Preview

NINTH ISSUE MARCH 2012 [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]

Welcome to the ninth issue of MOSAIC! We hope everyone feels refreshed from a long study break! Last term was definitely a busy and exciting nine weeks! With the school moving campus to Blockhouse Bay, International Day, Year 13s applying to an assortment of universities, various competitions and club activities, it is no surprise that Term Two felt

Editorial

- Reflection on Debussy Sarabande

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- Interview about

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finished before it even began. :::::: about Model Life Drawing (along This is our first issue of MOSAIC with some corresponding work at the new AIC campus, and we from our art students). :::::::::::::::: The MOSAIC team hopes everyhope everyone enjoys reading the high quality articles and loves our one will take pleasure in reading new school in Blockhouse Bay. this issue at our new campus Some of the highlights in this issue don't forget to watch this space as include an article from Ralph Wu, we report back on students' iman AIC alumnus who is currently pressions of the new AIC site in studying at Oxford University, and the next issue! an interview with Jiawen Lam Young Yang Lu, Ann Li and Aimee Dai

AIC in Retrospect: Thoughts from Alumnus Ralph Wu

Model Life Drawing - IB Apple

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- Spirit of Adventure - The Perfect

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Replacement for Year 12 Camp - Silhouette/背影

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- Girls in Science

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2011 - Piano Teacher - Reflection of a

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real experience in the Arab Spring - Friends vs.

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Finance - Memories/回忆

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- Pokémon— Friend or Foe?

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- AIC 2012 Talent 1 2 Show 13 - Year 11 Camp 2012 - Quotes from Students

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- Games and Puzzles

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I was a student at AIC in the class of 2011, part of the 6th graduating class in its history. I’m at Oxford now, reading law, and I’m having a blast here. It’s been nearly a month and the courseload has become very intense, but I still find time to involve myself in extra-curricular activities. To name the more quintessentially Oxonian pastimes I’ve enjoyed: I’ve rowed down the River Thames, and I’ve also become a member of the Oxford Union, the debating society that has hosted speakers like Albert Einstein, Richard Nixon and Michael Jackson. My time at Oxford in still in its infancy so I’m able to keep this fairly brief, but the offerings here are just unending. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : I’m enjoying myself at Oxford, but every now and then, I still muse over my fond recollections of life at AIC. It’s something that may seem alien to you at this point, amidst the toils and travails of TOK, EE, and other major subject assessments, but it’s also something you can only appreciate in hindsight. For me, the defining moment of AIC came and passed very early on in an assembly held at the Tabernacle. It’s likely that the content of this assembly is recycled through for every incoming class, as it essentially outlined the de facto philosophy of AIC, but in case it isn’t, a little synopsis: when Ms. Solomon polled the audience (the AIC student body) about why they chose AIC, the overwhelming response was that students were enticed by the prestigious university destinations that AIC could offer. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: As someone who has lived through the AIC experience, I can say without hesitation that this confident sense of aspiration, purpose and direction is commendable, especially in young people, and is fully achievable when complemented by the same vigor in work ethic. Every graduating class of AIC has been a mixed bag: while some are immensely pleased with the direction they have maneuvered their life into, others wallow in disappointment. What’s important to realize is that while there are always upsets, outliers and anomalies, for the most part, university results and destinations reflect the effort you have put into your formative years as a student at AIC. In the end, AIC is only a springboard. It’s probably the best springboard of its type in New Zealand, but the onus is on you to jump and to propel yourself to new heights. To this extent, I will offer some concrete advice:  Grades are important, but some grades are more important than others. Learn which terms contribute to your transcript. In my time at AIC, even-numbered terms were most important, so I put additional effort into my studies during those terms.

Acknowledgments Chief Editors Young Yang Lu Aimee Dai

Design and Layout Editor Ann Li

Supervisor Mr. E. McConkey

Editors

Contributors

Lee Li Linda Liu Mio Harada So Yeon (Lizzie) Choi Seo Yeon (Isabella) Choi Thien Thanh Nguyen Xavier Manetto Wenzhu Chen

Aimee Dai Ann Li Angela Shi Clare Ling Daisy Yu Jiawen Lam Julie Jung Julie Joo Ralph Wu

So Yeon (Lizzie) Choi Sunny Liu Thien Thanh Nguyen Xiang (Jessy) Li Xuan Truong Trinh Young Yang Lu

Art Editor Yinyin Ye

Artwork/Photos Jiacheng (Justin) Luo Julie Jung Jungmin Park Keisuke Iyori Mr. Silver Sophie Gabrielle Faber Sunhong Min Yishan Han Yumeng (Melody) Cao

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(continued on page 2) Continued from page 1)  Standardized testing is not, contrary to claims by testing authorities, a measure of innate intelligence, but a test that is highly dependent on preparation. Unless you have considerable problems with the vocabulary, the SAT is really a test of procedure, not content, and you must relinquish multiple 4-hour slots (however long it takes) to undergo accurate simulations of the real exam. As a result, it is probably only practical to do significant preparation during breaks. Obtain the official blue books/past exam papers, complete the practice questions, complete the mock exams/past exams under test conditions, and make sure you completely understand the rationale for the correct answer for every question you get wrong.  Teacher recommendation letters are a significant point of consideration for admission officers, as they divulge your character from an ostensibly objective, third-party witness. This can be frustrating because if you want to ace this criterion, you should have made a long-term investment in maintaining good relations with teachers right from your first day at school. Contribute to class discussions, complete assignments to the best of your ability, and show improvement in tests, if not for your ‘civic duty’ as a student, then at least for the sake of recommendation letters.  Extra-curricular activities are important. Admission officers are looking for depth, not breadth. Showcase the extent of your contribution not with titles and ranks, but with descriptions of what was achieved, especially if anything was achieved under your leadership. Awards, prizes and recognition from prominent objective authorities are impressive; “title-whoring” is not. A list of disparate clubs that you are all President of will induce eye rolls, especially if the only things these clubs did was the occasional fundraiser.  Personal essays are the wildcard that can tip the balance in your favor. You must mull over your essays and constantly revise them over a period of months, preferably at least two. This applies even if you are not prone to making technical errors, because in this exercise, hindsight is so essential, and hindsight can only surface when an appropriate time has elapsed. Also, because there can be an enormous difference in how you perceive your own essay and how an admissions officer perceives it, it is essential to seek opinions from others. The most important opinions are not those that are most rational, thoughtful, or learned, but those that are most similar to the admissions officers’. Because it’s impossible to determine what these are, it’s best to cover all bases by consulting a diversity of opinion.

