The Marm

The Marm IOWA CITY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

07-09 Cultural Assimilation: An

in-depth look at the students of West High School and where they came from. The Marm analyzes the differences between the the United States and several different coutnries, ranging from South Africa to Chile.

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1

MAY 30, 2013

{COVER DESIGN BY REBECCA WEN}

s t n e t n o C f o e l b Ta {D

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The Iowa City Farmers’ Market returns this spring: what to

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Voyage en France:

buy when, and how to use it.

Nine West High students travel to France for two weeks and experience major cultural differences along the way.

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ELL Move: Starting next year, the

district’s ELL program is expanding to City High.

The MARM looks at this transition

Best Burger in town: With

summer barbeques coming around the corner, the MARM set out to find the best burger in town.

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15 Opinion:

Is it worth it?: Is my time volun teering worth it, or should we just give money?

Finsihing my Lunch: The epe demic of iphones and socialization

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14 Opinion

Matt Murry Editor-in-Chief Meredith Cullen Design Co-editor Rebecca Wen Copy Editor Apoorva Raikwar Design Co-editor

Bal Duniya: Anagha Chitnis ‘13 was inspired to start a charity, to raise money for an orphanage after taking a trip to India with her parents.

Music around the world:

From Bollywood music, Icelandic alternative, to Korean Pop, West High students are listening to much more than just Taylor Swift or Justin Beiber.

07-09

Cultural assimila-

tion: An in-depth look at the students of West

High School and where they came from. The Marm analyzes the differences between the the United States and several different coutnries.

Sensible Skyline: A look into the new building proposal in downtown Iowa City.

The Marm gives their opinion.

: Lacking Worth in Work: Angsty thoughts about what we are doing with our lives.

Summer bucketlist: What do you want to do this summer? The Marm compiled several suggestions long, hot summer days.

Lost in Translation: A reflection on a trip to France and what I learned from the people there.

MAY 31, 2012 13

Iowa City Farmers’ Market returns this spring {DESIGN BY APOORVA RAIKWAR}

PH

OT OS BY // A PO OR VA RA IK AR W

BY REBECCA WEN May 1st was the start of the Iowa City Farmers’ Market this year. Although most vegetables and fruits weren’t in season, the area was packed as usual. Vibrant flowers filled the aisles and eager vendors sold specialties ranging from homemade Russian pastries to handcarved wooden chairs and drawers.

Compared to just a few years ago, the Iowa City Farmers’ Market has changed vastly and grown into a popular spot for foodies, arts and crafts enthusiasts, and musicians.

Saturday mornings are the busiest, especially around eight or nine. Cars inch along the parking lot waiting for a vacant spot, and though it get crammed, most people are in a bright mood.

Once you’re finally in, it’s free roaming--just watch out for the infants and dogs wandering around.

A newer addition to the Farmers’ Market are the food stands. Breakfast burritos, pancakes, breakfast pizzas, scrambles, Argentinian empanadas, and more will definitely keep your mouth busy. Afterwards, hang around for live music or the occasional cooking lesson. Either way, you’ll surely have a wonderful time at the Farmers’ Market.

JUNE Leafy Greens an

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MAY 31, 2013 NEWS 03

{DESIGN BY APOORVA RAIKWAR}

ELL program to move to City High

Starting next school year, the ICCSD plans to expand their high school ELL program to both City and West High. Principal Jerry Arganbright and ELL teacher Anne Schularick talk about how the transition affects students.

BY MATTHEW MURRY

PHOTO BY//APOOR VA RAIK WAR

Starting in the fall of 2013, West High’s Extended Language Learning service, or ELL for short, will be expanding to serve both West and City High Schools. School administrators have been looking to expand for quite some time, given that West High has the only High School ELL program. “We have been promoting starting a program at City High School for several years. The ELL program has been just at West High School as long as it’s been in existence,” West High principal Jerry Arganbright said. “As the district has grown and as the diversity of the community has grown, we have been looking at the options of having a program at City High, because if you live in a City High neighborhood and you need ELL services, you have to be bused over here,” he said.

ELL teacher Anne Schularick thinks that the expansion would ease transportation for crosstown students. “Some of the reasoning was so that students wouldn’t have to be bused across town,” she said. Schularick believes that the expansion could increase extracurricular participation among ELL students as well. “Many ELL students do not have their own transportation available which means they can’t participate in any extracurriculars at West. They should be able to be more involved now,” she said.

Making the decision to move was an easy one, according to Arganbright. “At that time, most of the kids needing ELL were living in our attendance area. It was a self-fulfilling answer in that the kids in our neighborhood ought to be here.

