“Painters of the Sky” By Darren Tang, DCB
Table of Contents
CONTRIBUTORS Founder Amelia Zhang
Ernest Li
Editor-In-Chief Helen Leung Advertising Team Michelle Liu Kevin Mau School Representatives Chergai Castanza Dan Zhang Helen Leung Janet Wright Kevin Mau Matilda Lee Column Editors Amelia Zhang Amy Wan Dan Zhang Eugene Ling Katherine Tsen Tessa Browne Writers Amy Nugent Clemence Liz Darren Tang Dorcus Chiu Elizabeth Wu Fernando Segre Gabriel So Gemma Golding Haining Wang Kathryn Chua Keith Kwek Kelsey Yuen Linnea Nilsson Lucas Browne Maria Sisci Miranda Melcher Sherry Ooi Format and Design Benjamin Hoong Connie Kim Darren Tang Ernest Li Gabriel So Matilda Lee Photographers and Illustrators: Darren Tang John Asuquo Ray Chan William Wen
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Reference
Service http://www.novaskill.com.au/SiteCollectionImages/ people%20around%20earth.jpg About Us http://ecolocalizer.com/files/2009/01/826valencia.jpg http://gravelandgold.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/5. jpg Summerific! http://www.creditrepairbiz.com/images/pot.jpg h t t p : / / w w w. p e k . b r i t c h a m . o r g / u s e r f i l e s / i m age/12646526808050.7239176679759203.jpg http://www.thepaintbox.ie/Images/paintbrush.jpg http://nocomplaintscharters.com/images/Relax.JPG Yale http://sites.google.com/site/helloassetpricing/200607-13IntlCenterForFinanceatYaleSOM.jpg http://www.elmcroft.info/images/ct_2002_11_yale1.jpg Messi, Kaka, Barcelona http://img.footballove.com/2009/02/fc-barcelonacamp-nou1280.jpg Feminism: A Platform for Equality? http://www.arikiart.com/max-emadi/uploaded_images/Femme-Fatale-No.2-713832-714267.jpg Feminism. How far do we go till the roads stop? http://fineanddandyillustration.files.wordpress. com/2009/07/dontpanic.jpg Food Paradise h t t p : / / w w w. s i n g a p o re . c o m . t w / U s e r F i le s / I m age/2009/2009-%201.jpg Label Profile: UNIQLO http://img1.pclady.com.cn/pclady/0904/18/389471_ulogo.jpg http://www.nihontatsujin.com/images/stores/uniqlo/ uniqlo_MG_6032.jpg Why Converse, Skinny Jeans, and Uggs? http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs37/f/2008/284/f/2/pencil___ converse_all_star_by_AmandaTheStampede.jpg http://www.uggsclearance.com/published/publicdata/ UGGSCLEAWEBASYST/attachments/SC/products_pictures/Classic%20Ultra%20Short%20Sand_enl.jpg h t t p : / / cd n . m y - w a rd ro b e . co m / i m a g e s / p ro d ucts/5/1/513073/m3_513073.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-g7ZvOCjVAo/S8mFR2akwQI/AAAAAAAAABA/q3W69ktTrUA/s1600/Black_and_ White_by_converse_equals_love.jpg h t t p : / / w w w. m y a i r s h o e s . c o m / w p - c o n t e n t / u p loads/2009/07/Converse-July-2009-Collection.jpg http://photo.yoho.cn/3128874.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m_3PqTnwV8k/S8IRXWwHD7I/AAAAAAAAPJU/8ZPYIrcjuzI/s1600/Du+Juan+-+GAP +Premium+Jeans+Spring+Summer+2010.JPG http://www.janedavidson.co.uk/shopimages/products/ extras/1071007026NYD_bk_large.jpg http://www.simply4less.co.uk/store/images/converse_ logo.jpg Don’t Cry for Meat Argentina http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs43/f/2009/090/5/c/Argentina_Grunge_Flag_by_think0.jpg
Table of Contents
[UNIT-E] June 2010 Issue 2
Table of Contents
Pg59
Service
About UNIT-E UNIT-E Trip
8 11
Adademics From Froggies to Friends Summeriffic! Interview with Yale Alumnus Word of Wisdom
14 18 21 24
Pg50
Fashion Halle. Show’em How It’s Done Why Converse, Skinny Jeans & Uggs? Metamorphosis of a Dress
28 30 32
The Arts
Pg44
Photography- Guide to Buying a DSLR 34 Setting-Up & Studio Burn 36 The deviantART Community 38
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 3
Table of Contents
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Table of Contents
Student’s Opinion Famine 30 41 How far do we go till the road stops? 43 A Platform for Equality? 44
Pg36
Food Haru Restaurant: Japan’s Hiddn Jewel 47 Recipie of the Month 48 Tired of Feeling Tire? 49 Food Paradise 50
Chillax Don’t Cry for Meat Argentina Kaka, Messi, Barcelona
56 59
Pg21 Pictorial Pop Idols & Battle of the Bands 57 International Day 58 Graduation Ceremony 59 Senior Prom 60 ACAMIS Soccer 62 Senior’s Assembly
63
Pg57 JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 5
Editor’s Note
Editor’s Note It is my pleasure to introduce you to the second edition of Unit-E. We have added new columns and made many adjustments after the inaugural launch in May to further fulfill your needs. Unit-E is incredibly lucky to be published in Beijing, in the heart of China, a home shared by so many innovative and aspiring globally-minded youths. Through united words, we hope to tighten the international student community, and to bridge the gap between students and the rest of the Beijing community. As Einstein said, “our aspirations are our possibilities”. Through the power of our words, our creativity, and our actions, we seek to better improve Unit-E. We hope to gain as much support as we possibly can in order to achieve our social mission: to empower youths and children across rural China through the promotion of reading and writing. These are the essential skills they need to seek knowledge and explore their talents. It is the fundamental foundation they need to fully utilize their potential and obtain a sustainable future. Meanwhile, it is a high time as we approach the end of the school year. We take the time to reminisce on the heartfelt moments of our struggles, challenges, and growth throughout - and of course the glory of our achievements and endeavors! You should all be proud to have tackled yet another milestone in the journey of learning. As Unit-E continues to expand at an exponential rate, we need your help! If you think you’ve got what it takes, please feel free to contact us and join Unit-E. We also welcome advertisers and any commercial support. Thank you to the entire Unit-E team; you have all worked so hard under tremendous time pressure. This issue belongs to all of you. Always remember, our love for writing shall never cease. Have a super duper summer! Yours faithfully, Helen Leung Yew Chung International School(BJ)
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SERVICE
About Us
P.8
UNIT-E Trip
P.11
Service
Our Inspiration: 826 Valencia It started off just as an idea- 8 years ago, iIt started off as a simple idea. Eight years ago, Dave Eggers along with a group of writers and educators, was inspired to use their creativity and talents to give back to the community. “The original idea was that, clearly, there is a need to support students,” says Leigh Lehman, 826 Valencia’s executive director, “and Dave and Ninive had lots of talented friends with time on their hands. They wanted to bridge those two worlds.” 826 Valencia started off as an after school free tutoring center, the writers
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would work on their articles and novels in the morning…and when school finishes at 2:00pm, the place is transformed. Children started pouring in and the volunteers set aside their work to start their one-on-one tutoring. What made Valencia 826 so unique and thriving was the immensity of youthful and creative energy it brought, it “combines learning and fun, it is a place where many a young person realizes, perhaps for the first time, that writing can be exciting.” Hence 826 Valencia was born. 826 Valencia staff attributes their success as “believe the proof is in the pudding, 826 programs almost always end with a finished product, such as a newspaper, a book, or a film. This teaching model, known as project-based learning, encourages students to collaborate and to make creative decisions, and gives them ownership over the learning process. Working toward a goal, our students are inspired to revise until their work is perfect.
Service They leave with new skills and a newfound passion for writing. And then they come back. Each 826 chapter is a warm, welcoming place where students can get things done. Maybe they’ll produce a chapter book. Maybe they’ll make a movie, or polish a college-application essay. We offer all of our services for free serving families who could not otherwise afford the level of personalized instruction their children receive from 826.”