Reflection on Debussy Sarabande “Pour le Piano” That night she flew down from the sky, her robe and sash like lilac flames dancing around a motionless body floating through the air, not needing support. With a soft landing on the slightly damp yet firm ground, she breathed in the cool breeze that rustled through the trees and sent a wave through the still sleepy grass. As the breeze died, the cicada choir merged into a serene silence that fell onto the landscape. Chirp… Chirp… She felt the tranquility anchor her to the ground, dark green under the spilt moonlight. Lying down, she closed her eyes, enjoying the moisture in the grass after a day of summer sun. She opened her eyes to a glimmering ceiling, each star occasionally twinkling as if trying to catch her attention. In heaven, stars were the dust scattered on a glass floor. Now, in the middle of nowhere, even the corners of her eyes were filled with a glitter of stars, flickering, twirling, winking at her. As the wind travelled past her, she shivered, excitement beginning to build inside her. The starlight intensified, filling her sight… and suddenly she saw it. One, two, three, sparks tracing a glowing line across the navy canvas and the moment was gone. Out of the glitter, one star attracted her attention. Although a feeble glow, its light, so round and perfect in shape, gave it defined individuality. She stared at the adorable radiance, almost a toddler star fighting for its own right among the glimmer. She guessed she knew who was carrying that lamp. As her eyes watered and blinked, the starlight diverted into four thin streaks of light, increasing in size as she slowly closed her eyes. Darkness. This seemed perfect. The cicadas were still chirping, breeze still weaving itself through leaves and branches, stars

Yishan Han

still smiling. This was heaven. She longed to stay, to see the sky in its daylight mood, the birds awake from their heavy slumber, a bee hover around, chancing upon a fresh wild flower. She prayed they had forgotten her… one star from the glitter painted image… only one… … but they were beckoning her already, and soon she felt the ground lose its firmness. The lilac flames are still dancing, she is floating away, each breeze lighter and lighter until not even her specter remains… Tranquility settles on the surroundings once more. Dawn is breaking. Young Yang Lu

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Model Life Drawing— Interview with art student Jiawen Lam

Jiacheng (Justin) Luo

Jiacheng (Justin) Luo

How often do you guys do model life drawing and how many times have you guys done it? We’ve done model life drawing around 4 to 5 times this term, but the minimum number of sessions you have to go to is 2 lessons in total. Each session was from 4 to 7pm after school. What media of art do you use for model life drawing? Most of us did sketching but basically it’s up to the individual what media of art you use. So, for example, I used paint for some of my work but any media is pretty much fine. What makes model life drawing different from other forms of art you draw in class? With the model, because she moves around a bit, you have to adjust yourself to how she might move. If you are drawing a still pose for example, she might move a fraction and it can be really annoying. So you have to be more patient than usual, and redraw her if she moves in any way. And also, for the last few lessons, Miss March made her walk around the function room, so we had to draw her really quickly to get her in the right position for our work. It tests how well we draw in different environments because the object you’re drawing is always changing, and it also gives us a chance to increase our speed when we draw. Also, if you’re doing a long pose, it’s really important to get the shading right soon because the model only stays still for a maximum of 20 minutes at any time.

Sunhong Min

Have you guys ever done model life drawing before? How was this time different from the other times? The previous art teacher (Ms Anna) made us do life drawing last year. We had to draw a man except he wasn’t naked; he was wearing clothes so it was less awkward for us. He stayed in poses for about 15 minutes to help us start off drawing. The only difference was that this time we had to draw a woman instead of a man and the woman stayed still for slightly longer periods of time. Overall was this experience rewarding? Did you learn any new skills? It was hard to get over the fact that we had to draw a naked woman, so I had to see her as an object and not as a human. We learnt how to manage our time so that we finished a drawing in the short time periods when the model stayed still. The growing time restraint (the time the model stayed in pose grew shorter and shorter) made us work faster to make our drawings more realistic than previous ones. We also learnt how to do better shading and sketching, so we produced good drawings more efficiently. We also had to do blind drawing for five to ten minutes. The idea is that you can only look at the model and not your piece of paper when you draw. It was difficult, but in end, I got the idea and didn’t have to look at the piece of paper to draw.

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IB Apple He is sitting there, on the window sill, looking out at the park underneath. Rain is falling slowly, like snow. It’s been a tiring day, back to school, spun by the stress, confused by the question: “Life is so meaningless sometimes, don’t you think?” Is it what we gain after all these times studying abroad? It’s like an apple, which looks sweet, promising red of success, but tastes sour. However, he has learnt how to seek for the sweetness in that sourness. Pitiful. He closes his eyes to be engulfed in the scent of memories.

