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COLLEGE CROW Semester 1 | 2021

AROUND THE WORLD

Neurodiversity interviews • autism phoenix • the onion family visit dubai • ibis reviews beyond our world... the big and the small mythology, food and music from around the world

Contents

From the Editor

Mythology Around the World

Customs Around the World

An Open Interview with Two People Who Are Neurodivergent

Assistant Editors: Sofia Anboussi (Year 8), Jocelyn Arkapaw (Year 9), Noa Blum (Year 8), Alyssa Chang (Year 8), Madeline Chang (Year 10), Talei Chang (Year 11), Nancy Chen (Year 7), Stephanie Chew (Year 8), Alexandra Chronis (Year 8), Natasha Chuan (Year 9), Alison Fang (Year 9), Yuqing (Amy) Feng (Year 10), Jessica Ferreira-Alves (Year 8), Tiffany Gao (Year 8), Sophie Graham (Year 8), Chloe He (Year 7), Isabelle Ho Shon (Year 9), Michelle Hong (Year 10), Jasmine Huang (Year 7), Natalie Iacullo (Year 10), Aileen Kim (Year 9), Rachel Lao (Year 10), Olivia Low (Year 11), Zoe McLean (Year 7), Ruby Mills (Year 7), Anastasia Mouzos (Year 7), Abigail Ong (Year 9), Alexandra (Sasha) Prokhorov (Year 9), Chrysolite (Chrysty) Salla (Year 7), Amelia Su (Year 11), Eshwari Surendran (Year 10), Mimi Williams (Year 9), Jacqueline Yu (Year 9), Katherine Zhang (Year 11).

Autism

Book Recommendations Corner

Phoenix

Dear Ocean

Abode

Staff Coordinator: Ms Kathryn Munro.

Searching, Searching

The Earth is Round

The Daily Bull

Encyclopedia of Specimen

Rating Places Around School

Day and Night

A Head So Empty, Ahead, So Empty

The Around-The-World Broadcast

Dynasty Mystery

Tokyo Olympics 2020

My Journey of Self-Discovery

Mermaid Tales Around the World

Broken Words and Colliding Worlds

Mystery Flight

College Crow Committee: Aliza Ali (Year 8), Sofia Anboussi (Year 8), Jocelyn Arkapaw (Year 9), Evelyn (Evie) Atkins (Year 12), Isabelle Badger (Year 9), Noa Blum (Year 8), Molly Cameron (Year 8), Olive Carr (Year 7), Lumbini (Lulu) Catalano (Year 7), Olivia Chan (Year 9), Alyssa Chang (Year 8), Madeline Chang (Year 10), Talei Chang (Year 11), Nancy Chen (Year 7), Yu Ting Chen (Year 7), Stephanie Chew (Year 8), Yilan Chow (Year 8), Alexandra Chronis (Year 8), Natasha Chuan (Year 9), Emily Doust (Year 7), Grace Du (Year 10), Cate Durack (Year 8), Alison Fang (Year 9), Yuqing (Amy) Feng (Year 10), Jessica FerreiraAlves (Year 8), Jieyi (Julie) Gao (Year 11), Tiffany Gao (Year 8), Jasmine Gifford (Year 8), Sophie Graham (Year 8), Chloe He (Year 7), Isabelle Ho Shon (Year 9), Michelle Hong (Year 10), Aileen Huang (Year 8), Jasmine Huang (Year 7), Xinran (Ruby) Huang (Year 8), Natalie Iacullo (Year 10), Annika Johansson (Year 11), Emelie Johansson (Year 9), Sophia Kelleher (Year 7), Aileen Kim (Year 9), Kate Kim (Year 9), Lydia Kim (Year 9), Zoe Kopczyk (Year 9), Evangelia (Lia) Koulias (Year 7), Rachel Lao (Year 10), Hui Qi (Vicky) Lei (Year 9), Emily Li (Year 12), Jenny Liu (Year 10), Kianna Liu (Year 8), Kristine Liu (Year 8), Xinrui (Anzi) Liu (Year 9), Isabella Loo (Year 8), Olivia Low (Year 11), Horatia Ma (Year 12), Helen Mao (Year 9), Isobel McLaren (Year 7), Zoe McLean (Year 7), Sophia Miller (Year 8), Ruby Mills (Year 7), Anastasia Mouzos (Year 7), Emma O'Dea (Year 12), Euna Oh (Year 8), Abigail Ong (Year 9), Tansy Pham (Year 11), Ruby Phoon (Year 9), Alexandra (Sasha) Prokhorov (Year 9), Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 9), Yolanda Qiao (Year 8), Anna Ren (Year 9), Imogen Sabey (Year 11), Jasmine Saha (Year 8), Chrysolite (Chrysty) Salla (Year 7), Reina Shi (Year 8), Amelia Su (Year 11), Jennifer Su (Year 10), Eshwari Surendran (Year 10), Anna Wang (Year 9), Carolyn Wang (Year 9), Cindy Wang (Year 8), Ava Weir (Year 8), Paloma White (Year 9), Mimi Williams (Year 9), Iris Xu (Year 10), Jio Yim (Year 8), Tanika Young (Year 8), Jacqueline Yu (Year 9), Katherine Zhang (Year 11), Yvonne Zhao (Year 11), Bonnie Zhu (Year 7).

Beyond Our World... The Big and the Small 40 The Onion Family: In Dubai

Ibis Reviews

Do You Want to Go on Holiday?

Assistant Design/Layout: Headed by Yvonne Zhao (Year 11), assisted by Yilan Chow (Year 8), Yuqing (Amy) Feng (Year 10), Aileen Huang (Year 8), Evangelia (Lia) Koulias (Year 7), Isabella Loo (Year 8), Alexandra (Sasha) Prokhorov (Year 9), Reina Shi (Year 8), Jio Yim (Year 8), Katherine Zhang (Year 11).

Front cover illustration: Alexandra (Sasha) Prokhorov (Year 9). Back cover illustration: Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 9). Stock photo credits: Globe illustration (page 5) designed by Freepik.com, Ocean waves (page 15) designed by macrovector / Freepik.com, Frames (pages 44–5) designed by starline / Freepik.com.

(Some of) The College Crow Committee:

Check out College Crow online: PLACES / College Crow Tile

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From the Editor Some thoughts from our 2021 Publications Captain, Horatia Ma. A brief introduction: I am a Chinese-Australian who prefers the spoon and fork over chopsticks and who has never eaten a lamington. Both my parents have a Chinese heritage – simple? Not quite. China is a very big place and only recently did I learn that there are 56 ethnic groups that reside within its borders, 56 vastly different languages, cultures and customs.

My own fault for not realising, yes, but mainstream media never shows it. Even mainstream Chinese TV and reality shows that I know of, which admittedly are limited, don’t seem to represent ethnic minorities more than the dichotomy of ‘Mandarin-speaking’ and ‘Cantonese-speaking’. I think the one time I heard something other than these two was when Ayunga, one of my favourite artists, sang a little bit of Mongolian at the beginning of a song.

Speaking of Mongols, apparently I am one, on my Mum’s side, just a little bit! I got told this many years ago, but didn’t think much about it. I re-learnt my Mongolian heritage recently, and because I am a little more mature than I was before, I googled ‘Mongol’ and skimmed through the first paragraph under each of the headings on Wikipedia’s ‘Mongols’ article. It’s a long Wikipedia article. There’s a whole different language, a whole different culture, customs, clothing, royal family. It’s a lot. Heritage. Place. Two strange, sometimes very different, things for a second-generation immigrant like myself to consider. When your heritage is not where you are, when you walk like a duck and look like a duck but cluck like a chicken, to butcher the philosophical argument, what exactly are you? Where do you fit in?

This edition of the College Crow by no means attempts to answer this question. It’s nostalgia, it’s a travel guide, it’s a memoir of places we’ve been to and want to go back to, or perhaps even of places we’ve never been to but want to go to. We are a team of dreamers here at the Crow – borders and isolation pose no threat to us. And so, to my dreamers, the writers, the artists, the designers, thank you, truly. I’m constantly blown away by your creativity, by your ideas,

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2006, a baby Horatia with her grandfather. by the worlds you create, word by word, stroke by stroke, by your enthusiasm, the way you’ll put yourself into a different role as soon as the moment calls, the way you flit seamlessly from author to artist to editor to typesetter to proofreader. It’s a journey of its own, and I’m so glad and so honoured to have been able to have walked alongside each and every one of you.

And how can I talk about the Crow without talking about Ms Munro? An endless source of inspiration and comfort, all seemingly effortlessly. Perhaps the biggest dreamer of them all – you know what’s best for all of us, for each of the girls and every piece that they’re working on, even as our team and magazine seems to grow, meeting after meeting, email after email. At the same time, you are the person who keeps me grounded, who lets me know what needs to be done and still gives me space to explore and create and dream. With a smile on your face, years of wisdom up your sleeve and a pack of wet-wipes in your bag, you’re prepared for any and everything. And so to the rest of the College, the other half of the College Crow, read and enjoy, but more than that – dream. Imagine the places beyond our green gates, the worlds beyond ours. It’s a huge edition that we’ve got – it’s even bigger out there.

