Dream big, make it happen – by Sherry of China

Before prom, my date and I put corsage and boutonniere on for each other.

Anxiously waiting for my name to be called, I was there in the gym with all my fellow students and their parents for the annual Award Ceremony.

As a senior, it was a big event for me since it would be the last opportunity for me to be recognized. There are several honors usually only awarded to the seniors, such as the Young Man/Woman of the Year and the Athlete of the Year.

When I was in 10^th and 11^th grade, I always looked up to those seniors who had accomplished so much throughout their high school career, and I was determined to be one of them when I become a senior. I wanted to be recognized for something exceptional; I wanted to be remembered as someone outstanding. Now the time has come. However, it came too “early.”

I always thought one day I would run a Chinese club or something at school and organize some events for people to know more about the Chinese culture. I always thought I would make a plan to gain some great virtues, like what Benjamin Franklin did to himself in order to perfect his 13 virtues of life. I wanted to be a person who is positive, caring, lovable, fun to be around with, energetic, passionate, and big-hearted. I wanted to learn how to cook Chinese food and be a fun and helpful addition to my host family. I always wished to exercise regularly and become stronger. I always hoped to finish reading a book, not for school, but just for fun. Also, I wanted to cherish every day as if it was my last and live my life without regrets.

My chemistry class went to King’s Dominion for an “educational” day.

Despite all my wishes, I didn’t really make an effort to change anything. I thought there was a tomorrow for everything to be changed. Now the time has come, and I am still standing where I was. I didn’t really have the drive to get things started; I was not determined enough to make a difference in my life.

My host family took us to dinner to celebrate the end of Hayley’s and my high school career.

Of course, at the award ceremony I am not one of those seniors whose names kept being called; I am not one of those who stood up in the crowd for his/her consistent dedication and exceptional accomplishments.

I wasn’t upset or anything because I knew I didn’t deserve those honors. I knew the awards were not lottery; they were not randomly given based on luck. I was rather frustrated at myself for not striving for the better, for not taking actions for what I want for myself. Throughout my high school career, half of me kept telling myself that what I was doing was great enough for my special circumstances as an international student, while the other half of me knew that I could be better if I actually put my thoughts into actions.

After the award ceremony, we all went back to our classrooms. There, I overheard a conversation between my friends. One said that she felt bad for her friend because she didn’t receive anything at the ceremony even though she has always been a leader at school. The other responded, “The award doesn’t mean anything.” Though she seemed to be careless when she said those words, they left me dumbfounded.

Prom picture taken in front of the Mariners Museum.

I came to a realization that the awards don’t mean as much as I thought they do. I received several awards for having the highest grades in my classes and I was happy, so I never really gave a further thought about them.

I came to realize that there are people who are very active in class, always pay close attention to teachers, help their classmates whenever they can, and always put in a lot of effort to finish each assignment. However, they might not do great on their tests or exams maybe because they missed a simple question or just because they get too stressed out under a limited time frame. Nevertheless, does this mean they do not deserve the award? No. Just having the highest grade in a class does not mean that one puts the most effort in that subject. One could be naturally smart at that subject, but does the minimum amount of work to finish each assignment. If this person gets the award, does it really mean anything?

In my view, the award should be given to the student who is the most dedicated, not the one who is the most intelligent. Since there isn’t really a measurement for dedication, the award doesn’t necessarily have much meaning to it.

My last golf practice of the season.

On the other hand, there isn’t such an award called “The Biggest Challenger of the Year” or “The Most Improved in English Award,” awards I know that I would deserve. I applied for a total of 16 colleges within three months. I refused to use any paid agency to help me with my applications (which is, sadly, a very common practice in some Asian countries). I applied to schools I never thought I would get into, but I am glad that I at least tried.

I challenged myself in ways that not many people do, such as finishing a one-year AP course on my own within 20 days. Instead of being afraid to “look stupid,” I chose not to be a manager but a player for the girls’ basketball team. Even though singing is never my forte, I didn’t hesitate to go all out and perform songs on the stage with friends.

I am proud to say that I did all that I could do in my college application process.  I am happy to see how much my English has improved through studying for the SAT and writing numerous college essays. Are these achievements not worth celebrating just because I didn’t receive an award for them in the ceremony?

My friends and I went to a beach to spend time together before we graduate.

After this brainstorming, the awards don’t mean that much to me anymore. I know those “labels” shouldn’t determine who I am and what my value is. I should not do things and work hard just to receive those awards and just to be recognized in front of the crowd. I know everything should just be done for myself in the first place; things don’t mean anything unless you place a value on them.

