THE SUMMER TIMES ‘The Summer Newspaper of Phillips Exeter Academy’
Vol. XLII, Number 2
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Glory Earned On Field of Dreams
A Century of PEA Summers By JESSIE LIU
Summer Times Staff Writer
By MAYU ALTEN and NICOLE CHANG
Happy birthday, Exeter Summer! How does it feel to be 100 years old? As you walk down through the different quads through campus and engage in heated Harkness discussions, have you ever wondered how this program came to be? Rewind 100 years. In 1919, Exeter Summer welcomed its first
Summer Times Staff Writers
On Saturday June 7, 760 students gathered at the Academy Lawn to participate in the annual and historic Field Day competition. For the first time in 5 years of Exeter Summer Field Days, Cilley Hall girls’ dormitory won in the Upper Girls category. Wentworth took top honors for the Upper Boys. Langdell prevailed in Access Girls and Wheelwright in Access Boys. From 4 to 6 p.m., dormitories competed in the potato sack, threelegged, and izzy-dizzy relay races. Amidst an extreme heat wave, Field Day was a breath of fresh air at 82 degrees. Despite Dunbar Hall’s previous 3 year streak of winning in the Upper Girls category, Cilley Hall took first place – though by a narrow margin. The dormitory alternates between boys and girls, but this year’s occupants did the Hall justice by winning for the first time in years. “We did not expect Cilley to win, but we were happy because we put up a good fight. Dunbar all the way though,” said Sidra Khan from Dunbar Hall. Throughout the day, dormitories cheered wildly regardless of the heat, even before the competition’s commencement. To prepare for the events, par-
The celebratory strawberry shortcake served at the opening day staff party June 29th. Ralph Blumenthal / The Summer Times.
ticipating Uppers clustered along a line in the grass beside Accesses. Within each group were two dorms who competed against each other, racing to the opposite end of the quad. Meanwhile, the rest of the students supported friends from the sidelines.
By EMMA DONNELLY
Summer Times Staff Writer
See FIELD DAY, page 8
Students compete in Field Day's three-legged race. Courtesy of Karin Tenney-Helfrich
By NICOLE C. CHAN
Shuffling against the wooden chair, Teresa Gruber peered at the next seat over. Beside her sat Lauren Isaacson, a student of the Phillips Exeter Summer Academy. “I didn’t know much about Russia before this," said Lauren. "Not unless you count the generic stereotypes you see online about hackers and spies!” Despite being tired from
the two-hour drive from Boston to Exeter, Lauren beamed at the prospect of meeting new people. More specifically, the bridging of different cultures. “Teresa is the first person who lives in Russia that I’ve ever met, and thinking about it now, I really didn’t know much about Russia besides what the media portrayed,” said Lauren, motioning to the girl beside her. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Lauren had a vague impression of Russia.
See HISTORY, page 3
The Heat is On - And Off
In the first event, the potato sack race, students sported goldenbrown potato sacks and hopped to the best of their ability to the finish line. After the most physically demanding activity that day,
Brrrrr, it's hot! Whew! It's cold! Wait -- now it's hot again! Once again, Exeter Summer School marks the opening of some of the largest saunas on campus; namely, the top floors atop many of the campus’s dormitories. Carina Huang, an incoming Junior, resides on the third floor of Dunbar Hall, one of the largest dorms on campus, housing over sixty girls. “The heat causes me to wake up at night," she said. "It has messed up my sleep schedule since I arrived at Exeter for the summer.
I use two fans, but it does not seem to make a big impact.” Another student, Riku Mito, was surprised to find that her dorm room on the fourth floor felt warmer than outside the walls of her dorm. “As you walk up the fourth floor of Dunbar, you can feel the heat immediately,” she said. “I tend to work in my room, but it can be very uncomfortable during the afternoon. Often times, it is a better idea to work at the library.” This week, many dorm rooms at Phillips Exeter Academy reached temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees. Despite the heat and humidity, though, Exeter See HEAT, page 6
Be Safe Not Sorry
World Tensions Melt Under Exeter's Summer Sun Summer Times Staff Writer
We're on the Like u web! s on F acebo o k and more see conte nt at peasu mmer times.c om
By LAUREN ISAACSON Summer Times Staff Writer
At the summer sessions of Exeter, Campus Safety always sees a spike in the number of thefts that occur. “Maybe it’s because people are more trusting," said Paul Gravel, Director of Safety. The first week of the summer brought several theft complaints around campus. In Abbot Hall, a student reported the loss of earbuds, estimated at $150. The student believed that the dorm was unlocked, but was not sure.
These impressions, combined with misleading representations in the media and the rocky history between the U.S. and Russia, accumulated into an exaggerated portrayal. During the Cold War, the relations between the U.S. and Russia had never been worse. An intense determination to either destroy or contain communism and anti-Soviet Union propaganda dominated American See TENSIONS MELT, page 6
Mr. Gravel stressed that if you have valuables that you either take them with you or lock your dorm room. If your dorm won’t lock or you lost your key, you are urged to call Campus Safety immediately. Two wallets were also reported stolen this week. One wallet was reported missing from the Elm Street Dinning Hall, but it was not certain if it was taken from there. That wallet was returned, but the cash was missing. The other wallet, which also had cash, was See SAFETY, page 3
Seeing Double? You Can Say That Again! By MELISSA CHANG
Summer Times Staff Writer
Seamus and Fionn Fanning. Or is it Fionn and Seamus? Ralph Blumenthal / The Summer Times
The temperature rises as hundreds of students fill the Assembly Hall. I'm feeling as though I’m about to pass out, I start seeing double -- or is it...twins? Out of 760 students here at Exeter, 14 happen to be pairs of twins. Plus there is one set of...triplets! So, you may ask, why are there so many twins here this year? Ms. GosalvezBlanco believes that it may have just been a coincidence, and as the
Courtesy of Karin Tenney-Helfrich
Field Day Results
Students competed in the izzy dizzy relay and other games on July 7th. Winners are listed on page 8.
Exeter summer program grows, more people, twins included, will want to come here for the excellent education. Being a twin myself (my sister is Nicole Chang, in the other journalism class) it was very interesting getting to know other people who share similar experiences to mine, where we were all able to relate to each other on the same level. Over the course of the last few days, I have had the privilege See DOUBLE, page 6
Torrent of Twins (From Left): Nicole and Melissa Chang, Adwoa and Kwesi Afrifa, and Sav and Nate Bartkovich. Ralph Blumenthal / The Summer Times
Ralph Blumenthal / The Summer Times
Drone
The historic photo of the Academy Lawn (cover) is courtesy of Christian Harrison of the Exeter Communications office and his DJI Phantom 4 Drone.
Courtesy of Karin Tenney-Helfrich
Carnival Night
Students tried not to fall off the shark at a night of games, karaoke, and balloons in Love Gym on July 7th.
