Winter // Issue 3 // 1
Introducing the New Logo The logo design was really a team effort, Steven and I came up with lots of drafts for a logo till the final version came out. Steven came up with the idea to make the logo circular, like a globe. But it needed to also go with the theme of love. Therefore, I created a logo with two hands fitting into the negative space of the ‘S’ to represent connecting with others/love along with the circular shape representing the globe. I think that the idea behind it really suits ISA. -- Hillary Fower, Designer of iSA Logo
2 // UOiSA // 2013-14
Welcome to N.E.W.S. North. East. West. South. Please E-mail us if you have any suggestions or fun stories that you want to share with our readers! Also check out our E-magazine site and iSA’s Facebook Page for more N.E.W.S.!
E-mail: uoisanews@gmail.com E-magazine: ssuu.com/uoisanews Facebook: facebook.com/InternationalDuck
Winter // Issue 3 // 3
N. E. W. S.
Issue 3 // Winter 2014 // Feburary
iSA Team Co-Directors Tony Zhang Hung Mai
Program Team Leigh Scheffey Sandra Benny Steven Rao Renee Arnett Dustin Jung Cecilia Xu
Office Team
Najod Alrasheed Christina Park Ashley Liu
Fundraising Team Luca Lin Kevin Ngo Jess Chen Amy Li Catherine Li
Publicity Team
Lily Chen David Jeong Hillary Fowler Ihn Que Lee Esther Kim Alejandra Gutierrez Ina Song Negina Pirzad Ethan Kim Megan Garland Joshua Lee Stacey Goldberg
4 // UOiSA // 2013-14
3
Photographers Esther Kim Ihn Que Lee
Models
David Jeong Cecilia Xu
Content Editors Alejandra Guitierrez Ina Song Negina Pirzad
Graphic Designers Ina Song Hillary Fowler
No.
CONTENT 6 A Closer Look @ iSA
10 The ISO Experience
13 Lunar New Year
Learn more about iSA and it’s new interns and officers.
Take a look at ISO from different perspectives.
Hear the traditions of Lunar New Year from students of UO.
16
17
18
NY Around the World
Landscape of the Body
Humans of UO
Didn’t get to count down for 2014? That’s OK, here are more New Years to celebrate.
Read Alexandra’s review on the new play that’s presented by UO Theater program!
Portraits throughout campus at the University of Oregon.
21
22
23
The Love Bug
The B&W Affair
Winter Care
It’s the sweet romantic season again, learn more about the V-Day.
Are you going to the iSA Winter Formal? Read about it first!
Do you know how to take care of yourself in this cold winter?
24
26
27
The Drummer
A Coffee Talk with the mysterious dummer at the iSA Coffee Hour.
ISG Meeting Schedule
Looking for a UO student group to join? Check out their meeting times!
Calendar
Be the first ones to know the popular events that are happening on/off campus!
Winter // Issue 3 // 5
I N T E R N A T I O NTAIOLN
S T U D E N T A S S O C IA IS A IN TE RN S CO ME FR OM AL
L OV ER TH E WO RL D!
T AS SO CIA TIO N TE RN AT IO NA L ST UD EN IN ’S ON EG OR OF Y RD TO ASSIST UN IV ER SIT DENTS WORKING HA U T S 1 3 F O P U O R G (ISA) IS A ANSITION TO DENTS WITH THE TR I N T E R N AT I O N A L S T U A M E R I C A N C U LT U R E .
x6 x6
= ONE ISA INTERN’S HOME COUNTRY/CITY
HOW MANY LANGUAGES ARE THE ISA INTERNS FLUENT IN?
