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LETTE R FROM OU R E D ITOR as written by Victoria Rodriguez
photo by Benjamin Lee
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ne thing is certain: Medley looks different this semester. Designers experimented with white space, and writers drafted creative nonfiction pieces. Look to the right, and you may not recognize all the names on the masthead this time around. This issue is all about change. We share stories about individuals who use their voices to challenge social norms, like the students advocating for safer communities on college campuses nationwide (14) and the girls embracing their natural hair texture despite European beauty standards (20). And if you want your voice to matter in spaces like national politics, consider casting your ballot (2). I’m a sophomore, and already college has taught me that change is inevitable. This semester and this issue only prove that more times than not, change can be a good thing. Had Medley not taken a chance on its new staff members and mixed the old with the new, this issue would not have reached its full potential. I’m glad to say it did.
staff editor-in-c hief Victoria Rodriguez c r eat iv e dir ector Catherine Ann Mazzocchi adv isor Emma Voigt execut iv e editor Tory Russo manag ing editor Danielle Roth editor-at-l ar g e Johnny Rosa senior editors Natsumi Ajisaka Paige Kelly assistant editor Erica Petz w r it ers Mehak Ali Charlotte Balogh Ben Farr Emily Magnifico de sig ners Kyle Drumheller Danielle LaRose Joey Marion execut iv e photo g rapher Genevieve Pilch photo g raphers Benjamin Lee Joey Marion
front & back cover photo by Genevieve Pilch featured cover model Nina Bracey featured back cover model Caroline Colvin
publ ic r el at ions dir ector Seth Gilgus publ ic r el at ions asso c iat e s Joephy Fung Amanda Rothenberg
medley magazine
Your Vote Matters Prove the statistics wrong and vote — page 2 Voluntourist Trap Choose programs that help communities abroad — page 3
Roamin’ Holiday Get lost in an Italian adventure — page 16
Mission Briefing Uncover a restaurant with a rich history — page 5
My Hair, My Story Hear students’ thoughts on beauty standards — page 20
Flowers in a Dark Room Recognize the scope of youth violence in Syracuse — page 7
Spice’s Bazaar Take in Istanbul’s premier spices — page 24
The Other Dome Experience the independent music scene off campus — page 10
Medley shares stories from our campus, our city, and our globe that explore the intersection of cultures from a socially conscious perspective. The magazine publishes once a semester with funding from your Syracuse University student fee. All contents of the publication are copyright Spring 2016 by their respective creators. 1
Academic Outcry Educate yourself about the country’s campus protests — page 14
12/12/2012 6:53 a.m. Remember a senior’s discovery of Florence — page 12
Up, Up, and Abroad Plan for your dream semester — page 26 Summer ‘Cuse Stay for the sunny side of Syracuse — page 27 Abroad Mood Board Get a snapshot of life abroad from SU students — page 28
image by Joey Marion
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YO U R V O T E M AT T E R S f e e l f r e e t o a dd yo ur t wo c e n t s as written by Paige Kelly & Natsumi Ajisaka image by Danielle LaRose
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he 2016 presidential election has brought the rise of Donald Trump, an endless supply of Ted Cruz memes, and the nailbiting showdown between Sanders and Hillary Clinton. The one gift it hasn’t delivered is the elusive youth vote. In 2014, voter turnout dipped across the board, hitting a new low within young voters. Only about 40 percent of eligible voters ages 18 to 29 voted in the 2012 election, compared to 70 percent of those ages 60 and up. Despite a surge in the 2008 elections, voters ages 18 to 29 tend to have the lowest voter turnout of any other age group in the country. The most common explanation is that voters believe their votes don’t count. Break those numbers down further, and that low turnout translates into class, race, and income level gaps. Disproportionately, missing eligible voters are poor or working-class people of color. Those disparities reveal more places where underrepresented voters have dipped out and, if boosted, could lead to drastically different policy directions. In the 2015 report “Why Voting Matters: Large Disparities in Turnout Benefit the Donor,” public policy organization Demos compares political opinions between voters
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and nonvoters to find the viewpoints that go missing when eligible voters fail to show up. In general, nonvoters were more progressive, supporting policies “more supportive of policies that help lower-income Americans and those with less opportunity due to institutional and interpersonal racism.” Meanwhile, the same types of voters — white, educated, and affluent — are coming out to the polls, skewing which demographics get represented in Congress.
However, Shana Gadarian, an assistant political science professor in the Maxwell School, stresses that voting may not be worthwhile for everyone because it is costly for some to vote, in both time and money. “People who participate are more highly educated, more white; they’re richer and they know more about politics than people who don’t participate. And therefore they have significantly different preferences over things like the size and scope of government,”
“ Meanwhile, the same types of voters
— white, educated, and affluent — are
coming out to the polls, skewing which
demographics get represented in Congress.” In 2014, over 76 percent of the voters were white. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voter turnout is highest in people with advanced degrees and those who earn an average salary of over $150,000 a year. Meanwhile, the average U.S. household income is $51,939, according to the Census Bureau 2013 Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Clinton in particular has pursued the emerging black, brown, and female vote, with mixed results.
Gadarian says. “Democracy is about the voice of a people as a whole.” Older voters who do show up at the polls tend to be more conservative, while younger voters tend to be more liberal, according to the Pew Research Center. Whatever trends might dictate, the election in November will be decided by those who turn up to polling stations and cast their vote.
medley magazine
VOLU NTOU R I ST TRAP d oe s vol un t e e r i ng a b r oa d h e l p or h a r m ? as written by Emily Magnifico
Voluntourism, traveling abroad to volunteer, has an annual net worth of
$173 BILLION according to StudentMarketing, a youth travel research and intelligence consultancy.
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“Rarely does merely providing handouts to a community aid the economy. On the flip side, it potentially aids in its destruction by limiting the need for inter-community commerce.”
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blank spot on a resume and a crisis in an underdeveloped country; for someone with the means to do so, the trend of voluntourism presents the opportunity to not only bolster that experience section but to try to make a positive impact. But before booking that plane ticket, take a second to stop and make sure that the community’s not actually receiving more harm than good in the process. Voluntourism, traveling abroad to volunteer, has an annual net worth of $173 billion, according to StudentMarketing, a youth travel research and intelligence consultancy. Given this, it’s no surprise that voluntourism appeals to organizations more concerned with making a profit than aiding the community. In Cambodia, the United Nation’s Children’s Fund found nearly three out of four children in the country’s orphanages actually had one living parent. These kids were being separated from their families for the sake of exploiting the wallets of misguided—yet assumably well-meaning—tourists.
