the Middle East and the events
potent enough? Is any single idea strong enough? To what ex-
studied in my History class, it occurred to me that it is
tent is our tolerance indolence?
an ideology, or lack thereof, that moves a society or people
In an example beyond our campus, the revolution of
to revolutionize and act against fundamental institutions.
Egypt should be looked into. Had the roaring crowd at Tahir
Thanks to my Graded education, one of the first arguments
Square been assembled because it finally had enough of the
that came to mind was
named misdoings of
from John Locke’s Second
their leader, Mubarak?
Treatise. Please consider
Had it been the trigger
this question: “the slips of
of Tunisia’s success-
human frailty will be borne
ful revolution? These
by the people without mu-
questions led me to
tiny or murmur, but if a
form a broader ques-
long train of abuses, pre-
tion; one that over-
varications and artifices,
looks human behavior,
all tending the same way,
social
make the design visible to
ethics. At what point
the
should
did the arguments of
then rouse themselves, and
either side impel indi-
endeavor to put the rule
viduals to act against
into such hands which may
or for the motions be-
secure to them the ends for
Julia Greenwald ing taken? Take a look
people…they
which government was at first erected.”
studies,
and
at Locke’s quote once
For those of you who do not know or who have for-
more looking at the part in bold. Is how far we see into events
gotten, at the time Locke was writing critically of the over-
that involve and affect us essential to the way we react to
throw of the monarch James II of England. What does this
them? This is something to keep in mind. The quote is, simply
have to do with me, or Graded’s underclassmen? To a bit-
put, the behavior of human beings under a society’s common
tersweet extent, everything.
agreement. Individuals never
We are citizens of the world
Is how far we see into events that series of circumstances that involve and affect us essential to the allows us to receive a quality way we react to them? education, giving us the tools
rise alone; it is only through
empowered and placed into a
the help of others that they
to challenge and examine our
students, is to help you un-
every value on a daily basis. We
derstand the importance of
may do so. The point of this article, as a senior writing to other
will all eventually, and somewhat inevitably, be in a position
exercising your ideas. I hope the questions I ask will evince
that our decisions mold the outcome of our small part of the
the realities and conventional wisdoms each community and
world’s society. It is bittersweet because although we may
society holds, including Graded’s. Remember that it always
heavily influence the shape of the future world, the more we
takes a crowd to make a change, but it only it takes one to
learn, the more we understand how impossible it is to do that
move a crowd.
to everyone’s benefit. Therefore, I came to ask myself as well as you, , what does it take to move a society? What ideas are
10 • the talon
point of view
Closure “And you thought you’d heard the last of me” Martin Shores
I
’m huge fan of closure. By that I mean last symbolic gestures done at the end of chapters in one’s life, gestures that have little to no practical value, besides maybe turning off the light and locking the door. I love being that last person to leave the room, and I love ending things in style. We see this best in television; that final, heart-wrenching moment in a favorite television show when the audience knows with absolute certainty that that’s the end. Fin. It gives everything a finale vibe that leaves the audience satisfied, even through their sadness. Fans of Friends may remember the closing moments in the series finale when everyone in the group places their spare keys on the counter. They hug, tears are shed and Chandler cracks one final joke before they all walk out of the apartment for the last time. Accompanied by nothing other than an acoustic guitar, the camera slowly pans around the empty apartment, wandering over the empty floor, the mysterious door in the corner, and the empty kitchen before finally settling on the doorway. In a flood and without wanting to, memories and emotions come flowing back. Reminding us of what once and for so long was, but can never be again. I can’t watch that scene without crying like a baby. I do just fine until then; not even the conclusion to Ross and Rachel’s romance does that to me. I won’t spoil what happens in case there’s anyone who hasn’t watched it (yeah, right). But I digress. I bring all of this up for a very personal reason. A week before orientation began at Duke University and the official start of my college career, I had the privilege of participating in a pre-orientation program. Along with 80 other incoming freshmen and 20 upperclassmen, we went to the coast of North Carolina (Beaufort, more specifically) and spent about seven days at the University’s Marine Lab. We camped out on the barrier islands for half the time, kayaking from one beach to another during the day, and the other half we spent at the lab surfing and sailing. Without going into too much detail about what exactly we did, know that it was one of the best weeks of my life and set the stage for what would come. Two weeks before the end of my freshman year at college, I revisited the Marine Lab under very different circumstances: a field trip for my Earth and Ocean Sciences class. Where in late August I’d been met with the sweltering heat of a southern summer (really no big deal by Brazilian standards), now I found only the cold wind of early spring and an overcast sky, but it’s a good thing I don’t read too much into these things. I wandered around aimlessly, but only after stuffing
myself with the food I remember being infinitely better than the on-campus cafeterias’ (I’m glad some things don’t change, at least). I found that new buildings had been built. The pier I so fondly remembered diving off of had been remodeled and now docked an immense research vessel. By lucky coincidence, I was put in the same room as my first time there, and I made a point of sleeping in the same bed. Again, without going into detail about what exactly I did on the trip, I felt nostalgic and more than a little sad. Above all, I was struck by how much smaller everything had become. I still hit my head more times on the bunk bed than is healthy, so proportionately everything had stayed the same. Had I really changed that much in those few months, those two short semesters? I don’t know and for the purpose of this article, it doesn’t matter. Let me worry about that. Anyway, it was a fitting end to the craziest year of my life. In revisiting my old stomping grounds I got the finale vibe I wanted, the closure I needed, and an immense appreciation for what I had been through, not only this year but that one week that started it all. A part of me wishes I could relive it, but that would somehow detract from its value (it might also be physically impossible, so never mind that). Going back to the Marine Lab gave me that and put my troubled soul at ease. It may not be as glamorous as grand ceremonies that give us that sense of finality, like graduation for a senior (see what I did there?), but I needed it and am better off for it. I also got to learn about cool fish. It may be just me who grew up watching way too much television, but I reserve a special place in my heart for finales. Life doesn’t have this sense of absolute finality; it goes on after even after the door has closed and the credits roll. The series we grew up watching may come to a close, but the characters go off on their own spinoffs that we may not get to see, but we can still be happy for them (actually, in Joey’s case maybe his story should have ended there). So at the end of this academic year for us all, if you’re in to that sort of thing, find closure for yourself. Whether or not you do, appreciate what you’ve had and the things you’ve learned, but most of all, make your peace with them being over. That’s life and we’re better off for it. Martin Shores was a 2009-10 Editor-in-Chief of the Talon. You may remember him as “the guy who was obsessed with the senior lawn.” He is currently a freshman at Duke University.
the talon • 11
point of view
Overheard at Graded
Special thanks to Maggie for this edition Melanie Vladimirschi
D
ear Girls Above Me is a website (www.deargirlsaboveme. com) and Twitter feed that documents a man’s letters to his obnoxious upstairs neighbors. Charlie McDowell, the young man responsible for the posts, is extremely witty and ironic, which makes the website so entertaining. Upon accessing the site, there is a tag-line that reads: “Two annoying girls moved into the apartment above me. I’m forced to hear every dumb thing they say. These are my letters to them.” These theoretical letters to the loud ladies are generally in the form of advice he’d like to offer them, as well as complaints. A popular post, tweeted in September 29th, 2010 and retweeted by more than 100 people, is an example that well embodies not only McDowell’s sarcastic humor, but also the general topics of the girls’ conversations: Dear Girls Above Me, “He said he was Spanish but not a Mexican. What the hell, that doesn’t even make sense!” It does to the entire country of Spain. Here at Graded School, it is not uncommon to listen in on certain comments that are… funny, to say the least. Below are a few examples, some overheard by myself, some obtained with the help of others. Of course, this article is not meant to be cruel in any way and the posts are kept anonymous; it is written in the spirit of fun, with the acknowledgment that we all make mistakes.
•
“Al analizar el texto La Palabra de Pablo Neruda podemos concluír que todo tiene doble significado porque todas las palabras que componen el texto son relacionadas a la gastronomía porque tienen el propósito de identificar el lenguaje en lo cual es escrito y…. SE ENTIENDE chicos?!” Sí, cuando se combinan 8 oraciones en una entendemos todo.
•
Conversation in the senior hallway. “Bite me!” “That’s what she said!” “Who is she?” Ignorance truly is bliss, I suppose.
•
“Na zona pobre da cidade, se come ovo frito. Na área rica da cidade se come o quê?“ “Ovo mexido?“ A verdadeira disparidade entre as classes se encontra na maneira de frigir os ovos.
•
Professora: “Vocês têm que assistir a este filme. É excelente!” Aluna: “Ah, professora, mas tem legenda, né? Odeio assistir filme com legenda.” A resposta dispensa comentários.
•
“I’d love to talk to Hitler…” “Yeah, but you’d have to learn to speak German first” ...yeah, language is the real issue here. It’s not like he’s dead or anything.
•
“Do you know? StuCo is like a ship and I am the captain… but the ship is what guides me.” Hmmmm… by that logic, your dog walks you, not the other way around. Right?
•
“Você faz brigadeiro com leite condensado? Eu só faço com leite moça.” Ótimo. Agora, que tal experimentar algo novo, como ler o rótulo do produto?
•
•
“Dããã!! É na África, óbvio.” Obviedade para uns, aula de Geografia para outros.
Clueless girl: “I heard pot is legal in Holland!” Uber-clueless girl: “Really?! It’s also legal in Amsterdam!” She’s obviously referring to the lesser known Amsterdam, California, where people can get medicinal marijuana.
•
“Depois daquela novela lá, “Tiririca”, todo mundo tá querendo fazer moda.” “Tiririca”? É “Tititi”!!” Pão e circo, minha gente.
A : “Pepe, encontraron la casa de Gaddafi?” B: “Pepe, qué es ‘el Gaddafi’?” Yo tengo una mejor! Qué es ‘la ignorancia’?
•
“Pepe, yo soy como Gaddafi. Me gusta el poder. Él tiene poder en su país y yo tengo poder en mi cuarto. Además, esta re bueno porque ha de tener mucha plata!” Como quisiera ser residente de tu cuarto…
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We will show even more better the slide.” Me wish my leaders will talk good.
•
•
•
“Na disparidade entre as classes sociais, né, podemos notar que a divisão sócio-espacial, né, é muito exacerbada, né? Vemos que as classes menosprezadas, né, passam a ocupar os redutos mais baixos da cidade, né?” A verdadeira ênfase só ocorre quando se utilizam pelo menos seis “nés“ a cada duas frases. Professora: “Essa pessoa, é claro, todo mundo sabe quem é.” Aluna: “Eu não sei, mas é um gato! Quem é?” Professora: “Ayrton Senna!!” Pelo menos o ditado popular continua valendo: quem foi rei nunca perde a majestade.
12 • the talon
Note: If you enjoyed this page, help make it a tradition in The Talon! Eavesdrop and pay close attention to funny moments that happen at Graded and e-mail them to us (subject line, “Overheard at Graded”) so we can keep this going!
point of view
To My Baby Sister
For us it’s the end, for her it’s only the beginning Luiza Justus
A
nd so my fifteen years here finally come to an end. Needless to say, Graded is like a home. It’s all I’ve ever known, and leaving for good is beyond strange. Right now it’s hard to believe that when vacations start I don’t have another year coming up, that I’m going to a different country, sleeping in a strange bed, eating strange food, and watching strange TV. What is even harder to believe, though, is that while I am leaving, someone so close to me is about to start. My sister Rafaella will be part of Graded’s class of 2027. This date is unreal that I imagine it as part of the “technological future,” a time with flying cars, hoverboards, space travel, and automatic everythings—we’ll all be flying around Jetsons style. For my baby sister, 2027 is the year that she will be applying to her colleges, receiving her acceptances and taking her IB exams. All those years from now, she will be feeling what I am feeling right now: this sense of hurried conclusion, anticipating graduation but at the same time with the melancholic nostalgia that all seniors inevitably feel. It is hard for me to imagine how she will be when she is my age. Her big blue eyes will watch the same classes that I am watching, taking in the world with the same curiosity I already see in her. Judging by her clevarness, she will be one of those overachievers everyone secretly envies. But there is one thing I can’t grasp. She hasn’t even started! I am almost done, with only a few months left to my senior year, and she still needs to start her Graded life. Thinking back to all my years of work here, I am not so sure I would do it over again. Of course, I am proud to be a “Graded Lifer,” this place was an excellent part of my life, and I could not have gone to a better school. I remember all my elementary school teachers, for I believe they were the
ones who really shaped me as a person. The values I have today were given to me primarily by my parents, but seeing as I spent the major part of my day with my teachers, I have them to thank as well. Middle school was when the drama started. Friend drama, boy drama, school drama, or really anything I could turn into drama. I think this angst is a part of everyone’s youth. The transition into high school was tranquil enough, except that the homework pile on my desk grew a few inches every year (especially senior year). Advice to juniors: you thought junior year was hard? Wait two more months, then you really won’t have time for anything. The above is an extremely condensed microscopic summary of what my overall school experience was like. It was pretty packed, and it did shape me, but reading the paragraph and thinking about doing it again is somewhat tiring. It is exhausting to think that my baby sister has yet to start all of this, and even twistynoodles.com more tiring to think that she will only be finished in 2027! In a way, she is the rebirth of this experience. I am leaving and she is just coming in—a recycling of the Graded experience. My advice to her is to enjoy every second, because it goes by extremely fast. The year 2027 will be here sooner than she expects, and it will be her standing on the stage in a graduation gown, not me. Ten years ago it was my brother’s turn, and seven years ago it was my older sister’s. I see them now and they are so successful, and it just makes me think of the cycle of life. We are leaving Graded in order to construct a life, to create ourselves using the foundation that Graded gave us. I want to wish luck to the class of 2011, I know all of you will have wonderful lives! And to the class of 2027, brace yourselves and just have fun; it will be over before you know it.
the talon • 13
news
News of the Future
What do we have to look forward to and fear? Christopher Thomas
A
s the Internet is a vast repository for many interesting things, perhaps one of the most interesting to be found nowadays is a website that scientifically predicts news of the future. One such website is the futuretimeline.net site, which gathers trends and makes predictions on what new advancements and events will occur as time goes on. Their predictions even go beyond 10,000 A.D. In the next five years, however, one of the more significant predicted events is that Solar Flares will disrupt the Earth’s magnetic field. What this probably would mean is that many electronic systems would be disrupted during this time, as all electric and electronic devices run on currents that have a certain degree of magnetism associated with them. Most likely no significant damage would happen. However, hospitals and datacenters would have to create some way of keeping their machines intact, as disruption of these devices could be catastrophic to human lives. In lighter news, a direct high-speed rail would connect London to Frankfurt in a cost-effective journey lasting under five hours. This would allow two of Europe’s most important financial centers to be connected in an efficient and affordable way, offering an excellent alternative to air travel. A connection to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Cologne will also be available, making travel easier. A bit further forward, in 2017, it is predicted that we will benefit from portable medical lasers that can seal wounds. While sounding all a bit Star Trek, remember that the idea for flip mobile phones was taken from that very television program. These medical lasers would seal injuries using a blood protein, and when used forms a type of glue which makes the wound stronger and more resistant to external factors, while also reducing scarring. In 2019-2020, developments in stem cell research should allow not only the treatment of spinal injuries — restoring movement to those previously unable to walk due to spinalcord damage of some kind — but organ transplants grown from stem cells would also becomes available. The need for external
14 • the talon
donors wold thus be eliminated, and anyone who needs — or rather, can afford an organ transplant would now get one, without needing to wait for one to become available. Not only is this, but the chance of rejection would be eliminated, as the organs would be genetically matched to the patient. Jump forward 10 years to 2030, and AIDS, cancer, and a number of diseases would not only become more effectively treatable, futuretimeline.net but also curable. Advances in technology would mean that the medical profession can benefit from incredibly powerful computers, which in turn cause the synthesising of cures to be made much easier. Analysis of the causes of the diseases means that specific compounds that combat and terminate them would be found much more rapidly, so lethal conditions such as AIDS and cancer would also be solved. Future Timeline predicts that overpopulation will take its toll, however, creating massive refugee crises, while climate change will cause severe droughts. Lack of oil supplies would force technology to shift to different energy sources, but environmental damage from developing nations’ energy use will be very severe and cause large scale ice cap melting, thus causing changes in various climates, and in turn leading to the endangerment and possible extinction of many species, such as the emperor penguin, tigers, and koala bears. As always, the future is bittersweet. There are many reasons to be optimistic for the different advancements that are to be made in various different fields. However, we are also destroying the planet during that time, making it necessary not only to slow down our wanton and reckless disregard for the balance of life on our world, but also find alternative methods to keep the world sustainable, and possibly colonise other planets, as our population spikes and the Earth is incapable of handling the demand for resources. But perhaps the most positive thing of all is that we are the ones who will make this future happen, so it is in our hands to make the changes around us now, so that we can alter the course of the history predicted by Future Timeline.
news
Obama in Brazil The American president’s first visit to Brazil Artur Renault
M
arch 20th marked the arrival of President Barack Obama to Brasília for his first visit to Brazil. As with any visit by a head of state to Brazil, it was filled with excitement, controversy, and anticipation. Obama had had an excellent relationship with Lula, having once called him “the man” and in many occasions referring to him as “the most popular politician on Earth.” However, his relationship with current president Dilma Rousseff was not established, yet many were optimistic. Some predicted Obama would announce the US would stop asking for visas from Brazilians; others thought he would voice his support for Brazil’s permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. These were two wishesof most Brazilians. Meanwhile, radical groups, as always, protested against the arrival of imperialism and neo-colonialism in front of government buildings. They feared Obama’s visit would benefit only the visiting superpower, and not Brazil. But Obama’s visit has come and gone, and these doubts have all been quenched. The first stop was Brasília. There, he went to the Palácio do Planalto where he met with Dilma in private. At the subsequent press conference, they revealed that they had discussed deepening US-Brazil commercial relations, especially in infrastructure and energy. A total of ten commercial cooperation deals were signed at the meeting. Obama also seemingly implied support of Brazil’s bid for a permanent Security Council membership. But both presidents made it clear that this is only the beginning of positive relations between the two countries. After lunch, Obama met with many Brazilian and American business leaders to discuss future private interactions between the countries. Coincidentally, Obama was also busy managing another international crisis, and it was in Brasília that Obama authorized the invasion of Libya.