Our Aims As a group of 15-18 years old teens, we aspire to combine our creative talents and give back to our society in a similar spirit of 826 Valencia. We hope to unite the international student community through words, creating a melting pot of creativity, innovation, and talents. We also wish to establish a platform to reach out to our local community, and empower youths to develop a passion for writing and equip them with the tools of expression. Simply put, 100% of our profit will go towards establishing a program similar to 826 Valencia that allows children in our local community to benefit from quality education.
How We Operate Unit-E is divided into three different sectors: a magazine, finance, and service sector; funds are entirely dependent on advertising. The magazine sector writes and formats a monthly Unit-E magazine uniting our creativity, ideas, opinions and experiences under columns such as arts, food, fashion, student’s opinion and academics,. The finance sector then solicits advertisements to make the publication of the magazine possible, while 100% of the extra
revenue will finance our service program. Finally, the service sector engineers our ultimate goal by implementing our social projects.For more information about joining our team, please visit http://docs.google.com/ View?id=dfrm4sk3_0gvhkh9g5
Our Original Project Our original project was to build a small library in the village of Ying Ju Jian Village located on one of the numerous islands of the Wei Shui Water Reservoir in HuBei province, of the Tu ethnic minority. In a similar fashion to Valencia, we wish to provide youths there with a friendly and stimulating environment to obtain the necessary support they need in their homework, reading, writing and extracurricular activities. We wish to raise 35,000 RMB before October holidays in 2010(originally scheduled for July 11th), and we will initiate the operation of the library. The October program will consist of volunteers (more details will be given to you in the coming edition) hosting some fun workshops consisted of teaching English, the arts, creative writing... as well as organizing, stocking up, and decorating the library. It is imperative for the children to feel a sense of ownership over the library, convinced that it is a fun and friendly place to be, the children will feel encouraged to finish their homework, work on a writing piece for Unit-e, or simply read a book. In the long run, we hope to provide a platform for these children to train themselves as life long learners with a broader perspective of the world. Equipped with the tools to express, their aspirations will now become possibilities.
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 9
Service Our Current Project Due to funding restraints, our original project-building the library in July, will be postponed to the October holiday. Nevertheless we will still be visiting the area, and conducting a 10 day summer camp with the children/youth there (see details on page 11). The advantages would be that we’d be more prepared and would understand the local needs of the area, and would make the process of building a library in October much easier, as compared to building the library in July. We would truly appreciate your participation in aiding our efforts, whether it is participating in making the magazine, joining us on one of these trips, advertising in the magazine, or even simply reading it. Every little effort counts, and we deeply appreciate all of you who have supported and contributed to this project.English speaking, writing
skills, and the creative arts. The summer program is particularly important as we wish the local children to feel ownership over the library, as well as associate it with fun and creativity, by doing so d finish their homework. Through implementing these programs, we wish to provide with them a platform to train themselves as life long learners as well as a broaden their perspective of the world. By equipping them with tools of expression they will no longer be afraid to aspire to achieve greater things.
Amelia Zhang, Beijing World Youth Academy Ernest Li, Beijing World Youth Academy
WANNA JOIN UNIT-E? Interested in joining the unit-e team? Feel like you have the talent to contribute in any of the service, magazine, finance section? Think you have an outstanding article your dying to get published? Email us at unit-e@live.com! Positions for reporting, writing, photography, marketing, formatting, organizing…all are open! Contact us at unit-e@live.com
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Service
UNIT-E Trip Wei Shui Islands The Wei Shui water reservoir is situated between the boundaries of Hu Bei and Hu Nan Province, on the borderline of Song Zi Shi. In 1958 when the water reservoir was under construction, a portion of the residents who were supposed to relocate, were reluctant to leave their hometown, and has since resided on the isolated islands inside the water reservoir. Take example Li Jia Village situated on Gao Jia Wan and Xiao Jia Tan islands, despite being surrounded
by water all year round, they still have a shortage of drinking water for the live stock and residents. Furthermore due to the construction of the reservoir, the average 1.51 acres of farmland per person, has been reduced by two thirds, leaving an average person only 0.58 acres to farm. The residents of Wei Shui islands have to travel on average by boat 9.8 km in order to reach the nearest highway(环湖公路). Due to the inconvenience of transportation, in order for the island farmers to purchase a bag of fertilizers they need to pay 2 kuai JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 11
Service extra, and for every jin of pork they sell to the outside, they need to deduct from their profit 2 mao. Moreover the new technology and machinery are beyond their reach, rendering them much less competitive as opposed to those farming outside of the reservoir.
Education Due to the poor farming environment, 40.8% of the total population-that is 68% of the capable work force, has been forced to seek a living outside. The Ying Ju Jian Village school is situated in the house of its only teacher. For over 30 years the teacher has taken up the responsibility of educating the children in the village. As a result of residents gradually moving out, and the insufficient funding for the school, the school has only one room, where all the grades sit together, and the teacher goes around teaching each grade. According to her, the students are steadily decreasing, a portion of the children go to schools outside of the water reservoir, whereas the rest has discontinued their schooling all together.
How We Can Serve Understanding that we have limited funds, it is beyond our capability to hire extra teachers to help the village school. Nevertheless if we can bring the children a sense of desire to learn, not only will it be a grass root way of tackling poverty, but it will also enable the children to pursuit and achieve greater heights. We have been put in contact with Mr.Zhang Jia Li from the poverty alleviation office(扶贫办公室) of the area. He will be aiding our efforts for the coming July and October trip. The schedule is shown below; however it may be subject to changes: 12 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
July August September October
Hosting a Summer Program & Understanding the specific needs of the area Continuing the bonds established during the trip through pen pals Fund Raiser Building the mini library(this may be altered according to the needs)
July Trip The specific details of the July trip are still in the process of being confirmed, and aspects of the July trip plan maybe subject to change. Yet we strongly encourage all of you who are interested in the summer camp (ages 16+) to contact us at unit-e@live.com, we will update you with the new plan once it is confirmed (before June 15th), and give you all the legal, pricing (transportation/ food/accommodation) and safety details then. The current plan is to host a summer camp/workshop, for 10 consecutive days, set prospectively from July 15th to 25th. We wish to incorporate the arts, English, reading, math, creative writing, virtues… into the summer camp. On top of being educational, it should be fun and exciting. We want to come up with the specific plan for the summer camp, once we have confirmed our plan as well as volunteers, so all of us can contribute our talents in creating and hosting the summer camp. The July trip, due to safety reasons will be kept to 15 people. If there are any questions or if you want to be updated with the plan please contact us at unit-e@live.com. Your efforts are appreciated!
ACADEMICS
From Froggies to Friends
P.14
Summeriffic!
P.18
Interview with Yale Alumnus P.21 Word of Wisdom
P.24
Academics
A change in curriculum:
From Froggies to Friends “Why?” was the question both my old classmates and my new friends have asked me regarding my change in curriculum. For a long time, I was unable to answer the question sincerely. From a young age, my parents thought it best to put me in an international school so that I would learn to speak and write English (and possibly Chinese) fluently. I did not expect to move from an international school into a French school. I wasn’t that mature and the idea just terrified me. I was definitely not happy to leave my school and join the ‘froggies’ (that was how some people called the French kids because stereotypically, they eat frogs (most of them really don’t eat frogs)). My opinion on the French system was at the time, similar to what most people thought of the French schools: lacking in facilities, not academically challenging, and occupied by unfriendly, grumpy and picky French teachers and students. How was I to survive? (Okay, I admit I exaggerate a bit, but it was still a difficult transition.) But, it turned out I did. I even enjoyed it. It’s a huge cliché, but the bottom line is that this change definitely proved to be more 14 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
beneficial than I could have expected. By being placed in a different curriculum, I was forced to adapt and to reconsider my way of thinking.
All of the lessons were based on the French national curriculum so that students would fit in easily if they were to join a public school in France. All the subjects were taught in French and the curriculum was structured so that everyone was able to take the national exams and enroll in the French Baccalaureate. In fact, all French schools abroad are based on this same principle even though some subjects may vary such as the foreign languages offered (Chinese would not be offered at a French school outside of China).