A r ct ic Mytho lo gy Inuit Legend of Sedna the Sea Goddess There was once a young woman named Sedna. She lived contently in the Arctic with her mother and father. Sedna met a man and agreed to marry him. However, the man later revealed that he was not a man at all, but a bird dressed up as a man! When Sedna’s father visited his daughter, upon seeing that she was so unhappy and that her husband had lied to her, he killed the birdman. While Sedna and her father set off for home, the birdman’s friends discovered what they had done and wanted to avenge the birdman’s death. They flapped their wings very hard, which resulted in a huge storm. Sedna’s father was so frightened that the storm would cause him to drown in the icy waters that he threw Sedna overboard. He thought that this would get the birds to stop flapping their wings, but it did not. Sedna did not want to be left in the water, so she held tightly to the edge of her father’s boat and would not let go. Fearing that she would tip him over, the father cut her fingers off, one joint at a time. From each of her finger joints, different sea creatures were born. They became fish, seals, walruses and whales. Sedna sank to the bottom of the ocean and there became a powerful spirit. Her home is now on the ocean floor. She has the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish. Today, Sedna controls all the animals in the sea and is known as the sea goddess.

o h t y M d n u o r A Wo

S outh E uro pea n My th o lo gy Roman

Myth of Jupiter and the Bee One fine day, the Queen Bee of the hive decided to visit Jupiter after being irritated by the mortals who took away her honey. When she reached Olympus, she offered fresh honey to Jupiter. Delighted by the taste of it, Jupiter promised to fulfil one of her wishes. The Queen Bee asked Jupiter for a sting which she can use to kill any mortal that takes her honey. Displeased by her request because of his love for the human race, he granted her wish but at the risk of her own life. Jupiter told the Queen Bee that if she used her sting it would remain in the wound and she would die from the loss of it.

E as t Asi a n Myth o lo gy Korean

The Woodcutter and the Axe Once upon a time in a distant land, there lived an honest woodcutter. His axe was not particularly valuable, but it served him well. One day he was cutting wood on the bank of a river, when his axe suddenly fell into the river. The river was deep so he could not take his axe out. He sat on the bank and began to weep.

Written by Kate Kim (Year 9).

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ology d the orld

Then, a majestic, old man with a white beard appeared from the river and asked why he was weeping. The woodcutter told his story. The majestic old man dived into the water and brought out a golden axe. The woodcutter said it was not his. The man dived again and brought out a silver axe. The woodcutter did not take it either. Then he brought an iron axe. The woodcutter took it gladly, for it was his. The majestic old man was much pleased by the woodcutter’s honesty. He rewarded the woodcutter with the other two axes. The unexpected gifts made the woodcutter wealthy, and he lived comfortably for the rest of his days. In a nearby village, another woodcutter, who was not so honest, heard what had happened. The greedy man hurried over to the honest woodcutter and asked him his story regarding the axes. The greedy woodcutter then decided that he would do the same: go to the mountain, find the same river, pretend to lose his axe and ask the bearded old man for the gold and silver axes. He did just that. When he dropped his axe into the lake, the majestic old man with a white beard appeared. The greedy woodcutter told his story. The old man dived into the water and brought a golden and silver axe. The greedy man said the axes were indeed his. Infuriated with the greedy woodcutter’s lies, the old man disappeared into the water, leaving the greedy woodcutter with nothing, not even the old, rusty axe with which he had arrived.

Abo r i g i n al M y t hol og y Tasmanian

Taraba – The Tasmanian Devil The Tasmanian Devil was once handsome, with large eyes and soft black curls on its swinging tail. Though it was handsome, the creature sought out baby animals as prey. It would wait until the parents were away and the coast was clear. Then it would sneak in and take off with the small babies. It soon had a reputation for being greedy, lazy and cowardly. It was known as a nasty animal. There were powerful Spirit helpers who lived in the bush. They helped look after the creatures in the wild. As you can imagine, they were not very happy with the nasty animal. One day, the creature made a great mistake. While trying to grab some babies, it found it was reaching into the home of the Spirit helpers instead. On discovering what the animal was trying to do, the Spirit helpers decided to punish it. They caused the animal’s nose to become a long snout. The large eyes became smaller. It lost its lovely fur. It developed claws on its paws and the curls fell away from its tail. Clematis blossoms fell onto its chest, causing it to become white in colour. The Spirit helpers said that from then on, it would be named Devil. The Tasmanian Devil has been this way ever since. Illustration by Grace Du (Year 10).

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These are just some of the mythologies from around the world. Everyone believes and knows various different stories. Which mythology inspires you most about the many cultures of our world?

Customs Around the World Food Customs

Written by Isabelle Ho Shon, Aileen Kim, Lydia Kim and Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 9). MIDDLE EAST

JAPAN While you probably consider slurping noodles to be rude, this isn’t the case in Japan. In fact, slurping is not only acceptable, but encouraged, as it’s believed to improve the noodles’ flavour and is evidence that you are enjoying your meal. In Japan, cleaning one’s plate is seen as honouring your host and expressing how much you enjoyed the meal.

Many Middle Eastern cultures encourage eating with your hands, but that doesn’t mean both hands are considered equal! In fact, the right hand is reserved for handling food, whilst using the left hand is considered an insult to the host. PORTUGAL In Portugal, asking for salt and pepper in a restaurant is a huge offense to the chef and their cooking abilities.

ITALY It is considered extremely disrespectful in Italian culture if cheese is added to seafood dishes. Italians will give you the evil eye if you order a frothy cappuccino after dinner because, apparently, drinking milk after a meal hinders digestion. While ordering a milky beverage after a meal in Italy won’t incite outrage, it will show that you are a tourist.

BRITAIN When drinking tea in Britain, there are several rules to observe – many involving the teaspoon. For example, when stirring tea, the spoon should never touch the sides of the cup, thus avoiding that annoying tinkling sound (and possibly chipping the fine-bone china). Furthermore, one should never leave their spoon in their cup; place the spoon on your saucer instead, like a proper tea drinker.

SOUTH KOREA In South Korea, it’s seen as a sign of great respect to refrain from beginning to eat until the oldest person at the table has had his or her first bite. Only then can everyone else join in.

CHINA Leaving your chopsticks sticking upright in a bowl of rice is seen as gauche in China, as that’s how ceremonial rice is typically left as an offering at funerals. It’s also seen as the height of rudeness to wave chopsticks in someone’s direction, or even to leave them on the table pointing directly at someone else. If you’re ever served a whole fish in China, the worst thing you can do is flip it over to get at the other side. Flipping a fish is superstitiously known to symbolise capsizing a boat – never a good thing.

CHILE Even if chicken drumsticks are on the menu, in Chile it’s customary to use a knife and fork to eat, well, pretty much everything! It’s believed that food should never be eaten with one’s hands.

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Music Customs

Countries around the world use music as a form of celebrating their traditional or contemporary culture and customs. So what are some cool music styles from around the world?

RAI, Algeria

KATAJJAQ, Canada

Rai appears to have originated during the 1930s in Oran, Algeria. Rai often discusses and is driven by themes of love or societal issues.

Katajjaq, or more commonly known as Inuit Throat Singing, is commonly sung in duets between women. Traditionally, Katajjaq was used to soothe babies to sleep or in a competitive celebratory manner, where individuals would compete to see who could outlast each other in throat singing. The Inuits are the indigenous native people of arctic regions in Canada, USA, Greenland and Russia. However, throat singing is also practiced in diverse cultures such as in Tibet or Mongolia. CALYPSO, Trinidad and Tobago

SOUKOUS, Congo Soukous is a music style derived from the Belgian and French Congo in the 1930s–1940s. It also has roots in the Congolese Rumba.

African and European traditional music blended with the music of Trinidad and Tobago to create Calypso music. Calypso music is produced through the use of steel drums. It is said that Calypso was created as a form of communication between enslaved Africans due to language barriers. ZYDECO, Louisiana This music genre was born in the mid 19th century from Southern Louisiana’s Creole population. Lyrics are generally sung in English or French, accompanied by the comforting sounds of the accordion and washboard.

FUNK CARIOCA, Brazil Funk Carioca can be compared to the samba of Rio De Janeiro. It’s the mix of various pop styles such as Miami Base with old school hip hop and Portugese rapping. Lyrics often tackle topics of violence, poverty and social inequality.

KPOP, Korea Now popular for its “global domination”, Korea’s KPop often uses the combination of other genres such as electropop, hip hop, pop, rock and R&B. Most successful KPop songs are known for their dances and catchy beats.

BUSH MUSIC, Australia Bush music, also known as bush ballads, stemmed from the experience of Australia’s new settlers forging their lives in the country’s outback. They are a collection of tribulations encountered by the settlers and convicts throughout the colonisation of Australia. Waltzing Matilda is considered a popular example of Bush music, having even been considered as the national anthem at one point. GO-GO, Washington DC Go-go is Washington DC’s only native style of music, stemming from the 60s and 70s. It is a blend of funk, rhythm, blues and hip hop. It is often recognised by its syncopated rhythm enforced by drum beats and call/response styles between the artist and the audience. Illustrated by Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 9).

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An Open Interview With Two Neurodivergency is an umbrella term that encompasses people that experience a neurological disorder, including but not limited to, Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Tourette's Syndrome. I have taken the opportunity to interview Emily Nielsen and Evie Atkins, two amazing autistic students in Year 12.

Emily So, this is the Neurodivergency Interview, first question. What does Neurodivergency mean to you? To me, neurodivergency means that my brain and the brains of other neurodivergent people are wired differently to the brains of neurotypicals. I know that everyone’s brain is wired differently, but our differences are, I think, more noticeable than ‘normal’ differences. It makes us good at certain things and not so good at other things, and it’s pretty cool. What things would you say you’re good at? I mean, every neurodivergent person is different. Personally for me, I’m good at memory, I think I have a pretty good memory and I’m good at remembering facts. If I’m really interested in something, I’m good at taking it to the next level. I think I have a good sense of justice. A lot of people with neurodivergency, I think I’m one of them, don’t really see or follow rules that we see as unimportant or that don’t make sense, and things like that. So, how has neurodivergency impacted your education experience? For the longest time I had no idea that I was autistic, but ever since finding out, it’s made a bit more sense. It’s like ‘Ohhh, that’s why I experience things’. I had a hard time in primary school following rules that didn’t make sense to me so I got in trouble a lot, and because of that, I didn’t want to go to class. I hated coming to school and I didn’t learn much, in Year 5 and Year 6, but I could remember enough to get good grades, and that kind of continued until Year 7 or Year 8, but I got a bit better as the work started to get more interesting, and my teachers more understanding. The thing I’m struggling with more now is as the work’s getting harder, my thinking style is very different to how they want me to think when they set tests and exams and things like that. Would you say that the education system is more catered to neurotypicals? I mean, the education system is created by neurotypicals, and I don’t think they have neurodivergent people in mind. A lot of the smartest, most incredible people in the world are neurodivergent, like Greta Thunberg and Einstein. All of these incredible people didn’t do very well in school, and I think it just proves that we need to reform the education system.

