IB Busy! February 2013

ISSUE

05

AISE’S OFFICIAL IB NEWSLETTER

February 2012

IB Busy!

GET IT?

this issue The Ballon d’Or P.1 Love Stories: How YOUR Teachers Met P.2 The One Family Fun Day P.3 AISE’s Very Own Teacher Ernest P.4

Cheesiest Pickup Lines Ever These are the best pickup lines that IB students could think of.

They told us that they did use them before. They also guaranteed that they are going to work.

Use them at your own discretion.

You have been warned. “You’re so beautiful that you made me forget my pickup line.� “Are you an asymptote? Cause I feel myself getting closer.� “Are you made of Copper and Tellurium?

Because you’re CuTe.� “I wish I was adenine so I could be paired with U.� “You’re hotter than a bunsen burner set to full power.� “You must be the one for me, since my selectively permeable membrane let you through.� “Forget Hydrogen, you’re my number one element.� “You’re so sweet you could put Hershey’s out of business.� “I need a life.� “Tomorrow, when teachers ask us why we didn’t do our homework, is this a valid excuse?�

Some of the pickup lines might EH WRR VFLHQWLÂżF EXW LW ZRQÂśW KXUW to try. If you ever do use them, tell us your story at aise.ibbusy@gmail.com

The Ballon d’Or The FIFA Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) is an annual football award given to the player who is considered to have been the best in the previous season. The award is based on votes by captains of internationDO WHDPV FRDFKHV DQG MRXUQDOLVWV 7KH DZDUG ¿UVW started in 2010 when France Football’s Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year were merged.

Since then, the only player who has received the award is the Argentinian Lionel Messi, who plays for the Spanish football club FC Barcelona. For the 2012 award, the top 3 nominees were Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Spain) and Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona, Spain). Messi received 41.60% of the votes, Ronaldo received 23.68% and Iniesta received 10.91%.

IB Busy! decided to conduct a poll to see who the IB Juniors thought deserved to win the Ballon D’or.

The winner, was Messi too, with 47.8% of the votes, with Shikabala (SSC Napoli, Italy) in second place, with 26.1% of the votes, and Cristiano Ronaldo in third place, with 17.4%. The list of nominees was very similar to the real list, as both lists had Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, and Andrea Pirlo.

The only player in the IB Busy! list who was not on the real list is Shikabala.

Shikabala, who plays in an Italian club now, used to play for the Egyptian club Zamalek SC, hence his popularity among students in Egypt. Saif Hindawy, an IB Junior who is a very passionate Zamalek fan, said that “he [Shikabala] deserves to win the Ballon D’or. He is arrogant, but he is the best in the world, therefore he can do whatever he wants.â€? Maged Hassan, a diehard fan of AC Milan, believed that Pirlo should win, as “he >3LUOR@ KDV OHG ,WDO\ WKURXJK WR WKH VHPL ÂżQDOV ZLWK KLV mesmerizing knowledge of the game. He was also capable of winning two consecutive Seria A titles ZLWK WZR GLIIHUHQW WHDPV WKURXJK KLV VLJQLÂżFDQW SHUformance.â€? However, not all the voters were knowledgable about football. Gabriella Makarious, an IB Junior, thought that Cristiano Ronaldo deserved to win “because he’s beautiful.â€?

Yet Another Reflection: A Semester of IB :RXOG \RX ORRN DW WKDW $OUHDG\ WKH ¿UVW VHPHVWHU of a challenging school year has passed. If you’re a junior, congratulations, you have only three terms of IB left! And if you’re a senior, it’s almost time to crack the books for your last set of high school exams.

This time last year, this year’s juniors were just being introduced to IB. With many life-affecting decisions to make, we knew one thing; we were getting ourselves into something big. Now, after drowning in a bunch of IB acronyms, struggling between an FOA and an IA, and trying to catch a breath in TOK, I believe it is safe to say that no one is the same. Rebecca Tenna told us, in the midst of worrying about an upcoming written task and a biology lab report, “IB is really challenging and it doesn’t get easier but it has made me a better person and I love it for WKDW ´ 6LPLODUO\ 0RVWDID HO $LG\ VDLG Âł:KHQ , ÂżUVW came in AIS few months ago, I thought that the IB program is not different from the American Diploma in terms of how it is, but now after experiencing it, I can say that the IB program requires a lot of work and effort in order to succeed in it.â€?