10%
SPEAK 1 LANGUAGE
10%
SPEAK 3 LANGUAGES
TOP 4 LANGUAGES SPOKEN:
1. ENGLISH
80%
SPEAK 2 LANGUAGES
2. CHINESE 3. KOREAN 4. SPANISH
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GENDER DISTRIBUTION:
YEAR IN SCHOOL: FRESHMEN
18
GIRLS
SOPHMORES
10
JUNIORS
BOYS
SENIORS LEAST
MOST
# OF STUDENTS
ISA’S FAVORITE EVENT? COFFEE HOUR, HELD EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT THE MILLS INTERNATIONAL CENTER WAS VOTED AS ISA’S FAVORITE EVENT.*
100
%
OF ISA INTERNS HAVE MADE NEW INTERNATIONAL OR DOMESTIC FRIENDS AT COFFEE HOUR.
* RUNNER UPS FOR FAVORITE E VENT INCLUDE THE HALLOWEEN DANCE PART Y AND INTERNATIONAL WEEK .
100%
INTERESTED IN ISA?
OF ALL 31 ISA INTERNS WO U L D R E CO M M E N D ISA TO OTHER STUDENTS
Winter // Issue 3 // 7
NEW Recru Luca Lin
Phat (Kevin) Ngo
Fundraising Coordinator
Fundraising Intern
Business Administration & Economics / Senior I enjoy being in a family of people from all over the world. It is also a great fit with my career interest of doing social entrepreneurship around the world.
8 // UOiSA // 2013-14
Jisi (Jess) Chen Fundraising Intern Major in Accounting, Minor in Economics / Junior It’s my pleasure to meet a lot of awesome folks in ISA. I just can’t wait to get my feet down in the field.
Business Administration / Junior Being a member of ISA is a great opportunity for me to learn more about differences between the cultures from all around the world.
uit OF iSA Leigh Scheffey Program Coordinator
Najod Alrasheed Office Manager Eonomoics / Senior iSA is kind of my type of group that I love to join and go creative with.
Journalism: Public Relations & Minor: Italian /Senior I joined ISA to get more involved with international life and events on campus.
Negina Pirzad Newsletter Intern International Studies & Journalism / Sophomore An awesome group, a meaningful aim, and a chance to write‌ What else could you want? Winter // Issue 3 // 9
ISO
InternationalStudentOrientation by Ina Song
From the UO International Affair:
T
he University of Oregon is pleased to welcome new international students for the 2013-14 academic year. This year the university expects to host approximately 2,500 international students from more than 87+ countries. You, along with all of the other international students studying at the University of Oregon, are now a part of the UO’s international community. Your presence here enriches the campus environment and adds to the diversity of the institution. International Student Orientation (ISO) is mandatory for new international students. You must attend all orientation days in person. We cover many important topics at ISO and you will have a chance to get acquainted with the campus, learn about the student services available to you, take the AEIS (Academic English for International Students) and math placement tests, meet with an Academic Adviser, register for classes, and much more. You’ll also make lots of new friends!
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(From Official Website: http://international.uoregon.edu/isss/orientation)
ISO LEADERS I
oining ISO is a great way to meet people. I remember how it was when I first came to Eugene, so I think it’s great to come here and help people out.
’ve made many friends through ISO. I was a graduate student, and my program started in the summer. Most remember when I of my classmates are became an ISO leader international students, first came here and because I thought that but they didn’t have leaving my home, and ISO is a great chance for friends from outside I got lots of help from international students to the program. They the ISO leader. It was get to know the things overwhelming to see were complaining we’ve experienced. It’s all the people from about that they only a great opportunity different countries and know the people from for us (ISO leaders) to cultures, and it was their program, and offer some advices to hard to get used to a I realized that I had new environment. Now them (new students) my orientation before about classes and life in summer which gave me that I’ve been here long enough, I want to come Eugene. I am thrilled the chance of meeting to help here, and also I back to where I started many new friends. think it’s a great chance That’s why when this and help the students for me to meet some who just got here; opportunity came up, because I know, it’s scary new friends. All ISO I thought I should join leaders are people who to talk to other people the ISO leader team are willing to help when you first arrived and help international others. here. students.
