table of
contents - houses of isak - duty - memes of isak - memories - book review - where is the snow?
houses at isak
residence 1-13
residence 1-14
residence 2-10
residence 2-12
residence 2-14
residence 3-10
residence 3-12
residence 3-14
residence 4 downstairs
residence 4 upstairs
Duty
Thulasi Priya
The sun filtered in through the thick branches of the redwood trees and reflected off the soft powdery surface of the snow. Small flakes, their texture soft as down, fell and rested on Mikaiah’s cheeks. Beads of sweat trickled down his tanned face and rolled down onto his neck. The silence embraced him for a long moment before he heard the sweet song of the birds echo through the vastness of the forest. In the midst of all the peace and beauty, Mikaiah stood, an expression of awe and suffering painted across his wrinkled skin. His muscles were tense and his feet sore from trudging through the layers of thick snow. The invisible arms that were clutching his sides tightened their grip. Thoughts of infinite matters that called to his attention rang in his head. Mikaiah was from the Hentigan tribe in the northern parts of America. He was known to his people as ‘dakya’, the loyal one. Mikaiah was loyal to his tribe and his family, but most of all to his duties. It would be nearly impossible to distract him from a task once he was set on completing it. He was always the first one to come to the fields and the last one to leave. He had all the joy and beauty he needed in the flame he danced around with his family, in the eyes of his wife and children and in the deer hunting trips with his brothers in the tribe. There were moments where he felt hopeless, like when the winters came harsher than before or there was no crop in the fields. As much as he hated fighting, he had to keep his tribe safe from the thieves of other tribes. These were the thoughts that kept calling to him even as he hiked up the beautiful lands of the mountains. However, he wasn’t hunting this time. Mikaiah had come on this solo trip for one reason and he would not leave without achieving it. He was trying to give himself up to nature and the melodic siren of the birds. He wanted to stop and acknowledge the mural that nature had painted for him. Acknowledging the beauty of the forest and ignoring the pain in his side, Mikaiah kept on hiking up the mountain. For the first time in his entire life, he left his duties behind and continued to relish the quiet call of the wind, the tangy smell of the wet tree trunks and the steady beating of his usually busy heart.
Where is the Snow? I am quite sure that many students in ISAK, especially the G10 students, went home last year for winter break fully expecting (or dreading, depends on how you look at it) a ton of snow when they return to school the next year. This was probably due to what the new students heard from older students who had already experienced a very white winter in ISAK. Ironically, we come back to school and voilà! Snow still seems to be a long way off from Karuizawa. It almost feels like an extended autumn, save for the extremely cold temperatures which show that winter is indeed here. After a while, it actually did snow in ISAK, although the amount of snow was like a snowflake as compared to the amount of snow in previous winters, and the snow seemed to melt soon after, hence the lack of an actual snowman at ISAK (Yes Aya, you tried but still…). It seems to me that the winter is trolling us all, pretending to come, then pulling back like, “You know, I think I’ll just hold unto the snow a bit longer, but you can have the cold though. ” On a more serious note, this situation provokes a lot of important questions concerning global warming and the impact we have on our environment. Many global warming and climate change events have occurred recently, and they have sparked many debates about the threat of global warming and climate change on Earth. These events include the recent snowfall in Florida, and more obviously, the lack of snow at ISAK. So as an epilogue, I leave you to think about these questions. Do humans have a major impact on our environment? Do our actions cause more harm than good to our surroundings?
Mem
K A S I f o es
ub
dy Cl e m o C + By Rinko
When problems arise in UWC ISAK Japan, students often like to cope with these issues through memes, making the situation more relatable and approachable whilst shining light on them. Today, let’s look back at some of the ISAK memes from the ďŹ rst half of the year. Introducing: Memes of ISAK.
MEMES
Exhibit A: Attendence During the Americas and Carribean Cultural Day 1) On February 2nd, students from the Americans and Caribbeans organized a Cultural Day for foreign students to learn and become more immersed with their cultures through performances. However, many students expressed dissatisfaction when only a fraction of the campus was present that evening. Which of the following is the best depection of the event? A.
B.
Exhibit B: Croissants 1) On some evenings, we are pleasantly surprised with croissants for snack. Which of these memes most accurately portray the hysteria in Asama when they are presented?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Exhibit C: Wifi Issues 1) During the Autumn Project Week, the wifi in houses were cut from 6 PM to 5 AM the following day, with the KAC being the only location within campus with 24/7 wifi. The way this decision was carried out frustrated many students; there was no proper communication or taking into account of others’ opinions. Which of these best represents the situation? A.
B.
C.
D.
Adam and Cynthia Morey are a perfect couple. Both are intelligent, hard workers, and have flawless appearances. They married young and have two beautiful children. Their lives are good. But not good enough. They believe in a better future for themselves; “a life of almost boundless privilege, in which any desire can be acted upon and any ambition made real”.“The Privileges” is a novel written by American author Jonathan Dee. It depicts the lives of the Morey family and their lives surrounded by upper class people in New York City. Extended family relationships, financial worries, drugs, alcohol, death. The troubles that the Morey family encounters are similar to troubles that any family would come across. The impact, however, may be much greater because of their social status. The more they gain, the more fragile they become. It is easy to become blind, however, when you gain too much.
The Privileges - Book Review By Emily Uematsu
Privilege. We use this word casually, without really thinking about what it actually means to be privileged. This book made me think about the life I live in. The privileges that I have. The possibilities and the dangers that privilege can bring. Something about reading Jonathan Dee books, the significance of the story hits you the moment you flip the last page. It’s as if I am watching a small paint brush making little spots on a blank page, and when I finish the book I see the whole painting for the first time. I just have this gut feeling that this book will come in handy at some point of my life.
We have this book in our school library, GO READ IT!! Then come tell me, what you felt reading this book & what you take away from this book. Picture taken from website: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Privileges-Jonathan-Dee/dp/1849015937
Blind, He thought he saw. She was his snowflake, perfect He embraced the cold. Trapped, yet She felt free. The love They shared; a sweet nectar She was drunk in it. Together They lived, Days to months; Their love river Never seemed to dry. Alas! His eyes clear, The cold He loved, now makes Him Alone, frostbitten. Alas! Her chains break, Vines that trapped Her broke apart And so did Her heart. Tears fall, Their smiles fade Bittersweet memories are What remains of Them.
Kwadwo Osafo
Memories