3
NEWS
THE SUMMER TIMES
THE SUMMER TIMES Summer Times Staff Reporters A Format: Mayu Alten Nicole Chang Dilan Cordoba Mosquera Emma Donnelly Jessie Liu Magda Lockemann Ashley Tang Ana Velazco Ellen Wu
B Format: Tiya Bhatia Justin Burks Nicole C. Chan Melissa Chang Katherine Fernandez Leonie Graimann Lauren Isaacson Derin Kutlay Diane Sarkis
Summer Times Layout Editors Maria Heeter Lucas Schroeder
Faculty Advisor
Ralph Blumenthal The Summer Times is written and edited by Mr. Blumenthal's A and B format Journalism classes and contributing writers throughout Exeter Summer. It is produced by Maria Heeter, PEA '18, and Lucas Schroeder, PEA '18. The Summer Times welcomes Letters to the Editor, which can be sent via email to thesummertimes18@gmail. com. The editors reserve the right to print Letters to the Editor in a timely fashion and to edit them for content and clarity. The Summer Times appreciates the outpouring of commentaries submitted by so many students. We regret the space constraints that prevent us from publishing them all in the print edition. But as many as possible will be posted online at www.peasummertimes.com.
Exeter At 100 HISTORY, continued from page 2
group of students, consisting of 65 boys from the 13 states and Mexico. The initial intention of the summer program was to keep the school "alive" during the dormant summer months as it used the facilities it would in the regular school year. Additionally, students were given the opportunity to get ahead of their classmates and continue to exercise their learning as it was common for them to forget their material, vacationing away at an exotic island or the labyrinth of streets in Europe. The program lasted for the entire summer, unlike the 5-week program it is now. At first, the program only accepted regular-session students but eventually opened its doors to students from other schools -- those with a burning passion to expand their learning. Writer John Knowles says, "It was that summer that I realized I had fallen in love with Exeter." Knowles revealed that his summer spent at Exeter in 1943 was what inspired him to pursue his love for literature and write the well-known book, A Separate Peace. With the assistance of Don Dunbar, the director of the Exeter Summer program from 1966 to 1969, an outreach program was established in hopes of recruitin 50 students and 10 teachers from the major cities of the U.S. Mr. Dunbar's leadership "broke the mold" of traditional teaching, as the program started to offer more diverse courses, such as the arts. Through his recruitment program, the Exeter summer program student body doubled in size. The courses offered at the Exeter summer program evolved from basic and compulsory courses taught during the regular school year to innovative and diverse programs. Many courses taught during the summer program at Exeter were classes that weren't available during the school year, such as the in-depth study of Hitler and the
dark sides of leadership. Another significance of the Exeter summer program was its availability to girls. The Exeter summer program admitted girls in 1961, nearly a decade before the regular program did. The current Director, Elena Gosalvez-Blanco, praises the summer program as "a kind of academic incubator for the Academy", as it pioneered innovative courses such as design and challenged the norm of education. Through the academic studies at Exeter, students experience the student-facilitated learning style called Harkness. This learning method helps students better activate their thinking as they engage in discussions that allow for different perspectives. Not only did the summer program allow a better platform for students to learn, but also the students are exposed to varied cultures and have the opportunity to interact with people of different background. In 1920, there were 152 boys from 22 states, the Dominican Republic, and Canada, and just last year there were 762 students enrolled, from 41 states and 53 countries. The wide diversity allows for students to experience different cultures and traditions. Families like the Cigarroas of Laredo have been attending the Exeter summer program for almost 50 years, as they appreciate the culture and knowledge enrichment they gain from this program. More than two dozen family members have attended since Patricia Cigarroa came east in the early 1970s. 100 years later, Exeter Summer is still a program with the hope of educating students and assisting them to strive better in their academic life. As the program continues to grow, Ms. Gosalvez says, "the program has done a good job of adapting to what the teenagers want and we hope to keep doing that in the future."
Exeter's first Summer Session began July 8th, 1919. of The Exeter Bulletin.
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
Solidarity in Catastrophe: Aftermath of Puerto Rico By KATHERINE FERNANDEZ Summer Times Staff Writer
On September 17, 2018 we found out, by the announcement made by the governor of Puerto Rico, that the direct hit by Hurricane Maria was imminent. My family prepared for the worst, as everyone was told. We bought as much water as we could, 3 gallons per person, and secured the house as best as we could. We also loaded up on microwavable meals or food cans. We live a block from the beach and knew that anything could happen. We were ready and my excitement kept increasing. I was looking forward to missing a few days of school and taking a break from all the studying. But I soon realized the truth in “be careful what you wish for.” It turned out to be the most terrifying but at the same time the most interesting and challenging experience of my life. By 2:00 am, September 20, my mom decided the best place for all of us to hunker down and wait out the storm was the walk-in closet in her room. My brother, Francisco, and I tookour pillows and our dog, Simba, and went into the closet for the longest night ever. When the storm started, there were 5 of us in my mom's closet -- Francisco, Simba, my parents and me. I slept through as much as I could. When I woke up 4 hours later, everyone was in the same crammed positions they were in when we first came in. For the next two hours we watched what we had downloaded of an old TV episode and tried connecting to any other person or radio station to learn what was happening outside and where the storm was at this point. We were not expecting any good news from the outside world since from the closet we could hear the wild winds and banging -- it seemed as if we were inside a washing machine. We were also consistently hearing a slamming on our roof, which we were happy about because it was our A/C units. And we were happy to know they hadn't blown off. Another two hours passed and we had no signal, wifi or connection to any sort of radio station. We were all
really hot, sweating and famished. I couldn't decide which one was the worst. We could tell Simba was pretty hot too. Hours kept passing, and each one felt even longer than the other. By the sixth hour Simba started to feel a little sick and started gagging next to my dad. My dad wasn't too pleased and wanted to let him out of the tiny closet to feel better. Of course I didn't let him because if I can't go out, why should he? Eventually his gagging stopped and Simba fell asleep. Two more hours passed and we were all ready to leave, but decided to hold on a little longer for safety issues. By the 9th hour, we were out! Now it was time to face reality. The first thing we heard when we stepped out of the closet was a waterfall coming from our third floor down to the first. After my dad and brother stopped the waterfall that was pouring into the house down the stairway from the roof, we then started to bucket and squeegee the water out of the first floor. After that, nervously, we opened the garage doors and took our first look outside. It was a devastating sight. I didn't recognize my own street. It was covered in sand, and filled with leaves, branches and rocks. Trees were knocked down and because of that sidewalks were lifted up and cracked. Our solar panels were smashed and scattered up to 3 blocks from our house. Pieces of iron fences were on every corner, along with car pieces and wood panels. Windows in our house were cracked, and in many other houses they were missing. Some trees had been lifted up and thrown and the destruction looked to us like that of a tornado or an earthquake. Without a single leaf left to be seen it looked like the aftermath of a nuclear bomb, but it was the destruction of a category 5 hurricane! Our neighbor showed up that same afternoon with coffee he had made on his barbecue.We all drank “cafe con leche” and there was something so comforting about it. The weather was
still dismal so we really didn't begin any outside work until the next day. The next morning we began our tasks. The goal was to clear the streets so we shoveled sand out of the garage and then off the streets. We picked up branches and raked leaves that were blocking our way through the streets. Some neighbors even brought out gas-powered saws to cut up trees and move them however possible to help open streets. Besides the dreadful cleaning, a happier moment was when we saw some hummingbirds and we began to put out plates of sugar water for them almost every day. It was a task I actually enjoyed doing because it reminded me of how things were before the hurricane. The next few days were filled with manual labor. There was no electricity and no running water so we were in survival mode. We were living with the bare necessities. After a couple of days she heat returned and the mosquitoes did too. We took 2 minute showers each night and covered ourselves with Off. One positive thing that came out of this catastrophe was the solidarity between people, and communities around the island. We all spent a lot of time cleaning the streets so we had the opportunity to meet new neighbors. Everyone helped each other out by sharing their provisions such as food, water or batteries. Neighbors also pitched in to help with anything that needed fixing. We all waited in long hot lines to get into the supermarkets and then came back to share whatever we had with others. Later on when some people managed to get power generators, they threw cables to next door neighbors to share some of their energy. People joined together and connected like never before and we changed into an even more giving and loving community. Now, after the catastrophe I have a greater empathy for people around the world suffering through a natural disaster. Despite the damage, now I have a life-changing story of mine to share and tell with everyone.
