Letter From the Editors Hello CCA, As the school year comes to a close, we are thrilled to present to you Pulse Magazine’s Issue 4 of Volume 13! The Senior issue is always a favorite for those on staff and for our senior class, and there is so much to celebrate. Congratulations to our senior class for completing a competitive, challenging four years—we are excited to see what all of you do next! Thanks to our staff comprised exclusively of upperclassmen, this issue focuses more on advice than ever before. Gabriella Patino’s retrospective on the senior year looks to inform underclassmen about the toils (or lack thereof) of senior year, while offering nostalgia to current seniors. Meanwhile, Amy Cheng and Alyssa Cho’s conversation with teachers and travel experts Mr. Black and Mr. Brown is great for students looking to pick up some tips about studying abroad or improving their vacation game. However, we have plenty of more universal pieces as well, such as Amanda Arnett’s look into the Miracle League of San Diego and Derek Li’s investigation on the growing DNA economy. Of course, with our annual senior issue comes the highly anticipated college map. Nearly 400 seniors have told us about their plans for the next year, the largest amount of any college map in Pulse Magazine history. We are incredibly excited for you all to see the final product worked on by one of us, Ronnie Simon. Finally, we’d like to say a few words about our time on Pulse Magazine. We have all been involved in the magazine for the last four years of our lives, and it seems so strange to be showing you all the last issue we will be a part of. We’d like to thank our advisor, Christopher Black, for helping us achieve our goals throughout these four years, and everyone who has been a part of Pulse with us over this same timeframe. To anyone considering joining the magazine, we recommend that you give it a shot. Sincerely, Editors
Editors in Chief Max Greenhalgh Jakob Saloner Ronnie Simon Creative Director Daniel Chekal Online Editor-in-Chief Annie Lu Staff Writers Amanda Arnett Amber Chang Amy Cheng Alyssa Cho Josh Golden Derek Li Lily Lin Hannah Musgrave Gabriella Patino Sydney Sherman Jules Travis Ali Youel Photographers Libby Edwards Daniel Poplawsky Advisor Mr. Black
Table Of Contents MLB Midseason Update
4
Late Night
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5 Nutrition Myths
6
King Leal
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by Josh Golden
by Jakob Saloner
by Sydney Sherman
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by Derek Li
High School Identity by Amber Chang
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A Whole New Ball Game
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Senior Year By the Month
18
Tourism
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Travel Tips with Black and Brown
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College Map
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by Annie Lu
by Max Greenhalgh
DNA Testing
Midterms (No, not those)
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by Amanda Arnett
by Gabriella Patino
by Lily Lin
by Amy Cheng & Alyssa Cho
MLB Midseason Update by Josh Golden
The 2018 MLB season has had a lot of excitement so far, headlined by no-hitters from Sean Manaea and James Paxton along with the emergence of Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. At this point of the season, who deserves the MLB’s most prestigious awards this fall? So far, the race for the Cy Young Award is looking to be tight in both the American and National leagues. From the American League, the three frontrunners are Houston’s Justin Verlander, Boston’s Chris Sale, and Cleveland’s Corey Kluber. Coming into the season, they were widely regarded as the top three pitchers in the American League and have proved that, with all of them sporting an ERA (earned run average) under two and a half and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) under one. Any one of the aces could win the award, but Sale seems to have the best chance to bring it home, since all will likely finish in the top five in ERA and Sale is most likely to lead in strikeouts. On the National League side, the race is lead by Washington’s Max Scherzer. I expect Scherzer, who holds an ERA below two and has set the record for fastest to 100 strikeouts in a season, to consistently dominate this year and win his third consecutive Cy Young award, making him the first to do so since Randy Johnson won four straight. Although Scherzer is the favorite to retain the title, one of his potential threats could be Patrick 4Corbin, who’s emerged as one of the
top pitchers in the league and currently holds an ERA of 2.60. Although Scherzer should still get the award, don’t forget about Clayton Kershaw, who could take home his first Cy Young since 2014, with a hot stretch of a few months and some support from the reigning National League champions. This year’s MVP award will likely be another tough decision in both leagues. In the American League, Jose Altuve is looking to repeat, but will be challenged by Manny Machado, Mike Trout, and Mookie Betts. Altuve is currently hitting .316, which is a major dip compared to his performance last year, while Machado, the current frontrunner, ranks in the top five in batting average, home runs, and RBIs. However, Trout, Betts, and Altuve all could pull ahead of Machado in the next few months. Also, watch out for Didi Gregorius, the star hiding in the shadows of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Gregorious is off to a hot start and has the potential to go on a hot streak at any point, but this award will likely go to Machado if he doesn’t get traded. In the National League, the race is just as tight. Leading the way is former MVP Bryce Harper, who currently ranks first in home runs and in the top ten in RBIs. Along with Harper, Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado are both in contention for the award, with Blackmon currently third in home runs and Arenado hitting .331 with the potential to start blasting home runs throughout the season.
Although it appears to be a three horse race, stars such as Kris Bryant could emerge despite a somewhat shaky start and win it. That said, I expect Arenado to heat up this summer and take home the accolade. Individual awards are a true honor and show the excellence of a player, but most Cy Young and MVP candidates would trade in their individual achievements for a World Series victory. So who’s going to get their shot at glory this year? At this point, I expect the two most recent champions, the Cubs and Astros, to return to the fall classic and fight for a second championship. Although they may not look like World Series teams right now, hot starts by teams like the Red Sox can be deceiving. The Cubs and Astros both have the experience needed to make a run in October, and with the stacked rotation of the Astros and all-around dominance of the Cubs, both teams have the talent as well. Once they meet in the World Series, I expect the Astros’ dominant pitching will be too much for the Cubs to handle. As we approach the summer, the sun is shining brighter, the beach is even more beautiful, and the baseball season is lighting up. Over a quarter of the way through the season, there are countless games still to be played and plenty of stories to emerge from Major League Baseball.
This article was last updated on May 21, so the statistics given are no longer exact.
