catalysm vol 6 issue 2
A Global Community
By Francisca Salema
Let’s be Honest: Our Community Has a Huge Issue By Amanda de Souza creating a community Humans of ISAK - Konstantinos Vigos - Rico Natsuno - Dario San
By Lydia Etherington
by Sudhish Thapa By Pema Lhundurp By Brunella
Eye-opening Christmas Movies
By Kinga Fraczkiewicz
Theater Club
By Lydia Etherington
G10 Project week in a nutshell What can we take from thanksgiving? By Rikio Dahlgren
Cooking: Love Made Edible
by Pema Lhundrup
What does creativity give to a community? By Pallavi .T.
I’M FROM… (a poem)
by A
In this issue, we examine the idea of community. What is our community made of? What keeps it together? Why do we care so much about it (not even a day goes by without someone talking about “the ISAK community”, after all), and what are the challenges it currently faces? In these pages you will find a couple of answers; it’s up to you to choose (or create) the one that fully satisfies you. For me, our community is about kindness. It’s about asking “how was your day” and sometimes sitting next to someone new in the cafeteria. Is about appreciating our differences and being wary of making assumptions about others. It’s about being here, and about being here for each other—at least for me, it’s as simple as that. - Brunella Tipismana
1
A GLOBAL COMMUNITY By Francisca Salema
Globalization is the quintessential phenomenon of the 21st century. Most of us, as international students, can dream of a world where people live in a diverse, international globalized community, as we often experience the positive effects of diversity. But in order to be able to do so, we must first understand what globalization really means, what it’s effects are, and how an ideal global community would work. I believe one of the main aspects that really show us that we are living in a globalized world is the existence of multinational corporations. If you really think about it, the concept of multinational businesses is absolutely astonishing - how companies can move freely, creating jobs in many different countries, building headquarters around the globe. These organizations spread out across the world, and this can only happen because of what’s perhaps the most significant characteristic of contemporary globalization: the free movement of capital.
Whether it’s through exportation or importation of goods between countries, through internet shopping, or through the culture and media we consume, consumerism nowadays knows no boundaries and no borders, which is incredibly beneficial for those who sell and useful to satisfy the wants and needs of those who consume. However, there is no good that comes without evil, and this type of globalization has a lot of problems that come associated with it - problems we should all be aware of if we want to become transformational leaders in a globalized world.
2 One could argue that a globalized world instead of bringing diversity, brings disintegration of culture for the sake of consumerist mass media. This might seem like a negative perspective, but I believe that the ‘culture’ we are creating as a world or generation that is connected by the internet is no culture at all, but assimilation by the disregard of old values that used to hold us together in our smaller communities (cultural dances, music and shows, traditions and religions), in favor of so-called global ‘culture’ that only exists to make us consume.
Take for example big movie franchises like MARVEL, Hollywood blockbusters like the Fast and Furious franchise, longrunning TV shows such as Friends or How I Met Your Mother, and musical artists, especially bands like BTS or One Direction. All these aspects of international culture create fake communities of fans: cult-like fandoms that exist both online - in twitter threads and subreddits - and offline - in comiccons and concerts - that make us feel like there’s a community of people who understand us when in reality all you have in common is a common appreciation for things like Game of Thrones or Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: which are, after all, TV shows, and just consumer goods. All these things that we all know so well and pull us together as a globalized community in internet forums exist, at the end of the day, simply to make us consume. It’s also important, and I think many of us are, to be aware of the dominance of the United States in producing and spreading this culture in every single one of our countries, creating a sense of a globalized community over something that is only temporary and will soon be discarded for another, newer thing. Something like a new Ariana Grande song or a new Star Wars trilogy - things that will be surely forgotten in a week or even less.
3 I am not against globalization: the concept itself is wonderful - I am, however, against the type of globalization we see today. If we want to believe in a world of international cooperation, justice and peace for all, we must have ways of maintaining our cultural identity and let the people move just like the capital does. The beauty of our cultural roots is the way we share them happily with nothing in return but the happiness of feeling like you truly belong somewhere - like the way we share our traditional dances in the assemblies at the gym with the rest of the school. No matter how globalized we are, we must never lose that yearning of sharing. Our communities might be small and not hold that much value according to the capitalist and neoliberal standards, but they made us who we are and determine how we will eventually impact the global community.