A Fighter For Her Island Last Monday, as Exonians rushed into the Assembly Hall, they had the pleasant surprise of being greeted by a rather extraordinary visitor. Indeed, they had the opportunity to hear Sandra Guzman speak about Puerto Rico. She is not your average reporter: born in Puerto Rico, she feels very strongly about the injustices Puerto Ricans suffer and about their drastic standard of living following the hurricanes. She has gone there to bring help (giving out non- GMO seeds to help farmers grow food, for example) and, as a journalist, makes sure to spread awareness about what is happening in Puerto Rico, such as floods, lack of electricity (one third of the population did not have access to
By DIANE SARKIS
Summer Times Staff Writer
it) and food, contaminated waters and thousands of deaths all caused by the category 4 and category 5 hurricanes, Irma and Maria. Not to mention Puerto Ricans’s lack of political power despite being citizens of the United States: they are treated as second class citizens and do not possess the same voting rights. Ms. Guzman is working hard to criticize and combat these injustices as a journalist by getting people to talk about them and leading protests via several media platforms (magazines, television, books, newspapers). However, her perseverance does not stop there: she is an author, speaker and activist as well (you probably
Sandra Guzman gives a speech at Assembly on the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
got a taste of her passion during Assembly). Her strong commitment has earned her several awards, and she is currently working on a very important documentary.
Watch Your Wallets SAFETY, continued from page 2
believed to be last seen at Elm Street Dinning Hall or at the Grill. The wallet was looked for, but was not found. To combat the thefts in the dining hall, there is now a member of the kitchen staff checking lanyards so that nobody who is not supposed to be there gets inside the dining hall. Campus Safety has also increased safety patrols at Elm Street. If you are afraid that your valuables will be taken from your bag in the dining hall, you may keep it with you. However, Mr. Gravel asks that it be kept out of the way so no one trips over it. Since Exeter is also an open campus, always be aware of your surroundings.
At the Boat House this week, students reported a suspicious person in the area. Campus Safety was notified as well as Exeter Police. Mr. Gravel applauded the students for reporting the incidents. Nothing bad happened. However, if you ever see a person who looks suspicious, you are encouraged to report that to Campus Safety immediately. There are precautions all the students at Exeter Summer can take to avoid situations such like these. The first is to always travel in groups or with at least another person. If you are going to walk alone, make sure at least one other person knows where
you are going. Another way to take precautions is “if you see something, say something.” You can't get in trouble for reporting a situation in which you feel unsafe. “Exeter is a pretty safe town,” Mr. Gravel said, “just have common sense.” Make sure you always know where your belongings are and try not to leave your backpack unguarded anywhere. The message Mr. Gravel wants to leave with students is to be “aware of your surroundings” and do not go places where you feel uncomfortable. “Take the extra time” to check your dorm locks and your personal belongings.
THE SUMMER TIMES
COMMENTARY
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
4
Canvassing for Votes: A Lesson in Politics By TIYA BHATIA
Summer Times Staff Writer
Exeter Summer students got a lesson in grass-roots politics, American-style, when a representative of Chris Pappas, a member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire and Democratic candidate for Congress visited the school last week. The event was arranged by Jackie Weatherspoon, Access Exeter advisor and a former aide to Hillary Clinton. Mr. Pappas’s political director, Soham Pandit, promoted the candidate's policies as he is currently running for the U.S. House of Representatives. This meeting touched on a host of relevant and imperative issues including gun control, foreign policy, immigration, planned parenthood and healthcare. “We are all impacted by politics one way or another so it is so encouraging to see that so many students are interested by this.” Mr. Pandit said at the event in the basement of the Academy Center. Chris Pappas, born and raised in New Hampshire, is an active member of the state’s
Democratic party. At the mere age of 22, he ran for the state legislature and won. The discussion was extremely engaging, especially when considering the current political tension that has enveloped the United States. One of the extremely prevalent issues discussed was gun control. Mr. Pappas is a staunch supporter of red flag gun laws, which allow authorities to temporarily take away guns from a person who has shown a pattern of violence. He also supports banning assault weapons and bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic firearms to mimic the firing speed of fully automatic weapons. Furthermore, he calls for stricter background checks for the purchase of guns, with an elongated waiting period. The discussion of gun violence led to a conversation about police brutality in the United States. Mr. Pappas believes that this issue must be addressed directly from the foundation itself. This involves better police training and hiring the correct
people to guarantee that there is no initial bias. On immigration, Mr. Pandit said Mr. Pappas believes that President Trump must be held accountable for his actions and should be stopped from monopolizing power. He is a staunch supporter of the statement that every immigrant (legal or illegal) deserves a right to citizenship. “We need to build bridges not borders.” Mr. Pandit said.
As for foreign policy, Mr. Pappas was said to believe in diplomacy, to guarantee that American values are represented internationally, instead of military action. He favors investing in humanitarian issues to grow local economies and says safety is key to building sustainable societies in unstable regions. One of the issues that Mr. Pappas passionately advocates is expanding Medicaid to more
Chris Pappas, front in blue tie, with supporters on the campaign trail. Courtesy of Chris Pappas.
Americans and businesses in the United States. In 2014, he played a vital role in expanding Medicaid to 50,000 low-income residents in New Hampshire and this legislation unlocked $2.5 billion in federal funds for Medicaid expansion. A d d i t i o n a l l y, M r. Pappas has continuously fought against attempts to defund Planned Parenthood. In 2016, he successfully worked to restore full funding for women's healthcare services, birth control and cancer screenings, which improved the wellbeing of thousands of women across New Hampshire. His support of women was further advanced through his support of the repeal of the Global Gag Rule so that organizations can provide family planning services to women around the world.
