eMAG 25 by eMAG magazine

eMAG 25 | WS 2014/2015

emag-augsburg.de

Dear reader Have you ever been in a situation to which your first reaction was a resounding ‘really?!’? It might have been to express amusement, incredulity, anger, astonishment, annoyance, disbelief… it’s amazing how many different emotions this word can express by subtly changing the intonation! But ‘really?!’ isn’t merely a reaction to an event or somebody else’s behavior; it can be an attitude, too. Everyone can use the phrase at some point to step back and critically reflect on where they’re going, what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. Maybe, if more people learned to look at themselves with a ‘really?!’, they would perhaps spare others some aggravation. In the spirit of ‘really?!’, we’ve taken a look at eMAG and made some small changes. If you’re already familiar with the magazine, you’ll notice that we’ve discontinued the ‘Same procedure’ section. However, we’ve chosen to continue some of its features: for the first time, Watch.Read. Listen contains recommendations for works focusing on countries from the African continent such as South Africa and Senegal. You’ll also find a charity article introducing you to Wildwasser e.V. For the other sections in this issue, we’ve collected those ‘really?!’ moments that give us pause, annoy us, make us do a double take, or see us on the floor laughing so hard our belly muscles are still sore the next day. So sit down, relax, read and infuse your day with a healthy dose of ‘really?!’. And if you can’t get enough, check out our website, where you can find the second parts of some of this issue’s articles as well as many other pieces. Your editor-in-chief, Lena

eMAG is an independent non-profit magazine published twice a year, by students, for students. It is part of a University of Augsburg Language Center course, as well as the Begleitstudium Problemlösekompetenz. Everything related to the production of the magazine is conducted in English. The aim of eMAG is to entertain and inform the university community about international, intercultural and local topics in the English language. As part of its philosophy, every semester eMAG donates a full-page advertisement to a local charity. We also regularly publish articles on our website www.eMAG-augsburg.de. The content of individual articles does not necessarily reflect the team’s view and opinions. print run: 1,500 price: for free published: January 14, 2015 printed at: Senser Druck GmbH copyright: 2015 eMAG. All rights reserved. www.eMAG-augsburg.de

Author: Lena Schwarz; Layout: Luisa Hagen; Pictures: Sybille Ehing, Luisa Hagen

Table of contents Really?! Real-ity Alohomora, Edinburgh! Internet trends Addicted to needles?! A look back into the future Are we free? What is love? Staff’s favorites “Do you have lactose-free milk?” “Never miss a good chance to shut up”

5 6 8 9 10 12 14 15 16 18

Whole wide world Pearls of the north Land of adventures To see with unclouded eyes Rome sweet home The bigger – the better! Never kiss Napoleon in a casino on Malta! Tastes of Thailand

21 22 24 26 28 30 31

Keep it local Beef steak at beef lake... Of hakas and hookers Femi-mission The beggar mafia in Augsburg Staff’s favorites Sandman’s calling How to cope with stress Have you ever wondered how hard it must be...? An internship in Malaysia Bored of your old playlist? Watch.Read.Listen Navigating white water Staff‘s favorites Team of eMAG 25

33 34 36 38 39 40 42 44 45 46 47 48 50 52

Real-ity Does the news really tell the truth?

People say that watching the news helps to understand what’s going on all over the world. But when we take a closer look at what the news tells us daily, it seems the world has become a rather hopeless place. Is this our reality? Or is it just a skewed image of the world we live in? At the beginning of this term I was planning to write about the ‘umbrella revolution’, about young people peacefully protesting for democracy. It was all over the news back then how social media played such a major role in this movement. Then I got to actually talk to some students who live in Hong Kong – they painted a whole different picture. So I started to wonder: Does the news really tell the truth? The fact that the news is biased is considered common knowledge these days. The reason for it being so, however, we tend to forget or ignore since it doesn’t really affect us personally. Because why does it matter whether social media helped spreading the word in Hong Kong or not? It did spread, didn’t it? But here’s what upset me: If the news manages to shape the way we see the world in little things like that, it can also do so on a bigger scale, perhaps without us even noticing.

The reason for this ‘one-sidedness‘ is oftentimes rather simple: A newspaper or broadcaster doesn’t do all the research itself. Since there’s so much going on all over the world every single day, the news relies on news agencies and their correspondents to provide them with the necessary information. These agencies gather information from journalists and freelancers, sum them up and then pass them on to their ‘clients’. This results in an enormous flood of information which newspapers and broadcast news shows can hardly pass on to their audiences unedited. So what the news does – what it basically has to do – is filter the information in the same way our brain does every day in order to avoid sensory overload. Depending on the target audience, or perhaps the sponsors, the news content is adapted accordingly. So instead of giving us a detailed picture of what is actually going on in Hong Kong, for example, the news keeps us ‘constantly updated’ on what has just happened, bit by bit. That way we think we’re fully informed – but often we’ve only seen one version. So yes, the news does tell the truth — it just doesn’t tell us the whole truth. It leaves out information it finds either uninteresting or not appropriate in a certain context. What we can do now is start thinking about what we see every day and become aware that there might be another side to the story, a side the news didn’t tell us about. It’s up to us to inform ourselves. Author & layout: Nadine Ellinger; Pictures: John B. Henderson/commons.wikipedia.org, Ar Lit/commons.wikipedia.org

Alohomora, Edinburgh! Following in the footsteps of Joanne K. Rowling and Harry Potter Did you queue half an hour before the shops opened when a new Harry Potter novel was released? Did you wait for your Hogwarts letter to arrive year after year as a child? I did. And although it never came, I have now discovered a way to pay tribute to Joanne K. Rowling for her books, to see the buildings that possibly inspired her to create Hogwarts, and to learn the “Road-Safety-Spell,” even as a muggle: Let me take you on a journey to Edinburgh. On a coffee with JK Before we start our search for Hogwarts, we want to pay our respects to Joanne K. Rowling. So we order a cup of coffee at The Elephant House, “the birthplace of Harry Potter” according to the sign in the window. We take a seat at the largest table in the crowded tea room and enjoy the fantastic view of the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle. After a while, we discover a drawer in the table, where guests can leave fan-mail for Ms Rowling. After all, it’s very probable that she’ll turn up here again, now that the place is always packed with intrusive fans. We finish our coffee in a hurry, spotting the masses of tourists waiting for a seat, and leave for our wee tour in Harry Potter’s footsteps. Tom Riddle and the second-rate poet Our first destination is Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, a beautiful old graveyard right behind the Elephant House. We join a tour whose guide is wearing a long black cloak and spectacles. He is going to show us some tombstones whose inscriptions inspired the names of many of JK Rowling’s characters. But before we start, we have to learn the Road Safety Spell, because we will have to cross a road during the tour. Having practised casting “Rossio Lumos” with the wands we were handed, a spell that is supposed to turn green traffic lights red, we finally walk to a large tombstone “sacred to the Memory of Thomas Riddell.” Aha, this must be Rowling’s inspiration for Tom Riddle in Harry Potter - big deal. People used to leave fan mail for Lord Voldemort here, too, but it has been removed by the City Council. Having admired the tomb for a reasonable amount of time, we walk on to a plaque on the wall which reads: “Here lies William McGonagall, poet and playwright.” Ms Rowling is said to have sat on a bench underneath

Greyfriar’s Kirkyard

the plaque, read the name, liked it and then used it in her book. If she hadn’t, William McGonagall would have remained unknown and his rest undisturbed. Instead, due to the enormous success of Harry Potter, fans of bad poetry can now buy a collection of his poems. The city of enchanted castles So far, our tour has been fairly uneventful. But there is hope: beyond the churchyard, we get a glimpse of an ancient-looking, castle-like building. A quick look into our guidebook tells us that this is George Heriot’s School. Originally founded as a school for orphans by the philanthropist George Heriot, it is now a super-expensive private

school for posh children (I will be honest, though: orphans are still exempt from all fees). This really is Hogwarts as we imagined it: numerous crenelated towers, large wooden doors and all the kids wearing tartan. Edinburgh is full of such places. Only a five minutes’ walk away we find Teviot Row House, the student union building. I spent an entire year in Edinburgh, and I often went to Teviot for lunch; I still haven’t discovered all its rooms – a bit like Hogwarts. Another candidate is Fettes College, a private school outside Edinburgh, which looks closest to the Hogwarts of the films. Fettes College

I adore J. K. Rowling’s books, and I love the Harry Potter films. Strolling through the beautiful city of Edinburgh and admiring the ancient buildings reminds me of both in a positive way. But honestly: What’s so special about tombstones of people no one has ever heard of? What makes the Elephant House so remarkable? The BBC documentary “Harry Potter and Me” broadcast in 2001 stated that the real birthplace was a café named The Nicholson. The exploitation of possibly Potter-related places is simply ridiculous. Apparently, a pub or café can only stick out if J.K. Rowling has never honoured it with her presence.

Author: Christian Donat; Layout: Hai Nhu Nguyen; Pictures: Su Hongjia, Kim Traynor/commons.wikimedia.org, Christian Donat

Internet trends #really?! #myopinion

You might be wondering what I mean by ‘internet trends’, but if I mention ‘ice bucket challenge’ or ‘beer challenge’ you’ll probably see what I’m referring to. And that’s exactly what my article’s about.

But why are the trends so popular or why do they exist at all? Is it because we don’t have any other hobbies? Are we dissatisfied with our lives? Is it because there’s too much bad news around the world and we need to be cheered up a bit? And why are so many people participating? Is it because of the growing narcissism in our society and the wish for self-affirmation? Honestly, I‘m not able to answer these questions. However, I think it’s worth considering the issues.

Fascinating phenomenon Everyone has experienced the viral nature of an internet trend: how it spreads like wildfire via Facebook, Youtube, by word-of-mouth and even the news. Millions of people are involved. Everybody talks about it, and there’s no escape. For example, it seems that nothing is more important than videoing yourself drinking beer. All the other news – which I find actually way more important – is ignored or just gets lost. You’d like to be a part of the trend; admittedly, it’s great fun and takes our minds off our daily problems and sorrows. Yet this enthusiasm doesn’t last for a long time. These trends are exciting for two or maybe three weeks; then they get replaced by another trend or are just not interesting anymore. Nevertheless, it’s something that stays in your mind, something you’ll always remember – either positively or negatively.

My personal view In my opinion, internet trends are really entertaining, and they also have a communicative effect because people talk about them, which brings evryone together. Maybe trends really give you the opportunity to escape a bit from everyday life. Some have a message or serve a good purpose, which I actually appreciate. And some are really creative such as the ‘horsemanning trend’. On the other hand, some trends appear to be senseless or stupid, so I just react like ‘Really?!’ or they can be really dangerous such as the ‘eating cactus challenge’. That’s where the fun stops for me. Another issue that annoys me is the fact that some people just participate in trends without questioning the whole thing. I assume it might have something to do with peer pressure. Perhaps it’s a good idea to consider these questions: am I really willing to do this, or am I doing this because everyone else is doing it? Do I know what I’m doing? Am I aware of the results and the effects it might have and of the role model function I may have as an adult person?

‘Horsemanning’ was originally a popular way to pose in a photograph in the 1920s in which the illusion of a beheading was created.

Anyway, I wouldn’t participate in these trends because I don’t see any reason to, and I don’t like the idea of being permanently available on the World Wide Web.

#HeadlessHorseman #TheLegendofSleepyHollow #revivalinmid-2011

Author: Anna Laubmeier; Layout: Nadine Ellinger; Pictures: Anthony Quintano/commons.wikimedia.org, Xuanxu/commons.wikimedia.org, Friedrich Böhringer/commons.wikimedia.org

Addicted to needles?! Zugsocking, guerilla knitting, and knitlympics

News knitting and knitlympics

You probably don’t have any idea as to what these curious words or puns mean, yet! They all have something in common...