Throughout the process of adapting into a new environment, I discovered that the French curriculum was quite different from an American or English system. The teachers were stricter, while rules and manners became much more important to me in the French system. The academics were also different. The science subjects had the same level of difficulty but the humanities were much more difficult to follow because the curriculum required us to study French history and not World history. Literature was
Academics equally demanding and I had to put in all my extra efforts to keep up. I learned that text analysis was not based on creative thinking, but rather on the ability to interpret and develop ideas in a typical format demanded by the teacher. Originality is never a key issue in written tasks and I was always asked to do as the teacher says. Consequently, students are sometimes less independent and often asked questions which I found shocking and odd. For example, one student asked if we had to skip a line for this question, and if they could add an answer at the bottom of the page as they have forgotten to answer a certain question earlier. A question like this had never occurred to me before because I never thought it mattered! Yet that was not the biggest change in my life. What I missed the most after moving to a French school was not being able to spend time doing extra-curricular activities. School finished at around five or six. Homework made it hard for me to balance leisure and work and I was often too exhausted at the end of the day to have time for anything else.
curriculum completely ignores it, I have learned to stand firmly by my opinion and to accept such cultural differences. I now know that though not everyone will understand my point of view, there are people who do, and you can always learn to express your thoughts. I have much to learn about the French culture, but I should not completely change the way I think in order to be accepted by my French peers, nor should I sacrificed what I’ve learnt in an international school. I learnt to balance the two different attitudes instilled in me by the two curriculums. When my friends ask me why I moved to a French school - I now know that I can give them far more than just one reason. It was a decision that I was once reluctant to accept, but it has given me much more than what I could have imagined.
Clemence Lize, French School of Beijing
Comparing and contrasting the two curriculums isn’t as easy as people think. In order to truly compare the two, you have to be able to understand the two different ways of thinking and why certain things are the way they are. The transition gave me a clearer understanding of myself, and being around different people allowed me to see how similar or different we all are. Being immersed in an education centered on the French culture taught me more about myself, my country and its people - something that I never would have learnt if I was still at an international school. It’s more than just a matter of taste. Although one curriculum might consider something important while another JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 15
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Academics
SUMMERIFFIC! Summer Terrific, or Summer Horrific? Summer is almost here! As we sit our exams and finish our final projects, many of us start to daydream our escape from school into summer vacation. For some, summer vacation means time to kick back and relax. For others, summer vacation may mean more suffering—studying for the SAT’s, starting college essays, continuing two year long projects (i.e. for the IB), attending summer school and much more. Regardless of what your summer plans are, 18 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
it is to your advantage to use your summer to the fullest. Instead of giving you a list of the usual suspects of how to spend a fulfilling summer vacation such as college visits, summer programs and getting summer jobs, below is a list of (more) interesting things to consider doing over the summer.
Academics Do Something You’ve Never Done Before Doing something you’ve never done before doesn’t necessarily mean you have to travel to the North and South Pole in one summer so that you can write about it in your college essay and prove that you are truly dedicated to studying geography at Stanford. It could be anything ranging from learning how to scuba dive during your summer trip in Bali to picking up the paint brush you had not touched since your kindergarten teacher told you you painted the sky the wrong color. You could learn a new language (especially Chinese for those of you who have not taken advantage of the Chinese speaking community around you) or pick up an instrument. If you don’t have much time to invest in learn something new, you could try photography or scrapbook-ing while you travel. If you take the time to try something new, who knows, you might discover a new passion or a hidden talent!
Start Your Own Business Starting your own business may sound like project too big for a teenager, but remember that every business starts small! Your business could be a simple lemonade stand or a garage sale. You could offer your talents and time and tutor younger children on something you are good at, be it a musical instrument, a sport or a specific subject area. You could offer a service, for example you could walk others’ dogs or baby sit. Some more unique options include offering a tech support hotline for those in need (and trust me, those people exist) or buying stuff off TaoBao (China’s Ebay) and selling it for more. You could also set up your own store on TaoBao and sell things you can bargain for in the local markets. This is not only a chance to earn some crisp red 100RMB but also working experience by being your own boss. Rumor has it that when you work, you’ll learn to love your money. Maybe this will teach you not be more frugal, which is an important (albeit cliché) life skill.
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Academics Go to the EXPO Remember the Olympics last last summer? Well, another extravagant international event is right around the corner this summer as well! The 2010 World Expo is being held in Shanghai this summer. The World Expo is a large scale, global, non commercial exposition which has 150 years of history and is often called “the Olympic Games of the economy, science and technology”. It aims to promote the exchange of ideas and development of the world economy, culture, science and technology by allowing exhibitors to display their achievements. More than 190 countries and more than 50 international organizations have pavilions scattered throughout the 5.28 square kilometers of the Expo site. It is expected to be the world’s largest Expo with a projected estimate of 100 million visitors. With so much to offer, visiting the Shanghai Expo would certainly be a fun and enriching summer experience.
Relax! Ultimately, your summer vacation should be about relaxation! Most of us forget that this period of time is actually called a vacation. You should definitely use your summer wisely but that doesn’t mean there’s no time for fun! Taking a break from studying and working long nights to hang out with friend or go to the beach to get a tan is just as important as getting a summer job or joining a summer program. Summer vacation is an opportunity for students to refresh themselves so that when the next school year comes around, they’re no longer exhausted from the previous school year, but full of new energy to face the challenges ahead. It’s true you need to make the most of your summer but part of that is just letting yourself relax. So enjoy your summer vacation! Kick back and relax for once. You deserve it!
Katherine Tsen, International School of Beijing 20 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Academics
YALE
An Interview with a Recent Alumnus
Matt Huttner seems to have it all. He plays bridge, is an advanced jiu-jitsu martial artist, has a job at a growing company in Beijing, and has a wide circle of friends. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview him and I learned a lot about his philosophy of life and his memorable college experience at Yale University. Matt graduated from Yale’s Davenport College in 2007, and has been living in Beijing ever since. Although he went into Yale intending to major in French, he came out as a fluent Mandarin speaker, with a major in East Asian Studies and just a few credits away from earning a math major. But that’s not all. While at Yale, Matt definitely tried a lot of different things. Matt led a busy college life. He joined an all-Hebrew a Capella singing group, revived a fraternity, organized and coached a Brazilian jiu-jitsu team, played bridge (a card game) on Yale’s
national team, and took part in multiple intramural sports. As a student with diverse interests, Matt had an interesting response when asked about his favorite teachers and courses at Yale. He immediately told me about his great differential equations teacher but then also told me his fond memories of a game theory economics course and a French teacher. Matt clearly stated that he was not the type of student that focused solely on one activity at the expense of all others. He believes in living a “rich and fulfilling” life and to faithfully follow Mark Twain’s famous saying “Never let your schooling get in the way of your education.” Matt’s philosophy is clearly exemplified though his college life.
“You have to be perfect, but then special on top of that.”
However, before attending Yale, he did not have any of these activities in mind. As mentioned previously, Matt was interested JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 21
Academics The most important piece of advice he gave was “Don’t just search about the location, the dorms, the food and other such details about Yale. You should also ask about strong departments and activities to make sure that Yale really is the right school for you.” Matt said that Yale was great for him but may not be the best choice for every student out there, regardless of its national ranking.
in French and chose Yale partially due to its renowned French department. Additionally, he went to visit the campus and liked the ambience. For Matt, Yale was a place that offered him many opportunities to explore his interests. He took advantage of these opportunities and they have since developed into passions and accomplishments. One of Matt’s most amazing accomplishments at Yale was his study of Mandarin Chinese. When Matt started at Yale, he did not speak a word of the language. Yet by his Senior year, he became the first Yale student to ever write a Senior Thesis entirely in Mandarin. He majored in East Asian Studies, and plans to stay indefinitely in China. Although he is tentatively thinking about attending graduate school in the United States, Matt definitely wants to come back to China. For high school students thinking about applying to Yale, Matt offers some sage advice. On top of achieving high test scores, Matt divulged that chosen students usually have a special talent or area of expertise which makes them unique. Succinctly, “you have to be perfect, but then special on top of that”. He also suggests that before you apply, you do your homework. Read the website, ask alums, ask counsellors, visit the campus, and talk to admissions officers. 22 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Matt Huttner had a great time at Yale, he will always cherish the close group of friends he developed at college and will carry the lessons he learned there for the rest of his life. He vows to continue to take advantage of life’s opportunities and enjoy everything he can. For Matt, Yale was the perfect college. What will yours be?
