The Adriatic Times - One Shared Story

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One Shared Story

The Adriatic Times

October 2013

Two months have passed since the new generation of UWC Adriatic joined the class of 2014. Now, that the chain is complete, the Adriatic Times team is pleased to be able to convey students’ work through the magazine which is made ‘from and for’ students of our college.

In such a diverse community as ours it is almost impossible not to share things with people around us. We share rooms with people we have only just met, often from completely different cultures. The difference in culture is not the only thing that makes this sharing special and sometimes challenging, it is also the difference in personalities. For sure, every student of UWC is a unique personality with different ideas and ideals.

Sharing with different people makes us change and broaden our perspective when dealing with the issues facing us.

It seems simple to understand this key word, but it has its own complexity hidden deep inside. Many times we regret sharing with people. We try to understand why and so we either blame the people we shared with or find other justifications for not sharing with those we didn’t. However, sometimes it is because we don’t know how to share or we misunderstand the concept.

To let you approach possible solutions to this problem or at least get more insight into the issues raised by sharing we wish you an enjoyable read and reflection upon our 14th Edition, “Sharing”.

Welcome to the Adriatic Times, esteemed class of 2015.

Welcome back dear second years, venerated class of 2014.

Sharing does not always mean learning from and helping others. In many cases people feel the need to share just to double their joy or lessen their sorrow.

The Editorial

Editor: Sibel Spahija Jornalists: Nari Lee, Giuliana De Polo Proof reader: Malcolm Price Designer: Valev Laube Cover photo: Sascha Schneider

The Adriatic Times

Sharing with Hundreds of Lives…

By Kailas Kokare

Your voices are Echoing in my ears.

Your beautiful smiles are giving me Unlimited energy!

Your happiness is spreading my Joy thousands of miles away!

And, Your tears are making me free my tears, The path of the future, Sharing with hundreds of Lives!

Is there a life after the UWC?

By Anna Gams

I am writing to you from sunny, humid and sometimes rainy Florida.

Two months have passed since I arrived in the US of A. Knowing from my own experience, I can assume that my primi (now secondi) are too tired of curfew and other restrictions and just want to finish their IB and start with the new phase of their lives. Two years of Italy and the Duino bubble passes quickly and all the friendships will most likely transfer to Skype calls and occasional letters. It is an effort to keep up long distance communication a n d

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you have to decide if it will be worth it.

After the excitement of the new place is over and you get into university routine, you start feeling odd (it was not only me). The reason is that you have to make local friendships, take care of your extracurricular activities and be responsible for your own actions. Nobody really cares why you have missed the class, where you were all night or who would bring you food while you are sick. In Duino, our community looked after each other. Here you start to realize, that very soon you will become a complete adult. Some people might like this thought but I find it scary because there is no way back.

I do enjoy the freedom I have here, except for the alcohol policy ;) but I do lack the personal attention from the teachers, tutors and residence tutors. Thankfully, there are a lot of UWC graduates here, coming from different UWCs, but we still have so much in common which proves the idea of the united UWC spirit.

Only here can you fully understand how much mentally older you are compared to your co-years. The UWC is very useful and helpful as an intermediate step between family life and the university far away from home.

Nevertheless, the University of Florida has a lot of resources, facilities and opportunities. For me, as a future biomedical engineer, it is quite handy.

Being a very big school, it can also afford to invite “One Republic”, organize professional expos, and have its own theatres, concert halls and museums.

This university has a required course called ‘What is the Good Life?’ - I was quite naïve thinking that after the IB I was done with TOK forever!

Being Estonian, hence slow :P, I need my time to feel like a fish in the ocean.

Have a wonderful Bora and appreciate the place where you are.

P.S. Lilly and Egi say ciao!

By Giuliana De Polo

I’m sitting here trying to explain how I feel about leaving my “Mendoza life” to start a new one in Duino, and I’m not sure I can. This time it’s not my lack of English vocabulary that is making it difficult (although my writing is not as half expressive as I would like it to be). But it is something that I haven’t experienced before, and I don’t know what to call it. I often found myself trying to put a name to the mix of feelings inside me.

Yes, mixed feelings have become a part of my daily life in the past few

months. I wake up so happy that no words can do it justice, wanting to scream to the world how amazing the experience I’m about to live will be, hoping to be already there… And suddenly, all that goes away, and it is replaced by doubt. What if I get lost in the airport? What if I can’t understand what people are saying to me?

