Spring // Issue 5

Spring // Issue 5

Featuring Alex Dang

UOiSA // 2013-14

CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS facebook.com/InternationalWeekNight #iParty

Spring // Issue 5

facebook.com/InternationalWeekNight #iParty

UOiSA // 2013-14

55N. E. W. S.Issue 5 // Winter 2014 // April-May

PhotographersEsther KimIhn Que Lee

ModelsThuc Vinh

Volunteer WritersLeigh ScheffeyHaley StupaskyAmber Provost-Papazian

Content EditorsAlejandra GutierrezIna SongNegina Pirzad

Layout DesignerIna Song

iSA Team2013-14

DirectorHung Mai

Program TeamLeigh ScheffeySandra BennySteven RaoRenee ArnettDustin JungCecilia Xu

Office TeamNajod AlrasheedChristina ParkAshley Liu

Fundraising TeamLuca LinKevin NgoJess ChenAmy LiCatherine Li

Publicity TeamLily ChenHillary FowlerIhn Que LeeEsther KimAlejandra GutierrezIna SongNegina PirzadEthan KimMegan GarlandJoshua LeeStacey Goldberg

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CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS

iWeekCalendar

UOiSA // 2013-14

A Tour of International WeekHave you ever wanted to travel around the world, attend international festivities and have all sorts of delicious food at arm’s reach? That dream can now become a reality during ISA’s International

Week! This event lasts for 5 entire days and it will have different events and celebrations from different parts of the globe. As you walk around campus during the week of May 5th you will taken on a trip stretching from Europe to Asia.

La Tomatina (Waterballoon Fight)Thursday / May 812PM-2PMGerlinger Lawn

If you are not familiar with this messy festival you are in for a blast. La Tomatina takes place in Spain and it involves masses of people throwing, stepping and getting covered in tomatoes. However, in or-der to keep matters clean, iSA will be replacing the tomatoes with red water balloons. Start working on your aim and get ready to bring your A game.

Salsa DancingWednesday / May 77PM-9PMEMU Fishbowl

Hips don’t lie. Come join us for this workshop to learn how to Salsa like a pro! You will be the sensation at the parties you go to, as people stare in awe as you show off your new exotic dance moves.

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Spring // Issue 5

A Tour of International WeekHave you ever wanted to travel around the world, attend international festivities and have all sorts of delicious food at arm’s reach? That dream can now become a reality during ISA’s International

Week! This event lasts for 5 entire days and it will have different events and celebrations from different parts of the globe. As you walk around campus during the week of May 5th you will taken on a trip stretching from Europe to Asia.

Root Beer GardenTuesday / May 612PM-2PMAmphitheater

This event is modeled after the Oktoberfest, which is the largest fair that is held every year in Germany, Bavaria and Munich for 16 days. As you walk out of your class and step out into the hot weather The Root Beer Garden will be waiting for you at the EMU amphitheater, ready with a cool and refreshing glass of root beer.

Sushi WorkshopMonday / May 56PM-9PMCarson Central Kitchen

This workshop will teach you the sacred art of how to prop-erly make a sushi. You will be guided through the workshop by a talented chef that will help you make the best sushi you have ever and will ever make. After you finish your sushi, you will realize that you had a lot of fun making it and that you met a lot of cool people, which is why you won’t miss the next events of iWeek.

Bubble Tea at Outdoor Coffee HourFriday/ May 94PM-6PMAmphitheater

What better way to admire the sun and flowers in this beautiful season than to drink a cup of bubble tea, with all your friends. During iWeek, iSA is holding its weekly Coffee Hour outside in the sun at the Amphitheater. Come join us for the grand finale of the iParty with your friends.

Vietnamese Salad Roll WorkshopWednesday/ May 75PM-7PMBean Kitchen

Have you ever made a healthy, fresh Vietnamese Salad Roll by yourself and have it look like a master piece? Come and put your talent to the test, and see if you have what it takes to hand make a beautiful Salad Roll with the help from UO Vietnamese Student Association.

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By Alejandra Gutierrez

UOiSA // 2013-14

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UOiSA // 2013-14

Spring // Issue 5

Coffee Talk with...Alex Dang

How did you initially get involved with slam poetry?I’ve always loved writing. I first started out doing hip-hop in music. Then in my freshman year of high school, I got really into acting. All that culminated into the summer of my junior year when I went to a poetry slam because it was open-mic and I wanted to practice my raps a cappella. But I stuck around to listen to the other poets, and I saw this incredible form that combines music, because you have to have rhythm and flow to deliver it, performance and acting, like with monologues. Above all, poetry heavily incorporates writing, and the language is so beautiful. So, I saw poetry as one, neat package of everything I love.

