April 2016 // Issue 2

LOGOS C I T R U S

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APRIL 2016

C U L T U R E

MOSH PITS &

MECHANICS

AUTO TECH MAJOR BERNIE SEGURA IS SMASHING ALL EXPECTATIONS WITH THE CITRUS COLLEGE CAPE OWLS DIESEL TEAM

iris

The local indie quartet share coming up in the L.A. music scene Exploring Citrus’ French side apple vs. fbi and more!

LOGOS APRIL 2016 Volume 1 • Issue 2

contents

CULTURE 07 National Poetry Month celebrates Tupac 10 Opinion: Apple VS. F.B.I 34 The French Connection: Exploring Citrus’s French side

CAMPUS 09 Preview: Kill Me Deadly 11 Profile: Bernabe Segura and the CAPE Owls 12 Spacing Out with the Rocket Owls

MUSIC 26 Iris

11 bernie segura

MY PARENTS WOULD PURCHASE A REMOTE CONTROL CAR FOR ME, AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I WOULD DO WAS TAKE IT APART.

Study abroad can be an enlightening, maturing and life-changing experience. As Students live and learn to understand different cultures, they are challenged to re-examine themselves, their attitudes and their SCFC & Citrus studies

London fall 2016

College

STUDY ABROAD citruscollege.edu/studyabroad email: studyabroad@citruscollege.edu

Florence winter 2017

Barcelona Spring 2017

LOGOS C I T R U S

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APRIL 2016 ISSUE 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ ART DIRECTOR Evan Solano JR. ART DIRECTOR Darius Johari CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Alcarez Sahara Barba Vidal Espina Montana Rose Levison Vanessa Oseguera ADVISER Margaret O’Neil Logos is produced by communications students and is distributed three times a semester. Views expressed herein do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College or the Citrus College Board of Trustees. © 2016 Logos Magazine.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

contact:

0 logos@ccclarion.com f /logosmagazinecc T @_logosmagazine Logos Magazine 1000 W. Foothill Blvd TC123 Glendora, CA 91741 Tel 626.914.8586 Web logosmagazinecc.com Cover Image Bernie Segura by Elizabeth Alcarez / Logos Magazine

S

“alma matters”

letter from the editor

Sometimes you have to let life kick you in the ass before your act together.

One of the things I was taught when I took COMM 101 was that “every student has a story.”

Community college is the great equalizer. We accept the 4.0 G.P.A students fresh out of high school and the “academic failures” who just couldn’t get their life on track and figured that after 10+ years of trying to make things work, decided to come back to school.

I am the latter.

Despite the fact that I saw a future that looked bleak and doomed to 9-to-5 warehouse jobs, I decided to come to Citrus and pursue a career that I could be proud of and two years later I am excited to say I found a career path I want to follow through with.

April is a season of rebirth and renewal and for all of us, it’s also spring break: a time where we can shuck all cares to the wind and finally be free from homework.

But now more than ever we need to recognize why we’re here.

Our cover story this month is about a Citrus student who embodies the mentality and struggle that some students here have been faced with.

I first met Bernabe “Bernie” Segura when he came into the newsroom asking us to cover him and the CAPE Owls and their participation in the Shell EcoMarathon last year.

He stood out to me because of his cut off Black Flag shirt and a D.R.I. tattoo on his arm. Right away I knew he was like me, a fellow punk who decided to give school another shot after trying to wing it in the real world.

Getting to know him and see how dedicated he is to what he is studying should be an inspiration to all of us here at Citrus.

We all have our stories as to how we got here and whether we have had struggle or followed a straight path out of high school, we should always try to give ourselves 100 percent to our goals here.

For all of us Citrus is a gateway to a bright and optimistic future, but its also important to not just treat this place as just an passing phase in our lives.

Go out, explore, get involved with the various groups and clubs on campus and immerse yourself in the community that Citrus has to offer.

For the students like Bernie and myself who were lost when they enrolled, sometimes the next phase of your life may present itself to you if you make the effort to go out meet the world half way.

The CAPE Owls and the Rocket Owls will be competing this month in the Shell Eco-Marathon and National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Student Launch Program respectively and both represent the best and brightest that our community college have to offer. Success is not a 9-to-5 job.

It is the result of hard work, long nights and dedication.

On that note: I wish you all a happy and safe spring break, even magazine editors deserve a break.

In my own strange way,

Evan Solano Editor-in-Chief esolano@ccclarion.com APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 5

campus

‘Criminal Minds’

Star Comes to Citrus College to Screen New Film

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ans of the hit television show “Criminal Minds” will be excited to hear that Kirsten Vangsness, who stars in the show as tech whiz Penelope Garcia, will be coming to Citrus College to screen her new film, “Kill Me, Deadly.”

Vangsness stars as Mona Livingston, the femme fatale of this black and white film noir comedy set in the 1940s. She describes her character as a larger than life character who knows what she wants and will do just about anything to get it.

As a producer of the film, Vangsness describes how it wouldn’t have been possible without what she describes as her “fancy day job”. It was important to the filmmakers to ensure that this was a union production.

Everyone involved was guaranteed to make at least a living wage working on the film, despite being a relatively small production created almost entirely as a labor of love. Vangsness’ work with “Criminal Minds” helped to make that goal a reality.

Starring alongside Vangsness are her fellow castmates, most of whom have been with the characters since

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KILL ME DEADLY April 24 2 p.m. $15 Haugh Performing Arts Center For more information contact the HPAC box office: (626) 963-9411 they were created, including Dean Lemont as PI Charlie Nickels. New to the cast are Vangsness’ co-stars from “Criminal Minds”, including Joe Mantegna and Shemar Moore as Bugsy Siegel and Bill the Piano Player, respectively.

Vangsness adds that Paget Brewster, another former “Criminal Minds” co-star, makes a small blink-and-

you’ll-miss-it cameo appearance in the film, so make sure to keep a sharp eye out!

Playwrite and screenwriter Bill Robens, described his experience seeing the Citrus College performance of “Kill Me, Deadly” in 2012.

“I was really happy. It was only the second time I’ve seen one of my plays done by an outside group I didn’t know, and the first time was kind of a tough experience for me, but the one at Citrus College was just a delight. I had a great time!”

The Citrus performers of “Kill Me, Deadly” must have made quite an impression, because Robens and Vangsness and other cast members will be screening the film and staying afterwards for a Q&A. “Kill Me, Deadly” will be shown in the Haugh Performing Arts Center April 24 at 2:00 pm. L TEXT BY: MONTANA ROSE LEVISON PHOTO COURTESY OF KILL ME DEADLY, LLC.

2015-2016 S EA SO N

APRIL

Citrus Visual and Performing Arts Department presents

events

Citrus Visual and Performing Arts Department presents

MARY POPPINS A Musical based on the stories of P. L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film Directed and Choreographed

by John Vaughan Musical Direction

by Douglas Austin

The whole family will delight in this highflying musical, fresh from Broadway performed by our talented Citrus students.

Tickets: $24 Student/Senior: $22 16 & under: $15 ALL TICKETS (regardless of age) are $25 at the door.

KILL ME, DEADLY Directed by Darrett Sanders Written by Bill Robens Starring Kirsten Vangsness and Dean Lemont with Lesley-Anne Down and Joe Mantegna

Kill Me, Deadly is a film noir comedy with the feel and look of the classic noirs of the ‘40s. Join the film’s screenwriter, director and cast (including star Kirsten Vangsness of Criminal Minds) following the screening for a discussion with members of our theatre department on “Taking a Script from Stage to Screen.”