Practicing the Ideals We Preach By DERIN KUTLAY
Summer Times Staff Writer
Just a few days ago, when I was eating with my Chinese friends in our dining hall and heard some five students make fun of Chinese phrases and culture, I was not surprised. And those kids should not be surprised either that I have written “our dining hall” and not “the superiors’" dining hall that we so wrongly happened to be in. And how beautiful that this first week was so full of assemblies celebrating “diversity.” It is just as if we were in the real world. So let’s give what has happened in our school some political flair. Our school administration is trying to embrace multiculturalism, which initially recognizes different cultures, conserves them in societies and does not exclude at least in theory. How heavenly, if only it did not fail in so many trials. Many people have criticized multiculturalism because it creates some kind of inequality, since it recognizes people based on background and not as fully equal citizens. Also, we
have connected multiculturalism with crime -- just search the word on YouTube and you will find tens of videos titled “Why Germany Has a Rape Problem and Latvia Hasn’t.” What the kids would probably want is assimilation, when the minority culture takes the dominant and generally imposed cultures’ qualities by repression, force or just because of time. All of us remember Native Americans in blazers and polo shirts, but that is too new. Even your oldest teacher is not going to remember this, but many Ancient Roman borders were for keeping immigrants out, the ones inside "civilized" with the Latin language and culture. And another example: remember the pagan – Christian relationships? How funny it awfully sounds like making refugees Christian. And what about the German Parallelgesellschaft? Let me ask in a comprehensible way: do you support having a Chinatown or Little Italy in New York? Parallel societies come into play when different
ethnic groups organize themselves for a reduced contact with others. They are in every society unless you are living in a dictatorship (since no difference would exist because of assimilation). You will probably not understand how dangerous it is considering it seems like it is just between the former two, but just take a Google Street View in one of the places I saw most as a child, a Turkish community in Berlin. A North African one in Paris. A Kurdish one in Stockholm. An Indian one in London. Just this week, Denmark declared many Muslim communities "ghettos" with a new series of laws. They also want non-Western children to take more than 30 hours of classes every week about “Danish culture”, doubled punishments for the crimes these people commit, more police surveillance and much more. The last one sounds like the Gestapo, the Nazi police force. Just this week, the French couldn’t sleep from the sounds of a riot. A riot against the
police killing North Africans. France has seen a lot of these stories, from rapes, and murders to torture, and the victim is somehow generally an immigrant. Some French papers gave this a different perspective, though, saying that just like these killed people, the police were also struggling under pressure and suicide rates have gone up. Just this week, the German coalition government has tightened its immigration policies. Just this week, a lot has happened. Just this week, we have seen that no one will ever be welcome anywhere. But let’s be real. Imagine someone who comes from a society that does not recognize homosexuality and is against equal rights. This person immigrates to Netherlands and refuses contact with homosexuals, even harasses them. This person is as guilty as a government which wants people to not celebrate New Year but Christmas. However, we have two minutes until midnight. And we
still have much to talk about. How much change can we bring to society? I wrote this article and you read it, and hopefully now you will not stare down distinct people in the metro. Great. We are all proud of you. But let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was the PM of Sweden, Stefan Löfven. He had an open-tomulticulturalism image and many did not find him suitable for Europe during an immigrant crisis. Then there came the PM of Denmark, Lars Rasmussen. They met in Sweden just a few months ago and never seemed to argue. He never said anything. And that’s why we, yes the two of us, now have to inform even more people. Sweden has nearly 10 million people, Denmark has almost 6. So don’t start your Pre-Calculus homework, we have some work to do. I’m offering you Köttbullar and Danish pastries (it is originally Austrian!) as incentives.
Banned By Trump, Students Push Back By MAGDA LOCKEMANN Summer Times Staff Writer
Banned. That’s what a lot of people from the Middle Eastern states are. Are you wondering from where? From the United states. But why should the country of “freedom” take the right to choose people who can’t live in the same circumstances that we wish for everyone else? Why should we leave young and talented artists or promising students in a country that does not have a proper education system to support those children, teenagers and even adults? These might be people like someone who lives with us this summer. Someone who left everything behind to pursue proper education. But can you imagine leaving everything behind? Mustafe A. Dahir is one of the 700+ students who attends Exeter Summer. He is fromSomaliland, which is an independent region in the north of Somalia. Mustafe is the only one from his country here this year. For the past 27 years Somaliland wanted to be its own country. Unlike the rest of Somalia, Mustafe's hometown is more peaceful and has a stable government. In the past Somaliland was a British colony and Somalia an
Italian colony. But in comparison to the other students, his residence permission isn’t as “easy” for him as it is for others. That is caused by the new banning policy of the American President. Particularly countries that have a large populations of Muslims suffer under Trump's new restrictions. The Supreme Court accepted Trump's restrictions with a vote of 5-4. He already proposed other restrictions but none of them were approved, until now. Already there are a lot of international critics who say the restriction is not constitutional. Immigrants and or visitors from Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela and North Korea are banned from the United States. These are the seven countries that are affected by the Travel Ban. But Venezuela's leadership is also targeted in the Travel restrictions. In contrast to previous years when dozens of Venezuelan students attended Exeter Summer, this years there are only two. All immigrants are banned from the U.S. but visitors require extra permission. One of these people with extra permission is Mustafe. He has an F1 visa that allows him
and other international students to stay in America for their study-period plus an extra of 60 days. But as soon as he leaves the United States he has to reapply for a visa to get the permission to travel back. Additional to that, Mustafe can only leave America in the summer. Due to these two aspects he hasn’t seen his family and friends from home for two years. Thats because he has attended a private school in Connecticut since June 2016. For the sake of his education, Mustafe left everything behind. He would have gone back to Somalialand in 2017 to visit his family and friends but he couldn’t because at that point
the restriction against Somalia came out and he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to come back to America. But this year he didn’t have a choice due to the fact that he needed to visit colleges and study for his SATs. These two aspects combined with the fact that he can only visit his home during the summer are the reason why he hasn’t seen his family and friends in two years. Only imagining living with those circumstances may make most teenagers homesick or sad but this turns out to be Mustafe’s reality and he has learned to prepare himself properly to master main barriers like living in a new country with a different culture, religion, language and
President Trump displaying latest ban. Photo Courtesy of CNN News.
educational system. Hearing this case we wonder why the destiny of such a young person gets so badly influenced by our current policy. The contention of the American President why the habitants of the restricted countries are banned is that the security rules of these states are too lax and do not correspond to American standards. Another one of Trump's arguments are the terror attacks of 2001. According to him he just wants to protect Americans against foreign terrorists. But none of the terrorists from 2001 were from any of those banned states. In fact they were from Saudi-Arabia, Egypt and the Lebanon. Also since the policy does target immigrants and refugees it should be said that none of the terrorists from 2001 were refugees. After three years in a foreign country Mustafe will finally be able to leave America and see his family, friends and hometown again. But as Mustafe said: "I am looking forward to going back home and watching the stars at night.“
COMMENTARY
THE SUMMER TIMES
5
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
In China, Share and Share A Bike... By ASHLEY TANG Summer Times Staff Writer
How to solve the ‘last mile’ problem caused by the relatively short distance between home and subway station? This question has puzzled people in China for a long time. As there are dramatic increases in the Chinese population and cost of living as well as growth in convenient public transportation system, more and more people choose to go to work by subway and bus. However, compared with private car, the realistic issue people face is that the nearest bus or subway station is not usually next to the house, so people sometimes need to go back home on foot for approximately half a kilometer after getting off from the last station.This is not only costs extra time but also causes trouble in torrid heat and other extreme weather. Obviously, Chinese people are trying hard to find out effective solutions to cope with this. Sharebike is such a brilliant idea that successfully addresses it. Let’s first look at the con-
cept of Sharebike in China. Sufficient Sharebikes are placed next to the station in advance by the bike company. After people get off at the station, they immediately ride bikes to their destination using their mobile phones to unlock the bike.Then, the bike company sometimes would bring a certain amount of bikes collected from different places back to place where lots of people use it everyday. Certainly,beside the station, bikes are available in many other places, whether the hospital or supermarket, even the park. People can always use special app through GPS to locate the nearest bike around them. Undeniably, the most unique point about Sharebikes is that there is no restriction as to place People can place bikes near their destination wherever they want except on the road. For instance, if you intend to enter a store, you could just place and lock the bike next to it instead of finding a specific area and walk long way back to store. It is undoubtedly saves valuable time. Besides, the Sharebike combines advanced technology and provides people with simple procedures
to unlock and pay . You can just use a mobile to scan a unique QR code on the bike-- the takes less than 5 seconds -- then you can ride it away. And after you reach your destination, you just use your hand to turn off the lock then walk away. The payment is based on how much time passes from unlocking your Sharebike to re-locking it. Electronic payments are then automatically transferred to the bike company in a few seconds by a reliable third party online paying company. Also, more and more bike companies such as Mobike decided to cancel deposits, resulting in more convenience for customers. These combined benefits are attractive to different groups of people, especially for children and old people due to the simple process and safety paying guarantee. Also important with Sharebike is the encouragement for low-carbon travel. Cars always produce greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuel which is harmful to the environment while bikes generate nothing. Sharebike is a good substitute for the car for short distance travel. People‘s awareness for protecting the
environment could be enhanced by introducing another way of traveling. Sharebike has positively affected people, bringing society improvement in efficiency of transportation. One of the top universities in China --Beijing University -- has about 2,000 Sharebikes on campus.They save time and money for students who do not need to buy a personal bike as the campus is big. Also,many other schools are also trying to purchase Sharebike to benefit both students and faculty.