It was the apple that saw him meeting her for the first time, saw his first portrait drawn by an unknown friend, saw his goodbye to his close friends “Sorry, I will take another path.” He is biting into the last pieces of the apple, now he doesn’t feel sour nor sweet. He feels cold. Curious, but also worried: “Will these seeds grow?” Yeah, they will. Dancing Flame (Xuan Truong Trinh)

Spirit of Adventure

Day 1. Departed from Princess Wharf Sailed to Musick Point Distance covered 22.5 nm I got up very early in the morning, all excited about the trip. When I got to the Wharf it was about 9.30am. It was raining very hard on that day and as I got onto the ship and the Leading-hands guided me and my mum to the accommodation area. I said good bye to my mum and she left as soon as she had handed my carrier to me. The girl leading-hand was Ashleigh; she was from Avondale College and was called Carrot because she was allergic to carrots. Well, Carrot told me to unpack everything from my bag and my carrier and put it into the little numbered drawer. It was impossible to fit everything in that tiny drawer so I put my toilet gear on the shelf in the bathroom and I tried hard to squeeze everything into the same as my drawer number. While I was unpacking my stuff, I met a girl who had her drawer just next to me. Her name was Shelley and she was from Piha. We talked about how we felt about being on this ship and how difficult it was to fit things in the drawer. We talked along for quite a while and we got to know each other well and we became close. When we

had finished unpacking, we chucked our bags and carries out and we went to the Galley (kitchen) to meet people!! There were quite a number of people in the galley who were meeting new people, playing guitars, introducing each other. As soon as Shelley and I reached the galley, everyone stopped what they were doing and said ‘Hi’ to us. They asked us where we lived, how old we were, what school we went to. We had a chat for a long time and I made many friends in just few hours. It was very surprising to see everyone was so outgoing and very excited. When everyone was on the ship, the crew came down to the galley to introduce themselves and to tell us what we were going to do for the day. First our cook Freeda talked about the safety rules in the Galley and cleaning the steps of the galley. After that, Captain Laurie and the first and second mates Luke and Dee welcomed us and talked generally about the plans for the day. After this, we had lunch. By that time I started feeling seasick even though we were still in the wharf and not moved a single millimeter. Every trainee was allocated to a Watch (group). Our watch was called Port B. (We had port A and B, and starboard A and B). There were eight people in each watch because there were about 32 of us. After lunch, we left the wharf and when we were moving, we got into our watch groups and learned about some rope work and had a quick safety tour around the ship. I found it very boring just going around the ship and making strange knots. The watch leader (Sheila, who was also called Grandma) told us that it was very important and that we would get used to doing the rope work but I was wondering why and I found it very boring. On our watches we had to have sail stations that we were in charge of every day. On the first day, our watch was in the Mizzen where we had to take responsibility for the galley and the mizzen sails. We helped Freeda prepare Dinner and we had to serve the food, clean the galley and sterilize all the dishes and cutlery after dinner. It took very long to do this job. It was already dark when we came up on the deck after the cleaning. Julie Jung

Our 1922 Taupata plants!

Sprawling beaches, a sun swept coast, the unbroken melody of birdsong. Quite unlike our urban home, here the trees clearly dominated - a tide of shifting, rustling green as far as the eye could see...and outlined on the horizon, a lone tractor picking its way down the rocky path. Aboard, eight grinning volunteers, who you never would have guessed had just completed three days of strenuous nursery work, were on their way back from one of the most exhilarating experiences of their academic year. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Over the short span of three days on Motuihe Island, we were given the mission to prick out Taupata seedlings from their original trays and replant them into larger trays in which they would stay until autumn. The job included assembling the new trays, filling them to the brim with soil, digging a hole in the soil and meticulously putting a tiny seedling in before covering its roots with soil. This process we repeated for three days while listening to a variety of music in different languages and talking relentlessly about whatever crossed our minds, making time pass a lot faster and the work seem genuinely amusing. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: After working for a few hours, we had all worked out how to work most efficiently whether we were planting, carrying the plants or filling the trays with soil. Our division of labour worked very effectively as everyone got to do what they enjoyed working on (or at least were very deft at) and we managed to clear tray after tray of seedlings. There was always one person working on separating the plants from their old containers, 4 - 5 people working on planting and two working on filling trays with soil and carrying the plants. It was really important to work as a team and, as a result, we surely did feel the elation of contributing to the restoration of Motuihe at the end of the three days. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Although working in the nursery was supposedly the most important aspect of our trip, these past days also required us to feed ourselves, to cope with the possibility there would only be a cold shower if there was insufficient sunshine and, perhaps most dauntingly, to overcome the squeamish fears of spiders and an assortment of other bugs crawling all over our residence. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: BUT don’t let this put you off. In our free time after work, which we had plenty of since we got to plan our whole timetable, we incorporated a lot of entertainment too, one of the best being the prospect of having a chance to hear and

see one of NZ’s most beloved birds - the flightless kiwi. We set off one evening with all the determination and enthusiasm in the world, confident that we would be able to find what we were looking for. Despite stopping numerous times to take pictures of the stunning sunset and getting confused as to where we were on the map, we managed to get to the kiwi spotting place just as darkness fell. We sat there hopeful, occasionally hearing screeches while whispering excitedly to each other “Was that a kiwi?!” After one too many pukeko shrieks, a bright bell-like sound echoed over the island - the call of a male kiwi bird. Spirits lifted, we pricked up our ears for what would hopefully lead to a sighting. ….. . . . . …………………………………. To be honest, we were probably trying our luck. At 9pm (we had set off at around 6.45pm), we gave in to the cold. But through sheer determination, we had braved the elements for over two hours, and we were all positively shivering. We were happy to have at least heard the screech of a Kiwi in real life and, of course, to be back in the house with a mug of hot chocolate. All in all, it was a serene finish to a productive day. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Adding to the excitement was the assortment of card games that we played over the three days. After dinner was the period of 'chillaxing' between then and bed when we would develop our learning skills with the addition of mahjong to our arsenal of card games. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: By this point, you’re probably thinking about contacting someone to find out when the next trip is available. So, to satisfy your curiosity, there will be opportunities to go during the holidays and all you need to do is get into a group of eight students of the same gender and find a parent or teacher who can be the adult supervisor, and then email one of the Environmental Concerns Club leaders, Ann Li, Young Yang Lu or Wenzhu Chen. However, if you still feel hesitant, these words from the participants of this trip will definitely make you want to go: “It was one of my greatest experiences because we got to see New Zealand's beautiful scenery, sunrise, sunset, and, best of all, we had the chance to see a wild Kiwi”; “...and things don't always go to plan... we definitely didn't stick to our plan of planting 1000 saplings - we almost doubled it by planting 1922 saplings over the three days!” Young Yang Lu, Aimee Dai and Ann Li

Beachside House—Yinyin Ye

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The Perfect Replacement for a Non-existent Year 12 Camp

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Silhouette

cooking, the sweater grandma had made for me, and the endless snow covering the white plain. When I travelled by plane alone for the first time, my mum couldn’t come along with me. I tried to keep the tears in my eyes, not let them fall onto my cheeks. By the time I turned round to see her silhouette, she had already disappeared. My tears dropped and my back bent. From then on I learned to be brave, so I wiped away the tears and continued walking towards the flight. Those silhouettes are fixed in my mind because they have taught me so much as I have grown up.