Late Night by Max Greenhalgh
I’m not a comedian, but I am an extraordinarily funny person, despite what my friends, family, and anyone else who has ever spoken to me at length might claim. My natural talents grant me the necessary understanding of the entertainment business to critique some of the most popular names, faces, and minds in comedy today. While there are hundreds of talented comics working primarily in stand-up and underground scenes, the adult cultural mainstream chiefly cares about the comedians who run the late night shows that they watch after work. However, there is a big difference between the best and the worst in the business. Worst Jimmy Kimmel - Kimmel is somehow still Hollywood’s favorite comedian, despite his complete lack of originality and variety. He is essentially a prop comic, except he uses kids or celebrities as the props. Perhaps his most famous segment is titled “I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy,” wherein he challenges parents to lie to their kids’ faces by saying that the massive haul of candy they have looked forward to eating has been eaten by them. Furthermore, “look, a kid” and “look, a celebrity” seem to be his only two reliable jokes. Kimmel has hosted the Oscars for the last two years, and both included a dull, forced interaction between Kimmel and a child actor and a cringey segment where Kimmel in-
troduces some mere mortals to a group of celebrities. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed with Kimmel—only at him. Jimmy Fallon - Fallon is so close to having a great show, and yet so frustratingly far. He understands that the best way to do the celebrity interview is to get real, human moments out of them that are developed on the spot. In an attempt to create these, Fallon often plays games with his guests, and this can lead to great individual displays from them. It is when Fallon is expected to be comedic or entertaining in any way that his show begins to be torn apart at the seams. As Fallon struggles to find something funny to say, he often returns to either fervent pandering with the assistance of the fakest laugh in late night, or talking about something that happened last time the celebrity being interviewed was on the program. What happened to the funny, genuine Jimmy Fallon from Saturday Night Live? We may never know. Best Conan O’Brien - O’Brien is no newcomer to the late night game. His current show, Conan, has been running since 2010, but Late Night with Conan O’Brien’s long run on air began in 1993. It’s clear that all of the experience helps. Unlike these other hosts, O’Brien treats his guests like actual human beings, and not just glorified billboards for what they are present to promote. While Kimmel seems to
stay on script 90% of the time, O’Brien allows his more vocal guests to go off on wild tangents, leading to entertaining moments. In contrast, O’Brien also knows how to tease interesting answers out of struggling guests, as well as mock them in a way that somehow seems biting and friendly at the same time. O’Brien is a masterful interviewer as well as a very funny man, and these skills come together to make a legitimate claim to the crown of late night. Sean Evans - I know that he doesn’t have a late night show. I know that his interviews are heavily edited and produced, something that doesn’t happen much on traditional late night shows. However, anyone who has watched a Hot Ones interview on the First We Feast YouTube channel knows that Evans is an excellent interviewer, if not a true comedian. Evans, whose current show focuses on going through a set of hot wings with celebrity guests, constantly receives compliments about his intense research methods and how fun the show is to do. The internet seems to agree that he is one of the best hosts out there, as Evans won the 2018 Webby Award for Best Web Personality/ Host just last month. Hot Ones with a TV-sized budget could pull in more unique sauces and other surprises for each celebrity. The first network to take a gamble on Evans, if anyone has the cajones to do so, will be rewarded with a smash-hit show. 5
Five Nutrition Myths by Jakob Saloner
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With the amount of fitness and nutrition articles circulating online, it’s easy to get some unhelpful advice from a dubious source. Especially in the midst of the American obesity epidemic, health consciousness is on the rise, but proper information is needed for people to make the right decisions. Here’s a list of some of the most common health and nutrition myths, as well as what is really true. 1. Eating saturated fat and cholesterol is bad for you For a long time, products on shelves aimed at the health-conscious market labeled themselves as low-fat. Thinking that they were making a healthy choice, consumers started purchasing low-fat foods more regularly. Little did they know, these purchases were the product of a conspiracy directed by the sugar industry. Instead of fat, food companies would have to add more sugar to make their food more palatable, increasing the national consumption of sugar drastically. In the 1960s, the sugar industry funded research that downplayed the risks of sugar and highlighted the hazards of fat. Big Sugar funded its own studies and paid off scientists, resulting in a new conclusion: heart disease and obesity in America are caused by overconsumption of saturated fat, not sugar. The idea was that more saturated fat and dietary cholesterol would increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol in the blood, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. The problem is, outside of the sugar industry’s studies, cholesterol consumption does not correlate with LDL cholesterol, and that increased saturated fat does not increase LDL particles in the blood. 2. Eggs or egg yolks are bad for you You often see egg whites on the “healthy” menu, with whole eggs on the regular side. This is fallout from the myth regarding dietary cholesterol. Eggs are extremely nutritious and a great source of fat and protein, and the yolk is the healthiest, most nutrient-dense part. The only caveat to this is in populations who need to restrict calories, as the yolk has far more than the white. 3. Fat loss foods vs fattening foodsMany foods, like fit teas, are marketed to speed up metabolism and aid in weight loss. In reality, however, there are no magic foods. While the relationship between metabolism and certain nutrients is extremely complicated, the most reliable way to control body weight is through daily caloric intake and hormonal balance. Fat and muscle are forms of stored energy, and calories are a unit of energy, so the formula for weight loss or gain is beautifully simple: if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. If you ate three Doritos and one Twinkie per day, you would lose weight despite eating “fattening” foods. This does not mean that these foods are healthy, and I would talk to a registered healthcare professional before switching to any
diet, especially a Twinkie/Dorito diet, but you get the idea. It is also worth noting that the types of food you consume will contribute more to your weight loss success than simply tracking calories, but the point about energy balance still stands. 4. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day If you are not hungry in the mornings, it is a sign that your body does not naturally need a lot of food in the morning. This myth comes largely from marketing from Kellogg’s. Your body will tell you if it needs food, and as long as you can get food later in the day, everything will be perfectly fine. Bonus breakfast tip: save the cereal for the evening. You should start the day with protein and fats to give yourself long sustaining energy throughout the day. Your 11:30 a.m. slump occurs because carbs spike your blood sugar, causing a hike in insulin production. This will create a very strong response, and your energy levels will dive soon after the glucose is uptaken. Considering this, the general recommendation is to eat your carbs closer to evening or night, when you want to get tired. If you really want some carbs in the morning, avoid processed carbs and grab a fruit. All of the fiber in fruit leads to a more sustainable insulin release, leading to different effects on blood sugar and a more balanced effect on energy. 5. Veganism/vegetarianism is healthy for humans It is completely understandable if you want to avoid animal products for moral or religious reasons, but it can actually be unhealthy. The health benefits of veganism and vegetarianism come from increased fruit and vegetable consumption, which are great, and should be encouraged to all populations. The elimination of animal products, however, is not a good idea. There are no plant sources of cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, and vitamin B12, all of which are necessary for the body to perform all of its functions. Metals like calcium and iron exist in plant materials, but are far less bioavailable (in other words, less of them are integrated into the body) and cannot be absorbed in the same way as animal sources. Despite what that documentary on Netflix told you, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that veganism or vegetarianism is a healthy diet for humans. It is not how we were designed to eat. Despite what you may have heard, eating meat is not necessarily bad for you or the environment. There are sustainable and unsustainable ways to purchased meat, and only certain meat should be eaten. There is a large degree of difference between grass-fed beef and highly processed meats. A plant-based diet may be healthier than the common western diet, as it is higher in vegetables and fruits than what the average American eats, and includes fewer calories, however, science does not necessarily indicate that it is the healthiest possible option. 7