Courtesy of Google Images
Those instances indicate the effectiveness of Sharebikes to solve transportation issues. Meanwhile, the Sharebike companies are trying hard to bring more advantages to customers and make a more perfect bike-sharing system as well as popularize it in the rest of world. If every country could introduce it to the local infrastructure or university, the way people travel may experience a revolution.
Chinese Students Throng America Broad Face By DERIN KUTLAY
Summer Times Staff Writer
I could really like a romantic pastoral life With the pastel pink aesthetic And a lovable farmer, hills of serene white grass A church we attend every Sunday Red cheeked children running along the erased and redrawn corners of lakes But there is the ignorance, the apathy Something inside twisting and turning to break away free A spit on the graves of close minded mayors And another on every alive and robust fellow With no admiration to the starry night, or its god. Courtesy of China Daily
By ELLEN WU
Summer Times Staff Writer
In 2017, at the commencement of Maryland University, student representative Shuping Yang gave a speech on why she chose to go to the U.S. for college. She started out by saying “It’s because of the fresh air.” She talked about how the fresh and clean air seemed like a luxury for her. In addition, she mentioned that she got no taste of freedom in China while in the U.S. she can do whatever she wants. Her speech raised a huge controversy in China -- people regarded her as someone who defamed and lied about things in China just to get the audience entertained and show that she was highly educated. As a Chinese citizen, I know what she said is not true and these are not the reasons why so many Chinese choose to come to the U.S. for higher education. Going back in history, the first wave of Chinese travel to America started in 1871, during the Qing dynasty when Tseng Kuo-fan and other two ministers wanted to send children to the U.S. so that they could know about its government and industry, utilizing the idea “Learn from foreigners and compete with them.” Throughout the years, this trend has been less meritocratic and more civil. It is approximated that 545,000 Chinese students went to the U.S. in 2017, which is a 36 percent rise compared to 2012. Every year, thousands of mainland Chinese students travel to Hong Kong or Macau for their SAT tests and the level of crowdedness is nothing you can image. If you asked most of the Chinese students, they will say that they go overseas because they want to escape the Chinese University Entrance exam which is the Gao Kao system. They are afraid to be put into that stressful environment where you need to study almost 18 hours a day without break. Failing that test is not an option since they can only redo it the following year.
Parents at the same time also sacrifice their life to accompany their children. For example, they will give up their job and squeeze into a small apartment with their children so that their children can commute to school more conveniently. Because of the one child policy since the 1980s, Chinese parents have had high expectation for their only kid. They are willing to put a huge investment into their kid’s education if they are going abroad, starting from going to an expensive international school, signing up for the standardization test, finding an agency to help their child apply and so on. Going to the U.S. for education is not an easy choice for Chinese students and what exactly do they get from it? Escaping the Gao Kao system, they get to choose to study things they are truly passionate about instead of choosing a major based on future job opportunities or family honor. They choose computer science because they like coding not because it is easy to get a job. Additionally, when they are immersed in American culture, they get to see our own one more clearly. For example, people gather during a Chinese festival, making dumplings and watching the gala. They realize how distinctive Chinese culture is when they communicate with people from all over the world. Last but not least, they experience more, and experience is the best teacher of life. Someone may sign up for a wine-making class for the first time or may argue with the professor about one specific concept. As the saying goes “Never be a frog in the well”-- go and explore the world. That's why students choose to come here. The Exeter community not only offers you experience that you can take home for life, but also allows you to contributing your part of the culture to it.
Write 4 Us? Right for U! Want to get in on the fun? Contribute to The Summer Times. We have three weekly issues left, and we’re looking for: Articles. Commentaries. Poems. Cartoons. Photographs They must be ORIGINAL, and not previously submitted to your school. But classwork here is OK. Email them with your name and contact info (cell phone, dorm, etc) to: thesummertimes18@gmail.com We’ll publish as many as we can.
Then I think about life in a busy city instead Everything in its most vivid shade The smell of ink and rustle of papers The fruity and tangy flavor of foreign afternoons A desire for Uranus, but never the Gaia The smell of an immortal plague, betraying the efforts of Camus The metallic flavor of blood and saltiness of tears Flowing from well-tended town hall gardens. Most probably I am fit for the mountains The glorious and countless peaks shaped like a king’s fallen crown The forests and flames changing color as the seasons go by The moon and the sun only in peace here With the stars and snow whiter than the conscience of a nun But our traces in the snow would only be the grayness of solitude Like the pebbles Hansel and Gretel dropped The only thing it leads to is our real home. Maybe a small hut near the sea Every color associated with a sin, a virtue But blue always an open ocean With no morality to care for, no meaning to analyze But I have never liked blue in the first place The ebb, the flow and the golden sand Too meaningless, just like being a speck of dust Nothing an old verse can’t swallow or a tide.
Getting to Know You... By ANA VELAZCO Summer Times Staff Writer
Exeter Summer is a place where many different people from many different cultures come together to learn about each other and have new experiences. Some students come from far off places, ranging from the sunbathed blue beaches of Greece to the green tropical rainforests of Brazil. So arriving here can be a bit of a culture shock. Take a kind girl with bright hazel eyes named Serena Bosco, a 16-year old from Rome. On the bright, maroon couches of the library she chatted about her life in Italy. She was enthusiastic and excited to tell her story. “The reason why I considered school in the U.S. was because I am part American,” Serena said. Her father is American but her mother is Italian. When asked how she coped and felt about being part of two completely different worlds she said, “ you feel as though you don’t really belong to both cultures.” Serena talked about how it felt weird and how she never felt that she fully belonged in both, even though she felt she was from Italy. “Italy is my home… but different”. Asked how the U.S. differed from Italy, she said the first word that popped into her head was, “overwhelming.” Not only are the streets, buildings, and places much bigger than back home but when it comes to the people, the difference is outstanding. “They say 'hi' to you,” said Serena with a wondrous smile. “People are more open-minded.” She recalled the time
she was walking in the streets of Boston and a gay couple passed her. “It's so cool. In Italy it's more behind.” Although Serena feels as though she will never fully be a part of both worlds, when asked if she would ever live in the States , she said, “I would never live here… it's just too big. Italy feels like family.” Reema Alonaizan, a 16-year old girl from Saudi Arabia, also found herself in a strikingly different environment. Saudi Arabia has very limited rights for women, although the government is slowly giving them the freedom they deserve. The states are very different from Saudi Arabia, since woman have many, many rights and with each passing year gain more independence. “Women were not allowed to leave the country without permission of a man,” said Reema matter-of-factly. “Women were not allowed to drive.” But she said, “Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud helped give women their rights.” He is the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, who is opening up more and more opportunities for women. For example, he has recently given three months of maternity leave for all working mothers in the country. As for fashion, Reema said, "Women like to overly dress and always wear like full makeup.” So much for stereotypes. If you think about it, it is not at all different from western fashion since women here as well love to dress up and wear as much makeup as possible. That just goes to show how close are cultures actually are, if we only talk to one another.