But again, as the community has grown, and enrollment has grown, the diversity of the community has grown, that is not true today,” he said.

In “a collaborative decision between the superintendent and both principals,” Arganbright doesn’t think there’s a loser. “Certainly the positive is the fact that kids can go to their neighborhood school. I think that culturally, it’s good to have services like this in schools their size,” he said.

Schularick agrees. When asked about the downsides of this transition, she said, “The worst thing about this change is that we will be losing some very amazing, extremely special students. City is very lucky to be gaining this group of young adults”.

Despite being able to attend school in the neighborhood area, some current West High students may not want to switch, due to the personal connections they’ve made in their tenure at West.

What’s happened in the past, is that some kids didn’t request services because they didn’t want to be bused over here, and so we didn’t want to put kids in a position of choosing ‘do I ask for this support service and know I’m going to get bused, or do I deny myself them so I can stay in this school,” Arganbrignt said. However, he doesn’t think that’s a problem. “I think that once you get into a high school, you don’t want to change, and I think that some students and parents had a little anguish about that, and they’ve had the option of staying here if they want to,” he said.

“

The worst thing about this change is that we will be losing some very

amazing, extremely special students.”

-Anne Schularick

MAY 31 2013 NEWS 04

Bal {DESIGN BY MEREDITH CULLEN}

Duniya

BY APOORVA RAIKWAR

A family vacation in the fourth grade sparked an idea for young Anagha Chitnis ‘13. Chitnis and her parents visited Shradhanand Anathalaya, an orphanage in India, where she saw firsthand the poor conditions that the children were living in. While government regulations prohibited her from visiting the kids,what she was able to see taught her a very important lesson.

“It showed me how lucky I was and fortunate to have parents that could support and provide for me,” she said.

When her stay in India was over Chitnis headed back over to her home at the time in Washington determined to make a difference.

With the help of her father, she started the 501(c)3 charity Bal Duniya, meaning “Kid’s World” in Hindi. The mission of Bal Duniya is to “help underprivileged children across the world.”

The first event she organized was a garage sale with some neighborhood kids with which they donated half of their profit. But they wanted to raise more money. Make a bigger impact.

After making her charity known in the community, Chitnis was able to get various companies to sponsor her. In the summer of 2010, Chitnis and other

members of her charity put together a carwash to raise money for Bal Duniya.

Chitnis recalls this event as especially memorable.

“It was very encouraging because we were truly reaping the rewards. By doing physical work, you can see how [it] translates to help the children in need.”

Besides the car wash and garage sale, she has also fundraised through See’s Candy sales and company sponsors such as Kumon.

Over the past few years, Chitnis has raised over $5,000 for the orphanage and recalls how they respond.

“They have been very grateful for our support, especially because they run on government funds,” she said.

Chitnis has learned many things through her experience so far with Bal Duniya. She hopes to continue spreading her message to other kids.

“For the first time you learn to not take things for granted which is a harsh lesson, but I think it’s an important one.”

Be sure to check out the Bal Duniya website to learn more or donate: www.balduniya.com

PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION FROM//ANAGHA CHITNIS

Funds Raised:

$5,037 06 PROFILE MAY 31, 2013

Past Events:

Harvest Festival, Iowa.

Seattle Maharashtra Mandal Summer Book Sale.

See’s Candy Sale.

Remond Ridge car wash

At the Shradhanand Anathalaya Orphanage in Nagpur, India

Upcoming Events:

Summer Car Wash

Music around the world Students Uma Balakrishnan ’13, Daniel Gardarsson ’14, and Sarah Kang ’14 enjoy their own culture’s music.

{DESIGN BY MATTHEW MURRY}

BY REBECCA WEN

A look at the different types of music people around the world are listening to. From Icelandic alternative, Bollywood, to Korean pop, students at West are listening to more than just Taylor Swift.

Daniel Gardarsson ’14 Icelandic Music

On Icelandic Music: “I’ve lived in Iceland for 10 years. I’m Icelandic I want to support local artists.

[Icelandic music] is weirder for sure and some of the lyrics don’t make sense to a lot of people. The primary reason I do listen to it is because I enjoy the music and the lyrics are an added benefit.”

Favorite artists: “Of Monsters and Men, Sigur Ros, Sing Fang, Múm, and Seabear are my four favorite.”

Music for when I’m tired: “I listen to Seabear because their music is really relaxing.”