For the sake of diversity and to stop assimilation and annihilation of culture in favor of corporate interests (for example, what is happening with dying languages, killed because of corporate preferences for English, the ‘international language’) we should preserve small communities while working for an inclusive international one. We can do this by refocusing our global community, not around consumerism, but on our differences and strengths, and based on common aspects we all share as human beings. As individuals, we must not forget our roots and where we come from. We should share our culture whenever we can and come back to pay back in some way to the community we were raised in, in order to keep it alive and thriving, for generations to come.
4
Let’s be Honest: Our Community Has a Huge Issue Amanda de Souza
September 27, 2019-
In that moment, I realized I had never met
My phone rang during dinner. It was a new
someone as strong as Ruchira before.
message from Ruchi:
We could pretend that was the exact
“I am behind you, and I want to tell you
moment in which the problems in our
something, but I can’t say in front of others.”
community started. We could say that before that we were all living in harmony. But do we
My heart skipped a beat.
really want to be so hypocritical? In my first
She texted me a picture of the first note.
couple of months at ISAK I've experienced an
Suddenly, it was hard to breathe.
innumerable number of things I never could
I looked at her and she looked so calm, I
have back home, and I will be forever grateful
couldn't understand.
for this opportunity. But I am not afraid to
She texted me:
say that we need drastic change.
“I don't know what to feel right
I am not saying this because I don't
now. I am just trying to avoid the
appreciate this school and this community, in
pain.” She exerted a lot of effort trying to stay calm so the situation could be solved quickly.
fact, it is actually the opposite;
I appreciate it so much that I don't want anyone to ever have to go through a situation as harmful and scary as Ruchi did, in a place where we all should feel safe. In order to achieve this, we need to stop avoiding our issues.
5 Everyone needs to know that Ruchi is an incredibly brave woman. She experienced extremely dreadful situations in only sixteen years of life, and survived through most of these years without receiving any support from her own family.
But she never quit speaking up. Never.
1) They are just boys saying silly things, don't worry about that. 2) They are typically really nice to me, so I don't think they said it on purpose. 3) They are my friends, so I am sure they didn't mean that. In ISAK, there is an established environment where people feel like they can say whatever they want because their words will not affect anyone, where no one will take them seriously and, if
She told people, during conversations with other students and presentations in classes, about what she had experienced and how it affects her. And she did that, she talked about her past, her traumas and her fears, because she passionately
someone actually does, their friends will appear from out of nowhere to promptly defend them. In this environment, someone felt in the right to write and send those threatening and disgusting notes not only once or twice, but five times.
believes that by speaking up and raising awareness we can genuinely make change, so that no other child has to experience such traumas. But how did we react and deal with it? Some people did not even wanted to listen and others just pretended the issue did not exist. As I have been noticing, avoiding issues is one of our specialties.
I don't want to keep repeating things that are obvious. I am not going to write four or five pages about what people should do and explain step by step how we can change our community for the better. I think everyone knows that, yet no one wants to actually do it. It is easier to pretend that your friends are perfect and ignore their negative aspects. It is easier to
I have already heard, in only my few months here at ISAK, multiple people using the word rape in “jokes”, making homophobic “jokes” and disrespecting other students as a “joke.” In my attempts to talk about these issues, most of the things I heard as replies were based on three -extremely solid and non-biased -- arguments:
not say anything when people around you are being disrespectful. But choosing the easier path, knowing that it is the wrong one, has consequences. Now, even though not all of us are feeling these consequences, soon we all will. I just want to ask one thing: speak up, because the weight of keeping silent in unfair situations is too heavy. For all of us.
6
cr ea tin g a co m m u n ity Lydia Etherington
It w as vol l eybal l agai n . I hated volleyball. Not just because I couldn?t get my serves over the net or my passes never went in the right direction, but because my team had no spirit.