Often, community rebuilding projects do little but steal jobs from skilled locals and replace them with unskilled and outsourced labor. And the list of ethical and practical issues doesn’t end there. Dara Kok, the current service and philanthropy director for Syracuse’s Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity, speaks first hand on the difficulty of many voluntourism ventures. “Any volunteering involving child care often just isn’t helpful,” she says. “It would be so much better to just donate money toward giving the children a steady teacher instead of these programs that bring in a new, and often under-qualified, teacher every few weeks.” This ultimately leads to an inadequate education, as lessons are constantly stopping, restarting, or being abandoned altogether. Some organizations promise to rebuild communities that are either affected by poverty or disaster, and don’t always draw from the local infrastructure. Even The Red Cross has been accused of this. An NPR report from 2015 revealed their propensity for overpaying foreign
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workers that perform minimal work. With this in mind, it’s important to inquire as to where the supplies and labor force for these projects are coming from. Locally sourced supplies help build the local economy and provide jobs for skilled craftsman. Rarely does merely providing handouts to a community aid the economy. On the flip side, it potentially aids in its destruction by limiting the need for inter-community commerce. In order to make the most positive impact, a prospective volunteer should place the utmost importance on researching any organizations under consideration. Inquire about an organization’s long term goals as a judge of character. If they can’t discuss the parameters of their developmental plan and future goals for their project then they probably don’t have one. Kok, who spent 12 weeks abroad working on various projects in Costa Rica, advises looking into a program’s itinerary right away. When an organization only allows its volunteers to work for a limited amount of time and on limited projects it can impede them from making any real progress. She suggests that programs with a little less structure and with a wider array of tasks to be accomplished often allow its volunteers to provide the most assistance to the community. Fortunately, plenty of resources exist for those unsure of how to find reputable programs. Sites like GoAbroad.com offer prospective volunteers a platform to find programs and access reviews from alumni to make sure that they’re making the right decision. GoAbroad verifies various programs, signifying to potential volunteers that the 4
organization conforms to a “high standard of business practices and provides exceptional international programs,” based on both positive reviews and interviews with the Go Abroad staff and past alumni. However, for those still concerned over whether their work will help or harm, Kok suggests looking for organizations offering more straightforward work. “I spent two weeks in Monte Verde, Costa Rica on a coffee farm picking and planting coffee beans,” she says. “Projects like that are great because they don’t really have too many harmful effects, and if anything a deficit in labor means they need more help.” While a little careful planning and research can insure that a venture abroad brings positive aid to a community in need, it’s important to remember that opportunities to volunteer exist locally. While the temptation to travel in an globalising society may present a unique opportunity to do some good and see the world, sometimes the places most in need of help are located just around the corner.
“ W hen an organization only allows its volunteers to work for a limited amount of time and on limited projects, it can impede them from making any real progress.”
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M I SS ION B R I E FI NG a b l a n d r e d b ui l di ng p l ay s h o s t t o f o od, r e b e l l ion , a n d h i s t or y as written by Natsumi Ajisaka photos by Genevieve Pilch
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he Mission, a former site for fighting slavery and sin, continuously stands by the intersection of Onondaga and Jefferson Streets, on Columbus Circle in downtown Syracuse. A “Restaurant” sign sits above the wooden double doors, sometimes covered by sprigs of ivy that creep up every spring. Long-legged metal chicken sculptures line the sidewalk next to the restaurant. Inside, owner and chef, Steve Morrison chops onions in the back kitchen and slides the diced pieces across the wooden cutting board. In a crisp, white short-sleeved shirt, he moves around the kitchen with ease, no movement wasted as he preps for the day. The building was once a Wesleyan Methodist Churchturned-Underground Railroad stop, part of an abolitionist community in a Syracuse that stormed the police office and rescued a captured fugitive slave. It’s now a Pan-American restaurant that serves burritos in tender tortillas, tapas, and huevos rancheros. Most nights, bustling dinnertime crowds sit close in wooden chairs under a blazing blue ceiling. The clay-and-dirt tunnel that used to shelter escaping slaves still runs beneath the restaurant floor. In the 1840s, Methodists were
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splitting from the Methodist Episcopal Church, no longer able to stomach slave-owning preachers in the South, nor the Church’s tepid stance on slavery. They needed more, so they sought it in themselves and formed their own churches. The Syracuse Wesleyan Methodist Church opened in 1843 in the building now occupied by The Mission. The church’s main business was prayer and abolition as the central depot in New York on the Underground Railroad. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 demanded federal officials help slave catchers. Syracuse stopped complying with the law by 1852. The Wesleyan Methodists closed ranks — slave catchers were no longer welcome. Breaking slavery law was a well-established community activity. Luther Lee, the first pastor of the Syracuse Wesleyan Church, was suspended from the Methodist Church in 1838 for preaching against slavery. He later posted his own address, admitted to helping 30 slaves escape in the previous month, and invited arrest since his abolitionist friends would be willing to level the jail to the ground “before the next morning” anyway. Children’s books like to portray the North as a shining star of
freedom, but no slave was free until they crossed into Canada. They could be dragged back at any point before then. Syracuse, with its militant abolitionists, remained the crucial endpoint. “Into this uncertainty, runaway slaves streamed with the hope for freedom, and it is against hope, fear, and uncertainty that the record of the abolition movement in Syracuse stands out,” write Douglas Armstrong and LouAnn Wurst in their archaeological study of the tunnel. The North didn’t promise much more freedom than the South. Antiblackness was rampant in Ohio and other places in the North, and trust was a luxury. Yet, “history shows that arrival in Syracuse meant freedom,” Armstrong and Wurst write. The Mission’s dining room retains the narrow rectangular space of the old Methodist meeting hall. A well-stocked bar with Lagunitas, Dos Equis, and Great Lakes beer on tap lines the north wall. The tunnel below takes a sharp turn to the side before continuing on a straight path so that from the entrance, it appears to be a deadend. The design most likely kept voices and light from spilling out into the open air. It leads into a small clearing with a coal furnace
and a ledge cut from the wall, where archaeologists believe slaves rested and warmed themselves. Fugitive Act supporters invited Senator Daniel Webster to speak in May 1851, during which he threatened everyone with a metaphorical pitchfork and the fullest extent of the law. He promised those who defied the Act at the next anti-slavery convention would be prosecuted. Five months after Webster’s open threat, the only slave to ever be arrested in Syracuse was caught. William Henry, nicknamed “Jerry,” had been working in Syracuse as a barrel maker for a year when a three-city coven of law enforcement officials arrived and arrested him at work. Abolitionists, including Wesleyan Methodists, organized a plan. An angry crowd gathered and managed to break Jerry out the first time, but he was dragged back. A second crowd, bigger than the first, raided the police office where he was being held. They ignored the pistol shots and shoved a battering ram through the jail door. The church building lay vacant for decades before Morrison, the current owner of The Mission, leased and opened the restaurant in 2000. He majored in sculpture at Syracuse University. He worked with found objects, repurposing items into new presentations and meanings, such as a Methodist church with a Technicolor alter ego. The interior now shimmers with color. Wooden floors flow into melon orange walls, an assortment of art pieces brought back from Mexico, stained glass ceilings behind the bar, then a cornflower blue ceiling, almost liquid in its saturation. Paper star lanterns swing from wooden 6
“The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 demanded federal officials help slave catchers. Syracuse stopped complying with the law by 1852. The Wesleyan Methodists closed ranks — slave catchers were no longer welcome.” beams in the middle of the room. Morrison hired an art shipper to help him shepherd boxes full of art from Rosarito, a Mexican border town near Tijuana. Grimacing painted masks, which hang behind the bar, come from that haul. Colorful geometric tiles and blue and white star tiles run across and around the serving window in the back. Most of the basement is renovated now. The tunnel lies behind a splintered gray blue wooden door about two feet off the ground. The door swings open at an angle. Behind it, a ragged chunk of plywood bridges the gap. Chairs, bottle caps, a blue wooden door, and cobwebs litter the walls of the tunnel. Seven faces, rumored to be sculpted by passing slaves, used to decorate the tunnel walls. Both the faces and the church’s ties to the abolitionist movement were forgotten for decades. Schoolchildren who saw the faces in the church basement thought the janitor crafted them as Halloween decorations. They shivered and wondered about them. An SU team decided to do
an archaeological study in 1994, but their origins still aren’t clear. They rest now in a display at the Onondaga Historical Association. After hours, the neighborhood settles into silence. Some of Morrison’s employees have told him they’ve sensed ghosts in The Mission. He’s been at the restaurant all hours of the night but never felt ghosts himself. Even if he did, he wouldn’t be scared. “When you think about the history of it, it’s a very cool, genuine history. It’s not like people died here. It helped people,” he said. “So I think it has good karma.”