But enough about IB, what is it that made this year special? Well, as we were too busy worrying about our own lives, Egypt has been undergoing some major changes. In September, a movie about Prophet Mohammed had just come out, causing chaos and protests in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East. A month later in October, Copts voted for a new pope. In November, Pope Tawadrous II was assigned the papacy of the Coptic Church. But the peace didn’t continue IRU ORQJ DURXQG ¿IW\ VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ GLHG LQ D EXV accident in Assiut. Soon after, President Morsi tried to pass the new constitution, which sparked a lot of controversy, leading to more revolts. These protests marched their way into December as things got more complicated. Nevertheless, Egyptians voted on the constitution on the 15th and it passed. Then, 2013 came with a big crash when a train accident shocked all Egyptians. Here we are, now in February, part of us awaiting another problem, and the more hopeful part of us anticipating the change we have been waiting for. +HUHœV WR ¿YH PRUH PRQWKV RI D IDVW KHFWLF MRXUQH\ Look back at this semester and see what you should keep up with and what you need to improve. $IWHU DOO ZH DUH VXSSRVHG WR UHÀHFW LQ UHDO OLIH DQG not just when Ms. Nora is telling us to. We’ve made it this far and we still have much to learn – so keep your chin up, you are, so far, an IB survivor.

Important Dates & Deadlines Class of 2013: Febuary 3: TOK Done and Sumbitted February 7: AUC Application Deadline February 21 - 24: CAS Retreat March 3: Final CAS Deadline March 3-7: Mock Exams

Class of 2014: No Deadlines

Students: February 2, 14, 16, 23, March 2, 9, 14, 23: IELTS February 2, 15, 23, 24: TOEFL March 28: End of Term 3

Teacher Love Stories: How YOUR Teachers Met It’s February! The month we all associate with love and romance because of one long-awaited day – Valentine’s Day! Whether you’re single or in a relationship, Valentine’s Day affects us all. Because of this special month, IB Busy! has decided to ask four of our very own IB teacher couples about how they met. Keep reading to know how Ms. Tonya and Mr. Mohammed, Ms. Nadine and Mr. Malek, the Kings and the Cushmans met.

Days Off: March 31: Western Easter March 29 - April 6: Spring Break

*College Board Deadlines expire at 11:59 pm Eastern Time, USA Dates and deadlines are subject to change. IB Busy! cannot be held liable for any changes.

Ms. Tonya and Mr. Mohammed When Ms. Tonya moved all the way from New Jersey to Egypt in 2008, she didn’t even know Facebook existed.

But, her Canadian roommate introduced her to it, and she made the transition from MySpace to Facebook.

On one of the Facebook game applications Ms. Tonya chose to not to disclose, she met her “other half” in March of 2008.

They started out as “just friends” and talked often on MSN. Ironically, one of the things they talked about the most is how relationships tie people down and how each one of them would rather travel and see the world.

IB Exams Countdown On the day this was published, the 10th of February 2013, 81 days were left to the start of the IB Class of 2013’s exams.

Good luck from the IB Busy! and the IB Busy! team.

because they’re supposed to.

Ms. Nadine and Mr. Malek In 1997, Ms. Nadine was working as a math teacher at Choueifat. The teacher she worked most closely with, because he taught the same subject, had just been replaced by Mr. Loay Malek. So, as the teacher who was more experienced in teaching that class, Ms. Nadine had to help Mr. Malek. Soon, they started spending most of their time together.

He used to often come into her class to ask for help or for chalk.

In fact, even the students noticed and started asking them what if there was something between them – before Ms. Nadine herself noticed.