The next morning, in Rio Obama visited the Cidade de Deus favela. There, he played soccer with the children and watched a capoeira performance. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama and their two daughters visited the Unidos da Tijuca samba school and learned some dance moves. Perhaps the highlight of Obama’s entire visit was his speech to the Brazilian people in Rio’s Teatro Municipal. This speech was, perhaps, the most optimistic expression of future Brazilian-American relations in the coming years. Obama opened the speech in Portuguese, referring to the Vasco-Botafogo game that would happen that afternoon, with loud cheers explodpaginabrasileira.blogspot.com ing from the crowd after every word he said. The speech was like all of Obama’s speeches: inspiring, well written, and beautifully delivered. He compared the histories of the United States and Brazil, connecting the stories of both countries’ independences, as well as the fight for freedom in the 60’s and 70’s, in the civil rights movement in the United States and in the battle against dictatorship in Brazil. And Obama repeatedly expressed, again, the need for future interactions for the benefit of both countries. He said that the nations need to be equal partners, which, at least in theory, eliminates the fear of American imperialism in Brazil. Obama finished his visit by going to Cristo Redentor at night with his family before leaving for Chile. Now all there is left to think about is what will be the consequences of this visit? Undoubtedly, we all hope that Brazilian-American relations remain positive, benefiting both countries. It is hoped Obama’s visit marked the beginning of that new future.
the talon • 15
news
What Happened During Your Senior Year Fifty years from now you may remember... Eduardo Estrada & Natalia Arenas
C
hilean Miners On August 5, 2010 a gold and copper mine in Chile collapsed, leaving 33 miners trapped in a chamber approximately 700 meters below the ground. Seveteen days after the world believed them to be dead, the miners were able to send their rescuers a message that they were still alive. With the entire world watching, rescue workers began the process of drilling through the mine to create space for a capsule that was designed to fit a human and through which the miners would be raised to the surface. Finally, on October 12, Florencio Ávalos was the first miner to be rescued and was greeted at the surface by teams of rescue workers, medical personnel, mining experts, technicians, family mdsidesignlabs.com members, and more than 1,500 journalists. Arab Spring A man set himself on fire in Tunisia, triggering protests and revolution across the entire Middle East and Northern Africa. However, this was merely a trigger: the social unrest that followed was an outcry against years of tyrannical oppression in the region, governmental corruption, human rights violations, poverty, and rising food prices among a long list of issues. The movements have been led by the youth of these countries who have used tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to spread their messages and receive attention from the international media. Much josephharoldii.wordpress.com coverage has been given to Egypt, where Hosni Mubarak was ousted by popular revolts after his dictatorial rule of 30 years, and to Libya, where the UN Security Council has intervened in the ensuing conflict to try out Muammar Gadafi, who has ruled for over 40 years, refuses to step down despite popular demonstrations. Despite the great degree of uncertainty and
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instability, the Arab world may be heading towards democratic rule. Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami The seventh strongest earthquake since records have been kept struck Japan on March 11, 2011. So strong was the 9.0 earthquake that it tilted the axis of the Earth by 25 centimeters. Approximately 14,000 people died and there are still thousands missing. Despite being “prepared” for such events, the earthquake had devastating consequences. In Fukushima, the earthquake caused severe damage to a large nuclear power plant leading to a Level 7 nuclear crisis, the highest possible and the same given to Chernobyl. Although the plant has not gone into a full nuclear meltdown, partial meltdowns have led to dangerously large amounts of radiation being released. Evacuations have occurred and efforts are being made to contain the radiation. The Japanese people have received international respect for their resilience and unity in the face of this catastrophe.
super-junior.net
Osama bin Laden Killed Late at night May 1, 2011, it was announced by President Barack Obama that Osama bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group al-Qaida, and the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, was killed the previous night by a “targeted operation” in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The operation was accomplished by an elite squad of Navy S.E.A.L.s. No American troops were harmed however, four others in bin Laden’s compound were killed. As news spread across the globe through the fast-paced media, hundreds gathered outside http://cdn.sobretudo.org the White House and in a show of
news patriotism began singing the national anthem. The day will be remembered as a turning point in the “war on terrorism” and represents a huge boost for US foreign policy, which since 2001, has aimed to dismember the al-Qaida cell. True to his promises of “We will kill Osama bin Laden.” during his 2008 campaign, Barack Obama now heads for for re-election in 2012. Oscars Christopher Nolan’s Matrix-esque psychological thriller about dreams, Inception, was a box office smash and a critical success receiving a nomination for Best Picture and Best Director. Written by Aaron Sorken and directed by David Fincher directed, The Social Network, chronicles the creation of Facebook, also received popular and critical acclaim as well as criticism for its depiction of Mark Zuckerberg as an unfeeling power monger. However, it was Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth in his Oscar-winning role, which took in a total of four awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Other notable films include Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3, Black Swan collider.com (another psychological thriller), and 127 Hours, inspired by the true story of mountaineer Aron Ralston. Bieber Fever Over the past two years, the world has been taken over by “Bieber Fever” (defined by urbandictionary.com as “The act, or disease, of being obsessed with Justin Bieber. Most commonly found in girls, but occasionally a guy or two”). A YouTube sensation, the seventeen-year-old Canadian pop star was discovered by a marketing executive when he accidentally clicked on the wrong YouTube video. Bieber has since risen to global prominence and has been lauded with countless awards and released biographyquotes.com hit singles such as “Baby” (featuring Ludacris). He has also become the subject of a number of pranks and jokes, most of which target his feminine voice, his age, or his iconic hairstyle. Zuckerberg Mark Zuckerberg (26), the founder and creator of Facebook was named by Time Magazine as the “Person of the Year.” A Harvard drop out (aren’t they all?), Zuckerberg initially created the social-networking website as a means for Harvard
students to rank their female peers’ physical attractiveness. The site has since evolved into the biggest social interaction sensation since the spoken word and made Zuckerberg one of the world’s youngest billionaires. Zuckerberg has come under fire this year due to The Social Network’s depiction of his creation of Facebook as a rip off from others’ ideas. The movie also calls into question his business ethics as it portrays Zuckerberg defrauding his best friend and the first person to invest in Facebook, São Paulo native Eduardo Saverin.
time.org
President Dilma Dilma Rousseff from the PT (worker’s party) won the 2010 presidential elections replacing her fellow party member, Lula, and becoming the first female president of Brazil. The former member of the Comando de Libertacao Nacional (COLINA) guerrilla group defeated Jose Serra, former governor of São Paulo running on the PSDB wikipedia.org ticket, in an election that necessitated a second round. The new president promises to continue and expand on Lula’s social policies, but has been challenged both because of her participation in COLINA and due to her political inexperience. SP Concerts São Paulo hosted more concerts than ever this year, many of which appealed to Graded’s student body. These shows included (in chronological order) 3OH!3, Bon Jovi, the Black Eyed Peas and David Guetta, Amy Winehouse, the Backstreet Boys, Train, Ziggy Marley, Shakira, Muse, U2, and 3OH!3 (no, you did not misread, they came twice). Consequently, school days following these concerts, Christina Naegeli students could be seen sleepily shuffling down the hallways while sporting the infamous “EU FUI!” t-shirts. And with Rock in Rio to come, it does not seem like the concert-frenzy will end.
the talon • 17
news 90th Anniversary Besides all of these events, 2010 was a special year for Graded because it marked its 90th birthday. This served as a theme throughout the year and was the motive for many celebrations, including the 90th year party at Fasano which joined the administration, faculty, parents, and alumni to commemorate this special occasion as well as a PTA-organized barbecue for students, parents, and alumni. Graded’s 90th birthday was also the occasion for a school-wide aerial shot on the field that allowed students to miss 20 minutes of class, which is always a cause for celebration. Additionally, throughout the year there was focus on Graded’s progress throughout the years which was been further highlighted by the yearbook’s theme: History. Airband Competition In October, StuCo hosted its annual Airband Competition and this year it was tighter than ever. Determined to make this experience unforgettable, many bands went all out in the attempt to impress the judges and the audience. There were many impressive performances, and the second and first place prizes The Front Alley Men. Photograph by Leo Porto went to two senior bands, the Front Alley Men and The Seniors. The Seniors was a group of boys who—dressed in tights, skirts, and wigs—performed “Walking on Sunshine.” The Front Alley Men boasted a group of girls who, dressed up as boys and playing to a mash-up of Backstreet Boys songs, became the first girl group to win the Airband Competition. The rivalry between these two groups served to further intensify the competition and left one of the groups feeling cheated out of the first place prize. It was a great event that
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raised the bar for upcoming years and became an important senior memory for many of the participants. José Padilha/MV Bill This year we were lucky enough to host Jose Padilha, the director of Tropa de Elite and Tropa de Elite 2. Padilha discussed everything from the current situation in Rio, his views on the use of drugs, to the production of his films. An autodidact, Padilha, an economist and banker, entered the film industry spontaneously when he decided to make a documentary about a hostage situation in a public bus in Rio (Onibus 174). Padilha Karin Gunn Brazilian rapper MV Bill also visited and provided us with a different, albeit coinciding, perspective of Brazil’s favelas and the country’s drug issues. Growing up in the “Cidade de Deus” favela, Bill claims that Padilha’s depiction is at times bland compared to the violence that actually occurs in favelas. Also multi-talented, MV Bill used poetry to break out of the violence-ridden world he belonged to. College Acceptances T h e class of 2015 set a new standard for college acceptances at Graded. The long list includes, but is Naty by Julia Greenwald not limited to: Brown, Columbia, Duke, Georgetown, Notre Dame, U Penn, USC, and Yale. Graded has never seen so many painted faces and shaved heads. After a number of uncompleted projects (such as the “Senior Lounge” and the “Cell Phone Bill”), StuCo finally came up with a successful project: free deodorant in the locker rooms. Yeah.
Edu by Andrea Estrada
features
To: The Rising Seniors From: An optimistic junior Andrea Estrada
T
he class of 2011 is exceptional—academically, socially, as individuals, and as a group. The rest of us in the high school look up to them, and there is no doubt that teachers, parents, and administration members respect to them as well. But after all, they deserve the praise they get because they have persistently competed and collaborated amongst themselves, creating a group that raised the bar pretty high for the rest of us. However, as rising seniors we are left thinking the following: what is there to say about the class of 2012, about us? Many would argue that academically, we are not exceptional; socially, we are fragmented; as leaders, we have a few strivers but everyone else lacks motivation; and as a group, we simply aren’t — we do not carry ourselves as one. While I am optimistic and genuinely believe that our class, under the surface, is better than that, I understand the perception other people have generated. A number of students students of the class of 2012 do strive to excel and do seek to know their peers, but many do not. Many of those who do not instead choose to carry themselves either in a mob-like manner, an overly introverted manner, or a rebellious manner. It is these attitudes that seem to resonate in the eyes of those around us. There is a visible lack of motivation that the rest of the Graded community perceives, so it is understandable if they judge us as a class without character, especially when compared to the current seniors. And yet, the thing is, I beg to differ. So please, juniors, do not flip the page and pre-judge my article. I like the class of 2012. I believe it has potential. Right now we might come off as a collection of small groups that has little coherence or drive, but in the past we have proved better than that. And, hopefully, in the future we will be better than that. I remember early middle school years when it did not matter where we were from or how long we’d been at Graded to interact equally with our peers. I remember our 6th grade trip to Nosso Recanto, where we strengthened and built new friendships, and our adventures in the caves of Petar, where regardless of who our roommates were, we grew closer to the people in our pousadas because we spent so much time with them. Even 8th grade, when separate groups were becoming more rooted and isolated, there was a feeling of camaraderie. Not to mention 9th grade: I met so many new people and built so many relationships that I legitimately believed PGC, the class trip, and our inclination to always play guitars and sing in the hallways had made us the most united class that ever
existed. In fact, whenever my brother criticized the people in my grade, I persistently defended each and every one, even if I was not close with them. Lower school, from what I hear, was even more integrated than middle school. Forced to be in a class with the same people throughout the entire year, everyone was bound to get to know their classmates pretty well. But somewhere along the way, these qualities sunk under the surface. Somewhere between doing our 4-year plan with Ms. Andrade as rising freshmen and beginning 11th grade as full-IB or non-IB students, we ceased to care. Friends came and left, groups either secluded themselves further or fell apart, forcing new ones to surge, and everyone simply got caught up in their own thing. While for me it’s easier to visualize the class I once knew because I’ve been here a while, it always pains me a little to think of the new students and whether they identify themselves with the Graded class of 2012. Don’t get me wrong: new students most always find groups that are characteristically hospitable and actually bother to welcome them, but I wonder if they feel like they can connect—even talk—to people outside those groups at all. It seems like we grew fragmented, developing deep roots with the people we felt comfortable around—which, granted, are valuable friendships we’ll cherish after Graded —but we forgot to let our branches reach out to those who did not fall within our group. We mechanically participate in class activities but rarely bother to know our peers beyond the classroom walls. It is with that lack of unity that our lack of motivation increases. Since as a group we don’t create a collaborative or competitive environment, many simply settle for whatever’s easiest. But I have hope. I believe those secluded groups or individuals have it in them to care, even in the midst of academic stress. I believe many people still remember the middle school years, just like I do, but simply choose to bury them deep in their brains. What I hope is that, come our graduation day, whoever gives our speeches can speak proudly of a class that cared, a class that fought, and a class comprised of people who knew each other and worked as a group. Yes, you may call it an idealistic, clichéd dream, but it is what I strive for, and I hope I am not the only one. I want a class that will wake up early the first day of senior year to watch the sunrise together — and gladly so.
the talon • 19
features
The Research on Senioritis It’s as real as an inflammation Ho Jun Yang
S
o you’re a senior and it’s the last year of high school. After three years of social conundrums and academic hurdles, you’ve made it to the top of the food chain. You’re counting as the days slowly go by until your graduation date. Some of you seniors are maybe even crossing out the days in the calendar. As a result, you end up being less worried about your school life; I mean, now that college acceptances are out, does it really matter that much? Yes, it does. Urbandictionary. com, says that “Senioritis” is“A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. It also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as Graduation.” This may seem like an exaggeration, but except for the “excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts and sweatshirts,” the definition is spot on. It’s become such a prevailing trend in the senior class of high schools that it appears in dictionaries. Sorry to burst the bubble for you teachers, but this is being treated as a real disease. This phenomenon is real enough to have research dedicated to it. A 2001 report by the National Commission on the High School Senior Year stated that many students believe the senior year is a waste (usatoday.com). To combat this dilemma, actions are being taken. Clara Lovett, president of the American Association for Higher Education, a non-profit organization of faculty, administrators and students, says that change is happening. Governors in several states in the U.S. are trying to motivate students to be more productive by taking actions ranging from boosting graduation requirements to increasing the rigor of the curriculum. They’re even creating programs so that students can earn credit for high school and college simultaneously. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, former chairman of the National Governors Association, said that, “We thought high school has to be four years and college has to be four years. These are notions that have to be revisited.” Around 38 states in the United States have a form of “dual enrollment”
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which allows students to obtain credits for colleges and courses online. Does this seem familiar? Because a high number of high schools and colleges now permit this, and the IB courses that we take in Graded can also serve this purpose. Governors say that the Senioritis phenomenon also has an effect on the economy. “[L]eaving high school early frees up classroom space, which reduces construction costs for new schools. Students save on tuition by taking collegelevel classes early, and states pay less to subsidize tuition at state universities. When students earn degrees sooner, campuses have space for others” (usatoday.com). For those seniors that do end up moving on to pursue higher education levels, many of them seem unprepared howtomakecollegestuff.com for college. Michael Kirst, an education professor at Stanford University who has dedicated his research to the need for better performance by seniors, published a work in 2001 with the Institute for Educational Leadership that tried to discover the root of the senior laziness. The research revealed that the current model for senior year was left over from the 1930s. This is when, in order to prevent students from quitting school, the education system designed “expanded elective and vocation education at the expanse of more academic courses.” Moreover, he was concerned about students that are unprepared for college, and data from the National Center for Education Statistic reported that in fall 2000, “20% of entering freshmen at four-year public institutions took a remedial course, while 42% at community colleges did.” Senior year really is the last chance to get prepared for college. Colleges have started responding to this almost visceral phenomenon. Because seniors have become so unsettled, colleges have revoked more and more admission offers . According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 69% of colleges revoked admission offers in 2007 due to final grades, while 25% did so because of disciplinary problem. It may seem like a great annoyance to bug you seniors before you leave to the next step in the real world to fend off for yourselves, but it’s necessary. Remember, you’re not out just yet.
features
Déjà Vu
Recreation of my first tardy at Graded Gini Chi
I
skipped down the hallway bordered by thick white walls and rusty ultramarine lockers. As it was only the second day of my first high school year, I still felt like a skittish kitten introduced to her new home. As I reached for my locker, I realized that no one else was around. I checked the clock: Health, my third block of the day, was starting in less than a minute. Oh, God!!! Then I realized that I didn’t know where the Health room was. Everything started to spin; the panic alarm in my head sounded louder. The hallway was already empty and there was no one I could consult. So it came as a total surprise when I turned around and saw someone standing before me. Who was she? She waved at me and walked down the tunnel-like corridor. But I could not follow—who was she? How did she know me? Could she be trusted? My theory that this stranger must be a psychic was confirmed when she walked back to me and said, “You’ll never make it to Health class in time if you stand there and gawk.” She took my hand without hesitation, freaking me out even further. I felt extremely awkward and terrified, as I had always been when facing people, especially strangers. Ever since moving to Sao Paulo, my social-phobia had gotten worse. This time was no exception. The stranger stopped abruptly, and I almost bumped my nose into her back. I stumbled my way out and stared at something that looked like a tiny gray warehouse. Reluctantly, I glanced at the stranger. Once again I saw her lips mouthing something that I could not hear. Then she gave me a crooked smile. “Run along now. You’re already five minutes late,” cooed the stranger, waving her hand ever-so merrily. Yikes! I scurried to the health room and realized that I hadn’t thanked the stranger for saving me. But did I have enough courage to do so? When I finally turned, I was alone. But I could not erase the stranger’s last wave; it was as if she would see me again and again. Would I be able to thank her? I answered my own question: yes, somehow, someday, sometime later.