medley magazine
FLOWE R S I N A DAR K ROOM h o w v i ol e nc e i m pac t s t h e l i v e s of s y rac u s e yo u t h as written by Natsumi Ajisaka images by Joey Marion
“ Youth violence is an insidious epidemic. It’s amorphous, complex, and personal. It somehow knows who is most vulnerable and worms its way into generation after generation.” 7
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n a chilly Wednesday night in the middle of October, a shooter killed 15-year-old Zavion Naire Escobar on the back porch of a slate-gray, two-story house on Hope Avenue. Escobar, a sophomore at Corcoran High School, had spent the year before his death mourning three of his friends, who’d also been killed in shootings. The oldest victim of the four friends was 20 years old. The night Escobar was shot, the SU campus was put on lockdown with vague references to two armed assailants on the run. As salacious rumors zipped back and forth across campus theorizing the nature of the shooting, the baby-faced Escobar was dead at the back of the house. The shooting was one of more than 20 homicides in Syracuse in 2015. Escobar’s death was an example of how the stories of Syracuse’s youth — their fears, their hopes, their pain — get mired in a deep cynicism about the kind of a life they can expect to have in the city. But at the same time, the pushback from the community, including the involvement of SU students in the Syracuse Youth Development Council, has been just as persistent. Youth violence is an umbrella category, encompassing many other forms of violence, including homicide and gang violence. Youth violence is an insidious epidemic. It’s amorphous, complex, and personal. It somehow knows who is most vulnerable and worms its way into generation after generation. It targets the most vulnerable populations, such as the poor in Syracuse, and its effects spiral out beyond its victims. Gang violence has been blamed as an immediate cause, but structural reasons like the city’s poverty help explain its 7
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persistence. The Center for Disease Control listed homicide as the leading cause of death for African Americans ages 10 to 24 in a 2012 fact sheet, the most recent statistics on this demographic. According to a fact sheet from 2014, youth violence was the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. The problem goes back more “ The construction of Interstate 81 was supposed to turn Syracuse into a bustling, well-connected city. Instead, it bulldozed through the black community in the 15th Ward and split the city in two.”
than three decades. Criminologists first noticed a particular subset of gun violence in the late 1980s, when handgun homicide rates for 15 to 24 year olds jumped between 1984 and 1993. Meanwhile, the rate declined by 19 percent for people 24 and older. While the homicide rate with firearms decreased between 1993 and 1997, the number of juvenile victims of gun violence was more than twice as high in 1997 than 1984. Gangs have been a driving force of youth violence in Syracuse since the late 1980s. In the early and mid 1990s, Syracuse saw a 185 percent increase in weapons possession arrests of juveniles under age 16. For similar charges, there was a 64 percent increase for 16 and 17 year olds. The story of Syracuse echoes that of other rust belt cities, gutted by a waning manufacturing industry, compounded by the construction of a now-crumbling highway that cut through the city and decimated neighborhoods. It’s one of the poorest cities in the nation and one of the most segregated. Half of the city’s children are considered poor. 8
In 2013, more than 67 percent of households in the city lived below $50,000. The suburbs on the outskirts, meanwhile, are flourishing. None of this is a coincidence. Syracuse once had a growing black community in the 15th Ward, the result of Jim Crow laws in the South bringing in a wave of black Americans looking to escape violence and find jobs. The construction of Interstate 81 was supposed to turn Syracuse into a bustling, well-connected city. Instead, it bulldozed through the black community in the 15th Ward and split the city in two. It brought together the racism and poverty that has characterized the city’s history ever since. Black people moved to the South Side neighborhood as white families fled the city for the suburbs. They left behind jobs and nice homes that black people were effectively barred from through zoning laws and redlining. Racist housing policies shaped the city’s makeup into what it is today. It helped created the areas of concentrated poverty that criminologists often refer to as being linked to high rates of crime. As white people moved out of Syracuse, the city’s poorest stayed and found themselves surrounded by other poor people. This same racism shaped public perception of youth violence, with disastrous effects for young offenders. Even the discipline of criminology, which attempts to understand youth violence, hasn’t always been immune to racist assumptions, or fear of the same people who are its victims. About 20 years ago, prominent criminologists predicted the rise of “superpredators,” super-violent youths across America who’d go
on a killing spree. A giant wave of crime, these experts warned, was waiting to happen. The image that prevailed was the homicidal black teenager, and lawmakers everywhere shivered and clutched their pearls. State after state passed laws trying children as adults — New York was among the first to do so. In fact, it still tries teenagers as adults. The only other state that automatically tries 16-year-olds as adults is North Carolina. As of May 2015, New York was trying to pass a bill to raise the age required to send someone into the adult criminal system. Children who grow up with violence happening around them seem to mature faster. People who work with youths in Syracuse notice a duality in their kids: The same kids who are happy and carefree playing basketball with their friends sober up when someone mentions another death, another homicide, because it’s usually someone they know. Their outlook includes doubt that they’ll make it out of the violence that surrounds them, or that they have what it takes to succeed, even while living minutes away from the SU campus. They live a life that in many ways matches up with common narratives and stereotypes about poor urban youths, rife with undertones of pathology and full of contempt for the poor. Various solutions, from mentorship programs to law enforcement initiatives to community centers, try to tackle the program from different angles, on structural and community levels. The Good Life Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club have established a presence in the community and throughout the Syracuse City School District, providing youths with safe places and mentors.
medley magazine
This work is both important and never-ending. The lack of social support that tends to accompany impoverished cities, on top of the constant presence of violence, sends the message to youths that they’ll die or end up in jail anyway since many of the people they know already have. The fact that they see people their own age working as drug dealers and joining gangs reinforces this message. It’s a perspective that mentorship programs, which give city youths visible mentors to look up to and even field trips to the SU campus, are trying to fight. Syracuse youths consider school, with after-school and mentorship programs and a place to hang out with their friends, the only safe haven they have. The only place, really, where they can be kids.