I ?d look at the other teams in my class, all cheering and laughing, and wonder why my team couldn?t be like that. We always seemed to be too competitive, too quick to yell at each other. This was the mindset I carried with me to PE for months. I would drag my feet down the smelly gravel path on the way to the gym, hoping to sprain my ankle on the way to have an excuse to sit out. I tried to blame it all on my team. I t was the boys?fault for not being inclusive. I t was the girls?fault for not speaking up enough. My team was just crappy, and I ?d have to suffer through it until the end of the unit.
I hated volleyball, and I hated my team.
I r eal i zed I w as a p ar t of t h at t eam . But then,
I was 1/ 10th responsible for the crappy attitude we had, and
I h ad t h e p ow er t o t r y t o m ak e ou r t eam l i k e t h e on es I l ook ed at i n en vy. My next PE class, I came with a fiery determination to be positive. I bounced on the balls of my feet while waiting for a pass, I made corny jokes to my teammates, and I tried to get the whole team to do a cheer before the game. Obviously, this did not accomplish my goal, and only made my team more angry at me. But then, on our second game that day, something changed. I sheparded my team into a circle, we stuck our hands limply in the middle, and I looked across at my friend with
7
Little by little, the team dynamic changed. We still weren?t perfect, and we still weren?t like the other teams, but we had started talking to each other differently. When someone missed a pass, the competitive people would laugh with them and tell them it was okay. When we were head to head with another teams, the weaker players would go all out and make game-changing plays. By the end of the unit, I liked volleyball, and I had grown a lot closer with my teammates. I ?m trying to carry this mindset shift with me for the rest of my life at I SAK. Often times, we spend too much time blaming others for the faults in our community instead of recognizing our own shortcomings. I f someone upsets you, don?t carry that with you through your day.
U se t h at t o t r eat ot h er s w i t h k i n d n ess, an d h op e t h at t h e k i n d n ess com es back t o you .
My mom always tells me,
?you can ?t con t r ol w h at ot h er p eop l e d o, on l y you r r eact i on t o t h em ?. As much as I hate it when she says that, she?s right. We can?t control the drama and gossip on campus by complaining about it. We need to look for a new attitude, one that appreciates the community we are privileged to be a part of. At the end of the day,
w e ar e t h e on l y on es w h o d eci d e w h at ou r com m u n i t y w i l l be. So let?s make it a good one.
8
Human of ISAK Konstantinos Vigos
that feels like they are interacting with their
“Community is the basic construct of
own people. Criticism and the feeling of
our world, needs to have a structure and
being one and not just community
laws. Even when interacting with a
forward.”
different community than yourself, you should always treat them as though they
“People need to be considerate of others
are of your community. A more caring
and their pasts and people need to think
environment with enhanced empathy
about the consequences of their
can strengthen any community, not just
inconsiderate actions. Understanding of
ISAK’s. A community is like a family
why people do what they do is important to
and everyone in it should be a part of it;
handle a diverse community like ours. In
No one deserves to be left behind or cast
the future, if all these needs are met; We
out from it.”
have a promising future for ISAK’s community.”
“ In terms of ISAK, I believe that we have everything that makes us a good
-Sudish Thapa
community. We always try to support each other and we also criticize each other to become better. I believe that the perfect community doesn’t exist, if it were perfect it would be boring; without conflict, totally bland. If there was a perfect community in existence, they shouldn’t give out the secret to making a perfect community because it would make other communities boring. However, I believe they should interact with other communities in a manner
9
Rico Natsuno Japanese classrooms are very monotonous there’s always a topic for the day and a lecture about it that follows. They talk, we listen and memorize before taking tests. In ISAK the teachers or more so the facilitators present the ideas and expect us to think and analyze coming tp conclusions on our own. Foreigners who go to Japanese schools will have a hard time not only because of the standardized testing system but also because of the mindset of the people. Generally being very shy, Japanese tend to avoid starting conversations with new people and because they feel more comfortable with other Japanese they group together which makes it look like we’re an exclusive group but in reality, we don’t want to be the first to speak. Living in a Japanese community made me feel like I always had to have a group of friends with me, leaving me with little to no room for myself.