Emily and Evie. I agree. Do you think PLC Sydney advocates and accommodates for your needs as a neurodivergent person? Yes and no, I’m going to say. PLC gives me extra time for my exams because I have a slower processing speed, when I’m reading and things, and I think that’s really good. Not all schools offer that, and despite not being able to get it for the HSC, that’s a NESA issue, I’m glad PLC offers this. But I think that PLC needs to have more conversation about these kinds of topics because there’s a lot of people out here with autism, ADHD, OCD, all of these kinds of things and they don’t really get talked about. How has neurodiversity impacted the rest of your identity? Again, since finding out more about it, it’s kind of explained why I’ve always been a little bit different to everyone else. Like, people always enjoy going out to parties and stuff, well not everyone, but a lot of people do. I don’t necessarily enjoy big, crowded places and loud parties and stuff, and it’s kind of explained that ‘No, I’m not just a dork, it’s because of how my brain is wired’ and things like that, but I also think that a massive part of my identity is being a gymnast. I don’t think I would’ve had that passion as strong if I wasn’t autistic. This leads to the next question, tell us about your special interest! So, if any of you know me, you’ll know that my special interest is rhythmic

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People Who Are Neurodivergent This interview is best read alongside Evie’s contribution to the magazine (on page 11) as I have most likely provided details and terms that a neurotypical person may be unaware of. If you come across a term you're unfamiliar with, look it up! Emma O'Dea (Year 12) gymnastics. I’ve been in love with it ever since I was seven years old. I don’t know why I loved it in the first place but I loved it and I never stopped going back. Even though I was kind of bad at the beginning, I got a lot better because I worked at it and I do think all of my success has come from work and not from talent, I was not very naturally talented. At the moment, I’m training at Level 10 and I love going to training, it’s the highlight of my day. During lockdown, when I couldn’t have it, I was so sad. I love coaching as well and passing on my knowledge and experience to the younger kids. It’s good! Would you consider your future to be laid within your special interest? I hope so! I mean, I can’t do gymnastics forever, because my body will not want to, obviously, it would get injured, but I’m hoping I can at least coach well into the future. I don’t want to give up the path of gymnastics completely because it’s been part of who I am for so long now. I couldn’t imagine life without it. Have you experienced ableism as a neurodivergent person? As a neurodivergent person, I have a privilege that some neurodivergent people don’t get, which is the privilege of being neurotypical passing and being able to mask quite well, so a lot of people will have no idea. So for that reason, I have never experienced people calling me names. But what I have seen and experienced is people, and people at PLC, saying rude things about neurodivergent people in general, so things like using the r-slur, things like saying “Oh my God, I’m so autistic” or “I’m so OCD” or things like that. Even though they haven’t been directed towards me, it’s still not okay and I’ve definitely seen that a lot. I think people think that being disabled or neurodivergent is a bad thing, and they’re expressing that by saying that something that they think is meant to be bad as disabled or neurodivergent. It’s not a bad thing though and that’s what I want people to know. It can be a gift. It can be challenging, but it can be an incredible gift. Would you say that it’s been ingrained into our culture to be ableist? I think yes, as people say those things without thinking about it. Growing up, I didn’t know that the r-slur was a bad word, cause I’ve just heard people say it at school if something was bad or whatever. I didn’t even know what it really meant, and I don’t think there’s a huge amount of education about it, and I think that needs to change. What is the best advice you can give to an allistic person to help them become a better ally to neurodivergent people? I think just understanding. Let us tell our stories, don’t say things like “No it’s

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not,” if it’s too loud for us. Try to understand where we’re coming from and why we do things differently, why I may be able to do some things and not other things. I think just listening and understanding is the key. Peace and love! Thank you for taking part in the interview! You’re welcome, it was great!

Evie First question! What does neurodivergency mean to you? Neurodivergency means, for me, I guess, thinking differently, and uniqueness, and bringing different ideas into the world that others may not think of! Cool! How has neurodivergency impacted your learning experience? A lot. Despite the fact that my IQ is slightly above average, I’ve always found mainstream classes to be very hard and I felt school never really came to my needs so I basically was very hard on myself and forced myself to work so hard. Even if I got very low marks, I just wanted to try hard so people would see me as not just someone who has special needs, but someone more than that. Do you think PLC Sydney advocates for your needs? Despite the fact that my IQ wasn’t low enough for Transition, I’m in Transition. It’s still not a perfect match but it’s better than all the stress of mainstream and all that stuff, but I guess in general, not really. However, the support staff, especially Ms Young, helped me alot, which I am very grateful for! Exactly! This is a fun question, what is your special interest? Oh man! For years, I’ve had a lot of special interests, but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re cartoons. I’m obsessed with cartoons and at the moment, my cartoon special interest is Ed, Edd and Eddy, which is a Cartoon Network show that ran from 1999–2009. It’s about three boys, one’s called Ed, the other one is also named Edd but he’s called Double D because he has two ‘D’s’ in his name and then there’s Eddy! They go around, well, Eddy drags Ed and Double D along to scam the kids of the Cul-de-sac and it’s really funny and Double D is my absolute favourite character and I have a huge, HUGE crush on him! I love the personality database and personality quizzes like the MBTI, Big 5 and enneagrams, tritypes, etc. (continues over page)

Very cool! Next question! How has neurodivergency impacted the rest of your identity? I guess before my Mum told me I am autistic, I felt like I was broken and that I had no excuses for any of my behaviours, so I’d try and force myself to seem normal and then once my Mum told me I had autism, everything clicked. I was like “THAT’S WHY I’M LIKE THAT!” and then it took me years and years to learn about it and it has helped me realise who I am and why I am the way I am and that I’m proud to be autistic! Would you say that the label “autistic” has helped you define yourself? Yeah. I kind of do like labels because they help me understand the world, so that’s why I like the MBTI because it helps me understand people more. So I think I don’t mind the label of autistic, just as long as people see the good side of it, like my creativity, and the way I think deeply about things, and my empathy, and all that! Would you say that autism is misrepresented in the media? Yes, especially after Sia released her very bad movie, Music, which, awww man. But yeah, there’s not much representation. But there’s a few like Julia from Sesame Street and Entrapta from the She-ra reboot on Netflix, though there are characters that I have noticed that could be neurodivergent. For example, I believe that Double D is neurodivergent but the creator hasn’t confirmed anything and there are other characters who I think are also neurodivergent, but then again the creators haven’t confirmed anything so, y’know, hopefully one day they can get confirmed so there will be more representation and more characters to kin! *laughs*

Next question, what is the most common form of ableism that you see in society? That’s hard. I guess, like, just excluding us, not knowing what to do with us, and I’ve seen around school, like, when a neurodivergent person comments on something, everyone just turns against them and gets annoyed at them and yeah, that’s all I’ve seen. Yeah, it needs to stop. Last question. What’s the best advice you can give to neurotypical people to help them become a better ally to neurodivergent people? Just being kind, being open, being curious and open to learning about people is my best advice. If you’re closed minded about people, then, y’know, you miss out on a lot of amazing people, and the world is changing every day, and we’re getting more diverse as time goes on. Just being more open to new ideas and people, I think, is a really healthy way to connect with people and to not have any disharmony and all that stuff. So, in conclusion, be open to new people and give everyone a chance because everyone deserves a chance. *Emily* Be a decent human being! Yeah! Pretty much! Exactly! Thank you so much for the interview, it was a pleasure to have your words of wisdom! You’re welcome! Happy to spread the word of neurodiversity!

Totally! Now to something more serious. Have you experienced ableism? Thankfully, not a lot, but it was little things that really affected me. I think a bit when I was younger at preschool, there was this teacher that used to scare the heck out of me and got me into trouble for, y’know, not doing anything wrong. I just remember sitting on a chair whilst everyone else was playing and I felt confused. Then at MUSEC, the school I went to before, I got into trouble for doing autistic things. But then mainstream PLC Sydney really got me because someone told me to stop wearing pigtails and to instead wear a ponytail because, y’know, Year 4, apparently we were meant to be wearing ponytails and she also told me not to like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and thankfully I didn’t stop that because I love My Little Pony and I’m not ashamed to like it anymore. There was this other time in the carnivals, where as I was older than most of my year group, I was put with the older kids and they basically were mean to me when I was doing long jump and I ended up crying so, those are a few instances, despite the fact I don’t really remember that much, they still do affect me. I’m really sorry you went through that. That’s alright! I’m glad you still like My Little Pony though, a classic show! It is!

PLC Sydney College Crow

Autism

Written and illustrated by Evie Atkins (Year 12). You’ve probably heard about Autism but there are many misconceptions about it. Firstly, everyone on the Autism Spectrum is different. If you know one Autistic person, you just know that one person. Also, it’s a spectrum. It’s not linear.

Other Person

I’m not great in crowds, but I love being with my close friends because they don’t pressure me to be what I’m not. Yes, Autistic people are social beings like you.

I suffer from social anxiety, not because I don’t want friends, but because I feel judged and fear I will say or do the wrong things.

Semester 1 2021

nso

I find direct eye contact uncomfortable, not because I don’t like seeing you, but because it’s stressful.

g an

This is how I experience the world as an Autistic individual:

M o Sk tor ill s

It’s more like a circle with people in different spots with differences in strengths and weaknesses and how they experience the world.

Neurotypical

ion

Less Autistic

Executive Function

Pe r

Autistic

I get sensory overload. When I’m in a room, I absorb EVERYTHING. Every noise, colour, smell – I can’t block it out like you. My brain is processing everything.

I have special interests (intense passions for certain things). Most Autistic people do. They make me happy and are motivating (for example, watching cartoons).

Edd (Ed, Edd n Eddy)

I have developed strict routines and ways of doing things because I find the world too chaotic. It keeps me calm.