“The lack of social support that tends to accompany impoverished cities, on top of the constant presence of violence, sends the message to youths that they’ll die or end up in jail anyway since many of the people they know already have.”
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SU’S SUPER UNOFFICIAL, OFFICIAL CONCERT VENUE
TH E OTH E R DOM E
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medley magazine
people together. “I’ve met a lot of friends here,” says Josh Bazan, a senior broadcasting major. “It’s a place to meet awesome people.” Of the eight guys living there right now, all but one graduate this May. McCallum predicts almost all of them will end up working in the music or art scene. As for Scarier Dome itself, nobody seems too worried about it disappearing. “I know that freshmen really dig our shows and they are already planning how they are going to do this,” McCallum says. The Scarier Dome, with its makeshift concession stand and unofficially official branding might change next year, but the tradition won’t.
“ A place is just a spot. A space is where you come to eat and hang,” says Andy Horvath, lead singer and guitarist of Super Defense.”
approached about playing Funk ‘N Waffles when looking for venues in the Syracuse area. “Someone mentioned that to us and we were like that sounds like not our place,” Arnes says. Another potential perk: a housemates can run to the corner store to grab beer for the guests. “It’s like the difference between a space and a place,” says Andy Horvath, lead singer and guitarist of Super Defense, a self-described Bedroom Pop band. “A place is just a spot. A space is where you come to eat and hang.” Most people had a similar story. They come to a show or two and feel this sense of belonging. Some, like Horvath, perform while other attend as regulars in the audience. Something about aggressively loud music in tight spaces brings
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People go to the second floor to converse and eat food, like macaroni and cheese topped with Doritos served from an orange ceramic pan. The kids in this slightly less crowded space sings along to Biz-Markie instead of moshing with a shirtless guy. Members of the band Leapling hang out in the first floor living room before their act. They just arrived from Montreal and stay the night at the Scarier Dome on their way back to Brooklyn. As part of having a band in temporary residence, the Ackerman guys produce music videos for the band. Dan Arnes, the vocalist and guitarist for Leapling, says they had been
as written by ben farr images by joey marion
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orty people bob their heads to an indie punk band playing in the basement of a nondescript, blue apartment at the far end of Ackerman. It’s bitterly cold outside, but the low-ceiling basement, packed wall to wall with bodies, is a comfortable temperature. Without warning, the lead singer takes off his shirt and the formerly stoic crowd of college students all jump at each other. “We’re pretty worried about that,” says Henry Schoonmaker, a senior and a tenant of the apartment. “We have lots of dents in the pipes and stuff.” For the past two years, Schoonmaker and his seven apartment mates have kept a tradition of hosting bands in their house, inspired by venues the guys visited as freshman. “We were all talking over video cam or whatever and thought, how can we make our living situation, like, really rad?” Schoonmaker says. They decided to turn the basement of their first apartment on Ostrom, where they lived last year, into a space for indie rockers from all over the Northeast, christening it the Goon Lagoon. This morphed into the Scarier Dome, the name of the eight guys’ apartment on Ackerman, which has become a community all its own. Flannel-adorned kids with thick-rim glasses crowd the dark basement. A folding table displays band merchandise and Scarier Dome-branded gear for sale. A homemade lighting rig composed of small spots and Christmas lights, built by Kevin McCallum, a Scarier Dome resident and senior fine arts major, illuminates the stage. Wires running out of small wooden boxes everywhere and puddles on the ground give the basement a trendy Triangle Shirtwaist Factory vibe.
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12/12/2012 6:53 A.M. a s e n i or ’s jo ur n a l e n t r y f r om h e r f r e s h m a n s e m e s t e r i n f l or e nc e words & photo by Tory Russo
fare la scarpetta exp. using bread to wipe the oil or sauce left on a dish after a meal; lit. to do the little shoe
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t’s a custom my host family taught me, an informal act I’ve made into a habit. It’s my favorite Italian phrase and the best part of dinner. I am la scarpetta. I’m at the end of a meal, a dinner that was this semester. Il primo piatto is everything that was new. I moved from a post-industrial town in Western Pennsylvania to the birthplace of the Renaissance. I was on my own for the first time. I went to my first college class. I drank my first legal beer. I heard a language I couldn’t understand that sounded a bit like Spanish. I was amazed as I walked down streets centuries older than my hometown. I stopped on every sidewalk to take in the scent of fresh bread rolling out from bakery doors. In my meal, this is il vino and la pasta. The beginning. Il secondo is everything I’ve learned. I finally realized that lui was a pronoun, not a person. The language, the classes, the cafes on every corner, all became routine. I got used to living in someone else’s house. I had a mama and two fratelli who loved to share their knowledge. I picked up insults and hand gestures. I listened as they explained history and economics. I watched calcio, celebrated holidays and lived their lifestyle. I ate their food. I tried the cow brain, the cow liver and the cow tongue la mia mama prepared. I hung my clothes outside to dry and latched my balcony doors at night. In my meal, this is la carne and la verdura. The main course, the longest and most filling part. I am la scarpetta. I’m the bread that has soaked up all this semester had to offer. I’ve made a group of friends that feel more like family. I’ve volunteered reading books to school kids and interned
“ Like any good meal, I don’t want it to end. I’m down to my last slice of pane, wiping up the final bit of sauce. My plate is empty, but I am going home full.
with UNICEF. I’ve studied Michelangelo and Artemisia, Machiavelli and Aristotle. I’ve traveled Italy. Pasta alla carbonara. Pici con ragù di cinghiale. Risotto alla trevigiana. I’ve traveled Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom. Like any good meal, I don’t want it to end. I’m down to my last slice of pane, wiping up the final bit of sauce. My plate is empty, but I am going home full. I am going home with three months of experiences to digest. I am going home with a simple tradition that will remind me of la cena, la mia famiglia, l’Italia.