Here at ISAK, everyone’s my friend. I can go and talk to everyone and when I don’t feel social and want some personal time no one will mind. They respect my personal boundaries and what I have to say. The ISAK community although diverse has a lot of Asians and to some extent, the culture has followed us. While striving for diversity living on a hill in the middle of Karuizawa prevents us from what I feel is the true essence of UWC but as a community, we have really bonded. -Pema Lhundurp
10
Dario san
challenge to satisfy as many people as
A moment I remember a lot is when we
possible. I try to research, even though
had the typhoon a while ago. It was a
it’s little by little… but I try to research
very hard but interesting experience
to make many different kinds of dishes
because it made the whole community
so everyone can enjoy the food at the
very close… So even though it was a
cafeteria.
hard time, it was beautiful to see everyone coming together. Another
There is a little blue book in the corner
moment I remember a lot is this time I
of the cafeteria at all times. Even
got invited to this music and film
though we don’t reply right back or
festival three years ago. We don’t really
anything, we are always reading it —
get to see much of what you do beyond
so, please, write us. We might not be
the cafeteria, and when I went to see all
able to change everything, but we try
of these things you do in your classes
to change as much as possible. And if
and all these things you create… so
you just write to say that the food is
when I went there, it was a “wow”
nice — it’s nice for us to hear that! It’s
moment. I thought “These kids are
motivating, you know?
really bright”. I have been working here for a little more than four years. The community, from my point of view… I don’t know if it has changed much. I’ve seen the community since day one, and to me, it still feels the same — it still is a very wonderful group of people. Of course, there are more of you guys, coming from many more different countries — so, with so many different tastes, it is a
-Brunella
11
Eye-opening Christmas Movies By Kinga Fraczkiewicz
The December issue is all about community and since Christmas is right around the corner, this issue’s film recommendations are all Christmas movies that celebrate the power of community spirit! The films featured in this issues are Home Alone, The Grinch and A Christmas Carol. Each of these Christmas movies were chosen because they all have a message that we can learn from and relate to. Christmas time to me means spending time with your family and friends, wearing warm fuzzy socks, ugly Christmas sweaters, drinking eggnog and watching Christmas films. So snuggle down with your blanket, friends & family, and hot cocoa and get to watch with one of our charming recommended films!
12
The first film on the recommendation list is everyone’s childhood favourite:
Home Alone. When 8-year-old Kevin misbehaves the night before his family’s holiday, his mother makes him sleep in the attic as a punishment. But when the McCallisters accidentally leave Kevin behind at home, he assumes that his dreams of not having a family came true. However, his joy quickly turns into fear when two criminals come to rob his home. Starring Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, Joe Pesci and Danie Stern, ‘Home Alone’ truly demonstrates the meaning of community because as Kevin tries to defend his home, he is helped by a lonely neighbour. Once his family comes back and hears what happened and how the neighbour helped, they treat the neighbour as part of the family. Despite the fact that the neighbour was not liked by many, his act of kindness brought him together with his neighbourhood and strengthened their community.
A Christmas Carol is yet another fantastic film to watch during the holiday season. This movie is about a mean-spirited and selfish old man, Mr Scrooge, who owns a large company and hates everything to do with Christmas. One day, he is especially nasty to his workers and refuses to give charity. To make matters worse, he is rude to his nephew after he invites his uncle to spend Christmas with him. (www.citadeltheatre)
13
However, Mr. Scrooge is visited by a ghost from his past… literally! Jacob Marley, an old business partner of Mr. Scrooge, visits him once he returns home from work. Three more ghosts visit him that night. These terrifying ghouls are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Each of the ghosts take Mr. Scrooge on a journey of discovery, heartbreak and realization. This miraculous film will give you all the feels; it is a brilliant metaphor of what can happen when we do not consider how our actions affect those around us. A Christmas Carol truly shows how important communities are: Mr. Scrooge was a bitter old man who treated people horribly but when he awoke on Christmas Day, he realized his mistakes and apologized to those whom he wronged. Although everyone was skeptical of his apologies, they were never the less willing to give him a second chance.