King Leal by Sydney Sherman
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If you have had one of Mr. Leal’s classes, you will understand that it is an adventure of a lifetime, much like that of Mr. Baggins. Beginning in a hole in the ground, you will rise above the obstacles, attempting to reach the peak of the Lonely Mountain, or in our case, the peak of the Octahedron of Arete (pronounced by him as ah-RAYtey), a model of moral and intellectual prowess that Mr. Leal has created. He, of course, resides at the top. Mr. Leal has been a teacher for 30 years, 13 of which have been at CCA. He believes his students here are “miles and miles above the average,” and appreciates the level of engagement they have with the material. As high achieving students, we are constantly being told by faculty and parents to calm down, and that grades aren’t everything. Mr. Leal, however, has a different view. “Students are ambitious and they want to do well. I wonder what the message is when we tell them that they are wrong in wanting to do well, but I can see where for some people it just becomes too important.” However, compared with less privileged schools he has taught in the past, he does have one criticism, which is simply that “Life’s pretty easy.” As a teacher, “it is discouraging to try and help someone who doesn’t care that you care about them,” he explains. “I taught at a [less fortunate] school, and when you did stuff for the kids, they were so appreciative. Sometimes you’ll do stuff, and you’ll get kind of an ‘eh.’” Nonetheless, this was his only
criticism and he cares deeply about the enrichment of his pupils. Most class days are spent participating in discussion, which Mr. Leal revealed was his favorite part of teaching. In class, he goes into depth about not only the text being studied, but often ventures off into wild tangents and debates about the elements of life itself. His class is not just a class, but a journey into the battle between good and evil, an attempt to discover what ‘truth’ is, and a never-ending challenge to gain wisdom. Throughout these discussions, he will often bring a pessimistic persona to the class. But if you really know Mr. Leal, you know that this is a front, and used for comedic purposes only. When told that some students were not able to see beyond this mask, he responded, “That makes me sad. I tend towards pessimism because I think it’s a natural human position, but I really try to work against it.” So next time he describes the mediocrity of human existence, remember that he is only kidding... sort of. In addition to his English classes, Mr. Leal also teaches Modern Epic, a class devoted to the A Song of Ice and Fire and The Lord of The Rings series. “They don’t have to be Tolkien nerds or George R.R. Martin nerds [to join the class],” he says.“Any kind of student should take the class.” Within the texts, students explore the wisdom that is being conveyed throughout both of the series. His favorite A Song of Ice and Fire character is The Hound; however,
when I asked who he would be if he were in the series he joked, “I would be Cressent, who tries to give the poison to Melisandre and ends up only poisoning himself.” Outside of school, he enjoys playing video games, such as the Dark Souls series and The Lord of The Rings Online. Sources say he even has a gaming channel, but when questioned about it, he would only say, “I wouldn’t know, but there is this guy out there who some people have thought is me, bridgeburner412.” He would not confirm or deny anything, but more curious readers can check out this channel on Twitch. For those of you who can’t get enough of Mr. Leal, he and CCA colleague and BFF Mr. Lockhart will be traveling to Ireland and Great Britain over the Summer of 2019. It is a 15-day trip that will feature the birthplace of Shakespeare, the Old Globe, and an exploration into Mr. Leal’s Irish lineage. If you are a Shakespeare fanatic, this is a great opportunity to experience his surroundings from the Victorian era. Alternatively, if you are interested in watching two CCA teachers banter for a couple of weeks, this might be the trip for you as well. Whether he is teaching, playing video games, or describing the wonders of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Mr. Leal is an extremely passionate individual. This carries through all aspects of his life and is what makes his classes so extraordinary.
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D N A
T E
by Derek Li It may sound inconceivable, but by paying less than $100, you can discover your past and predict your future. Although it was a seemingly impossible task just a few decades ago, DNA testing, more formally known as personal genomics, is now at the fingertips of any average consumer with the simple click of a button. In recent years, the field of biology has evolved and advanced rapidly, paving the way for an enhanced understanding of the human genome. Because of that, consumers can now discover in a single online report what humans have always ceaselessly yearned to know: a piece of their true identity. The increasingly competitive market of personal genomics is currently led by companies like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and Family Tree. These services offer consumers with a breakdown of their ethnicity and ancestral origins. Additionally, a few companies, such as 23andMe, provide a comprehensive personal health service that can identify personal traits and potential health risks. The process of getting your DNA sampled may seem complicated and inconvenient, but it is actually very straightforward: tests start with the ordering of a simple kit on the selected company’s website. Once you receive the kit, just take out the provided tube, fill it with your saliva, and send it back to the labs for testing. Now, all you have to do is wait a few weeks for the results. “It’s everything that just comes together. Where you come from and who you are. For 47 years I didn’t know anything, and within 72 hours I had found her,” said Sue Amundson in an interview with Tucson’s News and Talk in May 2017. The “her” that Amundson was referring to was her biological mother, Helen, who put Sue up for adoption when she was born. Not only did Sue find her biological mother, but she also discovered that she has three living biological sisters. Her account is one of the many heartwarming stories of adoptees purchasing this test and reconnecting with their long-lost biological families, sometimes located across the world. Ancestry, the service that Amundson used, analyzes a test taker’s DNA and easily connects them to relatives via the common database. According to the company, the displayed “relationship types include Parent/Child, Immediate Family, Close Family, 1st Cousin, 2nd Cousin, and so on.” Once connected, the test taker has the option to send a 10message to the potential match. Finally, a whole new explo-