But they soon disappear from my radar. Everything is hazy; it’s like musing through my dizziest half-forgotten dream, trying to remember it in clear details. But I know who I am looking for, and there she is. She hasn’t noticed me yet, but she will very soon. She turns and jumps. I press my lips tightly in order to fight a smile. The freshie scans me from head to toe; I notice the gleaming red folder clutched in her arms. Mine is so old; it can’t even be taped. I draw my lips in a taut line of amusement. “You seemed to have grown taller,” I mumble absent-mindedly. I know she will not catch it. But it doesn’t matter; that was for me rather than for her. I know what I must do now. I take few steps away and walk back to the freshie to say, “You’ll never make to Health class in time if you stand there and gawk.” I also know what will happen next: I will take the freshie’s hand and half-drag her towards the field, and she will tag along, totally dumbfounded. I keep my mouth shut throughout my semi-forceful guidance to the health room; I don’t know how to explain what is going on. What kind of idiot would believe if her future self appears out of nowhere and declares, “I am you! Nice to meet you, past-me”? My eyes mirror the familiar but long-forgotten health room even before I can recognize it. I lock myself in place, and the freshie stumbles towards the door. She turns her bewildered eyes to me, and I muster all the nerve I can allow to say: “You have a long way ahead of you, so long you can’t imagine. You’ll be lost sometimes, just like you were moments ago. But you will manage. You must.” My own face, just four years younger, questions my brief speech. Of course, she didn’t catch it. But then my laziness kicks in; I feel embarrassed to repeat my words, anyways. “Run along now. You’re already five minutes late,” I say, and I wave at myself. When the freshie isn’t looking, I make my way along the brick-red race track, the very first piece of Graded I’d seen when I first visited this place as a sixth grader. No, I won’t ever see her again—not even in dreams. But I smile to myself and whisper a simple good-bye in my head instead of any more of wistful messages. I push my broken earphone into my left ear.
What kind of idiot would believe if her future self appears out of nowhere and declares, “I am you! Nice to meet you, past-me”?
Four Years Later I walk along the corridor I used to dwell as a freshie. The shiny lockers are flaunting their cobalt-blue coats. Well, is this unfair or what—they used to be terribly rusty in my time.
the talon • 21
features
Senior Year Freshmen share expectations; teachers talk experience Danielle Bryant
F
reshmen Interviews:
What do you think being a senior will be like? Matt Dias: First semester, stressful, mostly because of applications. Second semester, filled with anxiety about graduation. Jakob Naegeli: After hearing about my sister’s experiences, being a senior sounds like fun. I also know that with the fun aspect comes great responsibility when you have homework and need to work a lot harder than we are now in class. What will you be doing when you’re a senior? Who will you be as a senior? MD: I guess I’ll be doing what I normally do, attempt to do well in school while balancing other things with it such as afterschool activities, sports, and friends. I’ll be the same person as always, I believe. But who knows? Everyone changes at one point or another. JN: When I’m a senior, I will hopefully be doing well grade-wise while finding the time to make new friends, and hang out with old friends. As a senior, I don’t want to be consumed by my classes and homework, but rather find time to balance that with my social life. Would you rather be a senior or freshman? MD: A freshman. I have to go through High School just like everyone does, and go through the stress that comes along with it. I might seem like a masochist, but going through it will make me resistant to being stressed and overwhelmed with work, that will later aid me in life. JN: I think I’d rather be a senior. I’ve experienced being the top dog in 5th grade and 8th grade but being a senior is different because you really are at the top of the entire school, and I think you’re respected by others for that. It’s also like showing off your badges, twelve plus years of schooling. What will your senior experience be? Leo Sabó: Being a senior, to me, is a big deal. I imagine seniors being the “kings”; having more privileges than anyone else, having control, and having more freedom. When I become a senior at Graded I want to be a mentor to the students of lower grades to help them through their remaining years at Graded. I want to make a difference and help everyone. Right now I’m not sure if i would rather be a senior or freshman, but when I talk to the current seniors they all say to enjoy the few years left at school,
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therefore I prefer being a freshman because I have more time to enjoy. Pedro Quirino: A senior must be the luckiest thing to be in a school like Graded. We freshman always hear about all the “senior privileges” like skipping class, free blocks and all those things. But we don’t think about the negative things of being a senior, leaving school and your friends behind to enter a completely new life. The exams, IB tests and courses scare me too. As a senior I would want to be involved in as many extracurricular activities as possible, and sports. PGC is one of my main goals for senior year. I think I would rather be a freshman, but it’s a hard decision. Sure, getting into college must be one of the best feelings possible, but leaving your friends must be one of the worst things possible. Freshman, in my view, are still far from that reality. Thank you to all the freshman who answered! Good luck from the senior class of 2011!
W
hether we like to or not, we all remember senior year of high school. A few of our esteemed Graded teachers took a walk down memory lane and shared some of their senior experience. What was the hit song of the year? Mary Pfeiffer: Lionel Richie’s “Hello” was the top song in May 1984. A fittingly dorky prom song, which I definitely slow danced to a few times. Amaral Cunha: First song that comes to me is “Like a Virgin” by Madonna...it was huge and very challenging for the time. But I also remember the campaign to help Africa with “We are the World.” Josh Berg: Billie Jean, by Michael Jackson. What did you wear to prom?/ What was your prom like? MP: I wore a floor-length pastel dress by Jessica McClintock. I LOATHE pastel and lace now. We would sit on folding chairs in groups or stand awkwardly in packs around the school gym, which was decorated with streamers and lit by a disco ball. In an attempt to evoke spring there was a fake-flower-adorned gazebo in the middle. AC: My prom was in the States and at the time I lived in Bismarck, North Dakota. My high school was St. Mary’s High School, a private
features Catholic school and I wore a baby blue tuxedo cowboy style and cowboy boots—OMG, a memory that needs to be erased. Josh Berg: Black tux, lavender bow-tie and cummerbund. The theme was Celebration, based on the song by Kool & the Gang. I don’t remember much more than that, because I’m olf. Any senior pranks? AC: We cut the electrical supply to the school...big trouble, and I have to confess I was not directly involved. Elizabeth Baratta: We put vaseline on every toilet in the girls’ bathroom and waited outside the door to hear the screams of disgust. JB: Spray-painted the outside of the school in the middle of the night. Got busted. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Favorite senior memories? MP: Of the non-personal nature, my physics class with Mr. Halverson, an eccentric former NASA employee. We would make short films that demonstrated laws of physics, and we would even include song and dance. I remember one particular film included dropping objects off the third story of the local hospital.
AC: My 18th birthday party at my family’s Mr. Berg at his senior prom beach house. My parents invited all my classmates to spend three days on the beach. It was amazing—we were probably 40 teenagers in one house. JB: Other than hanging out with friends and getting into college . . . being editor of the school newspaper. Advice for graduating seniors? / What you know now that you wish you knew then? MP: Reflect on what you want out of the months between now and college, what you value in terms of your relationships and your own growth. Think seriously about what you want out of college because once you get there you will be overwhelmed
with possibilities of what to study, what to do and be, and who to be with. Reflect on what you want to do better, how you want to be better. Going away to college is an opportunity to be an even finer version of yourself, for yourself and for others. I went the furthest away to college than anyone in my class, and no one knew me—it was incredibly freeing! AC: That you do not need to decide your life, your future Ms. Pfeiffer at a senior prom when you are 18. I put too much pressure on myself to choose a profession. As I once read: “The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40 year-olds I know still don’t.” JB: Never try to get up from your airplane seat while your seatbelt is still buckled. It’s humiliating. What was your senior quote? MP: “Happiness is not doing what you like, but liking what you do.” I have no idea where that banal adage came from—maybe a quick flip through Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations?—but I wouldn’t choose it now. AC: For sure it was a time I thought I could change the world and was very much on the left in terms of politics. Two quotes from different songs were my mantra: You may say / I’m a dreamer / But I’m not the only one / I hope some day / You’ll join us / And the world will be as one. —Imagine, John Lennon Sua piscina ta cheia de ratos, suas ideias nao correspondem aos fatos / O tempo nao para —Cazuza EB:” All that is now, all that is gone, all that’s to come.” —Pink Floyd Voted most...? JB: I was voted “Most Unique,” which in retrospect is kind of amusing: you’re either unique or you’re not—it’s not a matter of degree. AC: Be in trouble for speaking too much—things don’t change much.
the talon • 23
features
Call Holding Updating myself
Julia Greenwald
O
kay, done with Portuguese. Good thing that was short and easy,” I think to myself, as I hastily cross the assignment off my To-Do list, the murky, black ink taking a miniscule fraction of the weight off my shoulders. “What do I have left? Physics? OH NO; Physics.” My hands fly to the pile of notebooks and papers I call my schoolwork, ruffling through the messy sheets, until I find my physics assignment, crumpled and coffee stained. “Let’s just get this over wi—BOOBEEP. RING. RING. RING. RING. RING. RING. RING.” As students, we all have some sort of daily routine. Wake up, deeply inhale the splendid smell of freshly brewed coffee, get dressed, brush a rake through our hair, spend about eight hours at school, come home, maybe shower, do some homework, eat dinner, do more homework, watch some TV (if we’re lucky) and go to bed. My daily routine is similar, except usually between “do some homework” and “eat dinner” I add “one-hour Skype call with Dad.” These Skype calls, which tend to range from ten minutes to an hour and a half, have been a part of my schedule ever since my parents divorced five years ago, leaving my brother, my mother and me in São Paulo, Brazil, and my dad all over the world. However, in these five years, no matter how routine the calls seem, I’ve noticed a change. Skype always seems to auto-update on my computer. Every couple of months, the calls get clearer, the video seems crisper, the abundance of chat emoticons multiply, and the overall display of the program shifts and reorganizes itself. I often find myself hating these monthly updates. As I navigate through the “new Skype,” I silently mutter frustrated words of distaste, wondering why the program has to change so often; there’s nothing wrong in keeping a good thing constant, right? Nonetheless, I have seen this same updating going on with myself. My voice has become clearer, more formal and loaded with confidence after teaching English to underprivileged children and adults for three years. My eyes move more quickly, and more sharply after playing basketball and softball throughout my high school career. The once-shy girl, who used to complain to her father about her dread of seniors, is now a peer leader, helping freshmen transition into the high school. And my knowledge about global issues and foreign policy has increased, as the amorphous and distant borders of the world solidify themselves instantaneously in our conversations. This replaces the once foolish banter about TV shows and clothes,
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helping me develop my passions for international affairs and helping people. Although this process of updating myself often has me muttering the same words of annoyance, be it to school, stress, or just having to say goodbye to the old and comfortable, I realize that the changes that occur within me have only just begun, and that it is time to take my fear and my calling off hold. “Hey Dad! How was your day?” “Fine, Ju, how was yours?” “You know, stressful, but the good kind.” “Yep, I know. How were the elections yesterday?” “They were fun. Really interesting too! I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a run-off election between Serra and Dilma.” “Yeah, I heard! Did you read the article I sent you about Dilma? Relates very well to what’s happening right now.” “I got it, but haven’t read it yet. I’ll read it over the weekend.” “Good. So how was the game last Friday?” “Great, we beat St. Paul’s! Low scoring game, but the stats improved.” “Nice! You guys deserve to win. Hand in any projects lately?” “My History internal assessment is due tomorrow, and I’m working on my World Literature paper for next week.” “Hang in there; I’m sure they’re both great. How was Habitat for Humanity? Zombie Zoo?” “Busy, and thankfully, a success. People loved it! I think next meeting we’ll be given information about the trip and how to apply.” “Well I’m sure you’ll get in.” “Thanks. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. For Halloween, Maya, Melanie, Danielle, Sami, Meli and I are going to be Mr. and Mrs. Pac-man, and their ghosts. And then some other girls and I were thinking of participating in the Air-Band competition. “That’s cool. Homemade costumes?” “Of course! But I should actually go now and make them, and finish my homework. We’ll talk more tomorrow, I won’t be as busy.” “OK, try not to go to bed too late tonight. Goodnight.” “Goodnight, Dad. Love you.” “Love you too.” BEBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP. Bing.
features
Reality Check Facing fear Melissa Fiszner
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lashes. Quick, defined, permanent flashes emblazed in my memory. From one second to the other, my route had changed; we were no longer arriving safely home on a regular winter night. Instead, two strange men were now inside our car making these decisions for us. After removing my mom’s cell phone battery and taking her credit card, they also took control of our emotions. I was in a state of utter confusion. Time inside the car seemed to last forever, but life outside kept on going. When I was eleven, I was robbed. It is an incident whose weight I carry every day. I was at the age of discovering the other side of life, the darker one, the one often labeled “reality.” Thus, this event affected me deeply, so deeply, that the scars remain until today. That night my childhood innocence was shattered. I saw my mom in a weak and submissive position I had never seen before. She gave up her driver’s seat, letting one of the men take control of the wheel. When he told her to look straight ahead and act normally, she did. When he told her to translate what I was saying from Spanish to Portuguese, she shared my worries. She obeyed. My dad, on the other hand, was on a business trip on a different continent, completely unaware of the situation. That night I realized that my parents, the ones who I had always seen as indestructible super heroes, didn’t have the super powers required to win all the battles in life. As the robbers sought the nearest bank where they would empty our accounts, I experienced a series of different emotions. At first, it all seemed like a dream. In my eleven year-old mind this sort of scene was supposed to exist only in movies. The robbers drove through the dark streets of São Paulo, avoiding capture. I realized I wasn’t waking up from this dream, that it was actually happening to me, to us. I moved from denial to despair and began considering the potential outcomes. When would we get home? Would we get home? The more I thought, the more anxious I became. Ironically, it was almost with some relief that we arrived at a bank. The robber-driver got out to retrieve the money, while the man in the backseat, in possession of a gun, took the driving position. He began driving in circles, stalling, a circling that mirrored what was going on in my head. My young mind was
trying to wrap its head around everything that was happening. I was trying to figure out how we got to this point. Could this be chance? Fate? After the men left our car, we were free to attempt our way back home, but it wasn’t over. Not for me. In those few hours I discovered a reality my classmates did not know. In school I would soon learn of urban poverty and crime. But I had been forced to vividly live the dangers of the city; I saw despair, cruelty, and insecurity all in one night. When we got home, the uncontrolled explosion of tears I cried transformed all of my mixed-up emotions into physical pains. I began questioning death, fearing death. The darkness now symbolized death; I was scared of going out at night, of driving in a thunderstorm, of going to the movies. I also became scared of taking risks; I was terrified of airplane flights, of long road trips, of choking on my meal. For the next couple of years, I began having trouble swallowing, breathing, coping. Those years of what seemed to be an eternal struggle define who I am. Striving to finish a whole meal, fighting back tears, spending nights counting my breaths, leaving the movie theater at the climax, holding my young sister’s hand for protection during a car ride. And yet, whenever I think back to the night we spent inside that car with those men, I don’t focus on those threatening hours, the long nights of anxiety, or the years of therapy. Instead, I see that this incident holds evidence of my growth, that it represents the overcoming of my fears, that it molds who I am. Today, I’ve traveled on an airplane to Argentina, Miami, and Colombia, alone. Today, I have been a member of my school’s Student Council, representing and leading my peers. Today, I am part of community service groups and run fundraisers and activities. Today, I ride home in a taxi at 3 a.m. with a friend. Today, I’ve found my methods of escaping reality through dance and writing, my two passions. Today, I know exactly how to interpret what I am feeling, why I am feeling it, and what I can do about it. Even more importantly, today I am the type of person who others come to when they are in a crisis—because, now, I know how to overcome one.
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features
Of Roots and Trees A life in international schools Eduardo Estrada
S
ince I was only six years old at the time, I have a fuzzy recollection of when my dad told me that we were moving to Colombia. I remember confusing Colombia with California and thinking that it would be awesome to live where the movies are made. Eventually my parents explained that we were actually going to the land of Shakira. I had lived in Guatemala City for my entire life. I was shy and introverted. I loved spending time with my cousins and going to my grandfather’s farm. Life was simple. Life was good. We moved out of the house my parents had built and where my father had planted a number of pine trees. The next thing I remember, I was sobbing and hugging and kissing my cousins goodbye. Just as my roots had begun to take hold in the soil of the Valle de la Ermita, I was uprooted as a sapling and sent off to a foreign land. Although I left parts of my roots next to those pine trees my dad had planted, my immediate family and my memories of Guatemala became the first branches on the tree I was growing into. In April 1999 we arrived in Bogotá, which, at 2640 meters, was intimidating. Even though everyone spoke Spanish they had a strange accent, and I couldn’t always understand them, nor could they understand me. My new school was on a mountain and my mom repeatedly told me that unlike Colegio Americano in Guatemala, where students only spoke English half of the day, at Colegio Nueva Granada we would have to speak English the entire time. I took this to heart and even spoke English on the playground until I realized that I would not get in trouble for speaking Spanish. This marked a turning point for me in Colombia because, although people initially laughed at my accent, I, unlike most foreigners at the school, spoke Spanish. This allowed me to mix with the locals who made up 85% of the student body. I grew to love Colombia and became so much a local that at school only my closest friends knew I wasn’t, and when I went back to Guatemala for summer vacations my cousins would laugh at my rolo accent (a term used by Colombians to refer to people from Bogotá). I loved my school, I loved my friends, I loved the eucalyptus tree in the backyard. I grew to love Colombia and its people whose optimism, courage, and unrelenting struggle against terrorism had began to bear fruit. The election of Alvaro Uribe gave people the seemingly ordinary opportunity to leave the city without having to fear for their lives. I was convinced that I would spend the rest of my life there. I would read the senior wills in the yearbook and couldn’t wait for that to be me. My plans, however, came to an abrupt end.
