Volume 78, Issue 5

8/8/2019 Volume 78, Issue 5

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Border patrol Immigrationdebate continuesBy Alexa Chihos

staff writer

The Wheel celebrates In-ternational Education Week

By Rachel Armstrong

sections editor

St. Catherine University student newspaper

November 8, 2010 - Volume 78, Issue 5thewheel-scu.tumblr.com

This newspaper, like many other things, is recyclable.

pg. 6-7

Experiences Abroad

Discussions about life in Nepaland West Africa

Immigration reform has been a heated issuein the United States over the course of the lastseveral elections. President Barack Obama hasmade his stance on the immigration debateclear: the only way to secure the U.S. bordersis to have immigration reform centered onboth accountability and responsibility.

This position calls for our nation to beheld responsible for securing our bordersand for undocumented workers in good

standing holding themselves accountable fortheir actions by admitting they broke the law.In April of this year, the state of Arizona

passed a law that would require immigrants tocarry their alien registration documents withthem at all times and would target employersthat hire undocumented workers. This lawwould also require police to question peopleif there is a reasonable suspicion that theycould be in the United States illegally.

President of the Latina Student Association(LSA)at St. Catherine University (SCU),Cristina De La Cruz, thinks that the currentimmigration law in Arizona proles a specicgroup of people.

When I rst heard about it, I personallythought it was ridiculous and I still think itsridiculous to have a law that requires police

to check peoples immigration status if they

look like they are undocumented. Even ifa person is documented but police assumethat they are here illegally they will get askedfor their documentation, De La Cruz said.

After Arizona passed its immigration law,more states began drafting and proposingsimilar laws.

Recently, the state of Florida proposedan immigration law that closely resemblesthat of Arizona. The proposed law would

allow police to arrest anyone if they havereasonable suspicion that the individual isan illegal immigrant in the U.S.; it wouldfurthermore require suspects to prove theircitizenship.

Under this law, judges would be able toinict longer prison sentences and set tougherbail conditions for illegal immigrants whohave committed a crime in the U.S.

Ned Moore, Social Justice Coordinatorfor Campus Ministry, thinks that politicaldebates and media can skew personal viewson immigration.

Too often, our views on immigration areinuenced either by the mainstream mediaor political debates. Rarely do the peopledirectly impacted by our immigration systemhave a voice in these forums, Moore said.

SCU strives to provide education on

important topics that affect the people inand around the campus community. SCUoffers education on immigration throughGlobal Search for Justice (GSJ) classes, justiceimmersion trips, and student organizationevents.

Associate professor of geography Jack Flynnis one of the two professors that is teachinga GSJ course on the Immigrant Experiencethis semester.

Through exposure to this great diversity ofcultures and experiences and considering thestudents and their families own experiences,cultures, and attitudes, I hope that the studentswill become more informed and thoughtfulcitizens of their country and people who willseek ways to facilitate the establishment of

greater tolerance, acceptance, and justice,Flynn said.Moore leads a justice immersion trip to

El Paso in January that exposes students tothe issues surrounding immigration.

By traveling to El Paso, students will havethe opportunity to hear first-hand fromrecent immigrants, to learn about the rootcauses of immigration and the injusticesof our present system, and then draw theirown conclusions about alternatives and howto apply what theyve learned back home,Moore said.

Immigration has an effect on every partof the country, even in our state and on ourcampus. Sophomore Mysee Chang thinksthat immigration hits closer to home thanmany students might assume.

I think all the controversy and issues

around immigration are really importantfor students to look at because were allconnected to this issue even if we think werenot, Chang said.

For Flynn, this issue raises other concernsregarding social justice and security.

Our university culture of learning and ofstriving for social justice should encourageus all to learn more about immigration andthe immigrant experience and to facilitate thewelcoming and success of newer Americans;these processes of interaction and learningwill enhance us all, Flynn said. Immigrationissues often involve questions of social justice,fairness, and security about which we shouldall be concerned. We must accentuate ourefforts to respect and celebrate people of all

backgrounds.Recent activities on campus have touchedon different aspects of the immigrantexperience. Moore thinks that these eventshave impacted and challenged the SCUcommunity to act.

I think a lot of the interest comes from agrowing realization of the injustice, exploitation,and racism that has marked our immigrationsystem, and knowing that we dont haveto accept things as they are. We can takeleadership to change the system, Moore said.

Alexa can be reached [email protected].

An inter-nationalaffair

I voted: Electionupdate

This issue of The Wheel celebratesInternational Education Week (Nov. 15-19)

with an international themed issue.Were pretty excited about it.Even as a small, Catholic, liberal arts

university in Minnesota, St. CatherineUniversity (SCU) isnt lacking in diversity. As astaff, were excited to see this diversity reectedin these pages. International Education Weekis a chance to think outside the Minnesotabox, see where SCU students have traveled,studied, and grown up, and celebrate thebenefits of international exchange andglobal education.

International Education Week was begunin 2000 by the U.S. Department of State andDepartment of Education in an attempt torecognize the importance of awareness ofthe words cultures, peoples, languages, andtraditions. It afrms the important role that

international education programs play indeveloping understanding and world peace.SCUs International Education Week is

put on by the Ofce of Global Studies, andthey have planned some exciting events.

For our part, the international issueintroduces some different elements: highlightsof International student organizations oncampus, various Spotlight pieces, internationalsports, submissions from the student body,and even Sudoku. It might look a littledifferent than The Wheel youre used to,but were hoping it will be a reection ofthe diversity that makes up SCU.

Rachel can be reached [email protected].

On Nov. 2, voters took to the polls to cast theirballots for governor, lieutenant governor, andother state ofces, judicial appointments, andpolitical referendums.

After a long night of tallying votes, Minnesotanswere left waiting for conclusive results for thesecond time in as many elections. CandidatesMark Dayton (DFL) and Tom Emmer (GOP)were separated by a scant margin of just 8,856votes. Daytons slim lead could be challenged by

the state GOP and result in a hand-ballot recount.Meanwhile, on the national stage, the Republican

party reclaimed a majority in the House, fulllingexpectations for these midterm elections. AlthoughDemocrats retained a majority in the Senate, theRepublican victories will most certainly lead to ashift in the national political climate.

It remains to be seen what the outcome willbe in Minnesota.

Gubernatorial recount is fa-miliar territory for Minnesota

Above: SCU students and members ofMPIRG show off their voter pride.

Left: SCU students board a shuttle that willtake them to the polling location.

Photos by Dana Bloomquist.


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NEWS & OPINION2 | The Wheel November 8, 2010

ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY WHEEL STAFFVolume 78, Issue 5

Editor-in-Chie: TREZA ROSADOLayout Designer: SARAH WENTESections Editor: RACHEL ARMSTRONGPhoto Editor: DANA BLOOMQUISTAdviser: SHEILA ELDREDSenior Sta Writers: JORDYN ARNDT, LYDIA FASTELAND, CLAIRE DA-VIDSON

Sta Writers: BECKY DOUCETTE, DEVON ARNDT, ALEXA CHIHOS, HAN-NAH FRANCE, ERIN PETERSON, COURTNEY HAMPTON, NATASHA HOLM

Photographers: DANA BLOOMQUISTCartoonist:KATHERINE CURTISI you would like to write or The Wheel, please contact us at

[email protected].

MISSION STATEMENTThe Wheel aspires to refect the diversity and unique atmosphere thatcomprises St. Catherine University. We strive to provide an inclusivenewspaper primarily or the students and by the students. The Wheelpromotes the vision o empowering women to lead and infuenceas well as an understanding o the university community inside andoutside o the gates. As a sta we aim to meet the highest journal-istic standards and stand in accordance with the 1st Amendment othe Constitution o the United States o America and policies o priorrestraint. The Wheel is not a public relations vehicle or any SCU indi-vidual, group, department or or the college as a whole. We welcomeeedback and encourage an open discourse. The Wheel is supported bystudent unds and is distributed ree o charge.

A globalcampus SCU strives to inter-nationalize

By Rachel Armstrong with

reporting by Natasha Holm

As the push for a more globally awarecampus continues at St. Catherine University(SCU), the Ofce of Global Studies seeks toincorporate international and interculturallearning into all aspects of SCUs curriculumand co-curriculum.

Catherine C. Spaeth, Director of theOfce of Global Studies at SCU, believesinternationalization and global education tobe an intrinsic part of any college experience.

We are educating students for careersand l ives where internat ional and

intercultural dimensions are a given, Spaethsaid. Globalization is changing the worldand college education must respond. Even ifstudents plan careers here in Minnesota, oursociety is becoming more diverse, so culturalknowledge, second language prociency, andunderstanding of multiple perspectives arenecessary for all of us.

This global understanding isnt just fosteredduring semester-long study abroad experiences.

Internationalization is the process of

incorporating an international or interculturaldimension into all aspects of the university,Spaeth said. The university aims to...integrateinternational experiences and perspectivesinto all academic programs and into the fabricof our institution in order to engage studentsin actively developing global perspectives.

In addition to study abroad experiences,the Ofce of Global Studies offers dozens ofJ-term courses each year, Global Search forJustice courses, service learning programs,and internships.