medley magazine
il primo piatto exp. the course, usually pasta, after the antipasto and before the secondo piatto il vino n. wine la pasta n. pasta il secondo piatto exp. the main course, often meat or fish, after the primo piatto and before dessert lui pn. him fratelli n. brothers calcio n. Calcio fiorentino, an early form of football that originated in Florence, now the name for association football la carne n. meat la verdura n. vegetable Pasta alla carbonara n. pasta dish from Rome made with eggs, cheese, bacon and black pepper Pici con ragÚ di cinghiale n. pasta with wild boar sauce, popular in the south of Tuscany Risotto alla trevigiana n. dish from Venice combining risotto with radicchio (variety of chicory) and pancetta (bacon) la cena n. dinner la mia famiglia exp. family l’Italia n. Italy
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A CA D E M I C O U T C RY h o w s t ude n t ac t i v i s m t r i e d t o t ra n s f or m c a m p u s e s n at ion w i de as written by Danielle Roth
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n 2014, a white officer killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri, emphasizing the strained state of race relations. At the University of Missouri’s main campus in Columbia, racial tensions grew, bursting into rallies and protests and ending with the resignation of Missouri University System President, Tim Wolfe. This campus uproar, in conjunction with national racial protests, sparked unrest in more than 70 universities and fueled the Black Lives Matter movement. Most campus groups created their own list of demands for the academic administration. The Black Liberation Collective, a group of Black students dedicated to improving institutions of higher education, demanded percentages of Black students and faculty in universities around the United States reflect national averages. Other demands included free tuition for Black and indigenous students and reallocating investments in prisons into surrounding communities. Listening to these students’ concerns is critical for understanding the protests erupting around the country:
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U N IVE R S ITY OF M I S S OU R I 10/20 | Concerned Student 1950 group issues a list of demands
Racial tensions grow in Columbia, Missouri, sparked by the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. On Sept. 12, Student Government President Peyton Head shares his frustration on Facebook with anti-LGBT and racial bias after an incident where people riding in the back of a pickup truck hurled racial slurs at him. Students start protesting shortly thereafter, seeking an appropriate response from university officials. After a series of rallies and more incidents of abject racism, Missouri University System President Tim Wolfe does not react to their concerns; rather, he laughed while protesters blocked his car during the Missouri homecoming parade. On Oct. 20, Concerned Student 1950, a student group named after the year the university first admitted African-American students, issued a list of demands from the university: an apology from Wolfe, his removal from office, and an improved racial awareness and inclusion curriculum. The student group met with Wolfe, refused to agree
with the demands. In response, a student started a hunger strike and a boycott in support begins. Two days later, Wolfe issues an apology, but this was too little too late. Black football players announce they refuse to play until Wolfe leaves. A day later, on Nov. 9, the Missouri Students Association calls for Wolfe’s removal. Wolfe announces his resignation later that day. U N IVE R S ITY OF CI N CI N NATI 9/1 | Irate 8 student group forms
A white University of Cincinnati police officer fatally shot Samuel DuBose, an unarmed black man, after a traffic stop in July. In response, UC students formed the Irate 8, named for the percentage of black students at UC. The group connects with the nationwide #BlackLivesMatter movement while raising awareness on campus of “institutionalized policies that result in negative and unsafe experience,” according to the group’s mission statement. The Irate 8 organized a week of events for “DuBose Week” to honor the victim, but also to educate the campus about police violence against
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black individuals. On Oct. 15, the group presented a list of demands to the university, including institutional reforms like faculty diversification. About 10 days later, the student government and the university thanked the group for raising these concerns. ITHACA COLLE G E 11/11 | Hundreds of students stage walkout
After Missouri University System President Tim Wolfe resigned, hundreds of students at Ithaca College staged a solidarity walkout. Chanting “no confidence” and “new president now,” the students demanded the resignation of Ithaca College President Tom Rochon. Students from the group People of Color passed out a two-page document, “The Case Against Tom Rochon.” The document questioned and criticized his leadership, ethics, and regard for minority community members. After a Dec. 2015 vote on Rochon, about 75 percent of students and faculty voted “no confidence.” He announced his plans to step down from his presidency in July 2017. CLAR E M ONT M CK E N NA COLLE G E 11/11 | Dean of Students resigns
Student outcry pushes Mary Spellman, Dean of Students, to resign. In her open email resignation the dean noted, “I believe [my resignation] is the best way to gain closure of a controversy that has divided the student body and disrupted the mission of this fine institution.” 15
AM H E R ST COLLE G E 11/12 | President denies students’ demands
Several hundred students begin a sit in “to stand in solidarity with the students in Mizzou, Yale, South Africa and every other institution across the world where black people are marginalized and threatened.” The activists even delivered a list of demands to the college’s president who reluctantly denied the demands, stating “that the formulation of those demands assumed more authority and control than a president has or should have.” YALE U N IVE R S ITY 11/13 | Students issue list of demands
Just before midnight, several hundred students march to the on-campus residence of university president Peter Salovey to issue their own list of demands as part of the growing national uprising. One main complaint being the removal of Nicholas and Erika Christakis, university masters of one of Yale’s undergraduate residential communities. The pair made headlines after video of students passionately confronting Nicholas about his failure to foster a “safe” or “welcoming” community went viral. NATI ONWI D E 11/18 | Students come together for #StudentBlackOut protests
The Black Liberation Collective encouraged student leaders to organize a collective day of action to improve conditions for Black students. Protests and rallies happened across the country
including, Michigan State University, Emory University, Ohio State University, Spelman and Morehouse College and Princeton University. HARVAR D U N IVE R S ITY 11/19 | Graduate students dress in all black
About 100 graduate students walked out of classes dressed in all black in solidarity with students at the University of Missouri. Harvard President Drew Faust stated that it was “well beyond time” for the university to guarantee an accepting community for students.
spring two thousand and sixteen
FINDING YOUR OWN WAY THROUGH THE ANCIENT CITY
ROAM I N’HOLI DAY BY C H A R LOT T E B A LO G H “Shar-lot!” Nicholas and Nicole, a young couple that I met on the last train, are pushing through the crowd with their hulking backpacks in tow. The Nicks are from Chile, and between the two of them. they’ve mastered beginners’ level English, allowing us to communicate. Unlike me, they had proper reservations on the overnight train; and like me, they’re surprised that I survived the trip. “Shar-lot!” Nicole repeats, “Come, we going to hotel.” “Do you want me to come with you?” Nicole switches to Spanish, and Nicholas translates both her joy that I survived the train and her hope that we all spend the day together—I can’t tell if she’s motivated by concern for my safety and wanting to keep an eye on me or a genuine curiosity in my adventures. I gather that they’ve never met someone like me before. By that I mean they’ve never met an idiotic American tourist traveling through Europe without a plan or pocket phrasebook. My first impressions of Rome are the empty streets and faded graffiti that line the way to the
Nicks’ hotel. While they drop their bags, I steal a handful of bread rolls from the breakfast buffet and ask the concierge for his sightseeing recommendations. He provides me with a piece of paper that looks more like a caricature than an actual map, full of bright colors and cheesy captions—yet I would expect nothing else. When the Nicks return we set off for our first stop: The Colosseum. I want to pause here and say it wasn’t my idea to come to Rome. It was my dad’s. Two weeks ago, I was interning at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. As an aspiring filmmaker, the opportunity was marked equally by the glamour of red carpet events and blisters from fetching coffee in industry-mandated high heels. After Cannes, I packed my bag, grabbed my camera, and tried to begin my Eat Pray Love quest backpacking across Europe—— even though in my case it’s far more accurate to call it Eat Pray Eat Some More. Originally, I planned to spend the day at my grandparents’ home in Nice. After the sleep deprivation from working at the festival and the
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immense heartache from a recent breakup, I became bedridden watching Modern Family. After a week, I realized just how awful Netflix’s autoplay feature and the Pritchett family are: do you realize that all they do is argue? Then, my dad texted me and said I should go to Rome. The Colosseum is huge. I don’t know what else I was expecting, but it’s the first adjective to come to mind and it sticks with me. I’ve never been a big history fan, but I did take four years of Latin in high school and my teacher often talked about Rome, including the gladiator matches that happened here. I think of her—and the screams of gladiators, tigers, and crazed audience members—as I stand in the shadow of the monument. I think I finally understand history. Once inside the crowd falls quiet, almost creepily quiet but not entirely, and I drift away from the Nicks to examine each ruin on my own. A weird sense of calm falls around me; weird, because I wasn’t expecting to feel that way here. I never particularly wanted to see the Colosseum, it doesn’t— didn’t—wasn’t supposed to—mean anything to me. Now, the sheer size of this place, the weight of each memory fossilized in the concrete underneath my ratty Keds, makes me feel small. Humble. From the Colosseum, we venture to Palatine Hill. Albeit even lower on my initial list of sights to see, there’s an immense sense of safety in the shade. I don’t know why, but the ruins here appear even older than elsewhere in the city, probably because they’ve been left alone and are not sandwiched between gelaterias and tourist shops. Nicole twirls through 17
the umbrella pine trees with her arms outstretched. “Where do we go next?” Nick asks me. I check our map, trying to calculate the distance between a thumb size drawing of the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. I have twelve hours until my return train. “Have you ever seen Roman Holiday?” I ask, looking up at my chaperones. The Nicks stare at me. Roman Holiday tells the story
and vendors aggressively peddling knockoff sunglasses. It’s colorful and beautiful and smells like stone. We find a postcard with Audrey Hepburn smiling on the front, and I riffle through my pocket of coins to buy it. We round the corner, and as the throng of people swells I realize we are nearing our next stop: Fontana di Trevi. And…it’s closed. There are plywood boards tacked over the actual structure with a faded image of what lies beneath.