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In late 2003 my parents told us we would be moving to Brazil. I was heartbroken. After six years in Colombia I could not even begin to imagine what my life would be like in yet another country. Although I was young my roots were deep and strong, stronger than they had ever been in Guatemala. Like the Australian eucalyptus trees that dotted the mountains around Bogotá, I had been brought to that foreign land and had made it my own. And now, once again, I was being uprooted. The process was prolonged due to my mom’s pregnancy. For me that meant eight months of crying every afternoon, hoping for a miracle that would allow me to stay. The miracle never came. In July 2004 we moved to São Paulo. Once again, I left some of my roots, this time with the eucalyptus trees in Bogotá, and new, Colombian branches were added to my growing tree. After the torrent of tears before coming to São Paulo, it came as a shock to me and my entire family that I adapted to my new school so quickly. I made a new friend, a half Colombian half German boy who had been born in Chile and was coming from five years in Istanbul. Being a truly international school (only 40% of the students here are Brazilian), Graded is extremely easy to adapt to whether you’re coming from Bogotá, Detroit, Shanghai, or Melbourne. I instantly became a part of the sixth-grade Hispanic “mafia.” Our conversations were riddled with a mixture of Argentine, Ecuadorian, Colombian, Guatemalan, and Panamanian accents and, of course, the ever present Spanglish, a result of being Spanish speakers educated in American schools. Speaking Spanish made learning Portuguese easier but it was never a necessity. Due to laziness and a lack of confidence in my Portuguese skills, I would avoid using the local language as much as possible and never hung out with the Brazilian crowd. The summer was hot and the eucalyptus trees had been replaced by palm trees. I began planting my roots but I quickly learned, at the end of the seventh grade, when my best friend moved to Switzerland, that my roots were grounded in unsteady territory; that the community I belong to in São Paulo is nomadic, and at the end of every semester I have had to say goodbye to people I have grown to love. Despite my realization it was very hard for me to break the social and language barriers and start hanging out with Brazilians. It wasn’t until ninth grade that I was finally able to break into the truly “Brazilian” world. A new kid who had transferred from a Brazilian school sat next to me in math class. The son of an Israeli couple who had immigrated to Brazil, Rotem’s English was not great so I
features
broke my rule—I began speaking Portuguese with him. As in Colombia, this was a turning point for my social interactions. It became infinitely easier to make friends with Brazilians at my school once I had the courage to speak Portuguese with them. Today my group of friends is composed of Latin Americans from every corner of the continent, plus Americans, Asians, and Europeans. Yes, I still have to say goodbye every semester and the process has never gotten easier, but my roots and branches have become more flexible. I have come to understand that as painful as it is to leave or to be left, it is a process that makes me grow as a person and it is also a privilege. A privilege because I’ve had the opportunity to learn from so many people
The Time I Peed in the Snow A memory
Natalia Arenas
O
ne winter, my family was driving through Patagonia, and it was freezing; all of the trees were dressed in snow, like a scene from Narnia. We had been been in the car for five hours, with another two ahead of us, when I felt the urge to pee. After much suffering, my parents insisted that I stop being ridiculous; I had the world outside as my toilet. So I climbed outside and felt a gust of wind slapmy face. I looked around for an isolated corner but only bare trees greeted me. Shivering, I made my way towards one and just barely heard my mother scream “Don’t do it downwind!” as I crouched down. As I started peeing I realized that I had never before felt so free. I looked to the side and saw the snow melting and at that moment I felt powerful. Invincible. I would previously never have done that, but by getting close to nature, I discovered a part of myself that I now embrace — even though I have not had the pleasure of peeing in the snow since that day.
of such varied backgrounds, and because I know that if I ever go to Quito Felipe will give me a place to stay, or if I’m ever in Basel I can call Nathalie; the same thing applies to twenty other cities scattered across the globe. What about my roots and branches? My roots are strong and flexible. They are spread across the continent, and my branches across the world. Just as I have left roots in the places I have lived, the people who have left me have contributed to the growth of my branches. I am one-fourth pine tree, onefourth eucalyptus, one-fourth palm tree, and the final fourth is nowhere and everywhere, adaptable, ready to plant its roots in new places and allow new branches to grow.
Insanity A poem
W
Mathias Henderson
hen traffic tumbles off the side of my brain, it seems my mind’s mumbles drown me to the insane. I remember to forget to forget, to forget, to... These depths that I contain— instead grasp me by my own chains. When doubts swarm and find me, growing arms shake my thoughts and time itself becomes obsolete, towards the dungeons I myself wrought for these very vagabonds and ticking bombs gagged and dragged I begin to regret ever remembering to forget Time may staunch your wounds yet the ages wear and tear, with my planted seed of despair my sanity’s death plagues the air.
the talon • 27
features
A Strange College Application Essay Prompt If you were given the ability to talk backwards, how would you use it?
Christina Naegeli
I
speak only one language fluently: English. My mother always tells me not to be so modest, but it’s true: I can only speak one language. The fact that I can communicate in German, French, Indian-Eskimo, Chinese, Sign Language, and not to mention Australian English—which let me interject is completely different from my English—is something else. Let me explain. There is a home video of my baby days in Germany. My mother is taping me playing with our kitten. It is a beautiful winter day in Frankfurt. I have never been too fond of the feline race, and watching that video reminds me of why. I am crouching down and singing to the cat. Every time his face reaches an unsafe distance, I screech ‘Nein!’ (the peak of my Germanskill at time). Though seconds later, the warnings do not deter the cat. He leaps at my face and takes a swift bite. Typical story: cat wins, baby cries. However, there is another video about five months later. He creeps towards me. This time is different. This time, I do not wait for him to crouch in his pouncing position. I shriek again, ‘Nein!’ This time the feline runs for his life. Moving to Australia in midst of my pre-teen years was not as much of a challenge as one would think. And the fact that they spoke English would make it easier—or so I thought. It started out humorously as I would ‘misspell’ words on all of my papers; they spelled it ‘colour’ instead or ‘color,’ and ‘realise’ instead of ‘realize.’ Then it started to get confusing, as my friends would talk about ‘fizzy drink’ (soda), ‘icypoles’ (popsicles), and ask: ‘How ya going?’ (how are you). ‘Umm… I’m…going…good?’ Needless to say with the strange new dialect and the added bonus of an unrecognizable accent, I was lost. Eventually, I got into the swing of things when I realized that I just need to add an ‘ie,’ or something of the sort, to shorten every word. When I changed my ‘mosquitos’ to ‘mozzies,’ my ‘televisions’ to ‘tellies,’ and my ‘presents’ to ‘prezzies,’ I was all set. My first substantial language challenge occurred this year, moving to Brazil. I had experienced taking some French, Japanese, and German at school, but I had never been fully immersed in a language. Going on the Habitat for Humanity trip would be my big test. Right before leaving I talked to one of my friends about what to pack. The conversion went on, and she eventually made a statement that was strange to me: “I remember being very nervous my first time last year.” It was not until a couple of weeks ago that I realized what she was referring to. Now, I understand that it was not the work,
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but living immersed in a culture where everyone spoke fluent Portuguese—where I was the odd woman out. I remember watching the other girls in my class playing with the babies and kids of the community the first day. I remember wanting to communicate so badly, but being too shy. The third day of the trip started like any other. I laid bricks then spent most of the afternoon slapping cement on the walls. I could hear one of the little girls giggling behind me. Her name was Isabella. I continued to work and about three minutes later she tapped me on the back. I turned around. She looked up at me—”Meow.” The little, four-room, unfinished house became a barnyard and we chased each other in circles, tickling and chuckling. I did end up speaking some Portuguese that trip, but for that day I didn’t utter a word with Isabella. And we didn’t need to. If I were given the ability to talk backwards, I would travel. I would see the world. I would meet new people. I would discover different cultures. I would write about those cultures. I would encourage others to do the same. Speaking is different than communicating. You only need to know ‘Oui’ to get around France. Actually, you only need to know ‘Oui’ to get around any country. The cat didn’t need to understand my incredible German to be able to comprehend that when I screamed at him, I was about to swat. I didn’t need to understand the weird Australian dialect to be able to laugh with my friends and make fun of each others’ accents. Isabella and I didn’t need to understand one word of English or Portuguese to communicate. The truth is, language is a method of communication, but it is not the only one, and maybe not even the most important one. So if I could only speak backwards, I would do just that. I would travel to countries, maybe ones that even speak English, and focus on communicating with people who would never be able to understand me. I would go to Africa and show them different ways of sanitation; I would travel back to where I built homes in Brazil and work on building more; I would fly to the Middle East and set an example of independence to young girls and women. Show, not lecture; work, not tell; and set an example, not preach. If I were given the ability to talk backwards, I would stop speaking any other language all together. I would just communicate.
features
The Walking Metamorphosis Learning to evolve
David Molina
M
y hands slipped under the pillow. To an outsider, the scene would have seemed perfectly natural: just a two-year-old looking for his hidden pacifier. Yet, a closer observation might have revealed hints of abnormality. The brisk movements, the fixed eyes… very peculiar… There was nothing ordinary about the object of my search: at my young age, the pacifier was bliss shrouded in plastic. It was called Gozada, “the strange one” in Portuguese. The name has a story of its own. Knowledgeable about its negative effects on tooth development, my parents purchased the most sophisticated dentist-approved pacifier to ensure their only child’s good dental health but he, for reasons that escape rationality, thought it “strange” preferring to use it to rub his nose. Eventually, though, Uma (“any” in Portuguese), bright red and condemned by health professionals worldwide, took my fancy in a local drug store and soon filled the more traditional pacifier role. During the first two years of my life, Gozada and her sister Uma gave me great joy. But the situation changed dramatically after a visit to the dentist. All in white, she told my mother that my loyal Uma was seriously interfering with my teeth. “It is probably a good idea for you to begin the process of removing the pacifier, or else… ” The ellipsis is here because my ears did not process anything more. The conversation was already over for me. My mind was now in a tug of war, torn between childish pleasure and health. At the moment when one force overpowered the other, my body still lay in the dentist chair. There was no longer any hesitation. It occurred to me that Gozada and Uma were hurting me. They had to go. It was a silent contract, the first of many to come. Gozada was innocent of all charges—after all, she stimulated my olfactory and not gustatory system—yet, in my childish mind, she was guilty by association. This is the thought that dawned as my hands penetrated her secret hideout under the pillow that morning. After ensuring that my fingers were well wrapped around her, my feet jumped out of the crib, moved slowly down the steps (stopping at every level to secure balance), walked to the kitchen, and pressed a pedal, as my hands dropped her in the gaping hole. But this was not enough. The purge had to be complete. Uma was concealed between the arm and back of our large red sofa and she too found herself in the kitchen trash can. Uma and Gozada, symbols of my babyhood, were now socializing with banana peels and plastic wrappings. My parents’ eyes were full of concern when they re-
alized the pacifiers were gone. As educators, both knew that at two years old, children rarely consider all of the long-term consequences of their actions. Their worries, however, were unfounded. There was no wavering: overnight and of my own accord, my harmful childish vice had been permanently eliminated. My seventeen-year-old self may be different in stature and have different concerns, but some things cannot be changed. Purging one’s life of pacifiers is an eternal commitment. At two years old, the battle took place on the physical plane, involving plastic, pillows and trash cans; at present, it plays out entirely in my mind. Dogma, prejudice and stereotype are my new enemies. Like Uma and Gozada, these provide security by pacifying existential anxieties but over a long time, lead to a damaging loss of flexibility. Identifying and destroying such thought-clouding preconceptions allows one not only to be truly creative, avoiding a purely conventional take on life, but also to embrace diversity, empathizing more closely with other people, cultures, viewpoints and beliefs. For someone destined to study and live in the modern world, these skills are essential. Yet, trashing preconceived notions is not as simple as using the garbage can. They are temperamental, liable to return with even greater strength if their eradication is not gentle, patient and complete. Fortunately, one method can keep these enemies at bay: asking questions. Scrutinizing my own ideas does not necessarily generate certainty or further understanding but allows my brain to brush the mold off my beliefs, keeping them from succumbing to a false dogmatic security. If the idea looks valuable, it goes into the archives for further examination, and if it is clearly a “pacifier,” it is thrown in the trash. This ongoing reflection leads to an indefinite, evolving view on the world that inspires creativity and freshness of mind and spirit. Brazilian songwriter Raul Seixas once said, “I prefer to be a walking metamorphosis than to have that old formed opinion about everything.” His words are now my own. A text such as the present essay, subject to all types of idealizations, would not be true to itself if it too did not discard its pacifiers. Literary pacifiers manifest themselves as genre clichés: “once upon a time” and “lived happily ever after.” Everyone knows the subject of a college essay even before eyes meet page—there’s no need to spell it out. This autobiographical work may be about me, but the word “I” is not in it. Oops.
the talon • 29
features
The Manioc Scrapers of Feira Nova My path to social awareness Alexander Felsberg
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y body still struggled to adapt under the scalding sun of Feira Nova, a small Brazilian town in the arid northeastern region of the country. Scraggly trees decorated the sides of the narrow streets—a rustic church, a town square, people peacefully walking around the main street—and the smell of virgin soil perfumed the air. In this town twenty thousand resided, twenty thousand people whose histories are tainted with gutwrenching hunger, social isolation and abandonment. With a growing sense of apprehension, we came closer to a primitive warehouse displaying cracked and worn walls blemished by neglect over the years. “Farinha do Gordo,” declared the tall, faded red letters that crowned the dimly lit entrance to the largest local manioc flour mill. The windows, barred with thick iron rods, let in just enough light to reveal a scene I will never forget. “Only a few at a time!” The owner Gordo shouted us into two groups; his trenchant tone reflected his attitude towards the workers who depended on him for the survival of their families. A sudden urgency forced me into the second group. My emotions and thoughts begged for coherence in an effort to comprehend what my eyes perceived. Hardworking women of all ages kept in their hearts the code of dedication and courage while ensuring the sustenance of their children. The manioc scrapers, as they are called, know the three tools that destiny has reserved for them: a minuscule stool, a ragged leather protector for their legs, and a rusty knife. The physical and emotional pain borne by these women is printed on their faces, but their eyes glimmer with hope and generosity. Since these women’s early childhood, the familiar call of the manioc-laden truck arriving at the mill forces them to leave their shelter in the darkness of night, as they trudge the same paths that their mothers and grandmothers followed towards the laborious work of peeling the harsh bark. Their goal is to process one ton of manioc roots each day. The repetitive movements of their wounded and calloused but competent hands is analogous to the endless cycle to which they have been submitted—a life delineated by eighteen hours of uninterrupted daily service, in sickness or in health. The single pause of the day is to breastfeed their babies, sleeping peacefully in
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improvised hammocks. Those tiny ears know only one sweet lullaby, the sound of the manioc grinders. In the midst of my thoughts, I could hear snippets of the women’s conversations, permeated by surprisingly tender grins, revealing one common hope, deep beliefs that fuel the courage and perseverance necessary to live each day as a promise of a better future for their children. They are driven by an unshakable faith in God and the dreams of building their own homes and giving their sons and daughters a better education. The same night, lying on my bed in the local hotel and saddened by the poverty I had witnessed, I had trouble falling asleep. I remembered the different reactions of my group to the women’s strife: anger, Alexander Felsberg aspiration, complacency, and bewilderment. Sleepless, I wondered whether the fate of the women and children of Feira Nova could be changed. I focused on positive points: these women had a strong sense of community and belonging, expertise at their jobs, a prodigious capacity to cope with frustration, and a firm belief in the transformative value of education. My attempt to understand this struggling community was turning into an exercise to find ways to improve their condition. At the age of seventeen, I could not come up with a sensible plan, but I did detect a possible future role for myself —to become an agent of social transformation. I concluded that such a pursuit could transform my life into a more meaningful journey. Although I have always been conscious of the importance of being a socially responsible individual, Feira Nova provided me a deeper understanding of the magnitude and complexity of this challenge. I examined who I was and what I had done, looking inward for the resources and tools to engage in social change, and realized that many of my past choices were already pointing in this direction. I recalled the nickname my brother had given me when he frequently saw me as a negotiator, trying hard to find solutions to the intense conflicts that erupted from strong sibling rivalries in my family: Problem Solver. Trying to fit mindfully in this role, I grew into an active observer and respectful listener, enhancing my ability to identify people’s emotions, needs, and
features motivations. I soon learned that trying to help people around me to overcome their difficulties was not only a source of satisfaction and self-fulfillment, but also my way of creatively learning how to deal with my own insecurities. Being perceived as a problem solver at home, and later also at school, offered me that warm feeling of acceptance and respect and helped build within me positive self-esteem and an optimistic attitude. I thought of the city where I was born and raised: SĂŁo Paulo, a vast metropolis and consequential player in the global economy. Every day, for almost fifteen years on my way to school, I pass through a slum and see its residents condemned to a socially and economically segregated existence. I remember my ambivalent sentiments emerging from this daily encounter: fear, anger, and impotence, notwithstanding a relentless urge to help. When entering the high iron gates of my school, which physically protect our privileged learning environment, I am many times struck by the magnitude of the social inequalities that permeate the main scenarios of my life. Urban violence is a threatening reality. The underprivileged portion of the population is the main victim of this unacceptable situation and remains unprotected in a context where impunity is a killer condition. I have considerable difficulties in understanding and coping with violence and impunity. Reflecting on the deprivation in SĂŁo Paulo and Feira Nova, I feel blessed with an excellent education from a renowned American school where I am exposed to ethnic, racial, and cultural
diversity in my academic and social life. Graded stimulates social awareness and a sense of community, which develops my ability to adapt to different social and cultural contexts, to share knowledge and goals, and to respect different opinions, values and beliefs. This works as an antidote to the risk of assuming a judgmental and arrogant attitude. Ahead of me lies a world in constant change, both socially and economically. There is an increasing complexity in evaluating different learning opportunities, growing up, and making choices in a global context. These intricacies make me see my individual chances of success as dependent on learning from different perspectives, flexibly adapting to new social demands, and sharing what I have learned and experienced with the world in order to help forge a better society. Education is a crucial value in my family. It was the basis for my grandparents to succeed in life when they arrived in Brazil as refugees from the Second World War. Just as the manioc scrapers of Feira Nova recognize the redemptive value of education, I feel grateful for the opportunity to go to college. I also must thank the mothers from Feira Nova for bolstering in me the passion to engage in social transformation. In solidarity with these women, who sharpen their own rusty knives to hew out of manioc a future for their children, I likewise wish to hone and polish my own tools through the pursuit of higher education in order to fulfill my desire to be a socially engaged individual.