News knitting is another phenomenon. As you know, Prince William of England married Kate Middleton in 2011. For the big event a woman in the UK had the idea of knitting the news. She knitted wool dolls and they were so popular she even published books about it. She knitted the entire royal family for the wedding so that she could authentically ‘broadcast’ the news. This idea was adapted for the London Olympics in 2012 as well. The woman knitting the royal family sold her own patterns for knitting “your” favorite athlete. Thus, the knitlympics were born.

Knitting Tacky sweaters and other well-meant but unwanted Christmas gifts have long since ceased to define knitting. Instead, it’s evolved and become a trendy thing to do – you can see it happening in university, on trains or buses and even in parks. The huge groups of – mostly – young people you might glimpse knitting in cafés every once in a while bear witness to the ever-increasing popularity of the craft. People that meet to knit together don’t just knit but also share new opinions, trends, tricks and new styles of knitting. It’s often compared with yoga for its ability to help people relax while listening to the soft clacking of the needles. This was confirmed by the Harvard Medical School. It’s also been proven that knitting helps you to improve your memory because you have to do math when counting stitches.

The new/old hobby Even kids want to learn to knit. Today it’s one of the most popular courses in schools. The only problem is that there aren’t enough spots for all of the students. Parents essentially have to let them take part in a knitting class in the afternoon. Once they can participate in a program, they don’t want to knit simple scarfs or beanies, but complicated things in order to show off their achievements. You want to try knitting? All you have to do is go to the next wool shop, buy your wool and ask the shop owner to explain how to knit – or you can watch a video on channels like youtube.com.

Zugsocking and guerilla knitting What would you expect from expressions like these? Zugsocking is when people meet on a train to knit and talk while heading somewhere that most likely has something to do with wool. Guerilla knitting is supposed to have a political meaning. People who participate want to protest against opponents of freedom. They do so by wrapping - amongst others - trees in knitting. It looks like they want to prevent the trees from getting cold and therefore they knit really colorful “clothes” right onto the tree. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it? You just really have to see one for yourself to know exactly what I mean.

Author & layout: Susi Tallmadge Pictures: CPinoB/pixabay.com; Susi Tallmadge

A look back into the future For your safety this article is under CCTV surveillance. “Not all the world’s population will enjoy the gadgetry world of the future to the full. A larger portion than today will be deprived and although they may be better off, materially, than today, they will be further behind.” Isaac Asimov, “Visit to the World’s Fair of 2014” (1964) Smartphone, ebook reader, flatscreen, highspeed internet… despite the sheer amount of revolutionary technological advances that we surround ourselves with, our appreciation for them has dwindled. Moreover, the vast majority of users haven’t got the faintest idea how all the machinery we use every day functions. But jump back 200 years, and you’ll find that the future was envisioned teeming with bright new wonders and endless possibilites. The ingenious inventions and discoveries of the nineteenth century that our society still relies upon include electricity, the telephone and public transport. On a smaller scale, without can openers, potato chips, and Aspirin almost any contemporary student’s life would be unthinkable.

“To Mars… and beyond!” Humankind has always dreamt about what the future would look like. The flying cars that Jules Verne envisioned for the Paris of the 1960s still don’t exist, but engineers are already testing prototypes of self-driving cars that are meant to make traffic safer, just like Verne’s fellow science fiction writer Isaac Asimov predicted in 1964. Looking fifty years into the future, he also pictured us watching 3D television and starting to rely on robotics, and even correctly guessed that the first unmanned Mars mission would be accomplished by 2014. Technology wasn’t Asimov’s only area of interest, though. He displayed a keen understanding of social dynamics, foreseeing the widening gap between the destitute and people with access to infrastructures and resources. The future as a dark place In contrast to what humankind might achieve by sharing resources and striving for international cooperation, dark visions of the future are all the more powerful. Dystopian literature has a long tradition of identifying the problems of society. Criticising the growing dependence on technology, Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” (1932) depicts a society with a caste system ranking from Alphas to Epsilons, in which babies are mass-produced and pre-selected for specific professions. People’s lives are ruled by hallucinogens, technology, and recreational sex, while individuality is suppressed, and spending time alone makes one an outcast. Resistance is futile? The 2002 movie “Equilibrium” shows a world in which emotions have been identified as the ultimate cause of war and therefore have to be repressed by drugs. Anything that could potentially stir up feelings, such as art, literature, and music is destroyed by government forces. Non-conformists are persecuted and killed. We haven’t sunk as low as having video walls in our flats that turn themselves on whenever the government wants them to like in the movie – but aren’t we already giving up our right to privacy for the sake of our safety with traceable smartphones, or by voluntarily sharing personal pictures on social media?

“IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” As we live in a world of CCTV, NSA scandals and Big Brother being nothing more than an established form of entertainment, we’re already halfway down the path to 24/7 scrutiny. An estimated six million surveillance cameras in Britain alone have their watchful eyes constantly trained on people. George Orwell already forsaw the current trend towards the transparent citizen in his novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1949). He describes a cruel, totalitarian regime that has turned the world upside down: the Ministry of Truth manipulates historical accounts and spreads propaganda, while the Ministry of Peace promotes war. Peace, war, and everything inbetween The struggle for peace seems to characterise the twenty-first century. Even though we live in a world of humanitarian crises and though extremism is on the rise, Europeans have been enjoying a largely conflict-free period since WWII. Germany mainly plays a diplomatic and humanitarian role by supporting UN and NATO missions, instead of getting directly involved in armed conflicts, for example, by training police officers in countries like Afghanistan. As Germany lacks natural resources, its most valuable assets are its inventive thinkers, who have secured a good technological standing for us in the global community. Sharing is caring Occasionally ‘sharing’ our wealth through charity is great, but what we actually should do is share technology and make it affordable for everyone. On the one hand, it’s understandable that inventors need to make a living from their work; on the other hand, less developed countries shouldn’t be deprived from acquiring technology altogether. The World Bank’s “Lighting Africa” campaign, which fuses providing affordable technology with being environmentally responsible, is one commendable project. They team up with companies that produce solar-powered lamps for people in sub-Saharan countries, where the vast majority has no access to electricity. The use of renewable energies is becoming more and more important for all of us: in order to encourage individuals as well as other car companies to build ecofriendly vehicles, Elon Musk, the inventor of the Tesla electric car, has made all his patents open source. If the idea of sharing catches on, we stand a good chance of proving Asimov wrong after all.

Authors: Lena Schwarz & Sybille Ehing; Layout: Sybille Ehing; Pictures: pixabay.com, Rick Guidice & Don Davis for NASA Ames Research Center/flickr.com

Are we free? Like... really?!

societies are easily judged by their appearance, and in a way, this takes away their freedom because in order not to be judged they must adjust.

Is emancipation still an issue in Germany? If you look at the media, the answer is yes. Women are generally paid less than men in the same jobs and are less likely to be accepted in leading positions. But if you ask people, the answer is no. For one thing, most people don’t really care, and another, no one really knows what’s going on. That may well be because the term itself is vague. So let’s shed some light...

And there are other societies in which there is a strict set of rules by which all members must abide in public. Be that as it may, when people are in each other’s company, they are often much more ‘free’ to behave and dress the way they like than, stereotypically speaking, people in Western societies.

Emancipation in essence means freeing oneself. The question is from what? There are women in rural, tradition and religion-bound South India who, for the most part, have very few human rights if one compares their situation to that of women in Western or American societies. Take the so-called menstruation ‘issue’ as an example. During ‘the time of month’ women aren’t allowed at school, in the kitchen, even in the same sleeping area as the rest of the family and are restricted from eating certain foods. It may surprise you then that many of them enjoy their life – a lot. If you ask them about feeling socially ‘caged’ you may well be confronted with a confused face and the paradoxical reply that they don’t feel restricted. On the other hand, there are women in ‘emancipated’ societies that feel cut-off in their freedom and are unhappy as a result. I’m speaking of all aspects of freedom, not just the stereotypical woman-in-the-kitchen kind. People in Western

So which of these scenarios would you consider most emancipated? As I said, it’s not an easy term to define. Maybe the view of activists – since they must be fighting for something – can be of help at this point. Let’s have a look. What are activists actually fighting for? Generally – the freedom to have the choice to live one way or another. This in essence means to feel free, because you wouldn’t do all the possible crazy things in the world, you just want the freedom to do certain things whenever and live a certain way for however long you may wish and dress or ‘beautify’ (remember beauty lies in the eye of the beholder) the way you like. But... do you easily give that freedom to others? How often do you judge someone by their

appearance, behavior, language, and so on? Isn’t the fact that you expect people to behave, dress or talk a certain way restricting their freedom, even if in an unspoken way? And doesn’t that restrict your own freedom as well? Perhaps, then, every time you judge, you ‘cage’ yourself, because the person you’re judging feels free to be the way he or she already is. In this sense, emancipation means acceptance. So, should you feel that the society you live in doesn’t give you the freedom you wish you had, perhaps just take that freedom – be the change you want to see. This doesn’t mean boldly going out and doing ‘crazy’ things like shaving your head or walking barefoot all year long. Simply liberating yourself from judging others and yourself and thus gently reminding the world of its creativity may just do the trick. Dare to be yourself. Because, if you really think about it, do those things that make you feel ‘caged’ fundamentally restrict you? Are the things you’d like to do but haven’t done because of conventions, opinions, you name it, really not possible? I always say that where there’s a will there’s a way, and I truly believe this – only those that reach for the stars will eventually get there. In other words, attitude has the power to change things, and it’s surprising to see how much is possible if one accepts and just does what one truly feels is right. The question, then, isn’t really about whether the people around you are emancipated or not. The question is, are you?

Author & layout: Mirà Kanehl; Pictures: Lakshmi Prabhala/flickr.com, Özgür Mülazımoğlu/flickr.com

What is love?

“I love to see ‘ya leavin but I hate to watch you go…” (Cunnin Lynguists)

If you asked ten people “What is love?”, you’d get ten different answers. Those differences aside – and at this point I dare to state an absolute utterance – everybody knows something about love. This one word has various meanings depending on the speaker. “…where’s love to be found?” (Patrice)

In music, of course! Did you ever realize how many song titles include the word “love”? Or talk about love? Here are just a few examples I enjoy. First of all, The Doors and their song “Hello, I love you”, which is about one person’s wish to become a part of the other person’s life: “… won’t you tell me your name, let me jump in your game…”. Also Hindi Zhara and her song “Beautiful Tango” explores how one person falls in love with a stranger and is full of dreams. Her advice for us is: “Don’t go if you wanna know!”. Another point of view is called into mind by Miss Peggy Lee and her song “Fever”, which highlights the physical attraction between two partners. Barrington Levy in his song “I like your style, girl!” emphasizes that we choose who we love. In addition to these more individual-focused texts, songwriters also address the struggles we sometimes have when it comes to loving our world and other human beings. In this case, listening to The Spoons and their song “The Beast & Dragon, adored”, where they sing about the power of love which changes people and encourages them to never give up, might cheer you up. There are even songs about a lack of love. Eminem and Lil Wayne, for example, discuss the issue of childhood traumas in their song “No Love”. Sharing and thus reliving suffering can definitely have a cathartic effect. Is love as old as human beings?

Pierre Auguste Cot – Spring

Whereas the arts focus more on feelings, philosophy focusses more on reason. The philosopher Alexander Moseley explains that the word love is difficult to define because its meaning has always been vague, even dating back to its historical roots in Sanskrit. According to Aristotle and his teacher Plato, human beings experience three interconnected forms of love. The first is called eros, meaning all sorts of physical love, sexual attraction included. Secondly, there is philia, which can be compared to deep friendship. It includes mutual respect for the personality of both participants and the discovery of common ground. Last but not least, there’s agape, which is more spiritual, and could be compared to compassion and includes one’s love of god and the connection of souls.