背影

Indian Ink Landscape Painting—Yinyin Ye

When I was young, the silhouette was the pain in my heart. As a child who was brought up at my grandmother place, I always expected my mum to pick me up from grandmother’s house. Mum was so busy with her work that she could only leave me at my grandma’s. My only wish back then was to see my mum waiting at the school gate when school finished, just as other parents did. However, reality differed from the fairy tale I admired. The only thing I could remember was her silhouette when she rushed around working or when she visited me for short periods of time. Sometimes I even thought that the honorable gloss behind the silhouette was a stranger to me. Sometimes the silhouette made me powerless, weak and pained. Therefore, seeing my mum’s back was distressing for me. I hated turning my back on anyone. Later, the silhouette became unforgettable. I was a girl who knew nothing about “love” back in junior middle school. The world of “love” was a wonderland which I had never been to. I made a huge effort searching for love and, finally, I felt I was in “love”. I would save a seat for him at lunch time and watch him play basketball in my free time. I would buy him a bottle of water when I saw him covered in sweat from exercising, and a warm feeling would rise in my heart. I felt I was chasing him as well as moving forward. Later, he went abroad to further his studies so the “love” ended dramatically, leaving only a silhouette which couldn’t be deleted from my mind. After I grew up, the silhouette became a lesson As my teenage years faded away, I gradually became tired of obeying the rules. I was frequently late or absent from school and therefore was often asked to stay standing for a whole period. Since I received this punishment so often, I never really cared much. Consequently, my teacher had no ways of dealing with me. One day he took me outside the classroom and talked to me. I thought I knew what he intended to say so I didn’t even look at him. But far from my expectations, he said, “Go back because the only person who can change you is yourself”. Then he simply left. As I watched his silhouette I felt a kind of unreasonable sorrow. Suddenly I understood his teaching. Now, the silhouette is courage. When I stepped out of my country I realised nothing could replace the happiness which my motherland brings me. Being alone overseas, I would suddenly think of mum’s

小时候，背影对我来说是一种痛心。 在奶奶家长大的我，每周都渴望着母亲来接我回家。 因为母亲由于公务而太忙碌，所以把我放在奶奶家照顾。 那时侯，我只有一个愿望。那就是我希望有一天，我也可 以像其他小朋友一样，每天放学都可以看见母亲在学校 门口等着我。但是，现实和童话是不一样的。我唯一的记 忆就是母亲忙来忙去 或者来看望我的背影。有的时候我 会觉得那背影光鲜亮丽，让我觉得陌生。有的时候，我会 觉得那背影仓桑无力，让我觉得心疼。所以那时侯看见妈 妈的背影是痛苦的。甚至我都讨厌背对着任何人。

In Memory of… - Yishan Han

后来，背影对我来说是念念不忘的。 记得初中的时候，还处在懵懂的时期。对着恋爱有着 不同于世俗的见解。觉得那是没看见过没有尝试的世界。 于是踮起脚尖拼了命的张望，想要尝试那种感觉。于是， 我自以为是的“恋爱”了 。我喜欢一个男孩子，吃午饭的 时候会特意给他留着位置，休息的时候会站在窗边看他 打篮球，看见他满头大汗会偷偷地买水放在他的教室里。 那时侯看见他打篮球跑步的背影会有种幸福的感觉。感 觉自己在追逐他的脚步向前。后来，他出国留学了。于是 这段所谓的恋爱也就随之结束了。但是，在我脑海里，他 的健步和背影一直挥之不去。 长大后，背影对我来说是严肃与教训。 随着青春流逝，我也一点一点的长大到了青春叛逆的 日子。高中经常迟到不上课。于是总是被老师罚站。不过

“海归”的意思。于是我的妈妈就决定让我也去尝试一下。 出了国，才明白家乡的味道那里都代替不了。自己一个人 在异国家乡，会突然想念母亲做的饭菜。会突然想念奶奶 冬天给我织的毛衣。会想念那遍山遍野的大雪。看见中文 课上所讲的乡愁更加感慨万分。第一次自己一个人作飞机 的时候，母亲不能和我一起进海关，于是我忍着眼泪，走 了很远，情不自禁的回头时，母亲已经转身走了。看见她 的背影时，我忍住的眼泪掉了下来，那么坚挺的后背也弯 了下去。于是我变的勇敢，擦干眼泪，掉头走了进去。 那些背影，我都铭记于心。因为它们教了我太多的道 理。让我长大的道理。 Xiang (Jessy) Li

Girls in Science 2011 On Tuesday 22nd November, a group of girls set out from the AIC building to the University of Auckland, congratulating themselves on temporarily escaping a Science test, or just getting a day off school. They arrived at the University and were temporarily horrified that many of the girls attending the Girls In Science Day were wearing mufti, while they themselves were in uniform, however, they soon comforted themselves as an decent amount of girls were also wearing their uniforms. The Girls in Science Day was held by the University of Auckland to encourage girls to consider and take up science as a career. Students from many schools attended this open day, even from places as far afield as Whangarei. There were two speeches from women who were successful in their science career, and many fun activities and workshops involving Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Physics, and Maths, to name but a few. However, the highlight of the day had to be the Amazing Race: UoA Edition. Despite the somewhat peculiar name, the activity was extremely fun, especially with Mrs Foley being such a good runner for the whole race (even with the weird looks from some uni students as she charged past them in the underpass underneath Symonds Street). At the end, AIC finished approximately fifth out of all the schools that attended. The eight girls went back to school with a new perspective on Science, and they would like to thank to Mrs Foley for organizing this amazing event. Angela Shi