Read, Write, Live The pages of my life Samantha Isman
I
woke up startled by the sound of something falling on the floor and crashing. Was there someone in my room? Too scared to move, I stretched my arm from under the covers to reach for a light. To my great relief there was no one there, yet the clutter that my fallen bookshelf had created was far from comforting. Years of collecting books had finally taken a toll on the shelves. But soon I realized those were not just books, they were pages of memories. Books had not always been a part of my life. Up until fourth grade I hated reading. I was turned off by the act of sitting down and having to create worlds out of words. Yet that year I had a teacher who opened my eyes. She invited me to take part in the wonderful world of Super Fudge by Judy Blume. For the first time in my life, the characters leaped out of the pages of the book and played in front of me, and with me. After moving to Brazil from Argentina, this was the first
year that I felt comfortable enough with the language to have the courage to pick up a book in English, and having finished my first adventure, the move, I was in search of a new one. Reading and Super Fudge became my adventure, and soon it evolved into a passion. That same year was also going to have to be my first goodbye since moving to the tropical land. My first friend in Brazil was leaving. And so books became my haven. The same way they would be my shelter for every moment in my life when things became hard. Years later they again proved to be a source of relief. In seventh grade I had an enormous fight with the girls who were my best friends, and as a result of that I was alienated from the entire group. I woke up every day without wanting to go to school and face those girls. Yet because of the books I found the strength to move on and be happy in
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features spite of the fight I was in. As some of the main characters in my life were walking out, Ellie and William were walking in. Those characters in Meg Cabot’s Avalon High became my new best friends along with the one person who remained in my life during that time, and is still in my life today. Because of them I was able to ignore the bad things that were happening and focus on the numerous good things that I was still a part of. I soon began realizing that I was not only the main character in my novel, but I was also the narrator. My future, my sequels were in my hands. And so a year later, I began writing. Prior to my year in eighth grade, I had not realized that I too could create worlds that didn’t exist. Worlds that could become escapes for some and a home for others. That year I wrote and finished my first short story. That year, I fell in love with writing. Soon the year came to an end, so did middle school, and inevitably the first chapter of my life reached its end. The continuation was drastically different from the first chapter. Not only was the setting different, but I had changed, and as a result so had the books I was reading. In moving to Singapore, with a widely diverse population, and a different culture and lifestyle, I grew. The freedom that I was getting in my life came across in the fantasy books I was reading. As I became less afraid to be independent, I became less afraid to pick up more adult books. My tenth grade teacher was the one who recommended me my first “adult” book, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. A book about abandoning dreams and then having something or someone put you back on track, I realized that for me this book and the person who recommended it were what would finally help me script my dreams. The book made me realize that the world of literature does not care who you are, it only cares about how you lay out your stories for others to read. And so my teacher, a writer himself, became my inspiration. Through his anecdotes and books, he helped me realize that I too wanted to be a writer, that I too wanted to inspire people and let them travel through the great maze of my imagination. I soon began to realize that I could achieve
whatever I set my mind to; becoming a writer was my goal, so I set myself to conquer it by taking a two week summer course in creative writing before moving back to Brazil. The return to Brazil for my last two years of high school was difficult because I had enjoyed my time in Singapore so much. However, I decided to not let that stop me from growing and allowed myself to continue learning from the people in my life, from the experiences and from the books I was reading. After Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi I learned that books can sometimes act as more than just entertainment. They can become a person’s only way of living, when their entire world is in turmoil. For the girls in the book, the novels they were reading became their only mode of expression, their only way to rebel against everything they thought was wrong. Through them, I learned that I should also battle to solve the problems of the world to my greatest ability, and that is how I became part of HACIA, a simulation of the OAS. I did not win the best delegate award, yet what I won holds a greater meaning to me because I was recognized with the Gavel of Greatness by my advisors for the effort I put into fighting for those who cannot. Now I turn to look at my rebuilt bookshelf and am amazed at the journey we have been through. Books in all colors, shapes and sizes, fantasy books, romance books, science fiction books, and the occasional biography. My bookshelf is full, full of memories, laughter, and tears, full of experiences all over the world. It’s full of accomplishments and failures, of lessons learned. I look at my bookshelf and realize that I would have probably not been able to get through the roughest moments in my life without those written pages. I am grateful for their opening of worlds I never imagined existed; they took me to places no one else could ever take me to, and made me realize there is nothing more joyful than reading a book,or more fulfilling than being able to provide people with this refuge. I hope to one day be able to ignite as much passion as Judy Blume did, provide people as much comfort as Meg Cabot presented me with, as much laughter as Sara Gruen gave me, and as much compassion as Azar Nafisi taught me to have.
Sami Isman
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features
My Life in Road Trips Finding the way home
Natalia Arenas
A
never-ending road, blue skies, abundant corn fields, and 5,077 miles to go. It sounds like a line out of some Bon Jovi song, but in fact, this was the first day of vacation. “Vacation?! Can twelve days in a car be considered vacation?” is how my friends usually react, and my answer is always yes; by now, I am used to sitting in a car, with each of my younger brothers’ heads on my lap and my trusty teddy bear by my side, having no idea where I am. My family has taken road trips since before I can remember, starting with the “classic” Bogotá-Medellin nine-hour route when I was only three months old, and continuing with several others in the United States, including Indiana to various faraway states, like Florida, New York, and California. After moving to São Paulo, we continued traveling by car, crossing the Chilean Andes during the summer and Argentinean Patagonia during the winter. Now, seventeen years after that first car ride, we are headed to the Atacama Desert in Chile from our home in eastern Brazil. Suddenly, the car comes to a halt, and my thoughts are interrupted by a pit stop at a small restaurant engulfed by crops. I step outside, shielding my eyes from the morning sun and look to my left; apart from a cow trying to cross the road, our black car is the only thing in sight. As I turn and make my way to the entrance, I experience a sort of deja-vu as I look around and see the sign on the door, the assorted candies next to the cashier, the cups in which the coffee is served; as bizarre as it seems to me, I have been to this place before. “Where are we?” I ask my dad and he smiles and says, “Aquativa.” This word takes me back to fifth grade, to our first road trip in Brazil, the trip that marked the beginning of our travels here. Aquativa was the first hotel we visited, located in a remote city few have heard of, five hours away from São Paulo. Relieved that I now remember I had been here, I sit down to enjoy a simple breakfast with my family, but at the same time I cannot believe that so much time has passed. When I get back in the car I no longer think of the seventeen years that I have been taking car trips, but of the six years that have passed since my first one in Brazil. I went from being the shy, new girl from Indiana who (“for some weird reason,” my classmates explained to others) spoke Spanish, to the confident girl who is no longer afraid to pursue what she wants. I went from never having taken a Spanish class in my life, to writing my IB Extended Essay in Spanish because it allowed me to research Juanes as a representation of the culture of my home country, and to participating in HACIA Democracy in Spanish because I wanted to leave my comfort zone and challenge myself with something new. I
On our way to Atacama last June. Photograph by Beatriz Gallo.
went from never having held a bat in my life, to catching what would have been a home run at a softball game, proving my determination to those who thought it ridiculous I should even try out for the team, myself included. I went from being the girl who was terrified of high school, to the Peer Group Connection leader whose role it is to help scared freshmen transition into high school. As we make progress driving towards Iguaçu Falls I realize that our family car trips have changed, too. The commotion that took place when picking a CD to listen to has been replaced by the noise of our conversations and outbursts of laughter. The kids’ movies that used to entertain me have been replaced by books that I dive into, no matter how bad the road. The fights that used to drive my parents crazy ceased as we all humored my brother and listened to the Argentinean transmission of the World Cup on the radio, something that — before this trip — had not interested me in the least. These car trips have seen me grow; they have taught me respect, tolerance, and, ironically, they have also taught me to appreciate being alone when they end. But as I look down and stare into my teddy bear’s broken, worn-out eyes, I realize that some things have not changed. I am still surrounded by the people I love, by the people who have been with me through the moves, and the people I have grown with. Then I hear my dad joke about our next trip — to Alaska — instantly followed by my family’s signature, playful groan that can only be described as a mixture between what a bear and a llama would sound like (“MGHHUUGGHHM”) and I know that I am home — wherever that may be.
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features
In Fifteen Years... Our predictions for the Class of 2011 Talon Senior Staff
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lberto Saraiva: After finishing business school, Beto took over the management of Habib’s and went on to creating a new line of medieval-fantasy-themed restaurants with LARP battles and D&D tournaments. He made it a tradition of having belly dancers and food demonstrations at Graded for each Job Fair. He occasionally does drawings or paintings that he leaves half finished, but nonetheless are snapped up by collectors. Alex Costilhes: In college, Alex learned the word commitment and never missed class or dozed off in a lecture again. He actively participates in several organizations, including Drummers with Cool Hair and the Association for the Revival of Memes and Trolling. He graduated summa cum laude and can now be found in a biology lab researching biomedical engineering with Amaral as his proud mentor. His hair grew so large that it became the nest of an endangered species of birds, and it is now illegal to cut any part of it. Alexander Felsberg: After graduating from Columbia, Alex married a blonde supermodel with blue eyes called… VICTORIA. He raised seven daughters as a stay-at-home dad each of whom have attended a different Ivy League school(except Columbia). He now drives a Mini-Cooper to his weekly reunions with David Bair. Alex still prides himself on his clever Facebook statuses. Alina Dumas: Now considered the female Michael Phelps, Alina actually broke all his records. After years of beating humans at swimming, Alina decided to up the ante and now races dolphins in her spare time. People in Buenos Aires still cast funny glances or laugh out loud when they see her “Pajero Full” on the streets of BA. Amanda Rudzit: As the world’s most successful animal-rights lawyer, Amanda finally realized that there aren’t enough homes for all the needy animals in the world, so she decided to adopt them herself. She now lives in the company of over 200 different species of animals, spending her piles of money at all the pet stores she can find. Her husband finally accepted all these animals as their children, and Amanda refuses to admit that they didn’t in fact come out of her womb. Ana Ramos Stanziola: After studying at Emerson, Ana now puts her advertising skills to good use to promote her husband’s house parties. She lives in Miami and her children are in the Guinness Record Book due to the exotic mix of their tan skin and red hair. When visiting São Paulo, she can be found at the Snack Bar lecturing students on the benefits of skipping.
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Ana Paula Pacheco: Fifteen years after graduating from Graded, Aninha is finally halfway through the pursuit of her medical degree. Though asked several times to play Barbie in Disney’s new version of Barbie and the Nutcracker, she declined the offers in order to spend her down time accompanying Matheus in his travels (wearing the matching UChicago hoodies, of course). Ashton Kim: After creating the first functional self-aware artificial intelligence, Ashton devoted the rest of his life to attempt to learn how to stop it from destroying all of humanity. Completing such a lifetime’s work in a mere 2 years, he spends most of his free time playing Dungeons and Dragons to recover from the stress. Bellatrix Cruz: After a successful career modeling for Calvin Klein in Rome, Paris and Milan, Bellatrix used her millions to buy Barcelona Futbol Club (BFC), where Gustavo has been playing for several years. They now reside in a quaint, beautiful mansion in the south of Barcelona, with their five children. She has made sure that all his games are close to home. Bernardo João Pereira: After graduating from Southwestern Alabama State Community College, with slight liver damage, Bernardo spent a few years searching for his true calling. After an epiphany, he returned to Brazil and recorded Red Label ou Ice Part II. Though he made millions, he spent all his money on Senior Night #789 at Mokai, without a doubt the best night of his life. He can now be found shacking up in Matheus’s pool house. Bia Rodrigues: After getting her degree in architecture, Bia gave up her practice for a few years in order to start a family. Staying true to her senior superlative, she gave birth to twentytwo children. As the best mother and architect in the world, she designed the perfect house to accommodate her ever-expanding family. She can now be seen on Discovery Network’s new reality show, 22 Kids and Counting. Brian Yung: Brian is now the poster boy for Mecozzi’s V&M. When he is not touring the world promoting every new collection of Baus Inc., Brian can be found club-hopping through Sao Paulo. He and Victor refuse to attend any alumni events out anger at not getting “cutest couple.” Camila Galeazzi Soares da Silva: Dropping out of ESPM despite a promising future career to pursue her passion of volteio, Camila has become internationally famous in the
features sport. When she is not competing she can be seen enjoying São Paulo nightlife or DJ-ing with Dante. She has since revived her interest in cheerleading and through her influence in the world of athletics has managed to make it one of the most popular sports of the Olympics. Carlos Woyno Rodriguez: Upon graduation from university, Carlos returned to his homeland despite not wanting to leave Canada. After becoming a rich entrepreneur by exporting Colombian gold, he now lives in anonymity somewhere near Cali or Medellin with his pet panda and his smoking-hot wife. Cassio Domingues: After finding a passion for genealogy at college, Cassio discovered that he is descended from Dom Pedro II. He used this as one of his main arguments for bringing back the monarchy to Brazil. After declaring himself Crown Princess Cassio Domingues Filho Neto and despite all the treatments royal funding can pay for, his hair hasn’t grown back. Chris Thomas: After having his British accent exposed as fake by the Daily Mail, Chris realized he needed to start spelling English the right way. He was comforted, however, at being cast in Green Street Hooligans II—Arsenal Edition.
Karin Gunn
Danielle Aguilar: While studying journalism at the Universidad de Navarra, Danielle developed a new journalistic approach, which she calls “Running with the News.” Known for her speed and hard-hitting stories, Danielle can often be spotted running down major roads, microphone in hand, with her camera crew desperately trying to keep up in the news van.
Christian Telles: Taking over his father’s vast empire, Christian became the self-named Burger Prince. However, realizing that the fast food industry wasn’t for him, he took the extra cash and bought EA games, restructuring the company to design games made to match his current mood.
Danielle Bryant: After forgetting to go to college, DB set up a department store with all of the things she forgot to give back to her friends. This store also sells her signature anti-stress kit, targeted towards overachieving IB students. Surprisingly, these kits have not been very popular with customers which, in turn, caused DB a lot of stress. She still hosts “Fryday Friday” and manages to not look like a sumo wrestler.
Christina Naegeli: Although she arrived with all the other new students, everyone at U of M called her “New Girl,” leading her to adopt it as her legal name. New Girl now has her own show on Comedy Central and has recruited Naty to sit in the front row to ensure some laughs. Her marriage to Mahmoud N’Dri is pending on the finalization of his voyage from Kenya.
Danna Aliano: After several years putting off major life choices, Danna finally did make a decision—she choose not to choose. Settling for a life under the Bobby McFerrin philosophy of “Don’t worry, be happy,” Danna travelled across different countries, distributing warm, caressing hugs wherever she goes.
Daniel Camargo Barros: During a university football match, a talent scout for FC Barcelona noticed his resemblance to Iniesta in playing style, and offered him a trial with the team on the spot. He is known to spend most of his time pub crawling - not for the drinks, but for the football banter. He still uses superfluously long words that few understand.
Dante Torres: Dissatisfied with his afternoons at Reebok, a gym that could not supply him with the weights he needed, Dante opens his own “Academia,” his slogan being “Tchau dias gordos!” He has recently opened a branch in Ibiza, and spends his free time tanning to the sound of David Guetta with his five roommates, who are all models.
Daniel Lee: After winning the lottery, Daniel has enrolled in graduate school for professional sushi making, doing justice to his high school nickname “rice ball” (Katherine is delighted). He remains a bachelor, but rumor has it that he maintains several concubines in his residence.
David Birmann: Surprising teachers and students everywhere, David showed up to his high school graduation. He has not been seen since. If you spot him, please call 1-800-FIND-BIRMANN.
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features David Molina: Spending four years studying comparative literature at Yale University, David Molina embarked on “The Path of the Sweetman,” obsessively doing everything in groups of three. He has recently become a professor of Literature at Yale, and spends his nights trying to avoid being stabbed in New Haven. Diana Kim: Diana became the youngest person in the world to complete her graduate school of medicine in two years and earn master’s degree in interior design in the same two years. She is now the CEO for the largest house design company in the world and one of the richest women alive on Earth. Diego Lewis: Diego went to Georgia Tech and studied nuclear physics and aerospace engineering. At 32, he created the first miniature nuclear reactor, and thus invented nuclear-powered automobiles, which run best on cut off ponytails. He went on to create nuclear-powered guitars, nuclear-powered head phones, and thus founded the company “Nuclear Fission,” which he still argues to be his original concept. Eduardo Estrada Bianchi: Returning to Guatemala, Edu was delighted to discover that the people saw him as the reincarnation of the “Great Blonde One.” Deciding he didn’t need Yale he proclaimed himself King Caraoque, and his first act as ruler was to put a taboo on the word Chinaloca. When not at the Royal Palace that he constructed for his posse of self-fiving successors, he can be found at various Latin night clubs sticking his butt out and dancing the night away. He still has the mental age of a seven-year-old. Eduardo Saller: Eduardo is still living with his brother even after all these years. They are in the midst of their third attempt at a business enterprise (both trying to make use of their Babson entrepreneurship degree). Elaine Chyung: After graduating from Seoul National University, Elaine decided to pursue her not-so-profitable dreams of becoming an artist. Although she is considered the most talented artist in all of Asia, she has returned to São Paulo to continue making covers for The Talon—there has been no better replacement found. Each day she is seen shopping on Oscar Freire, with Joel. Fernando Lima: Struggling after a few years of obscurity in the film industry, Fernando finally went out on a limb and directed his magnum opus, Whud Up Dawg?, incorporating Ebonics in the dialogue. It has become a success amongst inner-city youths, and has been hailed as the A Clockwork Orange of its time. Francisca Gomez Ortega: She followed her dream and studied economics, specifically home economics, at the University of
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Karin Gunn
Chicago. She comes back to Graded periodically and with Ms. Pfeiffer attempts to convince students that the University of Chicago is better than all Ivies, and offers to bake them sweets as an incentive to go. Her signature laugh continues to be ignited by the most insignificant things. Gabe Dias: As an investor in “John’s Party” Gabe had the financial security to pursue an acting career but quit after being typecast as “the guy who got slapped.” Due to the success of his college-acceptance shaving masterpieces, Gabe now works at Studio W where he claims to be the “only straight dude.” To his dad’s dismay he also volunteers for GreenPeace. Gabriela Amaral: Gaby, still unsure of what she wanted to do with her life, decided to try her luck as an artist. For inspiration, she decided to spend a year in Europe painting, and financed her travels by selling the pieces she made along the way. One day, while witnesses said she was walking and daydreaming through the streets of Paris, she lost her way and has not been seen since. If you find her, please show her the way back to her hotel. Seriously, we’re getting worried. Gabriela Costa-Samanez: After graduating from Graded and traveling around-the-world, sleeping in dorm rooms of various friends, Gaby broke 204 bones while unsuccessfully trying to crash a frat party. As she recovered, she began to research a cure for coconut allergies, a research that is ongoing. Then, she returned to Brazil to make Higienopolis her own sovereign state. Under her rule no screaming is allowed after 9 p.m. That means you, Katherine. Gabriela Kawamura: Gaby finally gave into her indescribable love of food, and—taking a page from Willy Wonka’s book—opened the world’s largest and most successful candy factory. Her 24/7 consumption of sweets led her to a surprising gain two whole kilos. In her spare time, she hosts car races, using the streets of São Paulo as her personal race track. Everyone still refuses the offer to ride shotgun.
features Georgia Caldart: After completing her four years at Barnard, Georgia went on to fulfill a dream of opening her own patisserie in New York City. It was during the thrills of baking that she discovered by the Food Network and was given her own show. She is now known as the gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, all-natural Rachel Ray. She still dances ballet on a daily basis, demanding that the set for her T.V. show be outfitted with a dance studio. Gini Chi: After graduating from high school, to the surprise of everyone, Gini did not go to college, but started her own online university that made use of her talent in writing, art and biology. Now Amaral uses her artistic, creative Powerpoints in his IB biology classes. Giovana Silva: Despite her innocent looks, the little (who grew even smaller somehow) redhead developed a socially correct community in order to change Brazil for good. She is still highly ambitious and somewhat aggressive, and is often seen at Graded School with Valdemar arguing over the Ditadura Militar. Giovanna Calabrese: After finishing her twenty-six years studying in Santa Casa, Giovanna is finally a doctor! However, she decided to take a break from her studying to finally go on a Eurotrip at the age of 44. In Firenze, Italy, she met a dark man named Giuseppe Margherita, with whom she fell in love. After their seventh kid, Gi and Gi opened a pizzaria where they work together to the sound of Simple Plan. Graeme Jager: Graeme continued in his passion for poetry, music, and singing, and became a singer-songwriter, debuting with his smash hit single, “Your Name.” With his Easy- Listening-NeoPunk-Poetic-Heavy-Metal melodies, he holds three platinum albums. His fangs have become his trademark, and although making millions, Graeme lost all of his profits in law suits because he skipped all his concerts. Gustavo Cabral da Silva: After several years playing for the Barcelona Futbol Club and three Euro Cup championships, Gustavo lost years of diligent tanning when he was diagnosed with the skin disease vitiligo, causing his skin to turn white. However, Gustavo was able to reconstruct his image through his work in the plastic surgery industry. He now resides in Barcelona with Bella and their five children. Isabella Krell: After four years at Cornell, Isa was unable to graduate because they did not offer a “camp counselor” major. She came back to Brazil to work at Carroção and became a famous photographer (curiously, she appears in every one of her photos). With the money from her photographs, Isa founded the SmellyCat foundation. She ended up marrying an average-sized, darkish, curly haired man.