Jaejin
Jeremy
I
J
I
Fan
Ahyeong
I
’ve studied abroad in Japan, and I just wanted to come back and help international student to settle in when they first come in to the U.S. Because I know how hard it can be to go to another country without knowing many people.
David
Winter Winter // // Issue Issue 33 // // 11 11
NEW STUDENTS Ahmed Ameen What’s the biggest difference you see between NY and where you from?
New York lifestyle is a lot faster than where I from. Where I from was actually fast too, but NY is different. Everyone in NY seems like all have their own thing, and it’s also I think it’s the most multi-national and cultural city in the world. Because there are many different people from each nationalities and everywhere of the world. I really liked it there, and it was fun being in a language school there, the school I went to was really close to NY.
What’s the biggest difference you see between Eugene and your country?
Eugene… is really quite, and that’s the biggest difference from my country and NY.
What’s the biggest culture shock you’ve experienced?
I actually didn’t experience any culture shock, because I’ve traveled a lot when I was a kid with my family. I’ve experienced many different cultures, languages, and people (while I was traveling), and I just got used to it.
Jiaqi Chen How do you like being in the U.S.?
I think Americans are really friendly, and the thing that I like the most here is freedom. People have freedom for mostly everything, you can wear whatever and go on the street without others judging you. It’s very different in China, because if someone wears some strange outfits there, people will think that the person is weird; and they will gossip about you. I feel really free in this country, and I love it! Also the environment is very good, it’s really green in here with fresh air.
What’s the biggest difference you’ve found between Eugene and your country?
The biggest difference I’ve found is that I don’t feel really stressed when I study. I was a high school student in China, and everything was very stressful! There were so much pressure from my parents, teachers, and the society.Teachers only value students with their grades, and getting a good grades was very important. But here in the U.S. everything is a lot more relaxing, and students can chose wether going to college or not.
Do you find ISO helpful?
Yes, I made some new friends through ISO and learnt some information about the campus. Everyone (International Affairs and ISO leaders) was very helpful here!
Carmen Wang
Studied at UO for almost a year. She is a former AEI student, and she is about to continue her journey at UO as a freshman. The biggest difference she found between the U.S. and her hometown, China, was people’s behaviors. She particularly mentioned the “two-face” of people from the U.S.. People from the U.S. are always seem very friendly to her, and she thought that they wanted to be friends. However, after they make plans with her, such as going out for coffee or lunch, they never follow through. But in China, when people/friends make plans together they always make it happen. Being in the U.S. for almost a year also made her feel homesick and misses her family a lot. But She really enjoyed ISO, and she said it really helped her to know more about the UO campus even after being here for a year. It also allowed her to know more cultures and able to make more new friends. With more friends that she has met here, she started to feel less lonely.
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Lunar New Year Winter // Issue 3 // 13
Midori Cruikshank & Shoko Vermont, USA / Japan
Have you heard of Lunar New Year? MC: My roommate is Chinese, and she me SO: I used to work in a Chinese restaurant i
When and how do you normally celebrate N MC: I celebrate on the 31st, SO: same. MC: In the past I’ve celebrate it with my fa music, concerts, food, and venders, and t year I just went to the bars with my friend champagnes and fireworks. SO: The New Year is very big in Japan. gatherings. Kids get money from elders, a
Have you celebrated Lunar New Year before MC: Last year I celebrated with my roomm taught me some traditions. We put a crun gets that will get the luck of the year. That it was really fun. My friend was from Shan SO: I haven’t really celebrated Lunar New
Reina Meguro Tokyo, Japan
Do people celebrate New Year in Japan? Yes, we celebrate New Year on January 1st. Have you heard of Lunar New Year? Yes I have. I have a boyfriend who is from China, and I’ve heard it from him. Do you know how people celebrate Lunar New Year? I don’t remember which day it was, but I know that it (the date) depends on which part of China people are from. One of my friends is Cantonese, and my boyfriend and is Cantonese American. My boyfriend’s family celebrate Lunar New Year, but they don’t really do anything special except eating dinner together. But in other parts of China, they would make dumplings. I’ve celebrated Lunar New Year with my boyfriend and his friends, we made dumplings together and watched Chinese TV show. The dumplings were really good, but I didn’t understand the show at all because it was in Chinese. How do people celebrate New Year in Japan? We eat soba, the Japanese noodle, during on the countdown on New Year’s Eve. Also people eat Oseghi, its a Japanese traditional food, and each food in Oseghi has a different meaning. Some people also eat Mochi. Some people also go to temple on New Year, and kids get “happy money” from elders.