College Crow's Librarians in Residence Written by Olivia Chan and Jocelyn Arkapaw (Year 9). Illustration by Olivia Chan.

Hello! Welcome back to the book recommendation corner! ;D For the newbies, this is a brief rundown of our recommendation corner: We give a review of some books we’ve read from the PLC Sydney Library, with a specific theme for each edition of College Crow. Don’t take our reviews too seriously, this is all for fun and maybe you’ll find a new book to read, who knows? :) This year the ‘Librarians in Residence’ have a new recruit! This semester we’re going rogue – sorry – and we won’t be doing a genre as we usually do, but instead the theme will be ‘travelling books’ to match the College Crow theme. Looking back on the reviews, our choice of books wasn't very good this time. Sorry. We still hope you enjoy! – Olivia Hi! I’m the new recruit. I like books, and I’m super excited to be working on this book review! I hope you like it. – Jocelyn

Darius the Great is not Okay Author: Adib Khorram Library code: F KHO | Reviewed by Jocelyn: Solid 4.2 out of 5 The title Darius the Great is not Okay put me off the book at first – I mean, it’s pretty weird, you’ve got to agree – but the book itself is probably the best out of the ones I read for these reviews. It is based around an ordinary boy who really likes tea and has depression. His family travels to Iran when his grandfather gets sick. He is usually bullied at home and only has one friend, but when he goes to Iran, he meets a guy who understands him. I really rooted for their friendship but the ending felt too sudden and rushed and unsatisfying. I also deducted half a point for the unnecessary focal point of something that happens in the soccer changing room. Overall, it was really engaging and I definitely recommend it! Good character development and plot, for the most part.

The Wonder of Us Author: Kim Culbertson Library code: F CUL | Reviewed by Olivia: 2.9 out of 5 The Wonder of Us is about these two best friends that have drifted apart, so they go on a trip to rekindle their friendship. It’s a feel-good story that incorporates relationship struggles and a bit of romance. What I really liked about this book was that it was written from two different perspectives and that it was set in cities such as Rome and London (places I’d love to visit). However I found the plotline a bit predictable and very cliché and there wasn’t a very obvious climax. If given the choice, I wouldn’t re-read the book just because it’s not my type of story. I would’ve liked to have more detail about the places they travelled to.

Love & Gelato Author: Jenna Evans Welch Library code: F WEL | Reviewed by Jocelyn: 3.8 out of 5 Love & Gelato felt very cliché, the storyline of a typical realistic fiction novel with some extra quirks thrown in, such as that she moves into a cemetery with Howard, her ‘father’. It is written in first person, and in my opinion, the language sounds like an adult trying to be relatable to teens. Mozzarella, camembert and cheddar are all good descriptions for the novel. It was extremely cheesy, especially the parts where she is describing Ren, her friend/more than friend. If you are looking for a very easy and lighthearted read, this book would be the one for you! The plot gets far more engaging halfway through as she searches for the truth about her mum and dad in Italy and, deep down, I enjoyed the cheese as it added comedy and relieved some stress.

PLC Sydney College Crow

Book Recommendations Corner Let’s Get Lost Author: Adi Alsaid Library code: F ALS | Reviewed by Olivia: 3.2 out of 5 In my opinion, the start of this book was not very strong, although it improved by the end. The book is like one giant story based around this one girl that includes several smaller stories of people that she meets. That was a bad description, but basically this girl is on a long road trip and she takes several detours on the way because she helps these people solve their life problems. I found the second, third and fourth ‘stories’ more interesting. They’re pretty short sections of the book. You don’t actually know a lot about the main character until the end of the book because it focuses more on the people she meets. The plot was very on and off for me because there was a difference between the characters’ journeys. However, I enjoyed the book overall, and it’s a very lighthearted read. You never got bored since it was essentially a group of intertwined short stories and I think I liked it better than The Wonder of Us.

Wildlife Author: Fiona Wood Library code: F WOO | Reviewed by Jocelyn: 3.6 out of 5 Wildlife had a very confusing beginning. For the first few chapters, I had no idea what the layout of the book was or who any of the characters were. It turned out it was set from two people’s perspective, and once I worked this out, it was a lot easier to follow. This book is centred around high school teen drama, as the main characters’ school brings all students into the wilderness for a few weeks to experience the great outdoors. Many of the characters were not very smart, which was quite frustrating to read. This book was a bit cliché as well, especially the subplot with one of the main character’s boyfriend, who of course was popular and ended up being a jerk. I preferred the plot of the other character, who was more likeable and less ‘cliché American teen’. Overall, this book has good and bad elements. I didn’t love it, but also didn’t hate it.

Semester 1 2021

PHOENIX Written by Chrysolite (Chrysty) Salla (Year 7), illustration by Annika Johansson (Year 11).

You can not reach the top, without rising from the bottom. From smouldering embers to a beautiful being, a fire burns in me.

From sorrow and grief, from tears of anguish, from the torment I faced, rose a new being, better than ever before.

A never-ending circle of life, a golden swirl of fire. Rising from the ashes, I spread my wings to fly.

From tears comes fire, from darkness comes light, from pain comes joy, from ashes comes a beautiful, powerful being.

A powerful inferno, ablaze and in full flight.* Gracefully gliding, leaving the past behind. I’m chasing my dreams, beware.

A new being, a new body, a new life. But the same soul. The soul of a phoenix.

In lonely, empty, broken space, ashes are all that remain. But from these cinders comes new life, a new being comes into existence.

The phrase ‘ablaze and in full flight’ has been borrowed from The Phoenix Who Survived, a poem by Dean the Bard (deanthebard.com). *

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DEAR OCEAN Written by Amy Feng (Year 10).

i. i paint your nails with seaside spells, / rumour says there’s still sand and blood in the in-betweens, tucked away somewhere in the callouses and seashells and the tug of ocean waves. / you’ve killed a man with bare hands, but i won’t hold you accountable. / (you’re too beautiful for hell). / they said he drowned in the melody of your lullabies, / lured into the waves and embraced, / open-mouthed, / until he breathed sweet salt kisses from your lips. / lungs filled / heart heavy, listening as you told him about the ocean; / a second heaven that’s deeper than his battle wounds, where the seashells will keep his secrets for as long as he lives. they said he looked happy as he died. / peaceful, almost. / he wore the face of a man who hangs his life and death on his open sleeves, the smile of a man who’s drowned his demons in thoughts of you. / but / i know the art of an ocean’s murder; / i know the beauty of a man who died in your hands. / the ocean is rebirth, healing, death. he asked to be healed. / (it’s a shame you drowned him instead.) / ii. you’ve pierced an apple with your thumb, left crescent-moon lovebites on the back of my neck. your hand’s down my throat; i taste bittersweet red as i gag. i’ll trade my life for a taste of your death, and if i die with my heart in your hands, i’d call it a happy ending too. iii. i’ve seen the art of an ocean’s murder: he was so beautiful, dead, i wonder if he took a part of you as he closed his eyes.

Semester 1 2021

Abode The cloudy violet skies; Torches bragging light on the old sandstone; Birds muttering quietly; This is the place where all my stories were sown. ‘Endless' passageways throughout the ‘castle’; Drenched in the scent of dad’s cologne; The many memories I have made on my cold-but-comfy pillows; This is the house that’ll never be outgrown. Written by Anastasia Mouzos (Year 7), illustrated by Olive Carr (Year 7).

searching, searching I think that the places we know Should not be the only places we go We can go all around the world Searching and searching All around the world Yet knowing that home is those we love For they carry shards of ourselves Home does not need to be a place, but a community Not just walls or a roof But a person Could be a place where your family is You could search and twine and wander But still you will have a home Written by Ruby Phoon (Year 9), illustrated by Ruby Huang (Year 8). No matter where you go 16

PLC Sydney College Crow

The Earth is Round Written and illustrated by Isabelle Badger (Year 9).

The earth is round Colourful and clear Full of life, trees And paradise Every year as time flies by Cities bloom and trees reach high Yet here I wonder When will this die?

As CO2 fills the sky Greed spills and kills the fly The ocean weeps And slowly dies The life is all gone No blue sky The ocean grey No clean water nearby Trees are gone Never to come back The earth is round The clouds are white When will this end? Out of spite

Semester 1 2021

The Daily Bull Year 7 Year 7s that have been put into Saturday sport teams with the older years will be forced to participate in a weekly scolding for not being experienced. If you don’t have any friends yet go steal someone else’s. That’s how it works in Year 7, right? Year 7s, we don’t know where any of the rooms are either. All Year 7s that don’t know where their classrooms are will have to be a PA to a Year 12 student for a day. That includes figuring out where their classrooms are!

Year 8 Year 8s who say their arms hurt from carrying all their stuff will be forced to do deadlifts for the rest of the day. All Year 8s who complain about the Year 7s will be sent back to Year 7 permanently. All Year 8s who think the rules don’t apply to them will be forced to read out loud all of the school rules in assembly, from memory. Any Year 8s caught playing Tetris in class will be forced to compete in a cohort-wide Tetris Tournament on Speech Day. 18

Year 9 There will be showers at the gate of every entrance so that Year 9s can rinse off their fake tans and smudged eyeliner. Year 9s caught complaining about one of their electives will have a new replacement elective randomly chosen by their former teacher. If there are picnic rugs not returned by the end of recess and lunch, the people who used the rug will be forced to wear them as capes for a whole day. Any Year 9 students found complaining about their lockers will have theirs immediately replaced with an old silver Year 9 locker.

Year 10 For one day a week, Year 10s will have to wear the Junior uniform to ensure that they are appropriately thankful for the one they have. Any Year 10s caught hanging out with the Year 7–9s at the Camphor Laurel Tree or the Sunken Lawn at recess or lunch will be demoted to Year 7 and forced to wear the Junior uniform. Find friends your own age – socialise! PLC Sydney College Crow

Any Year 10s who think that they are equal to the Year 12s because they are now in the Senior uniform will be automatically forced to wear the Evandale uniform until they are in Year 12. All Year 10s must be above 5’4 to wear the Year 10 uniform.