Tickets: $15 Student/Senior: $12 ALL TICKETS (regardless of age) $20 at the door.

MARIACHI LOS CAMPEROS de NATI CANO photo: Ellwyn Kauffman

Memories of Nati Cano This performance, Memories of Nati Cano, celebrates the life and legacy of the Mariachi giant Natividad “Nati” Cano. The program traces the music that influenced him as a young man and then takes the audience on a journey through the storied history of Mexican folk tradition.

Tickets: $34 Student/Senior: $30 16 & under: $15

TickETS: www.haughpac.com • (626) 963-9411

culture

LONG LIVE THE ROSE

For National Poetry Month, looking back at rapper Tupac Sakur’s poetry collection “The Rose That Grew From Concrete” In his poems “Ambition Over Adversity” Tupac Amaru Shakur advises the reader to take one’s mistakes and struggles and turn it in to something positive.

Better known as 2Pac, this lyricist was a rap artist who pushed his way through the music industry and developed a message with a punch.

Tupac dominated the rap game with resonating hits like “Ambitionz Az a Ridah,” “California Love,” “Hail Mary” and “Hit ‘Em Up,” arguably one of the most memorable and most vicious diss tracks in rap music.

Before Tupac’s rise to fame, before his brief acting career, and his murder in Las Vegas -- he wrote a collection of poetry.

Tupac’s words overflow with passion, anger and sorrow.

“The Rose that Grew from Concrete,” published Feb. 3, 2009, is a 176-page book comprised of Tupac’s handwritten poems and sketches between the years 1989 and 1991.

His handwritten revisions and corrections are reproduced in their original form.

The book is broken into four sections.

The segments are titled after the first poem in each: “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” “Nothing Can Come Between Us,” “Just a Breath of Freedom” and “Liberty Needs Glasses.”

TEXT & ILLUSTRATION BY: DARIUS JOHARI

“Take one’s adversity/Learn from their misfortune/Learn from their pain/Believe in something/Believe in yourself/Turn adversity into ambition/Now blossom into wealth.”

Poems such as “And 2morrow,” “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” “The Power of a Smile” and “Can U C the Pride in the Panther” show his sense of pride and joy while poems such as “Life Through My Eyes” and “’U R Ripping Us Apart !!!’” reflects distress.

“The Rose That Grew from Concrete” and “Life Through My Eyes” can be found on the first section, “The Power of a Smile” ca be found on the second section, “’U R Ripping Us Apart !!!’” and “Can U C the Pride in the Panther” are in the third section titled “Just a Breath of Freedom.” “And 2morrow” can be found in the final section “Liberty Needs Glasses.”

The poem “No More Pain” could

be considered his final sign off with the first line stating “When I die I wanna be a livin’ legend…”

April marks the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s death.

Tupac died at the age of 25.

His is murder case has not been solved.

But his brutal honesty guarantees his place as one of the most influential artists in the rap industry and in the world of poetry.

In the same manner as Shakespeare, Poe, Angelou and Frost, rappers Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Notorious BIG, Nas and Tupac used their experiences to give insight through poetry.

Out of Tupac’s ashes has risen a new school of rappers such as 50 Cent, Eminem, The Game and Kendrick Lamar. From this generation of new school artists comes the potential for a new bred of not just rappers, but poets. L APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 9

opinion

Apple fights for human rights Though Apple’s iOS is supposed to have top notch security, the FBI was able to hack the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, with the help of an unnamed outside source.

The third party is rumored to be Israeli company Cellebrite, who manufactures data extraction devices.

Initially, the FBI asked for Apple’s help. Now, Apple is asking the FBI to reveal how its hacker cracked the code. The FBI has not issued an official statement as to what they will do.

Unlocking the iPhone creates more problems than it solves.

As many iPhone owners have feared, the FBI has already agreed to help Arkansas prosecutors by unlocking an iPhone and iPod that may hold evidence in a murder trial, though it is not known whether it will be using the same outside source.

Although the “key” to unlock the phone was created for the iPhone 5c, it works for more recent models, such as the iPhone 6 in the Arkansas case. Fortunately, during cross-examination the FBI might have to reveal how the iPhone was unlocked.

If the government decides to withhold the method they used to unlock the phone, then even the safety of non-iPhone users is at risk.

Android users are at even greater risk if even the security of luxury brand Apple, can be compromised.

Edward Snowden, the former U.S. government contractor who leaked multiple global surveillance programs from the National Security Agency tweeted, “The @FBI is creating a world where citizens rely on #Apple to defend their rights, rather than the other way around.”

Initially, the FBI seemed to be asking for Apple’s help to establish

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a give-and-take relationship.

“Once that master key is created, we’re certain that our government will ask for it again and again, for other phones, and turn this power against any software or device that has the audacity to offer strong security,” said Kurt Opsahl of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

But the FBI has no need to ask for the key again since they already have the knowledge of how to hack into iPhones.

The iPhone is one of the most popular phones in the world, validating Apple’s concerns for their customers’ privacy.

“We build secure products to keep your information safe and we give law enforcement access to data based on valid legal orders.

But that’s wholly different than requiring companies to enable hacking of customer devices and data,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google.

The FBI’s method of entry creates a backdoor for anyone, not just police officers.

The iPhone was unlocked because it might provide information that relates to ISIS, but this creates a backdoor for terrorists to access the information of U.S. citizens.

Hacking into the phone is a double edged sword.

Though unlocking the iPhone may make law enforcement’s job easier, it puts everyone at risk, including the government.

Snowden has already revealed that the government is accessing the private information of citizens without their knowledge. Now that the FBI has the key to unlocking

iPhones, there is nothing stopping them from looking even deeper into phone data.

They could look and nobody would know, which is why Apple should be praised for standing up to the FBI and fighting for the privacy of their customers.

“Forget the technology. If the FBI successfully forces Apple to create a new OS just to brute-force hack its own product, it’s the first step through a very dark one-way door — for all of us,” said Lance Ulanoff of Mashable.

If the FBI decides to tell Apple how they managed to unlock the phone, then Apple can find the flaw in its security system and patch it.

The FBI is not going to want Apple to patch it because with the ability to unlock iPhones, they can solve criminal cases that were not possible to solve before. iPhones have served as a roadblock numerous times.

Whether or not the FBI actually finds vital information on the phone, our privacy is still in jeopardy. The ability to break into phones may become compulsory for the government to solve cases.

The case has further divided Washington from Silicon Valley.

Dividing the government from the technology industry puts the country at risk, not only for security reasons, but economic reasons as well.

We should be wondering when our phone data is not being exposed, not still wondering if we have digital security. L TEXT BY: SAHARA BARBA PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: EVAN SOLANO

“

opinion

Whether or not the FBI actually finds vital information on the phone, our privacy is still in jeopardy. The ability to break into phones may become compulsory for the government to solve cases.�

APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 11

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S O The Citrus College Rocket Owls, from left to right: Logan Tomes, Justin Frias, Rebecca Thomas and Tabitha Bailey.

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The Citrus College Rocket Owls try and find time to unwind as they prepare for their annual participation in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Student Launch Program.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY: VANNESSA OSEGUERA

APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 13

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B

eing a fulltime college student is stressful as it is, but imagine the tremendous pressure that the small team of four, known as the Citrus College Rocket Owls, have on their shoulders from being involved in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Student Launch Program.

The Rocket Owls are in final preparations for lift off in Huntsville, Alabama on April 16. The group is currently working on project Athena, and show their dedication by working and studying their craft by putting in long hours in the lab.