14 // UOiSA // 2013-14
Ohki
entioned it before. in Japan, and a lot of people came and celebrate.
New Year?
amily, like going to festivals. They would have things like that (at the festivals). But this past ds, and we just walked around and danced with
We make a lot of food, and have big family and people go to temples and pray.
e? mate around this time, we made gyozas and she nchy peanut in one of the gyozas, and whoever was one of the things I got introduced to, and nghai. Year before.
Carmen Rong & Zihan (Hannah) Zhang Oregon, USA / Xian, China Do you celebrate Lunar New Year? CR: Yes, and usually my parents cook dinner, and we would invite my aunt and uncle over in our house. We also exchange “Hong Bao”, which we put money in red envelops. My parents cook lots of traditional Chinese food, and we also pray. We would play some old Chinese traditional music in the background as well. Sometimes when we are too lazy, we would just go to a dumpling restaurant and just have dim-sums. My parents were from Gungdong, China. ZZ: My family almost do the same thing. We normally cook at home, and eat dinner with family. Before I turned 18, I used to get “Hong Bao”. Do you celebrate New Year on January 1st? CR: Not really. Maybe sometimes I would go out with my friends, but most of the time I would just watch fireworks from my window. It’s not as special as the Lunar New Year. ZZ: I normally just watched TV at home, we don’t do a lot for the New Year.
by Ina Song Winter // Issue 3 // 15
New Year, Same Optimism ilufio ètussé bonne pace è salut année asgwas amegas
nuwejaar
da
How New Years is celebrated around the world
Gëzuar vitin e ri
W
sretna nova
šťastný nový
hen I think of December 31st, what comes to mind is the anticipation for the clock to strike midnight. The day fades one year out, and it excitingly brings in the next. Resolutions, dance parties, the colors silver and gold, champagne, the Time Square Ball Drop, fireworks, and the numerous countdowns that play on every other TV network are what make December 31st New Years Eve in America.
e glëckliches
godina
godt nytår
For all cultures that follow the Gregorian calendar, and sometimes the Julian calendar, New Years Eve and New bloavezh mat sale naw tab nëies Years day fall on the same days as in the US. Many cultures celebrate through extravagant festivities in large cities with alcohol, fireworks, and citywide gatherings, like in Russia, the UK, and European countries.
Along with grand celebrations, cultures often hold on to little, old traditions that are passed down from generation to generation. In Spain, it is customary to have a hand full of twelve grapes, and once the clock strikes twelve, one grape must be eaten at each stroke that follows. If your grape eating successfully syncs with the strikes, then you are bound to have good luck in the New Year. And in Greece and Cyprus, people switch off the lights at midnight and celebrate the New Year by cutting the vassilopita, or Basil’s pie, that usually has a sort of coin baked into it. Whichever family member gets the piece of pie that contains the coin can expect good luck for the duration of the New Year.