Year 11 Any Year 11s complaining about the upcoming HSC will be forced to do it on the spot. If they get 100% they will be chucked out of the school for being better than the Year 12s. If they get less than 100%, they will repeat Year 11 until they get 100%. We’re introducing a Peer Support system for Year 11. Every Year 11 is to be paired with a Year 12 buddy. Don’t worry, the role is simple – whereas last year you listened to the woes and troubles of the Year 7s, now you get to listen to the woes and troubles of the Year 12s. PLC Sydney is all about broadening the talents and interests of its students. Because of this, all students in Year 11 are required to choose an elective from every faculty, including new ones like ‘Soap Carving’, ‘Ghost Hunting’ and ‘Duck Herding’.

Year 12 All Year 12 students who complain about the HSC will be sent to Year 7 permanently. Worried about Schoolies under the everchanging and unpredictable COVID conditions? Don’t be – PLC Sydney has your back! Introducing PLC Sydney Schoolies – a final compulsory cohort camp that will take you on a road trip through Australia in all its outback glory. Expected cost is the amount of minutes wasted in free periods to the power of the Semester 1 2021

number of milliliters of tears produced by Year 12 students. There is to be a new addition to the Common Room – the bookshelf, where you can donate your tear-stained and pencil-marked textbooks, set books and notes to the younger generations as they grow into the dubious honour of being a Year 12 student.

Staff Staff seen wearing their hair down will be forced to tie it back. It’s only fair. Teachers who are intimidating will have a professional ‘Kazooer’ around them at all times to break the tension with their kazoo skills. Any staff caught wearing sophisticated accessories will have to give them to the student who caught you. It’s for the reputation of our school.

General This year, due to COVID, we will be doing a second House Choir, but in sign language! Get to learning, ladies. Those who did well in the Swimming Carnival this year can choose a staff member to represent them at state/their next competition. Due to COVID restrictions, all wind instrument players will need to be wearing masks while playing their instruments. In addition to this, their instrument will also be required to wear a mask. There’s been a huge TikTok craze through the school – PLC Sydney has wisely chosen cooperation over combat. Those who are caught on TikTok either in the classroom or in the hallways disrupting everyone else’s easy passage to their next destination will have to teach a TikTok dance to the College Council. Illustration by Emily Doust (Year 7).

Encyclopedia of Specimen

PLC Sydney College Crow

Semester 1 2021

Rating Places

Written by Noa Blum and Sophia Miller (Year 8), photos by Lumbini Catalano (Year 7).

That One Specific Hallway Between The McQueen And Whitlam Buildings™ There’s this hallway. It’s that one specific hallway. The one between the McQueen and Whitlam buildings, right near the staircase. You all know it. If you don’t, you most certainly will, at some point or another. It’s surprisingly infamous for a hallway. You never want to be caught here right between classes, it’s crowded. Oh, and let’s hope you never have your locker here. If you have before, you know how awful it is. If you haven’t, you don’t want to, trust us. The stench of rotten breath as warm bodies shove past little old you just trying to find your maths text book. Basically, this hallway is the worst, and deserves 0 stars. No, less. Less than 0 stars. It’s awful. Truly terrible. -2 stars.

The Bins Near The Camphor Laurel Tree Ah, but in a sharp contrast to that truly awful hallway, we have those wonderful, glorious, stunning bins near the Camphor Laurel Tree. The colour-coded ones. The ones that just make it really clear which bin to put things in. It’s just... so simple. So easy to understand. If only your Science homework was as easy to figure out as these bins. They’re just so chill, bright and colourful. You can feel the positive vibes radiating from these friendly bins. They make you feel more calm than the bell finally ringing at the end of the day. You probably never thought you’d hear someone singing the praises of “some random bins”, or whatever it is you call them, but hey, there’s a first time for everything. 6.34 stars.

WHITLAM BUILDING Anime enthusiasts love it for that one wall with anime posters

on it near the Japanese classrooms. Science enthusiasts love it because the labs there actually have gas taps. It’s got languages, English classrooms, Geography classrooms, and a navigable layout. It’s basically the ideal building. Of course, at first the room numbering system was a tad confusing (but all of the room numbering systems in this school are, you have to admit), and in the morning the door to that one corridor of language classrooms (the upstairs corridor) is locked, so you have to go all the way down and then back up. But these are minor flaws, really, in the grand scheme of things. Small inconveniences. I mean, apart from that it’s completely perfect! 4.998 stars. PLC Sydney College Crow

Around School

The theme for this semester’s College Crow is ‘Around the World’, and as we all know, school truly is our whole world. So today, we’ll be bringing to you all the (important) places around the school, rated using a classic 5–star system.

The audrey Keown Theatre The AKT. We all know and love the AKT (well, technically it’s the McKeith Performing Arts Centre, but no one needs to know that...). The teachers, the music, the drama, the singing, the dancing. It all makes for a lovely and welcoming place. Well... it would, if not for the multitude of problems. For one thing, it’s so far away from everything! You have a band practice at lunch, but then you have Science right after? Well, you’ll probably end up being late if you’re not fast, my friend. It’s bucketing with rain and you don’t have an umbrella? You’re going to be absolutely drenched. And the air conditioning! It’s freezing! Then you turn it off and suddenly you feel like you could melt. There’s no middle ground. Oh, and have you ever tried to get to Harmsworth? Have you gotten there successfully? Without the assistance of a teacher or another student? Because in that case you are extremely talented. And could you... perhaps... tell us where it is? The only thing saving the AKT from a 0 star rating is the amazing teachers and ensembles. 3 stars.

Macindoe Research Centre The Macindoe Research Centre is home to our wonderful school library, the History classrooms, the Macindoe Seminar Room, and the school café. The school café... There is constantly a huge queue for the food there every lunch and recess. It’s much larger than the canteen’s crowd, despite the canteen also offering similar overpriced food (but it’s at least hot, depending on what you get). Moving past the café, the main feature of the Macindoe is the Senior School Library. There’s also the Junior School Library, but everybody knows children under the age of 12 don’t exist matter. The Senior School Library is wonderful. It has lots of different places to sit, so you can always find a seat (even if it isn’t a comfy couch), and a large selection of books. The best part about the books is that the fiction section is organised by genre, aka the superior organisational way. The Macindoe also has History classrooms, automatically giving it an extra star if, and only if, you enjoy History. There’s the Macindoe Seminar Room, but it’s at the very top of this 4-storey building. Get ready for a trek if you have a class there, because the stairs are very annoying to go up or down. 3 stars. Semester 1 2021

PLC Sydney College Crow

Illustrations by Vicky Lei (Year 9).

Semester 1 2021

Day and Night

Written by Jasmine Huang and Ruby Mills, illustration by Sophia Kelleher (Year 7).

I. Flynn Spring’s chilling breath crept underneath the knotted floorboards. I liked the world this way; silent and still in a deep slumber. I always imagined the world to be my parents. They weren’t in the healthiest relationship and we all knew it. Each morning before the world was awake, there was a flat sea of calmness. Then chaos began. They would be constantly arguing about the education I was receiving and if it was enough; about spending money on fixing the new fence; about how the eggs were still runny. Up until recently, we had been relying on mother’s paintings to support us financially while father worked on the farm. I had no one to share my thoughts or feelings with so I expressed them in letters; they were always my specialty before my top reputation at school slowly began to fall apart like the weeds my father slices with his scythe. That’s why I would climb the mountain a few minutes’ walk to the coast each morning. It was the place where the sea salt mixed with the scent of the pure morning dew; a sanctuary where my thoughts didn’t oppose those around me. The leaves quivered slightly as I brushed past. The twigs underfoot crunched as I steered myself clear of the dangling trees denting great brown slashes through the early morning sunlight. Rocks scattered themselves in and out of trees, piling along the edge of the mountain. Here the last seventeen years of my life sprawled out into a landscape: the kamahi tree my mum let me plant while she was still her old, carefree self, on which I had carved my initials F.M. when I was six years old. The valley was enveloped in a blanket of silence – its cover not yet removed save for the occasional shrills of early risers perched in tree branches. I liked to think after all these years, they had gotten to be familiar with me and that whenever I saw them each morning, they would chirp in quiet voices and remark ‘there he is again’ or ‘back as usual’. I chose a smooth, grey rock squatting quietly underneath a kamahi tree, and here in this spot I began my letter.  Dear Aurora, I am writing this looking out on the coast of Auckland and what a sight it is – bright yellows and soft oranges and pinks fringing the peaks of the mountains! The water seems to me like a mirror reflecting the heavens and it’s odd to think how thousands of kilometres away across this sea of glass you will be sitting down in some snow mound replying to my letter. I actually had no clue what her world looked like. Upon writing the last sentence, I looked up into the sky where warm sunlight was weaseling its way between the clouds and as I descended into the murky pool of my thoughts, an agonising shriek sounded from within the green labyrinth. I had heard this sound many times before. I placed a cool, round pebble to weigh down my somewhat crumpled sheets of writing and rushed into the dark clearing of the forest, not yet thawed from the cold. Lying there was an injured calf – its back right leg splayed in a painful position. Whimpers sounded from the shivering figure and my mind retraced what my father had taught me all those years ago. ‘Do not alarm them; wrap them up in a blanket and gently put pressure on their wound,’ my father had told me in his soft voice. When I was younger and my parents had rarely argued, I used to think my father’s voice was worn from arguing so much and this was why he would forfeit any minor argument my mother started. It was rather like the picket fences surrounding our property; they used to be new and upright but now, because of time’s doing, they were lopsided and had chips here and there. Just as I reached the same smooth, grey rock with the same cool, round pebble weighting my papers, the page slipped from underneath the cold stone and into the breeze which stirred it out away to sea, in a sea salt brew. My only hope was that it would find its way across the ocean into the home of the northern lights. The sound of a tractor threaded itself into the wind. Little did I know later that day, I would find the page weighted under a cool, round pebble; the ocean’s foam barely touching the edges.