What if I miss my old life too much?

What if it is too cold or too hot? What if?! Then, this sensation disappears just as fast as it came, and I start dreaming of the unknown. My possible roommates, the first days, these

kind of awesome/a bit intimidating/ more experienced people that my secondi will be…

The Adriatic Times

A new name It’s exciting, scary, fresh, intriguing, all at the same time. It’s a sensation that has knocked on my consciousness door since I found out I was going to UWC Adriatic and it has stayed with me up to now. But I just don’t know what to call it. Perhaps, we should invent a name for the feeling of having a whole new life waiting for us.

UWC Mostar - Shared Thoughts

By María Fernanda Landín

A couple of days ago I had one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I had the opportunity to meet Elissavet and Christina (sorry girls if I didn´t spell your names right), two UWC Mostar students who visited Duino.

They shared their experiences of their school and the differences that they found with ours. I never imagined there were so many! Even when we share the same educational system, the same values and ideals, our way of living is diametrically different.

From what I could observe and compare, students in Mostar have learned to appreciate what they have and give everything for their community, both in social service, as in the Project week and in their daily lives. Every little thing that they can change in the country they live can make a big difference, taking into account the social problems they face.

Both girls showed me that there are no limits when you have an idea.

Sometimes we get many barriers restricting what we could be, but on Tuesday I learned that you just have

to dare, that's what is UWC: not only to live in Italy and see wonderful landscapes, but to truly interact with the community.

I write this article to persuade you to know the people who suddenly come to visit us, you never know how many things you can learn from them. I also invite you to meet those you have

It's hard, it's out of our comfort zone, but sometimes you have to remember why we are here. We are fortunate, we should take advantage of that to help those who need it.

n o t yet spoken with, to sit at a different table at Mensa and make a new friend.

The next time you're walking down the street and a local says “ciao”, do not stay just with that. Ask him what's missing in their (our) village and ask yourself what you could do to change it. Instead of complaining about SonicWall, be thankful that you have the internet.

When you are in Mensa and your mind starts complaining, remember that some people do not have food.

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The Adriatic Times

A sceptical approach to sharing

By Sibel Spahija

“An unshared life is not living.

He who shares does not lessen, but greatens, his life”, said Stephen Samuel Wise, an Austro-Hungarian-born American Reform rabbi and Zionist leader.

For sure, sharing seems to be very important. It helps you crystallize your sensations, reactions and thoughts through others’ perspectives. Getting feedback on an idea makes you think twice before you evaluate its pros and cons; it helps you see what “works” and what “does not work”. You update your thoughts by looking at them from different standpoints, with a richer prospect.

Sharing also strengthens the bonds between you and others. It is an important social skill, as it helps you to get to know different people. Nowadays, social networking pages give you the chance to meet and share experiences and thoughts with a world of people.

When you share, it becomes apparent how many others have had similar experiences. Once you’ve found people who have been through the same or similar stuff as you have, it becomes much easier for you to figure out what you have benefited from and what you’ve lost in that experience. Once you have done that, then you can decide if the experience is to stay as a beautiful memory or as a lesson not to be repeated again (or at least you will try not to repeat it).

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Aren’t you fascinated how sharing can be so useful to a human being?

Honestly, I myself am fascinated by its benefits. However, think there for a second, O esteemed mortal, haven’t you been disappointed by people with whom you have shared something about yourself? Or if not with people, haven’t you just regretted the fact that you have shared that information?

If your answer is “No” (seriously?) then I’ll let you think again, and if your answer is “Yes”, which I bet it is, keep on reading, this is just the point where the discussion about sharing gets interesting.

Personally, I’ve often found myself wondering if it was worth sharing an idea or an emotion I had with someone or if I’d better keep it to myself. It just didn’t seem of any use to share it with someone. I guessed there was no one out there who could help me or at least understand me. I was often (and perhaps still am) afraid of being misunderstood. Everyone can have difficulties in expressing themselves clearly or correctly. Sometimes the way the person in front of you perceives what you say is up to them and has nothing to do with your actual thought.

If sharing seems such a delicate issue, then how is one supposed to decide whether to share or not?