ration into his or her family may ensue. While a DNA test may be more significant to adoptees, the majority of consumers are simply curious, whether it be about their ancestry, health risks, or personal traits. 23andMe has a $99 ancestry service that gives customers a comprehensive breakdown of their ancestry and genetic makeup. The science behind it is simple: once you send in your DNA, the company tests it and analyzes its genetic variations through a process called genotyping, then compares the results to databases built using sample populations of people from particular ethnic groups or regions. Through this procedure as well as utilizing haplogroups—a classification of specific genetic differences among distinct groups of people who migrated away from each other hundreds of thousands of years ago—they can provide a fairly detailed ancestry composition with differing percentages. 23andMe has general “region” categories (such as East Asian/Native American, Sub-Saharan African, European, etc.), and within those more than 100 specific sections/countries, such as Italian, Japanese, Kenyan, the list goes on. The same goes for other companies, although they may vary in the types and amounts of ethnicities reported (some even display how much neanderthal people have in them). By taking DNA tests, many unsuspecting customers have been shocked yet moved by the diversity of their genetic makeup that they previously thought was more homogeneous. Mrs. Bravo-Saltzman, CCA’s attendance secretary, was quite surprised by her DNA results after using AncestryDNA’s testing service. It included a mixture of various ethnicities, including English, Scottish, Native American, North African, and Spanish. “I did my DNA and also created a tree, and through Ancestry, I got a message from somebody who matched as a second cousin. Apparently, my great-grandfather had a child out of wedlock, and his family had also gotten AncestryDNA and we matched,” she commented. “One of [my cousins] lives in Bonita, so I’m able to keep in touch with him here in San Diego...it brought a family reunion made possible through Ancestry”. In addition to testing for ancestry, 23andMe has a more expensive option for buyers to test for genetic health risks, carrier status, wellness, and traits, according to its website. Some of the features are fairly practical—such as your risk of getting Parkinson’s or if you are a carrier of diseases like
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Cystic Fibrosis—while others are more gimmicky, such as your preference for sweet or salty foods or presence of a unibrow. Although these reports are not as formal and precise as those of a physician doing professional tests and scans, they can provide a moderately accurate insight into your personal health (and whether you need to formally consult a doctor) at a reasonable price. Mr. Haas, a science teacher at our school who used 23andMe, noted, “I think it was interesting to see the health aspects about potential things that would be in my future. I knew going in that people would say, ‘Why would I want to know some of these things about certain diseases?’” However, “That was never an issue for me because as a science teacher, I always understood that it wasn’t only about what your genetics said, but also about the lifestyle choices you make. So I knew going in having more knowledge for myself would enable me to make certain choices in my life that could ensure my health and continued growth.” As this is new technology, there are still many risks to consider before purchasing a DNA test. Currently, the main concern is user privacy. Many testing companies have the right to sell data—mostly for research purposes—if the purchaser checks on the option granting the sale of personal information. Recently, the Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, “Was arrested after DNA found at one of [his] crime scenes was checked against genetic profiles from genealogical websites that collect DNA samples,” reported USA Today. The company used was GEDMatch—a small business based in Florida that has a large database of DNA that consumers can upload their data to for more specific results—and it was not informed of its database being utilized by investigators. Although the controversy over privacy in this case lead to the eventual success of finding the serial killer, there are frightening implications of how DNA data breaches may be used in malicious ways, such as discriminating against certain people because of their risk of disease. Even more concerning, Newsweek reported that China may be purchasing American genetic testing data in order to analyze it and “build up biological weapons capable of targeting specific ethnicities or individuals.” Hopefully, as the industry continues to mature, there will be more explicit policies and procedures over user anonymity. Mr. Armijo, a video film teacher here at CCA, noted that
N G he is not too concerned about privacy since “it has been an issue well before any of these DNA tests started emerging” and that “they are more of a byproduct of our technological means of communication.” Mr. Haas also said that, as a biology teacher, “DNA testing is wonderfully useful and extremely scary… We have to be very careful how we govern this information and who has the rights and access to it.” He then added, “If people start labelling or creating reasons why you shouldn’t be given access [to certain things] or charged different fees or rates because of genetics, people can be very selective... It gets to be a very big issue in which we have to be very careful how the government regulates [the information] and the ethics of it.” Another problem that comes with DNA testing sites is the inconsistency of results and occasional inaccuracies. There have been many reports of people doing a DNA test with one company, and then later purchasing one from a different company only to get varying results. Again, the issue of reliability mainly stems from the fact that the science behind genealogical tests is still very new, with scientists constantly attempting to make improvements. Nonetheless, as more and more people buy these tests, the genetic reference database will only become larger, leading to more accurate and detailed results in regards to specific ancestry. The expansion in the burgeoning field of genealogy has led to a growing popularity and fascination with peoples’ origins and identities. Yet, given the increasingly diverse, tolerant, and curious 21st century society that we live in, the rise of this industry, although impressive, is unsurprising. Mr. Armijo also added that, “Hopefully, [DNA testing] brings people together around some broader understanding of who we are... and I think the broader picture implies a greater sense of unity.” From moving stories of people finding their families after decades of searching to discovering surprising ancestral details, DNA tests have impacted countless lives, both positively and negatively. And, although there are currently some key drawbacks, the pioneers and developers of this intriguing technology are hard at work trying to mold it to perfection. The industry of DNA testing continues to strive for progress and success, and it does not show any signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future. 11
High Schoo Identi
by Am
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ol ity
According to Erik Erikson’s theory of psychological development, “Identity formation in emerging adulthood depends on developing competence, a sense of being capable of doing things that are worthwhile. Individuals accomplish this by working and learning, but also by evaluating one’s own accomplishments against those of others.” High schoolers are often told that now is the time to find who they really are. High school, though, can be a difficult place for Erikson’s version of identity development to kick in. Schools require students to participate in various tasks to acquire the knowledge and develop the skills necessary to take on appropriate adult roles. In high school, adolescents have great opportunities to explore their competence by choosing the subjects they will pursue in the future. Students are encouraged to take a variety of demanding classes that help reinforce a sense of self-control as well as an understanding of what they are capable of as individuals. Going to school is the first step a child takes in separating themselves from their families. When students enter the school system, they acquire two distinct sets of significant others outside their family who will give them feedback on their behavior: teachers and peers. Teachers are expected to relay the knowledge and skills required by state curriculum and to assess each student’s performance so they can acquire a realistic perception of what they can do. Teachers are often seen as role models to these students. With this position of authority, teachers can affect their students’ behavior or outlook on life. In the mainstream educational system, the teacher is one of the influences in a student’s life and, as such, sees the world normalized through their everyday events. They try to teach from an unbiased position using examples from their own lives. This, in turn, separates them from the experiences of their students. While these teachers may be well-intentioned, compassionate and caring, it is impossible to appreciate and understand the situation that each student comes from. Students, in turn, may believe that the teacher does not understand their lives as a whole. As a result, the teacher may end up addressing the needs of no one as they continue to teach from a neutral position.