Joel Cho: After years of unsuccessful experiments and trials, Joel has finally created the perfect Diletto diet, proven to help one lose 20 kilos in one week, an invention that led to world-wide fame. Now a multi-millionaire, he is invested in his scarf collection, which is color-coded and organized by pattern and thread count. He goes to Oscar Freire daily with Elaine, paying for her purchases. John Michael Hickey: After falling in love with Miami, John decided to set up shop in the chonga capital of the world. It took him years and millions in legal advice, but he was finally able to patent “John’s Party” and go international with locations in London, Mumbai, Paris, and Guarulhos. Showing everyone that dreams really do come true, he finally married Ana. Jordan Archer: After enduring years of bad breath as a dentist in Canada, Jordan decided to retire and dedicate himself to his utmost pleasure, trolling his brother. Currently, he is chilling somewhere pumping modern hip-hop and enlightening everyone on the philosophy of the “Chill.” Joshua Archer: After his cane finally disintegrated, Josh embarked on a brutal quest for revenge. Using his scientific knowledge, he created a new cane, able to learn from its failures. He uses it on anyone who dares mistake him for his brother. Julia Greenwald: After graduating from American University with a degree in Applied Astrophysics, and a minor in Diplomacy, Julia moved to California in order to work for SNL. After working a year, she decided that she could do a much better job herself, and started a spinoff show called “That’s What She Said!” Julia now lives in Beverly Hills, with her husband Rajon Rondo and two kids, who she frequently makes sandwiches for. She is often seen people watching in Hollywood and cursing out the referees at her kids’ soccer games. Julia Waddington: After graduating from college, Julia was forced to contemplate what she really wanted out of life, and thus decided to take up a profession that highlighted her extraordinary vocal talents. She is now the main caller for the company Telefonica, and spends her days calling people’s homes and talking about the endless promotions until they finally give up arguing with her and switch phone companies. She singlehandedly had talked over 3,000,000 people into switching and has been Employee of the Month for the past 72 months.
the talon • 37
features Karina Fischer: Vivo, Claro, Tim, and Oi all rejected Karina as a client due to her excessive cell phone use, which was blocking all the phone lines. She had no choice but to buy her own network in partnership with BlackBerry called KrackBerry. She now spends her days designing new models for BlackBerry, personally testing them out every second of the day. She developed a new line of cell-phone models especially designed for students to be able to easily hide or disguise their phones when BBM-ing during class. Needless to say, they were a hit. Katherine Waddell: Has combined her acting talents with her knowledge of survival tactics and now produces and stars in highly educational blockbuster action films alongside Jet Lee. Thus, John Krakauer has fallen deeply in love with her and dedicated a series of romantic novels to Katherine, all of which have been read by Graded English students, but were ultimately unsuccessful in winning her heart. Other business ventures include a limousine service co-run by Antonio and a Grammy-winning career as a rap lyricist. Laura Deckers: After writing her highly successful book, How to get the Upper Hand and making it onto the New York Times Best-Seller list, Laura appeared on the Tyra show 18 times and on Oprah once to discuss her Nobel Peace Prize, which was granted based on her career as the world’s leading self-help Guru. Using her powers for good, Laura lived in various poverty-stricken countries and solved world hunger with her nutrition bar, the HumDinger.
Laura Kim: She has been married to Yunho Jung (who also goes by the stage name U-Know Yunho), the former member of legendary pop group of Korea called TVXQ, for more than 10 years. They have two sons and two daughters, with the oldest son and daughter already making millions as an actor and a model, respectively. Leo Porto: Considered Time’s most influential artist, Leo still doesn’t understand what is going and hasn’t showed up at the magazine’s headquarters to receive his award. He has carried Samuel Lee’s Presidential campaign to the Brazilian 2020 elections, being very successful in his persuasion and advertising skills. Lewis McQuarrie: After dropping out of his philosophy major at Tufts, because the teachers refused to spend hours after class arguing with him, Ze has dedicated his life to the study of biology and proving all of Amaral’s theses and theories wrong. He can frequently be spotted in the Graded history Department office, exchanging witty banter with Mr. Aicken and “bro talk” with Ty Stephenson and Jay Livingston.
38 • the talon
Lucía Extrakt: Finally embracing her high school nickname “Buba,” Lully built the world’s first official Bulbasaur theme park, in Miami, of course. Eventually surpassing the popularity of her main rival, Disney World, Lully had enough money to invest in the technology necessary to bring Kurt Cobain back to life. They now live together in her Bulbasaur Castle, where Karina and Olivia are frequent visitors. Luisa Alcantara: After graduating, Luisa was on her way to Coachella when her plane crashed on an uncharted island. There, Luisa discovered a way to make fashionable clothes out of bamboo. Unfortunantely, her other companions were jealous and decided to vote her off the island. After creating a make-shift raft, Luisa rowed off into the unknown, muttering to herself about how she should have listened to Katherine’s survival tips, and no one ever saw her again. Luiz Felippe Gontijo: Once he finally achieved his dream of building a Deadmau5 head made entirely of diamonds, Lupi opened his own nightclub, where he alone has exclusive rights to DJ. Following an extensive legal battle, he acquired the rights to Deadmau5’s music somehow, and enjoys the royalties he now receives. Luiz Zilberknop: Luiz graduated from Northeastern with a degree in architecture. After 500 unsuccessful “soul mates” he decided to settle for a local girl in Pelotas, and has recently opened a restaurant that serves 50 different types of strogonoff. He is both the owner and the chef. Luiza Justus: Shortly after college, Luiza began what became a successful acting career, landing the main role in Globo’s new novela das oito “Ardente Paixão.” With her newfound success, and—of course—wealth, she decided to invest in a lifelong dream: to recreate Battlestar Galactica’s Twelve Colonies in outer space. She now lives there with the population of humans she intimidated into going with her. Unfortunately, due to limited postal services and cell phone service in outer space, she cannot be reached. Mariana Salinas Davalos: After becoming a champion equestrian and retiring to New Zealand, Mariana decided to unite her love of fantasy and passion for horses and now successfully breeds unicorns. They live with her on the Rainbow Love Unicorn Ranch: Where Magic Runs Wild. The very first unicorn was named Jordan. Ranch-goers can pay $3.79 for novelty items, including Jordan bobble heads. Mathias Henderson: After abandoning his bio-chem studies, Mathias changed his major to computer programming and went on to do an MBA. At 32, he founded Mythlingz Studios, under Activision, and created his own FPS Franchise, Jail Break, which
features starred a bald, bearded character which he personally took part in motion-capturing. The result won 2035 game of the year. Mathias is now known as the only CEO/Head Developer who uploads game play videos of his company on YouTube. Matheus Santiago: After starting his own line of UChicago hoodies (because he already had three of each of the ones that already existed), Matheus was invited to become an official spokesperson for the university. Delighted with finding his true calling, he can now be found traveling the world spreading random facts and his love for UChicago. Max Kim: After finishing culinary school, Max revolutionized the culinary arts by successfully inventing 26 different kinds of risotto de camarão and 59 kinds of ramen. After writing three best-selling cooking books, he moved on to create a delivery franchise which delivers on foot, with him cooking and running all day. Voted Happiest Man in the World, his head quarters are situated at the FC Barcelona Stadium. Maya Ioschpe: After only one semester at GW, Maya has successfully gotten the entire student body to adopt ‘You’re kidding!” as the newest, hottest slang term. She decided to make it global, creating her own line of ‘You’re Kidding!” gear—mugs, hats, shirts and bags. She is seen celebrating Christmas every year in a new European country, with a different European boyfriend. Melanie Vladimirschi: After graduating from UPenn with a creative writing degree, she has published several novels, such as 101 Ways to Avoid Vomit and How Maalox and Digesan Always Come in Handy. She used her revenues to start a pug breeding farm alongside her husband, who surprisingly meets the expectations on her “perfect guy” checklist. Melissa Fiszner: After college, Meli finally embraced her “inner blonde.” She produced “Did I say that?” a line of bumper stickers comprised of all the things she has ever said. She is now CEO, and lives with her model husband and four children on Fifth Avenue, in New York City, making cookies with matza flour.
Melissa De La Paz: After spending four blissful years at Rollins College, giving inspiring speeches to her study groups and writing self-help books for freshman, Meli decided to shed her motherly, “good girl” image. She has recently joined the “Sons of Death” heavy-metal troupe, has changed her name to “Meli of the Dark Side.” She can now be found seeking out fellow Graded alums, proving to them how hardcore she really is. Min Jeong Woo: After graduating from Georgetown, MJ pursued her dream of becoming a diplomat. Not content with her achievements as a state department worker, she has become the youngest ambassador in the world. When asked by Time Magazine how she manages to do it all, she simply replied, “All nighters!” Now, even as her own boss, she continues to stay up all night. Natalia Arenas Gallo: After graduating from Duke with a degree in Astrophysics, Naty set out to become the new Shakira. To her dismay, the diva has had an unusually long career. Having also failed at making Juanes the father of her children, Naty is now the enthusiastic ambassador to Colombia in Moscow. Her Russian is excellent, but still interspersed with angry bursts of Spanish. Julia Greenwald
Nathalie Dattelkremer: Nati dropped out of college after meeting the love of her life, a vegetarian reggae singer. Although they make no money due to their artistic career choices, they believe love is enough to make the world go round. They can now be found cruising around the world preaching peace, love, and Mother Nature. Nina Fialdini: Due to her impressive skills in architecture, Graded hired Nina to redesign and redecorate the entire school. However, her love for horses was so great that she went crazy with the project, designing the school in the shape of a horse and obstructing the hallways with decorative metal horses. Graded had no choice but to relocate. Olivia Dupasquier: After graduating from USC, Olivia moved to Saint Tropez where she takes long walks on the beach with Jimmy from Rio, her newlywed husband. She balances her time between managing her upscale V.I.P resort and dressing up her three baby girls in Prada.
the talon • 39
features Paula Drummond: The day after her college graduation, Paula married Lucas Rudzit in a beautiful ceremony, with her now official sister-in-law Amanda as her maid of honor. She is seen every Wednesday having lunch in Graded’s teacher cafeteria with Maggie and Amaral, gathering marriage advice. Puravin Sivaganam: Once he graduated from UBC, Puravin decided to throw all his savings into the stock market. Investing in a recently privatized small firm, “NASA,” Puravin lives a life of luxury in Malaysia, where he has recently constructed a small island off the coast. His numerous attempts to purchase Liverpool FC have so far remained unsuccessful. Ricardo Kalaidjian: Shortly after graduating, Ricardo decided to pursue his passion and formed a rock band. After years of pursuing a record deal with no success, Ricardo finally gave up and accepted a job as a “banker,” offered to him by what one might call the real-life version of Don Corleone (he had made some questionable acquaintances in college). He now resides in a mansion in the Italian countryside, surrounded by models and his latest Ferraris. He still denies any connections to the mafia. Rosario Modica: Throughout her studies in São Paulo, Rosi slowly starting losing her chongalicious touch; however, she could not escape her fate. During one of her many springbreak adventures in Weston, she met and fell in love with Juan Jose Jesus de los Andes, and changed her name to Chongario Modica. Her children, following in their mother’s footsteps, rarely attend Heritage High School.
Rotem Magal: Rotem joined the Israeli army but was eventually kicked out for spending most of his time apologizing to the families of every person he may have harmed. He has since returned to Graded and, in a drastic change from the Bair regime, coaches the boys basketball team with Jewish prayers and calm speeches. Sami Isman: After finding a passion for biomedical engineering at Brown, Sami went on to develop a growth hormone for adults. Much to her dismay, the hormone was widely successful on everyone except for herself. However, her dream of becoming First Lady did come true, and she is now considered the “Evita” of Estonia. She still speaks in a Russian accent, and her stories still go in the box. Samuel Lee: Our strong and fearless leader dropped out of college after two years in order to follow in the footsteps of Zuckerberg and Gates and “become a billionaire.” Finding this enterprise much harder than becoming StuCo president, Samuca now campaigns for the “Cell Phone Bill” in high schools across the world. He recently bought the rights to Enrique Iglesias’s “Do You Know?” Stephanie Feder: Stephanie graduated from college and got an internship with Woody Allen. They made a wonderful romantic dramedy together, fell in love, and got married, completely ignoring their age difference. The film was so good that Stephanie was nominated for “Best Director” at the Academy Awards, but unfortunately missed the ceremony due to being half an hour late. Stephanie Daffara: Straight out of college, Stephanie wrote and directed her first documentary: Long Distance Relationships: Yes We Can! She made millions and retired at age 25. She can now be found enjoying her youth in João Pessoa with her husband, occasionally directing short films just for fun. The most recent one was How to Cram Two Weeks of Work into One Hour.
Natalia Arenas
40 • the talon
features
Andrea Estrada
Su Yamout: Thanks to the diplomatic skills she acquired in college and her natural charm, Souad was the winner of Big Brother Brasil 26. She donated all her winnings to a good cause: a charity dedicated to reviving RBD. Her celebrity status helped get her elected President of Brazil, and she is currently trying to pass a law in which hugging at least one of your teachers a day is mandatory. Sunny Mishra: At Michigan State, Sunny got injured so often that, in a preemptive maneuver, he decided to become a doctor thinking this would cure his bad luck. Results are yet to be seen. After fighting it for years, he finally embraced the “Who wants to be a millionaire?!” joke and now also answers to the name Jamal. Tomas Williams: After graduating with a degree in philosophy from (insert good Argentinean university), Tomas decided to become a ski instructor in San Martin de los Andes (he says Bariloche is overrated). He is particularly popular with middle-aged divorced women due to his winsome ways and great listening skills. When it’s not winter, Tom leads cuddling workshops in Buenos Aires. Victor de Araújo: Upon graduating from university, Victor was finally forced to speak in an academic setting, being selected as Salutatorian for the senior class. Upon recovering from this taxing task, Victor settled for a quiet life, away from the troubles of the outside world.