06 May 2013 FEATURE

Uma Balakrishnan ’13 Bollywood Music

On Bollywood music: “I’m Indian. So I guess I’ve just grown up with Bollywood music around me. My cousins in India definitely give me lots of music. My favorite type of music is indie rock, I guess I like it because there is a diverse spectrum of good vocals, lyrics, and instruments.”

Favorite artists: “Asha Bhosle and A.R. Rahman are really popular overall.”

Favorite songs: “Tere Bina from the movie Guru, Maahi Ve from Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Jashn-e-Bahaara from Jodhaa Akbar.”

Sarah Kang ’14 K-Pop

On Kpop: “I started listening to kpop in 7th grade.

I was at my grandma’s house and she has some Korean channels on cable. I watched an episode of the drama Boys Before Flowers and I really liked the drama and the music so I looked up the songs. The first artist I found was SHINee (pronounced like ‘shiny’).”

Favorite artist: Super Junior Song for when I’m happy: Beautiful by Beast.

Song for motivation: Dream High from the drama Dream High.

Cultural assimilation

By Matthew Murry and Rebecca Wen

{DESIGN BY MEREDITH CULLEN}

Many students at West have grown up locally, either in Iowa or its surrounding states. But a few West High students have experienced cultures far different than the one we live in now. From Chile to South Africa, The MARM set out to see how how different cultures compare and what five West High students have to say about this.

Rather than tailgating during a Hawkeye game, Gaby Pitcher ‘14 of Johannesburg, South Africa, grew up watching sports like rugby, cricket, netball, and squash. When she moved to the U.S. in seventh grade though, Pitcher was shocked by the many differences between the United States and South Africa.

“In South Africa, labor was very cheap and we had a full time maid who lived with us and a gardener. This was very common,” she said.

While this may make it seem like life in South Africa was luxury, Pitcher explained that the situation in Johannesburg was far from a fairytale.

“There were a lot of social problems in the country and my parents couldn’t see a future for my brother and me if we stayed,” Pitcher said.

And truly, the security in South Africa was quite unique. “ My house had a 10 foot wall with an electric fence around the perimeter, a large metal gate, and cameras on the outside. Inside, we had an alarm system, slam-lock metal gates that separated different living quarters, and fortified doors,” she said. “The safety

08 FEATURE MAY 31, 2012

measures we took were nothing out of the ordinary.”

The crime and turmoil in South Africa has remained as a vivid memory with her. Pitcher, who grew up speaking Afrikaans and British english, explained her difficulties.

“It was a lot easier to change how I spoke and what words I used than to have to explain to every person I talked to about how many times we had been robbed and how much I missed my family. A lot of the time, people seemed far more interested in what I sounded like than what I was saying,” she said.

But ultimately, Pitcher felt her move to the States was worth it.

“U.S.A. offers many educational opportunities and is a far more equal environment,” she said.

Pitcher also added that she appreciates the freedom, holidays, and pre-made cookie dough.

Similar to Pitcher,Yannik Encarnação ‘14 has really grown to appreciate the United States, but he also had a lot to say about the situation in which he grew up.

“In Germany, it’s a lot more isolated,”

said Encarnação. “People are more to themselves and traditional about everything. You see people doing traditions that date back to their great grandparents. But here in America, there’s always new trends happening where every generation has their own way of doing things.”

Having moved to the United States at eight, Encarnação grew up living both cultures.When asked if they conflicted, he responded “Not really. It’s kind of cool, because you can use both of

them.”

Sofia Mendoza ‘14, who came from Chile in 2001, thinks otherwise. “I think there’s a little bit of conflict,” she said. “Especially when it comes to social aspects, because I think that making friends there is a lot easier than it is here. Since it’s not very individual and people aren’t as focused on themselves, people are more outside, doing more activities. It’s more competitive here.”

Mendoza thinks that American competitiveness has both good and bad aspects.

“The US’s economy is way better off than some countries in South America.

People there, since the lifestyle is so different, there [isn’t as much emphasis] on work as much,” she said.

Yet, the relaxed Chilean lifestyle also has its merits, “People need to teach kids that work [isn’t so important]; it’s also good to enjoy your life,” Mendoza said.

Unlike Mendoza, Ji-Eun Choi ‘13, believes the United States is very relaxed compared to where she was

is from. Choi was born and raised in South Korea, but she left in 2008 to learn English in the United States.

Her parents and two younger siblings said farewell to Korea, but they never thought the United States would become a home to them.

“My family was planning to live here for just one year, but it just happened to be longer,” Choi said.