The program challenges schools from across the country such as Cal Poly, Aburn University, Iowa State and North Western University to design, build, and launch a reusable rocket, all while NASA may improve already existing procedures to retrieve samples of soils and rocks.

“Our goal for this next launch is to make a successful departure, and that everything works sufficiently and correctly,” said Justin Frias, 22, computer engineering major.

The Rocket Owls spend the majority of their free time working long hours on their rocket, dubbed the “Lazarus Rocket,” all while managing to keep up on all their other school work from different classes.

The rocket was originally named the “Frankenstein rocket,” because it had been made from recycled parts of old rockets from their test launches. But at one of their competitions they had misplaced it, then about three days later the team’s mentor Rick Maschek surprisingly found it and it reminded the team of the film “The Lazarus Effect,” so they thought it would make perfect sense to rename it the “Lazarus rocket.”

It is very challenging being in charge of constructing a rocket by yourself but on top of all the other classes and work they have to do, they find themselves struggling

campus

“The [NASA Student Launch] program teaches you how to be resilient, and a lot of hard work goes into it” -Tabitha Bailey

mechanical engineering major to keep up and stay on track with their other classes. The team is very disciplined and dedicated to their work, barely having any free time to relax. “It is all worth it knowing that you are going to get something out of it, so we have to treat it like a job and try to do the best that we can,” said Rocket Owls team leader Rebecca Thomas.

Thomas has high hopes for their next competition. The group competes against over 30 different universities in the nation, and Citrus College is the only community college set to compete against the top universities in the country.

All of the students have improved in their knowledge overtime, while

being in this program by learning all the different techniques, and getting comfortable with using the equipment. They are constantly trying to better and improve their work by many trial and error tests as well as a lot of background work followed by many calculations.

“The program teaches you how to be resilient, and a lot of hard work goes into it,” said Tabitha Bailey, 21, mechanical engineering major.

Dr. Lucia Riderer, advisor of the group, said that the students have come a very long way spending many hours together working, sharing that “they didn’t know much” about rocket design and the physics behind launching rockets when they first began.

To Riderer, the NASA Student Launch Program is a very competitive contest that is designed for students who are willing to dedicate most of their time working and improving their technical skills “It is rewarding to see everything that they learned, we have a good name at NASA, and I am confident that they will do well,” Riderer said.

The team spends most their time in the lab trying to better their skills by using many calculation methods and a lot of trial and error tests.

On average they are working and studying from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“We usually don’t mind staying for long hours, it’s only bad when the air conditioning machine doesn’t work but we have a coffee machine that keeps us going so that helps whenever we are lacking some sleep,” Thomas said.

The majority of the students are fulltime students but they either have to choose between spending more time on the rocket or their other school work, so some of their other school work does get neglected at times especially when the team is on a deadline or have an upcoming competition.

The team has to make many sacrifices, often giving up some of their social life for this project, but still find time to relax and have continued >> APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 15

campus

Top: Logan Tomes and Rebecca Thomas work on the “Lazarus rocket.”

Left: Justin Frias and Tabitha Bailey sketching out ideas in the Rocket Owls workspace.

Right: Logan Tomes in the Rocket Owls workspace sanding down a part for their rocket.

some kind of normal college experience.

“We enjoy going out together for dinner or to just hangout after a successful launch to celebrate,” Frias said.

Thomas also enjoys spending time with her family when she does have free time, as well as catching up on her favorite show, “Star Trek.”

“I enjoy the fact that the older series usually have a better dialogue and a better story line. I also like watching the Lord of the Rings movies because I love how the directors are able to create a whole new world with different types of characters it isn’t just like any other typical series of movies,” Thomas said.

It is very rare that the Owls get to see their friends or families whenever they are preparing for their competitions. For the most part all of their parents and friends are supportive of them and the program and

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they are proud of all of the team’s accomplishments.

Although some of their family members especially their mothers are concerned about how many hours they do put into the program. “My parents are very supportive most of the time but they are just mad about the fact that I’m neglecting the house chores,” . said Logan Tomes, 21, aerospace engineering major.

Like all college students, Netflix plays a key role in the Rocket Owls’ down time as well.

The Rocket Owls are proud of all of their accomplishments and don’t mind working hard together, they enjoy each others company.

They are very excited to see the competition in Alabama and hope to come back with a victorious win.

Although the team will not have an actual spring break because the competition they are thrilled to have a small break after Alabama. L

profile

The Citrus Automotive Physics EcoMarathon team look about as straight-laced and typical of what a college level engineering and physics team would look like...

THEN THERE’S BERNIE SEGURA. continued >>

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profile

R O T O M

D A E H

TEXT & PHOTOS BY: ELIZABETH ALCAREZ

APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 19

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W

While most the students on the 14 person team are usually in their auto tech workshirts, Segura can often be found in the garage working in an old cut-off Black Flag tee. His shaved head and tattooed arms give the vibe of someone ready to mess you up in a mosh pit.

But that is not the case.

Segura is the leader of the Citrus CAPE Owls’ Diesel Prototype Team, and majoring

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in Automotive Technology.

This year the CAPE Owls are competing the annual Shell Eco-Marathon held in Detroit, Michigan from April 22-24.

The Shell Eco-Marathon is a nationwide competition, where participants build vehicles to achieve the highest possible fuel efficiency, with events held in America, Asia, and Europe.

Leading such an important group of students is impressive, but a very crucial role.

Getting there was no walk in the park.

Segura grew up and attended school in Covina, California.

Growing up, academics were never a top priority and making grades was a struggle. His attention drifted from books and focused more on his personal interests, one of which included cars.

His love and appreciation for assembly

and auto technology began as a child.

When most kids his age were driving their remote control cars up and down the street, racing them to chalk finish lines, a young Segura sat at home with them instead.

“My parents would purchase a remote control car for me, and one of the first things I would do was take it apart,” Segura laughed.

“After they spent all this money I would literally just take it apart, but then I would put it all back together again.”

If his mind wasn’t on cars, it was on music. Segura found he’d much rather spend his time listening to his favorite artists like The Ramones, Sex Pistols and L.A. locals, Black Flag and even began playing playing music himself, as the drummer for the band Massacre 69.

profile

“

courtesy of Bernie Segura

The Citrus College CAPE Owls team. Simon Bisso, Olivia Penunuri, Kyle Ciota, Oumnia Maaouni, James Couch, Karla Alvaro and Bernie Segura.

A musician since the age of 15, and a lifelong supporter of local bands, the punk rock scene is still a relevant passion of Segura’s, but these days he finds himself in the garage, not for band practice, but to get their diesel racer prepped for competition.

Trying to attend to both passions was difficult, leaving Segura to make tough sacrifices, but ultimately made the decision to put his attention towards schooling and automotives.

As much as his band mates struggled with his decision to leave, recognizing that finding a drummer as skilled as Segura wouldn’t be easy, they were comforted in knowing his absence wouldn’t be forever.

“It’s not like I quit playing music, it’ll just be on hold for a while” Segura said, “and hey, after school I’ll have more time for it.”

Segura graduated from Northview High

School in 1998 and eventually enrolled at Citrus College, but was unsure of what he wanted, which led him to drop out and work full-time.

There is where he discovered how much he enjoyed working, doing various jobs in mechanics, home appliance and hydraulics.

With his work experience and natural interest in car repair, Segura opened up his own small automotive shop in 2011.

He started out doing simple tune ups and repairs, but soon found himself getting in over his head with his lack of professional knowledge and training.