International experiences can take placeabroad but we also want students to beaware of on-campus courses and experienceswithin the US that offer a global perspective.Spaeth said.

In order to make study abroad and

-Asian Womens Association-Black Student Association-French Club-Latina Student Association-Muslim Student Association-St. Catherine International Student Organization-Spanish Club-Women of Color

These and other international and multicultural groups on campus provideSCU students the opportunity for cross-cultural learning.

If you are looking for more information about international groups on campus,contact Aimee Thostenson and Norah Hoff in the MIPS ofce.

International and multi-cultural groups on campus

international learning experiences moreaccessible for SCU students, the Ofce ofGlobal Studies has a few projects currentlyunderway.

Were very excited about developinginternational partnerships with womensuniversities in India, Spaeth said. Theseare very new and we hope to offer short-term courses with our partners, establishstudent and faculty exchanges and developcollaborative research projectshopefully

with both faculty and students.For Spaeth, the push for an internationallyaware campus is a vital one.

If internationalization becomes woveninto the fabric of all we do and teach here, theeffect will be transformative, she said. Anyprogram of study a student undertakeswill have an international dimension to it,whether thats a study abroad program, aninternationally focused project in the TwinCities, or on-campus courses that incorporatea global perspective. The effect will beimportant and widespread.

SCU student Tiffany Peterson, junior,agrees on the importance of such an initiative.

I think [internationalization] is a goodnext step for St. Kates. We pride ourselveson diversity, so internationalization only

reafrms our devotion to [it], Peterson said.Junior Teresa Hermodson-Olsen alsorecognizes the importance of a global-mindededucation.

I think having a diverse campus has openedme up to more ideas and more awareness,Hermodson-Olsen said. Im really excitedabout how active the international studentsare with organizations, how present they are,how well-attended. I see that SCU as a whole

could be more attentive. Sometimes I feel likewhen I go to these events, the internationalstudents go and not a lot of students fromMinnesota. I think were heading in the rightdirection, but there are always improvementsthat can be made.

Given the importance of this goal, Spaethis aware of the difculties of this project.

We will need to look for funding for thingslike more scholarships for students who wantto study abroad and for more international

students to study at St. Katesboth importantcomponents of an internationalized university,Spaeth said.

Education with a focus on global issuesremains critical as SCU students continue towork within the context of a more globalizedsociety.

These skills are becoming increasinglynecessary to function successfully abroad andat home, not only economically but personallyand socially, Spaeth said. With a moreglobalized society, the need to understandother countries and cultures and to speakmultiple languages is more important thanever.

Rachel can be reached [email protected].

Catherine Spaeth, director of Global Studies. Photo by Dana Bloomquist.

Raine De Campeau, assistant director of Global Studies, shows studyabroad offerings to a student. Photo by Dana Bloomquist.


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NEWS & OPINIONNovember 8, 2010 The Wheel | 3

Study abroad is a growing trend in U.S. higher education. The number of studentsstudying abroad has increased four-fold in the past two decades, according to Institute ofInternational Education (IIE) Network. However, it has not increased equitably. Certainracial and socio-economic groups tend to participate in study abroad experiences in greaternumbers, often due to barriers associated with cost. Fortunately, this trend is slowly changingdue to the development of new study abroad programs and scholarship initiatives availableto students from various backgrounds.

Breaking down walls: Thelimited reach of study abroad

By Jordyn Arndt

international columnist

Top: Arndt and friends riding camels in the desert in Lompoul, Senegal.Bottom: Group photo of the students in CIEE Dakar, Senegal, study abroad program duringwinter semester 2009. Photos submitted by Jordyn Arndt.

I have become increasingly aware of this disparity while studying abroadand working in the St. Catherine University (SCU) Office of GlobalStudies. According to the Open Doors Survey, published by IIE Networkannually, the majority of students studying abroad are white. There have been

marginal increases in the number of students of color, but the percentagesremain low. According to the Open Doors 2009 Report on InternationalEducation Exchange, during the 2007-2008 academic year, the ethnicitiesof students studying abroad were white (81.8 percent), Asian or PacicIslander (6.6 percent), Hispanic or Latino(a) (5.9 percent), Black or African-American (4.0 percent), Multiracial (1.2 percent), and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5 percent).

Conversely, more women study abroad than men. During the 2007-2008academic year, women represented 65.1 percent of study abroad participantswhile men represented only 34.9 percent according to IIE Network.

SCU students study abroad in greater numbers than the national averagesand often choose to study abroad in less- traditional locations. While the topve locations for study abroad by American students throughout the UnitedStates are the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, and China, a samplingof locations where SCU students are currently abroad includes countries asdiverse as Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.

Study abroad participation is more widespread among students who canafford to pay the program and travel costs associated with study in a foreign

country and, perhaps more importantly, forgo working in the United Statesat a paid job or internship during their time abroad.It is a common misconception among students that studying abroad is

not nancially feasible. Study abroad programs can be affordable for SCUstudents due to the following factors: the cost of study abroad is often similarto the price of a semester or year of academic study at SCU, the majority ofstudents nancial aid can be used abroad, and additional scholarships areavailable for students interested in studying abroad.

In order to address the disparities in study abroad participation, manyscholarships are designed to meet the needs of students from under-represented racial and ethnic groups, rst-generation college students,students from low-income families, and students with a history ofovercoming adversity. Additional scholarships are available for studentswith Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors, studentsstudying a second language, or students studying abroad in less traditionallocations. Thousands of dollars are available to students through national

and program-specic scholarships. A sampling of scholarship resources can be found online throughwww.studyabroad.com, www.diversityabroad.com, and www.studyabroadfunding.org and on a handoutavailable in the Ofce of Global Studies and the Financial Aid Ofce. SCU students from all backgroundswho are interested in studying abroad should contact the Ofce of Global Studies located in 305 DerhamHall (651) 690 6472 or [email protected].

Jordyn can be reached at [email protected].

WEDNESDAY

November17

CrossingBordersfilmevent*,withdinnerand

discussionfollowedbyNooralAmarcelebration

inSt.PaulCDCRauenhorstBallroom,5:30-

8:30pm,sponsoredbyMSA

THURSDAY

November18InternationalStudentPresentations:Pakistan,Nepal,&MoroccowithrefreshmentsinSt.Paul

AQMWomensCenter,11:45am-1:15pm

CrossingBordersfilmevent*withrobust

refreshmentsinOldMainAuditorium600on

MinneapolisCampus,3:15-5:00pm

WEDNESDAY

November10

StudyabroadstudentpresentationstoAALAS

students,onMinneapolisCampus

10:00am-12:00pm,room550OldMain

THURSDAY

November11

GlobalQuiz,St.PaulCDC2ndflooratrium

11:30am-12:30pm,administeredbyMIPS

FRIDAY

November12

InternationalStudentPresentations:Lebanon&

GeorgiawithrefreshmentsinSt.PaulAQM

WomensCenter,12:30-1:30pm

Celebrasia,St.PaulCDCRauenhorstBallroom

7:00-10:00pm,sponsoredbyAWA

SATURDAY

November13

AfricaNight,St.PaulCDCRauenhorstBallroom,

6:00-10:00pm,sponsoredbySCISO

TUESDAY

November16

SKATinternationalcraftinSt.PaulCDCatrium

11:35-1:30pm

MIPSChiliNight,St.PaulCDC495,4:30-6:00pm

Internaonal Educaon Week coordinated by Campus

Ministry, MIPS, and Global Studies.

For more informaon, contact Global Studies (651) 690-6472 or [email protected].

Graphics by Jordyn Arndt for the Oce of Global Studies.

Please join Global Studies this NovemberCelebrating and Promoting

International Educational Exchange


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FEATURES4 | The Wheel November 8, 2010

Submission:Wearing thehijab in Jordan SCU student lives theBedouin lifeBy Janessa Schilmoeller

I entered my classroom in Amman, Jordanand left with a paper with the name of atown and my host familys last name. I hadonly been in Jordan for about two and ahalf weeks and my limited Arabic was veryrusty. I looked at the paper and laughed.How was I honestly expected to nd a familyin a remote village when I had no addressand hardly anyone outside the city spokeEnglish? Although I was scared to death, Iset out on a life-changing journey to spend aweek living with a Bedouin family in a ruralJordanian village.

In spring 2010, I studied abroad in Jordanwith the School of International Training.

As part of the program, all students wereassigned to a different host family in villagesacross the country. I spent one week on theSyrian border with the Gssab family. Therewas one other female student living with afamily in the village of Almkafteh so the twoof us travelled together.

I never intended to wear a hijab (headscarf), but I did bring a scarf just in case.When I boarded the bus, my friend and Isat in the back because there was limitedseating. But the only Jordanian women onthe bus were in the front wearing hijabsand abayas (long-sleeved loose dress). I wasvery uncomfortable in the back because themen continued to stare at us and ask verypersonal questions. About two hours later,we arrived at the bus stop in the town of

Mufraq, where we would nd the bus goingto our village and ask the dr iver to drop usat our families houses.