After five years in Iowa, Choi is now fluent in English and has gained a lot of confidence in herself. When it comes to school, Choi prefers the U.S., shocked by “how willing teachers are in classes to let students speak. They actually encourage their participation as opposed to plain lecture.”

She also adds that, “in Korea it’s considered rude if you make really strong eye contact with people older than you or those with authority but here actually you have to make eye contact every time. It was hard for me to adjust but now i’m used to making eye contact.”

Unlike Choi, Barbara Badovinac

‘16 has been living in the US from the time she was crawling around in a diaper.

And although she looks like an average American, Badovinac speaks fluent Serbian and returns to Serbia every summer.

Badovinac also feels somewhat required to change her behavior when in the United States. Like Choi, Badovinac is used to behaving differently towards elders.

“I’m more formal to people their [in Serbia], because you just need to be like that for adults,” Badovinac said.

She sees Serbian culture as less friendly too. “In Serbia, if they don’t know you they don’t even acknowledge you.” For her, the United States is “welcoming and makes you want to talk to people and get to know people more.”

Each culture has their many advantages and disadvantages, but the greatest thing that these West High students have learned from their circumstances is appreciation.

“People don’t appreciate what they have.

From the miracle that is snow to feeling comfortable letting your kids walk to school,” Pitcher said.

MAY 31, 2012 FEATURE 09

France

Voyage en

{DESIGN BY APOORVA RAIKWAR}

BY MEREDITH CULLEN Traveling to a foreign country is hard, major adjustment for the students.

“I think it was difficult [...] to adapt there’s no way to get around that fact no matter how much you research tra- to the city. [...] The technical stuff, like ditions and cultural differences. This how to use the metro, was easier to difficulty became reality for nine stu- get use to; but it’s the behavioral sense dents and two teachers at West High where we struggled. We had to learn not to smile, when they talk, or even traveled to As Iowans, we tend to France over make eye spring break. converse with random contact with strangers or “The hardpeople all the time we would be est part was wherever we go so it was [...] a target just how diffor pickferent everydifficult for our group to p o c k e t er s. thing was, adjust.” [...] We had especially -Elizabeth Yang ‘14 to remind because we ourselves speak difconstantly to ferent languages,” said Jasmine Roghair ‘14. not stare at people and keep our heads “It was [...] hard to communicate down. As Iowans, we tend to converse with everyone and in the stores [...] with random people all the time wherthey would switch to English and ever we go, so it was difficult for our I’d [say], ‘Oh well, I tried.’ But it group to adjust.” Elizabeth Yang ‘14.

According to the students, the cultural was hard to communicate with the host family. A lot of ‘Franglish’ and differences were more apparent in the hand gestures.” said Katie Mons ‘14 family stay. Hannah Merrill ‘14 said, “I Besides the language barrier, be- got to experience the culture in France havioral differences proved to be a more during the family stay, especially

“

10 FEATURE MAY 31 2013

at school and during meals.”

The students spent one week with various families in the south of France.

They lived their families’ normal days, spending time at the local high schools, going to after-school activities, and eating meals together. Besides the initial scariness of the situation, all the students loved the experience.

Ruolu Liu ‘13 said the opportunity was, “[T]he best thing I’ve ever done. Every single part of this trip was amazing and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.”

“The best part of the trip was probably the family stay, just because it was so cool to meet kids my age at school in France and be able to experience living with another family in another country. My family was really nice and liked to practice English with me, just as I liked to practice my French with them,” said Merrill.

The family stay was not an easy breeze for everyone, according to Abigail Brown ‘14, “[It] was more difficult because it was hard to know the vocab[ulary] to talk about politics or the news like I

HER P I TC BY /G A

pants, sweat pants, or t-shirts out in public like you do here,” said Yang.

Yang pointed out the differences in greetings also. She explained, “The French greet each other with kisses on the cheek known as a ‘bisoux’.

We had to figure out if it’s left cheek first [or] right cheek (it’s right cheek, left cheek) and who we should bisoux with. We got use to it after a while.”

Liu added that the kisses are, “So much cooler than waves and handshakes.”

Besides the cultural differences and difficulties adjusting to French lifestyle, the students only said positive things about the experience. “This was the best thing I’ve ever done. Every single part of this trip was amazing and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” said Liu.

BY /

“Meals in France are very important and dinner lasted much longer than it does for my family. There were several courses, including the cheese course at the end where my host family would bring out a plate with at least five different kinds of cheeses to choose from.

The meals were also later. Dinner was around [8 p.m.] and right afterwards we would go to bed,” said Merrill.