6
THE SUMMER TIMES
COMMENTARY
Running Hot & Cold HEAT, continued from page 2 faculty stressed that the discomfort would be temporary. Indeed, a cold spell descended after the first week. “This year, Exeter Summer began with a heat wave,” Exeter Summer Director Elena Gosalvez-Blanco said. “The extremely high temperatures typically dial down after around a week. For this reason, it is a waste of resources to have air conditioning running in assembly halls and dorms.” Additionally, though many students experienced considerable heat in their rooms, Ms. Gosalvez-Blanco noted that students battled the intense temperatures respectfully. “This year, we received very few complaints,” she said. To some faculty members, though, this summer’s heat blurs in comparison to previous years. For Russell Weatherspoon, an expert on religion and year-round instructor at Phillips Exeter, the scorching hot Exeter Summer session of 1988 remains vivid in his mind. “The summer was six weeks; for five of those weeks
The Deans take a selfie.
temperatures remained mostly in the nineties, sometimes rising above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit, combined with high humidity,” he said. Residents and students in Exeter were not the only ones affected by the heat wave. According to Mr. Weatherspoon, “People suffered under these conditions from the Carolinas up through maritime Canada.” He also noted that “from time to time rain and thunderstorms rolled through, producing hope that lower temperatures and lower humidity would follow.” However, “the relief typically lasted only hours, unlike the very comfortable weekend weather we’ve just had.” To Mr. Weatherspoon, “the true surprise of this oppressive period belonged to the students, who simply said they would deal with the weather they couldn’t change by not complaining too much.” Whether in 1988 or 2018, one thing remains the same: the resourceful and optimistic outlooks of Exeter Summer students, no matter what circumstance comes their way.
Ralph Blumenthal/ The Summer Times
Karin Tennie-Heflrich and Michelle Soucy's baby French bulldog Barkley.
Tensions Melt at PEA TENSIONS MELT, continued from page 2 media, and Russia was equally antagonistic toward America. Influenced by the libels, the mistrust of the two countries snowballed, fabricating false stereotypes that are still seen today. In spite of being raised in Moscow, 4,483 miles away from Boston, Teresa had opinions similar to Lauren's. Exhausted from the sevenhour time difference, Teresa leaned back against her chair, pondering the background of Russia and America’s relationship. “Ever since the Cold War, the relations between the U.S. and Russia have only gone increasingly worse, but I didn’t have any of that in mind when approaching Lauren.” Despite the complex history of tension between the two countries, neither of their opinions of the other changed upon learning their ethnicity. “It wouldn’t have dictated our friendship either way,” said Lauren. “My opinions didn’t change after finding out where she was from.” Both girls, mature and understanding enough to disregard their countries’ rocky relationship, benefited from learning about the other. By acting as a beacon for people from all over the globe, this summer course can not only form international relationships but also provide a cultural lesson to others. By forgiving and forgetting, and letting bygones be bygones, the two friends have taught each other about their lifestyles and how it differs. When asked about Boston culture, Lauren replied with a simple sentence: “Sports-obsessed, duck tours, and the LGBT community.” Home to the WWII styled vehicles that tour the landmarks of Boston, an annual LGBT pride parade, and a plethora of passionate sports fans, Boston culture poses a stark contrast to Russian culture. With a prominent history in arts, Russian culture comprises alluring philosophy, graceful ballerinas and a distinctive style of architecture, with Byzantine features and decorated arches. With this contrast in culture in mind, the two appear to get along well. Bonding over funny anecdotes and life stories, the two girls discovered that they weren’t so different after all. However, this is not the case for all opposingnation students. Lounging in her chair, Elsa Khokhar spoke about the issues and hardships of being from Pakistan in a summer course like Exeter. “I consider myself to be friendly and open-minded,” said Elsa. “But not everyone is as tolerant.” She recounted an experience during another international camp, in which a girl from India tormented her. Upon finding out that Elsa was from Pakistan, the girl grew antagonistic due to their countries's troublesome history. Plagued by hostility and distrust, India and Pakistan have an incredibly complex history, including, but not limited to, four wars, military conflict, and issues with the border Kashmir. With no wall between them, India and Pakistan have clashed violently over Kashmir. Just this year, 5 civilians were killed in cross-border fire. “I see it all over the news,” said Elsa. “Once, a man accidentally stepped into India across the border and was arrested for 20 years!” Yet, this new generation of students is much more neutral and unprejudiced than their predecessors. Much like Lauren and Teresa, Elsa was willing to excuse and overlook the mistakes of her country’s past.
“I try to ignore where [classmates] are from and pay more attention to their personality,” said Elsa. “If I get an opportunity like this to meet people from all over the world, perhaps we could open up to each other and maybe forgive and forget.” This is the same case for access students Anna Shatalova and Alexandra Korovkina, respectively from Ukraine and Russia. Starting in February 2014, Russia, using military intervention, gained control of Ukrainian territory of Crimea. Since then, there has been an ongoing military conflict in the Donbass region of Ukraine. In spite of this, both Anna and Alexandra had mature views on what this meant for their friendship. “[Russia-Ukraine relations] didn’t affect my opinion of Alexandra,” said Anna. “Just because their government decided to intervene violently, doesn’t mean that all Russian people have the same mentality.” Alexandra agreed with the sentiment, both of them allowing each other to personally represent themselves. “You can’t judge the citizens by the actions of their government,” said Alexandra. The most interesting aspect of their friendship is how Alexandra’s family was affected, and how that played no role in their relationship whatsoever. During the Russian military interventions, her grandparents' house got caught in the cross-fire and was consequently bombed. “It doesn’t matter if your country is fighting,” said Alexandra. “What truly matters are the people themselves, and if that person has the same interests as you.” However, when asked about any pre-existing notions or false beliefs, Alexandra said that the overall stereotypes of Ukrainians in Russia were that they were sly and dishonest. “Someone you don’t want to be friends with,” said Alexandra. Because they had a chance to properly meet, away from their war-torn countries, they were able to discredit these stereotypes. “Exeter can bring people together,” said Anna. “You can change your opinions about the generalizations we see in the media.” Clearly, diversity pervades the campus. Everywhere you go, a student with an intriguing background appears, be it from Turkey, Germany or even Greece. In just five short weeks, the summer course provides an opportunity to meet students from all over the world. With the relaxed environment, it is easy for students to bond. Away from home and the comfortable confines of home, there is a strong need to get through the unfamiliarity of the new environment. This need, paired with the friendly students, fosters a strong sense of community. With the chance to meet foreign students abroad, both Teresa and Lauren were fascinated to discover the different lifestyles present at the camp. Being exposed to new languages and customs, they were given a greater understanding and appreciation for each other. By providing the opportunity to meet students from different backgrounds, Exeter summer academy creates long-lasting friendships and provides a cultural immersion for all students, regardless of race and ethnicity. Despite the problematic relationship between Russia and the USA, summer courses unite people from two completely different and often opposing backgrounds. As Teresa and Lauren talked, the setting sun reflected off their faces as it dipped below the horizon. The fleeting colors of pink and orange signified an end to a day, and soon, the start of many more friendships.