by Amber Chang
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Teacher identity also affects the classroom and learning environment. If a teacher is self-aware, he or she is better able to empower students, and therefore enhance learning. Is the teacher attempting to present the mainstream position, or are they addressing the individualistic needs of their students? Are they aware of their own unique identity to the point that they are comfortable in their own skin, or do they view their identity as something to overcome in order to be successful? Have they assimilated to the mainstream at the expense of their individuality? Our peers can have a similar effect on us. During adolescence, the peer group begins to exert an even stronger influence than teachers. Since the social behavior and expectations within peer groups can be chosen, students have an opportunity (whether or not they realize it) to decide who they want to be influenced by and who they want to impress. The quality of peer and adolescent relationships with adults determines in part the influence of peer relationship. Supportive and positive friends tend to improve an individual’s well-being. The choice of peer group can have a profound effect upon the academic outcome of a high school student. Erikson, along with many other theorists, has studied development across the human life span. Each theory devised supports the stages of human development, and they all have room for the notion of those stages being interrupted or challenged. This is especially true when environmental factors make it harder for a person to keep growing and developing. Teenagers are especially prone to environmental influences because they are still being formed, and the cruel reality is that many struggle daily for acceptance from their peers. Predictors of a student’s potential for a successful life after high school are primarily comprised of family identity, income, and choice of peer group. There is an endless cycle of how adolescents influence each others’ friendships and character. Academic experiences challenge individuals to develop a sense of who they are, what they believe, what they will do, and who they want to be with. This is especially true in a school like Canyon Crest Academy, where there is a very
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heavy influence on education and getting into top schools in the future. That kind of pressure can change the perspective of a student, sometimes negatively. There’s always talk about getting all A’s in the 20 different AP classes that students are taking, along with competing to get a high score on the ACT or SAT. Salma Suliman, a CCA senior, states, “I was always worried about other people’s grades compared to my own. It’s so hard not to compare yourself with others in this competitive environment. However, CCA’s rigorous schedule has helped shaped me into a more capable student who is open to new challenges.” Similar answers are common in other students interviewed. Competition is a prime vocabulary word engraved into high school students, especially in this generation. It’s a constant presence in today’s schools, where students not only compete with one another in the classroom, but in all aspects of life. Everything we do now is for the benefit of our future, but it’s excessive. The struggle towards the highest echelons of college has pushed us too far, with some elementary schools even having days dedicated to college. Getting a college degree is a top priority in order to become a productive member of many areas of our society. As a result, it can challenge a person’s identity by exposing individuals to different points of view. Impressing our fellow classmates and families is just a bonus point that pushes the race further. Competition does drive students to work harder, but is it shaping us to each become our own person? Sure, school is a place for expanding our passions and interests, but many times, high schools don’t place enough emphasis on that. Often, we find ourselves stressing over the three tests we have in the next week rather than exploring our future careers. An identity is the concept our role in the world around us. We don’t just simply wake up one day and become the person we want to become. Instead, our soul-searching journey is a complex process that continues like a path, branching out in seemingly infinite directions. Which one do we take? The right choice is tough to see
Midterms (No, not those) by Annie Lu The election of 2016 is likely ingrained in the memories of every person above the age of ten, given the drama, the vitriolic dialogue, and its overall energy. Midterms, however, tend to be overlooked unless you are an avid follower of politics. Midterm elections occur every two years rather than every four, and while they don’t get as much recognition, they are vitally important in deciding the legislative future of America. Historically, midterm elections signal a swivel in who has the political clout in Washington, D.C. In every midterm since the Civil War, the president’s party has lost an average of 32 seats in the House of Representatives and two seats in the Senate (NBC News). Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who vows to play a big part in the 2018 midterm elections, has candidly stated his belief that “if Democrats control either the House or the Senate, Trump’s agenda is dead.” It goes to show, then, the enormous political importance this midterms season can have in terms of the change that may be enacted on our society. There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the United States Congress. Representatives are directly elected in congressional districts allocated by each of the states on the basis of population. They serve for two-year terms, which means that every seat in the House is up for reelection in 2018. The Senate, on the other hand, is the upper chamber and has “advice and consent” powers, such as approving treaties and confirming presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts, that the House does not hold. Each state only has two senators, and senators serve six-year terms rather than two. Approximately one-third of seats are up for election every two years. This year, the Democrats need 24 seats to flip the currently GOP-controlled House and two seats to flip the Republican Senate, which, out of context, may seem like an easy task. The reality, though, is Republican voters tend to be more reliable than Democratic voters during midterms. However, given the way President Trump has alienated some Americans, the Republican party will still be hardpressed to defy history. Democrats are predicted to gain ground in well-educated, affluent suburbs—regions repelled by Trump—but in order to take back Congress, they will
also need to win back working-class whites in the Rust Belt, where Republicans hope to make gains. Despite often being overlooked, midterm elections are critical in determining who commands the United States legislature. Similarly, while people might not typically associate youth with politics, young people are vitally important in influencing events as well. One question that is likely on many minds is how much of an impact the “Parkland generation” can make this season. Following the nightmarish shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida this past Valentine’s Day, students have taken to the streets on a fierce crusade for gun control. Younger generations have a history of the lowest voter turnouts, likely in part due to a lack of financial influence and fewer overall obligations, as explained by Mr. Unwin. Older adults tend to have more disposable income that they can direct towards supporting political campaigns, which not only allows them to be more civically engaged, but makes them potentially more valuable constituents. Additionally, as people begin having careers, families, and the need to pay income taxes, “[They] start to become more cognizant of how the government plays a role in their life in a way that may be annoying to them. That annoyance drives them to be more involved in politics.” Prior to that awakening, though, politics can seem irrelevant to most younger groups, which is precisely what causes them to lose their political leverage. According to Reid Wilson from The Hill, “About 17 million members of Generation Z—those born after 1997—will be eligible to vote by November,” which equates to a quarter of the millennial population. This year will be the first time the world’s youngest demographic can make an impact through voting. Mr. Unwin believes that students can certainly have an impact. Even for those too young to vote, “You can be politically active, and [politicians] will listen. If they start getting a lot of letters from teenagers, even though they can’t vote, those teenagers will vote someday. That does matter.”