There might be no one there to witness your every achievement, but it doesn’t matter. You are the one who knows what you have done, and you know if you have really gone out of your way to get what you want or if you have just remained standing wherever you are.

A picture taken on the College Declaration Day with me and Patricia in Notre Dame shirts.

If you have a dream, go make it happen with your actions. Be happy if you reached your dream, and still be happy if you did not, because you didn’t just stand there, you at least tried. You are happy because you are making a difference in your life, not because you are being awarded for something you don’t believe you deserve.

Calligraphy

The art of calligraphy is highly valued in East Asian culture. It is not only a form of writing; it is regarded as a discipline and an art.

In China, the word for calligraphy literally translates to “the method or law of writing.” In Korea, the word for calligraphy literally means “the art of writing.”

There are many tools and techniques that calligraphers must be familiar with.

The Four Treasures of the Study

The Four Treasures of the Study (or, in Korea, the Four Friends of the Study) are the four basic tools used in traditional East Asian calligraphy. These tools are:

1. The Brush – Traditional East Asian calligraphy uses a brush made of animal hair. Calligraphy pens can be used, but they are not considered as prestigious as the brushes. The process of making calligraphy brushes is very intensive, as hairs must be sorted by type, thickness, length, and softness.

   There is an old tradition in which one hair is taken from a newborn and incorporated into a calligraphy brush. This brush then becomes a special keepsake for that individual. It is said that this tradition began after someone used such a brush on his Imperial examinations and proceeded to do well.

2. The Ink – Modern inksticks are generally made from a mixture of glue and one of three kinds of soot: lacquer soot, pine soot, or oil soot. Some more expensive inksticks are also mixed with spices and herbs to both preserve the ink better and provide a pleasant aroma.

   The inkstick itself takes time and ingenuity to create. The process of mixing, molding into an intricate shape, and setting the mold can take more than a month, depending on the size and detail of the inkstick.

3. The Paper – Paper was first developed in China, and although many methods have produced many types of paper, there are certain types that work significantly better for calligraphy.

   The paper best suited to calligraphy, known as Xuānzhǐ, is soft, fine, and strong. The degree of processing that goes into the paper determines how absorbent and stiff it is.

4. The Inkstone – Because calligraphy ink comes in a stick rather than a liquid, it must be ground into powder and mixed with water before use. The inkstone is used to grind the inkstick into a powder.

Other tools used include:

• desk pads
• paperweights
• brush-holders
• brush-hangers
• brush-rinsing pots
• seals
• seal ink

Technique

Many different factors contribute to the final result of calligraphy, and a calligrapher must be aware of this. These factors include:

• the shape of the ink brush
• the size of the ink brush
• the stretch of the ink brush
• the hair type of the ink brush
• the color of the ink
• the color density of the ink
• the water density of the ink
• the speed of water absorption in the paper
• the surface texture of the paper
• the quantity of ink or water on the brush
• the pressure put on the brush

The final “spirit” of each character is produced in such details as the speed at which the calligrapher produces strokes as well as the order of the strokes in each character.

Korean calligraphy

In Korea, calligraphy is written in either Hangul or Hanja.

Hangul

Hangul is the Korean alphabet. It is unique in that it introduces the circle stroke, which is not found in Chinese calligraphy. Hangul was created in the 1440s, but it didn’t become popular among the masses until the 19th-20th centuries. Because of this, it was once very important for Koreans to be able to read hanja in order to be literate. Now, it is more important for historians and scholars to be able to read hanja.

Hanja

Hanja is the use of characters borrowed from Chinese to be used in Korean. One major way in which Chinese characters made their way into Korean language was through the spread of Buddhism, though there were other texts that required knowledge of Chinese characters to read.

Today, it is helpful for Koreans to know some hanja, as certain words are formed using them. Most Korean words, however, are written in hangul.

Why am I always laughing? Then why aren’t you? – by Yunwoo of South Korea

Power of Positive Thinking 

Social network services such as Facebook and Twitter seem to gradually replace direct communications from person to person today; leaving favorable impressions would be a recommendable way to begin genial relationships. Welcoming with a radiant look appeases what people expect on first encounters by breaking the nerve to meet a stranger.

New York trip at the beginning of the April. Being colorful and laughing loudly suits flamboyant, boisterous New York!

Fortunately, a smiling face has been my trademark for how others remember me, and it indeed helped me a lot to start a new life smoothly with amicable neighbors and friends who are attentive to this clueless little girl. People usually seize me with same question, “Why am I laughing?” However, they’d better not look forward to hear a distinctive answer.