“I gather that they’ve never met someone like me before. By that I mean they’ve never met an idiotic American tourist traveling through Europe without a plan or pocket phrasebook.”
of a sheltered princess, played by Audrey Hepburn, who escapes her guardians to explore Rome for the day and falls in love with an American news reporter, played by Gregory Peck, in the process. My grandmother, the woman who raised me in the time between school and sports practice, shared not only her love Milano cookies with me but also her love of old movies. Roman Holiday is her favorite. I explain this to the Nicks and share my master plan: I want to recreate scenes from the film and send the photos to my grandmother. That is, if we’re able to steal Wi-Fi from a nearby ristorante. The streets of Rome are filled with Vespas, children stuffing their faces with gelato, more Vespas,
The fountain must be closed for cleaning, yet that never crossed my mind as an option until now. Tourists form a lazy line in front of the site, chucking coins into a bucket instead of the actual fountain. I can’t decide if it’s pathetic or cute. Either way, Nick takes my picture as I toss a Euro over my shoulder. They say if you throw a coin into the fountain you’re destined to return to Rome one day. I hope the bucket system plays by the same rules. With rose petal gelato in hand, we cross the city under the heat of the midday sun. A lanyard hiding my passport sticks to the sweat on my skin under my dress. More than once, we have to stop and rest under a store awning, and we
use the time to try and hack the local Wi-Fi. Nicole is particularly gifted at guessing passwords. The Spanish Steps appear on the horizon, but just like the Trevi Fountain, the steeple at the top of the stairs is boarded up for repairs—it would seem I picked the one time of year to visit Rome when Rome is closed. Nick takes my photo echoing the the iconic scene from Roman Holiday when Peck confronts Hepburn, although I doubt Audrey was as sweaty as I am right now. Exhausted, we decide to rest in the gardens above the Piazza del
He repeats himself. I don’t know the specifics of his comment, but it’s obvious that he thinks he’s flirting. He moves to sit on the bench next to me. “American?” He asks. “Yes.” Is it that obvious? “Boyfriend?” I force a smile and shake my head. “Why no boyfriend?” I shrug. Surprisingly, it’s the oncoming of this creepy stranger that finally makes me realize I’m okay with my current relationship status. The bittersweet comedy
“The Spanish Steps appear on the horizon, but just like the Trevi Fountain, the steeple at the top of the stairs is boarded up for repairs—it would seem I picked the one time of year to visit Rome when Rome is closed.” Popolo. The Nicks find a bench to nap on and, true to habit, I wander off by myself. There’s a fountain nearby, and I sit across from it with my notebook balanced on my knees. I start scribbling down everything I’ve seen so far on my trip: a man on the metro with a plate of oysters; a woman reading a book and laughing aloud; a couple fighting over a pair of headphones. I look up, searching for the face to match a voice. There’s an old man sitting nearby. He has two beady black eyes poked into the center of his doughy face. He stares at me in a too friendly sort of way, but I’m too tired to feel uncomfortable. “Ciao,” I say.
of this situation is enough that it drowns out any serious pain from the break up that had followed me to Nice. I bid my admirer farewell to return to the Nicks. We eventually make our way back to the train station. When we say goodbye, I’m surprised to be fighting tears, but Nicole is too. She begs me to message her—through Facebook, GroupMe, I think she’d settle for carrier pigeon at this point— and the Nicks leave me in the train station. I chose not to tell them that the only train I could get a return ticket on departs at midnight, and the station closes at nine; which means I will be alone on the streets of Rome in a
matter of minutes, and I have no idea what to do with my time. Once the Nicks are out of sight, I break down. Everything I’ve been keeping from my mind the whole day, the exhaustion, my loneliness, comes exploding back into my brain. Problems always seem bigger at night. The panic is so bad that I call my step-dad, the ex Navy SEAL who I often turn to for survival tips and, surprisingly, fashion advice. It’s worth the precious cell data. “Charlotte! Is everything okay?” “Fine. Well, not fine. I’m waiting for my train, but I can’t stay in the station and I don’t know where to wait. It’s dark now, and I don’t know where I am.” “Charlotte,” he interrupts my self destructive train of thought, “you’ve made it this far, all you have to do is get back. That’s it. Grab a Red Bull, get your notebook, and find a place to sit.” Yes, sir.
There’s a café a block away. I use the last of my change to purchase a Red Bull, position myself within sight of the station, and turn to a clean page in my notebook. As a writer, people-watching has always been a way of connecting and figuring out how the world works. If you spend enough time looking, you start to see the same things regardless of what country you’re in. I realize that now. Even when I feel most alone, I can look around and see similarities in the people around me. It’s kind of odd, but like the couple wearing matching jackets and who are currently being tormented by a street performer, it’s also silly. I know I sound cynical in my descriptions of Rome, and I’m aware that I often use cynicism to try and protect myself from what I’m experiencing. But Rome, its colors, its food, its people, have all given me a beautiful experience that I pine for even as I experience it.
“ Rome, its colors, its food, its people, have all given me a beautiful experience that I pine for even as I experience it.”