Yours truly, 26

Flynn Miller New Zealand, Auckland, Goldsworthy Bay

PLC Sydney College Crow

II. Aurora

Dear Flynn, The chill hits my lips before the stars reach my eyes. The universe vanishes and reappears as I blink, trying to become used to the abrupt change of temperature. “Blimey it’s cold, isn’t it?” Bella hisses, her English accent coming out strong. She’s only been here a week, yet has fit right in amongst the mini universe of people that is the last year of high school. I laugh as her lips start turning purple. At least I had the common sense to bring my snow jumper. The ride home is as uneventful as usual. Filled with gossip, none of it about the people who are really hiding things, and a round of Russian Roulette with a water gun. Out the window, for as far as the human eye can see, eternity’s blackness stares at the mundane human life. Scorning it and wishing for it at the same time. “Aurora? Aurora, snap out of it!” The sound of my name reels me out of my daydream, and brings me back to earth. Bella and my childhood friend Minna gesture to me, indicating that this is my stop. Night swallows me whole as I jump off the bus. It stays with me as I trudge through the white abyss of snow, following the trail of lights, both in front and above me. As I enter the village, smells and sounds whisk me away. Spices from places new and old, foods that have intoxicated people since birth, and desserts that make even the best of chefs stop and stare. As I walk along the frost covered path surrounded with the familiar sounds and smells of home, I smile. The door to my house is shut tight, golden light peeking out from the cracks. A creaking noise whispers around the room as I enter, dreading a conversation with my sister, only to find her passed out on the couch. My sigh sounds louder than the door opening. When she wakes, she will be righteous in her belief that I did it on purpose. As per usual. With Mum away for work in France, and Dad on his third fishing trip of the month, I’ll be the one dealing with her. Why family is so celebrated is a frequent thought of mine. Almost everything in our house is made of wood. Stairs, tables, cutlery and beds. Wooden stairs in particular make a snapping noise as you climb them. That particular noise surrounds me at this point in time, filling my fatigued mind with white noise. Jumping into bed feels like a mercy, and one I am grateful for. Turning over, I notice the lights. Daylight does not arrive till ten in the morning, and will vanish at noon, so lights are everywhere. I click them all off and fall into the ravine of memory. Happier times, ones where Heidi and I weren’t constantly at each other’s throats, Mum had an easier job, and Dad wasn’t away every odd day. Where Minna and I could go skiing every weekend, and beauty standards had yet to apply. With memories of a nicer life in my mind, the blackness drags me under.

Sincerely Yours,

Aurora Rovaniemi, Finland Semester 1 2021

A Head So Empty

Ahead, So Empty

“Who needs to have fun? Fun doesn’t make cold hard cash. (Just crush your passions.)” “Remember this! That!” “When the exams come around, Vomit it all out.” No, I’m not learning. And no, I’m not having fun. My brain’s coming back. I recall those days, A heart of burning passion. Death of the once loved.

A collection of haikus written and illustrated by Tansy Pham (Year 11).

I’m losing my mind, No, not figuratively! My brain is missing! This is so stupid. Well, actually, I’m stupid. I’ve really lost it! Oh, where was it last?! I can’t even remember. It’s too small to see. Do I need it though? I like being this empty And it feels lighter. “But I need my brain! How will I get a job now? (Who wants a failure?)”

28 28

The fire in your soul, It burns brightest in your heart. So why let it go? An extinguisher In a classroom, for safety. The heart must not burn. It needs to get out. My jaw slowly opens to Vomit it all out. I’m a mess, aren’t I? My mind is slipping away But my brain is found. Yes, I feel alright. I’m so happy right now. My chest feels hollow. There, I sit alone, In an office, all white noise. I’m truly happy.

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THE AROUND-THE-WORLD BROADCAST Welcome dear reader, to our Around-The-World Broadcast! You’re just in time for our ‘What’s Happening Around The World?’ Whose COVID plan has been made to last? And what sort of events this year so far has unfurled...

Hello, Asia! Doing good? You’ve powered through all the obstacles and clogs You've actually got COVID quite nicely under control You even have COVID tests for cats and dogs!

Let’s start off in North America, d’ya hear me loud and clear? You got your 46th President and your Capitol got stormed free And as for your COVID cases, well, let us hear... 27 million, seven hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty three!

G’day Australia! How was your day? Your people and officials are what we put our hope in And you even managed to find a way To continue to have the Australian Open.

Moving on to the south, South America, where you at? You’ve got a lot of countries offering you vaccines to take And slightly off topic but how cool is that You’ve found a whole new species of snake?

And as we come to the end of our list We have our final honoured guest And even though COVID could not resist You, out of all of us, Antarctica, might just be the best!

Hello dear Africa, how are you going so far? To overcome the heat and lack of water you’ve been striving! Transporting vaccines via camels? You’ve really raised the bar! And it’s great to hear that all your camel farmers are thriving.

Thank you for joining our Around-The-World Broadcast! There’s so much to see around the world and to learn about We took you on a journey that went so slow, yet so fast But for now, the Around-The-World Broadcast is out!

Europe, great to see you! Hope you’re doing well. You’re going pretty good as far as COVID goes! But I love how you’ve chosen not to dwell And instead of theatres, you’re putting on puppet shows!

Written by Sasha Prokhorov (Year 9) Illustrated by Zoe Kopczyk (Year 9)

Semester 1 2021

DYNASTY MYSTERY Written and illustrated by Aliza Ali (Year 8).

Dear Father, I hope you are well. I can't express how sad and hopeless I feel - sadder than a single star that sets at twilight in a land of reeds. Mum just died. I don't even know why I'm writing to you. I don't even know where to post this letter or even anything about you. It doesn't matter. This will just end up in the trash bin, as the other 15 letters have. I just wish your previous life remained constant, like when I was 8 years old. I wish that that smile, the one with your beautiful teeth shining brightly, would once again appear to me. I wish... The letter was unfinished as Jamillah had memories, memories too strong and too real. However, one memory in particular kept returning to her. “I remember myself when I was about two, I believe, and my mother was holding me as tight as the emergency seatbelt in cars. She pressed a button with her sweaty hands, which opened to a staircase that led into a narrow tunnel; bright lights lining it. As she walked down, me in her arms, colourful flags unravelled on either side of the tunnel. “Sometimes I think it’s just a dream, because how could I have remembered that so clearly from such a young age? But still, deep inside, I feel like it’s true, one way or another,” Jamillah said.

Two Years Later BANG! BAN-BANG! The staircase creaked open. “YES! I’VE FINALLY FOUND IT!” Jamillah screamed. She couldn’t believe it – could her memory possibly be true? She ran down the oh-so-familiar tunnel, and found herself at the edge. Strangely, there was a piece of caution tape. “Beware!”, the tape read. “Are you sure you want to cross this line? If you do, you will encounter... danger...” There was something written after danger, but Jamillah couldn’t make it out. She stepped across the line. She heard a bang in the distance and instantly moved back, away from the sound, back towards the tape... She felt something stopping her – she was trapped, she realised. She could move forwards, but alarmingly, not backwards.

She figured it out then, the last phrase of what the tape read – “You will encounter.... danger, as you will not be able to return.” “Not return? How am I going to go back home?!” Jamillah said, bewildered. “I’ve got to keep going! I can’t give up this close!” She kept moving, sprinting faster and faster, through the neverending tunnel. Finally, abruptly, the tunnel came to an end. Jamillah rushed forward, relief crashing through her. To her horror, the tunnel plummeted even further into the ground; a vertical path deep in the darkness.

“WHEN IS THIS TUNNEL GOING TO END?” cried poor Jamillah, out of breath and out of hope. At last, she spied a small door... A flag of Syria adorned it, the place she used to live. She crept in ever so carefully, looking through the hole that allowed her to see what was on the other side of the wall. Except this hole was only the size of half of her head, as it was a secret handle, placed within a massive bookshelf. It was a good thing too, that only half of her face was evident from the hole that connected her to the outside world. Inside, she saw a posh, luxurious room the size of her whole house filled with priceless items which ranged from jewels to expensive armchairs. The room was also filled with a handmade rug, made from expensive wool, that expressed a sun shining as it covered the wooden floor. However, the rays of the sun were only drawing attention to the main attraction to the right of the room; a life-sized painting of a man. A plaque underneath read ‘The New King, Antiochus III the Great’. There were a couple of maids in the room, a fair way away, hence not able to see Jamillah. “What a coincidence?! My family name is also Antiochus!” she murmured, under her breath. She noticed the portrait’s face, so similar to her own: the eyes large and hazel, a tiny nose and the best smile anywhere – the same smile of Jamillah and her father... “No way! Could that be my uncle? The uncle that went missing all those years before father’s disappearance at the soldiers’ parade?” Jamillah said, astonished, her voice rising. “Is that the reason why this tunnel led me to him? Is that why mother used to come down here just after father’s disappearance?” Jamillah circled the room, trying to get someone’s attention. She just wanted to go back home but didn’t know how. She did not realise that her actions were seen as disrespectful. One of the maids finally saw her... “Guards!” She shrieked at the top of her healthy lungs. Jamillah finally comprehended what was happening. A heartbeat later, as the guards rushed in towards her, she threw herself out of the room. She ran, gasping for breath, back through the tunnel – completely forgetting about the dotted line preventing her from returning home. (TO BE CONTINUED!)

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Tokyo Olympics 2020

(to be held in 2021)

Illustration by Euna Oh (Year 8).

Semester 1 2021

My Journey of Self-Discovery Written by Stephanie Chew (Year 8), illustrated by Paloma White (Year 9).

Who am I?

Guadagnini and del Gesù, to name a few.

Good question. I have a very long lineage. Historically, my friends told me that our line can be traced to the Middle East and Europe. My ancestors were many, but chief among them were the Rebab and Rebec.

My curves, belly, sides and neck are instantly recognisable today. My beauty lies not only in my form, but in the purity of sound that I produce. Some even say that the sound I produce is the closest one can get to the human voice.