Making a smiley face becomes a habit that I can’t even control myself, and I realized making a broad grin is the best and the fastest way to get over a stressful day. Laughing marvelously imbues positive thinking and potently spreads to others, so by sharing my experiences, I hope you will have a pretty beam on your face when you finish reading the last sentence of this simple advice.  

Why it is smart to be positive

Teachers, parents, the media, and a bunch of self-help books exclaim in one voice – Be Positive!  However, merely throwing the answer without any explanations or demonstrations confuses naive teens even more. Before suggesting the way to have a positive mind, momentous benefits should be introduced first.

Above all, as an international student who gallantly took the first step toward a bigger dream and left your home, a positive mind could become your ultimate shelter where you can relax. Also, you could better rely on yourself before asking for help from host families or friends. Miserable days at school, conflicts with friends or getting bad grades on the tests, various stressful matters irritate you and provoke you to lose your temper; however, you’d better not expect your host families to be indulgent to your complaining and whining. Rather, show them your maturity and that you can easily laugh off the bad day.

For a simple example, you are very disappointed at your grade. Would you keep indisposing yourself by whining on your grade? Or would you simply get over it by making a resolve to study harder on next test? Test is over. Whining will never bring your grade up. Now it is up to you to decide whether to remain in a desperate mood all day while you might be missing other sources of happiness or be grateful for the chance to  indicate your mistakes or drawbacks that need to be improved for a better grade on the next test. Positive thinking imbues an energetic attitude that leads you to progress.

How we can have positive thinking 

Here I suggest 4 steps to remove all sorts of negative thinking.

First, admit you are stressed and negative minds are eroding you. 

Above all, you should recognize what exactly offends you and acknowledge negative thinking is trying to encroach upon your mind and uselessly only consume your energy. 

Second, determine to be positive and find lessons from your stress.

Now you realize what is a smart way to deal with your stress. Before you proceed to any further steps, it is the most important to firmly establish your mind to replace negative voices with optimistic thoughts. After you find the core of your stress, try to find lessons from it. Failure always happens to foster you for enhanced achievement on the next try.  

Third, seek a pragmatic approach to realize what you’ve learned, and do it.

If you only think about being optimistic in the future, you might be a mere lazy daydreamer who longs for success without any efforts. Plan practical ways to improve your weak points and accomplish a better achievement next time. The power of execution distinguishes an optimist from a daydreamer. 

Fourth, praise yourself for overcoming stresses in a wise way.

The last, and another very important step, is praising yourself. If you succeed to keep your own promise, you definitely deserve a prize and praise! Be proud of your strong will power and overcoming stresses in a smart way and that your better accomplishment can also be harvested. 

My best friend always makes me laugh!

To maintain a positive mind and make your body adapt to be optimistic as a habit, the environment that surrounds you might be another critical point. Just as a positive mind is strongly contagious, negative words and whining may significantly discourage you. Place yourself somewhere that is bursting with enthusiasm.

Delightful thinking is derived from a healthy body. Getting nutritious food and fluent fluid cannot be negligible.

Finally, let everyone be infected by your positive power! Show your pretty smile, and make an acknowledgment with a favorable greeting. Spending two seconds to say “Good morning!” with a huge beam will light up your day and others’.

I believe everyone shows their prettiest look when they smile. Smile!

Being positive does not require huge determination. Look for small, trivial happiness that is always near you: the warm spring sunshine through the window, an “ily <3” message on your Facebook wall that your friend left, or going out for dinner unexpectedly.

The seed of positive power is always near you. It is time to pay attention to discover those seeds and let them grow to yield valuable fruits in your mind.

April Vacation, by Brian of South Korea

Before the April vacation, I was out of energy that I earned from February vacation and was looking forward for another weeklong vacation.

My April vacation, which ran from April 15-22, started the same way it started back in February by getting up late and having brunch. It was so soothing and comforting to start my day without any hurry. Watching television while eating breakfast became my routine for a few days in the beginning of the vacation, and I felt a little bit anxious about not managing my time wisely.

The AP test dates were getting closer, and I had stack of new information to learn in a short period of time. By the second day of the vacation, I got my AP materials and studied according to my plan. I can describe my first four days of my long-awaited vacation in one word: tedious.

Guess what? After a few dreary days of vacation, two trips were planned, and I was so excited.

The first trip was going to the Ocean Beach, which is located about 40 minutes away. My host mom, her two nieces, FeiFei (another international student from China who stays with me), and I went to the beach about 12’o clock.

I cannot describe how warm and sunny the beach was. As soon as we got there, two nieces ran across the beach and were getting ready to make sand castles. Kathi and FeiFei were enjoying the sunlight, and I also was lying next to them getting pleasure from the sun. I honestly loved getting sunlight and was willing to stay there for a few days.