I say this with all sincerity: Rome has changed me. I hope that the coin I threw in the bucket outside the Trevi Fountain works, and I find my way back here one day. At midnight, I board the train home. Although my Keds are significantly dirtier, I feel stronger than I did this morning. I snuck onto a train. I read a map. I met strangers, some nice, some creepy, and I ate rose petal gelato. Rome was terrifying and beautiful, and I can’t remember laughing as much with my friends from home as I did today with a couple of strangers. Audrey Hepburn said it best: “I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.”
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photo by Joey Marion
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M Y H A I R , M Y S T O RY s y r ac u s e un i v e r s i t y s t ude n t s s h a r e t h e i r thoughts about hair, b e au t y s ta n da r d s, a n d self-love as written by Victoria Rodriguez
Victoria Rodriguez (editor-inchief): Tell me a little about yourself. Caroline Colvin (sophomore, magazine major): I’m considering a minor in WGS [women’s and gender studies] and French. I really like reading about francophone culture, especially in Africa. Nina Bracey (senior, sociology major): I’m from Santa Monica, California. I like art, drawing, and just having a good time. Ciara Bethel (sophomore, communications design major): I like art, too. I’m from Maine, so I love the outdoors as well. I like the ocean, hanging out, and just chillin’. VR: Do you personally resonate with the Natural Hair Movement? CC: I think so, yes. I feel like it’s all about accepting your own hair and making your own standard of beauty. VR: How long have you worn your hair natural? CC: I would say it’s been about a year because before that, I had a relaxer and dye. It damaged my hair. I just decided to go natural again. NB: I think for four years now, I’ve worn my hair curly. Before, I used 21
to straighten it a lot because in high school no one had curly hair. I thought it was cool, and then when I moved here, I cut off all my hair — all the damaged hair— and just wore it curly. CB: I’ve actually always worn my hair curly. My mom is white. My dad is black, but I was raised by my mom. She never really told me to straighten my hair or anything, so I’ve never really done my hair any other way. VR: Can you describe your experience transitioning to chemical-free hair? NB: I did a relaxer in high school, and the lady told me that it wasn’t going to make my curly hair go away. Then I washed it, and my hair was straight. I was crying! I was like, “OMG, I ruined my hair!” When I cut it all off, it grew back, but it was really scary! CC: Yeah, the term most people use is the “big chop.” It’s when you cut off all your dead hair. Around this time, last summer, I had a really, really short Afro. Obviously now, it’s grown a lot. The process of learning what kind of hair products to use and how you want to wash your
hair and dry your hair — it’s been a learning process. VR: How have society’s beauty standards influenced your self-image? CC: I went to a school where it was predominately white. A lot of people had straight hair. I felt like, “OK, I have to straighten my hair, too.” I was really self-conscious in middle school because it was really poofy. It was humid where I lived. I used to live in Maryland. I got a relaxer. I straightened my hair. I did the whole thing, but I think the more I look into black culture and look up to black celebrities, I don’t feel as selfconscious or as bad. I’m like, “OK, this is beautiful.” NB: Yeah! Seeing people who are wearing their hair straight all the time definitely affects you. I just felt like when I walked into school, everyone was staring at me. People would make comments. I definitely wanted to be like everyone else. Then when I saw other celebrities wearing their hair curly, I was like, “OK, I can do that too!” It’s definitely just confidence. If you’re confident, you can wear whatever and you’ll look good, but if you feel ugly, you won’t look so good.
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photos by Genevieve Pilch
medley magazine
CB: I’ve always been taught to be an individual, so I don’t know if there was ever a moment where I was like, “Oh, I don’t think I can wear my hair curly.” I just always kind of embraced my hair. In middle school, it was super poofy because I didn’t know what to do with it. It was out of control, but I would kind of play with it and make it kind of fun. I was the weirdest kid. I would wear crazy stuff: skirts, shirts, belts, and random colors. My hair definitely complemented that. Now that I’m older, I try to take better care of it, but I don’t know if there’s ever been a moment in time where I felt like there was somebody else influencing me to embrace my hair. VR: Who inspires your style? CC: I love Solange Knowles’s hair because she has the biggest, most outrageous Afro. She totally rocks it! I really like Amandla Stenberg’s hair too. Good curl pattern. Good volume, for sure. NB: She’s an Instagram model. Her name is [Christina] Santini. That’s when I first got my inspiration to wear my hair like that. She’s not that big, but I saw her and thought, “Her hair is so beautiful!” CB: I grew up listening to Alicia Keys, and I think that’s also maybe the reason why I never really straighten my hair or anything. I used to see that one video where she’s playing the piano in the middle of that huge arena. She has her beautiful natural hair. She looked so perfect! I don’t know. I just think that when you can embrace what you have naturally, you become someone so beautiful. Answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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spring t wo thousand and sixteen
S PI CE’S BA ZAAR t h e i nc r e di b l e s ig h t s a n d s o un d s of i s ta n b ul’s s p ic e m a r k e t words & images by Mehak Ali
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trong aromatic fragrances guide shoppers through the open alleys and covered stalls of Istanbul’s famous Spice Market. Vendors vying for customers compete with endless heaps of exotic spices, teas, and ready-to-eat foods trying to catch the eyes of passersby. Tourists mix in with locals as the crowds weave their way through a foreigner’s best chance to experience genuine Turkish culture. Sweet Turkish delights lure tourists from vendor to vendor, where a short market stroll can turn into an afternoon-long affair. It is traditional for vendors to offer a beverage (Turkish tea or çay) as a gesture of appreciation for a visitor’s business. Some vendors will push a cup of çay even without a purchase, taking pride in Turkish culture: one of extraordinary hospitality. The market offers common spices such as Anise, Cinnamon sticks, Curry powder, Himalayan salt, fresh Oregano, and Turkish Saffron. However, the locals gravitate towards spices frequently used in Turkish cuisine, like Acı biber salçası, Sumac, Nane and Kimyon. These four spices are used on a daily basis to cook traditional Turkish dishes. Acı biber, also called Kırmızı biber, are dried Turkish chili peppers produced in Urfa, which is located in the southeast region. This dark red
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spice is milder than other peppers. Fresh Acı biber is typically coated with oil to preserve its flavor. Acı biber spice is extremely versatile and used in almost every Turkish dish as garnish, especially Kebab and eggs. It is very common to find a bowl of the red pepper flakes at kebab house and cafés. Sumac, plum-colored spice, is used to enhance the flavors of otherwise simple foods. This zesty spice originates from deep red berries that are dried and coarsely grounded to make fine flakes. Sumac comes from the heart of Anatolia. The tart-like spice is commonly used as garnish in Turkish cuisine and goes well with many dishes including meat, poultry, salads, and rice. In addition to Acı biber, Sumac is also found alongside salt and pepper at Turkish cafés. Nane are dry mint leaves that are added to many Turkish foods including Manti, which are Turkish ravioli covered in yogurt, lentil soup, rolled grape leaves, and Turkish Pilav, or rice dishes. The Turks don’t use mint as often as other spices, but it is vital in many everyday dishes, including yogurt, which the Turks consume with every meal. Kimyon, or cumin spice, is used heavily in traditional Turkish marinades and seasonings. From its plant origin, the spice is coarsely
grounded into a soft powder. Cumin adds earthy flavors that cannot be replaced by other spices. Cumin is used in many traditional Turkish entrees including Koftë, or Turkish meatballs, and eggplant dishes. Vendors in the market sell spices based on weight. You can ask to buy a few grams or just specify by bag size. If you’re traveling long distances, the vendors can vacuumseal the spices to keep them fresh and fragrant. It is acceptable to ask for a discount, especially if you buy a lot. Purchase some dried fruits, nuts, or Turkish delight to enjoy with Çay while you wait to pay for the spices. The best thing to do once you get home is put the spices in sealed jars so they remain fresh. Then use them to make delicious Turkish foods or spice up traditional recipes.