Miranda Melcher, Dulwich College Beijing
Yale University
Motto: Light and truth Established: 1701 Faculty: 3,619 Students: 11,593 Location: New Haven, Connecticut, USA Former Names: Collegiate School(1701-1718) Nicname: Bulldogs, Elis, Yalies Mascot: Handsome Dan Website: www.yale.edu
Academics
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 23
Academics
Word of Wisdom Memorizing words to increase one’s vocabulary is often thought of as an arduous task that only the over-achievers and Ivy-league-level-prodigies will succeed in. Few people realize that having a large vocabulary is beneficial to everyone for almost anything: from 2400-ing the SAT’s to sounding sophisticated by decorating essays with flowery language to earn A+’s. If you start with a few words a week or even a few words a month, pretty soon, you would sound (or be) just as smart (if (and only if) not smart to begin with) as the most verbose student in your class. Whether you’re the underdog who is desperately trying to cram for the SAT’s and appear smarter to earn higher grades, or one of those insanely smart (sounding) people trying to boost your vocabulary even more, we hope you enjoy the sentences we’ve put together to enrich you with words (or words which make you sound to be) of wisdom. Sesquipedalian passages may be confusing to the average reader but because you are equipped with the vocabulary you will learn from this column, you will understand the author’s message perfectly. •Sesquipedalian (adj.) given to or
1 24 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
characterized by the use of long words One will realize that SAT vocabulary words are actually quite ubiquitous and not that esoteric when one sees that they appear in places ranging from newspapers to teachers’ lectures. •Ubiquitous (adj.) existing everywhere, widespread •Esoteric (adj.) understood by only a select few Stress induced urges to defenestrate SAT textbooks and flashcards is not uncommon when students are studying SAT vocabulary. •Defenestrate (v.) to eject or throw someone or something out of a window; This last sentence is desultory. (But if it helps you memorize the word desultory, I guess it’s not so desultory after all…) •Desultory (v.) lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
Gabriel So, Western Academy of Beijing Katherine Tsen, International School of Beijing
2
3
Academics
Need to Get an Edge on the SAT?
Turn to the Expert Who Actually Wrote the Test! Lucy Haagen has had a remarkable journey in the education field. Over her illustrious career, she has written and developed the SAT, TOEFL and AP Exams, created award winning literacy and ESL programs, and taught at the middle school, high school, university and professional levels across four continents. The success of her programs in America earned her the key to the city of her hometown, Durham North Carolina, and a mayoral declaration of “Lucy Haagen Day”. Now, she has turned her attention to helping students from China reach their potential and ace the SAT. The “Lucy Haagen Method” operates on the simple principle that you can only get so far using tricks and gimmicks. To attain real improvement and reach your potential, you must master the underlying skills required for SAT excellence. The program achieves this goal by teaching test strategy, building active reading ability, employing vocabulary enhancers, and providing
relevant cultural immersion in ways that no other program in the Chinese market does. Students who have completed Lucy Haagen Method programs have seen their scores skyrocket by 300, 400 and even 500 points. They have graduated from the program with a new grasp of Academic English, skills that not only help them get into their dream school, but allow them to thrive once they arrive. “I studied for months, and I never believed I could crack 1750 points,” remembers LHM student, Ricky Shi, “but with the help of Lucy's program, I am now applying to universities with a score of over 2100.” You too can unlock the gates of the Ivy League. Let the Lucy Haagen Method be your guide.
Jonathan Haagen
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 25
FASHION
Halle. Show’em How its Done P28 Why Converse, Skinny Jeans & Uggs? P30 Metamorphosis of a Dress P32
Fashion
Label Profile
Uniqlo is one of the most famous casual wear retailers competing on the international market along with H&M, Gap, Top Shop and other similar companies. Uniqlo consists of more than 760 locations, existing in countries such as Tokyo, China, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, France, Singapore and South Korea. Uniqlo was founded in 1949, with its first store opening on the back streets of Hiroshima, Japan. It slowly expanded and lead to more stores opening in the suburbs of Okayama, Shimonoseki, and eventually all over Japan, then the rest of the world. The company began making clothes aimed mainly towards young men but gradually transitioned to create clothing for people of all ages of both sexes. All of this started with the idea to make inexpensive, yet good quality clothes accessible to the general public. Uniqlo CEO/ President Tadashi Yanai said he "noticed that casual clothes [were] ageless - what is more, they are unisex." Their casual clothes are also perfect for everyday wear. The best element of Uniqlo is its emphasis on quality. It features men's and
women's wear, and the new addition of kids wear. It is one of the few stores today which carries fine cotton uni-colored shirts. However, printed shirts designed by a large range of artists and designers are also available. Through the past years women's wear designers such as Phillip Lim, Alice Roi, Tina Lutz and Marcia Patmos of Lutz & Patmos have produced pieces for the brand. Designer Jill Sander has also been collaborating with the brand to create her line “+J” which hit Chinese Uniqlo boutiques on March 16. Sanders commented that she was very impressed with the collaboration and is looking forward to the possibility of adding bags and footwear later on. If you have yet visited a Uniqlo store I strongly urge you to take the time and do so, because this is one brand that you'll be seeing lots more of in the future. I often hear remarks regarding not only the good quality and the wide color range of Uniqlo, but also its appeal and practicality to the general public.
Linnea Nilsson, Western Academy of Beijing
Tadashi Yanai 柳井 正 Birth: February 7th, 1949 Founder of UNIQLO clothing Richest man in Japan(2009) 1971 Graduate of Waseda University (bachelor’s degree in Economics & Politics)
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 27
HALLE.
Show’em How It’s Done When Halle Berry walks the red carpet, she always looks exquisite and magnificent. Her style is the epitome of “less is more”. Choosing outfits that complement her figure and flatter her skin
tone, she knows that a perfect dress paired with minimal accessories and makeup looks great every time. As for choosing a dress, Halle knows the right length, shape, and material for her body and occasion. Even when she’s wearing an empire waist dress with flowing fabrics, they drape on her body without seeming like she is sporting maternity clothes. She knows how to show skin, look sexy, and never comes off trashy (unlike many stars) in red carpet fashion. I admire Halle Berry’s holistic
approach to style as she dresses appropriately for every occasion. Some stars seem to have a need to dress up all the time, but movie star or not, Halle knows that a T-shirt with a casual pair of pants and shoes is the most practical way to go when running around with your two-years-old child. She dresses down without resorting to a raggedy food-stained tee and baggy sweatpants that you wear to sleep (or in other words, bum attire). Halle picks clothes that flatter her figure and skin tone, along with light
make-up and easy-to-style hairdos. Yes, she is extremely talented and famous, but she knows that when it comes to her family and personal life, she’s not going to put on a show for the paparazzi.
Amy Nugent, International Academy of Beijing
Fashion
Why Converse, Skinny Jeans, and Uggs? In a way, fashion is like love. It is completely unpredictable. Sometimes, the strangest things become popular. Items such as Converse, skinny jeans, and Uggs have creeped into our lives occupying our closet space. Have you ever wondered why they became so widely accepted? Let us start from the beginning.
influenced the pop culture once again. We see people of all ages wearing their favourite Converse in all different colors, but the black Converse was only made when the “Chucks” were first created. Converse shoes are durable in nature, comfortable, and it looks good on anyone. What’s not to love? Even Will Smith in I, Robot wears them!