I kept going and going to these poetry slams and I fell in love with it. I kept going every Sunday night. I would take the bus for 45 minutes out to Downtown Portland, when I had school the next day, but I’d just think, I gotta go to the slam. One of my favorite moments was two years ago at the slam that decided who would go to the Individual World Poetry Slam from Portland, like the best of the best. I remember leaving that night with my ears ringing as if I just left a concert because it was so loud with all the cheering and applauding. You usually just think poetry is coffee shops, black berets, talking about the revolutions, but I was at this event and I left feeling like it was a concert with its crazy level of excitement and performance. I was moved; I was transcended. My ears were ringing, and I couldn’t stop talking about it. It was just such a fun and exciting event. Slam poetry, and performance poetry in general, is like the experience of hearing a live band on stage, but also the experience of listening to an intensely personal memoir at the same time. It’s a really unique art form that I just fell in love with, and that I’ve been doing for the last three years of my life now.

What significance do you think poetry has in the world?I think poetry is really important. It’s always indicative of what’s going on in the world. You have classical poetry, obviously Shakespeare, who was a very good commentator on what was going on during his time. In the 1900s, right after the World Wars, you have poets breaking out of the norm, because they’ve realized that the world is not what it used to be. They threw away the rules, all the pre-conceived notions of poetry, and wrote more abstractly and questioned their existences. In the 1960s,

when people were talking about peace and revolution, you have the beat-neck poems; you have [Allen] Ginsberg and [Charles] Bukowski talking about their experiences. Now, you have so many poems on self-identity and self-expression. A lot of poems from the queer movement, racial pieces, social, political and cultural pieces have been really strong today because we are so focused on understanding the individual, and as a whole, you understand yourself.

What was your first, official piece of slam poetry?I originally wrote ‘What Kind of Asian Are You?’ which was an exploration of self-identity. The poem was never meant to become a big, general statement of ‘this is how the world is on race.’ It was more just me drawing on my personal experiences and my individual story. That’s how I approach poetry; it’s a very individual process for me. It’s self-expression; it’s catharsis; it’s being able to figure out in process through these complicated emotions, through a beautiful art form. It’s taking the ugly and making it into something pretty.

What do you think poetry does for an audience?Every poet I’ve met, they always bring out their individual stories for the audience to get something out of it. Poetry gives everyone who is voiceless a voice. We don’t really care about the storyteller; we just want to hear a good story. It also brings up really good discussions because of everyone’s different interpretations of poems and issues. Some of the best poetry, I think, that brings up important conversations are like Neil Hilborn’s ‘OCD,’ Javon Johnson’s ‘’cuz he’s black’ and Denice Frohman’s ‘Dear Straight People.’

And what role have your academics played in your writing and performing poetry?I’m an English major here, and I think education is extremely important. It has kept me out of trouble and on the right track in life. That’s why I’m a firm believer in schooling in general. I’ve learned that literature is also really important. It’s one of those subjects where if you take the time to talk about it and to think about it, you’re never gonna be wrong. People always say that English has no wrong answer, but if you read something like

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Spring // Issue 5

By Negina Pirzad

UOiSA // 2013-14

if you try to dig a little deeper, then you add something to the conversation and a new, individual perspective. I’ve learned that perspective and education are the answers to a lot of problems.

Do you think your poetry is, in a sense, educating people?My poetry is purely anecdotal, nothing empirical. But I think poetry is a really strong tool and a strong message. You have all these amazing poems that are not empirical, because everyone has different experiences, but having these intense, personal stories to relate to, are beneficial. And above all, if you don’t personally relate to a story or completely agree with it, you have people to talk to about it. In a way it’s education, but it’s more enrichment for the individual.

I write these poems as a vehicle to know myself better. Myself, and I know a lot of other poets, get tired of using ‘I,’ ‘I,’ ‘I,’ so we tend to do other things to branch out, and I guess that’s when the academic aspect of poetry comes in. Persona poems are really great. I’m writing one currently from the perspective of Frankenstein’s monster to Frankenstein, as vehicle to talk about fatherhood. I can still input my own personal experiences as being a son, or not being ready for fatherhood, and then using Frankenstein as a fresh way to bring out the new presentation of this classic story. Everything has already been said; there’s nothing new under the sun, but there are new ways to present it. If you take all these different personas and all these different stories, you can create something new.