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就算是被老师教训也一点都不在乎。因为惩罚这种东西是 我再熟悉不过的事情了。就这样，一而再，再而三的屡教 不改。老师也拿我不是办法。终于有一次，老师把我叫出 去谈话，我预知到自己接下来一定逃不出被惩罚的魔掌， 于是还是一副置之不理的态度。可是谈完后，老师却说： “回去吧。只有你自己能改变你自己。”于是就走了。我 看着他的背影却有一种说不出的心酸。突然间，我懂得了 他给予的教训。 现在，背影对我来说是勇气。 中国现在特别流行一个词语叫做海龟，当然是谐音

Piano Teacher My first piano teacher: A smiling lady in black, Long fingers and soft smiles. A strict teacher. I was but seven, and so young, Little fingers plonking across keys, and giggling as sounds turned to music. And my first certificate. Aged nine, I practiced hard. More certificates, and even a trophy. She congratulated me softly. My second piano teacher: a smiling lady in beige and pink, Long fingers with veins and spots. Weathered with age, but still smiling. She was very nice. I was but eleven, and so young, Dragging my fingers across keys, Wishing that the noise would turn to music, So I could get another piece of nice paper. Aged twelve, I practiced. Sometimes when I had to. She smiled with disappointment. Sometimes, I am regretful, And will repent, and clear the dust off my piano's covers. But the keys would not sing for me, As they did in the past. So, I do not disturb their silence. Sunny Liu

Chalk drawing—Yinyin Ye

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Reflection of a real experience in the Arab Spring

Bubbleception—Sophie Gabrielle Faber

Trust me, one day, this will all be worth it. One day, those scribbles on the poster will all make sense. One day, that quizzical expression will be cleared. This is for you, little girl. Corn ears of the future, you are the generation that will overcome defeat. To an oblivious onlooker, today could have been a celebration or even some sort of festivity. The remnants of bright balloons littered the dying grass and multi-coloured tents were pitched on any available corner of ground left. Indeed, the atmosphere was as upbeat as a party. Maybe, 1

Abaya—Traditional Arab women clothing Thobe—Traditional Arab men clothing 3 Abi—Father (Arabic)

Dimensions of Christchurch —Yumeng (Melogy) Cao

“Arab children, Corn ears of the future, You will break our chains. Kill the opium in our heads, Kill the illusions… You are the generation that will overcome defeat.” - Nizar Qabbani Reverberating from the sea of red and white were the resonating chants, raucous laughter and thundering footsteps. Despite this, my ears focussed at the tiny squeaky whimper behind me. Soon after, this was followed by a gentle tug on my abaya1. Could it have been a mouse? The thought of it made me turn around in a series of swift movements, ready to make my run. Standing in front of me was a mouse. Her miniature body looked like that of a mouse among all the tall statues of thobes2 and abayas. She squinted her intelligent eyes and gazed up at me as she curved her round right hand above her forehead, trying to block out the Bahraini sun. I could sense that my fast reflexes had been intimidating as she stared at me worriedly. Her little paw then proceeded to point in the direction of the red and white poster in front of me. She had lost her poster. As soon as I realised this, I picked it up and gave it a quick glance: “Justice, freedom and constitutional monarchy.” As I handed it over to her with a pat on her dark curls, I was rewarded with a shy and yet mischievous smile as she frolicked her way back to her abi3.

this was revelry. A celebration for change. A celebration for hope. A celebration for freedom. The Pearl Roundabout was host to the party. There was a continuous, indescribable reek hanging around. It smelled neither pleasant nor putrid. Rather, it seemed to be a mixture of the aroma of grilled fish from the kind-hearted Mr Mohammed, the buttery whiff from the nearby popcorn machine and something I could not make sense of.

Hints of the night soon started to dot the grey-blue skyline as less and less of the scorching sun was observed. Everyone’s energy levels were almost completely depleted: other than the occasional distant chant, the blaring screams and shouts had died into whispers and mumbles. Beside me, a cluster of black silhouettes engaged in what seemed like a serious conversation. Their voices crackled and their eyebrows scrunched as the deep discussion developed. I shuffled a little nearer and on closer inspection realised that they were munching away on the remaining popcorn. I still could not comprehend what they were talking about and I proceeded to plunge myself right in among them. Suddenly, a roar of laughter erupted from the mid-forties amaatis4. Having been totally concentrating on my eavesdropping, the waves of laughter broke me over. That was also when I finally realised that they were talking about the latest Alwatar film. I grinned to myself and it was at that moment that I recognised the familiarity in the surroundings. Popcorn. Gatherings. Films. It reminded me of our weekly trip to the Saar cinemas. However, this time, we knew much more about the actors. They were not pearl-skinned, blue-eyed Hollywood thespians that lived at least half a world away from us. However, like them, the smirks of these actors beamed down at us from the larger than life billboards at every turn and on every corner. A drive through Riffa would result in being blinded by their golden royal robes with their glued-on brocades towering over the cars and eternally waving at you. Or possibly, haunting you. Today, like any other weekend, I am here to watch the entertainment at The Pearl Roundabout. Well, what is the plot of the film? Simply to see how long these actors can hold onto their deceitful disguises to the world beyond us before every mask is ripped away. Trust me, one day; they can no longer lie to us. One day we, the majority, will finally be able to rise to equality with the minority. One day, dear amaatis, you will have the lives you deserve. You will kill the illusions; you are the generation that will overcome defeat. As darkness left its permanent mark and hunger pangs were resolved, its occupants started to resemble fatigued soldiers while some betrayed their exhaustion by nodding their heads. I joined the crowd, as remote as them and

2

4 Amaati—Aunt (Arabic)

Many people wonder whether loaning money to friends can damage friendships of not. Regarding this controversial issue, I believe that financial loans between friends can harm or damage the friendship. This is because a pursuit of money can make people disregard friendships and loans from friends are not considered seriously. Money can make some people selfish and greedy, so that even friendship can seem meaningless to them. This results from the fact that some people believe “money talks.” The main reason that friends should not borrow money from each other is if the money is not paid back in time, the lenders become furious, and regardless of their friendship, they hold grudges against the borrowers. For instance, countless numbers of court cases deal with