In 1908 Marquis Mills Converse opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company, but it was not until 1917 that the famous Converse All-Star basketball shoes were introduced. From 1921 to 1969, a man named “Chuck” Taylor, a Basketball player, worked to promote these shoes. After struggling to compete with brands such as Adidas and Nike, and after battling with bankruptcy in 2001, it finally made its comeback in 2008. Almost a century later, Converse largely
What about the skinny jeans that pushed bootleg and baggy jeans out of the picture a few years ago? Skinny jeans originated in the 1950’s when celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones introduced it to the world. It was called “drainpipe jeans” back then and was thought to have created the “bad boy” image. In the 1980s, skin-tight acid-washed jeans were very popular with heavy metal bands such as:
30 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Fashion
Anthrax, Megadeath, Metallica and Slayer. In the early 90s, skinny jeans were less prominent when baggy jeans came into style alongside the hip-hop/rap culture. In the 2000s, supermodel Kate Moss is said to have reintroduced skinny jeans to women. Just when we thought we can not get more skin tight than skinny jeans, the “Jeggings”, aka denim leggings, came to be. Very few know that Uggs were first made with sheepskin. It was developed in Australia and New Zealand and used by aviators during World War I. In the 1960s, Ugg boots became a popular option for competitive surfers, who used the boots to keep warm after coming from the surf. At the start of the 21st century, celebrities began to wear these boots, which in turn gained its popularity amongst us. However, the Ugg boot production received heavy criticism
from animal lovers. In February 2008, the Princeton Animal Welfare Society staged a campus protest against the fur industry, especially towards Uggs. Although various boycotts and protest took place, Uggs are still worn by almost everyone, simply due to the irresistible comfort that it provides.
Dorcas Chiu, Dulwich College Beijing
Did you know? Can you believe that over 800 million pairs of Converse All-Stars have been sold worldwide since they were fist made in 1966? That’s roughly 20 pairs for every South African and an average of 4.5 million pairs sold every year globally.
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 31
Fashion
Metamorphosis of a Dress The little black dress, otherwise known as LBD, has come to become immensely popular. Though this page may only catch a woman’s attention, the style and flair of the little black dress is adoptable by people of all sexes and tastes. The infamous LBD gained its popularity amongst Hollywood movie stars in as early as the 1920s. Coco Chanel made the classic LBD a phenomenon in 1926, and it soon became accessible for women of all social classes. Three decades later, the film “Breakfast at Tiffanys” showcased Audrey Hepburn wearing Givenchy’s little black dress with classic silhouettes, further spreading the popularity of the versatility of LBDs. It was said that the LBD became almost a uniform for women of all taste and style. Trends come and go, but the LBD has been able to survive the ever-changing fashion industry because of its practicality. Today, it is not hard to find that little black dress peeking out an average woman’s wardrobe door somewhere, proudly establishing itself as a classic staple item of the 21st century. Still a classic look for women, the LBD is no longer limits itself to just one shape and length. As different trends of fashion emerge, it has adapted and morphed into the “ideal” dress for each individual. The LBD can be dressed up or dressed down, and worn anywhere from a casual hang out to the red carpet. With different accessories and shoes, women have transformed the LBD into a garment that showcase their exquisite personality and unique creativity.
Elizabeth Wu, Beijing World Youth Academy 32 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
THE ARTS
Photography
P.34
Setting-Up & Studio Burn
P.36
The deviantART Community P.38
Photography Guide to Buying a DSLR
Buying an entry level DSLR is never easy. With so many different brands and models, it’s hard to make a right choice. After buying my first DSLR I spent days after thinking whether I made the right choice. The thing is, there is not a massive difference between the brands but through this review I hope to help you a bit in your decision-making.
Nikon D5000 The D5000 is Nikon’s upper entry level DSLR. At an average price of about 700USD it has a 12.3 Megapixel sensor like that of the D90 ( a higher end model). Like the Canon, it also has a 100 - 6400 ISO range. It boasts a shutter speed of 4 FPS (Frames Per Second), 0.3 more than that of the 550D and 1 FPS faster than it’s predecessor. One of its key features is it’s fully articulate screen - meaning that it can be tilted at different angles (all you girls out there, that means that you can even flip the screen around so that you can take self-pictures and yet still see what you’re taking!). It also supports HD video recording at 1080P. LOVE: Fully-Articulate Screen, Great image quality at high ISO HATE: Sluggish Menu System, No AF for older lenses, Larger and heavier than most DSLRs, Small screen OVERALL: Impressive combination of specs bringing Nikon’s best entry level DSLR yet. It outplays most competition with a fully articulate screen, but lags in terms of the menu system and it’s build
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Canon 550D / Rebel T2i This review would mainly focus on three entry level DSLRs by different manufacturers: Canon 550D, Nikon D5000 and Sony A450 The Canon 550D, or the Rebel T2i as it is called in the States, is the latest addition to Canon’s range of entry level DSLRs. Its body resembles that of it’s predecessors (450D/500D) but it’s inner workings are similar to that of higher range models like the Canon 7D. At an average market price of about 850USD, it packs a monstrous 18 Megapixel sensor with a 100 to 6400 ISO (Light Sensitivity) range. It can also shoot real time video in HD quality with an external microphone input and a small speaker for playback. On the back is a 3:2 ratio 3-inch screen for viewing of photos and videos.
LOVE: 18 Mpixels, HD video, External Mic Jack, 3” Screen HATE: Build Quality, Speed and AutoFocus same as older models. OVERALL: A very good camera for beginners under a budget. Offers decent video and excellent photos all in the same package.
Sony A380
LOVE: Fast Live View, VERY beginnerfriendly, Tilting Screen HATE: Poor Battery Life, Poor FPS, Small flash, Small Screen, Sometimes Less Responsive (than competition) OVERALL: A good buy if you’re a beginner just trying to feel how a DLSR feels. Its very easy to use and does not require much reading of the manual. However, under high ISO, it does not perform as well as the 550D or the D5000
The Sony A380 takes a completely different approach as compared to that of other two cameras on this review. Instead of taking an old design and improving on it, Sony had decided to completely revamp the A350 and came out with the A380, accompanied with a fresh new look. At an average of 700USD, the A380 features a 14.2 Megapixel sensor, In-built image-stabilization which works with any Sony lens and a vertically tilting screen. It also has an HDMI port which allows you to plug it into your TV and play a slideshow in HD. It’s Live View is also suprisingly quick and performed better than that of its competition. Its new body is also much lighter than that of it’s predecessor and it’s user interface has been rebuilt to be much more beginner-friendly. JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 35
Setting-Up and Studio Burn Professional Instrument Tracking Recently, Operation Bojinka had the opportunity to record several songs at BTV’s studio out in their headquarters. As the drummer of the band, I was excited – tracking drums is arguably the most expensive, complicated, and annoying part of the whole process technology/ equipment-wise, so being able to have a professional engineer worry about those technicalities for you was a nice plus. I had been looking forward to the session all week, anticipating the thrill of customizing my own sound in a high-quality studio environment was exhilarating. Of course, like all good things, this initial excitement didn’t last forever. In fact, it lasted about two hours after we got there. Talk about missing the boat. I arrived with the drummer’s trademark million different bits of gear on a Thursday afternoon for the setup session, pretty happy to be where I was. I then spent a nice three hours assembling those million bits of gear plus a mess of wires and microphones into a working, nice-sounding drum kit, which is a couple of hours well-spent if you love back pain, sorting through tangled ten-meter cables, and tediously tuning twelve different drumheads to self-imposed exacting pitch standards. The studio engineer and I had a nice long talk about inserts – discussing multiband compression, thresholds, 36 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
hard and soft knees, ratios, and gating for the twelve or thirteen microphones placed around the room, which was followed by a nice, painless configuration step for the track compressors and noise gates, concluding the setup process. Mission accomplished. The arduous recording process officially began on Saturday. This is when live musicians develop sympathy and respect for session musicians: specifically, their incredible patience and godly consistency. I suffered what I ended up terming “studio burn” – having to listen to your own less-thanspectacular performance on a very expensive set of studio monitors which reveal every little flaw in every aspect of your playing. Not exactly the most egoboosting experience of my life. Hearing my numerous mistakes in 48khz/24bit audio over a
playing. The intensity of the environment there is unrivalled, and after my own experience, I can’t think of a better way to keep the ego in check and learn than to hear your own mistakes blasted into your face by a huge array of high-power monitors. With my own job finally finished, I had two options. I could sit back and relax; or, I could sit in the control room and sadistically grin at my bandmates as they underwent the same process of suffering in a claustrophobic, dimly-lit soundproof room. Naturally, I chose the latter. I’m so nice.