In Mufraq, there were even fewer womenthan at the bus stop in Amman. All the womenin Mufraq wore black abayas and hijabs andsome even wore the nikab (which covers theface except for the eyes). The two of us stoodout immediately. I had experienced staringand verbal harassment in Amman, but I hadnever experienced anything this intense.

Halfway from Mufraq to Almkafteh, Idecided to cover my hair. The moment Iput on my hijab, I felt the stares diminish.I felt much more respected and welcomedwearing the hijab. I thought I would feeldegraded with covered hair, but it was quitethe opposite. I have the utmost respect for

the courageous women who choose to wear

Editorial: AnAmerican in Accra:A retrospectiveBy Trza Rosado

editor-in-chief

A year ago this week, I was midway through a semester-long study abroad experiencein Ghana, West Africa. In fact, I had just celebrated my 21st bir thday, surrounded by myAmerican and Ghanaian friends and family. Wed spent the better part of three days dancingour way through the streets of Accra as a kind of birthday-Halloween extravaganza. At thehalfway point in our trip, we were all ghting the same conicting emotions: a changing ofthe guard between being settled and being homesick. My birthday acted as an incrediblywell-timed distraction from the feelings of displacement we attempted to ignore.

Perhaps the strangest part of being abroad is the moment you realize youve startedto consider this new place, this foreign place, your home. It could be when you stopreferring to cedis as dollars and you stop hesitating before stepping into a cold shower. Itcould be when you stop getting swindled by cab drivers, stop taking the wrong buses tothe market, or stop wearing jeans entirely because youve reached the conclusion that thechang isnt worth it.

For me, it was when I realized I had started making (and enjoying) new habits entirely.My morning and evening commutes had become a ritual of sorts. I no longer dreaded

the walk to and from school or the heat or the questionable modes of transport involved.Instead, I relished having so much control over each aspect of something as mundane asgetting to campus. There was something rewarding about having to work so hard to achievesomething so small and ultimately insignicant.

Before my classes, I would get Nescafe and a groundnut and honey sandwich from a

woman with long braids whom we liked to call Weezy. She would hug me and bring mea mug of the coffee (which I still drink today) and I would sit in the shade for a moment,imagining a breeze and trying to cling to it. Then I would spend the rest of my day in andout of academic buildings, ostensibly doing schoolwork but actually plotting my next tripto the beach or my next basketweaving design.

I spent my evenings with my host brother, watching the original CSI and talking aboutdifferences between Ghana and the United States--differences from the mundane to theprofound. If it was a weekend, I would be packing or planning a trip to my favorite beach,Kokrobite. Sometimes we didnt have the energy to make the trip to the coast (somehowa beach only 30 minutes away took several hours in trafc). Instead, we would visit the

Hotel Shangri-La, where we would pay to swim for the day if the heat was particularlyunbearable or if the power was out, leaving us stranded in a vacuum of circulating air.

Around this time one year ago, my dreams changed. I stopped dreaming about theminutiae of my life in America--of being home and talking to my parents or playing videogames with my brother. I stopped waking up disoriented and afraid.

My dreams became a succession of interrupted goodbyes--my dream self would nd outI was leaving a month early, two weeks early, and the plane would take me before I had achance to hug my brothers or kiss my host mother or thank the woman who taught mehow to weave. Basically, my dreams became unsettling nightmares of loss and I understoodthat I was no longer another American abroad.

I dont dream about Ghana anymore but I wish I did. I just turned 22 last weekend; Ispent my birthday writing statements of purpose for a predoctoral fellowship that I have aless-than 5 percent chance of receiving. I thought more about Ghana than I have in severalmonths. This newspaper, this school, those never-ending graduate applications have alltaken me farther and farther away from the person I was a year ago. But, as with most

things, theres a silver lining to all of the angst and wistfulness Im presently experiencing.

This time next year, Ill be dancing through Accra once morecelebrating my host moms70th birthday and hopefully enjoying a happy ending to all those statements of purpose.

Trza can be reached at [email protected].

the hijab in the United States. Just as it wasuncomfortable for me to be one of the onlywomen not wearing a hijab, it must be hardto be one of the only women with a hijabin a society with so many false and negativeassumptions about Islamic women.

When I arrived at the house, I was greetedby my parents and six younger siblings (fourgirls and two boys). I was wearing my hijabwhen I entered the house, but my family toldme to take it off. None of my host sisters worethe hijab at home (my two younger sistersnever wore one). I told them I wanted tobe respectful by wearing a hijab, but theyassured me this was not necessary. Insteadof wearing a hijab, my host mother gave meone of her abayas to wear each day to makeme feel more at home. I was honored to wear

her beautiful abayas as a part of the family.I did, however, wear a hijab when we wentout to visit neighbors.

Our family had a small farm with goats,sheep, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, and olivetrees. As the eldest daughter, I woke up earlyin the morning to collect eggs and to milkthe goats with my mother. After the farmwork, I prepared breakfast in the kitchen.We prepared fresh bread on the saj (concaveoor oven) daily and ate plenty of hummus,hard-boiled eggs, fresh olive oil, and otherfood from the farm.

We ate all of our meals on the oor andrarely used silverware. As the guest of honor,my family slaughtered a sheep for me onthe last day of my visit. I felt very guilty thatmy family had sacriced such an important

source of food just for me, but I graciously

smiled and ate the meat.After putting on my hijab, we drove to visitour grandparents at the beit shaar (house ofhair), which is a tent made of goat hair usedby Bedouin tribes throughout history. In thetent was a re and we were all served tea andArabic coffee. This was the only time duringmy visit I was not served rst because theelderly are always given the utmost respect,even above guests. The elderly women andmen wore traditional dress and facial tattoos,

which are rarely found today. At this time,my mother addressed her concerns that Iwas twenty and unmarried and proposed Imarry one of my cousins present in the tent.

I politely declined and we continued todrink tea with the sounds of the government-subsidized satellite radio coming from the backof the tent. It was the oddest combination:traditional Bedouin life, dating back centuries,with the unavoidable presence of globalization.

My experience in rural Jordan wasindescribable. I was living more simplisticallythan ever, but felt immensely fullled andloved. I reect on this experience often as Ithink of how thankful I am to sleep on a bedand not the oor, have an unlimited supplyof water, and the opportunity to attend awomens university. It is my host sistersdream to become a doctor; however, shehas little chance of achieving this goal fromrural, impoverished Almkafteh.

Although I was scared to death of living withstrangers who spoke no English in an Arabvillage, the moment I walked through the doormy fears were gone and I became a memberof the family. Despite the immense languagebarrier, we found ways to communicate andlearn from each other and break down our

misconceptions of each other. I only wishmore Americans could have this opportunitybecause experiences like this can do wondersin changing the hateful perceptions that manyAmericans have towards Muslims and Arabs.

A part of me will always be in Almkafteh,and I hope I will be able to revisit my familyagain soon.

Janessa can be reached [email protected].

Schilmoeller and her host brothers. Photo submitted by JanessaSchilmoeller.

Schilmoellers host mother making bread on the saj.Photo submitted by Janessa Schilmoeller.


5/12

FEATURESNovember 8, 2010 The Wheel | 5

Its Greekto Me A look at the popularUptown establishment

By Devon Arndt

staff writer

Film Review:Raajneeti

Affairs of the stateBy Hannah France

staff writer

In honor of the international edition

of The Wheel, I ventured into Uptown

Minneapolis to try some authentic Greek

food at Its Greek to Me.

Its Greek to Me was established in 1982

by a family of rst-generation Americans.

The restaurants owners, Arisarambadjis

Arambadjis and his sister Sula Papilidis

have spent much of their lives making the

restaurant what it is today. Their dishes are

inspired by the recipes they grew up with

and most of the staff members are extended

family, including Denise Arambadjis, the

restaurants host (and Arisarambadjis spouse).

According to Denise, the two met while

working in restaurants in Chicago, Illinois.

He was a cook and she was a waitress. They

married, moved to Minneapolis, and opened

the restaurant in Uptown.

One of their favorite parts of being in

Uptown has been watching the neighborhood

evolve. The area used to consist of auto

shops and industrial businesses. Now, overthe last decade, the area has become popular

due to the many theaters, music clubs, and

restaurants that have been built there.

I am really proud of this neighborhood

now. It has a fun vibe that seems to attract

many college students, Denise said.

Upon arrival at Its Greek to Me, I was

whisked away into another country. The

restaurants ambiance reected the owners

Greek heritage. Large murals depicting scenes

of Greek villages adorned the walls and

the dimmed lighting enhanced the relaxed

atmosphere.

To start, I ordered the saganaki, which is

commonly referred to as aming cheese. It

consists of Kasseri cheese dipped in egg batter

and cooked to a golden brown. The waiter

lights the cheese on re upon arrival, making

Its Greek to Me626 West Lake St.

Minneapolis, MN 55408

(612) 825-9922

Tip ONeil told us, all politics is local, which, I guess, can also be applied to the Indiandemocratic system. Raajneeti is the story of the Pratap family, who comprises a single,powerful political party in India. In the midst of an election, the president of the Rashtrawadiparty, Bhanu Pratap, collapses on stage during a speech. He is unt to lead the party toanother victory and appoints his brother, Chandra Pratap, and one of his three nephews,Prithviraj Pratap, as acting party president. Another nephew, Veerendra Pratap, becomesvery jealous, believing that he should be in Chandras position, and enlists support fromthe Dalit leader Sooraj Kumar, appointing him to a position of power.