In my opinion, there is no such thing as “sharing” or “not sharing”, there is not and should not be a concrete answer to that. Perhaps, we ought to find simpler ways of analysing the issue of sharing. After many disappointments and regrets, I found this simple way of making a decision. It is as simple as analysing a text or a short story.

As you may have already guessed, this method is 5W + H questions.

Why share?

Because, as I said in the beginning, you and people you share with can benefit from each other. You may broaden your perspective (or may not) and you may come up with better ideas than the initial ones you had. Furthermore, it is not always about benefiting from sharing. Most of the time, it is just for the sake of being listened to, sharing your happiness, your sadness or your madness.

What to share?

“Simply everything you want to”, would say a total supporter of the idea of sharing. To me, I would stop and think of how the thing I share would affect me and the person in front of me. If it really is not of any interest to the other person, and/or that person doesn’t really care about what you have to say, then you would better find something else to share, something which would make you invest rather than lose your time. Furthermore, it is not always about finding a common topic to talk about, because things that are not of your business often lose their importance and others get bored of listening (gossip fits into this category).

Who to share with?

“I don’t trust that person. I’m not going to tell him what I have on my mind”. In the end, is it really about trusting the one you share with? Will your best friend always help you out with your thoughts or understand your ideas? Not always! Instead of relying just on close friends, I think it would better to find people who would be really interested in what we have to tell them. In this way we would avoid regretting that we shared and, also, we would prevent the boredom of sharing only with that little group we “trust”.

When to share?

Think of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and all those social networking pages where many people spend a lot of their time. Is everything we share there necessary? I doubt it is! Do we really want to be bombarded with so much information? No, trust me, we don’t! If something is to be said and shared, it really should be at the time when there is actually something worth sharing. Honestly, who wants to know every single joke you make or see hundreds of pictures from a stay-up night?

As you can see, this question doesn’t really make sense. At least, it is not correct in this context. However I will consider this question as an evaluation between online and face-to-face sharing. In many cases, being misunderstood by others is something which makes us regret sharing. On-line sharing is a boundary between people who share. You lack expressions and body language. You can’t feel the excitement from one’s vocal tone.

It makes the conversation dull and trivial. When being exposed to such boundaries it is very probable that there will be a misunderstanding and that you will not get to the point, therefore try to share face-to-face. Really, if you log-off from social networks you’ll have much more time to see others’ faces.

How to share?

I’ve got a simple possible answer to this, be honest, open (to new ideas or approaches) and caring. It will make sharing twice as worthwhile.

I hope you think of the 5W+H questions on sharing before you decide to share.

I assure you, in the end, it will make it much easier and enjoyable.

Last but not least, if you ever find yourself being sceptical about an issue, try to do what a sceptic ought to do, and answer your own question. At the end of the day you are the “best possible person” to convince yourself.

10 Reasons why I fell in love with my social service

The Adriatic Times

Where to share?

By Giuliana De Polo My social service is not just a social service.

After a bit more than a month since I started it, I’ve come to the conclusion that I cannot consider it as merely another part of the CAS programme.

less of the time and effort they demand.

9. I realize how relative age is, and how some souls don’t care about the years.

10. I don’t feel I’m going there because I have to, but because I want to.

You see, every Wednesday, I go to Borgo San Mauro home for the elderly and...

I wanted to write about this not only to share my personal experience, but also as a reminder that:

1. I have another Italian class: since no one speaks English, I HAVE TO practise my Italian.

2. I take History without having it as an IB subject: people tell me really interesting first-hand stories about the Second World War. 3. I get involved in creative activities: so far I have learnt how to make snowflakes and roses with paper.

4. I even do exercise every time we have to run to catch the bus (which happens quite often).

5. I have the opportunity to listen to how proudly some of the elderly sing in different languages: Russian, Slovene, Italian, Trieste’s dialect...

6. It makes me happy to see that they enjoy my company.

7. It makes me even happier to feel that they expect me every week.

8. I learn the importance of being patient: things can be done regard-

SOCIAL SERVICE ISN’T JUST ANOTHER CAS ACTIVITY! There’s a constant interaction with people, who most of the time care and rely on us. And it’s a reciprocal relationship. Yes, we are helping people, but they are also helping us.