amokitanone
bloavez mad
mbu mwa bwa
yeni iliniz
честита нова
gelukkig
Other cultures’ New Years differ depending on which calendar they follow. For example, Chinese New Years is celebrated on the first day of the lunar calendar, and it stretches out until the fifteenth day. The holiday usually falls between January twentieth and February twentieth. Chinese traditions for this special day include lion and dragon dances, fireworks, family gatherings, and the color red often appears in clothes, money envelopes, and other things as a sign of good luck. During this time, it is also customary for each family to cleanse their homes, sweeping away any misfortune, making way for the incoming good luck of the New Year.
mübarək
година
nieuwjaar
aw ni san’kura
hnit thit ku
happy new ye
Similar to this Chinese tradition of cleansing one’s home, people from Andean countries in South America often burn little doll-like figures, or muñecos, on December 31st as a way of burning any regrets from the old year before the new year begins.
As midnight arrives for each time zone around the world, people welcome the New Year in diverse ways. From a mouthful of grapes in Spain, to incorporating red in China, to doll burning in the Andes, the last days of the year are full of traditions and optimism.
bonne année
mbuee
16 // UOiSA // 2013-14
mingalar pa
sun lin fi lok
feliĉan nova by Negina Pirzad
jaron
te
Landscape of the Body
ý rok
brik
am
ear
an
E
very term, the UO Theatre program holds plays that are directed by faculty members and the stars of the shows are students from our very own campus. This season’s show is called the Landscape of the Body, by John Guare and directed by Jean Sidden. The story focuses on the life of a young woman called Betty and her new life in the great city of New York. Betty and her son go to New York to try and convince her sister Rosalie to come back with her to her hometown. After a tragic accident, Betty’s sister dies and we can see how Betty slowly starts to be absorbed into her sister’s old life. One day, Betty’s son is found dead and she is held as a suspect. As the play carries on, the mystery of the murder slowly begins to unfold, revealing who the killer is. This play deals with time travel, corrupted innocence and with the misconception of the American Dream. The audience is able to see how the characters begin to change and lose themselves in the chaos of the big city. Whether it is due to greed, fear or simply just pressure, the main characters had become completely different people by the end.
in order to successfully execute their roles and make the story appealing and convincing to the audience. Ranging from happiness, to sadness and then anger, Landscape of the Body has a good plot and storyline that will make people laugh, cringe, gasp and keep everyone on the edge of their seats. The entire cast if full of talented people that not only act, but also sing. If you enjoy murder mysteries and dark comedy, this is a play you should definitely see. It started on Thursday Jan 23, and it will be shown on these days as well:
Jan 24, 25, 30, 31, Feb 1 at 8pm, Feb 2 at 2pm. Go enjoy a great play and show your love and support for our theatre Ducks!
The stars of the play had countless rehearsals
by Alejandra Guitierrez Winter // Issue 3 // 17
Q A:
Humans of UO
Esther Kim Senior in International Studies Megan Garland Junior in International Studies & Chinese
Negina Pirzad: What inspired you to start “Humans of UO” (HOUO)? Esther Kim: I was obsessed “Humans of New York” on Facebook for a really long time, and at my first publicity meeting for ISA, we decided we wanted to start something that would get students more involved with ISA. We thought about randomly interviewing people for either a blog or a website, sort of creating profiles about them. “Humans of New York” instantly popped into my mind. I thought we could do something like that: asking people questions, getting short quotes, and posting them on a Facebook page. Megan Garland: And since Esther is a photographer and ISA provided us with a lot of resources, we were able to make it a real thing and successfully advertise it. NP: How do you choose the people that you interview? MG: We mostly look for people that are not in conversation, aren’t doing anything we would interrupt them in. EK: We’ve done a lot of interviews during [ISA’s] Coffee Hour because there are a lot of people who go to it. That’s where we started, and then we expanded to random places on campus. We choose people that are on their own, are not too busy, who kind of seem interesting. NP: What’s your overall goal with HOUO? MG: Well, since campus has like thirty thousand-plus students, ISA’s trying to bring together international students with domestic students, and this does that in a way. In general, the project connects students. Like if someone says, “I’m struggling with money right now,” other students can be like, “Hey, there’s someone
18 // UOiSA // 2013-14
by Negina Pirzad
else on campus that has a similar struggle as me” or “ they are going through something I’ve experienced before.” It creates this new interconnectedness in our little community. EK: Yeah, and we wanted to show the diversity here, not just with race or with what countries people are from, but with what people actually go through in life and have experienced. NP: And with the people you ask to interview, how do they usually respond to you at first? EK: People are usually OK with it. It’s sometimes hard to get the “deep” stories out of people though. MG: Yeah, people stay very surface-level with their answers because we’re just randomly asking them for an interview. But we are creating better questions and shaping how we approach people, so we can get a little deeper with them. It’s just hard in public settings. NP: Have you had any issues with people, either for posting something they don’t like, or them not wanting their pictures taken at all? EK: For the photos, we
M
Megan G.