Where does some of your inspiration come from when writing?I’m able to draw on information from classes or just from every day life for my own pieces. A lot of my poems have stemmed out of me just going about my days as usual. After listening to Aziz Ansari’s comedy show, I thought to myself, how can I take his idea that love is a timeless object, and put it into a present-day setting, and still make it mean something. So, I wrote a poem about sexting and I really enjoyed it. It plays off of modern-day references, but it still hints at the key-core of humanity and the elements that make us human and make us want to read poetry. It’s all about new presentations, which really excites me.

What do you think the future holds for you and your poetry?When it comes to my black and white business plans of poetry, I am currently involved with the English Undergraduate Organization, and we are trying to start a slam team, so we can be sent to CUPSI, the College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational, next year. After college, I’d love to pursue poetry. There’s also being an English teacher, which is also something that I’d definitely love to do. But I’m young and fit, so maybe I can be a

touring poet for a while before that. My girlfriend, Clementine von Radics, is an incredible poet herself, and she just went on tour, and she talks about how if we both went on tour together, how amazing that would be, having a joint tour, traveling around the whole world together, telling our poems, going from town to town. It would be incredible. Hopefully by then, I’d have gone to a few national competitions, so I’d have friends in more places and I could make more pit stops along the way.

[Clementine and I] also run a poetry press just right out of my place. I ship the books, and mail them out myself; I get them all printed. We have five or six poets in our press, so we sell their books. We sell them online on our Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/WhereAreYouPress). Hopefully the business gets bigger and bigger. Now, we’re just an independent press. My book is about to be released on PDF as well, so we’re really excited about that. There’s a lot happening, a lot of poetry stuff everywhere.

What’s the story behind your book?Well, it’s called You Can Do Better, which yes, is a Drake lyric. Drake is one of the best breakout poets in the world, in my opinion, so that’s I why I named it that. The book is basically a compilation of all the poems that I consider to be my best. It’s a little potpourri of everything: love poems, some poems about self-identity, some funny poems and some sad poems too.

Any last comments?I encourage everyone to read and write poetry. We always want to hear your story, and you always have something to say. And we’ve all been there; every poet has been 16, and we’ve all written really bad poetry about rib cages and dusty hearts, and that’s just a part of the process. You grow and you learn and you just throw yourself into the craft.

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Click Here to Learn More About

Alex DangFacebook.com/alexdangpoetry

Spring // Issue 5

UOiSA // 2013-14

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UOiSA // 2013-14

Spring // Issue 5

What’s the Best Party You Have Been To?

I n t e r v i ews

“ ”I really like the parties that have American students and international students together. I like to meet new people, so the best parties are when I do this.

Adnan

“ ”The best party I’ve been was probably my own bat mitzvah party. I was 13 and I had this whole party that was all for me with all my favorite foods and all my favorite music. And it was just really fun. I think the best part was when I was lifted up in a chair, which is tradition at these things. A bunch of guys lift you up in a chair, while everyone is singing ‘Hava Nagila.’ This wasn’t my favorite party just because it was mine, but I just loved all the customs and tradition behind it.

Jalen Buchalter

“ ”The party I threw at my place three weeks ago was the best party. Like 180 people showed up, and it was pretty crazy.

Gene Guretskiy

Uri Wolfe-Blank

“ ”The best party I ever went to was in Ecuador. It was the first week of me at the university there be-cause I was an exchange student. So, they shipped out the 160 ‘gringo’ exchange students to this little farm that was in the middle of nowhere to this party. It turned out to be a fundraiser for the city. There were gigantic slip-n-slides and a sort of corale where everyone got drunk. They basically took all of us new exchange students, most of us weren’t even 21 yet, to this crazy mansion, got us ex-tremely drunk, and we ran around, and finished the night with dancing, playing cards, and meeting tons of new Ecuadorean kids.

“ ”Best party I ever went to was probably either my high school graduation party or New Year’s Eve in Disney World in 2012. I can’t decide between the two.