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
Doubling Up On Campus TWINS, continued from page 2
Ralph Blumenthal/ The Summer Times
Isabel & Ana Velazco are among 14 pairs of twins and one set of triplets here this year. of interviewing a couple of fraternal twins, identical twins, and twins that were here by themselves, on their Exeter experience, so far. Unfortunately, I was not able to contact the triplets, Chirapon and Pran Taepaisitphongse and their sister, Ranchida, in Access Exeter, as they did not respond to emails. I asked each set of twins the most commonly asked question: “what is it like being a twin?” Personally, I always feel weird answering this question, as I have never not been a twin, but for me, being a twin is like having a permanent best friend with you - all the time, 24/7. It’s nice knowing that you always have someone to trust and to count on. Someone who goes through the very best and worst times in your life, but encourages you in every step of the way, always cheering you on. Aston Justus, a fraternal twin and rising sophomore said, “it’s pretty nice, even though we fight a lot, Erk is always there for me.” Similarly, Adwoa Afrifa from Ghana who is also a fraternal twin said, “it’s really fun, I may be a girl and Kwesi may be a boy, but we’re still really close because we share a lot of the same experiences. Just like any other sibling, we do fight and get irritated with one another, but we’re mostly always together, encouraging each other.” Lastly, Marianna and Eleonora Tomazo both agreed that “being a twin is super cool!” The sisters seem very close, mentioning that they have the same classes, so they are able to work on homework together.” Marianna also mentioned that since they are the same age, they "just understand each other so much better.” The six pairs of twins I interviewed also talked about their reason for coming to Exeter, what they miss most from home, and what they hope to accomplish by the end of this summer. What Aston misses most from home is his family and friends, as well as sailing. He hopes to meet new people from all over the world, and he is very excited for the weekend trips, especially the upcoming one to Boston. Adwoa and Kwesi are here because they were the two students at their school picked for a student exchange. Adwoa misses their family and friends, and Kwesi adds food to that list, as well. They both hope to make new friends by sharing experiences, learning from others to become more well-rounded and aware of different cultures. Marianna and Eleonora are here on a school recommendation. They both miss their family and friends back in Greece but are very excited to be here. They hope to gain more knowledge and improve their English. Nate and Sav Bartkovich, rising seventh graders, are here to continue their family tradition -- their father, Kevin Glenn Bartkovich, teaches math in the regular session -- as well as learn more about the Harkness method. Along with Nate and Sav, Isabel and Ana Velazco, identical twins from the Dominican Republic, are also very interested in learning
more about this different school environment, both are hoping to learn something new. Isabel also mentions how she hopes to read five books over the course of the five weeks here at Exeter. Finally, Fionn and Seamus Fanning, identical twins from France, are homeschooled. They are looking forward to going on the weekend trips, classes and just getting to understand and experience a new school setting. Even the twins who are here by themselves, share similar experiences. When I asked Mia Sieh, a returning boarder, the most common question about twins, she said, “it’s nice because we share everything, so when it comes to making friends, her friends are my friends and my friends are her friends, so we get to know double the amount of people.” Being here by herself, I also asked her why she decided to come to Exeter alone. She said that she had enjoyed Access so much last year that she wanted to come back for Exeter Summer, while her sister went to another separate camp. Mia added that she misses her family, her dog and especially her sister, Isabel. When I asked her how her summer had been so far, without her sister, her response was, “it’s different this year - harder - but this has also forced me to branch out and talk to more people, which is a good thing I guess, because at the end of this summer I’ll be more independent.” This summer, Mia also hopes to gain more knowledge from her courses and understand more about other cultures from around the world, she hopes to accomplish this by making new friends. Here some more commonly asked questions, answered from my point of view. “Can you read each other’s minds?” No, it would be cool though. “Can you feel each other’s pain?” No “Do you guys like the same things?” Even though we may look like the same person, Nicole and I each have our own identities. “Do you have a secret language?” No “Why don’t you guys dress the same?” As a child, we didn’t have much choice on what to wear, but now, we don’t dress the same because it’s hard enough knowing who is who. “Is twin telepathy real?” No, we don’t have twin telepathy, but there are times when it feels like we do. We may coincidentally say the same thing at the same time, or go out dressed in similar outfits even though we may be rooms apart. “Have you ever switched places?” No “Do you get annoyed when you get called by the other person’s name?” I’ve gotten used to it. Sometimes, when people call me Nicole, I just play along with it, because I don’t want them to feel bad, they usually get very embarrassed.
Getting his first PEA lanyard: Angel Arroyo, 16, from Chicago, was number two on line for registration July 1.
Students at Browning House prepared their armor before entering the lists on Field Day July 7.
s
THE SUMMER TIMES
SUMMER LIFE
The Cup Runneth Over
By DILAN CORDOBA MOSQUERA Summer Times Staff Writer
It only happens once every 4 years for only a month. It’s day in and day out soccer games, passion, sweat, blood and tears. It’s the world’s biggest spectacle with up to 3.2 billion viewers, excluding the millions of fans who show up to scream for their teams in the stadiums. It was also recorded that 1 billion viewers turned on their devices to watch the 2014 world cup final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This summer Russia is hosting the 2018 Fifa World Cup. Twelve stadiums were sold out and are in use for the tournament and 12 different cities in Russia host the stadiums and the fans. Thirty-two countries were invited to the world’s most prestigious sporting event because they fought to qualify over 3 years in different parts of the world. All seven continents were represented in the start of the tournament and the world was buying the hype. Four years have passed since the last world cup and Futbol fever has struck Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. “To me, the World Cup is the most exciting competition in all of sports and of course, soccer is the most international sport.” says Paolo Reichlin, instructor in modern languages at Phillips Exeter Academy. “I have not missed a World Cup match thus far with the exception of the 10:00 am games this week since I teach in the morning.” So you can see, to the futbol fans it’s not just a sport, it’s a way of life -- it is a deep love and passion. We ask ourselves, why is this game so intriguing? One student in the summer Exeter program, German Castro-Leonardo,15, said,“I like that it gets intense and the happiness you get when your team wins.” For the semi-finals of this prestigious event, France, “les
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
7
"Almost, Maine" Almost Ready By JUSTIN BURKS
Summer Times Staff Writer
Courtesy of Google Images
bleus” faced the “Red Devils”, Belgium on Tuesday, July 10th at 2:00 pm EST, for a place in the long awaited World Cup Final. Croatia's “The Blazers” encountered England's “Three Lions” on Wednesday 2:00 pm EST. These encounters followed France's defeat of Uruguay 2-0 and Belgium's humbling of Brazil, 2-1, leaving both winners in an epic encounter for the semi-finals on the left side of the bracket. While on the right side, England defeated Sweden 2-0 and despite Croatia's and Russia's 2-2 tie after extra time, Croatia was able to take the win on penalties, to advance and face a positive, hopeful England in the semi- finals of this edition of the world cup. Although some of our favorite teams suffered an early exit from the tournament, the World Cup is still the focus in Phillips Exeter academy, and many have turned to root for another team. “I rooted for
the Mexican team but now that they are out, I am rooting for France” said German. There are also some fanatics like Mr. Reichlin who just simply love the sport. As he said, “At the start of the tournament, I was rooting for Spain. Once Spain was eliminated, my allegiance shifted to Colombia and Mexico. Now that both Latin American teams have been eliminated, I just want to watch the best possible caliber of soccer.” It’s more than just a sport. It is the feeling that you get when your country has just scored, and the fear in your eyes when there is an opportunity for the opposition. It is the chant of passion that you hear worldwide,every 4 years when this tournament comes on. And now: on to France vs. Croatia.