Although initially my ancestors were very primitive, I learnt that we really came into our own around the midsixteenth century, in a small village called Cremona. There, a person by the name of Amati gave us our definitive shape, form, size, materials and the way we were created. You could call him the father of our line… all the way from 1555, even though there were many others in nearby Brescia who experimented with the same. Many famous artisans were from Cremona. Some are legends in their own right – Stradivarius,

Today, I have many siblings, all larger than me. Some slightly larger, and my biggest sibling is nearly 3.5 metres tall – he is called the Octobass, but we all share the same, or similar, shape with proportionate curves, belly, sides and neck.

I am a violin. I am told I was born over 130 years ago, in France. Although I am an orphan, without a label to identify my lineage, my shape, voice and materials instantly confirm my birthplace as France. But where in France? Who created me? How did I get my beautiful voice? Who have I been with? How did I get to Australia? So many questions, but so few answers! With so much unknown to me, I was determined to travel the world to understand my past and to find myself. My journey began when I arrived at the airport, my ticket from Australia to Europe firmly clutched in my

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proverbial hand. I was eager with anticipation, secure and snug in my warm and lined case. As we began boarding the plane, a sudden chill swept across my body. “Check it in!” What? Had I heard correctly? Are they asking me to go into the cargo hold? Frantically, I looked around. I heard a composed voice tell the representative that I am a fragile violin. Holding my breath, I waited with trembling strings. “Oh, a violin? Okay, you can go and park it in the overhead compartment.” Without further ado, I zoomed on the plane and snuggled into the overhead compartment immediately. Smiling contently, I settled down for the long journey through to Tokyo, before moving on to Helsinki, and then to Milan. Without much fanfare, I arrived in the middle of winter in Milan. It was cold! That much I remember. It was also late and dark. Early the next morning, we went to the train station and caught the express to Cremona, only an hour or so away. I could hardly contain myself! Arriving into Cremona, I zeroed in on the Museum of Violins – the Museo del Violino – after a quick cup of espresso of course. Who can go past an espresso in Italy? Walking through the hallowed doors of the Museum was a Semester 1 2021

breathtaking experience! Voices similar to mine piped through the majestic foyer. Shining, gleaming glass homes stood proudly and majestically. The scent of wood drifted in the air, smelling just like me! Trembling, I went into a large wooden dome, a theatre. The most beautiful melody vibrated out from the speakers from famous cousins made by Stradivarius, Gudagnini, del Gesù and others. I was in seventh heaven! Walking into the sacred display hall, protected by an armed guard, I finally came face to face with royalty – the violins of Stradivarius, Guadagnini and del Gesù, just to name a few. All three hundred or so years old! I pinched myself once or twice, wondering if I was dreaming. Ouch. It hurt. I was finally here. My emotions were a complete jumble that day, but I will mention a few. Excitement, happiness and joy filled my heart as I gazed upon my elder cousins, read about my past ancestors, and listened to their voices like never before. Standing before the San Lorenzo, Stradivarius’ most famous violin with exquisite workmanship and carefully crafted mother-of-pearl inlays swelled my heart with profound joy – after all, I was a distant cousin! I learnt so much that day. But I have yet to still find myself. After all, I was from France, not Cremona.

Until next time from France! 33

Mermaid Tales Around theConflicts? World Fantasy in History's Events of Written by Abigail Ong, illustrated by Emelie Johansson (Year 9).

Mermaids are mythical creatures that are generally said to have a human upper body and a fish’s tail. Stories of these creatures have existed for thousands of years all around the world. Many tales (get it – tails, tales?) have common features because details were passed from continent to continent as merchants and slaves spread mermaid stories and art around the world. The English word for mermaid comes from the words ‘mere’ (Old English for sea) and ‘maid’ (a girl or young woman). The symbol of a mermaid varies around the world. In some cultures, it represents life and fertility within the ocean, while in others, it embodies the destructive nature of the sea.

Africa – Mami Wata: In Africa, there are many tales about the mythical water spirit known as ‘Mami Wata’. As these water spirits originate from multiple African cultures with ancient roots, there is no single characteristic that can be put to them. Mami Wata has been depicted as both a man and a woman. The water spirit is closely associated with healing, fertility and sex. Mami Watas do, however, have a temper. They are known to drown people who don’t obey them and cause confusion, sickness and visions.

Ancient Greece and Rome – Sirens and Mermaids: Sirens and mermaids from ancient Greek and Roman mythology are very close to the mermaids we depict today. While similar to each other, they are seen as very different creatures. Sirens are beautiful and captivating sea maidens who lure men to the sea and consequently, their deaths. Mermaids were seen as benevolent, giving gifts to humans or saving them from shipwrecks.

Eastern Europe – Rusalki: At first, these water nymphs from Slavic mythology were regarded as good-natured spirits of fertility and agriculture. Then, in the 1800s, they started being seen as sinister creatures, with the belief that they were the spirits of women and girls who died violently and in their anger and sorrow would lure men and children to their watery deaths.

Ireland – Merrows: Merrows are said to have a magical cap called ‘cohuleen druith’ which enables them to breathe underwater. The females have long green hair, and similar characteristics to traditional mermaids. On the other hand, the male merrows are seen as more fish than man and cruel as well as hideous. Male merrows were so vicious that female merrows were often said to have relations with human men instead of their own species.

Western Europe – Melusine: France, Germany, Luxembourg and Albania all have different stories about the Melusine, a feminine spirit found in many medieval folktales. The Melusine has a serpent’s or fish’s tale (like the traditional mermaid) and sometimes has wings. The general legend of the Melusine is that of a headstrong girl who tries to get revenge on her human father on behalf of her fairy mother, only to be punished by her mother who curses her with a tail. Representations of this sea creature can be seen around the world – the most significant one being on the coffee cups of Starbucks, which has a Melusine-like mermaid as its logo (which is actually a siren).

Mermaid Depictions in Literature: One of the most famous stories about a mermaid is The Little Mermaid, written by Hans Christian Anderson. This story has been adapted by various forms of media, the most popular being the Disney animated film in 1989. It became wildly popular, and the original story has been mostly forgotten as there were many differences between the Disney version and the original. In Andersen's story, the mermaid princess loses her tongue to obtain legs, instead of just losing her voice. Every time she walks, her pain is compared to ‘walking on knives’. In Disney’s film, it ends with Ariel (the mermaid) and the prince marrying. In Anderson’s tale, the princess fails to undo her curse and the prince marries someone else. The little mermaid sacrifices herself and ends up living with the ‘spirits of the air’. Nowadays, many young children see mermaids as they are depicted in the Disney movie because of Disney’s huge influence over children and our world today.

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Semester 1 2021

Illustration by Annika Johansson (Year 11).

Broken Words and Colliding Worlds Written by Carolyn Wang (Year 9).

I am happy. How laughable, funny amusing. We are happy. Wrong. We are connected by blood. But we are not family. Have we come so far only to return to the hole we came from? Empty, so empty...

Roses are red. Violets Violence is too. Where is change? Hiding behind a clear screen Seen? Alive? Never been. Come to the light, Fly into my hand, This pen surrounded by surrounding our flowing words.

Our cadavers decorate the streets. Ribbons of flowing red gleam scream.

Isolation. Death. Racism. Violence. Suppression.

Have you ever noticed that when you stare into darkness, it gets that bit darker?

Our world is br-

Our colours do not matter if we can’t see If we can’t be decisive not divisive Semester 1 2021

Mystery Flight Written by Molly Cameron, Cate Durack and Jasmine Saha, illustrations by Yolanda Qiao (Year 8). It is a bleak, Monday morning and you are driving to work, a waitressing job at Joe’s Pizza. The clouds are draped all over the sky like old, dusty curtains, yet the humidity makes your T-shirt stick to you with sweat. The radio is crackly, but good enough, and the hosts talk and talk, instead of playing some music. You have hopelessly entered into the radio lottery competition, knowing that the chance of winning is slim to none. You hear the man’s voice on Nova, it’s about as clear as the sky is today. “The winner of our... flight... competition... let’s call her now!” At that exact moment, your phone rings, finally connected to the dodgy Bluetooth. You answer. It’s probably just going to be your boss again, harping on about some birthday party you have to host today. “Hello?” “Congratulations... won a Three Day... Flight! Go to Sydney International Airport within... hour to collect your prize.” You dramatically U-turn and head directly to the airport. If you want to go to:

• Italy, go to 1. • New Zealand, go to 2. • India, go to 3. 1

You go to Terminal 1 and board flight number JQ13679 to Venice. It’s a long 24-hour flight, with crying babies and a snoring old man. You finally arrive in Venice. You get your bags and see a woman holding a sign with your name on it. You head towards her. You drive from the airport to Vision Resort. It smells of sewage and rotten cheese. You are given your room: an extremely small area, that is a bed, kitchen and toilet all in one. This definitely is not what you were expecting. You decide that you should spend limited time here, so you go sightseeing. If you want to go to St Mark’s Square, go to 4; if you want to catch a train to Rome, go to 5. 2 You board a plane headed for New Zealand. You are greeted by an overly enthused air hostess who guides you to your seat. To your surprise you find yourself sitting in First Class. You recline your chair and start a movie. You get used to the hum of the engine, the wailing of the baby in the background and the blast of freezing air coming out of the air conditioner directly above you, when right in the middle of the climax of your movie the pilot makes an announcement. “Attention passengers, please put your seatbelts on, there is some turbulence ahead.” You roll your eyes in irritation and fasten your seatbelt. You go back to the movie when all of a sudden the lights go out and the usual hum of the engine turns into a series of splutters and chokes. You feel the plane falling, the ringing in your ears from the pressure. Your stomach drops and the screaming of passengers makes your head spin. You grip the edge of your chair. You hear a splash and feel smoke encasing your body. You see a life raft floating your way. If you want to get on it and get to land, go to 6. If you want to help people, go to 9. 3 You board a plane heading to India. It’s a long flight and you’re exhausted. You are taken to a beachside resort. Your accommodation is a beautiful, waterfront hut. You are invited for drinks and dancing. Inside your room is a complimentary lunch of butter chicken, and your stomach is growling. On your counter are two brochures and a note: “Choose one of these activities to do this afternoon.” If you want to go swimming and snorkeling on a private boat, go to 7. If you want to go to a Bollywood theatre, go to 8.