Hillary Fowler

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By Negina Pirzad & Leigh Scheffey

Spring // Issue 5

UOiSA // 2013-14

Spring has sprung and surely enough so has the season of music festivals. From Facebook to Instagram your friends can’t hold back from posting last years pictures at Coachella, and

hashtagging about how #pumped they are for this years show. So what’s all they hype really about? To make it more clear iSA has put together a list of all the concerts of the season that you need to know about.

Taking place in the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, and reigning in as our first and most important festival is Coachella. In case you haven’t seen enough posts or BuzzFeed articles about it, Coachella has opened up its doors for a two weekend long festival this year. Weekend 1, from April 11-13, and Weekend 2, from April 18-20th, both bring a mix of artists from the Top 40 all the way to indie rock. Some familiar names include Pharrell, Skrillex and Lorde but venture down to other names such as Foster The People, Disclosure, and MGMT. The next and most important thing that you need to know about Coachella, is that it is not only a music festival but also a fashion show and celebrity event. If you dress to impress, and get your way into the VIP section there’s a good chance you’ll be running into some of your favorite artists, as well as, celebrities. All of it does come at a certain cost as a standard ticket will set you back $375 and VIP $799. If that doesnt scare you enough, maybe the fact that all of these tickets were sold out within 3 hours of their release this year might. This, however, doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get in on the fun, plenty of people sell tickets on Craigslist, ebay and other self-vending sites. Whether it’s this year or next, find out all the rest that you need to know at: Coachella.com.

So electronic music isn’t your thing, and you probably hate all of the talk about different music festivals because we all know that a bunch of computer altered noise isn’t really music, right? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Stagecoach following Coachella at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, will have you line-dancing around from April 25-27th. Stagecoach is best known for it’s Country driven atmosphere, headlining with artists such

MUSIC FESTIVAL Guide

Leigh ScheffeyPublic Relations Major

Leigh is a Public Relations major at the University of Oregon who can be found in a series of different internationally focused student groups. She aspires enjoys writing, people, food and animals, and is always willing to try new things. Leigh hopes to one day work internationally, in a profession that brings cultures together in order to make a positive impact on the world.

Meet the Writer

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Spring // Issue 5

as Luke Bryan, Eric Church and Jason Aldean. Stagecoach is also more age friendly as it extends past the normally targeted teen and college group to all country loving fans and age-groups out there. Another thing that sets Stagecoach apart from Coachella is the cheaper General Admission price of $249. If you’re looking for a more high-class experience the extended access pass comes in at $799, but on the bright side kids 10 and younger get into the general admission areas at no cost. If you want to find out more about this years festival or see more about the line-up check out: stagecoachfestival.com.

Ballin’ on a budget? The University of Oregon has got you covered with the FREE, I repeat, FREE Willamette Valley Music Festival starting May 10th. The venue will include a series of different locations across and near the UO campus. Setting it apart from the other music festivals is the different groups and bands that will be performing. Some familiar names are those such as Mind the Gap, the University’s own a capella group or Seattle’s garage band, Night Beats. The festival will extend from the day into the night giving you a chance to go in between classes and after work, to hit up some of the bands you love, and others you’ve never heard of. To follow the concert and stay current on the line-up check out: wvmf.uoregon.edu.

If you go to the University of Oregon, “Sasquatch” does not, and has never made you think of a mysterious creature who lives in the forest--that’s so 2010. You know that is means one thing and one thing only: “Music Festival!” Coming to you live from the Gorge in central Washington state May 23-25, or Memorial Day weekend, Sasquatch will light up the NorthWest. Headlining with your favorite 8th grade band, Outkast, this festival will showcase some of the best and newest artists of 2014. Even if you don’t love music, the Gorge is known to be one of the most beautiful concert arenas in the United States, and camping outside of it for 3 days is nothing but worth it. The most important thing to remember if attending Sasquatch is that you have to arrive on Thursday,

