TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 - Advice Column: SATs by Shin-san 4 - Food Waste in the Cafeteria: A Result of Excess by Hana
EDITORIAL NOTE October in March! Here is the 2019’s first
7 - Smiles by Kwadwo
edition of Catalysm, the school’s magazine (we have a magazine!). Hana has written an eye-opening piece on our food consumption habits here at ISAK, Ms. Wong has submitted a pair of pictures that do an
8 - Cultural tips by Andrea
amazing job at highlighting the beauty of our surroundings, Kwadwo has sent us some stunning poetry… Despite the lateness (again, October in March!), we hope
10 - Community Submission by Ms. Estella Wong
everyone can find something in this issue of Catalysm to enjoy. Brunella Tipismana, Catalysm Editor
12 - Humans of ISAK: Alejandra interview by Rinko 14 - Humans of ISAK: Lehn by Karam 16 - Humans of ISAK: Sara Goh by Karam
Any feedback, suggestions, ideas, business proposals, fan mail, hate mail, threats, and so on, can be sent to karina.tipismana@uwcisak.jp
ADVICE COLUMN: SAT
“Start early. I can’t express how much I wish I got the SATs done and over with in G11. Start studying now and take it in March or May so you don’t have to worry about it in G12.”
“Practice tests really help, get together with friends and do some on the weekend. The more you familiarize yourself with how the SATs are formatted, the easier it becomes.”
“If you’re really stuck on Math, just plug in the options and see which one works.”
“Always answer, you don’t get marks off for choosing wrong so might as well try.” “Don’t stress too much about it, it’s not the only thing colleges look at in your submission so don’t worry if your score isn’t the best.”
“The score doesn’t define you!”
“College Panda and the Official College Board SAT book are really good resources to use if you want to study content"
"The Reading section can be easy if you be objective as possible. Don’t use what you think the passage means, but only pick answers that are actually supported by the text.”
“Do the Khan Academy Grammar practices. They may seem easy and useless to do, but you can score easy points when you master the basics.”
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investigation
Food waste in the cafeteria
It’s 7 pm,
a result of
excess
by Hana van de Wiel
dinnertime is drawing to a close, and only a few stragglers remain in the cafeteria. Almost all the dishes have been returned to the kitchen by now, the leftover food having been scraped into the sink. A peek inside reveals whole chunks of chicken, soggy potato wedges and other bits and pieces that didn’t make it to a student’s stomach.
The aftermath of a weekday cafeteria dinner.
(Photo: Hana van de Wiel)
Unfortunately, this is a common sight: almost 15 kilos of food are wasted in ISAK daily. After every meal, the scraps are tossed into the sink to be processed
Daniel Yasuda (40),
through a strainer that separates the liquid from the solid. The
manager of Cezar’s Cafe in UWC ISAK,
compartment, which can contain up
voices his thoughts on the food waste he
to 5 kilos of food, is frequently full:
has seen during his three years at the
this means the school generates
school. ‘Of course, it depends on the
roughly 105 kilos of organic waste
day, as some menus are always going to
every week.
be more popular than others. But often I feel that students take more than they
“Of course, we attempt to reduce the
can eat. Once they have finished their
amount of food going to waste.’ Mr.
meal, the leftover food ends up being
Yasuda shares. ‘We in the kitchen
thrown away.’
take home the leftovers, the office staff also tries to bring back as much as possible.’
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According to Mr. Yasuda, many of the women who work in the office are also mothers. ‘It’s helpful for them to have something ready-made when they return to their children and families rather than having to start cooking from scratch.’ he adds. ‘Whatever we can’t use anymore, we have to dispose of.’ Mr. Yasuda says. ‘Most of the waste we can find no purpose for is put in the composting machine.’ Taking this step has cut down on the total amount of waste created, saving the school money on garbage disposal and finding a use for food that would have otherwise been left to rot.
The interview ends with an appeal to become more aware of the waste we generate.
‘When you take the food, be conscious of how much you are taking. If you aren’t sure you can eat everything on your plate, please think twice about taking that amount.’ Mr. Yasuda asks of the school community.
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Small changes can add up to make a considerable difference. Here are some easy tips for reducing food waste:
1. Pay attention to your serving size and don’t take more than you can eat. If you still don’t feel satisfied after finishing your meal, you can always go back for seconds.
2. Eat the whole egg! The yolk actually contains many nutrients such as protein, vitamin B, vitamin A, iron and selenium.