With the help of Sooraj, Veerendra has Chandra shot and killed on his return from theairport after seeing his other son, Samar Pratap. The drama escalates when the policearrest Prithvi, with Veerendras inuence, for the rape of a female party member. Samarcomes to his brothers rescue, promising to put off the charges while he puts off his returnto America and his American girlfriend Sarah. As a political strategy, Prithvi says he willresign from the party and says that he is ready to move with Samar and his mother toAmerica. Once Veerendra agrees and Prithvi is released from jail, Prithvi starts to rallypublic support despite his resignation.

After Bhanu has ofcially expelled Prithvi from the party, Prithvi and Samar split fromthe Rashtrawadi party to form the new party Jana Shakt to contest in the election. Their

uncle, Brij Gopal, breaks his ties with the Rashtrawadi when they do and becomes mentorto Prithvi in his quest to win the election.

Samars girlfriend Sarah, impatient with Samar taking too long to come back to America,comes to India to see the political action that is taking place. However, Samars old childhoodfriend Indu is in love with Samar but Samar loves Sarah, creating an intense love triangle.

Meanwhile, the full out war between the two parties, the two sides of the family, rageson throughout the rest of the movie. If I go on to reveal anymore, it would spoil the rathertwisted plot ending that is devastating to both parties and a surprise to everyone in thelm and the audience.

This lm is an exciting and dark look at Indias corrupt political system. While India is veryproud of its democratic system, a study in 2005 conducted by Transparency Internationalfound that over 50 percent of the population admitted to being bribed or paid off to eitherrun for ofce or vote for a specic candidate. In July 2008, the Washington Post reportedthat almost one-fourth of Indian parliament members face criminal charges such as humantrafcking, immigration rackets, embezzlement, rape, and even murder.

The combination of romance, action, and plot twists, and a fabulous musical score toaccent the action scenes creates a unique movie experience, especially because of some of themore racy scenes. Kissing is not often seen in Hindi lms because its not part of the culture

to have public displays of affection. In Delhi there is a $12 public kissing ne. Raajneetipushed boundaries by having at least three kiss scenes and a couple of bedroom scenes.Indian critics also commented on the unnecessary amount of violence. Most Americanswouldnt blink at any of these scenes, but in India its a bigger deal. This is the rst Hindilanguage lm Ive seen that has pools of blood and intensely intimate scenes.

The only drawback of Raajneeti is that the movie is three hours long, which, if youre animpatient moviegoer, could be a hard aspect to get past. But if you can make it through therst 30 minutes, youll be sucked in by director Prakash Jhas skillful narration to the end.

Raajneeti is hardly the only foreign lm worth seeing this year. A series of criticallyacclaimed international lms have begun making the rounds in the United States.

Other 2010 foreign lms of note this year include Germanys The White Ribbon. TheWhite Ribbon, set in a German village just before the beginning of WWI, strange eventsforeshadow the events of the coming war.

Italys Baaria is an autobiographical lm, with beautiful cinematography, of directorGiuseppe Tornatore.

Frances Heartbreaker is a romantic comedy where a professional breaker-upper ofcouples falls for the girl.

Another French lm, Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky features Audrey Tautou in a

story of Chanels love affair with the composer Stravinsky.The last movie Il l mention is sure to be a thrill with Kazuaki Kiriya, director of Casshern,

putting a Japanese twist on the classic Robin Hood style story. Japans Goemon is thestory of a ninja banditthats all you need to know.

Hannah can be reached [email protected].

Top Grossing Foreign Filmsin the United States

1. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Taiwan, 2001)2. Life is Beautiful (Italy, 1999)3. Hero (China, 2004)4. Pans Labyrinth (Spain, 2006)5. Amlie (France, 2001)6. Jet Lis Fearless (China, 2006)7. Il Postino (Italy, 1995)8. Like Water for Chocolate (Mexico, 1993)9. La Cage Aux Folles (France, 1979)10. Kung Fu Hustle (China/Hong Kong, 2005)11. The Motorcycle Diaries (Argentina, 2004)12. Ponyo (Japan, 2008)13. Iron Monkey (China/Hong Kong, 2002)14. Monsoon Wedding (India, 2001)15. Y Tu Mama Tambien (Mexico, 2001)

it gooey and warm. The melted cheese was

accompanied by warm pita bread and tasted

unlike anything I had had before.

Next, I ordered the satyricon, a vegetarian

combo plate consisting of moussaka (sliced

eggplant, zucchini and potatoes layered in

a mixture of onions, peppers, mushrooms,

tomatoes, parsley, celery, and garlic), stuffed

pepper, spinach pie, and dolmades (stuffed

grape leaves).

I ended the meal with baklava, a traditional

Greek pastry of chopped walnuts, sugar and

cinnamon between layers of lo dough, baked

to a crispy golden brown and topped with a

honey-sugar syrup. Even for someone who

grew up eating Middle Eastern food, I was

impressed by the baklava. It was denitely

some of the best I have ever eaten.

The prices were reasonable considering

the large meal portions, and the menu was

extensive. If you are unsure of what to order,

just ask one of the servers, who will gladly

recommend a dish for you.

If you choose to venture off campus to try

some Greek cuisine, consider stopping by Its

Greek to Me for an authentic Greek meal .

Dont forget the baklava.

Devon can be reached at [email protected].

Its Greek to Me of fers an ambience that mimics traditional Greek atmosphere.Photos by Dana Bloomquist.


6/12


Roundtable:

From Nepal to

the Midwest...and back

SH: What do you miss the most aboutNepal?SS: The food.

SH: I miss that.

Hows your home stay experience here?SS: Theyre so good to me. I dont feel likeIm away from my home. They have twokids adopted from Nepal, so thats good.But they were here since theyve been verylittle. I expected them to speak Nepali, butthey speak [only] English.SH: Are they trying to learn Nepali?SS: The girl, she wants to know everythingI do, what I wear. When I speak, she staresat me: What are you speaking?SH: Do you miss speaking Nepali? Haveyou met many Nepali-speaking people

here?

A crowd gathering on the Boudha Stupa participating in/observing a protestbelow. Photos submitted by Sarah Hollows.

Sarah Hollows is a senior who studied abroad

in Nepal and India in the spring of 2009.

Sristi Sadashanlcar is an internationalstudent from Nepal studying environmentalscience at SCU for the 2010-2011 school year.

These two SCU students sat down toshare their experiences about Nepali andTibetan culture and traditions, as well asto discuss life in the United States.

awake and aware to start thisnew program and meet thesenew people.

SS: When did you go toNepal?SH: I left in late January, andI was there until mid-May.I was actually in Nepal, andthen Bhutan, and then in

India.SS: Thats great. What wasthe program?SH: SIT. It wasnt technicallythrough St. Kates that Iwas studying abroad butits an afliated program,and they have programs ina lot of different countriesthroughout the world. Theirtheme is non-traditionaleducation, experientiallearning. We werent enrolledin a university; we hadlocal teachers come andteach us in this schoolhouse

in Boudha. It wasnt atraditional school house; itwas just a house and therewere Tibetan nuns that livedupstairs.Id like to learn Nepali. Thehandful of words I know arehow to say hello and thankyou. Which, nobody reallylikes when you say thankyou, right? Its not a very

SS: No, I dont miss[it] at all.

My parents call metime and again,sometimes earlyin the morning,sometimes late night,because the timedifference is veryfar, 13 hours. Therst few days weredifcult for me.SH: Did you haveextreme jet-lag?

SS: Yeah, I slept allmorning and [was]up all night.

SH: When I got toKathmandu, I thinkId been travelingmore than 24 hoursstraight, and thenI had to wait atthe airport for sixhours for my entireprogram to collectthere. It was nine inthe morning whenI got there, so I wasexhausted and I had

this whole day to be

common thing.SS: No, no, not common.SH: I got a lot of weird looks. I wasso excited to learn this one word and

everyone was likeSS: Its something that is so formal thatpeople do not easily accept it. They do notlike being so formal.SH: Another thing I learned right awaywas how often I apologize for things. Bothin Nepali and Tibetan culture it was like,Why are you apologizing for things?Dont worry about it.

SS: In Nepal, we dont do that. We saywhat we feel to the person and the personunderstands whats happening.SH: Do you feel like youve picked up ona lot of those subtle custom things? What

are some others you feel?

SS: The dress.SH: How do you usually dress whenyoure home?SS: Casual. Theres not the restriction thatyou should be covered everywhere but Iprefer being so. Here, its so cold; thoseshort skirts are strange for me.SH: Yeah, I remember when it was just

starting to warm up in Nepal when Irst got there and I came from such coldweather. [I] was wearing T-shirts andthings and my Tibetan mom was like,Wear a sweater; youre going to get sick ifyou dont wear a sweater in the house!