Not everything that hurts is bad …especially when we think of misunderstandings with people we love. Who doesn’t know the awkward feeling of insecurity which can destroy the time you spend with a loved one? Why all the insecurity? A side effect of loving somebody is the revelation of your own vulnerability when you open up to another person. An imbalance of trust and fear provides breeding ground for misunderstandings. But with love comes trust and trust diminishes fear. However, this process won’t happen overnight and requires hard work. So be perseverant!

Staff’s Favorites Something no-one knows about me Laura I love eating in front of the TV. Sometimes I even wait until 8:15p.m. to have dinner while watching a film or “Who wants to be a millionaire”.

Love yourself! While suffering can function as an engine for change, love provides enough power to overcome loss and pain. This process provides the opportunity for personal growth for both individuals. However, in order to succeed and really be able to love somebody else in the first place, you also have to love yourself. This doesn’t mean that you have to like everything about yourself, but that you know and accept yourself the way you are. Spending time alone, exploring yourself – physically and emotionally – and thus developing personal interests allows you to realize your full potential. Developing an individual style of doing things, be it writing, painting, dancing or something else leads to inner strength, pride and love. …and when the End is near…

Miriam I love trying on clothes for hours :)

Mia I really like the sunset.

“Don’t worry, be happy!” There is no “correct” answer to the question “what is love?” And remember, people who ask questions can go anywhere. So when it comes to love and other questions of life, just ask them.

Steffi I’m addicted to vampire movies and series.

Anna I love looking through cook books - I could do this for hours.

Author: Miriam Elia; Layout: Lena Schwarz; Pictures: OpenClips/pixabay.com, Austriacus/wikimedia.commons.org, Leimenide/flickr.com

Layout: Sybille Ehing; Pictures: Anna Laubmeier, Berna Faber, ColdSmiling/pixabay.com, Flashy Soup Can/flickr.com

“Do you have lactose-free milk?” Food intolerance – new fad?

Working in a café I’m asked loads of questions: What’s a macchiatone? Are the spaghetti pomodoro vegetarian? But the most frequently asked question is: “Do you have lactose-free milk?” - Sadly, I always have to answer “no”.

get an anaphylactic shock (=allergic shock) that may occur only minutes after they’ve had the food substance they are allergic to. In this case, they need immediate medical treatment, because their blood pressure is falling rapidly, which might cause a cardiac arrest.

As more and more people keep asking me this question – and I wasn’t even aware of this problem – I began to wonder if it is possible that food intolerance increases so rapidly or if it is rather a fashion trend. Well, as I was quite curious, I’ve done some research.

Intolerance: imagination of the mind? People suffering from allergies have to eliminate the food substance they are allergic to from their diet, whereas the ones being intolerant may still ingest it in smaller doses – except for those who are gluten-intolerant, because their intestine is damaged by even the smallest amounts of gluten. What researchers agree on is that there’s a psychological component to food intolerance. When people who think they’re intolerant (but aren’t) exclude the suspicious substance from their diet, they feel fine again; however, if they’re given the substance in a different shape (completely unlike the ones they’re used to) they’re not likely to voice any complaints. To research the extent of this psychological component, people were asked to take part in a survey, which showed that 12-19% of the test persons claimed they suffered from a food intolerance. But the funny thing was that all participants were tested afterwards with the result that only 10% of the supposedly ill actually suffered from a food intolerance. Therefore we come to a number of about 1.5% of the whole population – still think you’re intolerant?

Allergy = intolerance? No. Food intolerance is also called “non-allergic food hypersensitivity”. As the name already suggests, it’s not an allergy. The difference between the two – to keep it short – is that an allergy involves a reaction of the immune system whereas an intolerance is caused by a lack of special chemicals or enzymes that help your body to digest a food substance. Opposed to an intolerance, an allergy to certain food substances can be life-threatening. An allergic reaction works like this: an allergen causes a chain reaction in which antibodies are set free. These antibodies trigger the distribution of natural chemicals such as histamine that leads to different allergic reactions, e.g. itching skin or eyes, a runny nose or asthma attacks. Allergies can be deadly! Some people

The most wanted list: If you still think you’re intolerant, you have to look out for lactose, fructose and gluten, which are the most common causes for food intolerances. Firstly, I want to talk about lactose, which is a component of milk that healthy people can digest easily. If a person’s body has too few enzymes that digest lactose, milk sugar is fermented in the intestine which leads to flatulence, stomach aches and diarrhoea. Secondly, you didn’t really think those yummy strawberries are actually as innocent as they look? Attention! They contain fructose! With fructose you have quite the same troubles as with lactose: it can’t be digested properly. Fructose is most common in fruits and their juices as well as in sugary foods. This is because sucrose, which is a very common type of sugar, consists of fructose and dextrose. Last but not least: gluten. People suffering from celiac diseases, which is a life-long illness that’s genetically passed on, have difficulties digesting gluten. Cereal crops such as wheat, spelt, rye, barley and oat contain gluten which triggers the symptoms. The small intestine is destroyed by gluten which makes it necessary to avoid the crops mentioned. Alternatives are corn, rice and millet because their protein is gluten-free. What’s to be done? If you think you really belong to those 1.5% who have to live with a food intolerance, go and see a doctor who will help you to keep a diet or, if necessary, will prescribe some useful medication. If you’re not, don’t pretend to be intolerant. It’s unfair to those who really have to keep a diet, those who have to go without gummy bears, spaghetti or their “apple a day”. Stomach cramps or skin rashes are no fun and certainly no one would like to be in their shoes. I’m still not sure whether it’s a true fad but I hope it’s no more than a flash in the pan.

Author: Isabelle Wiedemann; Layout: Mirà Kanehl; Pictures: music4life/pixabay.com, Nemo & Stones/pixabay.com

“Never miss a good chance to shut up” The power of silence

“You have a great gift of silence , Watson . It makes you quite invaluable as a companion .” Arthur Conan Doyle

When writing my seminar paper about “Pauses in conversations”, I realized that we’re not used to silence anymore. It often feels awkward when there’s no noise around us. That’s why I started focusing on silence in my everyday life. The most interesting uses can be found in movies, presentations and conversations.

Presentations The strategic use of silence can come in handy in many situations, for example, during presentations. It provides time to think, to understand and can help the speaker regain the audience’s attention. Giving a talk is a very complex situation. You have to produce grammatically correct sentences and pay attention to your facial expressions and gestures. And while doing so, you’re being watched. In such moments of insecurity we tend to bridge unpleasant quietness with fillers like “aaa” or “uhm”. If you replace these sounds with a short moment of silence, the entire talk will seem more sophisticated. It’s been proved that adults aren’t able to listen attentively for more than 30 minutes. For children it’s only half of this time. So, in order to help your audience understand better, use silence.

“Silence is only frightening to people who are compulsively verbalizing.” William S. Burroughs Movies Movies very successfully use silence to raise tension and to evoke empathy. One way to create tension is to emphasise the contrast between noise and quietness. Imagine a young woman leaving a party. First you hear the loud music, then she starts walking home and it’s getting quieter. There’s no sound at all… Usually silence indicates an upcoming disaster, like the calm before the storm. For example, in The Dark Knight when Joker escapes from prison there is absolute silence for around 10 seconds. Quietness can also evoke empathy for three major reasons for that. Firstly, the lack of sound imitates the feeling of numbness. The protagonist as well as the spectator focus on one thing, one person, decision or situation. Like in saving Private Ryan. Every important decision he makes is marked by a preceding moment of silence. Secondly, it emphasizes the importance of the situation. Last but not least, silence provides space to feel. In ‘Superman – Man of steel’ after almost every moment of silence Superman or Clark Kent receive a hug. Especially action movies give us very obvious hints when to feel and empathize.

“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” Elbert Hubbard Conversations In everyday chats and professional conversations silence has crucial functions as well. It might be used as a sign of respect; it can provide space for empathy or exercise pressure. When talking to an older person or person of higher rank, being silent and waiting for the other person to speak is a sign of respect. Besides, it’s a common decency to be silent while your conversational partner is talk-

ing. In fact, people only absorb 7% of what they hear. What remains in people’s memories are gestures, facial expressions and personal relations. Last but not least, silence can be used to exert pressure. Professionals like journalists and psychologists use it to gain information from their clients after they’ve asked a question. In our culture it is common to fill silent moments with sound. Even a few seconds of quietness can cause enough pressure to make people talk.

“In the end , we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King, Jr. I think everybody can use a little more silence in their life. When coming home from university, school or work we don’t necessarely need to turn on the radio, TV or computer. Maybe we should enjoy those rare moments of silence more actively. Now, after spending so much time on reading and thinking about quiet moments in our lives, let me close with a quote from Pythagoras: “Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.”

Author & layout: Jaqueline Hieble; Pictures: AdinaVoicu/pixabay.com, Katie Tegtmeyer/flickr.com

Pearls of the north Charming things about Sweden

There’s a land far, far away where people can actually pronounce the Game-of-Thrones-like-names at IKEA. It’s a land full of funny words for “end station”, “good” and “speed” and many more (google away, you won’t regret it). What other magical skills do these mystical creatures possess and what’s life like up there? Hmm, let’s see… Coffee breaks In Sweden you can find just as many different reasons and occasions for having a coffee break as you can find reasons for drinking beer in Germany. The coffee breaks are so dear to our hearts that we even invented a word for it. “Having coffee” isn’t merely about drinking some black delicious beverage; nooo, it’s about taking some quality time for yourself or with someone else in order to rewind. All this definitely isn’t included in “having coffee”, so instead there’s a Swedish verb which combines the actual activity – having a coffee or tea and some pastry, and what it actually means – spending some quality time and having a break in your day. So what do we get?

plan what you can buy where. And the best thing is definitely that we have actual conveyor-belts past the scanning point – with space and enough time for each customer to pack their groceries into their bags. The panic mode of shoving all your things into a trolley while the cashier’s waiting and giving you a pissed “can’t-you-do-it-faster!?” look is as likely as finding elks walking down the shopping aisles (I’d say pretty non-existent). You might raise a few eyebrows, however, if you forget to place the items on the conveyor-belt so that the bar-codes are facing towards you. You wouldn’t want to be rude and make the cashier’s life difficult. No, do their job for them while you’re doing yours.

Tadaa: fika (‘feee.kaah)! These coffee breaks (how it hurts to take this foul term in my mouth) will accompany you throughout the day and are most definitely a part of any regular schedule at work. You may start off with a pre-fika fika, then have your pre-lunch fika – naturally, followed by your post-lunch fika – obviously. And while we’re at it, why not top it off with a regular I’m-bored fika at home? This pleasant routine’s something which won’t take long to get used to, and which will have you seriously considering throwing whatever’s-keeping-you-from-your-third-fika-of-theday out of the window. Friendly habits Did you know that going grocery shopping in Sweden is as relaxing an experience as having a fika? Sure, there are those hectic shopping days, but as long as you’ve got time on your side while browsing there’s nothing to worry about. First of all, we have a so-very-unlikeAldi-system system in our stores – you actually can expect to find, behold, everything you’re looking for in the same store. No need to

And what do we have here? Sandwich-cake (smörgåstårta)! Yes, you read it right, in English anyway. The best fika-invention ever, with lunch and fika at once! Win-win! Author & layout: Tina Myllyniemi; Pictures: Tina Myllyniemi, Talia214/pixabay.com

Land of adventures Six precious Peruvian places

South America has always been a place I was attracted to, so when my friend started working there, I took the chance of visiting her. Together we travelled around Peru for a month. I’d like to tell you about the most amazing places I went to.

brass bands were playing and people danced and drank and sprayed each other with coloured shaving foam. Cuzco My favourite city in Peru! It lies in a valley in the Andes, and is the perfect starting point for a trip to Machu Picchu. I really loved the style of the city and the great market, where you can buy everything from breakfast to half a pig and all kinds of souvenirs…

Lima - the capital When I arrived at Lima airport, I was really glad that my friend picked me up, because there were hundreds of taxi drivers trying to convince me to pick their vehicle. The streets were crowded with cars and people trying to sell water and other wares – it was chaos! The traffic and apparent disregard for traffic rules overwhelmed me at first. (Example: We drove 120 kmh on a curvy, hilly road, where the speed limit is 35 kmh) However, the public transport system is easy to figure out: there are only buses and you can simply flag them down by holding up your arm!