It can be hard, or awkward, or confusing sometimes. But when it happens, we grow internally, as every time we are faced with a challenge we start to acquire a new perspective of life.

However, if we see it only as a weekly task that the IB requires, we’re not going to be able to learn anything from it. Compassion, empathy, respect, understanding. Social service can give us that and much more if we embrace it and put our whole being in it. Just keep it in mind.

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The Adriatic Times

Will Julia Tymoshenko Become Ukrainian Mahatma Gandhi?

By Anna Kirillova Comparative historic study can sometimes provide one with an illuminating insight into the causes and effects of some actions, as well as teach one important lessons.

When trying to think of the type of leader who would be good for Ukraine, the best strategy would be to resort to international best practices and recall the outstanding Indian leader of the twentieth century, Mahatma Gandhi, making an attempt to compare him to currently jailed Ukrainian ex-prime minister Julia Tymoshenko.

This comparison between Tymoshenko and Gandhi may appear entirely subjective, but it could still be justified on a deep conceptual level. Obviously being very different in temperament and style, they, nevertheless, share one common important thing: a powerful unifying personality and a prominent charisma to build their nations.

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Very often misunderstood, even openly ridiculed by his major political opponent, Winston Churchill, as a "half-naked fakir" (apparently for his peculiar clothing style), but still enjoying wide political support, Mahatma Gandhi, a national hero in India, could be called not only the Farther of the modern Indian state, but also an inspirational figure for many generations to come. The most pronounced international followers of Gandhi include Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, the latter fully acknowledging Gandhi as one of his heroes. Although Gandhian economics based on village self-sufficiency remained a purely idealistic vision in the industrial twentieth century, one cannot overstate

Gandhi's impact on India's political development - he could be seen as the father of the tolerant secular democracy India is now.

During Gandhi's lifetime, the most important issue facing India was its liberation from the British colonial rule, and Gandhi planned to bring independence to India advocating expanded civil rights and freedoms for all Indians. That included, but was not limited to, freeing the untouchables caste, easing poverty and boosting women's rights. This strategy was supplemented by special tactics such as non-cooperation with the British colonial regime expressed as boycotts of British industrial goods, rejection of British institutions (schools, Universities and courts) as well as systems of distinction. Perhaps, the most famous expression of Gandhian tactics was the Dandi Salt March, by means of which Gandhi tried to prove that Indians were prepared to pay any price for Independence: if necessary, they could march many kilometres to get salt from the Indian Ocean, just to be self-sufficient.

Charged with authority, Gandhi managed to transform the Indian National Congress Party (previously somewhat of an elitist group) into a powerful democratization vehicle. Under his leadership the National Congress Party was put at the forefront of the struggle for India's independence from the British Empire and nowadays can claim the laurels of one of the oldest and largest liberal democratically-functioning parties in the world.

Another major political achievement of Gandhi was making peace between ethnically and religiously diverse Hindus and Muslims who previously used to wage bloody wars with each other.

When speaking to Hindus and Muslims Gandhi made a point to stress that they had a common goal to strive for; India's liberation from the U.K. And, as we know, it worked.

Having said all that, one could not help spotting some meaningful similarities between Mahatma Gandhi's and Julia Tymoshenko's political paths.

Never have Gandhi's lessons been so relevant, than when applied to present-day Ukraine. It looks like under the leadership of President Viktor Yanukovych this country has hit the lowest point in all respects. Pessimists claim that, with ethnic and linguistic tensions mounting, economic prospects growing murkier and murkier, Ukraine is truly on the brink of a civil war.

Convicted on October 11, 2011, upon some clearly politically-motivated charges, Julia Tymoshenko still has much to say in Ukrainian politics, concerning peacemaking, in particular. For example, in the light of the recent clashes between different ideological and ethnic strata of the society, Julia's appeal to stop both opposition and contra-opposition marches becomes especially relevant.

Finally, Tymoshenko’s popular appeal could touch upon the largest Ukrainian opposition party, "Batkivshchyna" ("Fatherland"). Founded by Tymoshenko in 1999, the pro-European "Batkivshchyna" quickly became the largest democratic party in Ukraine and a major force to challenge the ruling Party of Regions, which is the refreshed version of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, however, following the imprisonment of Julia, "Batkivshchyna" has lost some of its popular support as well as its internal cohesion.