and not Friday, to get your camping spot. If you don’t do this you will not only get a camping spot that forces you to seriously hike to and from each show, but will add to your waiting time for getting into the festival grounds. If you plan to go to Sasquach, do it right--plan out your meals, bring a ton of water and most importantly plan out your killer, “I’m trying but not trying” outfits ahead of time. This concert, of course, comes at a price as general admission runs at $325 and VIP for a range of prices under $700 if you search around online. Check it out more on their website, or listen to me and buy your ticket right now: www.sasquatchfestival.com. Although you’d love to go to all these festivals, you know your school work is not going to let it become a reality. We’ve STILL got you covered! (We’re great aren’t we?) The next festival we coming your way will allow you to still have your summer internship, and save the money to buy your ticket. Lollapalooza takes place in Grant Park, Chicago from August 1-3. This concert is one of the Midwest’s finest, this year showcasing Eminem, Calvin Harris and Outkast. Those who have been to the festival accredit it to people who want to enjoy their music, have a good time, and keep it pretty clean in the mosh pit. This festival is also setup to accommodate those who don’t like the 3-day experience, or want to pay less, by selling 1-day passes for $100 and 3-day passes for $250. If you venture out to Chicago for this festival, you can make it a double whammy and attend a great festival while also getting the chance to explore the windy city all in one trip. Check out more about this festival on their website: lollapalooza.com.

So you like the idea of waiting until after summer to save money and work on your resume, but Chicago is not your desired vacation land, San Francisco has you sold. Outside Lands will take place August 8-10th bringing you food, wine and Kanye West. This fun-filled festival is the best way to wrap up your summer for the more reasonably priced general admission of $275. Plan ahead and check your last summer festival out at: sfoutsidelands.com.

MUSIC FESTIVAL Guide

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By Leigh Scheffey

Spring // Issue 5

UOiSA // 2013-14

Did your friends deliver shocking and unbelievable news to you? Did you read outrageous things on Facebook, Twitter and texts? If so, you were a victim of the dreaded, yet very anticipated April Fools’ Day. It takes place on the first day of April

every single year. Although it is not an actual holiday, people from all around the world know about this day and they look forward to playing pranks on people.

There are many explanations that have been offered regarding the origins of this day. Some people believe that it might be associated with a Christian practice that took places many years ago. Another theory is that it could be related to the time when France adopted the Gregorian calendar or this might even go back to Noah’s arc. Just like these, there have been countless theories but none have provided concrete results. But even if you don’t know how this infamous day began, you can join in on the fun by playing a few pranks on your friends. Here are some cool pranks that you can try next time: Grab a bunch of Oreos, remove the white icing from the inside and replace it with white toothpaste. That way you’ll ensure that your friends have a minty fresh breath. For your next prank you are going to need a Coca Cola can, a straw and a pouch of ketchup. Make a hole in the ketchup bag and insert the straw inside it. Then proceed to drop the straw with the ketchup bag inside the can. When your friends try to take a sip of the can, instead of enjoying their coke they will have a big sip of ketchup. A third prank that you can pull is the caramelized onion. It’s just like the apples that are covered in caramel but not quite as enjoyable. Just buy an onion and cover it in caramel and give it to one of your friends. The final prank that you can pull is to cover their car in either cellophane wrap or post-its. It’s up to you. If you feel like brightening up their day use color post-its, but you can always go with cellophane and what them struggle!

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Were You Fooled on April 1st?

By Alejandra Gutierrez

UOiSA // 2013-14

Spring // Issue 5

As the Eugene sun finally came out and residents were getting into the swing of springtime, University of Oregon students

seemed to be coming out of the woodwork and celebrating with sandals and Slurpees. Spring is a time of excitement, and the spirit of the student body is never as lively as it is during this season. As the U of O came to life, some students participated in traditions such as spring-cleaning and shopping for swimsuits, and there were some other students on campus that prepared to partake in some religious traditions of their own, like Passover.

Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of slaves under ancient Egyptian Pharaohs over 3,000 years ago. Passover, known to Jewish people as Pesach, takes places each year on the 15th day of the Hebrew month Nisan, which usually falls on March or April of the Gregorian calendar. The celebration lasts for seven days by most observers, or eight for some Jews.

Many of those outside of the Jewish faith associate Passover with a festive dinner called a Seder, as it is arguably the most important event that takes place during the weeklong celebration. However, the Seder dinner is more than a delicious feast. It is heavily rooted in ritual, symbolism and community.

“Passover descends to Jewish people as a heritage in its own right. Part of the Passover Seder is retelling the exodus in the first person, which reaffirms the notion that we are all a people, the same people who left Egypt so long ago,” student Gordon Friedman said.

During the Seder, participants complete the “15 Steps to Freedom,” which symbolically takes them through the personal journey from slavery into freedom.

As this is a holiday that places great emphasis on family and community, college students that find themselves away

from home can struggle to find a place to celebrate and experience familiarity during such an important time. Friedman for example, chooses not to participate in the holiday when he is away from home.