“The food was good because they [...] took the time to make sure everything would be good. Having dessert every night also adds to my adoration. And macarons. I’d take a macaron over that sketchy cookie place in the mall any day,” said Liu. “The best part about the French lifestyle was the food because the French eat healthy but really good at the same time. The macrons were amazing,” agreed Brown.

Another cultural difference, the fashion in France, also took the students by surprise.

“French people are very fashionable. Even all the toddlers have stylish clothing. Literally everyone is dressed with style. You don’t see yoga

AR T

would with an American family.”

Yang described the differences at high school. “The French schools have very different block schedules. They have two hour lunches [when] students go out shopping or eat at a cafe or restaurant, multiple 15 minute breaks during school, and it ends around 5 p.m. Also the students always stand up when the teacher comes in the classroom, I guess out of respect, and have to wait until the teacher says they can sit back down.”

A big adjustment for the students was the smoking culture in France. “[Almost] everyone in France smokes; it’s so common. The legal smoking age there is 16 so at school we would see kids smoking out in public all the time, even kids as young as 14,” said Yang.

Roghair agreed when she described, “A lot of people smoke at cafe[s and] most stores close at [7 p.m.] and most restaurants don’t open until [7:00 P.M.]. They are also a lot quieter.”

Food was a huge part of French culture. The students enjoyed the experience of trying new foods. Escargots (snails) and macarons made a big impression on this group of students.

MAY 31 2013 FEATURE 11

{DESIGNED BY REBECCA WEN}

Best Burgers In Town

BY MATT MURRY

Two Dogs Pub - $9.99

Hamburg Inn - $8.29

Having been born in Wisconsin, I’ve come to appreciate cheese. So when I ordered the “Say Cheese”, a burger topped with American, cheddar, swiss, pepper jack, and battered Wisconsin Cheese Curds, I suppose you could say I was excited. After only a short wait, the burger came. Piled high with said cheeses, a slice of tomato, and crisp lettuce, it exploded with flavor in every bite. There was not only a plethora flavors, but textures. The smooth cheeses, crisp vegetables, juicy patty, and the audible crunch of curds made this burger an instant favorite.

Although Two Dogs is located on the other side of town, if you’re looking for a unique spin on an american classic, this pub is well worth the journey.

The quintessential American diner, The Hamburg Inn No.2 has been catering to downtown Iowa City for over 60 years, since the first one burned down.

Not only a hotbed for traveling politicians such as Obama or Regan, the No. 2 is the place for homestyle food. Prized for their hearty breakfasts, pie shakes, and burgers, I decided to see what all the buzz was about. In line with the American theme, I opted for their “bacon cheeseburger”. The burger, piled high with crunchy lettuce, juicy tomato, was smothered in a layer of American cheese and topped with applewood smoked bacon.

The bun, although soggy at the bottom, served well as a vessel to deliver the delectable combination of meats, cheeses and veggies. With two sides of your choice included in the price, the ‘Burg offers a great meal at a reasonable price.

Shorts Burger and Shine $8.99

Stella - $8.99 Owned by the same people as Shorts, Stella offers a similar menu, but a different atmosphere. Their spacious booths and parking make it a much more accessible restaurant. I ordered “The Beaconsfield” - A delicious combination of bacon, cheddar cheese, and BBQ sauce. Before the first bite, I knew it would be messy. Sauce comes out of the back of the burger with each bite, making napkins not an option but a necessity. But this burger was well worth the mess. The sharp cheddar cheese and bacon cut through the smooth BBQ sauce like a hot knife through butter.

The delicious mixture of sweet, sharp, and smoky made this burger unique.

Although every bite was a constant struggle to preserve my white shirt, Stella’s “Beaconsfield” is a challenge worth tackling.

PHOTOS BY // MATT MURRY

Originally built as a shoeshine stop in 1920, “Shorts” has been revived as an innovative burger bar since former West High student Nate Kaeding co-founded it. Their selection, which includes every burger you could think of and even some you couldn’t, is unmatched. I chose the “Maynard”, with avocado, bacon, and garlic aioli.

The aioli cut through the creamy avocado with every bite. The bacon, fried to crispy perfection not only offered unique taste, but also texture.

And the burger. Short’s prides itself for its beef. Less than 30 miles from the restaurant, 100% corn fed angus beef is raised and shipped to Short’s fresh, never frozen. This dedication to meat quality was obvious from the first bite. Imagine a juicy patty, cooked to order, topped with bacon, fresh tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce, and encased in a fresh baked bun. Pair that with some savory hand cut fries, and you’ve got a burger joint second to none.