Last but certainly not least, we have ‘Arthur
Christmas.’
This sweet family Christmas movie starring James McAvoy as Arthur will push you to really contemplate everything your family does for you and also will help you to see the power of a community when they band together during a hard time.
14 Arthur is a kind and clumsy younger son of Santa who has a true never-ending Christmas spirit; he’s always determined to make Christmas into a special day for every child. However, one-day, disaster strikes during the hectic day of packing all the children’s toys into Santa’s ultra-high-tech spaceship: one precious present is left behind. While Arthur’s brother doesn’t see the point of going all the way back just for one child, Arthur seems to be the human embodiment of Christmas spirit and as such, he makes it his mission to deliver the last present to the little girl. Against his brother’s wishes, he and Grandsanta go on a thrilling, adrenaline-full, and near-disaster adventure to deliver the last present before the sun rises and children leap from their beds, running to their Christmas tree. While it doesn’t all go to plan, Arthur’s family and the elves do everything in their power to aid Arthur and Grandstanta in their mission to deliver the last present. (/www.dvdplanetstore) This sweet and heart-warming Christmas film will get you all excited for Christmas day. It will help you to realize the real importance of those friends who are always there to pick you back up. Arthur Christmas is a great representation of how communities really work; we do what we have to do and we aren’t always the nicest to each other; however, when it really comes down to it, we all come together in support, willing to give a helping hand.
15
Home Alone, A Christmas Carol and Arthur Christmas are perfect movies to watch with your family, all cozy in front of the fire with popcorn and a cup of hot cocoa in your hands because they truly make you appreciate what you have in your life and are a great way to spend the afternoon -- definitely take the time and make these movies a part of your holiday season this year!
16
Theatre Club By Lydia Etherington
You walk into the art room. Tables have been pushed to the side, and the chairs arranged into what looks to be a makeshift set. Paint bottles are lined up to look like shot glasses, and highlighted scripts litter the tables. Aru is drawing on the whiteboard. Marina is blasting Sunflower through airplay. Pedro is lying on the floor. 10 students are standing in a circle. They are silently screaming.
Narrator: This year, theatre club has been working hard on Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”. They’ve given up most of their sleep and free time for the project.
Narrator: Welcome to Theatre Club!
Isabel starts pounding on a table and screaming. She’s fine.
You are handed a script. It is 100 pages long. You need to memorize it all in two weeks. Ahhh
!!
Marina: Theatre is one of my favourite things in UWC ISAK. It gives us an opportunity to express ourselves, be extreme, and use our talents in different areas. Sisi: It’s a place where you can find something new and be surrounded by talented people. Joaquin drops dead.
Narrator: The club is led by Marina, Aru, and Pedro, and has around 20 members dedicating their time and energy to the club. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s a very rewarding experience that you can’t find anywhere else on campus. Francisca: Rehearsal tonight! And tomorrow. And the day after that!
!! Re h e a rs Do n’t fo rge t
a l u n t il 2 am
tomo r ro w
17
Narrator: The directors, Kyria and Francisca, have been working tirelessly to organize rehearsals, coordinate the crew, and keep everything running smoothly. Putting on a production involves getting a script, casting the actors, rehearsing and memorizing lines and blocking, finding props and costumes, advertising, and performing. You should know all of your lines by now. You don’t. Charlotte: It seems to be a break from school and it helps to calm down and focus on something different. Jeff hands you a long coat to put on while Ola criticizes your life. Dimitra: Enter stage left. No, the Wh y OTHER left! The club descends into chaos while Marina and Lydia carry Valen around the room. Where are they taking her? No one knows. Narrator: “And Then There Were None” will be performed in the KAC on December 11th. Don’t miss it! Lights out. Curtain. Ja i w
as he
re
18
G10 Project week in a nutshell LEADERSHIP HIKES BBQ ACTION FILM But, that is a lousy explanation. The experience of G10 project week was an ecstatic one. Such experiences can not be explained by words, it can only be felt through experience.