Jungmin Park

hostile friends fighting over unpaid money. Lenders usually file lawsuits against their friends who do not pay them back. Borrowers feel extremely betrayed and hurt by their friends who seem to value money over their friendships. Therefore, to prevent this situation, friends should not borrow money from each other. Loans from friends are not taken seriously. These is because a relationship based on fondness and kindness often makes borrowers take any loans for granted and take little care for punctuality in repayment. At the same time, since the loan is not formal and businesslike, the lenders have difficulty asking for repayment, For an example, my cousin lent one of her friends quite a lot of money without any hesitation, written agreement, or payment plan because she did not want to cloud their friendly relationship. However when she really needed some money and asked her friend to pay her back, her friend was furious with her for asking and she did not get the money back. Therefore, until now whenever she sees her friend, she feels bitter and doubts her friend’s trustworthiness. Hence, I strongly believe that financial transactions between friends can damage relationships. The pursuit of money can make people become blind with greed, and friends often delay in paying back the money since they do not take it seriously. Consequently, I believe that the best way to solve this problem is by following the saying, “he that lends, gives.” Lizzie Choi

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Friends vs. Finance

Dream—Yumeng (Melody) Cao

wrapped in my own thoughts. Unexpectedly, it finally struck me. I breathed in deeper. I had found the last key to the odd combination of smells. It came neither from the faded perfumes nor the stale sweat. It was far more overpowering and even though it had faded to almost odourlessness, it burned every hair in my nostril and caused my head to throb with pain. For some reason, it even smelled like sweet pepper. The thought of the smell even existing, killed me inside. My memory was refreshed and despite the stillness around me, I had an urge to spring up from the dots of black and white and yelled the loudest I could. I wanted my scream to pierce the air so that someone would hear me, so that maybe Allah would even hear me. I needed someone to put a stop to this lunacy. How could it be possible that merely three or four days ago, the blood of our brothers and sisters had stained the sidewalks? And who had spilled it? Our other siblings. Unwarily, I felt tears forming an opaque screen over my eyes. Was it my emotions or just my reaction to that burning tear gas? Totally consumed by my raging thoughts, I had not noticed that The Pearl Roundabout had now turned into a landscape of glowing specks as enchanting as a million fireflies in a glass jar. Sitting beside me, on the edge of the roundabout, was a young man with that typical Mohawk that added at least two inches to his height. Clothed in a tight purple T-shirt and black skinny jeans that were at most half his size, he passed me a squat white candle. Suddenly, I became aware that every single person around had a similar candle cradled carefully in their palms. Gradually, the low hum of a prayer could be heard. The waves of the prayer broke over me, cleansing my mind of bitterness and resentment. I joined this wave of murmur. No, none of us could hear what each other was saying or praying but it was clear enough. We were thanking them. They had exchanged their lives for what we all deserved. They were warriors. Unfortunately, I now know what freedom tastes like. Liberty smells like tear gas and feels like bullets. Thank you, my brothers and sisters. We will not let you down. Trust me, your efforts have not been wasted as we are here to continue your legacy. You have broken our chains; we are the generation that will overcome defeat. From the opposite side of the roundabout, the familiar distant cry was heard. “Death to the Al Khalifa!” Clare Ling

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Memories Memories Tangled by time That make me spin around And fill me with fatigue So that I loosen my grasp On the past. On the journey to adulthood, We often encounter Separation and unification And subconsciously, the memories fade, Even those strong feelings Of love and hate. I once believed that growing up would bring change, Yet it only took away those previously True promises, Leaving behind an empty city. Some who come will eventually leave. But to the once youthful heart, do you still toss and turn for someone during the night? No one will wait upon you forever So why does wrong or right matter? Don’t carry your wounds in search Of sympathy. Learn to tolerate And you shall be relieved. Youth was meant to be vibrant, Celebrating life and fighting for one’s dream. Just like they said, Reality is but the intention of fantasy. So success or failure, In the end I only hope, That years and years from now, I will reminisce about this journey, With a smile.

Bubble Odette—Sophie Gabrielle Faber

回忆 回忆 被时间打乱 于是我也跟着旋转 终于累到停了下来 不再抓着过去不放开 成长的旅途中 我们不断地经历着离合 不经意间就遗忘了很多 包括那些 爱恨情仇 曾以为长大了就会不同 然而岁月最终夺走了那些海誓山盟 留下了一座空城 有些人来了又还最终还是远走 可年轻的心你还在为谁辗转反侧 没有谁会永远为你守候 何必去追究谁对谁错 别再捧着你的伤到处找人诉说 学会宽容才是最大的解脱 年轻本应该朝气蓬勃 为生命喝彩为梦想拼搏 正如他们所说 现实才是梦想的初衷 不管最终成功与否 我只祈求 在年过古稀的时候 忆起这段征程 可以面带笑容