We stayed on the beach until 4:30 and came back home. Even though the weather in my home was warmer than the beach, I felt like the beach was a lot warmer and cozier. After we got home, I took a shower and the greatest nap. It was the best day of a weeklong April vacation.

A few days after the memorable beach day, I went on a second trip to Boston with my host parents and FeiFei.

It was my first time visiting Boston, and I had no information about Boston except Quincy Market.

Living in the city back in Korea, I felt welcomed and loved the atmosphere of the active city of Boston. People and cars were everywhere, and they seemed busy.

My first impression of Boston was much better than I expected, and I put Boston on my list of favorite cities that I want to visit again with my family in the future.

We basically walked around the city of Boston and saw lots of city lives in action. We also had lunch near a harbor, and the harbor was beautiful with sunny weather. I took many pictures that show the qualities of Boston and of the spring season.

Having started my April vacation a little bit dull and boring, I did not expect any fun and memorable trips. However, my host parents took me to two beautiful places, and I am very thankful for them bringing me to spots that I have never been to. Ocean beach and Boston perfected my April vacation, and I am willing to take more trips in the future with my host parents and FeiFei. Thank you Kathi and Doug !

Year-end evaluations available

The International Private School Program invites 2011-12 students and host families to complete their year-end surveys online this year.

These evaluations will help us improve our program, trainings, and orientations.

• Host Family Evaluation
• Student Evaluation

Chinese city recognized by UNESCO

The city of Hangzhou, which is known as the “cradle of handicrafts” in China, has been named an UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) ”City of Crafts and Folk Art.”

The designation was bestowed upon the city on April 10, adding it to the now 31-member Creative Cities Network. According to the UNESCO website, the Creative Cities Network “connects cities who want to share experiences, ideas and best practices for cultural, social and economic development.”

Of these 31 cities, five are appointed as Creative Cities of Crafts and Folk Art. Hangzhou joins Santa Fe (USA), Aswan (Egypt), Kanazawa (Japan) and Icheon (South Korea).

The criteria to be named a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art (taken from the UNESCO website) are:

• long-lasting tradition in a particular form of crafts or folk art
• contemporary production of crafts and folk art
• strong presence of craft makers and local artists
• training centres related to crafts and folk art related occupations
• effort to promote crafts and folk art (festivals, exhibitions, fairs, markets, etc.)
• infrastructure relevant to crafts and folk art, e.g. museums, handicraft stores, local art fairs, etc.

Sarcasm

Studying in the U.S. gives you the opportunity to learn much more than you would learn in an English class back home. You not only practice your vocabulary; you also learn common phrases, metaphors, and other cultural practices learned best through experience.

One such cultural practice is the use of sarcasm. Sarcasm is very common in the U.S., and many people use it as a way to convey humor.

Sarcasm can be difficult to understand (even for a native English-speaker!) because it usually involves the use of irony, or the use of words to mean the opposite of their actual meaning. Sometimes a sarcastic comment might sound mean or rude, but it’s usually meant to be funny. People who make sarcastic comments don’t always laugh when they do so, so it can be even harder to tell that they are joking.

The most important component of sarcasm is the use of tone. When someone is being sarcastic, he or she will generally emphasize certain words within the sarcastic comment.

Examples and types:

Sarcasm can be used to emphasize the degree of something by using words or phrasing that reflects the opposite.

After looking at a report card with all A’s:

• “Oh, I can see that you are still not doing very well in school?” – A phrase like this could usually be followed with a smile. The use of sarcasm here is meant to emphasize the fact that the student is excelling in his/her classes and doing very well in school. It is considered a playful way to praise or recognize someone for their good work.

Sarcasm can also be used to emphasize a seemingly obvious point when someone asks a question.

• “So, are you happy to have a break from school?”

The sarcastic response could be:

• “Oh no, I wish we didn’t have a break. I wish I never had a break from school.” – The sarcasm here is meant to state that the answer to the question was somewhat obvious; most students are happy to have a break from school.

If you find it difficult to tell if your host family or friend is joking, it is important (and completely ok!) to tell them that you are having a hard time understanding what they mean. Some Americans are so used to making sarcastic comments that they may forget you are new to this type of joking. They might forget that you will translate their words literally, and this can cause a lot of confusion (and sometimes even hurt feelings).

It may be helpful to ask your host family or friends to describe and role-play sarcasm. It will be helpful to actually see and hear it in action so you can decipher when it’s being used. This would also help remind your host family to be careful when using sarcasm with you in the future.