Victor Mecozzi: His relationship with Gucci came to an end when the label decided that there IS such a thing as “over branding.” After being courted by Louis Vuitton and Prada for months, Victor decided to establish his own label, V&M. Its athletic line “Baus Inc.” is very popular at Graded. Victor and China refuse to come to alumni events since they are still sour over not receiving “cutest couple.” Victoria Cabral de Menezes: Still undecided by the time she got to Emerson, Vicky transferred schools each semester because she simply could not choose what she wanted. All of this transferring caused a lot of stress in her life, leading her to develop the world’s first stress-relief pills. Because they had no medicinal base and came simply from Vicky’s stress expertise, they are sold illegally worldwide. You-Lim Lee: You Lim decided to skip college and work directly for NASA to create a new fuel to power rockets. After working closely with the chemicals, she discovered a substance that could finally keep her awake. Unfortunately, over consumption of it led to extreme memory loss of all her scientific knowledge, causing her to return to her first true passion in life, the Spanish language.
the talon • 41
features
Senior College Acceptances 2010 Congratulations and best wishes to our graduating seniors Compiled by Natalia Arenas
KEY: ED = early decision; EA = early action; an asteriks denotes a merit scholarship. Aguilar, Danielle
University of Colorado* University of Denver* Wesleyan University Brandeis University Jacobs University* Universidad de Navarra Barnard College Haverford College Middlebury College Oberlin College* Williams College
Alcantara, Luisa
California Institute of the Arts Pratt Institute* Ringling College of Art and Design*
Aliano, Danna
Geneseo University* Hofstra University* Marist College* Simmons College* St. Michael’s College Wells College*
Amaral, Gabriela
Brasil
Archer, Jordan
York University* University of Waterloo* McMaster University* Queen’s University*
Archer, Joshua
Arenas Gallo, Natalia
Drew University Bryant University University of Toronto Indiana University* University of Missouri* University of Miami (EA) Clark University* American University Boston University Syracuse University* Boston College Notre Dame University Duke University
Caldart, Georgia
Barnard College of Columbia University (ED)
Cabral de Menezes, Victoria
Syracuse University Fashion Institute of Technology Bard College Northeastern University Emerson College Eugene Lang College
Camargo Barros, Daniel
Brasil
Chi, Gini
UCLA Wesleyan University Northwestern University University of Rochester Emory University
Cho, Joel
Brasil
Chyung, Elaine
Emily Carr University of Art and Design School of Visual Arts (Honors) * Pratt Institute* School of the Art Institute of Chicago* Maryland Institute College of Art* Ringling College of Art * Seoul National University
Costa-Samanez, Gabriela
Brasil
Costilhes, Alex
Manhattan College Florida Institute of Technology
Cruz, Bellatrix
Ringling College of Art and Design* Wentworth Institute of Technology* Suffolk University* Philadelphia University* Northeastern University
Daffara, Stephanie
Emerson College Northeastern University Rochester Institute of Technology* Loyola University of New Orleans* University of Miami Ringling College
Birmann, David
Boston University Insper
Dattelkremer, Nathalie
Savannah College of Art and Design London School of Art
Bryant, Danielle
Bryn Mawr College* Georgetown College (KY)* McMaster University Sarah Lawrence College Tufts University Western Kentucky University University of British Columbia University of Toronto
de Araújo, Victor
Brasil
De La Paz, Melissa
Vassar College College of William & Mary Rollins College* Wake Forest University Rhodes College* (EA) Elon University* University of Miami (EA) New College of Florida* (EA) Syracuse University College of Charleston (EA) Eckerd College*
Deckers, Laura
gap year
Cabral da Silva, Gustavo
Brasil
Calabrese, Giovanna
Brasil
42 • the talon
features Dias, Gabriel
Michigan State University* George Washington University American University Northeastern University* University of Pittsburgh University of Miami
Domingues, Cassio
Northeastern
Drummond, Paula
Brasil
Dumas, Alina
Argentina
Dupasquier, Olivia
Boston College Boston University* New York University University of Southern California* Syracuse University University of Miami Emerson College
Estrada Bianchi, Eduardo
Wesleyan University Columbia University Yale University (EA) University of Chicago Georgetown University
Extrakt, Lucía
University of Miami (ED) Florida International University
Feder, Stephanie
Brown University (ED)
Felsberg, Alexander
Columbia University (ED)
Fialdini, Nina
FAAP
Fischer, Karina
Brasil
Fiszner, Melissa
Emerson College* (EA) Northeastern University* (EA) University of Michigan (EA) University of Miami* (EA) Babson College Boston University* Duke University
Gomez Ortega, Francisca
University of Chicago* (EA) Vassar College Williams College Wellesley College Smith College
Ioschpe, Maya
Northeastern University (EA) University of Miami (EA) Bryant University* Babson College Syracuse University University of Virginia Boston University George Washington University
Isman, Sami
Brown University (ED)
Jager, Graeme
York University* Carleton University Ryerson University Simon Fraser University
Justus, Luiza
Boston College Boston University Brandeis University Emerson College (EA) Northeastern University (EA) Sarah Lawrence College
Kalaidjian, Ricardo
Eugene Lang College Boston University
Kawamura, Gabriela
Brasil
Kim, Ashton
Worcester Polytechnic Institute* Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute*
Kim, Diana
Ringling College of Art Salve Regina University
Kim, Laura
University of Southern California University of Wisconsin-Madison Penn State University (EA) University of Miami (EA) Northeastern University (EA) University of Washington UC Davis UC Santa Barbara
Kim, Max
La Salle College Art Institute of Vancouver Vancouver Island University Pacific Institute of Culinary
Krell, Isabella
Cornell University (ED) Michigan State University
Gontijo, Luiz Felippe
Wilfrid Laurier University
Lee, Daniel
Brasil
Greenwald, Julia
Clark University * Simmons College* Sarah Lawrence College* Bard College* American University Northeastern University
Lee, Samuel
Henderson, Mathias
Tufts University University of Southern California University of Rochester* Worcester Polytechnic Institute* University of Miami* Boston College
Babson College Emory University Oxford College of Emory University Michigan State Penn State University of California–Irvine University of California–Santa Barbara
Lee, You-Lim
University of Toronto University of British Columbia*
Lewis, Diego
Georgia Institute of Technology University of Miami* Worcester Polytechnic Institute* Florida Institute of Technology* University of California–Irvine University of California–Santa Cruz University of California–Merced University of California–Davis University of California–Riverside
Hickey, John
University of Miami (ED)
the talon • 43
features Lima, Fernando
gap year
Magal, Rotem
Rollins College* Clark University Ithaca College* Israeli Army
McQuarrie, Lewis
Michigan State University* University of Michigan Boston College Tufts University
Mecozzi, Victor
Florida International University
Mishra, Sunny
Michigan State University Hope College Grand Valley State University
Modica, Rosario
University of Miami (EA) Rollins College
Molina, David
Yale University Brown University Columbia University Swarthmore College Rollins College* Providence College*
Naegeli, Christina
Michigan Technological University* (Honors) Michigan State University (Honors) University of Michigan Franklin College* Jacobs University* Syracuse University*
Saraiva, Alberto
Bentley University University of Miami Northeastern University
Silva, Giovana
Brasil
Sivaganam, Puravin
Drew University* Syracuse University University of British Columbia
Soares da Silva, Cami
Brasil
Telles, Christian
Babson College (EA)
Thomas, Chris
England
Torres, Dante
Northeastern University Suffolk University
Vladimirschi, Melanie
University of Pennsylvania Babson College (EA) Bard College (EA) University of Miami (EA) Rollins College * Bryn Mawr College * Hamilton College Davidson College Brandeis University
Waddington, Julia
ESPM
Waddell, Katherine
Stony Brook University* Rollins College DePaul University
Williams, Tomas
Argentina
Woo, Min Jeong
Georgetown University Boston College University of California–Berkeley UCLA George Washington University* (Honors) New York University Syracuse University* (Honors) Notre Dame University University of Illinois Champaign Urbana
Pacheco, Ana Paula
Brasil
Pereira, Bernardo João
Worcester Polytechnic Institute* (EA) Florida Institute of Technology* Bentley University Boston University Northeastern University
Porto, Leo
School of Visual Arts
Ramos Stanziola, Ana
Wheaton College * Emerson College (EA) Clark University * Suffolk University Northeastern University
Woyno Rodriguez, Carlos
York University Carleton University*
Yamout, Su
Brasil
Rodrigues, Bia
Mackenzie
Yung, Brian
Brasil
Rudzit, Amanda
Brasil
Zilberknop, Luiz
Salinas Davalos, Mariana
University of British Columbia University of Canterbury (New Zealand) Clark University Depauw University* Trinity College Bryn Mawr*
Northeastern University* Lawrence University Suffolk University Roger Williams University
Saller, Eduardo
Babson College Boston University Bentley University*
Santiago, Matheus
University of Chicago Boston University Babson College Emory University
44 • the talon
entertainment
Trivialities
No amount of senioritis will make you too lazy to read these Luiza Justus
J
ack Nicholson found out his sister was actually his mother when he was 37. • In the sun, walnuts get a tan.
her appetite so she won’t be tempted to eat her own pups. •
Female canaries cannot sing.
•
The average sperm cell swims at 8 inches per hour.
•
From a complete stop, a human is capable of outrunning a Formula One race car for only about 30 feet.
•
Apples are 25% air.
•
One quarter of the human brain is used to control the eyes.
•
Blueberry juice boosts memory.
•
Salmon can jump as high as 6 feet.
•
The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.
•
Nose prints are used to identify dogs, just like humans use fingerprints.
•
Wearing headphones for an hour increases the bacteria in your ear 700 times.
•
In the original version of Cinderella the slipper was made out of fur, not glass.
•
Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them; a fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.
•
A cat in Boston was summoned for jury duty.
•
The “average” human is a 28-year-old, right-handed Chinese man with a mobile phone and no bank account.
•
The nude sketch of Kate Winslet in Titanic was drawn by James Cameron, the director.
•
The sun is 93 million miles away from the Earth.
•
The Beatles used to be called Johnny & the Moondog.
•
Giraffes have black tongues.
•
The lollipop was named after a horse.
•
There is a town in Norway called Hell.
•
A man from Kenya was married over 100 times.
•
Marylin Monroe had red hair.
•
Killer whales are a species of dolphin.
•
Roald Dahl used to write for Playboy magazine.
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Your right lung takes in more air than your left.
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When pitched, the average Major League baseball rotates 15 times before being hit.
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Mark Twain didn’t even make it through elementary school.
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Harrison Ford has a species of spider named after him.
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Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison were all 27 years old when they died.
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An iceberg contains more heat than a lit match.
•
Martha Stewart became a billionaire while in prison.
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The venom of the king cobra is so deadly that just one gram of it can kill 150 people.
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Your heart rate can rise as much as 30% during a yawn.
•
•
Lightning strikes about 6,000 times per minute on this planet.
If China imported just 10% of its rice needs, the price on the world market would increase by 80%.
•
Rats can tell the difference between two human languages.
•
When George W. Bush was 30 years old, he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.
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Men are twice as likely to be binge drinkers than women.
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Goat’s milk is used more widely throughout the world than cow’s milk.
•
Every year your body replaces 98% of your atoms.
•
•
A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night.
The heart of an astronaut actually gets smaller when in outer space.
•
All coffee is grown within 1,000 miles of the equator.
•
Jean-Claude Van Damme learned to speak English by watching the cartoon “The Flintstones.”
•
Elephants, lions, and camels roamed Alaska 12,000 years ago.
•
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There are more nerve cells in the human brain than there are stars in the Milky Way.
The Danish word for condom is “svangerskabsforebyggendemiddel.”
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On the average a fart is composed of about 59% nitrogen, 21% hydrogen, 9% carbon dioxide, 7% methane, and 4% oxygen. Less than 1% is what makes them stink.
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Coffee beans aren’t beans - they’re fruit pits.
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When it comes time to give birth, the female shark loses
Sources used in this article: learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk; funfactz.com
the talon • 45
entertainment
U2 Rocks São Paulo A concert review
Artur Renault
N
early four years after U2’s last visit to Brazil, there was much excitement that they were coming again for three concerts at the Morumbi Stadium. Thousands of fans went online to get tickets at midnight when sales began, and the tickets were sold out within hours. I had given up, but luckily I was able to get a last minute ticket for the April 13 concert. Arriving in Brazil on April 8, U2 met with President Dilma in Brasília. They then came to São Paulo and played two concerts on April 9 and 10. On April 10, the U2 360° Tour broke the world record for the highest grossing tour ever, previously held by the Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang. Thus, expectations were high when April 13 finally came. At the concert, the crowd was struck by a truly spectacular stage. It resembled a giant robot-spider sprawling over the audience. Under it was a giant 360° LED panel that showed the band with tons of special effects. This panel would expand and contract over the course of the concert. Under the panel was a circular stage connected to a surrounding ring-shaped platform by bridges. Some lucky fans were between the stage and the ring, and except for a few pathways, the band was surrounded on all sides. Everybody in the stadium, then, had a good view, and the performers were capable of interacting with the entire audience. The opening band, Muse, started playing around 7:30. Their performance did not contain as many of their most famous songs as the performances on April 9 and 10 did. Some notable absences included, “Plug in Baby,” “Hysteria,” “Stockholm Syndrome,” and “Supermassive Black Hole.” However, Matt Bellamy’s stinging vocals and powerful guitar, as well as the band’s talent and ability to cheer the crowd, were easily able to make up for the obscurity of some of the songs. And hits like “Uprising,” “Starlight,” and “Knights of Cydonia” (with an interesting harmonica intro) were not forgotten. After a total of 8 songs, Muse staged overall a good performance, and a suitable opening act for this concert. Following Muse’s performance, the stage’s LED panel displayed an orange and green clock. Everybody was confused by the fact that the clock’s pointers moved extremely fast. But, upon the stroke of “midnight,” the clocks turned into windows in a spaceship, displaying the entry of the members of U2 to the sound of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and loud cheers from the audience. They opened with the upbeat “Even Better Than The Real Thing,” followed by the more famous “I Will Follow,” from Boy, their debut album. As they played, the giant spider
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over them lit up in various beautiful colors. After “Get On Your Boots,” “Magnificent,” “Mysterious Ways” and “Elevation,” all very well received by the crowd, came one of the most touching moments in the concert. As “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” started playing, every voice in Morumbi sang along. Bono was quiet until the end of the first chorus. From then on, band and fans sang in unison; it was a beautiful moment of togetherness. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” was then played, with the audience yelling along passionately. Everybody was surprised when Bono subsequently invited famous Brazilian singer Seu Jorge to the stage. Together, they played a Bossa Nova version of Kraftwerk’s “The Model,” with the audience providing the backing vocals. Bono then brought a girl from the audience onstage to read the beginning lyrics of “Beautiful Day” in Portuguese, making 80,000 people jealous. Many hits followed, including “City of Blinding Lights,” “Vertigo,” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday.” The concert finally took on a political tone, when U2 paid homage to Burmese political activist Aung San Suu Kyi. Bono celebrated her recent release from house arrest, saying she “is to Asia what Nelson Mandela is to Africa.” They proceeded to play “Walk On” in this tone of inspirational admiration for Aung San Suu Kyi. The band left the stage after this song, and Desmond Tutu appeared on the LED panel, praising U2 fans for their cries for peace. The band came back and played “One” and “Where The Streets Have No Name,” left again, and after cries from the audience, played 3 more songs including “With or Without You.” Leaving the stadium, Bono briefly mentioned the victims of the Realengo school shooting. All in all, U2’s concert was truly stellar. Few bands can unite over 80,000 people in a stadium and create a mood of such deep emotion and connection for almost three hours. The band played an eclectic sample of their repertoire, with songs spanning over 30 years. With his powerful voice and inspiring speeches, Bono brought tears to the eyes of the Brazilian crowd. The Edge, with his classic guitar riffs created an atmosphere of both excitement and emotion. Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. provided the foundation. With such a great band, an excellent stage, and a beautiful audience, it was a night to be remembered.
entertainment
Clash of the Titans U2 Knocked Out by The Underdog
Kevin Shimba Bengtsson
A
s the omnipresent behemoth that is U2 began their streak of concerts in the Morumbi Stadium here in São Paulo, nothing could stop them. Nothing, except the one band that opened for them, Muse. Trudging along with their music was a visual production nothing short of gargantuan; a stage of such tremendous size which – until the inception of the U2 360° tour – was previously unseen. Aptly dubbed “The Claw,” the stage, in and of itself, comprises of a large arachnid-esque overarching cage, with a circular screen viewable from all angles (and one that, at one point in the spectacle, stretches downwards to engulf the band) along with a myriad of other bells and whistles that tweak the perfection of this audiovisual extravaganza that, being the tallest concert stage ever built, towers over 50 meters. All of this, while at times unprecedentedly entertaining, proved to be the fatal mistake for U2. When it comes to defining how good a concert is, never is it down to all the light effects, the video projections, it’s simply about the music. Furthermore, when a band with as many phenomenal classics as U2 opt for putting most of the focus on the spectacle, on the perfection of the “show,” the music is left in the background and what is left in the foreground is the gimmick of the stage, which only serves to restrain the band’s own impressive musicianship from being evident. The concert was not most fulfilling when the lighting became an extraordinaire, but when the band played timeless classics such as “Sunday Blood Sunday,” “Where the Streets Have No Name” (one of the best) and even the first track from their debut (1980’s Boy), “I Will Follow” which, to this day, has remained fresh and remarkable as a live track. It’s a shame, then, that the band seems to think that what makes the gig is the incessant use of visual tricks ad nauseam. The sheer magnitude and size of the stage was also detrimental to the intimacy between the band and their crowd. A production so big with such little focus on the band itself makes U2 stand aloof, out of sync with their audience, to the point that even when a woman was called on stage to read
lyrics in Portuguese, it seemed awkward and misplaced. On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, lies another talented group of musicians (U2 frontman, Bono Vox, describes them as “one of the great power trios like Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience”) who play under the collective name of Muse. The three men are one of the biggest international bands at the moment, but have yet to make a name for themselves down here in South America (most notably Brazil). They played a set of eight songs during the course of around 45 minutes, as a prelude to the much awaited U2 gig. Without the help of such superfluous production as U2 had, Muse had only the music to play and rock out to. Being a trio who normally headline lazermusica.com their own stadium shows in Europe, it is not only safe, but truthful as well, to say that they “rocked the house” (cheesy, I know). With only a “greatest hits” setlist to present their eclectic facets and musical variety, Muse did a great job in assuring that new listeners were brought into their ever expanding fanbase. In fact, before their opening song “Uprising” was finished, I distinctly heard a man, previously ignorant to the band, say, “Oh my gosh! They’re fantastic! Rock n’roll!” (with language obviously a bit more crude and profane). Other songs like “United States of Eurasia” and “Starlight” had the crowd more involved than I’d ever seen towards a support band. People were, en masse (not just the few oddballs), fist pumping or clapping along to songs their ears were virgin to. Heavier tracks like “Stockholm Syndrome” and “Hysteria” helped ignite the excitement in those used to a headbang, though it may have confused many. This all goes to unequivocally indicate that the music makes the show and not the other way around, as the main band of the event seems to think. The fact that the opening band was able to outshine U2 by the power of music alone is a testament to that. Now, this is not to say Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. were bad by any means (they were, in fact, amazing), it’s just that they’re trying too hard to make a spectacle and not a rock concert. I mean, if that’s what I want to watch, I might as well drive myself to a Cirque du Soleil performance.