Machu Picchu Quite possibly the most famous place in Peru. Did you know it’s pronounced (matschu piktschu) not “Pitschu”? Machu Picchu is Quechua for “old peak”, the mountain it’s build on. The bus that took us to Quillabamba was kind of small. We had to endure a sixhour ride, up and down through the mountains. When we arrived in Quillabamba, we had to take a ‘colectivo’ (a kind of bus/taxi) to Hydroelectrica, which wasn’t less adventurous, because the road was really narrow and we crossed shallow rivers that fell away right beside us. On arriving in Hydroelectrica, we took on the challenge of a threehour walk to Aguas Calientes, the last stop before Machu Picchu. But the trip was really worth it – Machu Picchu is enchanting, mysterious, breath-taking…

Arequipa - Colca Cañon The only plane we took was from Lima to Arequipa, but that wasn’t as easy as we’d expected. Our flight was scheduled at 9 pm, but it was delayed because of bad weather conditions; in the end, we spent three hours waiting until we were told that the flight had been cancelled. We had to take a taxi at the airport to get to a decent, inexpensive hostel – it turned out to be a bit dodgy. As a safety precaution, we put our deodorant in front of the door, so we would hear it falling if someone tried to open the door. You can imagine that I didn’t sleep very well that night.

Puerto Maldonado – Jungle The jungle was our hardest challenge, after which our stay in Peru would regrettably come to an end. So we took a bus to Puerto Maldonado, where we booked a guided tour – otherwise you can’t enter the national park around Lake Sandoval. It was really an adventure. We saw all kinds of spiders and beetles on our night tour, plus caymans, otters, opossums, parrots and other birds. Unfortunately, we missed the anaconda and the puma.

You’ll find the second deepest canyon in the world near Arequipa. If you like hiking, you should give it a try, but I have to warn you. You have to climb 1000 meters on a really steep path. First, about a twoto-four-hour hike down to the river, then about two hours to the oasis and on the next day up again. This was the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done. You can also ride up with mules, which is quite fun if you’re not scared of the abyss.

If you should ever have the chance to see Peru, take it!! You’ll have a wonderful experience!

Lago Titicaca Our next stop was Puno – Llachón. The most beautiful countryside I’d ever seen; really wild with an incredibly azure sky and a fascinating sapphire blue lake. We also watched a Peruvian carnival, which was really entertaining. It consisted of putting a decorated tree in the ground (like a Christmas tree, but bigger) and felling it later. Four

Cuzco n i l a l me tiona a pig i d a r At guine

The m ost fa mou Mach s place in u Pic Peru: chu

a ct with a t n o c t s le My fir the jung n i n a m cay

Author: Christina Gohle; Layout: Jaqueline Hieble; Pictures: Christina Gohle, Roland Fรถrster, OpenClips/pixabay.com, katzengraben/pixabay.com

To see with unclouded eyes Reflecting about my childhood in Vietnam Vietnam regained peace on the 30th April 1975. It marked the end of the Vietnam War and reunification of the North and the South. From 1975 to 1986, Vietnam went through the Subsidy Economic Period. In 1986, a more liberal economic policy was introduced that made way for a new period of economic reforms. I was born in 1989 in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Join me on a journey through time and space and I’ll tell you some stories. Red scarf I associate my childhood in Vietnam with the image of the red scarfsymbol of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers Organization founded in 1941 by the Communist Party of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh. In wartime, the organization emphasized the role of children in fighting the invaders and saving the country. In peacetime, it plays an important

role in preparing the political ideology of children for the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. It was on a summer day in 1997 when I first received my red scarf. Almost every child in Vietnam was a member of the organization. I learned that following the steps of the young Vietnamese wartime heroes and heroines was something to be proud of. However, in retrospective, I think it’s also made me patriotic and less neutral in seeing the world. Uniforms The image I remember most about my school years is uniforms. In Vietnam, wearing them to school is compulsory. In primary and secondary schools, uniforms consist of a white shirt or blouse and dark blue trousers or skirts. In high school, while the boy’s uniform stays the same, girls wear an elegant white áo dài, a traditional Vietnamese dress. In áo dài, the girls are truly beautiful. It’s amazing to see them cycling to school. They look like a bunch of butterflies flying in a garden of sunlight on a summer day. The image of schoolgirls in white áo dài is also a source of inspiration for many Vietnamese artists. Thanks to the uniforms, we weren’t under the pressure of brand names or dress code. We weren’t defined by our clothes. Moreover, the gap between rich and poor seemed not to exist in the educational environment. My best friend in high school came from a privileged background, while I didn’t. If it hadn’t been for the uniforms, we mightn’t have been able to become close friends. Uniforms didn’t prevent us from developing our personalities and individualities. Just as when you look at the dark night sky, you first see that all the stars are the same. However, when you take a longer and closer look at single stars, you’ll realize they’re all different. That’s how I see uniforms.

Prejudice between the North and the South In Vietnam, there’s a deep-rooted prejudice between the North and the South. It took root in the division of the country during the Vietnam War. The two regions were governed under different political systems. The only source of information was news from regional newspapers, radio and television. Traveling to the other region was prohibited. Thus, people had different images of each other. Even after the reunification in 1975, many people still retained these images and have passed them on to the next generation. It was in secondary school that I learned about this prejudice.

To me, Vietnam means more home than a communist country. When I came to Germany to study, my grandmother was worried sick because of the country’s history. However, the more she’s learned about contemporary Germany, the more she got rid of the image of its past and came to understand it better. There’s still so much prejudice in the world. That’s why I try to see with unclouded eyes.

My best friend in secondary school was born in Southern Vietnam with a northern heritage. It was hard for her to go to school there. The boys in our class made fun of all the characteristics which made her one of a kind, like her accent, her manner or her traits. They called her bad names and said boo when she stood up to speak in front of the class. We wrote each other every day and I felt deeply for my friend. The boys’ prejudice against her northern heritage prevented them from getting to really know her. She was truly beautiful inside. It was only when she went to high school that she was accepted and loved for who she was. Ever since then, she’s been happy again. Vietnamese spirit Life in Vietnam lacks material comforts. However, thanks to my mother, I never suffered from poverty. Although we didn’t have much, I learned to look around and help other people. My mother told me that in times of difficulties, it was important that we helped and shared with each other, instead of complaining, feeling pity for ourselves or trying to keep things for ourselves. As our ancestors said, “Lá lành đùm lá rách”, which means the whole leaf should protect the scattered leaf; we should love and protect each other.

Author, layout & pictures: Hai Nhu Nguyen

Rome sweet home Italy’s real dolce vita

Be prepared to encounter lots of cultural differences when you go to Italy. At least that’s what I learned when I lived in the città eterna for one year. Rome is a city of breathtaking beauty and historical value, and I soon found myself identifying completely with the Mediterranean culture, the southern mentality, the Roman lifestyle and the real dolce vita. Discovering my adopted country Once I’d got used to the hustle and bustle in the city center and learned to avoid the masses of visitors at the city’s most popular sights, I discovered the difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. By just wandering through unfamiliar streets and romantic alleys without a destination in mind, following the scent of hot, strong coffee or savoury pizza, and being enchanted by the classical architecture, you’ll unintentionally discover your favourite places. Getting from A to B

It can take ages to wait for the bus. It might finally arrive after up to 67 minutes (my personal record) or never, for example on Sundays or holidays. However, if it does arrive, you can expect stale air and all the passengers playing a kind of human Tetris to fit into the bus. You’ll be asked ‘permesso’ by people punching you with their elbows to stand right in front of the door three stops before they even have to think of getting up. After having failed to get off at your stop the first time, because you were overrun by people stuffing themselves into the vehicle, you’ll probably adopt these ‘active queuing’ strategies. Even though a bus ride in Rome can become a real test of patience, see the positive side of it. It’s the most authentic and credible excuse for being late at an appointment; by blaming public transportation you’ll hardly ever come under time pressure again.

Sapori d’Italia Feasting alla italiana is definitely among the things I loved from the start. I still don’t get how I succeeded in not putting on weight despite the pasta, pizza, gelato etc. One of my personal favourites is tonnarelli cacio&pepe, a traditional Roman pasta dish which consists of homemade tonnarelli (a sort of spaghetti-like pasta, only thicker) in a sauce of melted pecorino cheese and pepper. The mere thought of a steaming bowl of pasta goodness makes my mouth water! Since I have a sweet tooth, entering a pasticceria which sells all sorts of pastries, cakes or typical Italian sweets such as cannoli filled with ricotta cheese, was like paradise for me every time. I treated myself to (at least) one of these sweets a day, according to the motto ‘a dolce a day keeps the doctor away’. Another integral part of the Italian food culture is coffee. Un caffè is of course not the American ‘long version’ but a strong, hot espresso with an excellent crema and a lot of sugar. For breakfast, after lunch, between two lessons or after dinner, Italians always find a few minutes to have a coffee and a little chat with their favourite barista. I very much appreciated this social aspect of drinking coffee. You might talk to people you meet at the cafés or enjoy the mild temperatures when meeting up with friends in a piazza for an aperitivo.

Grappa

Wein Reis Polenta

BERGAMO Mehr als nur Pasta ...

Lebensmittel, Café, Mittagstisch

Olivenöl Schokolade Spezialitäten Salami Brot Gewürze

Käse

Bergamo – Italienische Lebensmittel, Café, Mittagstisch Frauentorstraße Ecke Jesuitengasse 2 | 86152 Augsburg  0821– 41 26 49 | Mo – Fr: 9 –18.30 Uhr | Sa: 9 –17.30 Uhr

Ma davvero?! Last but not least, some more ‘Really?!’ anecdotes that left me with a ‘Ma davvero?!’ expression on my face: the cashiers in the supermarket will hate you forever if you don’t have small change; you should never hesitate to answer the question whether you are an AS or Lazio fan; if you don’t have a bidè at home you’re an alien; exams might spontaneously be postponed if the professor decides to call it a day, and your Italian flatmates might suspect you of poisoning them if you serve them raw peppers. I was surprised by, I wondered about, I learned to accept, to smile about and to appreciate the Italian culture, which can differ quite a lot from German pragmatism. But once you’ve got used to the lifestyle, you’ll fall in love, and it might end up being what it was to me: Rome sweet home… Author: Laura Volanti; Layout: Andreas Böhm; Pictures: Laura Volanti, Roevin, mat’s eye, Blackcat/commons.wikimedia.org

Finas – Café, Bar, Restaurant, Kaufhaus Haunstetterstr. 27 | 86161 Augsburg Montag, Dienstag, Donnerstag, Freitag: 11:30 - 24 Uhr Mittwoch: 9 - 24 Uhr | Samstag: 14 - 24 Uhr

The bigger – the better! Or how malls influence our shopping behaviour

As a German I consider myself to be very familiar with shopping do’s and don’ts. Our shopping centres and outlets are definitely do’s. I’m referring to clothing stores with profitable sales, but also restaurants and grocery stores. But compared to the USA, German shopping centres are peanuts. On my first trip to Florida I wanted to see as many American stores as possible, so I visited three big shopping malls in and around Miami: Aventura Mall, Dolphin Mall and Sawgrass Mills.

casual apparel, accessories and home furniture, like Forever21, Claire’s or City Furniture, and it’s affordable! In both areas, the shops are also arranged according to what they sell. For example, almost all the sports shops are located in one zone, while the health and beauty shops are located in another. This arrangement keeps walking distances as short as possible, which certainly conforms to the stereotype that people in the US don’t walk very much. And if you get hungry from your efforts, there’s the Ramblas Plaza, where bars and restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory or T.G.I. Friday’s are arranged like a small village. They’re also located near the entrances, so that people can easily meet at one of them for dinner without having to cross the whole mall first.