Then, on New Year’s Eve 1999, Mr. Malek kept asking Ms. Nadine to “concentrate with him” and at midnight, he got on one knee to start their lives together. They were married in July of 2000, making this their 13th year as a married couple.

How ironic is it that these two math teachers met because they were math teachers?!

Suddenly, they started talking on the phone, and their conversations went from talking about how much they hate relationships to calling each other pet names like “honey.” They met in real life for the first time in June and got engaged right away in July, then married in December. Ms. Tonya believes that there was no need for a long engagement, since as soon as they met online everything “fell in to place like dominos and there was no need for a long love story.”

Mr. and Ms. King

Ms. Tonya believes that she is “here [in Egypt] because of him,” and that fate led her here. If she hadn’t moved to Egypt, she would probably have not even known about Facebook or made an account and played that game at the same time her other half was. This is one of these stories that remind us that some things fall into place miraculously without any effort or planning, just

Mr. and Ms. Cushman

In 2009, Ms. King was doing a year of student teaching at the school Mr. King happened to work at in Chicago. When it was over, he asked her out to a movie and so they started dating. In August of 2010 they were married, and one week later they got the job here and started their lives together in Egypt.

Finally, our last story was given from the perspective of both people in this relationship, Ms. Devin Cushman and Mr. Ryan Cushman.

Ms. Cushman On July 4th 2009, Ms. Cushman went out with a girl friend to eat

EYE ON IT: Scholarship sushisushi and and watch a movie.

As ifAs if watch a movie. fate had it, allit,sixallnearby fate planned had planned six nearby sushisushi restaurants werewere closed so so restaurants closed they they had to settle for a for Chili’s near near had to settle a Chili’s the movie theater.

So they sat atsatthe fewa feet So they at bar the abar few feet awayaway from from the man whose last last the man whose namename she soon would steal.steal.

TheyThey she soon would started talking by making fun of started talking by making fun of Brittneyttney Spears on TV. her her Spears on Then, TV. Then, friend, who now claims “chaperonedoned their their first first date”,date”, asked him him asked to come to the with with them.them. to come to movie the movie First,First, he said no, but Ms. Ms. he said no, after but after Cushman and and her friend left he Cushman her friend left he followed them outside to the parking lot that he ingand lot said and said thatwill hecome. will come.

AfterAfter the movie he asked her for the movie he asked her for her phone number and and “the “the rest rest her phone number was history.”

Mr. Cushman When we asked Mr. Cushman why why When we asked Mr. Cushman he would go out he he he would goand out eat andalone, eat alone, told us at that time time he used toldthat us that at that he used to enjoy goinggoing out and reading to enjoy out and reading at a restaurant. He found himself self sitting near near sitting a couple of girls, a couple of girls, one one of which, of which, Ms. Ms. Cushman, Cushman, was was too too shy. shy.

However, her her However, friendfriend wasn’t, so so wasn’t, she she asked him him asked to come to the to come to the movie with with themthem movie in aninattempt to to an attempt hookhook themthem up up together (she(she together already had had a already a boyfriend).

Mr. Cushman defends his refusal Mr. Cushman defends his refusal by saying the movie by saying that that the movie they they picked, My Sister’s Keeper, picked, My Sister’s Keeper, was was he was dumbdumb and and that that he was tryingtrying to to talk them of watching it earlier. talk them out ofout watching it earlier.

Butthe at end, the end, he realized But at he realized that that he “had nothing to so do” so he “had nothing betterbetter to do” he chased outside and told he chased themthem outside and told he wants to come. themthem that that he wants to come.

At At the movie, the couple clicked the movie, the couple clicked and and he asked herher for number her number he asked her for and and she him told to himcall to the call next the next she told day. day.

So, her on way her way at about So, on homehome at about he called her saying 12:1012:10 am, am, he called her saying toldtome to tomorrow call tomorrow “you toldu me call and and it’s tomorrow!” so, they it’s tomorrow!”