Esther K.
give people an option of what they want me to take a picture of. If they don’t want their face on Facebook, I usually take a picture of their hands or of something else. I leave it up to them. MG: We have been completely denied a few times during Coffee Hour. Some people just aren’t comfortable in general with having their pictures posted. NP: Do you plan to continue with HOUO after this year? What do you hope happens to the project after you graduate? MG: It would be cool if it stayed within ISA. We would just pass the administrator position on to the next group. EK: I graduate this spring, and it would be really sad if it just ends. MG: We won’t let that happen. Hopefully, we continue after this year. It depends on how big it gets. [HOUO] is not massive yet, but it has a fair amount of followers. We’re trying to expose it some more, to get more people to follow it on Facebook.
Winter // Issue 3 // 19
www.facebook.com/humansofuo
“What is something really important that you would teach your child?” “Value. I think that’s a really big problem with our generation. There’s a lot of people that have a very skewed sense of value just because they’ve never really had to deal with it directly. It’s always been their parents who took care of them.”
“Be wise in your decision. You live with the consequences.”
“In the future, I want to work in dental technology. It is about making artificial teeth or dentures. I like it because it is a combination of art and science. “
20 // UOiSA // 2013-14
Humans of UO
Bitten By the
Love Bug?
Y
es. It is that time of the year again. The weather is still chilly and the Christmas colors such as green, red and white are being replaced by the colors pink and red. Instead of seeing Christmas lights, we now see heart shaped cards, stickers, boxes and candy. Your wallet my start look a little bit empty and your pants will feel tighter during this month, but don’t worry, it is completely normal. It doesn’t matter where you go, there will be delicious chocolate and pastries all around you. If you do not buy them for yourself, teachers will hand them out in class, and a friend or loved one will certainly give you some as well. Some people do not like February 14th because they believe that they have to have significant other in their life. Whether you have a significant other or not, you DO have friends and loved ones. Valentine’s Day is the day of both, love and friendship. Even if you show them how much you love and care for them each day, it will definitely put a smile on their faces when they know that they are someone you truly care for. Take this opportunity to surprise them with a card, chocolates or candy. Or, if you really want to make them blush, during Valentine’s Day, here at the University of Oregon you can send them a singing vagina to one of their classes. Yes, you read that correctly. The concept is similar to a rose gram, the only difference is that this gram sings but it doesn’t include a rose. So, show some love to your loved ones, send your parents a little postcard and buy yourself some delicious treats. Feel the love. by Alejandra Guitierrez
Winter // Issue 3 // 21
D
uring these months the weather is cold, the air is crisp, there are no colors on the trees and the sky remains cloudy most of the time. All these factors make you want to stay inside, sit on your couch and watch good movies as you take a sip from your hot chocolate. If you want to go out for a walk, or go to bars or parties you have to take your warmest jacket and boots in order to get to your destination without freezing to death. There is not much going on during these days and if there are any events, people will show up in baggy, warm clothes. You are part of these people, but you don’t want to wear your sweatpants and hoodie all term long. You want to wear your gorgeous dress or suit that is just sitting at the back of your closet collecting dust. You have that perfect outfit but you’ve had no opportunity to use it, until now!