Do you know Pharping? Its in Nepal,outside of Kathmandu. We went for afour day stay and we were given this list ofplaces that we had to go to. It was so earlyin the morning; we didnt know where wewere going or what to expect. We knewthere were going to be sacrices and wekept seeing people walk past with goatsand chickens.SS: Something like a sacrice to god?

SH: Yeah, a sacrice to Kali. It was reallyneat to see. It was kind of a humblingexperience, to think about from a

perspective of the US and how we treatanimals and sacrice and worshipin general, [especially] coming froma Catholic college. Im not Catholicbut coming from that experience wasinteresting.

Where do you live in Kathmandu?SS: In Thankot. Have you gone there?SH: I think I went through there in a taxi,at one point.SS: That is the place where most of thetrafc jams occur and lots of accidents.SH: It was like a video game, crossing thestreets. So many people on motorcycles.SS: Its the main system.SH: One day I saw a family of ve peopleon a motorcycle.

SS: A few years ago there was a system,like, there cant be more than two [people]on a bike.SH: What was school like [in Nepal?]SS: In Nepal its like people go to theirclass, study, the teachers speak to them,and whatever is in the book they justgo with the book. And here its totallydifferent. People are interacting, even theclass doesnt look like a class; its just like atalk show. We write and write and write inNepal, but here its type, print it out, andits different.

SH: Have you had help?

SS: Yeah, a lot. I forgot to bring mydictionary; I [told] one of my professorsthat Im having difculty with Americanterms, and he told me, You dont havea dictionary? And I told him no, andhes lending [one to] me. Im so happyfor that. Everyone is so helpful and sosupportive.

In English Communication [in Nepal], itwas not what Im doing right now because

we just study inside the book, not outside.But here, speaking in English, I never didit before.SH: Youve never communicated inEnglish before?SS: No, no.SH: Well youre great at it.SS: Oh, thanks. Most people admire thatI speak English in this way. They ask me,When did you learn this? And I cannotanswer because I never used it.SH: Thats really impressive. There weremoments when I was in Nepal and I

would meet a Tibetan and be so excitedto use some of my Tibetan language eventhough I knew so little because therewas so much else we were learning with

Tibetan language and its not an easylanguage to learn. There were times whenI would try to speak Tibetan, and eventhough I knew I only knew so little, theywere so encouraging.

SS: [In Nepal] the main religion is Hindu.So when I came here it was different.Lots of people are Muslim and lots areChristian. They ask me, What is yourmain theme in your religion? I dontknow because we [believe] in generalthat...every religion says that you shouldbe good, and you should not do bad toothers. Thats the main thing we know.

SH: Its interesting to think about thesimilarities amongst different cultures.

Do you feel like there should be morepeople from the United States studyingabroad in Nepal?SS: Yeah they should.

SH: If you could try and persuade anAmerican student, what would you say?SS: I think you should also go thereand see how the life is over there, sothat whenever some person from Nepalcomes over here you could be familiar[with their] problems. That was such adifcult time for me and it wil l be for anyinternational student...so they shouldknow about us. And not just study, study,study; theres lots of things that you canexplore.

Title Photo: A yak in Khumbu.Above: A Tibetan nun just outside Kathmandu at theanniversary protest of Chinas occupation of Tibet.


7/12


Roundtable: West Africa welcome

T: Carmen, do you want to start us out?

C: I remember a little [about Togo]. Mymother was a secretary. She worked forone of the largest companies there. Myfather was a journalist. So I didnt reallyget to see my father much because he wasalways working; he was very close to thegovernment.

My dad is a very political man; he lovespolitics a lot. One of the reasons we cameto the United States was because my fatherwas voicing out against the government...

and my dad wanted us to leave beforethings got out of control and they camefor us or tried to hurt us.

T: Does your family talk a lot about life inTogo?

I know it was a struggle for my parents tobring us here because of the fee you hadto pay. My dad came in 99 and I came in2000, with my mother. My brother wasoriginally going to go on the trip with us,both of my brothers, but their visa gotstolen. My mom didnt see my brotheruntil he was 12. I knew it tore at mymother a lot._________________________________

J: I dont know how to follow that!

T: Well, why Senegal?

J: I had been working at a French lan-guage immersion camp in Bemidji--Con-cordia Language Villages in Lac-Du-Bois.

Theres a lot of staff members from

really excited to talk to me. And I got a lotof marriage proposals.

C: Did you get those too, [Trza]?

T: Yes! They were always so endearing!

J: Oh youre studying here! You likelearning about Senegalese culture? Canyou cook? Are you married? So I juststarted lying and saying I was married...

T: I felt like I was just the most beautifulwoman in the world when I was in Ghana

because I just could not go a day withoutmen throwing the most fantastic, verbosecompliments at me. It was brilliant, abso-lutely brilliant._________________________________

T: What was the most signicant part ofyour trip? Was there something that reallydened your experience in Senegal?

J: I went into the program thinking Iwould get a lot out of the classes. And Itook really interesting classes. But thenslowly, as time went on, spending myweekends travelling or hanging out withmy Senegalese friends...or just talking topeople and going to the markets and justlearning about the culture through im-

mersion was so much more meaningful.

The only time [my host dad] interactedwith me was in the evenings; he workedin a bank all day long. It [would be] afterdinner...time for me to go talk to Papa. Idgo up to his room and just sit down nextto him and ask him about anything. Hed[ask], What was different today that younoticed in your life in the US versus yourlife in Senegal? What did you learn inclass that you want to know more about?

[He] would really have me explorethese things that might have just goneby without me noticing. As a result, myFrench got a lot better and I learned a lotmore about the culture through speaking

to people than I did in formal academicstudy. I think that just had a huge impacton me._________________________________

T: Kids come to college. They plan onstudying abroad. They usually pick placeslike Spain or London or France or some-thing. Why should they choose, say, WestAfrica over Western Europe?

Carmen Attikosie is a rst-year whosefamily is originally from Togo; she andher family moved to the United States in2000. She hopes to return to Togo thissummer with her mother. It will be her

rst visit to Togo since she left.

Jordyn Arndt is a senior who has spent asignicant amount of time abroad whileat St. Kates. She spent one semesterin Senegal and another semester inMorocco; she has also spent time in Mali

and in Egypt.

Trza Rosado spent fall semester of her junior year in Accra, Ghana. Over thecourse of ve months, she maintained ablog about her adventures in West Africaand also contributed a column for the

Wheel.

The three students sat down to discuss their fond memories of West Africa and to share our similar and divergent experiences as students abroad.

C: Yeah, its constant. My aunt...not a daygoes by when she [doesnt] mention Togo,how much freedom she had. She talksabout how life there was just fun and thathere its not the same. Everything is re-stricted, you know. She says theres moreorder here than anything.

My mom says that when I graduate fromcollege, shes gonna retire back in Togoand my dad says the same thing. And theyprobably will; I know they will.

T: When are you planning to go backthere?

C: This summer, hopefully...with mymom, my aunt, my 8-year old cousin

(who knows nothing about Togo), andmy brother. Im excited but at the sametime its like, its been so long...people Ihavent seen since I was 8. People that Idont even remember but [who] seem toremember me.

T: Have [your parents] talked about someof the challenges of coming to the Statesand what its been like to be an immigranthere?

C: Yeah, its been hard. When my fathercame, he wasnt able to get the job he wasdoing back in Togo. My father doesntlike his job but I know he does it becausehe wants us to have a good future. Mymother [is] doing well; she went back to

school.

Africa and a lot of them arefrom Senegal, in particular, andCameroon. Theres also a lot ofAmerican staff that have studiedabroad in Africa; theres onein particular who had done aprogram in Senegal and she justhad great reviews of it.

I really think of my life as preand post that particular studyabroad experience just because

it had such an impact on me. Ididnt really know what to ex-pect and went with a very openmind...It just blew me away.

T: Thats totally how I feelabout Ghana too. There wasmy life before Ghana and nowtheres my life post-Ghana.Thats how signicant it was forme.

J: Ive travelled a lot and Ivedone multiple study abroadprograms but its denitelySenegal thats made the greatestimpact on me.

T: Why do you think that is?

J: I really dont know. Its something Imstill trying to gure out. I recently gotback from Morocco and I enjoyed it quitea bit but it just didnt leave me with thesame impact.

C: You know what I like about Senegal?The Senegalese braids. Those people canbraid.

T: The women in Ghana...that was sucha huge part of their lives! When my hostmom went to get her hair done...shewould go to church and then get her hairdone and we would not see [her] from 7in the morning to 7 at night. She was just

so proud. It was an event, getting her hairdone.

C: It took me a really long time to beable to braid. My mother used to tell me,There are two things you need to knowto marry a Togolese man: [how to] cookand you have to know how to braid sowhen you have kids you can braid theirhair.

I just told her I wasnt going to marry aTogolese man._________________________________

T: [Jordyn], what was it like for you beingan obviously American girl in Senegal?

J: I had a lot of young men who were

J: Because one-third of the world liveslike the United States: Western Europe,Australia, and Japan. Two-thirds lives, forthe most part, like people do in West Af-rica and I dont think its fair for someoneto think this is how the world works, thisis how the culture works, this is how theeconomy works...when thats really notthe case for the majority of the worldspopulation. Thats just one reason.