19
The transformation and great feelings that came out of Project Week was not temporary. The class of 2022 will always be supportive of each other and most importantly become leaders and risk-takers. If only, there were more great experiences like G10 project week… In retrospective, the activities of Project Week were not the cause of the great vibes; rather it was what the students made out of the experience. I think we all can learn a lesson from this; experiences depend on the capacity you give yourself to experience. Who knows, maybe the reason you don’t enjoy doing homework is that you don’t allow yourself to enjoy while doing homework.
What can we take from Thanksgiving? By Rikio Dahlgren
Since the first Thanksgiving in 1621, the meaning of the holiday has evolved a lot into what it is today. To truly understand this gradual change, let’s look back at the roots of this quintessential North American holiday.
In 1620, a group of English religious dissenters known now as Pilgrims established Plymouth Colony. Settling down in present day Massachusetts, the Pilgrims’ first winter was cutting and harsh, resulting in the death of over half of the Pilgrims. When spring began, they struggled to establish their colony because of their diminished population. Luckily, at that point a member of the Pawtuxet Tribe arrived and taught the Pilgrims how to make it through the difficult times. In celebration, the Pilgrims and the Native Americans had a massive feast, known now as “Thanksgiving.” This story is usually taught to American schoolchildren, teaching them about how the colonists and the Native Americans bonded together and celebrated with each other. While this certainly is true, the story neglects to mention another major part of what happened between the Pilgrims and the Native
20
Americans. Around fifty years, after an influx of thousands of English colonists, war broke out between the colonists and the Native Americans, specifically the Wampanoag tribe. While the Native American population in New England had already decreased “by as much as 90% from 1616 to 1619,” (Cain, Aine), the war further decreased the Native American population. Brutal and bloody, the war’s death toll “could have been as high as 30% of the English population and half of the Native Americans in New England” (E., Robert, and Cray). This dark truth behind Thanksgiving is not often taught in American history books and as such, protestors sometimes gather during Thanksgiving to raise awareness about this tragic piece of history.
Despite this two-sided nature of history, it’s still important to recognize the love and community that the modern day interpretation of Thanksgiving has become imbued with. In the United States, Thanksgiving is a day of recognizing what one is
Here at ISAK, I believe we can take the best of both worlds and find an understanding which encapsulates all aspects of Thanksgiving. As UWC students, we need to recognize the violent
thankful and grateful for.
conflict that happened between
It’s a day to see what you
the English colonists and the
appreciate in your life and make an active effort to thank those
Native Americans while simultaneously taking advantage of
things. While this could be
the giving nature of Thanksgiving
considered ignorant by some
and being mindful about our own
groups, it’s something that truly
lives here. Being at such a school
bonds communities together and
which grants us such amazing
helps everybody to recognize the
opportunities, we can all find
good parts within their lives.
privilege within our lives here. This is the chance to be hyper aware of this opportunity, the loving people within our lives here at ISAK, as well
Citations:
as the loving people within our lives
Cain, Áine. “The True Story behind Thanksgiving Is a Bloody Struggle That Decimated the Population and Ended with a Head on a Stick.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 20 Nov. 2017, www.businessinsider.com/history-ofthanksgiving-2017-11.
back in our home countries. We can take note of these and thank them
E., Robert, and Cray. “‘Weltering in Their Own Blood’: Puritan Casualties in King Philip's War.” Historical Journal of Massachusetts, Institute for Massachusetts Studies, 1 Oct. 2009, www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-1893226221/ weltering-in-their-own-blood-puritan-casualties.
21
Cooking: Love Made Edible Written and layout by Pema Lhundrup Photography by Sisi
When I was just a baby, a flame of pure energy to the outside world, my biological parents, or so they say, introduced me to this foreign substance they called food. Originally given to me for mere sustenance so that I did not die of malnutrition, it is now that one part of me that I will take wherever I go. Since that day of my exiting my mother’s womb, I realized that food is more than just a source of energy. It is a culture, a context, a hierarchy in which pizza be the supreme leader. It’s a way of showing love to people. You care for that person? You cook for them. You share your love through food when words are not enough to express it.