Whatever your heart desires The sheer size of the malls struck me first. With about 250 to 300 different shops, the Floridian malls are about three times bigger than the City Galerie in Augsburg. The Dolphin Mall, for example, has eight entrances and is divided into three different areas! The Moda (Style) Area is a huge fashion district with chic boutiques and hip outlets selling almost every imaginable brand – or at least the most popular ones. In the Playa (Beach) Area you’ll find shops that sell the typical South Beach style for

“You have the right to remain fabulous”1 “The customer is king” is one of the most important business rules. In America I saw shop assistants

1 http://www.shopdolphinmall.com/shopping

putting this into practice in a way I had never experienced before. As soon as you enter a shop, there’s at least one employee who offers to help, or who just engages you in small talk about the heat outside or the Miami sights you definitely have to see. There are also stores that offer customers special hair cuts or make-up, so that they can look like their favourite movie stars! But for those who don’t have the time to enter the stores themselves, most of the perfumes, nail polish or smart phone accessories are on sale in the public area. The danger of buying unnecessary items is extremely high, believe me... Change in Germany: from shopping streets to shopping malls Back in Germany – my suitcases full of new clothes and shoes – I realized how much our shopping behaviour has been influenced by American consumer trends in the past decades. The shops in Augsburg’s Annastraße, are closing down, while the City Galerie or Modepark Röther are more popular than ever. It seems that “The bigger – the better” is influencing shopping behaviour more than ever before.

Author: Bernadette Faber; Layout: Franziska Leichte Pictures: D. Sharon Pruitt: “What A Girl Wants, What A Girl Needs...”, CC-Lizenz (BY 2.0) http://piqs.de/fotos/144086.html), www.piqs.de; Nemo/pixabay.com

Never kiss Napoleon in a casino on Malta! Fun facts about European countries

Norway: Norway has about 450,000 lakes.

Finland: Finns drink more coffee per person than any other nation in the world, about 12kg per year.

UK: Snake Venom, the strongest beer in the world, is brewed in Scotland

Belgium: In the past Belgium was without a proper government for nearly 2 years, in fact 541 days. This was a world record, and was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

Germany: There is a Barbie doll made after Angela Merkel.

Switzerland: The Swiss Knife cork screw tool is actually made in Japan and not in Switzerland.

France: Naming a pig Napoleon or kissing on a train is illegal.

Monaco: Citizens of Monaco aren’t allowed to gamble or even to visit the country’s casinos. Andorra: The male head of the family is obliged by law to own a gun in case of an emergency.

Malta: Most churches on Malta have two clocks. One shows the actual time; the other is a fake clock to confuse the devil, so that he doesn’t disturb mass.

Russia: Russia is bigger than Pluto

Liechtenstein: Liechtenstein is so small that Swiss troops accidently invaded it in 2007 after they got lost.

Romania: In Romania there’s a “black magic tax“, providing the government with money that’s made through witchcraft and sorcery.

For more fun facts check out part two on our website emag-augsburg.de! Author & layout: Katharina Bruijnen Pictures: San Jose/commons.wikimedia.org

Tastes of Thailand Try this treat!

Do you know the feeling when you’re sitting in one of your lectures and your stomach is growling? You can’t wait to buy something from a fast food restaurant close by because cooking takes far too long… I can assure you, there are other options. Last March, when I traveled around Thailand as a backpacker, I got to know the country’s cuisine, which is mostly healthy, irresistibly delicious and simple.

I definitely couldn’t say what the best dishes are, but I can give you one of my favorites to prepare at home, which is super-yummy.

Interested? Finding something to eat in Thailand wasn’t that hard, but it was definitely an experience. Many Thai people convert their frontyard into a restaurant to sell food to locals who work around the corner, or they use a bike with a gas-tank as a mobile restaurant to deliver food to any location in a radius of 30km. It sounds unusual and at first I even worried about food poisoning, but that’s where you can buy Thailand’s most palatable food. At night, masses of Thais go to the night markets filled with the exotic smell of spices like cinnamon, home-made curry-pastes or fresh, barbecued fish or beef. Every night when we finished our dinner we enjoyed one of those sweetly luscious mango smoothies afterwards. They had just been picked and were blended together in an almost show-like manner.

Pad Thai

If you don’t have a wok, just use a wide pan with a wider surface instead.

Pad Thai or “stir-fried noodles” can be prepared with or without meat and it’s a delicious wok dish with fresh ingredients usually prepared with rice noodles. 100g Chinese noodles 2 garlic cloves 8 chopped spring onions 1 bundle of beansprouts 2 eggs ½ tbs. chili powder meat (chicken, beef or prawns)

dash of sugar 1 lime 3 tbs. fish sauce 10g tamarind water

Put the noodles in some lukewarm water to soften them and sauté the meat. Combine the fish sauce with the tamarind and sugar in another bowl; heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Bring the wok to a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic cloves and the spring onions. Add the noodles and a splash of water; as soon as the liquid ingredients dry up, add the sauce and stirfry until the noodles are almost soft enough to eat. Clear the center of the pan by pushing the noodles to the sides and add another 2 tablespoons of oil to heat up the meat (chicken, beef or prawns), which you’ve fried beforehand, to heat it again. Then add the eggs and mix them with the noodles. Continue by adding the beansprouts and some chives. Serve with a wedge of lime, so people can season their dish as they like.

y Enjo

The recipe is really easy to follow, even if you’re not a chef. The best thing is, it’s easily stored in a container and enjoyable even when you warm it up the next day. You can also get all the ingredients in Asian food supermarkets in Augsburg. Give it a try! It’s definitely less time-consuming than waiting in line at our beloved Mensa! Author: Irina Hohner; Layout: Stefanie Doldi; Pictures: Irina Hohner, Takeaway/commons.wikimedia.org, Nemo/pixabay.com, clarabsp/pixabay.com

Beef steak at beef lake... The Queer-Referat @ Uni Augsburg What do we really know about the Queer-Referat? This is precisely what we wondered. So we decided to drop by one of their meetings at ‘Thalia Kaffeehaus’. It wasn’t hard to get into conversation. Here’s what we found out... The Queer Referat – who is that? The Queer-Referat was only founded this semester (WS 14/15), when the former Schwulenreferat and the former Frauen- und Lesbenreferat merged. The concept ‘queer’ is pretty new and covers a variety of concepts: gay, lesbian, bisexual... do you know what these terms stand for? If not, check the info box on the right. By the way, sexual orientation (which gender you’re attracted to) is not the same as sexual identity (which gender you identify with).

What’s what, who’s who? • gay: a widely accepted term for all same-sex attractions/sexuality; Interchangeable with homosexual • lesbian: a female-identified person who is sexually attracted to other female-identified people • bisexual: someone who is sexually attracted to the male and female sexes • transsexual: an individual who believes their born sex to be entirely contradictory to their gender and sex identity, and may undergo full transition to rectify this • intersexual: people born with some combination of both male and female genitalia; corrective surgery/hormonal treatment can be used during the person’s life so they align with one sex • pansexual: a sexual attraction, sexual desire, romantic love, or emotional attraction towards persons of all gender identities and biological sexes

What do they do? The Queer-Referat is considered one of the most active student groups at the university. Its aim is to raise awareness amongst students, to inform and to challenge general perceptions and prejudices which still exist in our society. Maybe when you started your degree you were given a so-called ‘genderbread man’? The idea behind it is to show that queer people are people that have hearts and minds like everyone else. If you were a student in an Augsburg secondary school, they might have come to your class as part of their ‘Outklärung’ project, which helps young people to understand what coming out could look like, and what sexual orientations there are apart from hetero. They also answer students’ questions and refer them to their cooperation with Queerbeet, Augsburg’s queer youth club. When asked about the general success of the project, Max, one of the group’s speakers, replies “if we reach at least one student with this project, if we help them accept themselves then it was worth it.”

(Source: http://www.brook.org.uk/your-life/single/gender)

What is the concept of Queer Treffs?

Check out their website and Facebook page for upcoming events and the newsletter!

Another crucial aim of the Queer-Referat is to get students to meet up, to create a space where everyone is welcome, no matter what their sexual orientation is. At events like ‘Balls of pleasure’ (bowling), and ‘Beef steak at Beef Lake’ (barbecue at Kuhsee) you´ll find a casual, laid-back atmosphere. The message they want to convey to Augsburg’s students is: ‘Be what you want to be - but be yourself and don’t lose yourself.’

Authors: Ann-Helen Mende, Lisa Nerb; Layout: Mira Kanehl; Pictures: PeteLinforth/ pixabay.com, Queer-Referat Augsburg des AStAs der Uni Augsburg

Of hakas and hookers My experience with the best game in the world

Rugby can be a pretty scary sport to get into, for spectators and players alike. At first it may not be entirely clear if the aim of the game is to ground the ball inside the opponents’ end zone or to try and take out as many of the other guys as possible along the way. But give it a chance and you will quickly realise that what seems to be a chaotic free-for-all is actually a very strategic game with two fundamental virtues: discipline and mutual respect.

accepting these calls without any fuss, and after the match there are no hard feelings, no matter what may have happened during the last 80 minutes. Rugby was the polar opposite of what I’d been used to from stuff like football. I was hooked. And I knew that I had to try it out for myself.

Getting hooked My introduction to rugby probably wasn’t very different from that of most other people’s. I was getting my daily YouTube fix of kittens and assorted random videos, and somehow ended up watching a haka, a Maori war dance that the All Blacks, New Zealand’s national rugby team, traditionally perform before international matches. And, let me tell you, it’s absolutely epic. Don’t believe me? Go on YouTube, type in “haka”, and pick a random video of mean-looking guys in black jerseys.Done? Pretty awesome, right?

Getting smashed I quickly got past my initial problems with the rules of the game. Most of them are pretty logical anyway: only pass backwards, don’t drop the ball, and don’t try to kill anyone. Pretty straightforward. My problem was a bit smaller. Like, literally smaller. BMI of slightly above 20 smaller. I’m simply a skinny dude. In rugby there are two body primary types, neither of which qualifies skinny; first there’s really heavy and then slightly less heavy. The eight really heavy guys (the forwards) generally run forward until they inevitably end up crashing into one of the opponents’ really heavy guys. The seven slightly less heavy ones (the backs) are pretty damn fast, and seem to pass and kick more often. But heavy or not, every player has to be able to bring someone to the ground. Less weight means less force behind and less resistance against a tackle. So, in theory, if you’re too light, you’re pretty much screwed, right? Well... kind of.

So, I watched my first game, and was thoroughly confused. Maybe expecting to understand the rules of a complex sport by watching it once and catching up on the weird terminology as well (kicking for touch, rucking, big blokes called hookers) was a bit ambitious. But still, when the final whistle went, I was in love. There’s physical contact that would most likely send football players into a semi-stable orbit around the planet, referees who actually explain their decisions, players

Getting put in your place For competitive players, there definitely is a too-light category. But when I made it to the Hochschulsport training session, I quickly realised that the game will find the right position for you. Sounds pretty cryptic, but

it’s exactly how it works. During your first training games you’ll find out what you’re good at, what you’re capable of and you’ll more or less gravitate towards the position that fits this profile best. I quickly favoured a position on the side. I can run. And if there’s one thing a winger has to be good at, it’s running. Kicking and catching high balls would be nice too, but that oval thing sometimes has a mind of its own. However, I’m confident that with time I’ll get the hang of that as well. Getting hooked part II If you’re interested in seeing rugby in action, we have a pretty good rugby team here in Augsburg. They’re currently playing in the second division, and are competing for the title. Their home

pitch is in Kriegshaber; all you need to do to watch a game is stop by. Visit their website (www.augsburg-rugby.de) to find out about upcoming matches. And if you want to try it out yourself, in anticipation of the World Cup hosted by England in September, check out rugby in the Hochschulsport, where players from the team show newbies how to kick, pass, tackle, fend, run dummies, step and everything else that you’re going to need to become the next Jonah Lomu, Richie McCaw, Brian O’Driscoll or Jean De Villiers.