And its just fascinating to learn about atotally different culture, totally differentlanguages, different food, different every-thing. I think you just come out as a morewell-rounded person, more aware.

T: I think [it was] the pace. I think iftheres something that I came out of thatreally changed me as a person, it was thepace of life there. In such a positive way.Ive always been such an anal-retentive,super busy...kind of person and I still am!But I feel like Im internally more even-keeled because I remember [that] noteverywhere in the world runs by the sameclock. And just because we run by thisone doesnt mean its the only one or theright one.

C: I want to explore when I go back toSenegal this summer. I keep telling mymother to take me to the villages. I wantto learn everything; I want to see every-thing. Im so curious. I told my motherto take me to her v illage, where she comesfrom, where my ancestors come from. Ijust want to know.

Top Right: Basket weaving straws amuse a kitten.Above: A CIEE student shows children a video ofthemselves in the village outside Mole park.

Above: Treza Rosado poses with a traditional woven hat, a gift from ad-opted family, also pictured. Photos submitted by Treza Rosado.


8/12


Student Spotlight:Kanykei KerimkulovaSCU senior takes on DCBy Trza Rosado and Rachel

Armstroni

Kanykei Kerimkulova, a senior international

business and economics major at St. CatherineUniversity (SCU), was recently awarded aPublic Leadership Education Network (PLEN)scholarship. PLEN is a national organizationwith a focus on women in leadership. Thisopportunity allowed Kerimkulova to travelto Washington, D.C., for a week to experiencehow public policy is enacted at a national level.

For Kerimkulova, it was an eye-openingexperience. Each day, the students heardspeakers from different governmentdepartments such as the World Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), andthe United Nations.

Kerimkulova also was able to connect withClara R. Burgert, a previous student at SCU.

Shes from US AID. She had been to Haitiand so she was talking about her experiences

there. She knew that there was going to beone [SCU] student so she found me and wehad lunch together. We had a really goodconversation; she was asking a lot about[SCU]. It was really nice of her to nd meand spend some time with me, Kerimkulovasaid of Burger.

In addition to Burgerts presentationabout Haiti, Kerimkulova was also able tohear from other prominent women leaders.

We got to meet with CongresswomanBarbara Lee. She gave a wonderful speech. Her

Submission:Life in India An SCU alum abroadBy Ali Palacios

After two months in India, the Fulbrightis proving to be a tremendous experience,both academically and personally. I cannotoverstate my satisfaction with this researchopportunity. I am currently at the Instituteof Rural Research and Development (IRRAD)where I have the formality of nine-to-veworkdays and the title of intern, yet I am incharge of my own project. With IRRAD, I amdoing a micro-level project about agriculture,gender, and food security. I could not haveasked for a more perfect situation; I get theguidance of a knowledgeable supervisor, access

to IRRADs resources such as translators and

Sudoku

Directions: Fill in the grid so that each row, column, and 3x3 square

contains the numbers 1-9. Each number can only be used once perrow, column, or square.

Kerimkulova with SCU alum Clara R. Burgert in Washington,

D.C. Photo submitted by Kanykei Kerimkulova.

speech included everything; sheanswered all the questions,Kerimkulova, U.S. Departmentof State was another interestingpart of the whole seminar. Wegot to meet with interesting

people who actually deal withinternational relations, likethe United States with NorthKorea, the United States withAfghanistan.

The focus on women wasparticularly important toKerimkulova. The trip providedher and other scholarshiprecipients with the chance tohear from successful womenleaders in government.

All of us had questionsabout how you [can] combinethat with having a family,having kids, and everything,Kerimkulova said. They [toldus], of course its hard but you

can do it as long as you havepassion for what you do. Youcan make it. They [talked]about the role of women notjust in the United States butin the whole world and howall those organizations havean impact on women all overthe world.

T h i s e x p e r i e n c e w a s

empowering for Kerimkulova. By seeingrsthand how and why people in governmentare coming up with policies, Kerimkulovawas able to connect what she had beenlearning in the classroom at SCU to policyat a national and international levels.

Sitting in the classroom and studying isone experience where you just learn all thosetheories. When you actually talk about whydeveloping countries are not developing...I gotempowered; I [was] impressed. Now I want towork for the government, Kerimkulova said.

Before a job in government, however,Kerimkulova has a few other plans.

This summer I am hopefully going to goback home Kyrgystan and get an internship[in] Foreign Affairs. Then I can do my gradschool, nish, and then come back, she said.Im thinking of grad school in London [for]my masters.

Kerimkulova encourages SCU studentsto apply to the PLEN program.

It is possible, you just have to try and doit. It would be just fantastic if we can come

up with more nancial support for thesekinds of programs because they are verybenecial, Kerimkulova said. Ive learneda lot; [my] whole understanding of not justinternational policy but about the worldexpanded so much. Now when I sit in theclassroom, everything I learn, I connect withthat [experience].

Rachel can be reached at [email protected]

eld workers to administer my surveys, allwhile retaining the freedom to pursue myown research.

I have learned so much about the importanceof eld research and seeing the situation onthe ground. Everything about designing a

study, from specifying objectives to creatinga satisfactory survey, has proven to be morecomplicated than it appeared. The experienceof working with an organization that assessesneeds and then designs, implements, andassesses development projects is invaluable;one becomes immersed in nuances such asbuilding trust and true collaboration with thecommunity, nding practical ways to addressgender inequality without upsetting progress,and making projects truly sustainable.

The biggest challenge that I am facingis definitely that of being a mother whois obviously a foreigner and without ahusband. Since he could not come, my friendand fellow SCU alumna Sarah Stockholmjumped at the chance to live in India forawhile and help take care of my 8-month

old son, Oliver. Dealing with unsolicited

advice and commentary and feeling like yourcapacity as a parent is being questioned isa constant challenge for any mother. Fewdays go by without hearing about how heshouldnt be using a pacier. People askWhere is his father? quite a bit and openly

frown on my working instead of being athome; Ive had to strike a delicate balancebetween being respectful of beliefs here whilerepresenting my culture and not apologizingfor my choices.

There are pros and cons when it comesto raising a child here versus in the UnitedStates. First, as obvious foreigners Oliverand I often attract a level of attention thatis overwhelming when we find ourselvessurrounded by people touching Olivers hands,feet, and cheeks, and snapping pictures. Atthe same time, people here love babies, soOliver can be an in to cultural experiencesthat I otherwise would not have had. Apartfrom the attention, traveling or just beingout and about with a baby is more difculthere because I cannot take for granted that

breastfeeding or diaper changing will be a

private event or that sanitary spaces will beavailable. Ive feigned interest in shops justto be able to use their clean, air-conditionedspace. Ive also changed Oliver on the oorof the metro station. Balancing betweenwork and family is easier here since it is

so common to employ help to cook, clean,and do laundry; I can enjoy time at homewithout the domestic fuss.

No travel story could be complete withoutfunny misunderstandings, so here are a fewof mine: asking for diapers and getting maxipads, taking ice-cold showers for weeks andboiling water for Olivers baths because I wasunaware that I just needed to ip a switchto heat the water and was too sheepish tocomplain, resorting to hand gestures whiletrying to explain to a male coworker whatmy breastpump was, and pouring dessertall over my food because I thought it wasraita (yogurt sauce).

Ali Palacios is an SCU alumna whograduated in 2008 with honors in economics

and international relations.

The name Sudoku is Japanese, however, Sudoku traces itsorigins to Europe and America. The game represents one cul-

tures creation being absorbed and appreciated by another.

Puzzles from http://web-sudoku.info/printable-sudoku-puzzles.php.


9/12


International,interfaith Muslim students pro-mote dialogueBy Becky Doucette

staff writer

Although St. Catherine University (SCU)is founded on a Catholic faith, this campusexpresses a wide variety of faith traditionsboth by students and faculty. The MuslimStudent Association (MSA), which began inthe 2003 -2004 academic year, is a growingorganization here at SCU.

The mission [of MSA] is to have anenvironment in which we can express andembrace our faith freely as well as try to reachout to non-Muslims to come join MSA, notonly to learn about our faith, but to breakany misconceptions that anyone may carryabout Islam, rst-year Afaf Saleh, Presidentof MSA, said.

Sophomore Hanan Hassan, Vice Presidentof MSA, also reects on its mission.

Our mission is to educate people aboutthe Islamic faith and be good representativesof our religion. Additionally, we want tobe a well-known and an involved club oncampus, Hassan said.

Sia Vang, the faculty adviser of MSA since2005, expresses how this organization providesa great support system for Muslim students.

Through MSA, Muslim women maintainand increase their faith in a universityenvironment, express their creativity, anddevelop leadershipit gives a voice forMuslim students on campus to express andbreak misconceptions by teaching the truemeaning of Islam: peace, Vang said.

In this past semester MSA has increasedin numbers partially because of rst-yearstudents.

We have a great group this year and wehope that our numbers will continue togrow. One thing that Im really impressedwith is the excitement and charisma that therst-years have brought to the group. Theyhave really been at the forefront of br ingingother students to meetings and getting theword out about MSA, Hassan said.