OPENING RECEPTION TODAY! Thursday, July 12, 4-6pm An exhibit in Lamont Gallery, opposite the Academy Center Welcome to Bird Land: Michele L'Heureux With artist/collaborator Helen Popinchalk Exhibit runs: June 26 - October 13, 2018
Exeter Summer has finally started and students have just recently began to feel like it's their home. With the process of making new friends and mapping out your schedule for the next five weeks this first part has not been easy. But because they are who they are the students of Exeter have adjusted quite fittingly. Now the big question on everybody's mind is what is there to do. Some have decided on the stage. The theatre was created somewhere back in the 4th century B.C.E. There was none of the technology we have today to improve lighting or sound, just simple acting. Today there are actors all around the country performing in musicals and plays everywhere. Including a play here at Exeter Summer. This summer, on July 26 and 27, the Theatre of Exeter will present a series of short plays from the production "Almost, Maine," by John Cariani. Directed by Exeter's drama instructor Kyle Nash, these shorts will be based around the idea of love. These plays will be extremely intriguing, and you won't want to miss them. But don’t just take my word for it hear it from some students who are in the play.
Another actor, Lauren Isaacson, is a fellow journalist at Exeter Summer, from Boston Massachusetts, who aspires to one day be a reporter for the NFL. In one of the shorts, Lauren is Marci, a loyal wife who tries to remind her husband of their anniversary but is unsuccessful. Lauren has experience in acting before and knows this play will be a fantastic performance. Actors usually have months to prepare before they actually act but for these students it will only be a couple of weeks. The play will no doubt be amazing. These students will give it their all for your enjoyment, so it would be impolite not to come. Here's how the website Stageagent.com describes "Almost, Maine": A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keep the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani’s Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold
Chadwick Ho is from Hong Kong but he resides in Australia. In the play he portrays a husband named Phil. Phil has sort of a narcissistic personality with not only his wife but his friends and family. He cares too much about himself and forgets he's not easy to get along with. Chadwick, even though he auditioned late, has had a fun time in the play so far. He has met new people and really enjoyed trying something new. He says you'd make a mistake to miss it. Jeanne Cavil is from Champaign, France and really glad to be apart of the play. She plays a part where she is in love with her best friend for quite a while. Yet when she tells her best friend something very interesting happens. Jeanne loves being in the play because, like Chadwick, she makes new friends all with different accents. She says her director is very nice and gives good advice. She describes the play as many "meaningful and funny stories about love."
and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost -- not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness -- experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery.
Ralph Blumentah;/The Summer Times
The Exeter Cast: Juan Guerra, Derin Kutlay, Jessikah Morton, Dakota DeVore, Mira Kwon, Nicolas Ling, Nasir AlSabah, Laura Voytko, Jada Wilder, Rawan Ibrahim, Jeanne Cavil,Justin Rigg, Armed Telekt, Kaan Celik, Gabrielle Steg,Tommaso Cardella, Lauren Issacson.
8
SUMMER LIFE
THE SUMMER TIMES
THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
Field Day Glory FIELD DAY, continued from page 2 participants walked away grinning. Several innovative strategies presented themselves throughout the race, one of which meant completely releasing the sack and jumping with it around their ankles. Others approached the race in different ways. “I put my feet in [the sack] and kept it close, jump[ing] as high as I can and tried to be straight so I wouldn’t fall," said Rina Kawagishi from Cilley Hall. "I kept the bag and held it high so I wouldn’t tangle it with my feet.” Furthermore, during the three-legged race, students partnered with others of similar heights from their dorms, tied rubber strips below their knees, and ran across the quad and back. As the increased height of the band eases movement, a popular strategy was to tie the band as close to their knees as possible. However, without much practice, many stumbled and narrowly avoided falling.
“We both decided to step with the same leg first," said Hannah Ravaris from Cilley Hall. "We started walking, then we started hopping, and [it] eventually led to running, which was the key.” In the izzy-dizzy race, students ran halfway across the field, turned 10 times with their foreheads on a bat, then attempted to run back to their teams. Many times, participants fell on their trip back either directly following their intensive turning or later on, resulting in uproarious laughter from the crowds. “It was a lot harder than it looks. You’ve got to give credit to people who ran in straight lines,” said Nicole Chan from Cilley Hall. At the announcement of the winners, Cilley Hall burst into cheers, the whole dormitory hugging each other in a flagrant display of friendship. “I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was so proud to be a part of Cilley,” said Catherine Sarkis from Cilley Hall.
Official Results : Upper School Girls Cilley (1) Dunbar (2) Merrill (3)
Access Girls Langdell (1) Bancroft (2) McConnell (3)
Upper School Boys Wentworth (1) Ewald (2) Main Street (3)
Acess Boys Wheelwright (1) Peabody, Kirtland, Webster (2)
Courtesy of Karin Tenney-Helfrich
Dorms Gear Up for Combat By DIANE SARKIS and LEONIE GRAIMANN
Summer Times Staff Writers
Field Day -- a day during Exeter Summer lot of students look forward to. One competes in teams according to dorm in in games such as the sack race, the three-legged race, and the izzy dizzy bat relay. Each dorm prepares differently, although most of them start by decorating some T-shirts so other people can recognize their dorm. Some used spray paint and markers, others puffy paint and one dorm even got premade ones. Some shirts just had the dorm names on it and others whole slogans. Besides designing T-shirts dorm teams also made up chants they could scream during the competitions. But not a lot of dorms really practiced for Field Day. Some Dorms just did some group games to get to know each other and especially to learn each other´s names. For example, the girls dorm Merrill were at the
basement of the church where they decorated their shirts with markers in a lot of different designs and the slogan, "We are the Merrillcles." After that they divided into two groups and competed in a "name game" where you had to throw at first one tennis ball to another person in a certain order and call out the person´s name to which you were throwing the ball. Then you had a second tennis ball which you were throwing in the same order just a little staggered and then after that the third ball, the order backwards. The competition was who of the two groups was earlier finished with throwing all three balls. So after that game, you pretty much knew all the names of your group members. Merrill is one of the smaller dorms but still made the third place of the upper school girl dorms. Cilley, which ended up taking the win for Upper School
girls, prepared rather morally: “We’re all very excited for Field Day!“ said Catherine Sarkis, 16. “The most important part is the moment before the actual races, trying to get into team spirit.“ At Dunbar, the stakes were quite high: this dorm had a 3-year winning streak that they unfortunately broke, despite the very competitive views of their team. “Veni, vidi, vici!“ (I came, I saw, I conquered) they all screamed when arriving on the quad: “This was for us a way to prepare mentally and all be motivated to beat the others,“ said Alyssa Ting, 16. Winners or not, we were all rewarded with a delicious cookout. “I really enjoyed it, I got to know more about people in my dorm," said Mia Sieh. In the end, that is what Field Day is all about: bringing everyone closer and creating a tighter knit community in the dorms.
OPENING WEEKS: MOSAIC OF MEMORIES
Alec Greaney/The Summer Times Staff
Photos by Karin Tenney-Helfrich, Ralph Blumenthal, and Mayu Alten