Dan Zhang International School of Beijing spectacular array of Yamaha monitors was a humbling experience, and having to re-record a seemingly infinite number of little segments in the drum room was driving me towards claustrophobia and insanity. I had done upwards of twenty takes of the same song before I was satisfied with my own performance. (And before someone asks: no, I’m not a masochist, though the line between that and drummer blurs sometimes.) Fortunately, getting used to the studio playing environment was easy, and the second and third songs only required ten takes between them to yield acceptable results. I have to say that those eight hours of recording taught me more about my own playing than two years of shows all together. In full honesty, every musician should at some point involve themselves in recording, because every one of us needs the sharp reality check that comes hand in hand with studio JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 37
The Arts
The deviantART Community DeviantART.com is the largest and one of the most well-known art community websites in the world. The whole site is built on the concept of artist-specialized social networking, offering not only a digital art gallery platform, but also a full chatroom and profile system allowing for communication and collaboration between artists around the world. With over 13 million members and 35 million unique visitors every month, it is without a doubt a quick and easy way to expose your art to the world; however, one has to question the nature of that exposure and how it is obtained. DeviantART defines itself as “a platform that allows emerging and established artists to exhibit, promote, and share their works within a peer community dedicated to the arts[, with] works ranging from traditional media, such as painting and sculpture, to digital art, pixel art, films and anime.” However, given the massive
38 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
influx of new art, it’s understandable that the most popular will tend to stay the most popular – the rankings system is entirely based on views, “collects”, and favorites. The latter two are completely based upon the base number of views, which begs the question: is it really a fair system? It’s understandable that popular art spreads faster, but a downfall of the system is that hidden gems are often near-permanently buried, with a few hundred views compared to the tens, hundreds, even thousands of thousands of views that the most popular works receive. That’s not to say that every unknown artist on the site is an unappreciated master – in fact, most of them are justifiably unknown because their artwork is just plain old subpar. However, there are also more than a few diamonds in the rough that are being missed, and that’s far from fair to the artists. With the views system as it is, people have been coming up with ways
The Arts to promote themselves. A group named #Get-Watchers on deviantART has set up a system especially for this purpose. The deal is simple – using a simple web applet, you click a button that randomly browses to any group member’s profile or work of art, netting the work +1 in views and you +0.7 in view credits. The view credits dictate how many views you will get from others using the applet – once your view credits are exhausted, you must click the button more times to get more views. Of course, in the interest of appreciation for art, there is a five second grace period on the button – but that doesn’t stop exploitative members from just setting up a bit of auto-clicker software to click the button for them every five seconds and racking up views for their work. The system does what it’s meant to do, yes. But in an ethical way? Hardly.
The system at dA places far too much emphasis on views themselves in ranking artwork, counting on good artwork being able to catch the eye. However, the obvious shortcoming in that is the way good art gets buried by other works that received more exposure first. dA’s predicament is understandable, regardless – if not by views, how should good art be separated from bad art? That is the question most pressing now, and quite frankly, I’m not sure there’s an easy answer to that. Tell us your opinions! Email your answer to the closing question or any other comments and questions to the writer at heliummonsta@hotmail.com.
Dan Zhang, International School of Beijing
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 39
STUDENT’S
OPINION
Famine 30
P.41
Feminism
P.43
Student’s Opinion
Connection Through Hunger:
Famine 30
We cannot understand their struggle; we cannot feel their fear. Not now, not until we go through their hardships and despairs. I was once told with a thoughtprovoking story, a true life experience. “There was an old lady who had been living a luxurious life. Leaving her opulence behind, she departed the comforts of her home and headed to a developing country halfway across the world. A sea of miserable faces was all that greeted her. She proceeded to visit a local family - a typical family that was large in size but greatly limited in wealth. There she fried an egg, an egg that could have been equivalent to the family’s income in a month. The children were staring at the fried egg, silently with awe in their eyes. She couldn’t comprehend at that moment, so she asked the children: ‘Why aren’t you eating it?,’ A child hesitated for a second and took the egg away. ‘I want
to save it for tomorrow as my lunch and dinner.’ The child answered.” The story ends here, but the situation is ongoing. There are too many people in the world confronting hunger everyday; too many heart wrenching stories to tell. To us, an egg is simply a food item, but it can save the 1.4 billion people that are living under the poverty line of $1.25 a day. Figures show that one person dies every three and a half seconds due to hunger or hunger-related causes. 24,000 children die from preventable causes each day in some of these neglected countries. Every year, “World Vision” holds “Famine 30” in Hong Kong, a meaningful event where 3000 people gather together promising not to eat for 30 hours. In order to participate, each individual must raise 1000 HKD in efforts to improve the situation in JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 41
Student’s Opinion
Africa. Participants were able to experience what these one billion people on the other side of the world feels – hunger. For the first time, I was a member of the event. We took our shoes off to experience walking on barefoot on rocky bumpy roads; our activity sites were not sheltered so that we could experience the relentless rain and cold weather; and we did not eat so that we would understand what it feels like to starve. We experienced the true meaning of hunger, the hunger that cripples the spirits and shadows young souls. Uniting 3000 individuals, we raised a large amount of money and produced unique t-shirts for the children in Africa. Weeks have passed since “Famine 30”. Yet, the theme song of the event ceaselessly lingers in my mind: 42 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
“
We are the world, We are the children, We are the ones who make a brighter day, So let’s start giving. There’s a choice we’re making, We’re saving our own lives, It’s true we make a better day just you and me
”
Sherina Chan, Yew Chung International School (HK)
Student’s Opinion do need the same rights, this includes gaining the same salaries, same labour rights, marriage rights, and citizenship rights.
Feminism. How far do we go till the road stops?
A girl once told me at a MUN conference, “But men need women.” This was her response to my eight minutes speech addressing the disproportionate impact of poverty on women. My speech, although slightly biased, conveyed an inspiring anecdote of how we humans must first dare to imagine the dream of gender equality before we can truly put it into progress, and live the dream. Gender inequality is an important and relevant issue that continues to exist in society today. True, women’s rights have improved over the years, and women’s standards of equality have gradually become higher than what men are entitled to give. Do not wave off feminism as stereotypical. Though feminists acknowledge the biological differences between male and female, I believe women
As high school students, we must be reminded that some women are still suffering from unjust beliefs and laws, simply because their culture realizes a different importance in woman. Women should be given the choice to break away from their traditional gender roles, and many are jumping out of the shadow to which their husbands can sometimes lead them into. Regardless of what some might think, it is not true that feminists care less about falling in love and starting relationships with men. Feminists certainly are not egomaniacs, and are neither psychotic nor hypocritical. We are simply standing up to what we believe in, it is about defeating discrimination and breaking ossified stereotypes. It is a right – a right to live as anyone should. I have no intention to diminish the importance of men as it would be foolish to say that women don’t need men, and vice versa. This is not about gender – it is about equality and identity. As a species, we have identified ourselves as both female and male – rejecting one or another is a form of denial, hindering the growth of both genders. It is time we embrace our identity, it is time that for men to see women in the light of equality, and it is time for us to start imagining this dream.
Elizabeth Wu, Beijing World Youth Academy
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 43
Student’s Opinion
Feminism: A Platform for Equality?