The major event MSA holds annually is theNoor Al-Amar celebration. The turnout inpast years has been between 150 to 200 peopleto celebrate the light of the moon. Thisevent is not celebrating a specic holiday,but an event to celebrate the true meaningof Islam, which is peace, Vang said. Theevent does have a variety of activities thatrange from henna to a fashion show, frombingo to ethnic foods.

The goal of Noor Al-Amar is to exposestudents to the Islamic religion in a celebratoryand fun manner, Hassan said.

This year Noor Al-Amar will be held in

the CDC Ballroom on Nov. 17 th starting at5:30 p.m.

Another event MSA has held in the pastis a spoken word night, partnering upwith the Asian Student Association, BlackStudent Association, and Latina StudentAssociation. This event allowed anyone tocome and perform, celebrating the varietyof traditions that make up our student body.

I think one of my favorite parts about[Spoken Word Night] was that we had a lot

of students from the Minneapolis campuscome over and attend, Hassan said.This year there will be a movie night

featuring Crossing Borders in collaborationwith the Ofce of Global Studies. Hassan isexcited for this event. We will be watchingand discussing the movie and eating dinnerat the beginning of the night which will befollowed by prizes, henna, calligraphy, music,and fun! Hassan said.

MSA has been a means of acceptancefor Muslim students at a school groundedin Catholic traditions. Upon arriving at thisschool as a first-year this semester, Salehopens up on her experience as a Muslimstudent on campus.

At first I was unwilling [to come toSCU] because I felt as though I would lose

part of my faith by attending a Catholicschool. I felt that there would be no onewho would be in the same boat as I was,and in result, I felt uneasy. But because wehave an organization such as MSA, which Iwould never have thought would exist withina Catholic school, I can honestly say that Ilooked forward into coming here and sharingmy story while embracing the atmosphereof those who can relate, Saleh said.

One thing that I have found in my timeat St. Kates is that there are many parallelsbetween Catholic social teaching and Islamiccode in terms of accepting of others, searchingfor truth, fulfilling civic duty, and livinghonestly, Hannan said. I believe that mostof the faculty and students at St. Kates areopen-minded, well informed individuals who

are committed to preserving the beauty ofcultural and religious differences. When anon-Muslim member asks a question about aparticular tradition or cultural norm it forcesthe Muslim members to reect on their ownbeliefs, which I nd to be very reafrming.

Saleh mentions that there is always room formore members, no matter their background.

It does not matter what race you are orwhat faith you believe in, as long as you areinterested to be a part of MSA or are justsimply willing to acknowledge and learnboth our culture and religion, our doors arewide open for you to come in! Saleh said.

Becky can be reached [email protected].

Submission: Brighteninginternational admissions A profile of AimeeThostenson

By Nhi Phan

People were born in a situation,

a place, a body, and a family. These

things contribute to make you who

you are. However, within that space,

you can make your own choices

to draw a clearer image of your

identity. These are the words of

Aimee Thostenson, assistant director

of International Admission at St.

Catherine University (SCU).

Optimism, honesty, and loyalty

are three words that Thostenson

used to describe herself. She always

looks on the positive side of things.

Harry Truman once said, A

pessimist is one who makes

difficulties of his opportunities

and an optimist is one who makes

opportunities of his difculties.

Perhaps being an optimist has made Thostenson the easy-going and caring person she is.

Thostenson was born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin where almost everyone

was similar to each other. The people there farmed and worked in industries. However,

Thostenson had a bigger worldview as a wider perspective than the people of her hometown.

A study abroad experience in Indonesia contributed to the development of her true self.

Indonesians made a lot of assumptions about Thostenson without knowing her, but she

still knew who she was and did not try to act like someone else.

Each person denes the word happiness in different ways. Some say they are happy if

they are wealthy. Others believe being grateful and thankful will bring people happiness. Ata high school reunion, Thostenson met her old friend who is a lawyer working in Chicago

now. He was not that happy even though he made lots of money. Money brought him a

convenient life, but not a delightful one.

Why would you spend your life doing something that you hate? Thostenson asked as

she recalled her friends story.

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a job they enjoy and can earn a lot of money from.

Indeed, the responsibilities of taking care of a family can force some people to do what they

do not love. Fortunately, Thostenson found a job related to her studies where she could

make enough money to support her family. Her parents, husband, and six-year-old son,

Charlie, are her supporters in life. After a long day, going home and playing with Charlie

makes Thostenson feel better. Money cannot guarantee people a happy life, but a few good

supporters can bring people happiness.

Thostenson has been able to meet people from all over the world since she was young.

Her mom worked at a university and was a globally minded person. She signed up for

the Family Friendship Program and so there were always a lot of people from different

ethnicities, religions, and countries who came over to Thostensons house for dinner when

she was growing up. According to Aimee, her parents were the most inuential people in

her life. They gave her the idea of studying abroad and then majoring in anthropology

and international education.

Thostenson has been with SCU for 14 years. During that time, she has worked as an

administrative assistant for International Admission, International Admission specialist,

senior counselor for International Admission, and assistant director for International

Admission at SCU. She wants to give international students helpful experiences where

they could learn more about other cultures as well as improve their English.

Hopefully, they will have the positive effects helping them get to the next step of their

lives, take the advantages and do a good job after they leave SCU, Thostenson said. Yet,

Thostenson said she has beneted from interacting with people from all over the world,

such as being more open-minded and learning new things every day.

Thostenson is not only friendly, but also profound. I could see how excited and happy she

was when she talked about her study abroad experiences as well as her work. In addition, I

like her attitude toward the world. I think in her mind, our world is l ike a puzzle. Imagine

ve children are trying to make a puzzle complete; they need to divide the work, help each

other out, and then put their work together. That is how the world should be.

The only difference between Aimee and me is I am not that optimistic like her. I always

see the negative part of things before seeing the positive one. However, after interviewing

her, I started to question myself, Why not be positive?

Nhi can be reached at [email protected].

Aimee Thostenson, assistant director of Inter-national Admission. Photo courtesy of AimeeThostenson.


10/12


Submission: An internationalperspective on smiling Another look at the American reflex

By Afnan Alowayyid

Most people who travel abroad either as

international students or as immigrants facesome difculties at the beginning in copingwith the new culture, people, and customsthat they are in. Experts discuss interculturalcommunication stumbling blocks that foreignstudents may experience in communicatingwith people in a new culture, such as language,nonverbal signs, the tendency to evaluate,stereotypes and high anxiety. These blocks canlead to miscommunication between people.

It takes some time before the foreignercan understand the new culture and getused to it. LaRay Barna in InterculturalCommunication Stumbling Blocks (2007),provides an example of on type of nonverbalsign that can lead to misunderstanding between

some international students and Americans:

the smile. It is very natural in the US to seepeople smiling to each other in the street,schools, and malls which is not commonin some other countries, especially Asianand Middle Eastern countries. Accordingto Barna, there are two different points ofview about the smile. First, Japanese, Koreanand Vietnamese students stated that there isno reason for American students to smile atthem, because Americans dont know them.I used to share these students opinion, butnot anymore.

Before I came to the US, I always wantedto smile at other people, yet this is not whatIm used to. I regret that although smilingis recommended by Islam and I will be

rewarded by God if I do it, we dont smilein Saudi Arabia as much as Americans do.In fact, smiling might look strange not onlybetween men and women, but also betweenwomen themselves. If a woman smiled atanother woman in Saudi Arabia, she mightthink, What does she want from me? Andshe might go and ask her, What are youlooking at? or do you like me?

However, there are some other peoplewho are used to smiling and have a different

opinion from some international students.Barna gives an example of an Americangirl whose smiling is very important to herbecause she says, To me I cant stop smiling.Its just natural to be smiling and friendly(p. 67). So, she thinks that foreign peopleare not friendly because they dont smile atother people.

In my opinion, the American girl cant saythat foreign people are not friendly because theydid not smile at her. She should understandthat smiling is not part of their culture andthey did not grow up smiling like she did. Ifshe tried to talk to the international studentsor ask them questions, they would probably behappy to give her the information she needs.

In general, I really respect what Americansthink about smiling and their reason forsmiling. Im also happy to adopt this behavior.However, I dont like the way Americans smilewhen they dont want to. A lot of times, Isee someone smiling at me as if they haveto do it. They give an extremely fast smile,then the smile disappears as fast as it came;they do it in less than a second.

Now that Im in the US Im starting toadopt this beautiful habit of smiling; and I

like it. But Im concerned about when I goback to Saudi Arabia. What will people thinkwhen they see me smiling at everyone thatI meet? Im not sure how will people react.

Afnan can be reached [email protected].

Left: Afnan Alowayyid

smiling with her hus-band, in traditionalSaudi dress, anddaughter.

Photo submitted byAfnan Alowayyid.

Right: Leslie Muzu-lus local host family.

Below: LelslieMuzulus family inZimbabwe. Leslie isthird from right.

Photos submitted byLeslie Muzulu.

Students Afnan Alowayyid and Leslie Muzulu sharedfamily photos with the Wheel and the SCU community.