REVIEW MAY 31, 2012 12

Sensible

COMPILED BY//MATTHEW MURRY

For years, downtown Iowa City has prided itself on both urban feel and spacious accessibility. In 2010, Iowa City landed #2 on Forbes Magazine’s list of “Best Small Places For Business And Careers.” The downtown area is so highly acclaimed not because of it’s domineering skyline, but rather its ability to make residents feel both urban and unconstrained.

Marc Moen’s new project, “The Chauncey” does not help the downtown area. On the contrary, this new development, likely to continue as planned, hurts downtown Iowa City.

Its unprecedented number of stories would dominate the skyline, sticking out like a sore thumb in a section of the city whose buildings rarely surpass three or four.

The first problem with this proposed development is sustainability. The city council, after some of the worst climate conditions to hit Iowa in the past few years, decided to not pick the most environmentally friendly option.

The proposed “4zero4” building would have had Platinum LEED certification, 1,300 photovoltaic panels, and a New Pioneer Co-Op. Despite this, city planners chose a less environmentally friendly and less accommodating building.

Many members of Trinity Episcopal, the church across the street, rely on the Chauncey Swan Ramp. Moen’s proposed development does not provide adequate parking services to its residents and office floors. The developer’s misconception that Trinity members would only need parking on Sunday mornings is far from the truth. Trinity members use the building daily, in

{DESIGN BY MEREDITH CULLEN}

Skyline?

numing to a much taller building bers that would necessitate more parkcode,CB-10, sets a dangerous ing slots than allotted. But why don’t precedent. It sends a message that they just find another parking garage any lot is up and walk? for grabs.

This seems Should the Chauncey By rezoning like a decent this propsolution, building be built in erty, who’s right? Trinto say that Downtown Iowa City? ity’s high more won’t population follow in its of elderly footsteps? people, esGiven that pecially in this propicy Iowa erty winters, is a would beg to

0-4

The Marm staff voted in opposition differ. of building in Downtown Iowa City.

In addition to the parking woes that The Chaunctransition beey would bring to Trinity, the new tween metro and developments proposed height would residential, is cast a considerable shadow upon the nothing off limbuilding across Gilbert St. The beautiits? ful, east-facing stained glass windows, Admittedly, urwhen illuminated by the morning sun, ban sprawl could are in integral part of many parishioners’ worship. A development such as be worse. To disThe Chauncey would not affect every place all of the weekly service, depending on the time people that this of year, but would still exercise consid- lot could house erable force on Trinity’s light when it would create a does. After recent renovations, Trin- more expensive, ity has earned LEED certification, but less environmenfriendly might have to install additional lighting tally than to compensate for the loss of natural situation before.

But this sunlight.

Furthermore, the proposed rezon- specific de-

velopment is not the best option. This lot serves as a transition from downtown to residential, where commercial sectors meet housing. A building that would dwarf most other Iowa City structures is not suitable for this place of transition. Yes, downtown must grow, but not in this way. City planners need to focus on projects that can bring affordable workforce housing to many residents, not just flashy high rise buildings whose prices are far above the ranges of middle class families.

Despite numerous problems in this development, it is far enough in the process where it will most likely pass. Hopefully, we’ll be wrong. Hopefully this building will bring economic, and cultural growth to downtown Iowa City.

But if it doesn’t, City Council members must be more careful in their plans for the future.

MAY 31, 2012 EDITORIAL 13

Lacking Worth in Work

BY REBECCA WEN

Ten AP classes, five SAT subject tests, a silver cord, and countless swimming medals won’t guarantee you a ticket into the college of your dreams.

Really, Stanford is “humbled by your talents and achievements,” but this year there are just too many applicants. Farewell to dreams of socializing with immaculate Ivy league students and meeting your true love between the bookshelves of the medical school library.

The nights you fell asleep on your textbooks and woke up a few hours

later for school could have been replaced with movie marathons, pool parties, or whatever else makes you happy. If happiness is the greatest goal in life, why spend K-12 sitting through insignificant classes, brute force memorizing terms, and stressing over ridiculous projects? Especially if all that work only leads to four more years of work?

And depending on what college you attend, those four years might not pay off. If they don’t, maybe you’ll end up with a desk job, worrying about college debt and only dreaming about nice food and vacations. But let’s be optimistic and say your work does ‘pay off.’You’ll go to graduate school reading textbooks for another four years!