15
A Whole New Ball Game by Amanda Arnett
16
Here he comes. Racing around third base, eyes locked on his target, the crowd roaring, and fierce determination on his face. As he takes his final steps towards victory, his expression takes a turn. The clenched jaw and furrowed brow vanish, replaced with a beaming smile and the arms of a champion raised in the air. All he can feel is the glory of the moment; he has just scored the game-tying run for the Nationals. Professional baseball player, right? Wrong—it’s eight-year-old Austin Brown. “And here comes Downtown Austin Brown with a killer home run for the Nationals!” booms the announcer. Austin Brown, however, is not your typical Little League player, and the Nationals are not your typical little league team. Austin, the Nationals team, and many others are a part of a unique program called Miracle League—a nonprofit organization that provides kids with both mental and physical disabilities the opportunity to play baseball. This program allows these children to experience all the aspects of being a part of a team and playing a sport that they would otherwise never get the chance to play. Each player is matched with a buddy that helps them play throughout the season by performing activities such as helping at bat, running around the bases, and playing catch in the outfield together. The league began in 1998, when the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association’s head coach, Eddie Bagwell, invited a disabled child in a wheelchair to play on his team. The first domino had fallen and a chain reaction had begun. Before long, the original Miracle League field opened in Conyers, Georgia in April 2000. Today, there are over 240 Miracle League programs across the United States and in Canada, Puerto Rico, and Australia. “We cannot change or cure the medical issues life has dealt children with disabilities,” says Miracle League president and co-founder Diane Alford. “What we can do is provide them with an opportunity to experience the joy and benefits that come from playing our national pastime: baseball.” That is now a reality for over 20,000 developmentally and physically disabled children. Fast forward to 2005 when former CCA parent Dan Engle started The Miracle League of San Diego branch at San Dieguito Park. When asked what encouraged him to create a Miracle League of his own, Engle responded, “It was an episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel about the first Miracle League in Georgia, and we just decided that we needed to do this in San Diego!” Not only was he inspired and moved by this episode, but at this time Engle was also battling stage two melanoma. When the radiation therapy and the biochemotherapy restricted him from his job, “The Miracle League filled a terrible void and provided me with inspiration,” Engle recalled. Everyone knows that community service can be key to an exceptional college application. While there are some teenagers that perform community service out of the pure joy they get from it, there are undoubtedly also individuals who do it just to beef up their resumes. Miracle League, however,
may just change that mindset. Whether or not you begin volunteering at Miracle League for individual gain, you will leave with a newfound perspective and an appreciation for volunteering. “It really is very eye-opening and crazy how good of friends you become with these kids. I truly looked forward to going every Saturday,” says CCA senior Carter Reeves. This connection between the buddies and the players is what makes Miracle League truly special and volunteering feel like much more than just a chore. “When you see how happy and excited these kids are to play with you, you really feel like you are part of something bigger,” Reeves expresses. At the end of every game, players and buddies can be seen all around hugging each other goodbye. While these pairings may be unexpected or unconventional, Dina Heilberg, mother of a Miracle Leaguer, remarks how “the buddy system is just great because I can’t say these kids have many friends outside of Miracle League. They don’t have much of an opportunity to make friends.” At 3 P.M., the happiest place in San Diego comes to a close for the week. The red lights of the scoreboard no longer flicker, and the little field seems almost too quiet. Until next Saturday. If you would like to become a buddy and volunteer at Miracle League, visit http://miracleleagueofsandiego.org/ buddy-program/
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Senior Year by by Gabriella Patino
18
y the Month The year begins with a high in late August. After returning from a busy summer, worrying about your final college list takes a brief pause. It becomes clear that you are the top dogs on campus and there’s thrill that comes with that. Watching the sea of freshmen scramble to find their new classes, giant backpacks in full swing, is nostalgic. As you carry around your laptop, keys, and hydroflask, you walk to class slowly with your friends. There’s no rush to end the conversation and be on time to first period. September comes around faster that we would like it to. This is when the FAFSA, FERPA, Brag Packet, and supplemental essays all come back to haunt you after you sleep through the senior presentation. Hopefully, you spent your summer preparing your Common App and thinking about teachers to write your letters of rec, because if not, this will be a very intense month. The deadlines that once felt so far away are suddenly right in front of you and the final crunch to apply for those early action schools is real. As if the college application process wasn’t hard enough, all the fall APs you’re regretting signing up for are getting to be quite annoying. October flies by with the last minute standardized testing and prep for midterms (sort of). Halloween is nearing now, and that senior year mentality kicks in, convincing you that it’s ok to blow off studying to hang out with your friends. This accumula-
tion of exhaustion and stress makes for a surprisingly quick month. November means the start of the holidays, which means no school, which means more time for college apps. Though Thanksgiving is meant for stuffing yourself and watching football, it ends up being one of those meals where your extended family won’t stop pestering you about where you’re applying to college. Your list of schools has likely become a bit of a monologue that you’ve been forced to rehearse a million times over again with your parents, counselors, and nosy strangers that see all of your college sweatshirts. When December comes around, the only thing on your wish list for the holidays is an acceptance (I mean, you’ll take a nice new car or something, too). For those early action/ decision students, December can be a rough month filled with anxiety and absolutely brutal waiting. As soon as mid-December rolls around, you better bring a charger with you to school because you’ll be refreshing your email about twenty times per minute. Eventually, New Year’s Eve comes and goes and you’ll probably be finishing your apps for that infamous January 1 deadline. January and February are exciting months because most of the college deadlines have passed. Suddenly, the smallest homework assignment seems like it’s the end of the world. Are my teachers trying to kill me with these
three pages of Econ reading? Excuse me while I groan my way through this coloring assignment for Anat/Phys. Of course, the free time to hang out with your friends and relax a little is much deserved, but you wonder how you’ll ever find your motivation again in college. March and April are when the anxiety of college creeps back again. Of course, Senior’d Out is a nice distraction. Suddenly, no one is safe and floaties are everyone’s best friend. If you see someone sprinting to class, they’re not late, they’re just in it to win it. Once colleges start responding, we start celebrating and spending all our money on college gear. May is full of graduation anticipation and prom planning. “Don’t Jack My Swag” is in full swing, and the most stressful thing you’ll have to deal with is most likely remembering to buy your senior passport. The anticipation of the last week with your class is exciting; start saving now for those mickey ears and cap decorations. I haven’t graduated just yet, but with the amount of times I’ve spent imagining myself accepting that diploma, I feel like I have. With my friends sitting next to me, my parents’ obnoxious picture taking, and my future in my hands, there’s nothing I can’t do. No matter what grade you’re in, treat each year like it’s your last. 19
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Tourism by Lily Lin
Every year, millions of tourists search for new places to discover and explore. And while not all tourists are hazardous to the environment, some can set a bad example for the rest of the group. With the increased prevalence of social media platforms in modern society, certain landmarks have become famous for being “Instagrammable,” leading more people to visit with the intention of taking internet-worthy pictures themselves. This consumerism has been expanding, so many places that used to be authentic have turned into tourist traps and are no longer spots for locals to visit and enjoy. While the government may focus more on maintaining the scenery and wildlife in pursuance of inflating the allure of their region, the masses of people flooding the fragile buildings and touching invaluable relics worsen their conditions over time. Additionally, construction has also been added to different destinations in order to create a better and more memorable experience for the visitors. According to The Global Development Research Center, “In Yosemite National Park (US), for instance, the number of roads and facilities has been increased to keep pace with the growing visitor numbers and to supply amenities, infrastructure and parking lots for all these tourists.” The added facilities and roads have caused disturbances to the wildlife and have emitted more air pollution, further dam22