“Having to go back to a client and tell them I couldn’t fix their problem was such a let down on me. I let myself down, that’s really how it felt.”

The humiliation of denying clients was something Segura never wanted to experience again. He realized there was still so much to learn and returned to Citrus College.

Upon his return, and with the help of his automotive instructors, Segura was able to achieve ASE accreditation as a certified technician.

“Citrus has been the hugest, most immense help,” said Segura “I feel spoiled to be apart of the Automotive Technology Department. I couldn’t have done it without the instructors here.”

Segura also became interested in the race car engineering and technology programs that are offered here at Citrus. His teachers encouraged him to get involved with the CAPE Owls.

“CAPE” stands for Citrus Automotive Psychics Eco-Marathon. The CAPE Owls are a team of automotive and psychics

You have to have a hunger, a passion, almost a slightly crazy devotion to want to kick yourself for no reason to do something like this.”

- Bernie Segura, CAPE Owls

continued >> APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 21

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students, who work together to build prototype race cars to compete in competitions.

This year in the marathon, more than 100 teams are competing in the US alone, leaving stakes quite high for the team, but they are not discouraged.

Tests have shown that the CAPE Owls can get about 1,500 miles to the gallon, which is in the range of what the 1st place winners of last year’s Shell competition got, and with only 10 percent of the budget that other schools have.

The team is separated into two groups; gas and diesel. Bernie Segura is the team leader of the Diesel Prototype, and Grant Quan is the team leader of the Gas Prototype.

“It’s very exciting, it’s very humbling, it’s a huge challenge, but all in all I feel so humbled to be recognized for such a responsibility.” said Segura.

As someone accustomed to working alone, being on a team has been a new experience for Segura.

Working in a community of students with similar goals and ambitions is rewarding socially as it is a learning process.

As team leader, Segura has had the privilege of watching these students grow into the motivated and successful people they are today. A team of people once strangers are now a family, teaching one another everyday and giving this project all they have.

“You have to have a hunger, a passion, almost a slightly crazy devotion to want to kick yourself for no reason to do something like this. You have to be selfless, if you’re a selfish person, this isn’t the work for you,” Segura stressed.

Walking into the automotive department, you’ll always find a team member on site. Late nights and weekends are devoted to the development of these vehicles, and for good reason.

This will be the third year Citrus students are involved in the marathon. The difference in placing between their first and second years of competition was positively significant, and the CAPE Owls only hope to raise that number higher on the next scoreboard.

Now that the teams will be able to race in two prototype categories; gas and diesel, their chances of success will be even greater.

Both vehicles under manufacturing

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aim to have low fuel consumption, though operation methods will be very different.

The diesel engine is larger than the gas engine and produces more power than necessary for such a small vehicle.

The team will have to strategically utilize the power being produced and not overuse it, where as the driver for the gas vehicle will have a minimal amount of power which they will have to use very carefully.

The team realized that no actual engine would fit all the needs crucial to their vehicle’s requirements. So, Segura and the team took matters into their own hands and built an entirely new engine that technically does not exist in the world of automotive parts.

Yes, Citrus College students will be competing with an engine the very first of it’s kind, an accomplishment of it’s own.

All of the work is done under the careful supervision of team’s adviser, Professor Mariano Rubio. His function is to keep everything organized, keep the project moving along, and to make sure the students always have a firm foundation.

“More than anything, I’m here to inspire” says Professor Rubio, “I want to make sure the students don’t lose focus and I want them to have fun doing it.”

The official opening ceremony will be held on April 22nd and the competition will run on the 23rd. The last day of the competition and the award ceremonies will be on April 24th.

The competition has winning categories that range from “Energy Efficiency” and “Design” to “Perseverance” and “Team Spirit” but most importantly, the competition ends with the thrilling possibility of one day seeing these vehicles as the best fuel efficient cars on the road.

“This experience isn’t just about race cars and beer, there’s a lot of structure and planning and organization.. learning more than anything.”

The competition is very meaningful to Segura and the teams. Long nights and countless hours have brought absolutely nothing to something, and a great something at that.

This victory is far beyond a race, but rather success in a bright future.

Perseverance and dirty hands can take you a long way, just ask Bernie Segura. You can find him in the automotive department, working hard, always with a smile. L

MOSH

FUEL

SOME OF BERNIE’S GO TO ALBUMS THAT KEEP HIM REVVED UP IN THE GARAGE...

BLACK "Who's This alb the agg original vocals t into ano

K FLAG s Got the 10 1/2?" bum resonates all of gression of Black Flag's albums. Henry Rollins’ transformed Black Flag other heavy machine!

profile

D.R.I. “Live” Hard, Fast and Loud. This live album is full of 100% non-stop energy being converted into punk rock music glory!

POISON IDEA “King Of Punk” A lot of my musical drumming influence came from Poison Idea. The “Kings of Punk” album is musically explosive!!!

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES “S/T” This is L.A. Punk Rock at it’s greatest! The question is, can you keep up?

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iris music

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music

To stand out among the many bands in the local San Gabriel Valley music scene, it takes talent and luck. Iris has both.

TEXT BY: SAHARA BARBA MAIN PHOTO BY: EVAN SOLANO // LOGOS MAGAZINE LIVE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEXIS BONIN // ALEXISBONIN.COM // IG: @LEXII0022

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The alternative fourpiece from Covina have an acute sense of songwriting and ear for blurring the lines between many genres of music.

No matter what band or show they are playing, they can fit the sound, even if the band was the progressive stalwarts CHON, and the show was the first night of The Super CHON Bros Tour, which featured three instrumental progressive rock/metal bands on March 11 at the Glass House in Pomona.

That night, Iris vocalist/ guitarist Michelle Malley was the only singer, but the band meshed well because they do not limit themselves to one style.

The band can ebb-andflow between progressive and alternative, between bleak soundscapes and poppy, dream-like vocals.

“I feel like with this kind of music, the crowd is just really welcoming and accepting,” Malley said.

“They’re all so into it and excited and they don’t know who we are.”

Since the band usually plays local shows, playing bigger shows like the Glass House gig was different for them, but their contrast between the heavy guitars and feminine vocals made for a memorable combination

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that evening.

Though the band could have been overshadowed by the more technical music on the bill, Iris’s ability resonated with the audience. Their combination of fuzzed out heavy alternative rock of the late 90’s like Smashing Pumpkins, mixed with soulful and powerful vocals reminiscent of Janis Joplin won them some new fans that night, and that’s no surprise for them.

“I think we give you the calm before the storm and the storm,” bassist Michael Maldonado said.

“We hit you with everything.”

Iris has never felt like they fit a certain mold or type, despite there being loads of bands in the Inland Empire and L.A scene they call home.

“We’ve always been the outsider. We never fit that sound or scene,” Maldonado said. “We were doing our thing. It was different but we were still able to bring it.”

Iris began as a guitar and vocal duo in 2010 and became a full band continued >>

ALEXIS BONIN // ALEXISBONIN.COM // IG: @LEXII0022

music

Iris perfroming at the Glass House in Pomona on March 11.

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“ music

We have gone through a lot of stuff together throughout our ‘20s that would tear most friendships apart but it has just made ours stronger.”

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-Alex Moreno

Iris guitarist

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music

after the duo’s Iris drummer self-released E.P. Glenn Chu Malley and gui(right) and bassist Michael tarist Alex Moreno Maldonado met through mutual (below) friends when they performing at were 19. the Glass House in Pomona on “I think we both March 11. knew what we wanted to do. I think we wanted to start a band together even before we liked each other,” Moreno said.