“Feminism” is a popular word in our world today. Yet we fail to see it highlights the separation between genders, and is altogether, well, rather sexist. The more feminist campaigns advocate women, the more we deepen the fundamental gap that exists between men and women. The entire concept of feminism is hindering the progress of social unity. There is no need to deliberately divide the two sexes. One should accept and appreciate the biological differences between the two genders, and their roles should be fulfilled accordingly. It cannot be denied that women were given little or no power when men completely dominated society in the past. However, many feminist beliefs no longer hold true today. Women now have the chance to become equal, to surpass their male counterparts through hard work and intelligence, and to establish their standing in society. Yet, feminists are blinded with the 44 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
goal of pursuing a higher status for women than men. For instance, radical movements to ban marriages were formed because it was believed to promote the oppression of women, but would not one think banning marriages would lead to unhappiness and the failure in child bearing? Other feminists succeeded in forcing companies to give women certain roles, even when it means the reduction of corporate efficiency as women were physically less fit. One must ask – are these truly the best solutions? Sometimes, the root of the problem lies within the failure to see the cause of sexism. Why are women given less rights and respect? This originated from our biological differences - women are naturally adapted to child-bearing, less physically fit, and less biologically equipped for their individual survival. The primitive concept dates back to the very beginning of our human species, where women were supposed to stay home and cook while men hunted and fought for
Student’s Opinion
our survival. If women want to change this in modern society, they have every opportunity to do so. Women can prove that they are more than home tenders by stepping out into the wilderness and earning their own piece of meat. But if they are not able to hunt down equal game as their male counterparts, they should accept this biological difference and go back to what they were made for; rather than arguing that it is because of sexism that females cannot hunt as well. It is a scientific fact that the compositions of our brains are different between men and women. This does not mean women are less capable, but it does shows that there is a substantial reason for the different gender roles assigned. We no longer have to go out to the wilderness and hunt, but we do have to go out to the wilderness to find our own identity. It is time we stop clinging onto our gender, and find an identity that transcends the word female, or male. Gender is not the problem,
our mindset is. We have to be rational and prudent when investigating whether absolute gender equality in every single context is what we should seek for. While we are convincing men that women are just as worthwhile, we should not show them how proud we are to be female – but how proud we are as people. It is only on this platform that men and women can be seen as one. On a lighter note, I should say that I would certainly prefer it if a gentleman may still hold the door for me because it is true that my muscle tissue development has not exceeded his. Likewise, I shall delight at the wooing of a desirable fellow male, for it is fact that I survive through courtship, and winning his heart is the key to my biological success.
Haining Wang, Dulwich College Beijing
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 45
FOOD
Restaurant Review
P.47
Recipie of the Month P.48 Tired of Feeling Tired? P.49 Food Paradise
P.50
Food
Haru Restaurant:
Japan’s Hidden Jewel With its sleek, modern décor and its scrumptious array of sushi and teppanyaki, ‘Haru’ provides the ultimate Japanese dining experience. Although it is located in the heart of Pinnacle Plaza in Shunyi, the restaurant, hidden by giant leaves, is actually quite difficult to find, but the beautiful interior decoration compensates for its location. I was greeted with a happy chorus of ‘Konnichi wa’ greeted me as I walked in, and I was soon mesmerized by the grace and beauty of the interior. The walls were an offwhite color and the art work complimented the atmosphere of the restaurant. The sushi was mostly excellent; I ordered the spicy tuna roll and the salmon roll. The spicy tuna was delectable; and the tuna sashimi was tender but not mushy, which was equally mouth-watering. In comparison, the salmon roll was quite pale in flavour. The teppanyaki is fabulous. Though it is a little steep in price, it is well worth it. A chef personally prepares it in front of
you whilst presenting his various culinary tricks and antics. The local beef was tender and juicy, cooked to perfection with three sauces: one white sauce, one garlic sauce and one soy sauce. The staff was relatively attentive and served everything with a smile. Haru provided an appropriate atmosphere for any situation: business or casual. Overall, Haru is an excellent restaurant that not only provides diners with delicious food but also with a comforting atmosphere.
Tessa Browne, Dulwich College Beijing
Haru Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar 尚水长廊铁板烧餐厅 902 Pinnacle Plaza, Jingshun Lu,Shunyi 京顺路荣祥广场902 8046-5112 Open 10:30am-10pm
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 47
Food
Recipe of the Month
Mousse Di Cioccolato Chocoholics Beware. One spoonful of this Chocolate Mousse and you will be hooked forever. Its rich chocolate flavor and almost heavenly silky smooth texture will offer you the ultimate chocolate experience. This simple yet elegant dessert is made from an authentic Italian recipe that was passed down from generations of Rome’s finest chefs. Best of all, this culinary masterpiece is extremely easy to make. With just twenty minutes and a couple of ingredients, you can make everyone’s favorite desert. I mean it is Mousse di Cioccolato, what more should be said?
500g 6 1 cup 5 tbsp
1 2 3
Mascarpone Cheese Eggs Sugar Cocoa Powder
Separate egg white & egg yolk from all six eggs and pour into two separate bowls. Whisk egg yolks whilst pouring sugar into mixture. Mix mascarpone cheese with mixture until it smooth.
In separate bowl, whisk egg whites using electric whisk until it becomes a thick mixture. If done correctly, it should be hard and stick up to form “stiff peaks.”
4 5 6
Add egg whites into the mixture and stir gently. Add 3 tbsp of cocoa powder while stirring. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours. Serve with chocolate shavings or whipping cream. Enjoy your delicious chocolate mousse!
48 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Maria Sisci, Yew Chung International School
Food
Tired of Feeling Tired? How do you shake off the inevitable feeling of lethargy and sluggishness in the morning? The answer is simple, eat your breakfast! You’ve probably already heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it cannot be any truer. Research has shown that breakfast improves your alertness and concentration. Our brain needs glucose, and breakfast gives us the energy we need to prevent the common midmorning slump. The following is a list of easily accessible and nutrient rich foods that will give you the energy you need. An apple a day keeps a doctor away – and it gives you a boost of energy! Although apples don’t contain caffeine, it has a natural alternative – fructose. This type of sugar is delivered slowly to your body and gives it the sustained energy it needs. Unlike drinking coffee or energy drinks, there are no adverse effects; so you don’t have to worry about a “sugar crash”. Furthermore, the crunchy texture and sweet juicy taste should also wake you up!
Oatmeal, one of our favorite breakfast foods, can improve our level of concentration. As it is hard to maintain your concentration when feeling anxious (or restless in a very boring class), oatmeal is a great choice. This low-glycemic carbohydrate will help you focus by not sending your blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride. Whole grains contain B12, iron, and serotonin help you to stabilize your mood and keep you calm. While you’re at it, why not throw in a few blueberries? These are high in antioxidants, which improves brain performance by reducing oxidative stress. Another trivial fact: one egg contains all nine essential amino acids and 6 grams of protein! As they are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, they can improve brain function and concentration level. Eggs are rich in protein, which will starve off your hunger making it easier to stay focused (and avoid embarrassment from your growling stomach)!
So there you go! Three very simple foods to keep yourself awake and not doze off during class or when you’re pulling an all-nighter. However, if you were to take just one piece of advice from this article, eat your darn breakfast!
Sherry Ooi, TianJin TEDA International School JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 49
Food
Food Paradise Singapore is a true melting pot of cultures. It is unique in a way that the food does not come from a single ethnic group; but rather a mixture of the finest cuisines that the Chinese, Indians, Malays and Peranakans have to offer. (And one must note that none of the food in Singapore actually originates from Singapore!) It is improvised as Singaporean hawkers add their own special touches, transforming these dishes into the highly regarded attractions that they are today. I know that you are dying to know more about Singaporean food, so a guide to their local and authentic dishes is provided below.
Chili Crab Cooked with a delicious paste made from garlic, onions, sesame oil, black rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup, ginger, and ground chili, Chili Crab is one of Singapore’s most famous dishes. This wonderful seafood concoction can only be enjoyed by diving in with your bare hands.
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Food Hainan Chicken Rice This local specialty originated from the Hainan Island off the coast of China, and it has been turned into one of Singapore’s most popular dishes. Though served with succulent steamed white chicken which are famous for its tenderness, its rich flavor actually comes from the rice! It is pre-fried in chicken fat and then cooked in chicken broth…yummy! It is usually accompanied by three sauces: sambal chili, garlic sauce and sticky soy sauce. This is one of the truest Singaporen culinary masterpieces.
Bak Kut Teh Known as “Pork Rib Tea”, this soup made from pork rips combined with cloves of garlic and a variety of herbs is usually accompanied with strips of fried dough for dipping it into the soup or eaten with rice noodles.Its distinct aroma makes it a Singaporean favorite. However, there are two main variations, the Hokkien Chinese tends to add soy sauce, making the soup darker, while the Teochew Chinese would rely on salt and pepper, therefore making it a lot clearer and lighter.