Listen local:ListeningabroadBy Claire Davidson

music columnist

Through this column Ive had the privilege of reviewing some great local

acts, bands that have made me proud to be from Minnesota. But as we allknow, the realm of good music extends beyond our hometown, beyond

whats popular on the radio, and sometimes even beyond our own language.I am by no means bi-ingual (my high school-level Spanish borders

ever more on Spanglish) and my one foray outside of the UnitedStates was a week-long stint in the hostels of Dublin, Ireland. Given

this, it may seem that I am not the ideal candidate to write for theinternational issue. To that end all I can say is that Id like to think beingaware of other cultures and learning about what makes them unique

is part of a healthy international education. On that basis I can sharesome thoughts I have on the unexpected benets of adding Juanes andCarla Bruni to your iPod, regardless of your language background.

It may be rhetorical to say that Im a lover of languages: it doesnt alwaysmatter if I can identify or understand them, but on campus and beyondthe many words of the world fascinate me the same way. In popular

music particularly, the messages conveyed are usually more similar thanyoud imagine all over the world. As a tool for learning Spanish in highschool, a teacher of mine would play Juanes while we worked. If anyone

has any experience with the Columbian pop sensation (not to mentionBono-esque humanitarian,) you can attest to the catchiness of his musicand the fact that a language barrier plays ultimately no role in letting

you appreciate his music.I love what other languages bring to the table, the expressions and phrases

they have for which there is no English equivalent, the way they express the

same universal truths in a way only that language is able to. Anyone post-breakup can relate to Juanes La Camisa Negra, for example, without doingany extensive translating. Tengo la camisa negra, hoy mi amor est de luto,

he sings, in doing so referencing the black shirt he wears to mourn a lost love.The popular Carla Bruni is another example of a world-renowned

pop singer who crosses language barriers easily, winning over listeners

from all over the globe with her honey-smooth vocals and soft-spokenFrench ballads. Plenty of artists bring me to a certain mood but its onlyFrench chanteuse Carla Bruni who I can sit and listen to for hours and feel

completely relaxed. The poetic Quelquun ma dit nds Bruni waxingsentimental on the passing of time. On me dit que nos vies ne valent pas

grand chose, she sings. Elles passent en un instant comme fanent lesroses. Roughly translated she refers to the passing of time like the wiltingof a rose, but in a manner only truly accessible in her own language.

Whether rocking out to Juanes in the shower or having Carla Bruni

lull me to sleep with her beautiful French, I listen to these artists chieybecause I enjoy their music but also because it keeps my ears open.Repeated exposure to a language is the best way to learn it, and if you

cant afford a plane ticket to France you can at least swing a few buckson iTunes in the international section. Exposure to other languages isso essential, and the most natural of those exposures can be through

music. With the impacts of globalization we are now more than everan international community; and I can think of nothing better to bringtogether people of all languages, countries and backgrounds than music.

Claire can be reached at [email protected].

Family portraits


11/12

HEALTH The Wheel | 11November 8, 2010

Ask Katie:Holistichealth

Compiled by Dana Bloomquist

A picture ofhealth: Globalmaternity

By Lydia Fastelandhealth columnist

Womens bodies are designed to give birth. This accepted all over the world. However,the methods in which women go about giving birth vary from country to country. Thesuperstitions surrounding birth are also different in every country. To celebrate internationalweek, here are some birthing superstitions and rituals from around the world.

In Guatemala, women who are having trouble giving birth are given a cocktail of boiledpurple onion and beer, which will help speed up the process. After a birth, a woman isgiven hot chocolate and sweet bread to eat, and for 24 hours is only allowed to drink hotchocolate, hot water, and chamomile tea. She is also made to stay in bed.

Mexico also has some interesting birthing traditions. During pregnancy, women areencouraged to stray from anything that has to do with death, such as attending funeralsor going to cemeteries. Pregnant women are also discouraged from taking hot or coldbaths. This is because cold water is believed cause joints and bones to become stiff and hard,which then causes a prolonged birth. Hot water, on the other hand, is what is believed tocause varicose veins and other issues with the circulatory system. It is also believed pregnant

women should limit sun exposure; too much heat will cause irritation to the developingfetus. It also recommended that women do not stand too close to a re for the same reason.The Inuit people believe that women should not wear a ring or braid their hair during

pregnancy because it will cause the baby to be born with the umbilical cord wrapped aroundits neck. Women who are expecting are also not allowed to blow up balloons or blowbubbles when chewing gum; it is thought that these activities will not allow the membranethat surrounds the baby in the womb to break, which would then prevent delivery. Also,when a baby is born, it is customary to greet the infant with a handshake.

Nutrition is very important to pregnant women in Japan: during pregnancy, womenincrease their daily calcium intake. Though the Japanese diet is quite healthy, women cantake extra care to eat even healthier. A few typical parts of a pregnant womans diet inJapan are shriasu, a small white sh which is high in calcium, and nori, also called seaweed.

In Bolivia, pregnant women are encouraged to not knit during pregnancy, for it is believedthat knitting will cause the umbilical cord to wrap around the babys neck.

If the placenta does not deliver, then salt is given to women in Peru.Every culture has its own set of superstitions about giving birth, including the United

States. For example, some Americans believe that to see a black cat before the delivery ofa baby means that there will be problems with the delivery.

Superstitious belief is all over the place and will continue to be practiced for many yearsto come.To nd out more about superstitious beliefs that surround birthing practices, visit

Midwifery Today magazines website at www.midwiferytoday.com.

Lydia can be reached at [email protected].

What is holistic health?According to holistichelp.net, holistic

health is a wellness approach that takes intoaccount the body, mind, and spirit (they dontmean spirit in a religious sense; rather theyuse it to describe the core of ones self) ofa personnot just the physical symptoms.Other terms for holistic health includecomplementary, natural, or alternativehealth. Most holistic health treatmentsfocus on balance and harmony in the lifeof an individual.

What are the health benefits of yoga?

How do I get started with it?First of all, lets talk about what yoga is.According to the American Yoga Association(americanyogaassociation.org), the wordyoga means, in Sanskrit, to join or yoketogether, referring to the joining of the bodyand mind. Yoga consists of three main areas:exercise, breathing, and meditation. Aftertime, practitioners of yoga can experience aclear, bright mind and strong, capable body.

Now that you know a little about howyoga works, lets talk a little about whatyoga can do for you. Osiris Guzman is theyoga instructor at St. Catherine University(SCU) and has personally beneted from

Brain drain occurs when a country losesits professional workers to another countrythat may offer more by way of economicstability, freedom from oppression, or justa chance at improving ones livelihood.

The prospect of better opportunities isa tantalizing goal that many immigrantscling to as they migrate across borders.Those who are in professional eldsalsoknown as highly skilled workersare morelikely to leave their country of origin for the

aforementioned reasons.

An unfairtrade Exploring the reality ofbrain drainBy Courtney Hampton

staff writer

Above: students, faculty, and staff participate in a yoga class on campus at SCU.Left: Osiris Guzman, the yoga instructor at SCU, strikes a peaceful pose.Photos by Dana Bloomquist.

Students are also migrating in order toachieve a better education or one that they,and their families, believe will better equipthem for the global market. The issue thatarises is that a considerable number of thosewho do immigrate do not return to theircountries. The loss of human capital due

to these migration patterns has been coinedbrain drain.The adverse effect of brain drain is that it

leaves countries severely lacking in professionalexpertise. The prevalence of brain drain hasbecome so problematic for certain countriesthat institutions such as the United Nationshave taken steps to look at the issue moreclosely.

Those classied as highly skilled workersare doctors, nurses, professors, engineers,and the like whose work and expertise isgenerally in high demand.

Africa is most impacted by brain drain. Itis estimated that one-third of the professionaland highly skilled workers have migratedout of Africa into Western Europe and theUnited States. This loss of human capital has

cost Africa around four billion dollars a year.

Some European countries and the UnitedStates have been accused of poachingtalent from Africa, meaning they activelyrecruit workers in order to make use of theirservices. Granted, the perceived freedomand benets that come with being employedin a professional capacity in a developed

nation are difcult to ignore, especially ifone has a family to consider, which manyimmigrants do.

For the Asiatic countries, the issue is not somuch a loss of professionals but of students.Students who complete their education indeveloped nations tend to stay and seek jobsin their adopted countries, which can be seenas another form of skilled migration. Thecountries that students hail from tend to bemore developed so more time and money isplaced into ensuring they get into the bestschools abroad.

The emphasis in these countries is on gainingknowledge from the Western countries, andthen returning home to help build their nativeeconomy, bring new ideas, aid in competingin the global sphere, etc.

The main Asian countries that send students

abroad are China, South Korea, India, andJapan. An estimated 2.6 million studentsstudied abroad from these countries betweenthe years of 1998 to 2003. That number hasincreased the subsequent loss of professiongraduates does not bid well for the countriesthat they originate from.

Thus far, China, South Korea, Japan, andto an extent India, have made efforts tocombat brain drain from their countriesby promoting brain circulation, whichencourages highly skilled workers fromtheir native population to return, and caninvolve recruiting professionals from othercountries into their labor f

Volume 78, Issue 5

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