Though they hardly knew each other, they put themselves out there and decided to meet up with their guitars at Edna park in Covina. There they realized how well they work together and decided to form a band.

In the beginning, the two had opposite taste in music. Moreno was influenced by Alice in Chains, Mark Lanegan, and Queens of the Stone Age, while Malley mainly listened to ‘60s and ‘70s music like the Beatles, Karen Carpenter, and Carole King.

With Malley’s broad vocal talent, she could have sang anything but chose to take a more alternative route.

“I want to play music that means something to me and means something to other people.’” Malley said.

It was this diverse array of influences that melded its way into what would be Iris’ sound. From the start, Moreno and Malley never planned on playing a certain genre of music, but the writing process has always gone smoothly, Moreno said.

“It blew my mind. She showed me all this music I never knew about and that’s when my taste started changing,” Malley said.

Moreno and Malley knew Maldonado before he joined Iris because he was in another local band. They happened to play a show the same night and met there and has been the bassist ever since, Malley said.

The band recently added new drummer Glenn Chu who has fit in perfectly with the band’s style and sound.

Growing up in a band together, continued >>

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ALEXIS BONIN // ALEXISBONIN.COM // IG: @LEXII0022

music

the girls have gone through their fair share of arguments that most bands have gone through, but the one thing that has always kept them together are the goals they share as sisters bonded through music.

“Although [Iris] has tested our friendship in the past, there was always one thing that remained static above all else in both of our lives and that was Iris,” said Malley.

“We have gone through a lot of stuff together throughout our ‘20s that would tear most friendships apart but it has just made ours stronger,” Moreno said.

Their main goals are Iris and traveling as a band.

The two are not only band mates, but used to also work serving at the same restaurant.

Their chemistry on stage translates to the workplace as well.

“Me and Michelle definitely created a system that worked for us and made work easier and far more productive,” said Moreno. “We also joked around a lot and got really goofy at work.”

Working together could be a struggle because the two know each other so well.

When they are not working, the band practices rigorously to prepare their material for shows.

Being kind and respectful to everyone at their shows has led to their fans becoming a group of friends that goes to their shows. Because they have been making the effort to talk to their fans at shows for years, there is no one that would badmouth them, Moreno said.

Although they had big goals in mind for the band, at no point in time did Moreno and Malley really know what they were doing or how long it would last. “Me and Michelle always knew we would play music forever with or without Iris,” Moreno said.

Although the band recently released their latest E.P. “Prey” in Oct. 2015 through Future

Force Records, the band already has a new song written for their future album of next year, and is filming their first music video next month.

The song being used for their music video is “Loser,” a more poppy song compared to their more somber tracks off “Prey.”.

The album has a great sense of balance and dynamic, with “Loser” being Moreno’s, favorite song to perform live because of its catchy guitar part. The rest of the band agreed that “Wolves” is their favorite because of the heaviness the song. Moreno’s ominous chords and Malley’s haunting vocals create the pained atmosphere of the song that continues to resonate even after the song has finished.

Though there is no premise in mind for the music video, the band agreed that it is definitely going to be dark.

The set of the music video is a friend’s house in La Verne that was built in the ‘70s where the band practices. The Kubrick-esque house belongs to a friend of Maldonado and is at the top of a long, windy road and has long, dark hallways, a wooden spiral staircase, a wine cellar, and a grand piano, all which have not been cleaned in years.

The man who lives there, “only lives in one section of the house and the rest of it kind of just stays dark,” said Moreno.

“So when you give someone a tour, you have to know where the light switches are otherwise you’re walking in blackness.”

The band is always pushing themselves, said Maldonado, and hopes to either headline their first tour or continue playing bigger venues and consistently opening for bigger acts.

Although they all have varying personalities and musical styles, Iris is the bond that the four share.

“It kept us together,” said Moreno. “It’s given us something not to give up on, which makes us not give up on each other.” L

lights camera, action!

Going behind the scences of Iris’ new music video for their song, “Loser.”

All images courtesy of Iris’ instagram page: @weareisis

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culture

When someone mentions France immediately the mind is filled with visions of haute couture, cuisines technically constructed to perfection, pastel decorated patisseries to match their macarons and the Eiffel Tower. It’s no doubt that France is at the epicenter of art and culture, but, many don’t realize the extent of influence that French culture has had on civilization.

The United Nations considers French among its five official languages. According to Forbes’ List of Biggest Public Companies of 2015, France has 20 companies in the top 300 earning over $1.3 trillion in annual sales. So it was very interesting that Citrus College’s current French program is actually the new language on the block.

Dean of Language Arts and Enrollment, Dr. Samuel Lee, states that Citrus had a french program before California’s major budget cuts of 2009 which forced many programs in the arts to shutter, including the French Language program. It wasn’t until 2014, with increased funding, when the French program made a comeback and has been slowly increasing in enrollment each semester as some students prefer to fulfill their IGETC requirements with French.

The French language affords everyone, including those at Citrus College, an opportunity to enrich their lives culturally and to connect with others on an international level. Even in our very own backyard, Citrus College has...

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culture

THE FRENCH

CONNECT ON TEXT & PHOTOS BY: VIDAL ESPINA

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At lo Am

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culture

t first glance, MAXIME TONDRE ooks like your average allmerican college basketball player.

It isn’t until you listen to this mature 23 year-old and hear his deep voice encapsulated in an accent you would want to listen to all day, that you realize he is more than your average college student, he is a man of many worlds.

Tondre was born in Avignon, a little city in the south of France. His mother, a secretary and soon-to-be-mother of a first-born child, sought the assistance of her sister and brother-in-law, both doctors, to help Tondre come into this world. From there, Tondre’s mother brought him to the City of Lights, Paris, to raise him.

Growing up, Tondre had a normal childhood, well, normal for a child raised by a single, working parent.

During the regular school season, he could be found in a classroom or on the playground , but two months out of the year, Tondre would spend his summer at his grandparent’s house. “My grandparents lived about five hours away from the city. It was a change of landscape and I loved it there,” Tondre said. It was at his grandparents’ home where he first was introduced to the English Language by his grandmother, “My grandmother was in England during the second world war. She was fluent in French, English and German.” Tondre jokingly makes an excuse about his disinterest in the German language, “She tried to teach my cousins and I English and German. My cousins got German but I was ‘allergic’,” he laughs.

In the third grade, Tondre convinced his mom to let him join basketball. “I was like, ‘I love basketball!

Please, let me try it mom,’” Tondre remembers convincing his mom to let him play with his friends already on the team. But, soon afterwards he had become disillusioned.

“When you first learn basketball, you don’t play games. It was practice, practice, practice. We never got to play games.”

It wasn’t until middle school when Tondre’s love of basketball was rekindled by his friends. “I was younger than everyone, but I was taller,”Tondre said, “so my friends kept telling me ‘You know, the city club is very good. It’d be nice if you could come play with us.” After some short consideration, Tondre tried out and made the team.

It wasn’t long before the world of basketball embraced Tondre. Starting out in the city team, Tondre’s natural talent for the game propelled him into the continued >>

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bigger leagues. A national league coach spotted Tondre at a basketball summer camp.

“The coach approached me and asked me ‘Where are you playing right now?’ I told him I was just playing my city club,” said Tondre.

Feeling the sense of urgency in the coach’s voice, Tondre remembers him saying, “What? No, we’re going to call people for you.” It was as simple as a coach being able to spot natural talent that allowed Tondre to play on France’s under-16 national stage. “It was a good experience. It was then when I fell in love with the sport. Now I don’t see myself not playing [basketball].”