The one time of the day everyone sits together in the same room is for their meals. The smile you see on people’s faces as they eat, though that whole experience of “ohhhhh this looks good” to the “hmm interesting flavor” and the final verdict of good or bad or tasty or nasty, it gives you the essence of home. Someone cooked that for you with all their time and effort. Food is not a rational thought, it is a culture, a habit, a craving, and identity. It separates us based on what we eat and how we eat it. But at the end of the day, we eat it together. We may have diverse pallets, but we are a community. And our love for food makes even closer as one.
From playing tea party and making mud cakes with your friends to sharing a cup of tea with the ambassador of London, food has proven to be so engraved in our cultures. Food is the universal language that we all share and is what makes us a community. Sharing food gives us that sense of togetherness, it makes us happy.
Recipes from all over the world. Name: Alysa Country: Malaysia Dish name: Roti Jala (Malaysian Net Bread)
countries, we are united by more than our mission. In order to have a peaceful sustainable future, we must be united with more than our love for education, our love of food. Step 6: Take the pancakes and fold them Step 7: Serve warm with beef or chicken curry. “Easy to make and delicious. I first tried making it with my grandparents and they would never let me near the stove and so I had to stand next to them and watch in
Ingredients:
awe as they cooked. When I grew older they let me do it
3 cups of flour
for the first time and it felt like a right of passage. We ate
2 ½ tbsp of oil
it together with the whole family in the evening dipping
1 egg
the roti in my grandmother’s curry. I still don’t know how
3 cups of coconut or normal milk
to make curry. “
Salt for taste ½ teaspoon of turmeric
Step 1: add all the ingredients to a bowl. Step 2: Mix until it forms a batter. Step 3: put it in a bottle with a tiny tip so you can squeeze it out. Step 4: Heat a non-stick pan Step 5: when hot make net-like pancakes
22
At UWC ISAK, with students and faculty from over 80
Name: Isabelle Trejo
Step 10 fold over to cover and pinch the edges close to seal
Country: Belize
Step 11 in a frying pan heat enough cooking oil ton
Dish: Panades
submerge the individual panadas while frying on medium heat
What we need
Step 12 carefully removing the panadas from the plastic
One bag of boneless chicken breasts
and place in the pan of heated oil
Salt
Step 13 fry until golden brown about two minutes per side
Black pepper
Note adjust the heat as needed lower it if the panadas start
Garlic powder
to burn to raise it if it cooks to slow.
Paprika
Step 14 once cooked top with chop onions or cabbage
Two cups of maseca (corn flour)
(small cubes) That have been seasoned with lime and salt.
1 ½ cups of warm water
Do this right before you eat otherwise it gets soggy.
Cooking oil “I learned how to make it from Wendy, my mother figure Instruction
back home. One day when I was 6, I was sleeping. She
Step 1: The filing. Season the chicken breasts with salt
woke me up and was like come on we’re making panadas.
paprika pepper and garlic powder. (no exact measurements
The dish is very popular in Belize and we have a lot of
keep dumping till it feels right.)
restaurants that sell them but hers were always my
Step 2: In a medium saucepan or pot heat 2 tablespoons of
favorite. I was happy of course not about to object but I
cooking oil over medium heat. Add seasoned chicken and
remember the way she took me by the hand sat me down
brown them on both sides.
on a stool and told me she would not always be here and
Step 3: Add a half cup of water cover and simmer until its
that I had to learn how to take care of myself. And it
fully cooked. Add water as needed to keep it from drying
seemed so important to her that I pay attention She would
out. When it’s cooked through remove from heat.
tell me that it was something her mother taught her and
Step 4: When it’s cooked through remove from heat and let
now she was teaching me. And that was so important for
it cool. Have some gravy left, you need to have gravy left.
me cause Wendy
Step 5: Shred the chicken according to personal preference
couldn’t have
and return to the pot with leftover gravy.
kids and I loved
Step 6: In a mixing bowl combine two cups of maseca with
her like she was
1 ½ cups of warm water ¼ teaspoon of salt
my mother.