22 22 // // UOiSA UOiSA // // 2013-14 2013-14
The Winter Formal is an event held every year and everyone who attends is wearing their clothes that make them look like stunning celebrities. Men will look like George Clooney and all the young ladies will look as stunning and beautiful as Charlize Theron. Everyone is welcome to attend. There will be photographers, good music, fancy food and drinks, and a red carpet. This year’s theme is black and white and it will be held at Gerlinger. Start practicing your dance moves and your sexy yet casual pose. Bring your friends and have a great time at this black tie event.
by Alejandra Guitierrez
WINTER CARE •• •••••••••••••••••••••
by Alejandra Guitierrez
D
idn’t Duck the Flu? Is each one of your classmates, roommates and friends a walking, sneezing and coughing virus? Instead of walking around with 5 bottles of hand sanitizer and a facemask over your mouth and nose try these things first. First of all, don’t use your hand sanitizer 50 times a day. Every time you use it, you are taking away some of the protective agents that your hands have in order to fight bacteria away. Using it every once in a while is ok, just don’t over do it. After that, if you can, swing by the Health Center to get your flu shot. It will give your immune system a little boost and that might make the difference that you need to avoid a dirty tissue-covered bed. Be sure to wear warm clothes at all times. It is always better to wear layers that you can take off instead of walking to class shivering under your one sweater. And what goes along with a warm sweater? A super cozy scarf! So bundle up and step outside to smell the fresh air and gaze at the clear, blue sky. If you do however feel under the weather or are in fact, sick then these things might help you get well faster. Apart from wearing warm clothes, drink orange juice in order to get more Vitamin C in your system. Make sure you get enough sleep and that you are not pushing your body too hard. Don’t force your body to channel its energy into other things. Let all the efforts go to being healthy again. Furthermore, eat good, healthy food such as vegetables, fruits, protein, juices, tea and warm soups. A warm chicken or noodle soup while you are curled up in bed watching a movie always does the trick. Not only is it delicious, it is also good for the soul. If you need food that is even more comforting, then head to your nearest supermarket and buy yourself some chocolate or a warm croissant in order to make yourself smile. Stay warm and healthy everyone!
Winter // Issue 3 // 23
24 // UOiSA // 2013-14
M
Coffee Talk with...
by Alejandra Guitierrez
uhiyidin oye The Drummer With A Big Dream
W
hat inspired you to start getting involved in all this? (this=coming to coffee hour and just playing his drums and encouraging other people to join in) The fact that not all of us speak the same language through our mouths. But I know that all of us speak the same language through our hearts and music. And so I have three avenues to access the heart: food, music and spirituality. So, today I felt like I had to share all three and so that was really beautiful to me. Music is the most universal. Food, its like ‘ I taste your food and you taste mine. You might not like my food you know?’ And so I was like all right, we’ll skip over the food. Spirituality sometimes is very hard to find union with that. Music is one of those simple things that you don’t have to use logic and its not relying on your taste buds or your habits, you just feel it. And that’s what the jams are, its not like, hey lets bring your music and Ill try to play your music, which is fun. I think that has its place, but for it to be so informal is what really inspires me because it’s a natural conversation that happens rather than sitting on a pedestal debating or sharing logically. My inspiration is togetherness. What do you want to get out of your project? I don’t really much except to explore rhythms and music without having to go on the internet and just seeing people.