“I’ve never been a religious Jew, but a cultural Jew,” Friedman said. “Being Jewish is a very strong part of my identity. The Jewish people are in my bloodline, and as the Passover tradition dictates, we remember that we are all one people. Being away from family during those reflective times is tough, but I always know there’s a Jew somewhere around who’s in my same position.”

For others, the culture of college provides an ideal community for celebration and support. Aliya Hall converted to Judaism in high school, and lived in a predominately Christian community before moving to Eugene.

“I grew up in a small, conservative Christian town and I was the only Jew,” Hall recalled. “When I came to college my friends encouraged me to join Oregon’s Hillel, the Jewish campus life organization. I was nervous at first, but everyone there was incredibly supportive and accepting.”

Hall attended a Seder held by Oregon’s Hillel and also held a Seder in her dorm, where her Jewish and non-Jewish friends alike cooked traditional Passover foods and read from the Haggadah: the texts that dictate the order of the rituals of the Seder.

This year, Passover began at sundown on the 14th of April and it lasts until the evening of the 22nd. This commemoration of freedom and faith opens the door for a variety of ways of celebration for Jews across the world, and on a smaller scale on the UO campus.

“I’m not sure if another religion has as much to do with the quality of unity than Judaism,” Friedman said. “And Passover is one expression of that unity.”

Pesach, or Passover

Haley Stupasky Second year German and Advertising student

As a native North Carolinian there are few things Haley loves more than watching a good basketball game and drinking sweet tea, but the Pacific Northwest brings out the artist and athlete in her. In her spare time you can find her walking around her neighborhood and taking photos of the best model known to man - her dog Blitz. In addition to being a Game of Thrones fanatic and film junkie, she is an Associate Editor for Ethos Magazine and studies German language in addition to advertising. Come talk to her and you will be fast friends. Auf Wiedersehen!

Meet the Writer

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By Haley Stupasky

UOiSA // 2013-14

ET

ASER

Amber ProvostInternational Studies Major

Amber is an International Studies major who loves traveling, reading and learning. She is always looking for new challenges, hopes to pursue sailing and loves going on adventures.

Meet the Writer

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By Amber Provost

Spring // Issue 5

When thinking of Easter, an oversized bunny with a border-line creepy smile, surrounded by children with baskets of candy filled plastic eggs normally comes to

mind. This is the only reality for some who do celebrate the event, but for others it is highly symbolic of forgiveness and a great sacrifice.

Whether it be called Ostern, Pasqua, Pascua, Pâques, Velikonoce, or Velickonocna, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ has a global,

cultural presence. Within the Catholic Church here in the US, the Easter egg is supposed to be symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches the eggs are

dyed red to symbolize the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross. At the end of the Paschal Vigil the eggs are blessed by priests and passed to congregants. The egg itself also represents the passing of Lent, a

40-day fasting of meat and eggs, and has historically been gifted during the spring.

However, this doesn’t explain the Easter bunny nor the colorful eggs hidden in or rolling across the lawn. These traditions have historically been established by pagan beliefs and traditions associated with the coming

of spring and more specifically the idea of fertility and rebirth. The origin of the word ‘Easter ’ itself can be traced back to the early German worship of the goddess of spring, Eastre, who is also a symbol of fertility. A festival in her name would be held each year to celebrate the coming of spring and the promise of rebirth. Celebrations such as these can be traced even farther back to Babylon and their goddess of spring, Ishtar, who was associated with the planet Venus and the idea of light. Predating the time of Jesus, these traditions prove the importance of spring and new life - a concept found in every culture throughout the world.

Of tantamount importance is the idea of bringing a community of people together to celebrate, feast, and give and receive gifts. Gifting painted or decorated eggs is a tradition that also predates Jesus Christ and can be found in many cultures. The Iranian New Year, Nowruz, is celebrated with decorated eggs and has been for thousands of years. So, what do these pagan traditions, and egg painting mean for Easter? Simply put, being religious isn’t essential to celebrating Easter. Anyone can paint an egg as a gift and enjoy a feast with friends and family.

Being born and raised Catholic myself, my family attends mass on Ash Wednesday and on Easter morning, as well as practices Lent and Good Friday. Easter is just as important for my family as Christmas day. Personally, for as much as Jesus does have a presence in my life, I truly enjoy the celebration because my whole family will come together for a barbeque and a grand Easter egg hunt.