That would not be the first of breakout experiences. As a freshman in high school, Tondre was approached by a French recruiter with an opportunity that he couldn’t resist; an opportunity to come the United States. Tondre said, “He told me, ‘Go to the U.S. It’s a great opportunity. You can combine school and basketball.’ Which, when you’re playing at the national level is not really the case.” Tondre said., “When you play at a high level, it’s so time consuming that most people stop school altogether. Basketball teams are mostly done through private clubs, it’s not like in the U.S. where you have high school and college teams.”

With the prospect of being able to get an education and be able to play basketball, Tondre was sold.

He just had to sell it to his mother, “Well, at first she asked, ‘How’s it going to work. Explain it to me.’”

And reminiscent of the time he convinced his mother in the third grade he replied, “I just wanna go.”

She was not convinced. So Tondre, unable to shake the possibility of living in the U.S., created a logistical plan on how he would make it work.

With his new plan and realizing how passionate Tondre was about this prospect, his mother gave her blessing. “She’s always been supportive. She was always pushing me to do the best things. She would never hold me back from pursuing the things I desired,” Tondre said about his mother. And so, Tondre

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“When you first learn basketball, you don’t play games. It was practice, practice, practice.”

-Maxime Tondre

started his senior year at a private high school in Indiana.

Tondre was in a whole new world here in America. Although American culture heavily influences pop-culture in Paris, Tondre still felt the culture shock.

“It’s a lot harder to get close to people here, like establishing a

lasting friendship, compared to how it is in France,” Tondre said.

That wasn’t the only cultural shock.

Even in the sport he loves, the cultural approach on how to get into college basketball was different, “I thought I just needed to get good grades in high school, like in France.” But luckily Tondre’s coaches in Indiana helped him out, “They explained how things worked, like the kind of work ethic colleges are looking for and other requirements like good grades and good SAT/ ACT scores. I had no idea.”

Not wanting to give up on the dream of continuing his education in the U.S., Tondre enrolled in a prep school. It was there he spent a year getting college-ready, both in and out of the classroom. His prep school also had a basketball team and it was there that Tondre was seen for the college he was to attend next.

Tondre attended Pensacola Christian College for one year, but discovered that it was an unaccredited college after hearing that a close friend had been denied acceptance into a Master’s program for not having a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school. Tondre did not want to risk his future prospects of getting a higher degree.

“The idea of coming to the U.S. to get a college degree was to get an edge over someone else who has the same diploma in France.”

But, having known someone who was having trouble with his diploma from an unaccredited school, Tondre continues, “Then I definitely did not want that to happen to me.” So, Tondre was on a search for a college that was accredited and had a basketball program where he could play.

That search led him to Citrus College. While in Florida, a few French friends suggested Tondre get in touch with a basketball coach in Riverside, California. That coach only coached a females only basketball team; however, he did know a coach at Citrus. A tryout was scheduled in May of 2014 and Tondre made the team.

Tondre is majoring in business and will be graduating this spring.

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As an international student, there are limited resources that would help him further his education.

During his college career at Citrus, Tondre has spent summers back in Paris, working to save money for the upcoming semesters, as well as working on campus in the Outreach program.

However, tuition fees at the university level are exorbitantly more than at the community college level, so there are only a handful of scholarships that will be able to cover that cost. Tondre has applied for U.S. government’s Diversity Visa Program, which if granted, would allow Tondre to have access to additional scholarships only available to publicly funded universities. UC Berkeley is one of those universities and where Tondre has applied for his Bachelor’s.

Holding steadfast to his goal of completing a higher degree here in the U.S., Tondre’s contingency plan, should transferring be postponed, is to go back to France to play semi-professional basketball. With his earnings from playing semi-pro basketball, Tondre will come back to the U.S. to finish his degree.

Tondre’s ultimate plan is to enter the world of entrepreneurship. “I have different ideas on businesses to start,” Tondre said. “One would be a business that helps French students and athletes with scholarships and advising. It can be tricky for international students to go through the paperwork process.” Tondre already does something similar in Paris, volunteering during the summer at Frenchy Associates.

An organization dedicated to helping French student athletes make the transition from France to America.

Tondre is not only big in stature but he is big in work ethic, big in heart, and big in dreams, “Growing up as a kid I always wanted to do something big!

I wanted to do something not many people have done before. I want to do it to influence people.” L APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 41

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CATHERINE LEFEBVRE grew up in Brussel, Belgiu school. It was no surprise that during her years in really didn’t see herself spending her workdays be a system that caused her so much grief. But with a a big sense of fearless adventure, Catherine has fo teaching others her native language.

VE: I’d like to hear about your journey from high school up until now.

CL: I came from a high school in a bad neighborhood. There was a lot of drugs and violence. I barely made it through because of the environment; it wasn’t a fun environment to go to. After high school I took three years off because I had decided school and I were not friends.

a thesis. That’s when I started my undergrad in Brussels and studied Romance Languages. Afterwards, I started my master’s program. But right before starting my master’s I took a ten-day trip to the U.S.

So during the three years after high school, were you only working?

Actually, no, I went to Art school but it really wasn’t like traditional school where you were sitting in class.

How was the experience with coming here for the first time?

I remember when I got here I thought customs was pretty rough.

I was so offended that I immediately told myself I was never coming back here again. But that quickly changed during my visit. I ended up meeting this guy while visiting my friend at M.I.T., an American that didn’t speak a lick of French, and I thought, ‘Ok, I’ve got to learn English.’ Laughs. But after that I came back to do the Master’s program.

We kept in touch, which turned into a long distance relationship.

Did that school have majors?

It was basically acting school.

Did you want to be an actress?

Well, maybe. I like plays and I felt like I wanted to do something to get me from being an introvert to an extrovert.

What was the turning point where you decided you were going to go to university instead of acting school?

After acting school I started to audition a lot. But I was bothered by the fact that I was trying to look attractive in order to get a job. It really started to bug me. I wanted to be valued and hired for my intellectual skills and not solely on my body. It turned into a mission to prove to myself that I was intellectually worth something and that I could be smart enough to do something like write

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What prompted the ten-day trip to America?

A friend of mine was living here and doing his Ph.D. at M.I.T., so I came to visit.

What did you study in your Master’s program?

Literature. Belgium Literature.

During my master’s I also managed to get an exchange year in Montreal, Canada. I did all my research in Montreal. They have this humongous library with so many books that I couldn’t find in Brussels, especially on the Belgian writer I was focusing my thesis on.

What year were you in your Master’s when you went to Montreal?

I was in the year before my last. My time in Montreal was spent at the library reading, and taking notes; most of the books couldn’t be taken out because they were so precious, you had to consult them there.

Afterwards, I came back to Brussels and spent a year in my parent’s attic writing my thesis and skyping with my American boyfriend. Giggles.

When you finished writing your thesis, did you come back to America right away?

Yes. I was like, ‘This took three years to do, now, I’m ready to go and be a housewife.’ Laughs.

Was your boyfriend still in Boston?

Yes, he was finishing his Ph.D. thesis at M.I.T. He had gotten two offers for his postdoctoral work, one was in Tokyo and the other was in Los Angeles. We took a trip to Tokyo and I fell in love with that city. I started to learn Japanese and have been continuing to learn since. But we went to Los Angeles so he could go to Caltech. I was pretty sad about that but I was crazy in love, so I would have followed him to Poland. So we took his car and drove cross-country to Los Angeles.

How was that road trip?