aging the environment. Tourism facilities, such as hotels, restaurants, and resorts, also add to the air and water pollution already emitted, worsening the natural habitats and further destroying the culture and charm of the attraction. To combat the pollution that many areas produce as a result of heavy tourism, many tourist attractions include “green hotels” that aim to be environment-friendly to save water, energy, money and to reduce waste. According to Green Hotels Association, “a Chicago Hyatt reduced their waste by 80%” after their staff discovered they were “pulling $3,000 to $10,000 a month of hotel property out of the waste stream.” They were able to reduce waste by recycling more actively and requesting suppliers to provide minimalistic packaging. Many places have also tried to reduce their waste by promoting the use of each tourist’s personal toiletries, which allows hotels to not waste gently used products. In Huangshan, China, the hotels encourage guests to bring their own bathroom products, such as shampoo and body wash, as their hotels are located thousands of feet in the air. Due to the high altitude, waste has to be carried down by workers who balance the trash on their shoulders as they walk down thousands of steps. Guests who bring their own goods save hotel supplies as well as labor, and are compensated with a unique experience living on top of the breathtaking mountains,
immersed in peaceful isolation. In addition to reducing waste, hotels use energy-saving and water-saving equipment that reduces the amount of resources that staff and guests expend. With cooperation between the suppliers, staff, and guests, hotels can greatly reduce their environmental impact which, in turn, preserves the scenery and provides guests with healthier living accomodations. To limit the number of visitors in one place at a time, some locations have restricted the number of people allowed at once as to not overwhelm the delicate structures. Most national parks and monuments have established signs to prevent visitors from touching and disturbing the wildlife that resides there. However, despite the presence of clearly worded signs warning against this behavior, some tourists still choose to not acknowledge them. With this threat, tourists should be informed further about the consequences of disobeying the warnings meant to help preserve the attractions. Officials should be monitoring these areas in order to diminish behavior that would harm the wildlife and condition of each site. As stated by the Official Website of the Tourism Council of Bhutan, “There is no limit on the number of tourists admitted into the country each year. In order to protect our culture, traditions and natural environment the government has adopted a strict policy of ‘High Value, Low Impact Tourism.’” This policy aims to attract conscientious tourists that will respect the unique culture and values of the Bhutanese people while also providing the visitors with an unforgettable one-of-a-kind experience. Nevertheless, in spite of the many negative implications, tourism is still an important economic factor in many countries. One of the reasons tourism has grown so rapidly within the last 50 years has been due to its immense benefaction towards the local economy. Greater popularity allows for more job availability for locals, along with better preservation for scenery and wildlife, according to National Parks UK. Tourists are an essential component in funding the attraction’s culture, consuming local goods and commodities in order to immerse themselves in the foreign experience. Every year, San Diego hosts the San Diego Comic-Con International, a multi-genre entertainment and comic convention. According to the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, more than 130,000 attendees are attracted to the convention annually “and [it] has an economic impact of $143 million.” Because of the tourism that Comic-Con creates, San Diego’s economy is positively impacted as money is generated towards funding the next year’s convention and improving the city. The tourists also benefit the locals directly by spending money at local businesses and attractions. Unfortunately, economic benefits of tourism tend to be temporary. In places that rely heavily on tourism, local employment is seasonal, prepping for the oncoming wave of foreigners. With these seasonal jobs, many locals do
not work during the off season as there is not much to do in the absence of tourists. According to Eurostat, “In Croatia, nearly 42 times more nights are spent in tourist accommodation between July and September than in the first three months of the year.” Unfortunately, some areas in Croatia delay their off-season preparations until just a few weeks or months before the actual season begins. In Croatia, they begin fixing the roads and infrastructures just a month or so before early July, the start of their tourist season. If preparations for the tourist season were carried out throughout the entire year, there would not be a rush to complete construction before the season started, and workers would be provided with more consistent employment. San Diego is impacted by these same tourist ups and downs. As our state’s largest city is not always covered by a cloak of smog or clouds, vacationers often come to San Diego to soak up the California sun. Despite the recent loss of the Chargers to Los Angeles, there are plenty of other reasons to come to San Diego, such as SeaWorld, Balboa Park, and the previously mentioned Comic-Con. The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation published their findings regarding tourism’s impact on the San Diego economy in 2017, and it shows how large the industry is. It brought in about 200,000 visitors that year, with tourism also being responsible for nearly 200,000 San Diego jobs. However, there are serious downsides to San Diego’s tourist economy. Tourists need hotels to stay in, and San Diego was in the process of building 2,283 new hotel rooms as of January, according to The San Diego Union Tribune. This is in spite of the fact that San Diego is still in the midst of a housing crisis, with a recent WeAllCount homelessness survey placing 8,576 homeless people in San Diego County as a whole. The massive size and importance of the tourism industry can distract leaders in business and politics from more important issues their residents face, and San Diego is a great example of this. Tourism is an important industry that allows people to visit and immerse themselves in another culture and learn more about the world around them. With the growing industry, local economies receive a boost from the increased job availability and income. However, while tourism may help the economy, the increased foot traffic and building of facilities to convenience visitors has also caused an increase in pollution, habitual loss, and cultural loss that have deteriorated the quality of the attraction. In order to preserve these historic sites and natural landscapes while still maximizing people’s experiences, tourism should be kept to a lesser extent to allow better maintenance of the beauties of the world. Without better care, these areas may be lost, letting another culture disappear at the expense of making a profit. 23
Travel Tips W Black and Brow
by Amy Cheng and Alyssa Cho
With the onset of summer, it’s time to prepare for vacationing, and vacationing well. Mr. Black, Mr. Brown, and Hector recently went on a fantastic trip to Japan—just one stop in the saga of Black and Brown Travel. We asked them about their advice on globe-trotting; here are their tried and true travel tips (with anecdotes!). What do you pack? Brown: I always think it’s important to leave room in your suitcase. You don’t want it to explode when you unzip it and struggle to put things back in. I think it starts with space. You need to pack space. Black: And the second part of that is if you find a cool little trinket you’d love to bring back, there’s room in your bag to accomplish that. Brown: Sometimes, it’s not buying a souvenir. A lot of stuff that you don’t pack, you can usually pick up on the way. I’m always big on packing really light and if I need something, I’ll get it. Mr. Black got a pair of shoes in Japan, and he had room for them. How do you pick what clothes to bring? Black: It’s always good to layer. When you’re planning outfits, try to have some versatility in your wardrobe. If you’re out hiking and it’s getting hot, and then it’s getting chilly all of a sudden, you want to have options. Think about what neutral colors are going to go with a lot of things so you can look good, if that’s what you’re concerned about. And then, you need to think about the cultural norms of places that you’re going. In certain churches and temples, for example, we shouldn’t be wearing shorts. It’s important as a traveler to know the cultural norms of the places you’re going to, so you’re not offending people. Brown: Another thing to think about when you plan your outfits is that 65 degrees in San Diego is not the same as 65 in the mountains or somewhere that’s windy. We were in Washington D.C., and 65 with wind and rain was way colder than San Diego 65. So don’t just go on the temperature alone—most places don’t have the perfect weather that we have. What if you’re going somewhere where they speak a different language? 24
Black: I try to learn “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.” I always joke that inevitably I’m going to offend somebody for doing something. I feel like if you’re in a foreign country that speaks a language other than your own, if you just demonstrate that you’re trying to engage with the locals and participate in their language, people will be incredibly gracious to you. They’ll allow you to fail and know that you’re respecting their culture and not expecting that everyone speaks English everywhere you go.