the talon • 47
entertainment
What’s Behind “Friday”
What Rebecca Black hasn’t told you… besides which day comes after Sunday
Julia Wu
D
oes Friday ever wake up at seven a.m. in the morning to honor Rebecca Black? Released on February 10, 2011, the California eigth grader’s music video “Friday” received about 90 million views on YouTube in less than two months. There are now parodies, rap versions and covers. In short, this viral star has innocuously put Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Justin Bieber to shame with her overwhelming three-minute discourse on, well, the days of the week. Black was just another “tween” next door with the thirst of stardom before her video dropped. The video has ludicrous lyrics: “Seven a.m., waking up in the morning […] Gotta get down to the bus stop, gotta catch my bus… I see my friends!” Startlingly, the alleged bus never stops by. Instead, a convertible with four more eighth graders pulls over as Rebecca has a hard time deciding which seat to take. In the video, the convertible harbors a thirteen-year old driver and a girl who sits by him, which besides breaching safety regulations, leaves Black with no other choice but to fill up the space in the back, making her line, “which seat can I take?” completely pathetic. At least Rebecca did not take the bus; would she not have a heart attack with all the seat options? What’s more, a middle-aged man shows up right after the chorus, probably because singing about Friday is just not enough. Some rap is necessary to jazz it up. To end it, Rebecca proceeds to declare that “Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday. Today it is Friday, Friday… Tomorrow is Saturday and Sunday comes afterwards.” Why of course it does, Rebecca. How should we thank you for pointing that out? As of April 5, 2 million dislikes in comparison to 200 thousand likes on YouTube have rendered the middle-schooler a laughing stock and victim of negative media coverage. Graded students also partake in the harassment, as they employ Facebook, BlackBerry Messenger and verbal communication to spam the internet sensation (for further information, check your News Feed). Black confessed on ABC’s Good Morning America that hurtful comments such as “I hope you get an eating disorder so you can look prettier” incited tears, but is now appreciative that her song has marked millions. Black’s mother, Georgina Kelley defended her daughter on television by claiming, “In all honesty, I probably could have killed a few people.” The young singer’s parents did not simply sit through
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their daughter’s newly born “career.” Before the conception of “Friday.” Black’s parents paid a $2,000- $4,000 fee to the ARK Music Factory, a record label founded in 2010 by Patrice Wilson, who raps in the clients’ songs. Based in Los Angeles, ARK writes and produces music for young singers, creating music videos and promoting them. ARK declares its mission as making it “possible for an emerging artist to be discovered, defined and delivered, to advance in their chosen career and be successful.” It doesn’t seem like discovery and advancement, though, when young girls do this for fame. Rebecca’s need to be famous has not only altered her life, but also instigated a storm of tween wannabes to expose their image on the Internet. A horde of junior-high kids have subsequently allied with ARK, generating auto tuned, superficial music that intimidate “Friday” either with lyrics or video—tacky songs about partying, butterflies, pt.wikizic.org clothing, with scenes of bleached hair, bikinis and more convertibles. It does appear that some computerized songs have conquered the media, but “Friday” did not develop into an Internet meme because of its appealing chords or beat. The vast audience of this production claims that the singer, the song and the video are equally absurd and bizarre. What this type of art has incited, then, is an awe-inspiring wave of mockery. Many of Black’s viewers watch “Friday” to scoff at her “idiocy.” Out of its copious downloads, a considerable number was undeniably intended to prompt more hilarity. Regrettably, Rebecca is not ridiculed because she is famous, she is famous because she is ridiculed. We’ve certainly heard worse songs than Black’s, but the audience is definitely not getting a treat for the eye or the ear. But the performer? Black’s judgment regarding her work fluctuates between, so there is no certainty as to what she feels about herself; that’s just called being a teenager. The ARK Music Factory, responsible for exploiting and encouraging underage artists now prospers in just a year of business. Their rights to the material has earned them reasonable profit. Indulging teens and tweens in awkward, tacky and artificial work is to ARK’s advantage, and they will keep at it. “Friday” is just the start… See, “tomorrow is Saturday and Sunday comes afterwards.”
entertainment
Vignettes on Family Ninth grade creative writers
9th Graders These students were assigned the task of revealing a bit about each family member’s personality through a comparison of one physical trait incorporating at least four techniques. They modeled their responses after the vignette “Hairs” from the novel The House on Mango Street. Here are just a few examples representative of the amazing work the ninth graders achieved. —Ms. Baratta & Ms. Stein Oh, Smiles… veryone in my family has a different smile, except for my brother’s and mine: Our smiles are bursts of joy. My sister’s is contagious: if you see her smile, you won’t be able to resist the temptation to do the same. My dad’s smile is the type that will stand out in a crowd, his flawless white teeth gleaming past any other. But my mother’s smile is incomparable, it’s a beacon of bliss that will cause anyone to go into raptures of absolute delight and beam in joy just by glancing at it. It’s a rush of warmth that only a mother’s love can produce. Oh, smiles… Matt Dias
E
A Pool of Happiness veryone says my eyes are like my father’s. They are like a pool. Crystal clear blue. Simultaneously it is an ocean. Mystical, dazzling, inspiring. People stare. Blown back by my excitingly elegant eyes of the rarest blue. People adore them. Sadness causes them to stand out. Happiness makes them sparkle like night stars. They are an emotional symbol. Describing me. Completing me. My mother has green-blue eyes. A mixture of mine and my sister’s. My sister has gorgeous greens eyes like fresh limes. She is terribly jealous of mine. She would die to have them. I love my eyes. Leo Sabó
E
Laughs veryone in my family has a unique laugh. My mom’s laugh is like a clown at the circus making others laugh. My dad’s laugh is ambitious—rising up, up like the sun at dawn, up the walls of my house. His laugh is like a clap of thunder, BOOM! My laugh is a troublemaker, bursting out at the worst times. Like a criminal on the run, my laugh is unstoppable and out of control. My sister’s laugh is a song, reminding me of my childhood, when we were still best friends sharing a bedroom. Her laugh is in all my memories. Andrea Ferreira
E
Walk verybody in my family has various walking styles. My mom’s walk is elegant like a calm and quietly flowing blue river. It’s patient. My sister’s always hopping, skipping, and galloping; she can be considered a rabbit. It makes me happy; it’s her flow of energy that glows. I’m usually sliding rather than lifting, it’s more convenient and entertaining. Thump, thump. My dad’s walk sounds like a loud elephant, very manly and heavy. It gives me the sense of protection and safety at home. But it seems like the house may collapse any second, with those heavy footsteps. Peaceful, joyful, lazy, to thunder. All are different and all are unique. Lisa Tokoro
E
Nails ll the nails in my family are different. Dad’s nails are strong. Stable. They refuse to be cut off easily. My brother’s are little - still growing to be strong like my dad’s. He chews on them like a rat chews on cheese. Mommy’s are, crimson. Dazzling. At the same time they are delicate, well tended. A lapidated ruby. But my nails, my nails are puzzled, transitioning from being fragile like my brother’s to being strong, as my father’s. Sometimes I feel they are going to break. At other times, that they can cut crystal. But nails keep growing… Fernão Mesquita
A
Genetic Hands veryone in my family has different hands. My hands are chopsticks, long and resistant. They are also rough like sand paper. My mom’s? Her hands are the plumes of a pillow. Soft and delicate. Her small, happy hands comfort the family. My dad’s hands, similar to mine, are bumpy like a raging rhinoceros due to years of work. They seem to be getting thicker every day. But my brother, almost like my mom, has the softest hands in the family. My brother’s arrogant hands, like the feathers of a bird, are a few steps away from perfection. Joseph Cho Smiles ach member of my family has a different smile. My smile is soft like a feather pillow and spontaneous like a blink of an eye. I am always happy, always laughing. Rotem’s smile is a fresh and juicy watermelon. He smiles and PLIN! Like your eyes just suffered from a camera flash, simply crystal white. But my mom is the only one that has that perfectly peaceful protective smile. It makes me feel safe, comfortable. Daddy likes to smile, he thinks that it brings sympathy, yes, well... maybe it does. Together, my family’s smiles bring happiness and welcoming. We love to smile. Neta Magal
E
E
the talon • 49
sports
The Old-fashioned Way
The 101 guide to the Mesoamerican ballgame Isabella Zevallos
S
eniors. Google up the word and quite a number of “categories” of seniors, per se, will come up: senior citizens, high school seniors, college seniors, and so forth. Independent of which meaning you like best or refer to most often, the general sense is that seniors tend to be the oldest and wisest. Or, depending on the case, you can scratch off “wisest.” Nevertheless, the theme of old age carries on, and in light of it, what sport could be better related to it than the Mesoamerican ballgame? Don’t you know what it is? Well, it is never too late to find out. The game This is the first team sport in human history and dates back over 3,500 years. The male-only game was more than just a sport for all of these various — “cities, ceremonies, and daily life revolved around” it. Furthermore, many lives were at stake during the competition and the game was even part of religious ritual: the Mesoamericans believed that the only way to keep “the sun shining, crops growing, and people healthy was to sacrifice a valuable human being — a ballplayer”. War captives and warriors sometimes played the sport as a substitute for war between two neighboring cities and some evidence has been found about fans that gambled on the game. The rules to the game are unknown apart from the fact that the aim of it is to keep the ball in the air by hitting it with the hip and, in some versions, get it through a tall hoop goal. The court The court was shaped like the letter “I” with end zones, and was built on hard surfaces such as stone or plaster. Stone markers were used to divide the playing alley into areas, and the steep stone walls on either side of the court were used by players to bank the ball in order to keep it in play. The ball The Mesoamericans were the first ones to discover how to make a ball that bounced by using a native plant, the rubber tree, which is perhaps why Romans and Egyptians, for example, never played the sport. The balls were hollow because they were made of human skulls wrapped around with rubber strips. The size and weight of the ball varied from region to region:
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some balls could be relatively light and as big as softball, though others could weigh up to eight pounds and be as big as beach balls. Interestingly enough, the Olmec supposedly discovered the secret to make the ball bounce higher: they added juice of Morning Glory vine to the latex of the tree. The uniform The players entered the court fully dressed in the “finest jewelry, animal skins, and feathered headdresses”. Yet, during the game, they would wear little more than the protective gear so they could move around freely. Some of the most common gear of all of the cultures that played the sport included the yuguito, the yoke, the hacha, the palma, ballgame.org and the manopla. The yuguito’s purpose is rather unknown, but it is most likely an element to either hit the actual ball or to protect the players’ wrists, knees, or shins. The yoke was worn on the waist and was either made from fabric or woven fiber strips (believed to serve to protect the player from the ball and allow him to deflect it) or from stone (probably only used for the opening and closing ceremonies). The hacha and the palma were decorative stone accessories worn on the yoke for the ceremonies. Lastly, the manopla (handstone), was used by players to hit the ball; in some regions, bats and sticks replaced it for the same purpose. The mascots The chosen “mascots” were seen as creatures of strength, agility, and power, and given that players relied on the same skills to win, they attached figures of these animals to their uniform and courts. Some of the animals include the serpent, monkey, harpy eagle, parrot, macaw, deer, alligator, and coyote. All in all, one can see how interesting one of the oldest sports in the world can really be — turns out that some of the oldest things in the world can also be the weirdest and coolest. Source used in this article: www.ballgame.org
sports
An interview with Julia Greenwald Lessons learned, memories made, senior spoken Yana Ahlden
J
ulia Greenwald, for those few who don’t know, is a senior at Graded and plays softball and basketball. She was born in Nagoya, Japan, and has lived in Japan, Peru, the U.S., Brazil, and Ecuador. How long have you been a Graded athlete? I’ve been playing sports here at Graded since the 7th grade, so 6 years. How has being a Graded athlete influenced your life or personality? In JV I don’t think it really influenced me as a person, but it did create a sense of pride within me early on. However once I was in high school, and played amongst seniors who took it as their role to represent Graded as athletes, I felt myself also taking on this role as a leader and representative of my community. My sense of pride also grew as I saw how important my position as an athlete was, and how much responsibility was put on my shoulders. Thus, I became more aware of my actions, tried to hold myself together, be respectful towards others, and pushed myself to always give everything my all. I hope I’ve succeeded thus far. What’s your favorite memory of being a Graded athlete? My favorite memory by far is from Big 4, and could be considered a collection of memories. I will always hold the memories of practicing at Big 4 with the softball girls very close to my heart. As a sophomore, screaming “MINE!” and fighting to field a hit; as a junior, having a comeback war with Sam; and as a senior, seeing the outfield girls doing interpretive dance softball, and screaming “CHAMPIONSHIP” at the top of my lungs with Chrissy. Funniest memory? During Big 8 last year, Sam Bellissimo (who left Graded last year; she is currently a junior) accidently let a basketball fall into the lake by our cabin. She apologized to our coach Jody Hough, and Coach just looked at her and said jokingly, “Well, go get it!” Sam took the message to heart and simply jumped into the lake to retrieve the basketball, and came out sopping wet and covered in mud, her white hoodie a weird shade of brown. I’ve never laughed so hard! Do you plan on playing your sport in college? I’ve received some emails from colleges about playing softball, but if I were to play, at least as a freshman, I’d play an intramural version. This is mostly because I don’t think the “team” dynamic will be the same in college as it was at Graded, and
after experiencing being on a team that I consider to be my family, I’m not sure I can settle for being part of a team of individuals who play as individuals. Also, I’m afraid the philosophy in whatever college will be different than the one at Graded, which I respect and admire. However this isn’t a no, and I was told at Big 4 that being a Graded athlete is a gift I should share with others, so I’ll definitely consider playing in college. How different was it in being a senior athlete compared to being a junior athlete? I was given the position of being a captain (with two other senior teammates) and suddenly every one of my actions mattered. If I was negative at practice, I had to find a way to get myself in a better place, because the younger girls watched me. If I was late, I was setting a negative example to the team, and so on. It was definitely hard at the beggining, because it’s overwhelming at first to know you are being watched, per se; but after that first hump, I loved the idea of being a role model, and enjoyed that responsibility put on me. I was also lucky to share this with two other seniors, Meli and Naty, who were there to pick me up when I fell. Do you have any advice for future senior athletes or Graded athletes in general? Remember that you aren’t perfect. Being a senior athlete doesn’t mean you’re the most talented player, the person who will score the most goals or that you’ll never be late or make a mistake. It means you are the person who will take those things and not let them affect your leadership and composure. You will attack problems head on, and use the skills you have learned to leave them behind and move forward, and take your team with you. For athletes in general, enjoy each and every single moment, because you’ll be playing your last game before you know it. What do you like about the athletic program? Anything that could be improved? The idea of unity. What I’ve always liked is that feeling at Big 4 and Big 8 when you know the entire school is cheering for you. Everyone is dancing, yelling, screaming and pushing you to play your best, and other schools are envious of your support. My only wish is that others who aren’t necessarily athletes and won’t go to Big 8 or Big 4 could feel this, because it is a feeling like no other. Thus, I hope more people go to games and tournaments, and I hope more of them take pep rallies more seriously, because it’s nice to be a part of such a supportive community.
the talon • 51
sports
O crescimento dos escondidos Os azarões têm lugar reservado na UEFA Europa League
Fernando Lima
Q
ueridos, sei que vocês não acompanham o futebol do leste europeu tanto quanto eu porque, francamente, há coisas mais importantes pra se fazer nessa vida. Porém, vocês perderam um fenômeno bizarro ocorrido naquela região: o fortalecimento de times que sequer existiam na época da União Soviética. Gostaria de informar-lhes que a era dos famosos Dynamos, ou outros times financiados por ditadorezinhos, está oficialmente no fim em centros que estão se modernizando para participar de competições com o selo UEFA. O primeiro caso, e até um dos mais atípicos, é o do Unirea Urziceni. A cidade de Urziceni, no sudeste romeno, tem apenas dezessete mil habitantes. Para vocês terem uma noção, a cidade inteira cabe quatro vezes no estádio do Manchester United. O futebol mudou a história de Urziceni para sempre. O vilarejo, que só recebeu status de cidade em 1895, é casa de um time que já disputou a Champions League duas vezes nos últimos quatro anos. Com um time predominantemente romeno, o Unirea tem feito o que o tradicionalíssimo Steaua Buchresti simplesmente não consegue: estabelecer-se como um azarão recorrente na Liga dos Campeões. Mais um caso vindo dos Cárpatos, o CFR Cluj, sob o comando do técnico Maurizio Trombetta, quase se classificou para as fases mais agudas da Champions League, chegando até a vencer o Roma em Roma. Sob a batuta precisa do meia argentino Juan Culio, o time venceu duas vezes o campeonato nacional e protagonizou esse episódio em solo romano. O caso mais famoso de todos é o do Shakhtar Donetsk. O irmão pobre que agora virou rico do futebol ucraniano, o Shakhtar está para ser estraçalhado pelo Barcelona na Champions League, mas isso não importa. O técnico Mircea Lucescu, em seu reinado em Donetsk, importou nada menos do que dez brasileiros que deram o tom jovem e ofensivo a um dos times que mais me agrada assistir. Campeão da penúltima edição da Copa UEFA, o Shakhtar vem causando furor com um conceito novo de “total football” que tem sua pedra fundamental em Henrikh Hamlet Mkhitaryan. Agora, vamos às reais aberrações. Começando pelos cipriotas do Anorthosis Famagusta. O Anorthosis, sob a égide do ex-jogador da Geórgia, Temuri Ketsbaia, se classificou para a Champions League e, por uma combinação de resultados, não passou de fase. Na extinta Copa Uefa, agora UEFA Europa League, as aberrações têm seu lugar reservado; porém, nos últimos anos, ao invés de times intermediários de grandes centros disputarem
52 • the talon
o título, sempre há alguém chegando para disputar as fases eliminatórias de algum lugar do qual nunca se escutou falar. Times como o bielorrusso BATE Borisov, que também disputou a Champions League há três anos, tem chegado e pressionado os “favoritos” com mais e mais força. O BATE foi eliminado nas oitavas-de-final da Liga Europa na atual temporada, sendo o time bielorrusso que chegou mais longe numa competição continental na história. Outro caso ucraniano é o do Metalist Kharkiv. O time foi recém-adquirido por algum trilhardário, cujo dinheiro ninguém sabe de onde vem, e foi para as fases eliminatórias na sua primeira participação em competições continentais. Contando com pé-de-obra do calibre de Cleiton Xavier e Taison, o time é um trabalho em construção, porém, já roubou o lugar do Chornomorets Odessa como terceira força na Ucrânia. O caso mais bizarro de todos é o do Sheriff Tiraspol. O time que atualmente está no segundo lugar do campeonato (pasmem) moldavo, foi uma das cinderelas da fase de grupos da Liga Europa. Ficando em terceiro e perdendo a classificação nos últimos minutos de seu jogo, o Sheriff é o primeiro time da história da Moldávia a disputar uma competição continental. O mais interessante é que eles contrataram o brasileiro Jymmy que, direto do América de Natal e sem saber nenhuma palavra da língua moldava e sem nem saber enrolar um russo, bota o time para jogar no ataque. Em entrevista à revista Trivela em agosto, Jymmy confessou sentir falta do Brasil e de seu arroz com feijão, porém, o salário e establidade que conquistou no Sheriff valem muito mais do que seu prato predileto. Vemos um grande declínio dos times que eram financiados por departamentos do “apparatchik” soviético em suas repúblicas-fantoche. Os times que antigamente eram celeiros de jogadores, agora perdem espaço para times financiados por gente de origem duvidosa, muitos procurados em diversos países, que, com esse dinheiro, importam jogadores sul-americanos e africanos para conseguir uma vantagem. Vemos que essa tendência só crescerá e, usando a minha bola de cristal inexistente, prevejo o mesmo acontecendo na Asian Champions League daqui a uns cinco anos. Mas isso, caro leitor, é assunto para outro dia.