Author & layout: Andreas Böhm Pictures: gepiblu via Arvedui89/commons.wikimedia.org, Sonya & Jason Hills, Graham Wilson via Kafuffle/commons.wikimedia.org , PierreSelim/ commons.wikimedia.org, Armando Tura/flickr.com

Manuel (23), Teaching for secondary school English/Geography

Femi-mission On-campus interviews about feminism Feminism?! Is that really a relevant topic nowadays? What with... the German government introducing the gender quota, the 2014 Nobel Peace prize being awarded to Malala Yousafzai – a young girl fighting for girl’s rights of education in Pakistan, – several movements such as Zéromacho achieving international recognition, and women still earning less than men in the same position, the answer has to be a clear YES! But what do students and lecturers here in Augsburg think of feminism? Do they know what this movement is and what it stands for? How are they living gender equality? To answer these and a lot more thrilling questions, Luisa and Kati went on their “femi-mission”: equipped with pen, paper and camera, one goal in mind: to investigate and inform! The results? Keep reading! Jan (19), Computer Science/ Multimedia

What stereotypes of the other gender do you have? In general, I would say that women tend to be more emotional, more social and less rational than men, which is good for special types of jobs. I would say women are more likely to be a good teacher than men because of these distinct emotional features. But that’s biological. There’s this stereotype that boys tend to be better at science and maths, but all I can say to that is that back in my schooldays, the person in my class constantly correcting the teacher in maths and physics was a girl. Sophie (20), Art History and Cultural History

What does feminism mean to you? Gender equality and women who stand up for themselves, their rights and their convictions.

How do men perceive feminists? Are they afraid? Not all, but some. Some feminists are rather extreme. I’m all for feminism, but not for those hardcore feminists who think they’re better than everyone else.

What should be done in politics and society to promote more gender equality? The easiest way would be to brainwash the whole of society! :) It’s important to make people aware of gender inequality because I don’t think many people reflect about the topic.

Do you think family and career can be combined well? Alexandra(18), It would be best if one partner went to work so the Mathematical Economics other can take care of the household and children. If I’m ever in this situation, I’d rather go How do you think having a family and a to work every day than stay at home, becareer could work for you? cause I’m not very tidy… *laughs* It could work if the woman works half a day and the man works fulltime to support the family. But in my opinion that’s unfair. Maybe the man also likes being at home and spending time with his children. But I think that men like to work because they love the feeling of being important and supporting their family on their own. Personally, I would want to be a working mum, so my boyfriend or husband wouldn’t have to support our family on his own.

Dr. Margaretha Schweiger-Wilhelm, lecturer of European Ethnology

Philipp (21), Social Studies

What do you think about the gender quota? It’s a good tool to bring more women into leadership positions. It would be better if no quota was needed, but I can’t see any other way in Germany. Men are better networkers than women. Therefore, they get these jobs more easily.

What could help promote more gender equality? There shouldn’t be a pay gap anymore. In addition, we What’s your image of women in general need new working time models, like a four-day work when it comes to their character? week for both mothers and fathers without They are softer than men. But that’s what some them experiencing a downturn in their people say. I personally think that there aren’t that careers. many differences between men and women. What should be improved with regard to gender equality? There should be total equality in every way, for example, in a relationship or marriage. What I don’t like are things like the gender quota because it shows that some companies only hire women in order to comply with it. Basically, then your only qualification for a certain job is being a certain gender.

Femi-facts

Feminism started as an equal rights movement for women in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the US and UK.

Authors & layout: Luisa Hagen, Katharina Soffer; Pictures: Luisa Hagen, Lena Schwarz

Zéromacho is a male movement that fights for gender equality and the prohibition of prostitution. It was founded in France, where, for example, men are ironing on the streets to make society aware of the importance of equality. The gender quota will be introduced in Germany by 2016. 30 percent of the board members of 110 large German companies are required to be female. There‘s a highly controversial debate going on as to whether the quota makes sense or not. Since women don‘t get the same wages as men, Equal Pay Day reminds us of how many days of the year women are working “for free” to earn as much as men. In Germany the Equal Pay Day was on 21st March 2014.

Zéromachos Germany report WDR

Equal Pay Day Germany

The beggar mafia in Augsburg Criminals or victims? Aggressive begging isn’t the only thing about the beggar mafia that upsets people. For example, residents in the Beethoven-Viertel have repeatedly complained about people relieving themselves on the street before hopping onto a bus with a Romanian car tag. And in addition to the increasing amount of beggars in general, there are several reports of pick-pocketing.

Beggars – they’re as much part of the city of Augsburg as the Perlachturm or the city hall. In fact, we might not even notice them any more. Maybe because we’ve just got used to them, or perhaps because they make us feel uncomfortable. So most people try to avoid eye contact, while others throw a few cents into the beggars’ paper cups.

In legal terms, there is nothing that can be done to avoid these problems, for now. Although aggressive begging is prohibited, the only thing the local authorities can do is to take the money already collected by the beggars, as well as their ID, and ask them to leave. But as none of them are German citizens, it’s hard to prosecute them and impossible to identify the heads of the organizations.

In fact, begging in Augsburg is becoming more and more of a problem. There are up to 30 beggars out on the streets of the city every day, and most of them are part of organized groups from Eastern Europe. They’re brought to Germany by bus and accommodated in tiny rooms outside the city centre. They’re probably assigned a certain spot in the city, for example, Annastrasse, so they don’t interfere with their colleagues’ work. According to estimates, the beggars make up to €40 a day, but they keep little of the money for themselves, as most of it goes to the big bosses pulling the strings in the background.

But there are actually things that every single one of us can do to help. Instead of throwing some coins into paper cups, why not offer beggars a hot drink or some food? But as contact with beggars isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (!), there’s another quite reasonable alternative. There are various charity organizations that know how to help the affected people in Eastern Europe. The money you donate to these organizations won’t end up in the hands of some greedy mafia don. It’ll actually make a change.

One problem is it’s hard to tell the difference between ‘real’ beggars and those who are part of a mafia. Well, most ordinary beggars just sit on a street corner, waiting for a small donation. What professional beggars do is called ‘aggressive begging’. For example, they come up to people in restaurants, cafés or on the street, and ask them for money. Recently, I witnessed an elderly woman on crutches going up to a pedestrian and asking him for money, and showing him a piece of paper with a message on it, along the lines of ‘Please help! No work, no food!’ The man refused to give her money. Suddenly, several teenagers came up to him, insulting him and saying that he should be ashamed of himself for being obviously wealthy and privileged, but still too tight-fisted to be able to spare money for a poor old woman. When the man entered the discussion, another man, apparently a beggar, appeared and told the woman and the teenagers to get into the tram with him. What was really startling about this situation was that the whole system seems to be more complex than one might assume. The teenagers didn’t look poor or needy at all; the only identifying characteristic about them was their Eastern-European accent.

Rumänienhilfe e.V.

Author & layout: Franziska Leichte; Picture: Smial/comons.wikimedia.org

Staff’s Favorites Something no-one knows about me

Katharina B. I‘m studying for my hunter’s license!

Lisa I‘m a nemophilist and a (loan)word fanatic :)

Susi I’m a tea addict – I have more than 50 different flavors, and I still buy more from time to time.

Ellina I was born in Welikij Nowgorod, not far from Saint Petersburg, and moved with my family to Moscow when I was five years old. Every summer I spent three months in Simferopol, Crimea, at my grandmother‘s, and then my family and I came to Augsburg when I was ten years old.

Nadine I collect Nike sneakers; I love them so much I own more than ten pairs.

Bernadette I’m addicted to lip butter – and how soft it makes my lips.

Layout: Sybille Ehing; Pictures: Bernadette Faber, David Sedlmayer/flickr.com, Susi Tallmadge, Tina Myllyniemi, Nadine Ellinger

Tina From time to time I still sing a song my best childhood friend and I came up with. It only consists of words we found on the warning text on the heater in the bathroom. Needless to say, it‘s absolutely marvelous! It‘s funny how some small memories stick with you for life.

Sandman’s calling Sleepless in Augsburg for the sake of science

The time as a university student is probably the most adventurous, exciting – and unhealthy time of your life. I’ve heard rumors that students drink more alcohol than the average German consumer, and some of them are even said to smoke weed sometimes. And, as Sean Kingston sings in his hymn for bygone student days, they “like to sleep all day and party all night”. Shocked? So was I when I heard these things. I’d spent more than three years at Augsburg University and never really gone wild. Is this lifestyle really that hard anyway? I decided to put these things to the test.

Thursday, 11p.m. We meet at Richard’s, looking back at already 16 hours without sleep. Richard is washing dishes when David reveals that he has brought some caffeine pills. We discuss rule No. 5 Friday, 1a.m. We’re telling jokes. David reads one out: “The doctor says: Hey, Mr. Miller. I’ve got bad news. You have AIDS and Alzheimer’s. Miller: Thank God no AIDS!” Nobody laughs. 1.30a.m. We’re creating our “Top five worst hits I’ve ever heard”. Hot favorites are “Wo bist du mein Sonnenlicht” and “Gewicht II – einer geht noch”.

Initially, I planned a combined experiment that includes the parameters [alcohol] [weed] and [sleep deprivation]. But since I wanted it to be scientifically valid, I figured it would make more sense to test one thing at a time. On this occasion, I’ll go for the sleep deprivation (I’ll keep the combined version in mind for my master’s degree, though). Let’s see if this is as hard as it sounds!

2.00a.m. “Dreh den Swag auf” won. We’re getting ready for a walk. David fell asleep. 4.00a.m. Just came back from a walk to Augsburg main station. We wore hats, gloves and scarfs and looked and felt like tourists seeing the scantily dressed girls leaving YUM club.

The Preconditions Three people, one weekend, no sleep. Bedtime for all of us on Wednesday 11.30 p.m., alarm clock on Thursday 7 a.m. And there we go.

4.30a.m. We’re darning socks. Nobody falls asleep with a needle in their hands. The romantic handicraft scene is accompanied by a documentary about crystal meth.

The Rules

6.00a.m. Finally, the shops open. We head to the bakery. I have lost my orientation and have to fully rely on Richard find the way (100m). You should know that I’m someone who really hates getting up the most. When we see sleepy people waiting for the tram, I laugh at them (secretly) because I didn’t hear my alarm clock today.

1. We will not get violent 2. What‘s being said and done this weekend will not harm our friendship 3. If someone refuses to follow the schedule, he or she pays for the next meal 4. We are allowed to keep each other awake 5. No drugs 6. If one of us can‘t bear it anymore, we can use the code word “chainsaw” to terminate the experiment

6.15a.m. At the entrance to McFit, waiting for Richard, whose reaction to tiredness seems to be incontinence. The sporty aura makes me sleepy...and why the heck are there so many young people getting up before 6 to do sit-ups???

8.30a.m. We woke up David, had breakfast and are now bobbing up and down in the swimming pool, too tired to swim but too cold not to move. And why the heck are there so many old people...?

I sit down in the tram and since I have canceled all Saturday meetings I enjoy the prospect of unlimited sleep. I just have to stay awake because I must not misszzzzzzzzzzz................

9.30a.m. Swimming has made us tired and I can’t sit without falling asleep, so we decide to walk to my place and pass by the uni.

Check out a short story inspired by the experiment on the eMAG website!