and she had an old conga and so the first drum I ever laid my hands on was from either Portugal or Brazil and so I was playing that. Then, later on when I was a junior in college I found my first djembe drum and it started calling to me. Then I realized, especially being African American, that this right here is a connection to my ancestry in ways that is far beyond my conscious knowledge. It’s almost like it’s a connection at the molecular level that nobody remembers. You don’t know it, you just feel it. That’s when I really started to love it the most. I had no idea what I was doing and my hands were just doing it. This is something far beyond me. It was an interaction that was true, that was real. And I do believe that we all have, especially from where we are from, we have an interaction with what we heard when we were small you know? The rhythms that were around us, as we were growing up. They provided the soundtrack to our lives. And now we have the ability to make a symphony! With your soundtrack and my soundtrack and his soundtrack and just see what happens. In the end, we can play that music back to our little ones, from any of those cultures and then they might start to feel it. ‘This is not only new for my ears but this is encompassing something much broader than what I hear on the radio’. It’s exciting. I want it to be organic.
How did you hear about ISA or how did you end up here? I think I wondered up here. I was on campus and there was the Oregon’s students of color coalition, not too long ago and I wondered up here and it was empty. I was looking around and saw that there was a drum that was already here and I was looking at some of the videos on the walls and I realized that this room right here has the capacity to hold something and that has at its heart a desire to embrace the world. And there’s not too many places that you find and that the intention is to hold space for that kind of exchange and so that room and this organization is doing just that. How long have you been playing the drums for? For ten or fourteen years. My grandmother owns an antique shop
Winter // Issue 3 // 25
..........Club Meetings
Winter, 2014
Club Name Time Location
ASA (African Student Association)
M / 6PM
Willamette 112
KP (Kultura Pilipinas) T / 5PM
MIC (Mills)
VSA (Vietnamese Student Association)
T / 6PM
MIC (Mills)
HKSA (Hong Kong Student Association)
T / 7PM
River Room
TWSA (Taiwan Student Association) T / 7PM EMU Skylight IBEC (International Business and Economics Club) JSO
W / 6PM
Lills 232
(Japanese Student Organization) R / 6PM Pacific 16
26 // UOiSA // 2013-14
Event Calendar..........Feb., 2014 • Important Dates M
27
• Campus Events
T
28
W
29
• Community Events
R
30
F
31
S
1
2
iSA Winter Formal 6pm /Gerlinger Hall
Last day to: • Process a complete withdrawal or reduce credits and receive a 25% tuition refund • Apply for Winter 2014 undergraduate degrees
8
9
16
3
4
5
6
7
Stress Less 2pm / EMU
Adjusting to College Life 12pm / EMU, Centruy Room A
Spanish Conversation Group 730pm McMenamins East 19th Street Cafe
Ducks After Dark Double Feature: Alice in Wonderland and OZ The Great and Powerful 830pm / PLC Hall
Course offerings for Spring 2014 available
12
13
14
15
FREE Valentine HIV Testing 11pm / EMU
FREE Valentine HIV Testing 11pm / EMU
VITA - Free Tax Preparation Service 12pm / Lilis
French Language Conversation Group 5pm / EMU
Italian Conversation Group 730pm / La Perla Pizzeria
10
11
Stress Less 2pm / EMU
Overcoming Procrastination 12pm / EMU
iSA Coffe Hour 4pm / MIC
Ducks After Dark iSA V-Day Coffe Movie Night: Hitch Hour 830pm / PLC Hall 4pm / MIC Valentine’s Day
17
18
Stress Less 2pm / EMU
24 Stress Less 2pm / EMU
25
S
19
20
SIS Bollywood Movie Night 630pm / North LLC 125
Ducks After Dark iSA Coffe Hour Double Feature: 4pm / MIC Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom and The Bourne Supremacy 9pm/ PLC Hall
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26
27
28
Ducks After Dark Double Feature: Ghostbusters and Man of Steel 830pm / PLC Hall
iSA Coffe Hour 4pm / MIC
TWSA Taiwan Night 7-9PM / EMU Ballroom
22
23 Last day to: • Drop a class • Change grade options • Change variable credits
1
2
• Initial registration for Spring 2014 • Winter // Issue 3 // 27
28 // UOiSA // 2013-14