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4 You grab your phone and bag and head out to St Mark’s Square. It is starting to rain. You decide to ride a gondola anyway, and as you sit in the boat you go past Doge’s Palace and Rialto Bridge. It is a beautiful sight. You get off at the Ponte dei Da bridge and take your time to wander to St Mark’s Square. It is beautiful except for the crowds and pigeons. An announcement is heard overhead: “Ladies and gentlemen, there are expected floods, please head to higher land.” You sigh, exasperated. You don’t want to go back to the hotel. You check your watch and find that you can still make the train to Rome. If you want to stay at St Mark’s Square and help with the flood, go to 9. If you want to catch a train to Rome, go to 5. 5 You’re heading to Rome! It’s a long, eight-hour train ride, but you couldn’t be more excited. You get off the train and head to the Colosseum, amazed by its beauty. You take some pictures and decide to head to Trevi Fountain, one of the most aesthetic places in Rome. You eat some gelato in the park. You successfully made it through your holiday! 6 You grab the raft and paddle towards the small island you see in the distance. You paddle for an hour and realise you can’t see the plane anymore and you’re lost in the middle of the ocean! This wasn’t your brightest idea but you can’t turn back now – the island is getting closer. You paddle and paddle, and are exhausted. Suddenly you can see people on the island, laying on beach chairs. It’s a holiday resort! You finally get to land and you just got a free beach holiday on an island just off Norfolk Island. Congratulations, you survived your Mystery Flight Holiday! 7 You jump on a boat and are heading out to go snorkeling and swimming. You look around the boat. It’s a rusty boat. Its metal looks old and worn out and certainly not safe. You ask the driver if the boat is suitable to be used and he assures you it will be fine. He is wrong. The boat is sinking and you along with it, so you jump out of the boat. Go to 9. 8 You are going to a Bollywood theatre! The cinema has luxurious, big chairs and the screen is massive. The culture is a bit different, the movie’s volume is extreme and nobody has stopped talking since the movie started. But you make friends with the lady sitting next to you. You turn your attention to the movie, when you realise the nice lady next to you is the main character in it! She is a super nice person and offers you a tour of the city. Congratulations, you completed your Mystery Flight! 9 The dark, grey clouds rumble, and the sound of thunder is booming overhead. This is your worst nightmare. You are treading water now, the ground metres from your feet, the waves pushing and pulling you ferociously. You feel scared as you look around for people to help you, but it’s like no one can hear you yelling. After five hours of treading water you feel the water take over your lungs. Oh no - you have drowned! What a tragic adventure.

Semester 1 2021

Beyond our World… Written and illustrated by Anastasia Prokhorov (Year 9).

Look around. What do you see? A world? A visible world. But if we look beyond our rooms, beyond our phones and into the real world, we start to uncover something new… something beyond our world. I think that there are two other worlds that we should be exploring: the big and the small. If all the animals, plants and other organisms (excluding humans) vanished from the Earth, then all us humans would die. Yet, if all humans vanished from the world, the animals, plants and all those other little creatures would flourish and grow. We are dependent on each other, and these dependencies, though not always positive, are what make our world what it is today. Most of us don’t like creepy crawlies, but there are about 1 trillion other living organisms crawling all over us right now – there are 10 times more bacteria than actual human cells in our body. And no matter how disgusting or weird they seem, we need them, and, in a way, they need us. Just because we can’t see them, doesn’t mean they’re not there. The world is buzzing with a whole other world of microorganisms that we never seem to notice. Let’s start at the beginning, at the smallest of the small. Well, the smallest

kind of living thing: the virus. And since we definitely aren’t in a pandemic we can all breathe a sigh of relief that we don’t know anything about viruses and what they can do to us and talk about bacteria instead. Bacteria live everywhere, all around our world, even in the most unlivable places. From the extremophiles (organisms that survive in extreme conditions that are often deemed unlivable for most of us) that survive at temperatures 100°C + to bacterium strains that can survive at -196°C. If we lined up all the bacteria in our world end to end, they would stretch for over 10 billion light-years – yet we don’t see any of them with our naked eye. Your world is full of tiny wonders that we always miss, including the tiny ones crawling across your face right now. For some reason, most of us focus on the microbes that can kill us, or do us some sort of harm, but there are so many more that work for our own good. Many of them help you digest and break down carbohydrates and protect you from other parasites and viruses. They are, all in all, creations that, for the most part, help us live easier, healthier and better lives. Now that’s the small stuff, the stuff that we don’t see though it’s always right in front of us and now, let’s move onto something larger. Much larger.

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the Big and the Small Space. The unknown. The big blue or black or purple-pink thing (the sky, atmosphere, space, whatever you want to call it) that we look upon. There’s a whole other world out there that we are yet to fully understand. Cosmologists, scientists and mathematicians have devised formulae for everything from the speed of light to the gravity that keeps us on the ground. There are beautifully elegant formulae that describe the expanding universe from any given time – ‘T’ – in the past or future when T is more than 0. But, when they look at the moment when the Big Bang formed, when T = 0, all the maths goes crazy. The formulae then seem to be describing a speck of infinite heat and infinite density, which doesn’t exactly make any sense. Just one of the mysteries out there, somewhere around (or beyond) our world. Many people argue that we shouldn’t explore space because we have so many problems at home, but then what’s the point of having so many questions and so many curious minds craving knowledge about the unknown mysteries of space? As we are all immensely well versed in space news, we all know exactly what exciting, enthralling, enchanting thing

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happened on the 19th of February 2021 (Australian time). For those of you who have trouble remembering what you had for breakfast today, let me fill you in on what happened those months ago: NASA’s Perseverance Rover landed on Mars to start searching for past life. And now imagine, if you could possibly step out onto Mars or some other planet and walk on something that seems so far away and so full of mysteries and secrets. Yet, space travel may soon be our reality, just like air travel was beginning to spread by the end of the 1950s. In the complete and utter silence of space, we will be able to contemplate everything, visible and invisible, around and beyond our world (but try not to float away because your body would puff up to twice your normal size and you would die.) You see, what I’m trying to say is that there is so much stuff around our world, stuff that we haven’t even begun to comprehend, yet we get stuck on our little problems, instead of looking at the big picture. We are tiny little specks in the big scale of things, yet our actions can have many seen and unseen consequences which can and will influence our futures.

THE ONION FAMILY: IN DUBAI ONION MUM

ONION chicken

ONION DAD ONION child

MUMMY, WE'RE IN DUBAI! IT'S SO FANCY...

HAHA... IT TOOK A YEAR OF NO SHOPPING FOR HANDBAGS TO COME... PHOTO?

thiS PLACE IS GIVING ME BILLIONAIRE VIBES...

WOW... LET'S TAKE ANOTHER PHOTO! AGAIN?

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...

CHIRP! (NAUGHTY!)

STOP JUMPING ON THE BED!

LOOK ONION CHICKEN! ISN'T THE ELEVATOR SO COOL?

AT 'HOTEL DE FANCIEST' (BURJ AL ARAB) THE NEXT DAY... MUM, DAD TOMORROW CAN WE GO SEE THE BURJ KHALIFA?

ARRIVED AT LEVEL 163, TOP FLOOR. WE CAN SEE EVERYTHING!!!

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NOTE: NEVER DO THIS IN REAL LIFE. onion dad: ooh! this looks fun. I'm gonna bungee jump like they do on tv!

HERE I COME! WHEEEEEEEEE!

ONION MUM AND CHILD: NO ONION DAD! YOU DON'T HAVE A ROPE!

WAIT WHAT?!

*SUPER CHICKEN MODE*

OH NOOOO!!!

CLUCK CLUCK...

SQUAWKKKK!!!

PHEW... *DISAPPOINTED FACES*

OH NO, MY CREDIT CARD!! HAHA... *COLD SWEAT* *CREDIT CARD FALLS*

CHIRP? (HOW DO WE PAY FOR THE TAXI RIDE BACK HOME?)

THE END :)

By: aileen Huang, isabella loo and reina shi (year 8) Semester 1 2021

Reina Shi (Year 8).

Grace Du (Year 10). Sofia Anboussi (Year 8).

Olive Carr (Year 7).

Kianna Liu (Year 8).

Cindy Wang (Year 8).

Ibis Reviews An investigation into the preferred cuisine of four ibises. Written by Yilan Chow, Tiffany Gao, Kristine Liu and Tanika Young (Year 8). Illustrations by Tanika Young and Yilan Chow. *Disclaimer: No ibises were harmed in the making of this article.*

Monsieur Ibis Was served a slice of onion.

Ishay

Took a moment of careful and calculated consideration. Ate delicately.

Interview with Monsieur Ibis:

‘Squick. Squackity squawk honkity.’ Translation: They did not serve me the full onion. Shame on these pitiful humans.

Was served a not-so-hot chip from the American cuisine. Picked up in 0.5 seconds. Bit a chunk off the end, swallowed it. Decided it was good and swallowed the rest whole.

Interview with Ishay:

‘SqWuaK! sQqqqQ. HONK!’ Translation: Ishayyys bah.

Mrs BisBis Was served a noodle from an undisclosed Asian cuisine from the canteen. A second of eyeing before viciously attempting to gulp down. Took a while to successfully eat it because of the aggressive enthusiasm.

Gorbis Rambis Was served a baguette from the French cuisine. Reacted quickly and ate with no fear or hesitation. Interview with Gorbis:

Interview with Mrs BisBis:

‘HOOOONNNNKKKKK! HONK SQUICK SQUOK?!’

‘hOONKKKK!!!!! SQuicK!!! sqiq HOnk sqONK?’ Translation: What is this new and wonderful food?! 11/10. Amazing.

Translation: WHAT ARE YOU?! (an idiot sandwich).

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Do You Want to Go on Holiday? Written by Julie Gao (Year 11), illustrated by Anna Wang (Year 9).

Semester 1 2021