3. Keep your coffee grounds, they serve as an excellent fertilizer. Coffee grounds contain a high concentration of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, all nutrients necessary for the cultivating of plants.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/reduce-foodwaste#section18 6
Smiles
by Kwadwo Osafo
poetry + verse
His heart thumped as he read. Her laughter echoes in his head. She seemed so near, Yet closer still he wanted her, He sat and dreamt instead. He smiled.
He winks, they’re laughing, pleased. The jokes he creates, so good they seem. Deep down he sighs, The loneliness creeps up inside, He’s not all jokes…, is he? He smiled.
Those memories, they hurt. Still stares at her, eyes sting. Shame? Tears? His shirt is tugged, The eyes he sees aren’t those he loved, “Are you alright?,” she said. He smiled.
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Are you planning to travel around the world, see new countries and experience diverse cultures without getting in trouble?
Cultural tips for
Spain !
•
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Do not call a Catalan Spanish. You
Here are some cultural tips that will keep you safe and give you a little bit more information about what not to do in different countries around the WORLD!
•
Don't rush: If you’re used to fast
don’t want to piss off more than 7
service whenever you go out, it’ll
million people who carry immense pride
take you some time to get used to
for their language, culture, and history
Spaniards’ slow pace. Especially in
— and who currently struggle for their
restaurants, it might take a while for
independence. Be careful: it might
your server to take your order, and it’ll
be better to avoid topics like
probably take even longer for your food
religion, regionalism or z.
to be brought out.
•
Never be surprised at being greeted with a kiss. Don't be scared or shy if people kiss you on both cheeks or give you hugs. Spanish people are warm, and they want to be your friends.
•
Don’t forget to show your Spanish side: Don’t expect people to speak fluent English. It is also good that you as a tourist learn some basic words, like hola (hello), gracias (thank you), paella (a traditional rice dish), cerveza (beer), por favor (please), etc.
by Andrea
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community gallery
by Ms Estella Wong
10
community gallery
by Ms Estella Wong
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ALEJANDRA RODAS MARQUEZ class of 2019
Right now, I’m struggling to figure out what to do with OEd, what with Mr Tuggey’s absence and us losing our equipment room. There was a sort of hominess and intimacy
humans of isak
“OEd has played such an important role in my ISAK experience. Now, I’m looking out for universities that offer outdoor education, which I wouldn’t have thought of before joining stream three. It’s actually funny, how I got into it. In grade eleven I missed orientation week, and the day I came into ISAK was also the first day of school. I didn’t know what was happening, and among all the hustle and bustle, there were OEd stream signups. It was a random decision but I decided to go for stream three, just because I wanted to go on fun trips. I’m so happy I made the decision I did. I love how it constantly challenges me both mentally and physically, and appreciate the friendships I’ve made through the programme.
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to the space. Photos of past trips and maps on the wall, or things that reminded me of the experiences we shared as a group. It felt like such a major loss. As for Mr Tuggey - it’s tougher without him. He supported us throughout all of our challenges. It makes me think of the opportunities that were lost, because we have a bigger workload.
But as stressful as it might be, I
At the moment, I’m getting ready
would never let OEd go. It’s what’s
for Osei - our expedition for Autumn
going wrong, but it’s also what’s going
break, and I’m very excited.”
right. It’s my outlet. There’s something Melissa said to me a while
back about Mr. Tuggey as well maybe to see how strong the team is, teammate. I’m so grateful that I have an incredible team that supports each other. We get seemingly impossible things done, with the power of our group.
humans of isak
we need to take out the strongest
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At the time of writing this article, a G10 Danish national (speaking British English with a pinch of Australian about him), Lehn Wildmoore, had been here for a little over a month. During that short time, he created the “Coffee and Philosophy” club (otherwise known as Debate Club 2.0) with over 20 members as of now. As the name implies, they drink coffee and discuss “philosophy.” They talk about Plato, Socrates, meanings of life, why the coffee tastes like tap water and much more. 14
“What do you want to do in the future? Dream job?”