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“ Sweet Turkish delights lure tourists from vendor to vendor, where a short market stroll can turn into an afternoon-long affair.�
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Q. #
GO TO Q.#
1
QUESTION [START HERE] HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU WANT TO SPEND ABROAD?
NO.1
2
One semester
BY JOEPHY LUNG
QUIZ
GO TO DEST.
3
Spring break/summer
2
WHICH KIND OF HOUSING WOULD YOU PREFER? Homestay
4 3
Dorm DO YOU PREFER TO TAKE
THE SCENIC ROUTE?
UP, UP, UP, UP, AND AND ABROAD ABROAD
Medley’s here to help you choose where to spend a semester beyond the Hill
Yes No
4
WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN A LANGUAGE WHILE ABROAD? Yes No
]Congratulations to all biology and earth sciences majors! You are eligible to enroll in this field and research-focused Frontiers Abroad program all the way in the southern hemisphere. Your spring semester will begin with a 5-week field camp followed by a semester abroad at University of Canterbury. Visiting the spectacular filming landscapes of the Oscar-winning trilogy, The Lord of the Rings is simply a must during a trip to NEW ZEALAND. Don’t hesitate – be prepared in Spring 2017 as the second group of SU students to head off on this endeavor.
Leave Netflix behind and challenge your body on a fiveday hike along the Inca Trail to MACHU PICCHU. This 11-day program, held during spring break, offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to scale a 12,000-foot mountain to see the remnants of the highland Andean community.
Any journalism, public relations, or international relations majors looking for an internship during the summer should consider BRUSSELS. As the headquarters for the European Union, this city has advantages for students interested in public diplomacy. You can pursue a seven-week internship with various institutions ranging from international NGOs to local media organizations.
Due to its unique geographic location – smack between Europe and Asia – ISTANBUL offers a crossroads of history. Imagine studying in a Muslim country where you can also find the Seven Churches of Revelation. You can easily fly to Europe for the weekend or opt to stay put, sit by the Bosphorus and drink tea with the locals.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a history fanatic, a foodie, or a party animal – you can find your “comfort zone” in BARCELONA. The city has everything you could ask for: Gaudi architectures, hipster cafes, a world-famous soccer team and, of course, beaches. If you are interested in staying in an energetic and vxibrant city, eating restos at midnight and being surrounded by passionate locals who typically dine around 10 P.M., Barcelona is definitely a destination for you.
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S U M M E R ‘CU S E t h e un de r rat e d s e a s on f or e n j o y i n g t h e s a lt c i t y as written by Erica Petz images by Danielle Roth
FE STIVALS AN D CON CE RTS
The Taste of Syracuse, the largest food and music festival in Central New York, runs from Friday, June 3 to Saturday, June 4 in Clinton Square. For a few dollars per sample, you can try the various vendors’ items like salty-sweet popcorn from Ma and Pa Kettle Corn or juicy fried meatballs from Tony’s. Craft beer enthusiasts will definitely want to check out Empire Brewfest, a two-day fair of beers, food and—for the first time—wine to sample. There will also be live musical performances and games like Giant Jenga. The festival will be held at the New York State Fairgrounds from June 10 to 11. Buy your ticket at empirebrewfest.com. Syracuse has a diverse array music, and Lakeview Amphitheater on Onondaga Lake is hosting some big names this summer. 5 Seconds of Summer will perform on July 5, and Jason Aldean’s concert tour with Thomas Rhett and A Thousand Horses will be here on July 15. Other venues like the Westcott Theatre and the F-Shed at the CNY Regional Market Authority fill out a bustling music scene. PAR K S
After a harsh Syracuse winter, break out your short sleeves and sunglasses at one of the more than 170 parks and recreational areas in 27
“ After a harsh Syracuse winter, break out your short sleeves and sunglasses at one of the more than 170 parks and recreational areas in the city.” the city. Check out Burnet Park, the largest in Syracuse, to play on the first public golf course in the United States. It costs $3 for students. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo, located next to the park, houses nearly 1,000 animals, including lions, tigers, a variety of primates, birds, fish, and two adorable red panda cubs added last June. Walk or bike the Onondaga Creekwalk, a picturesque trail filled with classic downtown Syracuse landmarks. The trail snakes down 2.6 miles of Onondaga Creek, beginning in Armory Square and ending at the southern shore of Onondaga Lake. Mello Velo Bicycle Shop and Cafe on Westcott Street offers bike rentals for $10 an hour. Or go to McKie Rental Shop next to the Griffin Visitor Center at the south end of Onondaga Lake Park. This shop has several unorthodox options. Try a tandem bike for couples, a surrey quadricycle for a group of four, or a “conference bike” that seats up to 10 people. OUTS I D E TH E CITY LI M ITS
The best of Central New York isn’t limited to Syracuse, or even
Onondaga County. For an easy day trip, take the Centro bus to the quaint town of Skaneateles, a prime location for a picnic lunch, windowshopping, or simply people watching. Walk out on the pier of Skaneateles Lake for a gorgeous view of one of the country’s clearest lakes. In May, drive-in movie theaters open for the summer season, and Central New York has some of the state’s finest for only $8 a ticket. Midway Drive-In and Finger Lakes Drive-In, located in Minetto and Auburn respectively, are the closest to Syracuse, about 30 miles away. Both run popular movies from the last few years and have one of Medley magazine’s favorite features: a snack bar. Finger Lakes Drive-In even offers triple-features on weekends. Or if you want something more active—and aren’t afraid to get a little messy—try paintball. The four outdoor courses at AAA Paintball in Constantia, roughly 30 miles northeast, are open for the summer. Admission is $10 if you have your own equipment and $20 if you don’t, but with nine acres of courses and different games to play, the entry fee is well worth it.
A B R OA D M O O D B OA R D
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3. 1. The Acropolis Athens, Greece 2015 2. La Cattedrale degli due torri Bologna, Italy 2015 3. Piazzale Michelangelo Florence, Italy 2015 4. Artigiano Florence, Italy 2015 5. Sant’ Ambrogio Mercato Florence, Italy 2015 6. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2015 7. Vernazza Cinque Terre, Italy 2015 8. Amsterdam, the Netherlands 2015
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photos by Benjamin Lee