It was a great experience. We saw Mt. Rushmore, we hiked Seattle’s Mt. Ranier and from there made our way down to San Francisco. It took a month and stopped at his friends’ places along the way. It was a chalcontinued >>

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um hating college she eing a part of a little love and ound her place

HAIR: TARIN PARKER / CITRUS COSMETOLOGY MAKEUP: BRITTANY ALAMILLO / CITRUS COSMETOLOGY

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MES

lenge for me, there were some places that were not very clean and I showered outside with a garden hose because the bathroom wasn’t clean enough. It was crazy trip. A beautiful trip. I’m glad we did it.

Sounds like an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. So when did you start to learn English?

During high school, in Belgium, they make you learn English. I hated it because I was so bad at it, so, when I started college I did everything I could to avoid it. I took Dutch, Spanish, even, Latin; I would have taken anything to NOT to have to learn English.

But then I met this guy and I was like, ‘Time to learn, I guess.’ I was so eager to find out about him and to tell him everything about me. I wanted to share all that information and it look learning English. So other than high school I didn’t take classes, I just learned through my boyfriend.

When you were getting your degree, did you think you’d be teaching?

I thought it was a possibility. At first, I didn’t want that because in my school, teachers were treated badly by kids everyday. When I came here, teaching French was my best option. The idea [of teaching] reconciled with me, too, because I would be teaching adults that wanted to learn. Now, I think of teaching like this documentary called ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’. It’s about a guy who makes sushi in a tokyo subway. He’s been making something super simple, rice with a piece of fish. He’s been perfecting his technique for 40 years. I feel like teaching is the same way. I try to find the simplest way to make [the information] go from my brain to [my student’s] brain. It seems simple but it’s actually really complicated. I teach from PowerPoints and I observe my students to see what clicks, if they give up or if they try but just aren’t getting it. If I lose them, I go home and analyze the slide where I lost them. Then I try to change it slightly in hopes that next time they will get it. I keep perfecting the little things to get more students to understand. I’m far from [teaching] perfectly but when you see those kids who believed they were dumb, but then start to understand something that was complicated but I delivered to them in a simple way and then that student realizes that they are not dumb. That makes you feel good because you might’ve pushed them on the path of a better life, trusting themselves and giving themselves value. I can see myself teaching like this for 40 years like this sushi guy. L

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préférés

(my preferences) FILM:

Nobody Else But You (2011) (original: Poupoupidou) Comedy/Crime/Mystery A novelist writes a story around the apparent suicide of a french model who believed she was the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe.

“My favorite scene is the one with the random teenager yelling naked on the top of a tree while a bunch of cops are trying to bring him down. I love this scene because it is so random and it is just about someone who is craving love and isn't afraid to say it.”

MUSIC:

Georges Brassens French singer/songwriter and Poet French songs (chanson française) “A mix between Henry James and Dr Dre. The finest poetry but filled with pimps, prostitutes and bad words. If I had to get rid of everything on my ipod and only keep one, I’d keep him.”

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JAIMIE SHERIF is

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HAIR: ALEXIS KRAMER / CITRUS COSMETOLOGY MAKEUP: STAR MCKINNON / CITRUS COSMETOLOGY

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a local who’s grown up around San Dimas and Upland.

You would never think this California native, who had difficulty in her French classes during high school, would end up teaching French let alone has lived in France for two years. She is an adjunct professor of French Language, currently teaching French 101. continued >>

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V.E.: So let’s start off with high school…

S.J.: I took French in high school for three years. Honestly it intimidated me. I thought it was really hard.

You were still intimidated after taking it for three years?

Oh yeah.

And after high school, what college did you go to?

I went to Loyola Marymount in LA. What did you study in your Freshman year?

My freshman year I just took the generals. I wasn’t declared. I had no idea what I wanted to do.

During my freshman year a study abroad flyer popped up [about Paris] and Paris intrigued me.

Was it a summer program?

Yeah, it was a six week program.

What did you do in the six weeks?

I was taking classes. I was studying theater and taking French classes every morning. In theater class we were studying French literature and French plays. We went to a little city called Avignon, a city is known for theater. But what I remember the most is the nightlife.

So how does nightlife there compared to here?

Well, I guess I really didn’t know the nightlife in the U.S. because I wasn’t 21 yet. But [in Paris] it just seemed like possibilities were endless in terms of going out and finding a place where you felt you could be yourself. People were very friendly. One night we went out to a club on a boat. In the middle of Paris, on the Seine River, they have all these boats, they don’t go anywhere they are just docked there. My friends and I met up with some guys and girls [on the boat] and they were like ‘Come back to our place to keep hanging out.’ So we ended up hanging out, it was very cool.

So when you came back, did you tell yourself, ‘Ok, I’m declaring my major to French’?

No. I decided on recording arts.

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I really like music and I sang in the choir, so I decided I wanted to major in recording music. I had internships in the music industry, at a radio station and another in a recording studio. I realized that the entertainment industry wasn’t really my scene. I love music but the industry was just very superficial for me. I was really lost when I graduated. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just remembered how much I loved Paris and thought, ‘Well, maybe I could go back there to do a year off type thing before doing the real world nine-to-five.’

So off to France you went?

So off I went to France. I took a job

as a nanny.

How did you come across that opportunity?

I was just googling ways to live and work in France when I came upon an au pair website.

An au pair?

It’s a nanny that could either be a live-in or they can provide a place.

For me, my family owned a studio, so, I had my own space where I didn’t have to pay rent but it came with taking care of the kids, teaching them English, picking them up from school, stuff like that.

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Obviously you got the job but how was that experience?

It was fine. A lot of my friends were saying, ‘You’re flying to some people who you’ve never met. Isn’t that scary?’ But I wasn’t scared. The first week, though, I was homesick. For about a week I was like, “What did I just do?!” But that went away.

How so?

As soon as I made friends everything clicked. As an au pair, you get an au pair visa that gives you the right to live and work there, BUT, you have to be enrolled in French language classes. I had French classes in the morning and for a week I hadn’t really met anyone.

But by the second week, a girl came up to me [from class] and was like, “So you’re from the U.S.? Tell me about it. Do you want to grab a coffee?” She and her friend were from Denmark and we became best friends.

How was speaking French, since you were now living and working in France?

I remember thinking, “I want to become fluent in this language.” I just want to fit in. I want to live her for the rest of my life. It was then that I was really, intrinsically motivated to learn it.

What made you feel like you wanted to live in France for the rest of your life?

I love the vibe of the city. I felt that there was something about that city, like I clicked there more that any other city I’ve lived in. I just like the atmosphere. The smell of cigarettes. The Metro. Not driving anywhere. I just wanted to be in that lifestyle.

How long were you an au pair?

A year. Then I decided I didn’t want to anymore, but I didn’t want to come back to California. I looked on Craigslist and found a job as a bartender. I was no longer on an au pair visa but a student visa and you have to take more classes. I had classes in the morning and bartended at night. That’ss when I really learned French.

After the two years, why did you come back to the U.S.?

It was a combination of reasons.

My best friends from Denmark went back after the first year. I was fine the second year, by myself, but I couldn’t think of starting a third year without close friends. I thought, “I want to be close to my friends [in the U.S.], again.’ So I came back and started the Master’s Program in French at Long Beach.

Did you do that because you were planning to go back to France?

That’s what I thought. I thought, “I’m going to get a Master’s in French and I’m going to use it to get a job translating. I’m going to use it to get back over there.”

What’s happened since you’ve been back and graduated from Long Beach?