If anyone ever gets the privilege of being Lehn’s roommate (which I currently have), you’ll find him constantly fixing up his skateboard. As a dedicated member of the motion and merchandise club, he has a passion for design and innovation. Upon asking him about his dream job, Lehn thought for a moment and replied, “I want to start my own business, a clothing brand or a skateboarding company that’s sustainable. Since all the ‘sustainable’ businesses in Denmark aren’t really sustainable.” I asked him to add on to the last point he had made. What does it mean, exactly, for a business to be sustainable? “For one,” he noted, “a skateboarding company cuts down timber for materials, but fails to plant more. I want my company not to be so much of a business, but a lifestyle in general. Sustainability in these kinds of businesses means leaving as little of an impact as possible on the environment.” With his dream business centered around the idea of being a sustainable change-maker, he’s hoping that other businesses will take up the cause after his example. “Every time I cut down a tree, I’m gonna plant one as well. What the world needs right now are people who doesn’t just take, but give in return. I think what Denmark needs is a nudge in the right direction. Maybe I could be that nudge.”
“Another reason I want to start a merchandise company is because I enjoy doing art and designing.” Lehn stated that art itself is a form of expression. Being able to put out messages to the rest of the world through his designs is exactly the kind of freedom he wants. He recalled carving his first skateboard, painstakingly acquiring the wood himself and painting it. “My friend Banzi and I used to build skateboards for the local art community.” When asked to elaborate on the ‘local art community’ he smiled slyly. “It’s just a place where people go to have different kinds of fun.” The audible emphasis on ‘different kinds’ led me to refrain from prying further.
Before ending the interview, he said this: “as long as you like what you created and are content with it, I think everything will be alright.” Set aside his goal of sustainability and in the end, what Lehn Wildmoore plans to do with his life is what he wants. He wants the creative freedom to make whatever he sees fit, regardless of what others think."Even if I come to hate what I have created, I think, in the end, it will have brought me joy. And I’m fine with that.”
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SARA GOH
rock climber at heart
Sara Goh is a Singaporean rock-climber at heart. A valuable member of ISAK’s student-led climbing club, she took up the hobby at the age of 7. (I recall already being a delinquent at the age of 7. Good on you Miss Goh.) She went on to compete in weekly tournaments with successful results. Sara then established a climbing team in her previous school, with her 3 other peers -- a bold move, given the conservative leanings of the surroundings she describes. She’s proud to say that her climbing team had grown. “We started with 4,” she said, “I’m proud to say that we now have 12… Ugh, maybe 11, now that I’ve left.”
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humans of isak “The school I used to attend was an all girl’s school”. Her tone and her many emphases made abundantly clear to me the contrast between her previous school and ISAK. However, she also noted that she loved her previous school. “It wasn’t a bad school, far from it. Ranking-wise, it was up there. It was just very conservative.” While it’s true that tradition holds a certain value in education, having too much of it can often become confining. It leaves no room to wiggle and experiment. “Like I said, a good school. But little about the community, little to be done.” Sara’s school, like some others in the Land of the Merlion, had a strong focus on academics. However, all students are permitted to pick one extracurricular activity and are asked to stick to it. Much like many school policies, there’s both pros and cons. Overflowing dedication towards one activity and grit to keep on going are some of the pros. “The cons, or I should say – con, singular, is very simple. There’s no room for something new.” “I chose choir and stayed on it.” Sara remembered her holiday practices, from 9 to 5, 3 days a week. It wasn’t always smooth sailing: mistakes were most definitely made. “A new day, a new mistake, another lecture. That’s the way it goes. After a while it became boring and my passion sorta died out.” Still, she stayed. Why? A sense of duty towards her peers. Sara, as she explains, endured because of the people in the choir. Those people were friends. “Together, we’ve been through thick and thin. It wouldn’t be fair to them.” Apart from her friends, she was also the treasurer of the choir. “I had a responsibility to fulfill. I don’t think anyone else could take up the position so suddenly. if I left” And so, she took the (often tiring) task upon herself. She printed scores, (“Which took hours”) organized the library and managed finances. “Then came ISAK.” I don’t have to explain the reasoning behind this phrase. If you’re reading this, chances are you attend ISAK. “It’s a different place, is all I can tell you.”
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CREDITS CATALYSM A UWC ISAK Japan publication: Volume 5, issue 1 WRITERS Alex Kawawaki
Andrea Torres
Brunella Tipismana
Hana Van de Wiel Karam Sutham
Kwadwo Osafo
Rinko Kawamoto PHOTOGRAPHERS Elena May Saini Jeffery Spain photography by Didac Urquizu Piazza Community submission from Ms Estella Wong EDITORS Brunella Tipismana
Hana Van de Wiel
Maddox O’Rourke LAYOUT TEAM Elena May Saini Jeffery
Jofi Yornet
Rinko Kawamoto