Laksa Although Laksa is of Peranakan origin, it’s the hallmark of Singaporean cuisine. Served with thick rice noodles, this creamy coconut gravy laced with fresh herbs, diced tofu, poached seafood, and various spices is packed with bold and rich flavors. It’s delicious, it’s addictive, even the name is delightful! Singapore is a small island, but its cultural attraction, mainly food, draws millions of tourists every year. After reading this article and looking at the mouthwatering photos, it is very easy to see why.
Eugene Ling, Yew Chung International School (BJ) JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 51
CHILLAX
Don’t Cry for Meat Argentina P.56 Kaka, Messi, Barcelona
P.59
Chillax
Don’t Cry for Meat
ARGENTINA
Yes, I’m from Argentina. Amazing country, amazing landscape, amazing people, amazing food; the whole deal! Yes, I’m very nationalistic and I do love my country, but that’s not the point. Argentina, Argentina… Mi Buenos Aires Querido…
it with your fork (I’m not even joking). But if you’re not the carnivorous kind, we also lead exports with grains and veggies so it’s a winwin situation for food lovers.
You like dancing? We got Tango. Of course, it is such a passionate dance to Have you ever talked to a taxi driver watch and dance. At night you’ll see plenty about famous football legends? If you have, of boulevards with Tango couples, dancing then you’ve probably argued with the driver their troubles away. Even in the streets of whether Maladuona [Maradona] is better you’ll see performances that will hypnotize than Meixi [Messi], who are both 阿根廷人 you. Buenos Aires (the capital), is known as (that’s not a hard one to guess). Though a ‘city that never sleeps’. There is so much Argentina’s football is like to do: parties, swingers and a religion (fun fact: there tangos, art exhibitions, “At night you’ll see is even actual church light shows, cruisers, that praises Maradona: plenty of boulevards La Plata river sighting, Maradonismo), there are walks, games, with Tango couples, serenade also many other sports music, movies. You can dancing their troubles find anything you could that this country excels at. Tennis for instance ever think of in Argentina, away.” is widely popular and with a special South Argentina’s tennis platers American touch. Buenos are widely recoginzed such as Nalbandian, Aires is definitely a must-see city. and #5 in the world Del Potro, and our Argentina is essentially a great tennis babe Gisela Dulko. We also have a place that all should visit. Not only will the very strong rugby team, world champion city dazzle you, but its beautiful landscape Golf players, and Polo teams. in Northern and Southern glaciers and What I love more than anything mountains will take your breath away. else in the world is…meat! I’m a carnivore Beautiful scenic points can turn your and never have I eaten a better steak than fantasies into reality. Come to Argentina Argentinean steak. I, however, am not the you will have the most amazing time and go only person that feels this way. Meat lovers away with the unforgettable memories. all around the world have found that the best Un beso y abrazo!! quality meats are from Argentina and the Fernando Segré, USA. Our meat is so tender that you can cut Canadian International School JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 53
Chillax
Kaka, Messi, Barcelona About a month ago, my father presented me with the opportunity of a lifetime. His company ‘QQ’ (China’s equivalent of MSN) had struck a deal with famous footballers Lionel Messi and Ricardo Kaka, and he was to go to Spain to overlook the filming of a television commercial for the South Africa 2010 World Cup that would feature these stars. At the prospect of meeting them in person and the opportunity to skip one whole week of school, I begged and was allowed to tag along with him to Spain. Imagine that. In actual fact, the worst part of the trip was preparing for it. As I had been unable to control my excitement, excess enthusiasm really did not help when I tried to pack in 12 sets of T-shirts for a supposed 6 day trip. My 54 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
mother, who was not coming, decided that it would be best to fill her 16 year old son’s bag with bottles of hand sanitizer and soft tissues. “Just in case” was her answer to my frown. The flight to Barcelona was a 14 hour trip as we flew over Siberia with their many unpronounceable states, stopping by Munich, Germany. When we touched down in Barcelona however it was almost 12am Spanish time and the Airport itself was deserted, so my father, a collegiate of his and I trekked the alien walkways to get ourselves officially checked into Spain. I was greeted by a large Spanish guy whom I later found was our designated driver. A curt smile, a strong handshake, a quick nod - and I knew right then that I would probably be receiving the best spell of customer service that I have ever experienced in my life.
Chillax The days passed quickly, and much of my father’s time was spent stressing about the upcoming shoot, while much of mine was spent stressing about how he stressed so much. We did however manage to spend some time outside together, and the scenery of the place was just breathtaking. Barcelona is located near the sea so the air always felt invigorating. It also helped that we arrived midspring so the subtle blending of sunlight and breeze made it so you could feel chilly, but in comfort. All the famed designer brands (Zara, Gucci, etc) lined the streets, while we found some road side tents that were set up selling bags and necklaces. It reminded me of Yashow, except for the fact that it was outdoors. The buildings were very highly styled with a touch of vintage European architecture oozing off the walls. Breakfast was always salmon, toast with butter and milk. Lunch was basically fast-food, and dinner was always tapas. Wonderful, delicious, expensive tapas. (Tapas works a little like buffet spreads where huge selections of dishes are displayed behind counters. You pick one, pay, and then eat.) The highlight of the trip was the filming of the television commercial. We met Messi in Barcelona, and the venue for filming
was actually at his favourite restaurant 45 minutes out of town. When I got there, the working crew of about 20 people (Consisted of a team from London and Spain) had already set up their equipment. Overnight they had converted the back-garden of the restaurant into a ‘stage’. It all felt very authentic. There were bright lights, high tech equipment, cameras point in every direction and even people looking serious, so I tried to blend in. Despite my father’s worry, the shoot went smoothly enough, and although Messi stayed for only about 45 minutes, the crew had got what they wanted. I even got a jersey and poster signed, so I have nothing to complain about. Two days later we were in a rush to Madrid to meet Kaka. We sat a train there and the 3 hour ride was nothing short of pleasant. Upon boarding we found an old man snoozing in our seat, so we made wild gesticulations and hand signals to tell him he was in the wrong carriage, until he got fed up and left. Outside however, the green pastures and cottages of the countryside drifted by peacefully and before I knew it, I was in Madrid. Compared to Barcelona, Madrid felt even grander. From towering skyscrapers in the back to sculptures that were larger than life presented itself inside the buildings. The meeting with Kaka went equally as smooth. Before I knew it I was face to face with Kaka, JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 55
Chillax shaking his hand and getting his autograph. We even caught a soccer match at the famed Santiago Bernableu football stadium. Upon arriving at the stadium however, we found a small family sitting where our seats should have been, and so sadly almost as if it has become a thing we keep doing, we kicked them out of our seats. On the plane back to Beijing, my mind was in a reel. I have just experienced the greatest vacation of my life, but that, as well as meeting the two stars, has not seem to sunk in yet. I was thinking of how I have gained a lot from this trip. I got to see how a television commercial was shot and the technicalities behind it. I ate new food and saw new things. I made new friends -such as the videographer and photographer
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who shared some of their working life with me, and most of all I got to meet several footballing stars to become the envy of my friends. All these thoughts were stopped short when my father put an arm over my shoulder in the plane and said to me, “The thing I was most proud of during this whole trip was being able to introduce you to everyone I knew as my own son”. At that moment, Spain was just a European country Penelope Cruz is from, and Kaka and Messi were nothing else than autographs and handshakes, and I beamed back at him. I knew he could tell that I was proud of him too.
Keith Kwek, Yew Chung International School (BJ)
Pictorial
Pop Idol & Battle of the Bands (DCB)
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 57
Pictorial
International Day (DCB)
58 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Pictorial
Graduation Ceremony (BWYA)
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 59
Pictorial
Senior Prom (BWYA)
60 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Pictorial
Senior Prom (ISB)
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 61
Pictorial
ACAMIS Soccer
62 | [UNIT-E] JUNE2010
Pictorial
Senior’s Assembly (YCIS)
JUNE2010 [UNIT-E] | 63
CAN YOU FIND THE HIDING BUNNIES?