It remains to be seen whether Julia's unifying personality could revitalize the party's image as well as consolidate the democratic forces again.

In conclusion, one could hope that though facing very difficult life circumstances Julia will still get the chance to employ world's best leadership practices. Overall, it looks like she has once again has the chance to become Ukraine’s Mahatma Gandhi, liberating the country from its post-Soviet chains.

The Adriatic Times

Though a long shot, Tymoshenko’s case could turn out to be fatal for the whole system of Soviet institutions. On April 30, 2013, the European Court of Human Rights announced its ruling on the lawsuit filed by Tymoshenko explicitly stating that her arrest and pre-trial detention was "arbitrary and unlawful".

This apparent contradiction between the norms of European law and the practices of the post-Soviet judicial system has the potential to bring down the latter, completely and entirely.

FRENCH SECT

By Manon Dali

The French community is one of the strongest and most powerful sects at UWC. Like the Spanish Sect, German Sect and English Sect that we call the mother or “la mama".

When I first came, I spoke a bad English, that's why for the first week, I was mainly staying with French speakers and the new chief of the French Sect: Hugo.

And to introduce himself he organized: THE FIRST AND ONLY TEA PARTY WITH FRENCH SPEAKERS. All the first year French speakers were invited with Sneha, to take a tea in his huge room at Fore (the biggest one, of course).

So we all were around him and listened to him speaking about tea. You know, making tea for Hugo is a very serious art.

"Ok, your tea is ready in 3 minutes, he said with the watch in his hand, Mattis you can take yours in...25 seconds..."

After the infusion of all the tea we spoke, drunk and ate chocolate until curfew.

The next day during lunch, Hugo came to me to explain what a TRAGEDY he had discovered last night...

“You will never believe it, yesterday night when I was washing the cup... I discovered that there was no tea in Mattis' cup. He drunk HOT WATER!!”

That revelation was making me laugh and I reminded Hugo of his watch.

But, if there was no tea, why didn't Mattis say anything?

I'm pretty sure that Mattis doesn't know that he drank just hot water.

I think it was psychological you know, we tell you that it's tea, so he's drunk tea.

To be sure, I decided to ask to him how he found the tea yesterday, But Hugo told him this little adventure and Mattis just answered that he didn't want to be impolite.

AND that's why it was the first and ONLY French tea party.

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The Adriatic Times

Six simple ways not to "PISS OFF" your roommates

By Anon

Ask and Listen.

It is really important to share opinions with your roommates. Your roommates won’t come with manuals that outline just how to deal with them, but you’ll find out the hard way if you don’t ask questions. Even if you don't want to deal with them sometimes it is better to chill and try to put yourself in their place. If your roommates are super annoying you just go and tell it in a softer way which we call "Asking ". It is really important to share your opinions because it is your privacy too.

No "Faking".

Be real from the start. Be open with your roommates about everything from sleeping habits to problems and troubles, so your Roomies won't feel surprised if you are *sleeping naked*. Even if you are for ever having people over, always tell your roommates.

Roomies stuff.

Respect your roomies stuff. Your roommates might be OK about a "what's mine is yours" policy, but it is always better to check before you borrow something.

Clean behind yourself.

There is no more mommy! The painful truth is there is no more mommy and nanny who will clean up your mess. Let's be realistic, if you make a mess, clean it, instead of talking meaning-

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less stuff like “Back home I never did it ...” But, you don't have to clean your roommates mess!

Roomies are friends not enemies.

You don't have to build that really deep best friend relationship with a roommate, but you’re still going to stay with them for a year. So try to do something together like discussing the room, school, life or whatever. Sometimes you can even have dinner together, or coffee, tea and biscuits. Since you’re living together, it’s smart to get to know them by making an effort to spend time together. That way you’ll feel more comfortable living with and communicating with your roomies.

Give your roommates some personal space and time.

This means that your roommates should have their own area of the room. Just because you share the room doesn't mean you’re entitled to all of its parts. Think of the room as split down the middle, and don’t overstep your boundaries. So they can do their personal things. To be honest everyone needs their personal space and time. Sometimes we feel emotional, sad, down, and at that time you don't have to "cheer them up”, just try to give them personal time like being quiet, leaving the room for a while, and trying to support them.