Step 8: Form small dough balls about 1 inch
Sharing that
approximately 3 cm in diameter flatten dough balls
recipe, made me
between 2 pieces of plastic so that it does not stick
feel like she saw
Step9 remove the plastic from the top of the flatten ball
me the same way that I was family too.”
and place a small spoon of shredded chicken in the middle
Name: Mantaro Kurihara
“Nato rice and egg the best shit ever. Disgusting to a lot of
Country: Japan
people but I find it so good. Affordable quick and unique to
Dish: Egg, Nato, and rice.
japan it offers a lot of sensations, textures and
Ingredients:
extraordinary flavor. It’s what I
1 Egg Nato (Preference) 1 cup of Rice Step 1:Take a bowl of rice Step 2:Add a raw egg. Step 3:Add some nato, based on personal preference. Step 4:Mix it all together. Serve.
grew
23
24
What does creativity give to a community? By Pallavi .T.
Creativity is when a person uses their imagination, ideas and invents something like a song, story or artwork out of it. Sometimes this can be done with more than one person or a whole group such as a community. This invention does not necessarily need to be useful to the community, it can be valuable to the artist and show them as a person. It can also be something that is not even a physical object, but it is still seen as a creative piece. Creativity can bring different people from the corners of the world together. Collaborating with others gives way to new, different ideas that you may have not even thought of, it gives way to hearing others’ views on a piece and their opinion. Hearing these things can maybe change your view and develop your own part of the piece to be better than it could have been. Some creative artworks can also change people’s lives. Reading a specific story or writing an original song can not only change the artist but those who acknowledge their work. It can sometimes lead to them reflecting on the choices they made in life, take a risk on an opportunity or make them a better person to others. It can change the way the community is with each other and the people personally. Creativity can be seen as a practice of self-awareness. It can help people find their true selves in the midst of creating. It brings out people’s true personality that is shown to the whole community, this can also portray the freedom that is there with creativity. Since there is no right or wrong people can do what they want, however, they want to, it allows people to communicate without having to worry about hurting someone or saying something wrong. They are free to say whatever their opinion is, however they want to. Creativity can also bring lots of joy to the community. Conversing with different people, showing off and understanding each other’s pieces can also bring fun, memorable times that can sometimes be the muse to the next creation. It can give way to laughter, jokes and a special moment to treasure. When the whole community is happy, it shows that creativity was a strong source for it and that it is very valuable to that community. One place this has been shown to happen in UWC ISAK community is when we had To conclude, creativity gives a lot back to the community, including joy, different perspectives, opinions, self-awareness and better ideas for the next creation. This makes creativity a valuable thing to have in the community and important to the people.
25
I’M FROM… (a poem) I’m from the little scribble of a stick figure At the margins of math worksheets I’m from test papers handed back With a zero in bloody ink I’m from trips to the principal’s office Smile upside down, heart inside out I’m from the name given to me A regular on pink detention slips I’m from locked doors, staying up late, spam texts I’m from tear stains, daydreams, shoved-down hope I’m from ‘ungrateful child’ I’m from ‘get your head outta the clouds’ I’m from the blue ad on the side of a Facebook feed, promoting a school in Japan I’m from long applications, interviews, 500-word essays I’m from the bounce of my leg during early February I’m from the ding of an email, 8 o’clock sharp. I’m from “Welcome to the UWC ISAK Family!”
-A
CREDITS CATALYSM A UWC ISAK Japan publication: Volume 6, issue 2 WRITERS / EDITORS Amanda de Souza
Brunella Tipismana
Kinga
Fraczkiewicz Lydia Etherington
Pallavi Talwar
Sudhish Thapa
Rikio Dahlgren
Pema Lhundrup
PHOTOGRAPHERS Elena May Saini Jeffery
Hassan Alkkle
Sara Al-Lawati
Pallavi Talwar
Sisi Wattanagool
LAYOUT TEAM Briclandji Brice
Chengyu Fan (Cathy)
Elena May Saini Jeffery Mana Sakamoto
Lydia Etherington Pema Lhundrup