By now, you’re nearly thirty. Where did your youth go? Your school years were spent unhappily, save for holiday breaks and occasional school festivi-

ties. But at least you have a diploma. A bachelor’s in psychology, M.D., Ph.D., and a fancy school name, are perhaps guarantees to bring in the money.

So after a few more years with an unsteady job, you’ve paid off your debt, and are ready to work some more.

But really though, the money is just growing in the bank while you stitch up someone’s leg, remove something here, and replace something there.

Your grey hairs are growing too.

Why do we work so hard when we are young while we could be having so much fun? We work to simply work more when we are old, and while sometimes it is meaningful and can bring us fulfillment, oftentimes, we plunder along unhappily.

Instead, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone took things a little slower and stopped to think of the reason they are spending time on things they don’t en-

{DESIGN BY MATT MURRY}

joy? That way, perhaps we could enjoy life before it slips away from us.

Finishing my Lunch

BY APOORVA RAIKWAR

This year, I have been able to finish every single item in my lunch on multiple occasions. This may seem unimportant but it’s a well known fact that I am a very slow eater. In previous years, I was able to get through about three and a half carrots only to have the bell ring, signaling the end of lunch. My slow eating habits arise from the fact that I spend much more time talking than actually eating. So the fact that I’m finishing my lunch can only mean one thing-I’m talking less.

This is probably due to the fact that nearly everyone I eat lunch with is either snap chatting, playing 4 pics 1 word, catching up on the latest episode of Doctor Who, or search14 OPINION MAY 2013

ing online for the answers to the AP Chemistry lab due that day while I sit across from them staring at the wall and quietly eating my hummus and pita chips.

Every once in awhile, one of them will acknowledge my presence.

“Yo. Can I have a pita chip?” to which I respond with a cheery “Sure!”

Even though I really don’t want to give them my pita chip, I hand it over because at least they’re saying something to me.

I remember the good old days when my friends and I would actually talk during lunch to each other. Not to ourselves. Since junior high, the number of students at West High who own smart phones has grown exponentially. Along with it, social awkwardness.

For example, whenever you meet someone new at school, it’s normal to exchange numbers. When I remember to tell people that, “Oh! By the way I don’t have texting so you have to call me!”, their responses range from an awkward laugh to, “So wait, I have to call you?”. What they’re really trying

to say is Well I might as well just delete her number now. I understand.

There are few people that I am able to have a comfortable conversation over the phone with anymore. Usually, it’s pretty awkward. *cell phone rings* Crap, who’s calling me. “ Uh, hello?”

“Uh. *awkward laugh* Hi.” “Wait, uh, who is this.”

Can she not recognize my voice?

“Uh, Apoorva?”

“Oh haha. Okay....So uh, what’s up?”

“So, uh, I’m going to-” “Wait what? Hello?”

What? I didn’t even finish my sentence. “Haha I said I’m going to the mall today.”

“Uh, okay.” “............uh, so I was, uh, wondering if you, uh, wanted to come too?”

“Uh, sure. Haha.” Why did I just laugh?

Why did she just laugh? “Uh, okay.

See you there...I guess.”

“Cool.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah.”

“Uh, bye.”

“Yeah.”

Unfortunately, the number of “uh’s” in this fictional conversation is pretty realistic.

So what has the increased used of smart phones done to us? Made us more socially awkward than ever.

Including me. I probably say the word awkward at least 34 times a day.

Maybe more. And I don’t even have a smartphone.

Is it worth it?

BY MATT MURRY

Long distance volunteering is controversial to say the least. I often wonder if paying for an expensive plane ticket, going to a country where the language isn’t your first, and working for a week is worth the money. Not to say that there were no benefits, but was it maximized? Would it, in other words, be more helpful to just ‘send the money’?

I should explain my musings.

Every year, my mother and I travel to El Salvador for a week.

We work with a group of eyecare professionals who perform surgeries, consultations, and give out prescription glasses. And

every year, I wonder if it was worthwhile. Yes, the clinic saw thousands of people. Yes, we gave sight to people who otherwise would not have had it. But were the thousands of dollars spent to put me there offset by the work I did? I don’t know.

Every year, I struggled with these thoughts. The plane ticket was thousands. Hotel, food, and personal expenses added up.

Did I help that much? Would all of that money do more as a donation? I wasn’t a doctor, or a nurse. I spoke a limited amount of Spanish. All I could offer was physical labor, something that the local populace had no shortage of. I wondered if I should stop, and donate the money that it took to put me there. Was I doing this work for the good of the world, or was it just a glorified vacation, where the money spent to put me there would have been better used elsewhere?