Memoirs of a Dead, Glass Geisha —Sophie Gabrielle Faber

Daisy Yu

Picture this: It’s a clear, bright day, like it always has been and always will be. You head down the stairs, and in the twenty or so steps between your room and the ground floor you spontaneously decide it’s about time you paid a visit to the neighboring metropolis. There’s simply nothing to do in a small-scale town like yours. In fact, there are only about four houses in the whole district, not including that odd laboratory across the road. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Anyway, you pass your mom on your way out the door, bid her a brief farewell before donning your Running Shoes – Bicycles are prohibited indoors. Once outside, you let out an exasperated sigh at the sight that greets you: long, tangled growths that claw at your legs, almost lifelike. There’s no avoiding it. Grudgingly you trudge on, step after step into the knee-deep weed…::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: B A M ! You halt in your tracks. Dramatic music thrums in the background. A dragon – oh yes, a dragon – leaps forth from the unruly vegetation, making a single lunge. Orange skinned, round bellied with sprawling blue-membraned wings, a flaming flicker from his tail, two horns protrude from his skull. You swear you can see translucent smoke streaming from his nostrils too.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: So what now? You versus dragon?::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Run, hoping he doesn’t fancy running for his snack?:::::::: Scream, hoping those loitering randoms rush to your aid? Tackle, hoping your unexpected attack frightens him off? N o . Instead, like so many others before you, you reach into your back pocket and… throw a small, red-and-white ball at him, hoping for nothing else other than to add this guy to your collection. Residents from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and more recently Unova, will have figured from the beginning of this lengthy introduction, what exactly this article is talking about. And these veteran trainers will also be tsk tsking at the impracticality of the above situation: Of course, all that tedious tall grass could never hide something as epic as the rare final evolution of a starter pokemon, like Charizard. Even the most study-orientated, gaming-oblivious of us will have realized by now the focus of this piece (considering it was just mentioned in the previous sentence)…::::::::::::::::::: Where else can you find things from martial arts legends like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, to elementally charged animals, to learning Spanish? Well…:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Welcome to the world of Pokemon!::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: At this point you may sigh and roll your eyes at this immaturity, but admit it; you can never outgrow this classic. True, you may never watch those cheesy Gotta Catch ‘Em All videos again, nor will you whoop in excitement at that satisfying click of a successful capture. But every time you catch the word “Pikachu” from across the room, there’s always that flash of nostalgic bliss, an instant time warp to the era before IOC’s, ToK, EE’s, lab reports… before I.B. And this is coming from someone who’s spent less than a year in this course.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::: However, upon the commencement even of the PreIB course, many are forced to forfeit simple luxuries like the T.V., computer, Playstation, and, perhaps very notably, sleep. So, where does Pokemon fit into this equation? Most likely among the forfeited luxuries. But not for me.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It’s exam time: papers are flying, minds are being racked, pens are spinning. Books piled sky high, rushing home past the dinner table and it’s tantalizing contents, straight up to your room. And the latch clicks closed. At this point, the apparent ritual seems to be to take out a refill pad and some textbooks and get to work if you want that elusive 6 or 7. I oblige. Ten minutes in, and still the only noise is the scritch scratch of charcoal rasping on paper. Fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, the practice is sustained. Half an hour. My resolve cracks and my gaze wanders over the desk for anything, anything at all that will break this unbearably heavy air of concentration. It’s almost reminiscent of the exam atmosphere. What lies over in the corner of my desk other than my trustworthy Nintendo? Dual-screen, white cased, perfect. Even a little touch screen stylus that resembles a pen. Maybe with enough practice here I’ll write faster?:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: As the circuits connect, the black screen illuminates with the trademark “ding” of the Nintendo DS. It’s been so long since I played this I don’t even know what game is in it, but anything will do now. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The blue PokeBall of Pokemon Diamond appears on the Selection.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Ha, I don’t even remember my pokemon team. It wouldn’t hurt to start a new game, right from the beginning. Besides, I have played this game before. Surely, with its vague repetitiveness I’ll be able to control myself and stop when necessary?::::::::::::::: :::::::::::::::::: Predictably, I’m wrong. Horribly wrong.:::::::::::::::::::: Five gym badges (to be very rough, basically a gym is a place where you fight a Gym Leader to assert your Poke-prowess), numerous evolutions and multiple captures later, not another word has been scrawled onto that refill pad. Hours have passed. Weights seem to form over my eyes; yawns punctuate every couple of breaths I make. It’s undeniable, sleep beckons and I am helpless to oppose it. If I were a tragic hero, a weakness for video games (and childhood-memory-triggering ones at that) would be my fatal flaw. The days after that, up to the completion of the Story Mode, I stay awake late into the night, almost zombie-like in the tapping of the A and B buttons. So what am I saying here? Don’t fall prey to the innocent, past-inducing appeal of Pokemon, especially at exam time. You may think the game is childish, that you’re too mature, that it can’t possibly captivate you like it used to. You never know. It’s simultaneously your best friend, as entertainment, and your worst enemy, as procrastination.:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I’ll admit, though, that it did relieve the stress weighing on my shoulders quite a bit. Every impossible math problem, every seemingly senseless poem could be reincarnated in the form of a low-level pokemon, easily thrashed by your far superior team, releasing frustration and satisfying that vindictive wish for revenge. Perhaps as a means of finding the right balance between not enough recreation and too much, Pokemon can act as some sort of third-rate stress therapy. And what about Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee? You’ve probably never noticed it, but they’re discreetly referenced in the names of Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Aimee Dai

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Pokémon—Friend or Foe?

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AIC 2012 Talent Show In the “General” category, performances included a series of vocal duets including “I Will Survive” and “Lucky.” With the hard-out beating speakers in combination with impressive voices and harmonies, the atmosphere inside the hall was driven to a new climax. The shift from pop songs to classical also gave the audience a chance to take a deep breath and travel back in time to experience another yet another genre of music. Aside from the engaging performances of the ‘James Bond Theme’ from the Orchestra and a baroque styled flute duet, this year’s Talent Show also saw the participation of ‘Musical Fusion” which, as the name suggests, is a combination of western and traditional Chinese instruments, thus giving the music a unique flavour.

Friday 3rd February 7:30 pm: the curtains are drawn, stage lights are on, music is turned up to full volume, there is a slight chatter in the audience as the AIC 2012 Talent Show is about to start. The atmosphere is tangibly tense, filled with the audience’s anticipation and the performers’ mixed emotions of exhilaration and anxiety. A wave of applause sounds as the music begins what is surely to be an exhibition of the array of talents among our students.

The night kicked off with a ballet solo, clearly foreshadowing the talent to come. Other highlights in this battle included an anime and cheerleading themed Japanese dance and, of course, a series of K-pop performances that bought cheers and applause from all in the audience. Aside from many Asian styled dances, it is also worth noting the jazz and hip-hop styled performance from “Superstep,” reflecting the international nature of our school.

During the short interval after the General performance, the amps were turned on and the drum kit was set up to prepare for the finale of the show: the Battle of the Bands. Each of the four bands brought a new energy level to the stage so that by the end of the show, every person on the mezzanine was jumping up and down to the beat to the music. This definitely bought a great end to the Talent Show: everyone was exhausted from the festive atmosphere but extremely joyous after having watched such a vibrant show.