And And so, they set set a date andmarried got married a year up a up date and got a year later in 2010. today, the couple still have Until Until today, the couple still have different on movie. the movie. different viewsviews on the In In on day that they, day they, fact, fact, on that alongalong with with Cushman’s friend, Ms. Cushman’s friend, werewere the the at movie the movie theater. only only threethree at the theater.

Mr. Cushman thinks WhileWhile Mr. Cushman thinks that that is because everyone that that is because everyone else else thinks the movie is bad, thinks that that the movie is bad, his his half still trying to convince otherother half is stillistrying to convince everyone him him that that everyone was was just just too too partying because it was busybusy partying because it was the the 4thJuly. of July.

Whatever the reason 4th of Whatever the reason the fact was,was, the fact that that they they werewere the the people is what sparked only only people therethere is what sparked this beautiful flame.

The One Family Fun Day 2013 A new side of AISE students was seen in this year’s )DPLO\ ZKHQ VDFUL¿FHG 2QH 2QH )DPLO\ )XQ )XQ 'D\ 'D\ ZKHQ WKH\ WKH\ VDFUL¿FHG WKHLU WKHLU WLPH WLPH and squeezed out the last ounce of their patience and energy to put a smile on an orphan’s face. This event, sponsored by AIS4Egypt, is a way for students to give back to their community by spending a day with orphans.

Although making the day memorable was a massive challenge, but with the meticulous planning necessary, the students, with the help of Ms. Nora, managed to pull-off one of the most successful fun days AIS has ever seen.

The fun day taught students that they can give back to society not only through materialistic things, but by putting time and effort to make someone else happy. Over 100 students contributed to the success of this event including team leaders, activity heads and media staff.

Students were split into groups of two and took on a group of orphans from different organizations, with whom they went through over 20 stations of fun and educational games, such as the petting zoo and the human pyramid activity.

The activities were organized by the students themselves, and according to Farahnaz Abdel Bary, the activities leader, it was no walk in the park. The amount of time spent getting the materials and organizing the overall event was no easy task.

In the Making Karim G. El-Eita Marina Milad Abdul Aziz El Sabrout Maria Azer Omar Allam Under the Supervision of Dr. Dina Taher, Ms. Nora Elmarzouky & Mr. Khalid Dinnawi With contributions from Yasmine Dessouky & Rebecca Tenna Pictures courtesy of Farahnaz Abdel Bary

Copyright © 2013 IB BUSY!. All Rights Reserved.

By the end of the day, the students were left with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction mixed with exhaustion. The day has been a truly thought provoking one. Seeing the smile on the children’s faces was all that mattered. Their overall reaction was positive, and most of them were happy. When students saw the reaction, the aching backs, sore legs, and dirty clothes all paid off.

“One Family Fun day was a really interesting and fun day. Personally, I had so much fun when I felt that I was making all these children happy and making them have a great day. Not only that, but it also gave me experience in how to deal with children. Yes, at some SRLQWV LW ZDV YHU\ GLI¿FXOW WR FRQSRLQWV LW ZDV YHU\ GLI¿FXOW WR FRQ trol some of the children, as they were really wild, however, in the end I felt that all my hard work paid off seeing all these children going to the bus with big smiles. ” Said team leader Fatima Nosseir.

As AIS students, we are extremely blessed to have the life that we have. After a while, though, materialistic things cease to matter, and in their place, the only thing left would be the kindness of our hearts. Next time you go to McDonald’s, spend a few extra pounds on a sandwich for the cold little girl waiting outside for a kind heart. Keep old sweaters and blankets in your car for anyone you might pass by that is in need in these cold winter months. Next time you complain, don’t just think about how some people have it way worse, but also remember that happiness isn’t that hard to reach, as long as we are thankful.

One character trait that directly correlates with education is scholarship. This character, however, does not only imply good grades, but also the discipline that comes with them. Now you might be asking, how does a scholarly person act?

A scholarly person is dedicated and stops at nothing to achieve his goal. Most IB students have a certain scholarly aspect to them, as they took the educational road less taken by willing to challenge them to get good grades in a fairly perplexing program.