After a little research into its history and talking to fellow Ducks and other students from abroad, the connection to a religion is not essential to celebrating this time of year. Many students, from Slovenia, Germany, England, and France, have expressed their status as non-religious, but still enjoy a feast with their family and the celebration of spring. Jo from Germany says, “I’m not much of a religious person myself, so for me it means the gathering with my family.” Meta from Slovenia celebrates Easter at her grandma’s house for breakfast with her whole family. After they paint eggs and eat, “and you know grandmothers – food everywhere.” Phoebe from England has a similar experience, “well my family isn’t religious, but we usually all get together and have a big meal, like Christmas but not so grand, then we give each other Easter eggs and other gifts.”

Even though there are many reports of non-religious Easter celebrations, many Catholic and Christian students attend church on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Easter morning. Christoph and Martin

from Germany, and Sandra from Singapore are three of the many. As each expresses the importance of the sacrifice Jesus made and the joys of family spending time together.

So, what is Easter? After this little adventure, I see it as a time to be around those whom you love to enjoy the coming of warmth and sweetness in the air. For those who are religious there is a deeper meaning, but it’s not essential to celebrate. I can’t wait to see the flowers in full bloom and eggs rolling around in the grass on April 20th.

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EARTHDAY2014April22

Spring is finally here, and with it comes vibrant flowers, luscious fields of green, buzzing insects and that longed-after sunshine.

Many people see these pleasant bursts of natural beauty as reminders to protect and preserve the environment.

Earth Day, the one day of the year that is set aside to spread awareness for these exact actions, falls conveniently in the heart of spring. This year’s Earth Day is on Tuesday, April 22, and members of the university community are planning to participate in it.

“We have two exciting events happening on and around Earth Day this year,” Megan Gleason, co-director of the university’s Climate Justice League, said. “One is our Recycle E-waste collection. We’ll be outside the EMU on Tuesday, spreading the word and encouraging the UO community to bring by any sort of electronic waste they may have. And on Wednesday, we’ll have the actual bins, ready for whatever people drop off. The second event we’ll have involves our Transition Eugene campaign. This group will be giving out awesome basil starters for people to plant in their own gardens.”

The Climate Justice League is an active student group that, not

only participates in Earth Day, but continues to work towards a more environmentally sound world every other day of the year as well. The group consists of 25 consistent members who are trying to impact both the student body and the university’s long-term choices.

“If you want to be sustainable, you have to be honest with yourself and think about your values. Ask yourself, what kind of life do I want to live?” Gleason said. “And sure, try to limit the resources that you use. Try to recycle and reuse more, or just reduce the amount you use. Those are all really important, but I think we also need to look at more institutional changes. We should want to organize into groups and try to get policies passed that will actually make that big change towards a more sustainable environment. We need to stop thinking as consumers, and more as citizens.”

Gleason plans to continue her work with the Climate Justice League next year, but may pass her title as Co-Director to another group member. If you’d like to get involved in this student organization, drop by their next meeting that are held on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in Anstett 191.

The Earth Depends on Us

UOiSA // 2013-14

By Negina Pirzad

Spring // Issue 5

16

Win this for Freeand 2 iNight Tickets

Like International Week & Night Facebook Page for a chance to win the iParty Package.

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CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS

UOiSA // 2013-14

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CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATIONSiWeek

iMonday iTuesday iWednesdayInflatables Game

11AM-3PMGerlinger Lawn

DJ+Dance Competition10AM-3PM

EMU Amphitheater

Sushi Night6PM-9PM

Carson Central Kitchen

5/5 5/6 5/7

DJ Competition II10AM-3PM

EMU Amphitheater

Root Beer Garden12PM-2PM

EMU Amphitheater

iNight6PM-10PM

EMU Ballroom

Salad Roll Workshop5PM-7PM

Bean Kitchen

Salsa Dancing7PM-9PM

EMU Fishbowl

UOiSA // 2013-14

17

Spring // Issue 5

18

CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NATIONS Calendar

iWednesday iThursday iFriday5/7 5/8 5/9

Salad Roll Workshop5PM-7PM

Bean Kitchen

Salsa Dancing7PM-9PM

EMU Fishbowl

Red Water Balloon Fight12PM-2PM

Gerlinger Lawn

Game Night5PM-7PM

EMU Fishbowl

Bubble Tea Outdoor Coffee Hour

4PM-6PMEMU Amphitheater

Spring // Issue 5

18

UOiSA // 2013-14