9.40a.m. We stop at McDonald’s to buy a small Coke and exploit “free refill” until we almost get thrown out. 10.30a.m. I wonder why there are so many students who have afternoon classes....oh, yeah, it’s only ten-thirty... 12.00p.m. Still on our way. Richard tells the Alzheimer’s joke to the camera, we’re laughing like hyenas. 2p.m. I’ve cooked cheese macaroni, forgot to add salt. Instead, David finds three of my hairs on his plate. Oh yeah, also forgot to comb my hair after swimming. 3p.m. My vision is blurred. Can’t hear clearly. Richard tries to tell the Alzheimer’s joke again, but doesn’t get it right. We’re still laughing like hyenas. 4.15p.m. The bags under my eyes are IKEA-sized. We’ve got to move. Heading for the city center. 4.57p.m. It’s already dark again! I drop by the bank to make a transfer. As I leave, I doubt that this was the right moment. 5.28p.m. GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU F§$@* CHRISTMAS SHOPPERS! IT’S ONLY NOVEMBER 7! 5.56p.m. We’ve proceeded to the next level and now feel like we could keep on going like this for two weeks. The only problem is that there is nothing more to do. And we’ve walked some 20 kilometers so far. Our legs are just as wobbly as our brains. 6.12p.m. We’ve come to the conclusion that we’re indestructible. It’s been 36 hours and this is the official end of the experiment. Richard and David take a different bus than me.

Author: Sophia Spyropoulos; Layout: Hai Nhu Nguyen; Pictures: Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech, Nikiko/pixabay.com/, Flashflood/flickr.com

How to cope with stress Overwhelming pressure can affect your health, but you can reduce it! Everybody knows the feeling when you have so much work to do and time’s running out. A few months ago I had some very busy weeks at university; I had to prepare for a presentation and I had to do a lot of reading. Also exams were about to begin quite soon. The whole situation was overwhelming, and I didn’t seem to have any chance of getting my work done. But I found a solution to my problem with stress, so I’d like to share some helpful tips with you. They’re not revolutionary, but they’re worth being written and read over and over again.

ate between meetings and homework and so on. Plan everything well and don’t fill up your day too much with obligation.

Are you addicted to stress?

Step 4: you’re important! Only two things: make yourself number one on your to-do-list! And learn to say NO! You can’t work 24/7.

The most obvious sign of stress is when your to-do-list gets longer and longer. A common sign of an addiction to stress would be a chronic inability to focus. Another sign is that you can’t stop your brain from working, which makes it hard to relax. As this can lead to further problems, you’d better change now! How can you decrease stress? I’ve found five quite simple rules to follow in order to live without an unhealthy amount of stress. It might be hard to start with, but be confident and stick to it. Step 1: organization! The main thing is to keep a calendar, in which you can make notes, plan your week and make lists. Don’t use several calendars - one is enough. It’s a good idea to use different colors and signs to differenti-

Jaqueline (24): “Never start with the last step!”

Author & layout: Stefanie Doldi; Pictures: Unsplash/ pixabay.com, byrev/pixabay.com, geralt/pixabay.com

Step 2: time out! If you work a lot, you need to have breaks as well. You can do whatever you like, as long as it doesn’t have anything to do with work. You can go for a walk, meet friends or have a nap, for example. If necessary, force yourself to have a break! Just take care of yourself and be creative! Step 3: reward! If you’ve finished some work, be proud of it and give yourself a reward. Buy something; a new Playstation game, shoes, clothes or whatever. Or you can also give yourself a free weekend without any meetings at all. Maybe just set an alarm clock so you’ll know when it’s Monday again.

Step 5: take a deep breath! Before you try to go to sleep, lie down and concentrate on breathing very evenly and calmly. This will help you relax before sleeping and will lead to a more refreshing night of sleep. Hopefully, these five steps can help you, but if you have more serious problems with stress, please don’t hesitate to ask for professional help. You can contact the Studentenwerk Augsburg, which offers free psychological advice. Another option would be to take part in different Hochschulsport Augsburg courses; they offer yoga or autogenic training to help you relax. You’re the one who decides if you let stress control your life, so don’t let it!

Jil (21): “I have one day a week where I‘m lazy and just do nothing.“

Irina (25): “Take a hot bath!”

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Have you ever wondered how hard it must be...? The story of a young asylum seeker coming to Germany Have you ever wondered how hard it would be to grow up in a country in which your only hope is to survive war every day, and the next and the next? Where there aren’t enough jobs for parents to provide for their families? Can you imagine risking your life by fleeing from your country with little chance of surviving? Leaving your family behind to escape from all that? No, we can’t imagine what this would be like... because we all had the incredible fortune of being born in a rich country, into a family with a roof over its head, and which never had to worry about not having enough to eat to last the day.

days there was no food left, but he kept holding on. Then he spent one year in Italy, where he never felt welcome because people didn’t treat him well because of the colour of his skin. Still, he kept fighting for a better life. Now he lives in Germany. He attends his classes, plays soccer for Lindenberg, and has even made some friends that don’t care where he comes from or whether he’s black or white. Buba said he wants to stay in Germany, and that he’d take any job when he’s done with school – he just wants to live in peace. To me, he seemed happy. As happy as someone could be with a story like this, at least. He’s grateful for the chance the school offers him.

As there are so many asylum seekers currently coming to Germany from Africa and elsewhere, this difference in living conditions becomes very obvious. We should start recognizing how blessed we are, pray for those who aren’t, and some of us need to rethink their attitude towards those brave young people who are seeking asylum. Don’t you think they’ve been through enough already? It’s our job to help them integrate into our community and to make it as easy as possible for them, so all their efforts won’t go to waste. All they want is to live in peace and to be able to offer their future children a better life.

Sitting in the school, I thought about how I’d driven there in my own car. The fact that I’d never had any serious problems in my life made me feel so sad, but fortunate at the same time. Experiences like these help you to understand what’s really important in life. I’m talking about family, friends, love and happiness. I’m so deeply impressed by this young fellow and all the others that have come so far that I wanted to share this experience with you. I hope each and every one of them knows that they can be so proud of themselves. I wish them the best of luck in their future and that all their hopes will come true.

Recently I read an article about a successful program run by the College of Further Education in Immenstadt. It not only offers young refugees German-language classes, but also internships in local companies. At the moment, there are about one hundred young men attending classes. I spoke to the director, Mr Friede, and deputy director, Mr Eisenlauer, who told me that there are, of course, problems, such as the refugees having a hard time accepting women as their managers or having to be punctual. But if explained to them and given enough time, the refugees can learn to adjust to such cultural differences. I went to the school to meet some of the students. When I was sitting in the middle of a class of 15 young men around the age of 19 – some were even younger, some a little bit older – I was really shocked when I found out about their age. To me all of them looked like grown men. If I had had to guess, I’d have said 25 to 30. But I guess experiences like theirs make someone mature really fast. I was able to talk to some of the men, but I couldn’t stop thinking about one of them whose name was Buba K. He was born in Senegal but escaped when he was only 16 years old. He left his family behind, knowing that he might not ever see them again. He came to Italy in a tiny boat. The journey took seven days and seven nights. After four

Author: Carolin Mach; Layout: Katharina Soffer; Picture: U.S. Navy/commons.wikimedia.org

An internship in Malaysia Interview with graduate student Daniel Rau eMAG: Daniel, tell us about yourself and what you do here at the university. Daniel Rau: My name is Daniel Rau and I’m 22 years old. I recently finished my Bachelor’s degree in Business & Information Systems Engineering at Augsburg University. Afterwards, I spent my summer in Asia doing an internship with Dr. Oetker. Since the end of September, I’ve been studying Finance & Information Management (FIM) at both TU Munich and Augsburg University. Parallel to my studies, I work at the Research Center Finance & Information Management. In my free time, I organize the Social Entrepreneurship Competition Generation-D, where we award innovative startups. You recently went to Malaysia for an internship. Can you tell us how you got that opportunity? Early on it was clear for me that I wanted to go abroad to broaden my horizons and improve my intercultural skills. Since I was particularly interested in getting to know the local people and not just international students, I opted for an internship instead of a semester abroad. Luckily, I had the unique opportunity to get in contact with the Oetker Group through my study program FIM and their close ties with renowned business partners. Many people don’t know that Oetker actually has many different business divisions all over the world, such as Shipping, Food, Banking, and Beer & Non-Alcoholic Beverages. I was offered an internship in the Food business division in Malaysia. What exactly did you do in Malaysia? I supported the Finance business manager for Malaysia and all of South East Asia. Because of our close collaboration, I got valuable insights into the markets and customer preferences in South East Asia. One of my tasks was to develop a budgeting and trade marketing tool for the sales managers. Another objective set for me was to improve management reporting processes. During my time in Malaysia, I was able to build a wide network with executives from Marketing, Sales, and Production, who allowed me to be a part of and observe exciting procedures such as store checks and the sensory testing of new products. What’s different about the work in Malaysia compared to Germany? From German internships, I was used to a working atmosphere which promotes active engagement of employees, for example, in terms of process improvements and innovations. The Asian way of communic-

ation is often less direct. In particular, employees are hesitant to suggest process improvements, as they are more cautious and assume that their supervisors must know better. This is a great challenge for the executives, who generally want their employees to be innovative and to drive change. But this indirectness also has a very positive side: the working atmosphere is very respectful and friendly. Did you also get to travel and see a bit of the country? Outside of work, I tried to travel as much as possible. Beside the hot spots of Malaysia, such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi and Redang, I also visited Thailand and Singapore. I’ve seen beautiful rain forests, islands, and cosmopolitan cities. The most memorable experience was the hospitality and helpfulness of the people in Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Standing on a spacious square in the middle of a big city and getting offered help and guidance from local people without asking for it was something that I will always remember. In my opinion, we Europeans can learn from this Asian mindset and should be more open to foreign people and more helpful in general. What are your plans for the future now that you’re back in Germany? Successfully finishing my Master’s degree is definitely one of my biggest goals. Currently, I’m thinking about obtaining a PhD at the Research Center FIM after my Master’s degree. The strong link with business partners and the applied research project during the PhD program are incredibly interesting. To be honest, working on a great team is what first convinced me to work as a student employee at the institute. Working with so many young, motivated and intelligent people is a unique advantage that really makes me want to stay with the Research Center FIM. Other than that, I want to spend another period of time abroad, to learn more about other cultures.

Author: Manfred Schoch; Layout: Sybille Ehing; Pictures: Daniel Rau

Bored of your old playlist? Try something different!

You don’t know Miyavi or Tony Bennett? REALLY?! You have to! They’re awesome artists, and everyone should try to listen to at least one of them. You’re interested in a variety of music and want to find out about some new musicians? Don’t you think there are people out there who actually aren’t aware of what’s going on in the music world? We should share our music knowledge with our peers, so some negative attitudes about other music styles will be changed. There is always a first time for everything. My music experiences My family taught me to listen to jazz, soul and the blues. Then as a teenager I got to listen to pop, rock or even metal. There are a lot of differences between these music styles, but people can always find their favourites. And, YES, I love listening to Shakira, but I’m also a big fan of Nickelback, I like The Rolling Stones and I’m always singing along with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. As a jazz music fan, I also take singing classes to learn more about this style of music, but I’m also learning to sing pop and rock music. While looking for new jazz music sources in Augsburg, I also found a wonderful online jazz station called ‘Smart Radio’. Interested? You’ll find out even more on their website, and who knows if we’ll see each other at a Jazz or Rock’n’Roll event organized by Smart Radio.