Scholarship is in-depth knowledge that we acquire through instructions given to us by someone of authority. It is about exploring knowledge under the surface instead of memorizing or taking in knowledge without questioning the limits and extents. For that reason, it is fairly challenging to be scholarly, as it requires people to look outside of the box, outside of the paradigm that is our world and instead be inquirers and question the knowledge that has been fed to us. It is about finding loopholes in certain theories, and using those loopholes to create a theory that is even more substantial.

This character trait is usually mistaken with the noun scholarship, that certain schools offer to outstanding students through financial aid. This term, however, is derived from the characteristic of being scholarly, as it is the academically gifted that are usually offered such chances. While our grade point average might play a massive role on determining the level of our scholarliness, and while scholarships might be very closely associated with our grades, it is not the only aspect. In order to be scholarly, one must have a certain amount of intelligence and critical thinking that sets one apart from the rest of society. Once that aspect of scholarship is fulfilled, all that is needed is implementation. That way, we can prove how much our intelligence is worth through putting it in numbers.

If you think you have what it takes, and that you are a scholar, do not be afraid to apply to scholarships.

Remember, being a scholar is not only about having good grades, but also about thinking outside of the box, so make the best out of your intelligence!

Ms. Hurlbut’s IB Study Playlist Holocene - Bon Iver Whole Wide World - Big Tree Big Jet Plane - Angus & Julia Stone Head Full of Doubt - The Avett Brothers Atlas Hands - Benjamin Franklin Leftwich Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John - Belle & Sebastian Lived in Bars - Cat Power The Girl - City and Colour Be Like a Ghost - David Wax Museum Hallelujah Song - Dave Dobbyn Other Side of Zero - Elizabeth & the Catapult Emmylou - First Aid Kit Montezuma - Fleet Foxes Colors - Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Lost in my Mind - The Head and the Heart The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson Magpie to the Morning - Neko Case Start a War - The National Featherstone - The Paper Kites Where do you go to my Lovely? Peter Sarstedt Lakehouse - Of Monsters and Men Elephants - Rachael Yamagata Samson - Regina Spektor Heaven’s My Home - Sam & Ruby Middle Distance Runner - Seawolf Caring is Creepy - The Shins The Dreamer - Tallest Man on Earth Marathon - Tennis Hello My Old Heart - The Oh Hello’s The Winemaker’s Love Song Tyler Lyle

The TRUTH About Valentine’s Day

According to Urban Dictionary, Valentine’s Day, is “a pointless and worthless day invented by Hershey’s &RQIHFWLRQDU\ &R DQG -RLQLQJ IRUFHV ZLWK 7HOHĂ€RUD Florists and Corbans Wine Makers just so they can SURÂżW RXW RI :LQH &KRFRODWHV DQG )ORZHUV ZKLOH single people suffer at the clutches of the hands of this evil and corrupt capitalist-orientated day that is not even a freaking holiday period.â€? “Valentine’s Day should be banned and all those celebrating it shot.â€?

Not convinced?

than being alone and crying your eyes out sounding like a hyena while you stuff chocolate into your mouth and hunch in a little corner) is why any healthy society would celebrate in a rather childish and clichĂŠ manner a complex, multi-faceted emotion such as love. What is the point other than to perpetuate a simplistic and self-defeating belief in the magical powers of chocoODWH DQG PRQH\ WKDW LJQRUHV WKH KHDY\ VDFULÂżFH GLVappointment, compromise, and other unhappy characters of every durable relationship and marriage?

:K\ H[DFWO\ GR ÂżUVW JUDGHUV QHHG WR H[FKDQJH PDVV produced Valentine’s cards with batman on them? And why do we have to endure while the forever infamous (and annoying) “10 tips for surviving Valentine’s Dayâ€? are incessantly pounded into our heads. Utterly absurd! Not to mention the millions of men and women whose amorous relations are perfectly ÂżQH RQ )HE DQG )HE but somehow can’t survive the day in-between without expensive displays of mutual assurance. What KHDOWK\ FRXSOH LV QRW DOUHDG\ UHDIÂżUPLQJ WKHLU ORYH and support on a daily basis? And why do these starry-eyed lovers in the bloom of a new romance need a calendar to remind them to say, “I love youâ€?? Frankly, if you can’t say “I love youâ€? except on Valentine’s Day then you really should start saving up for that divorce attorney.