After all, people need help here, too. People in our own backyards need a helping hand. Who am I to

Lost in Translation

BY MEREDITH CULLEN

Growing up in Iowa City my whole life, I’ve only been surrounded by typical American culture and Midwestern values. I love traveling, as many others can relate to if we get the opportunity to venture outside our comfort zones, but I’ve never had the privilege of really immersing myself in a whole new culture.

That all changed when I signed up for the Iowa City West High French trip. When I signed up I only thought of climbing the Eiffel Tower and eating escargots under the Parisian sky with my friends. The scariest part, thinking of how much the family stay portion would drown me in a new culture 15 OPINION MAY 2013

with nobody American to hold on to, still seemed to hang back in my mind.

Little did I realize, I was worrying for nothing.

The first song I heard playing on the radio was Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop.”

I had to do a double-take when I was sitting in the car. Hmm, that’s weird, I remember thinking to myself. But I blew it off thinking maybe the French had a weird fascination with rapping gingers. I had noticed many weirder things about French people that this did not stick out in my mind.

The next day, however, my host sister asked me if I wanted to go to “MacDo” (what the French call McDonald’s).

I replied, “Non, merci. Je n’aime pas MacDo,” trying to kindly decline while hiding my disgust for a Big Mac. She immediately stopped and gasped.

After some exchanging of French that I could barely understand, I learned she loves McDonald’s and she eats there with her older sister all the time.

What? I thought. The croissant-loving, skinny, model-looking French love McDonald’s? I couldn’t believe what I had learned, and nor could she. We

prioritize one over another?

Then I came to a conclusion.

Volunteering isn’t just about what you can do for other people. It’s not about the hours, the time or the money. It’s about what you can do for humanity. Not just for persons thousands of miles away, but for yourself. Long distance volunteering has a reduced efficiency, but brings not only good to its recipients, but an increased sense of cultural awareness to the volunteers.

Volunteering isn’t just about the people you help. It’s about how it changes YOU as a person. It has the enormous potential to make you a better, more self-aware human being. Every year, when I get home from El Salvador, I see my home in a different light.

After traveling through a country stricken by poverty and crime, and working with the people native to that land, I always develop a greater appreciation for what I have. The most basic amenities that we oftentimes take for granted are not present in such third world

countries. Developed roads, actual infrastructure, and universal access to clean and drinkable water aren’t often available. Every time I drove, used a public service, or drank water out of the tap, I became more thankful for what I had.

Oftentimes we get caught up in the hectic-ness of our lives. We stress over things that are completely insignificant in the grand scheme of life. We get caught up with who’s in your prom group, what your friday night plans, or who’s got the newest phone, when in actuality, those things are nominal at best.

Instead, our society needs to be thankful. We have public employees that are incorruptible, access to healthcare, and safe food and water. Long distance volunteering, despite the reduced cost/benefit ratio in comparison to local volunteering, has provided me with a more enlightened outlook on life.

spent hours conversing on this subject, but I was still as shocked as I was when I first learned of this astonishing news.

I got over my grief until the next day when she took me to lunch with her friends. I was feeling pretty good about my much-improved French skills. I was so excited to utilize these skills and converse with her friends, while hopefully impressing them at the same time. We all started talking, and my confidence dwindled down as they stared at me more and more after each sentence. My French was a wreck! They knew it, but they were kind enough to encourage me to speak English. I felt miserable, so I immediately switched. Sinking me further into the ground of misery, I found out they understood my English, but not my French.

Talking to more of the students, I learned how fascinated they are with American movies and television shows. They don’t necessarily know what is going on all the time on screen, but the plot and characters still intrigue them.

Through my experience, while think-

ing I would be immersed in French culture, I found myself learning how Americanized everything was. Here I was, wanting to divulge in macarons, listen to French techno music, and wear their “military-chic” clothing.

Instead, I was surrounded by fast food, American pop and Nike sneakers.

When I returned back, so happy to be surrounded by normal accents and grammatically-correct English, I started reflecting on everything I had learned abroad. What I had experienced of French culture fascinated me.

Why then, had the French adopted everything American? I don’t think there’s anything special about our culture. In fact, it’s unusual to come across someone who doesn’t look like Kristen Stewart when they’re acting, or actually care about how they dress.

It is too bad then, they way our culture is influencing everyone else around the world. There are so many unique areas of the world with their own diverse culture and language. It’s important to conserve those aspects of the world, so in the future not everyone will be a stereotypical American.

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