I moved to Mexico for a while. I was like, ‘Let’s try a different country!’ So I move to Guadalajara for about five months to get a TEFL certificate. I came back and started teaching ESL at the University of La Verne. I would still tutor French privately for people in the community. I was actually private-tutoring someone from Citrus when they told me they were opening up the French department again.

How do you keep up with your French since being back here?

Honestly I feel it’s like riding a bike. It really never goes away but it’s definitely not as fresh off the tongue like when you come back from being over there for three months. That’s why I try to go back, to keep it fresh.

is going on here? The poo?’ But then I realized les poux is lice. It’s spelled P-O-U-X but is pronounced poo. The mom spoke pretty good English but she didn’t know the word for lice.

What is a favorite memory from your times in France?

In the summer, the sun goes down really late around 9pm or 10pm, the weather is nice around that time. Its tradition for people to buy a bottle of rose, bring tabouleh or cheese and baguettes and go to the banks of the Seine to have a picnic. I did that a lot.

I heard you were over there this past summer?

Yeah.

How was this past experience?

It was probably the least exciting.

I’m getting older and feel I value my friends and family a lot more now. Paris is still cool, but what’s more important to me, now, is that I’m living somewhere that’s close to family and friends. I’ve become closer to my friends and family since the last time I was in Paris.

Even though your experience was a little different this time around, do you still love Paris?

Yes! I’m still in love with the city. I feel like it’s a place I want to continue to go back to for the rest of my life. I may be looking into buying property over there. It might be a good investment for me to have a place to go during the winter or summer breaks. I’m definitely still in love with the city but maybe I won’t live there permanently. L

Tell me a funny story from one of your many experiences in France.

I was a nanny for two kids. I had just arrived at the house for the day and the mom was freaking out. She was washing the girl’s hair when I showed up and I asked, “Is everything okay? What’s going on?”

In English she says, “We have to check for the poo! The poo in her hair!” I was thinking, ‘What the heck APRIL 2016 | LOGOS | 49

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m m e o n c d e a R t i o ns r u for a taste of France here at home Catherine Recommends: NAPOLEON AND JOSEPHINE 7212 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046 323.424.7487 napoleonandjosephine.net A little on the pricey side but a great option to indulge in authentic Corsican food. A family owned operation whose goal is to serve authentic, family recipes. A great place for date night or anytime you want to have a nice sit-down meal with family and friends.

WAFFLES DE LIEGE 21 E. Holly St. Pasadena, CA 91101 626.793.7726 wafflesdeliege.com In the mood for some authentic Belgian waffles? Or at least as close as you can get to authentic this side of the world then look no further than Waffles de Liege.

Jaimie Recommends: FOOD ON A BUDGET For those who want a taste of France but without spending a whole lot is to visit your local grocery store (she prefers to go to Vons) and visit the deli section. Buy any of the French cheeses on hand but if there is no one around to help you look for Camembert, Brie, Chevre (soft goat cheese), and Forme d’Ambert (mild blue cheese). Don’t forget to grab a couple of baguettes. For a true Parisian experience, pick up a bottle of rose wine, Jaimie remembers her times picnicking in France, “In the summertime rose, the pink wine.”

Both Recommend: CAFE FIGARO 1802 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.662.1587 figarobistrot.com Sit back and people watch, a very French “thing”. The small details in the environment like the outdoor seating with small bistro tables and aged worn chairs to the European portion sized meals will bring you back in time to when you were in Paris, or for those who’ve never been it will give you a taste of a true Parisian experience.

Looking for more? Go to logosmagazinecc.com for recommendations from the writer!

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CRÉME OF THE CROP This simpler, modified recipe will have your friends and family convinced you sent a summer in France learning French baking techniques.

During my first semester at CitrusI was tormented with the idea of what to present for the first oral presentation in my French 1 class.

How can I engage the audience and not bore them with my broken French? Baking! Baking has always been a hobby of mine and eating baked goods is my sport.

So I scoured the Internet searching for a recipe that was not only very French, but also didn’t require a technical degree in physics with ingredients that every student can get at a supermarket. I aggregated only the most crucial steps to create this easy recipe for choux à la crème Commençons, let’s start. Heat up the milk and water in saucepot using a medium-high heat. Add the sugar and salt. Stir occasionally to ensure

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milk mixture doesn’t scald on the sides. When the milk starts to boil along the sides, lower the heat to medium, add the butter and stir until the butter melts and is incorporated into the mixture.

Once the butter incorporated, add the flour. Keep stirring until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the pot. Turn the heat off and continue to stir until the dough can easily forms a soft ball in the center of the pot.

Let the dough cool for five minutes before transferring it to a medium sized bowl. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl whisk the eggs and set aside. Transfer the dough to the medium bowl and let it cool for another 5 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grab a plastic food storage bag TEXT & PHOTO BY: VIDAL ESPINA

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Choux à la crème (Cream Puffs) 3 large eggs 1 cup of flour a pinch of salt ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk ½ cup water 1 tablespoon of sugar ½ cup butter 1 can/container of a favorite whipped cream Optional: Fresh berries of your choice nutella or melted chocolate for decoration Powdered sugar 1.In a saucepan, warm the water and the milk with the sugar and salt over medium-high heat.

2.Just when the milk mixture starts to boil, add the butter and mix until the butter is melted and fully incorporated into the mixture.

3.Stir in the flour.

4.Continue to stir until everything is well incorporated and the dough becomes easy to form into a ball.

5.Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and let it cool for 10 – 15 minutes.

6.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

7.Add the eggs to the dough and mix in until smooth.

8.Then pipe out little mounds of dough about 1 - 1 ½ inch round.

9.Smooth tops down with damp hands.

10.Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

11.Turn down the oven to 360 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.

12.And finally lower the temperature again to 300 degrees and bake for 10 minutes.

13.Let it cool for about 10 - 15 minutes.

14.Cut the tops off, about ¾ of the way up from the bottom.

that you will use as a piping bag later.

Once the dough has cooled down, add the eggs to the dough and begin mixing.

The dough is going to look like a lumpy batter that will not mix. But I assure you, keep mixing and it will combine. Your end result should be the consistency of an extra thick version of cream of wheat. You may need to add a tablespoon or two more to get this consistency as some flours absorb more liquid than others.

With your choux paste ready, transfer that dough into the storage bag for piping and snip off a tip. On your parchment lined baking sheet, pipe out 1 ½ inch round mounds. You should be able to make 25 mounds.

Dampen your fingers with cold water and lightly press down any

peaks.

Place the completed baking sheet into the oven for ten minutes. The high temperature during this first stage helps the dough to puff up to its fullest potential. Then lower the temperature to 360 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes. This step will cook the insides of the puffs. The last stage of baking consists of lowering the temperature to 300 degrees and baking for ten more minutes. This stage will give your puffs a crispy shell that will hold the structure of the puff.

After the ten minutes check your puffs by lightly pressing onto the sides, if they are still soft keep them in for an extra ten minutes. When ready, leave them in the oven with the door slightly ajar, turn off the oven and let them cool down slowly. Cooling them

15.Fill with whipped cream and gently place the tops back on.

16.(Optional) Drizzle chocolate over the tops and/or sprinkle with powdered sugar. Also tastes delicious served with your preferred fresh berries.

down too quickly will cause your puffs to deflate.

Once the puffs have cooled, cut the tops off, fill them with whipped cream, and place their tops back on.

Et voila! Choux à la crème!

I personally I love to eat them in this simplest form but on occasion I’ll serve them with fresh fruit or drizzle some chocolate-hazelnut spread on top. Nothing can compare to these homemade, light as air confections.

Bon Apetit!

L

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