No doubt the Talent Show was a great way to display the hidden skills so many of the AIC students have and to create a positive image of our school after moving to our new campus in Blockhouse Bay. Not only this, but the whole event raised over $1100 for the AIC World Vision club which will donate this money to help feed children in Third World countries.

Congratulations, once again, to the winners of this year’s Talent Show - the Japanese Dance Group, Superstep, Musical Fusion and the Addicts Band for their spectacular performances and hard work. Best of luck to all the participants for performing in the future! Young Yang Lu and Ann Li

Photographs taken by Keisuke Iyori

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Of course, the Talent Show would not have been possible without the help from the tech team, the backstage crew and the World Vision student leaders, whose work hidden behind the curtains deserves its own applause. Also, thank you to the World Vision adult supervisor Mr. Liu for his constant devotion and support in helping us arrange the whole event.

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Quotes from Year 11 Students “It seemed very easy when I looked at other people doing it, but I was wrong. Climbing the pole was easy, but standing on the top of the pole wasn’t. It was really high and everything looked small from that point.” - Hyun Bok (John) Lee “After the confidence course, the cabins were filled with peculiar smells from the muddy, atrocious feet.” -Henry Sun “I am really grateful to people who helped, rescued and encouraged me, especially the people I did not even know before.” -Jiayu (Jenny) Cao “The highlight of my stay at camp has to be the confidence course! I don’t know why people didn’t like it, I loved it!!! I’ve never had so much fun. :P” -Bisrat-Workneh Ayalew “Sitting in a small group, playing cards and talking was unforgettable. The simplest things in life are the greatest.” -Desiree Thomsen “The main highlight for me would have to be either the ‘high beam’ or the ‘Trapeze’. Both were equally daunting and scary at first but were also exhilarating and exciting once we were up there.” -Muryum Landi “Their outfits were shocking and very funny XD. I really liked the excited mood during the fashion show. Everyone was screaming and cheering for their team.” -Estelle Lee “The best part of this camp was the mud-slide. At first, I wasn’t going to do it because it seemed really scary for me. But I wanted a challenge, so I decided to go with my friends.” -Hazuna Kan “The food was very nice as well, especially the burgers and fish and chips. But it was really too short.” -Yang He “That was the first time I had been on a camp and I loved it. ^^” -Ngoc Phuong Thao Huynh “The most exciting part of the camp for me was the Pamper Pole. It was a really special experience not only because the top of the pole was the highest point in all activities, but also because it taught me to be brave.” -Alan Di “My camp highlight was the 8km Tramp we did on the third day. I know not everyone found it fun as I did, but for me it was a nice, relaxing tramp, and the weather was just gorgeous. And what better way to end it than the mud slide.” -Jung Hyeon Moon “My highlights of camp were the activities, especially the Pamper pole. That was a big challenge for me because I’m really afraid of heights and I had never tried it before.” -Thanh Tung Nguyen “Bang! Bulls eye! Wasn’t me though, it was the guy shooting next to me. My shot? Well let’s just say that I killed a few trees behind my target.” -Philip Kim

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Year 11 Camp 2012 “The best part for me was how it was a much-needed break and how everyone forgot about the massive pile of work we left behind.” -Andrew (In Duk) Jun “The part I most enjoyed was the fact we were together at all times. I got to know everyone in a different way, outside of the pressure of the academic environment. ” - Kelsey Lee

There were many moments on camp that I’m sure none of us Year 11s will forget for a long time, especially the night activities, namely the newspaper fashion show: the cute Disney princesses, the stylish bikinis … which all made sure that the students were entertained at night after the activities.

Year 11 2012 Camp was truly an amazing experience that we will not forget for a long time: the muddy confidence course, the high and shaky pamper pole, the long tramp, the smelly mud slide… all of which challenged us to step outside our comfort zone while being fun and enjoyable. Despite the occasional squeamishness, everyone gave the activities a good try and found the experience rewarding as they overcome their own fears. Camp was a rewarding experience for all us Year 11s: a fond memory to take with us once we get started on the IB programme. I would like to thank all the participants for making camp such an enjoyable experience, and all the teachers who attended the school camp and made this possible. Angela Shi

Camp also provided us with an opportunity to make friends, especially as many new students have joined our year. Because of camp, the new students have familiarized themselves with the existing students and bonded with one another. Photographs taken by Mr. Silver

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Games and Puzzles Julie Joo and Angela Shi

Impossible Cryptic Crossword #2 1

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Lateral Thinking Puzzle 7

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There are six eggs in the basket. Six people each take one of the eggs. How can it be that one egg is left in the basket?

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Magic Square 10

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Across 1. A new era can be difficult to understand (6) 4. The mood of “The Last Emperor” (6) 9. The old nag, it ran an awful race (5,8) 10. New Orleans is an Italian port (7) 11. Light material? (5) 12. It’s not a liability when established (5) 14. A secret store of sound money (5) 18. Vehicle picking up a quiet vagrant (5) 19. A looser form of spray (7) 21. House laws went haywire here (3,5,5) 22. Give what a fellow consumed (6) 23. Has faith in cartels (6)

Down 1. Month of dignity (6) 2. Rachel is drawn, strangely, to a naturalist (7,6) 3. Drain out at the lowest point (5) 5. Getting awfully irate about sappers being in Africa (7) 6. A girl makes a noise with musical instruments (5,8) 7. Change one’s mind concerning a period of self-denial (6) 8. Rebuilt a Roman house (5) 13. Take advantage of an heroic deed (7) 15. Doesn’t get terribly drunk (6) 16. Verrucas from upturned fodder (5) 17. Holds power in the group (6) 20. Quarrelsome sportsman (5) - Taken from the NZ Herald

Solutions for the Eighth Issue Impossible Cryptic Crossword #1

1. 2.

Lateral Thinking Puzzles The surgeon is the boy’s mother. It was daytime. Sudoku