Now let me tell you about two musicians I think are well worth listening to… Tony Bennett This jazz and soul musician is still making music at the age of 88. He developed his own singing technique and made over 70 albums, which he has sold over 50 million records of. ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’ is his best-known song. His music makes people smile and forget their everyday problems. Did you know that he and Lady Gaga made a whole album, ‘Cheek to Cheek’, which debuted at Number 1 on Billboard? My favourite song of theirs is ‘The Lady Is A Tramp’ from Bennett’s album ‘Duets II’ because it shows me a different side of Lady Gaga. Miyavi While looking for some Japanese rock/pop bands, I found this extraordinarily talented guitarist and singer who can make the guitar come alive. Using his finger-slapping guitar style, he creates an interesting kind of rock in his songs which people love. I can really recommend his last three albums: ‘What’s My Name?’, ‘Samurai Sessions Vol. 1’ and ‘Miyavi’. My favourite song is ‘Selfish Love’, which you must listen to on YouTube, with the intro. It’s awesome! Have fun!

Author & layout: Ellina Totoeva Pictures: tom.beetz/flickr.com ; alterna2/flickr.com

Watch.Read.Listen. The Blacks of Cape Town A fascinating tale about betrayal and memory Carol-Ann Davids’s The Blacks of Cape Town (Modjaji Books 2013) focuses on a family history across three generations. In an attempt to come to terms with her father’s betrayal (he revealed information about his former lover and his best friend, both anti-apartheid activists), Zara Black writes down her family history while being in a self-imposed exile. The novel highlights the intricate connections of private and public memories and the need to work through one’s history in order to have hopes for the future after the discovery of many painful secrets. It is certainly not an easy read, but once you have entered Zara’s world, you may become so fascinated by the novel’s prose and the complicated characters that you may not want to put it aside. Danyela Demir

Guelwaar (Senegal/F 1992, director: Ousmane Sembène, with Omar Seck, Ndiawar Diop, 115 min., Wolof/French with English subtitles) Senegalese writer and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène, who died in 2007, is often referred to as the ‘father’ of sub-Saharan African cinema. “Guelwaar” explores how politics can be intricately interwoven with highly personal matters. The movie depicts its Senegalese setting as a complex web of relations of international aid and local corruption with patriarchy and religious fervor. On the day that the political activist ‘Guelwaar’ (‘the Noble One’), a Christian, is supposed to be buried his body has disappeared. The effects of a mistake take on epic proportions as it turns out that Guelwaar has been buried in a Muslim cemetery. The community becomes divided over the issue of retrieving the body, and with a unique comic blend the movie provocatively portrays not only the effects of religious dogma and inter-generational cultural contestations, but also humanitarian aid organizations’ neo-colonial entanglements. The film seems as timely today as upon its first release in that it shows conflicts between ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’, as well as nationalism and (neo)-colonialism, but in doing so always insists on complex and contradictory characters which forfeit any attempt at generalization. Annika McPherson

Toto Bona Lokua African Jazz I have a wonderful album for you that’ll definitely make dark winter days sunnier and will put a smile on your face! Toto Bona Lokua is the collaboration of Cameroonian jazz musician Richard Bona, French songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gerald Toto, and Lokua Kanza, a singer-songwriter from Congo. The musical style is a mixture of world music and jazz. What I love most is the a capella style with both soft (“Help me”) and powerful voices (“Lisanga”). How they layer their voices like in “Flutes” is unbelievable! “Kwalelo” spreads positive vibes, and the instrumental piano song “Stesuff” a melancholic mood. Luisa Hagen

Layout: Sybille Ehing; Picture: Wonderlane/flickr.com

Navigating white water Charity article about Wildwasser e.V.

When you hear the word ‘Oktoberfest’, you’ll most likely think of having a good time with friends. But did you know that the number of cases of sexual assault sky-rocket during these weeks of partying? We talked to Ms Kämper from Wildwasser e.V., a charity organization, where girls and women who’ve experienced sexual assault can find help all year round.

And what role does prevention play? Wildwasser is built on three pillars: Self-help, counseling and prevention. Prevention includes work with adults and children from the age of five. For the kids we offer assertiveness training which are currently endorsed by the ‘Glücksspirale’. We also work with schools and offer sex education and courses addressing forms of sexual assault. We talk about what constitutes sexual assault, what the teenagers can do and what a healthy relationship might look like. We also provide target-group orientated in-service training for teachers and other professionals to enable them to react appropriately in cases of suspected sexual assault. The ‘deutsche Wirtschaftskonferenz’ helps fund such training for volunteers. Prevention is an important aspect of what we do that is always being developed and expanded.

Why are you called “Wildwasser”? The Augsburg office has existed since 1991 but Wildwasser was founded in Berlin in the 1980s by a group of women who had themselves experienced forms of sexual assault. They chose the name, and it stands for the emotional turmoil that is triggered by the trauma of sexual assault. Water can heal, it stirs up things, it’s in motion and it’s a source of life that can nevertheless also be dangerous. The name is supposed to resonate with all of these connotations.

Are there any questions that are asked frequently in the prevention courses? Which terms are suitable and which are not. Male teenagers often ask how they know when a girl wants to have sex with them. We’re often asked how you can say no without hurting the other person’s feelings.

Ms Kämper in the Wildwasser library

Why do you focus on helping girls from the age of twelve? One reason is the history of Wildwasser. When it was founded, the focus was on helping girls and women. There might be a sense of sticking to what we have the most experience doing. However, we do offer help to the relatives of children who’ve experienced forms of sexual assault, regardless of the children’s gender. The main reason that we’ve specified the age of the girls we help, however, is that from the age of twelve they have the legal right to counseling without having relatives present. It’s also when puberty sets in and many changes occur. We also differentiate between children and adolescents and between boys and girls. This is why we are a ‘Fachberatungsstelle’.

How many employees work for Wildwasser Augsburg and what professional backgrounds do they come from? There are four of us plus an intern. One of my colleagues has experienced abuse herself and has done professional training. All of the people who work at Wildwasser have had professional training in the field of therapy. Everyone has experience in the socio-pedagogical domain. There are two men who work in the prevention program exclusively with boys.

You offer counseling only to the relatives of boys affected by sexual assault, not the boys themselves. Are you still asked for help and how do you proceed? We do receive such enquiries. In Augsburg there isn’t a lot of help for those affected. The closest organization that offers counseling is KIPS in Munich, and that’s where we send the people who’ve made the enquiry. We have the addresses of therapists who specialize in helping boys and men. Men who’ve experienced forms of

sexual assault are also counseled at MIA. But we’d like to see this area developed further! There is one specialist, Herr Paltin, at the ‘Erziehungsberatungsstelle’ (Hunoldsgraben 27) who works with boys and men and that’s where we also send those seeking help. When it comes to prevention, however, we do help girls and boys. Can you tell us about something you’ve experienced in the course of your work that touched you, shocked you or made you happy? Oh, there are quite a few instances that come to mind! I had a great time with the first assertiveness training for elementary school girls I led myself. We did 10 course units à 90 minutes. Assertiveness and self-defense aren’t the easiest topics to approach, but the girls were absolutely great and working with them was fantastic! I’m always amazed at how much the children actually learn in such a short period of time. We talk about how to react when they don’t like some ways of being touched, for example, their father’s whiskery peck on the cheek or their mother’s lipsticky kiss. The kids are so creative and have so many ideas. When they come back after a couple of weeks and tell us about what they’ve tried, that’s a great feeling. How can students support Wildwasser? We offer internships, which I think are beneficial for us as well as for the interns. It also helps us when people spread the word about what we do! It’s still to an extent a taboo to talk about forms of sexual assault, and the better known we are, the more we can help. And, of course, we rely on donations. We’re subsidized, but we have to raise a third of our budget ourselves. Thank you for the interview, Ms Kämper!

Check out the second part of our interview on the eMAG website:

Authors: Lena Schwarz, Luisa Hagen; Layout: Luisa Hagen Pictures: Nemo/pixabay.com, Luisa Hagen

BERATUNG von betroffenen Mädchen und Frauen, Angehörigen und Fachkräften SELBSTHILFEANGEBOTE für betroffene Mädchen und Frauen sowie Angehörige von betroffenen Mädchen und Jungen PRÄVENTION für Kinder, Jugendliche und Erwachsene

Schießgrabenstraße 2, 86150 Augsburg | Tel.: 0821 / 154444 | E-Mail: beratung@wildwasser-augsburg.de

Staff’s favorites Something no-one knows about me

Sophia When I was fourteen, my wisdom teeth were removed, and I looked like a rainbow-colored balloon for several days afterwards. I took pictures of myself. Some weeks later, I sold my camera at flea market. Guess which pictures I forgot to delete...

Irina I love being creative – things like designing cakes, painting, knitting or carving wood... something simply to help me find myself!

Lena I‘ve only ever been to three weddings in my life, but I love to watch the American TV show „Say Yes to the Dress“, in which brides-to-be try to find the perfect wedding dress!

Luisa I went to kindergarten in Tuscany.

Jacqueline I like painting on canvas.

Andreas When I moved to Augsburg, my days were so busy that pretty much the only times left for me to relax a bit were late evenings and nights. So when I got home, I decided to go out and learn my way around the city. Today my night walks are still one of my favourite activities to calm down. Doesn‘t help you that much with navigation, though, since everything looks different by daylight and with people everywhere.

Franziska I‘ve put up a few really ugly cat postcards my grandma gave me once on my hallway wall. My roomie and I often ask friends that come to visit us to pick one and name it so each cat gets its official name tag.

Mira I‘m a belly dancer.

Isabelle There‘s nothing more relaxing for me than watching the fish in my goldfish pond. My best friend gave me the first two fish which I called Siegfried and Roy. They multiplied rapidly.

Sybille I love everything owl-related – so much that I own several dozen owl-shaped pieces of jewelry and owl stamps for card-making. Caro I don’t need chocolate or anything else like it, but I couldn’t ever live without potato chips. I got 35 bags of chips for my birthday last year! Chris I sing opera in the shower xD

Katharina S. I used to write letters to celebrities (singers, writers and so on) to ask them questions about their work or give them my opinion. Example? I wrote to JK Rowling: „Dear Ms Rowling, why did Dumbledore have to die? I can understand that you ran out of ideas after five novels, but letting one of the coolest characters of the whole series die... I‘m speechless.“ Needless to say, I never posted these letters.

Christina I’m writing a book – it’s now about 600 pages long, and I’ve been working on it for four years :)

Layout: Sybille Ehing; Pictures: amyannbrockmeyer/pixabay.com, Carolin Mach, DGlodowska/pixabay.com, geralt/pixabay.com, Gullfiskar/commons. wikimedia.com, Katharina Soffer, PeterKraayvanger/pixabay.com, Petr Novák/ commons.wikimedia.com, Rama/commons.wikimedia.org, shraddhaphotostories/pixabay.com, Sybille Ehing

Lisa Nerb

52 Sophia Spyropoulus Bernadette Faber

Franziska Leichte

Nadine Ellinger Deputy editor

Layout Layout team leader

Christina Gohle

Laura Volanti

Mirà Kanehl

Andreas Böhm Luisa Hagen

Susi Tallmadge

Hai Nhu Nguyen

Ellina Totoeva

Stefanie Doldi

Lena Schwarz Editor-in-chief

Ann-Helen Mende

Jaqueline Hieble

Katharina Soffer

Team - Winter 2014/2015 Peter James Course coordinator

Advertising

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Team - Winter 2014/2015 Website

Promotion Katharina Bruijnen

Sybille Ehing

Proofreaders

Heather Bradley, Megan Ehing, Peter James, Günter Jehle, Kristen Jung, Jenna Peel, Jack Segel, Katherine Snow, Julia Wewior

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Pictures

Cover model: Katharina Bruijnen Cover photo: Luisa Hagen Layout & pictures of section dividers: Luisa Hagen

Special thanks

Klaus Prem – press & support Michaela Kottmayr – ﬁnances Guest authors: Danyela Demir, Annika McPherson, Manfred Schoch Layout: Lena Schwarz; Picture: cesstrelle/pixabay.com