As a wise, ‘intoxicated’ man once said before “It’s a GD\ IUDQNO\ WKDW HGXFDWHV RXU children in the Kim Kardashian school of love.� I’d have to say I agree, a day without any noble or concrete quality in a harsh, serious world. However, I must admit that despite myself, Valentine’s Day does have its perks.

The most depressing thing on Valentine’s Day (other

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Send us an e-mail. aise.ibbusy@gmail.com

IB Busy! Issue 05 January 2012

Happy Valentine’s Day from IB Busy! and the IB Busy! team!

IB Teacher Interview: Teacher Ernest Rodriguez English Lit & ESW Teacher How long have you been teaching? Do you enjoy it?

Teaching is my second career. I was originally a Counselor. I did Counseling and Therapy with adolescents for 14 years. I have been teaching for nine years. Yes, I enjoy teaching very much.

What do you hate about teaching?

Students, who are not motivated to learn, frustrate me. I think it is a shame if a family has the opportunity to provide a good education for their child and the child, for whatever reason, squanders that opportunity.

What do you think of the IB program? Do you enjoy teaching it?

I truly believe in the IB Program. Two days before Mr. Delbrugge interviewed me for my position here at AISE, I was offered a job teaching in Chengdu, China. They wanted me to teach English and AP Psychology. They offered A LOT more money per year than what AISE offered me, but if I took that job, I would have had to leave working in IB schools for two years and I wasn’t willing to do that. I turned down a better paying job so I could continue working in IB schools, specifically AISE. I think I made the right choice.

IB Opinions

Other than the ridicule and mockery I am allowed to stem out on WKH GD\ 9DOHQWLQH GRHV IRU VRPH UHDIÂżUP D FROODEorative bond amongst friends as they all display their disdain of the day together in creative ways.

Few people, dislike being told “I love you� by a loved one. But really the biggest feat of St. Valentine is how he has managed, one way or another, to make us all wind up thinking about love, and about the people we love, on Valentine’s Day.

What do you think of AIS compared to other schools?

I think AISE is a good school. Like any school, it has its high points and its low points. Though, so far the “low points� are not all that bad compared to some schools I’ve worked at in the past.

What do you think of your students?

I like my students. I think my students appreciate my teaching style and they like that, I can laugh with them AND that I can help them learn too. I think

the students here are extremely loyal and I like that because loyalty is a value that is important to me. I really do like my students, though I’m not sure that ALL of my student like me, I do believe that they believe that I care enough about them to challenge them and encourage them, though they must be willing to do their part as well. My job is NOT to teach them... my job is to help them learn.

Do you think your students enjoy your classes?

A few times each term I do a quick “Customer Satisfaction� type survey with my students and ask for feedback on how the course is going. What is working and what isn’t working, are they learning the things that they feel they should be learning, how can I, as the teacher better help them learn... questions like that. For the most part they seem satisfied, they state that they enjoy my classes and that they are learning and growing as students.

Why or why not?

The students know that IF they work hard for me Sunday through Wednesday we’ll usually end the week taking a vocabulary quiz and then we play some type of game to review vocabulary (Uno Review Game) or a game which challenges their ability to think and communicate in English. With the IB students, I wish I could do this more often, but there is a lot more material to cover than with the American Diploma students. Though I promise to try to find a bit more balance for the IB students this semester.

The students say they enjoy my classes because as a teacher I try to have a balance between work and play in the classroom. I know that if I don’t get the chance to play once in a while, I get BORED, I believe that students everywhere feel similarly. Plus, I’ve been told that many of my students think that I am “really cute and funny�

Do you have any questions for specific teachers. You know how to reach us: aise.ibbusy@gmail.com