Brown: I find it’s helpful to be able to say phrases like, “Delicious!” say, when someone gives you food. They can see it on your face, but to be able to tell them that you really appreciate this food—or if you’re looking at something in their culture that they take a lot of pride in, like a work of art and you can say, in their words, “I appreciate that,” that’s going beyond the practical “Where’s the bathroom?” It’s moved into, “I really want to be able to communicate with you for your sake, not for my sake.” How do you forage for food? Black: I do this here in San Diego, as well. If I’m at a Chinese restaurant, I want to see Chinese people eating there. If I’m in Convoy and I’m going to Jasmine, I know I’m eating really great dim sum, because there aren’t a lot of people in the room that look like me. And if I’m going to a foreign country I want to see the same thing. If I see the locals are participating and eating at these establishments, then I know that it’s probably going to be a pretty awesome place for us to experience something new, or at least something more authentic than Chipotle Mexican food, right? Brown: Yeah. And I think that sometimes, rather than going for what you want, you should be looking at what the place specializes in. What we found in Japan is that there are ramen restaurants, sushi restaurants, and teriyaki restaurants; each restaurant had its own kind of food. Don’t try to get the ramen at the sushi place, or the teriyaki at the ramen place. Any tips for meeting locals? Black: Mr. Brown and I are not shy people. I think sometimes, when we take students with us, their default position is a place of anxiousness. So we force our students outside their comfort zone by creating these scavenger hunts—so whether it’s singing a song, doing a dance, or saying a
With own
phrase and exchanging dialogue with a local, it forces our students to talk to people. I don’t think [Brown and I] have that difficulty, but I think sometimes students do. And I understand that. Brown: Also, it’s about where you’re going. You’re not going to meet a local at your hotel or at the museum, but you might meet a local at the grocery store, which can be fun too. Grocery stores in foreign countries are always cool. When we were in Panama, I stood there staring at coffee for, like, five minutes. And eventually I worked up the courage to ask someone who came by, “What coffee do you like?” And they had so much to say about the different coffees! It was this really genuine interaction and I came back feeling really good about the coffee purchase. Usually, you have some down time, so you can fill that with really fun, everyday experiences, just normal stuff that can give you a feel for the way a place is. What do you do when you find yourself lost? Black: That’s funny. We tell our students to get lost all the time, especially in places like Venice. It’s really not a city that you can get lost in—all roads lead back to San Marco Square in the middle of the town; eventually you’ll always find your way back to the compass point. And with technology today, we’re never truly lost. Our students always have our contact information. We’ve had students that got seduced by pastry and couldn’t find us, but they always manage to find their way back. Brown: If you don’t have GPS on your phone, or just have a really poor sense of direction, you can take pictures of stuff as you go. It’d be a really easy way to communicate even if people don’t speak any English or you don’t speak their language—just show them a picture of the main square or a landmark that you’re trying to get to. It’s like dropping breadcrumbs, but instead you’re taking photographs that you can retrace your steps with. What do you look for in a good souvenir? Black: I try to find ones that I’m not seeing everywhere. We were looking at chopsticks, and I love the idea of my triplets each having their own pair of chopsticks. But in certain cities you go to, you’d see the same chopstick with the same design, versus maybe some handcrafted ones. It’s just like if you go to San Diego, you see the same little tchotchke
things—keychains with “I love SD” or something like that— and you see them all over town. Brown: I like things that have a story, so it’s not like, “Here’s a key chain. It says Italy on it because I went to Italy.” I want to be able to tell someone about the memory I have associated with it or why I thought of you when I saw this thing. I don’t think they really want a keychain that essentially says, “My friend went to Italy and I got this keychain.” And sometimes that means the “souvenir” isn’t actually a souvenir. The coffee I got in Panama wasn’t particularly touristy, it would be like coming here and buying a bag of coffee from Ralphs, but it sent a message like, “I know you like coffee, I talked to some locals, and they said this is the coffee I should get.” @CCA_blackandbrowntravel
25
WINTER 2017
DECEMBER 19-29
SAT
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The Perfect Venue for Graduations, Proms or any School Celebrations! Whether you’re celebrating your graduate with a tranquil group dinner, hosting an After Prom Party or organizing a school event, Seasalt Del Mar offers private event space that can accommodate up to 170 guests. From outdoor patio space overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon to private indoor space with a 50” TV, Seasalt provides the perfect venue to host any school event, party or function. To begin planning your event, please call or email Sal at 858.864.9598 or Sal1@seasaltdelmar.com. View details on our event spaces and banquet menus at SeasaltDelMar.com. 2282 Carmel Valley Rd. Del Mar, CA 92014
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