Out and about

by KC Bosco

With the fall semester in full swing, there’s also plenty going outside the classroom with which to engage the gray matter, plus loads of ways to keep in shape and just chill out. When it comes to the arts, there’s never a dull moment. Here are the highlights of some upcoming events, places to go, and also what to do in Budapest this autumn. Remember, always have your student ID card with you as it saves some cash.

Lovers of live performances should head for the The Palace of Arts for classical music, opera, jazz, which also excels in fine arts. There are reductions for students who just need to present his/her student ID and be at the concert venue or event one hour before the commencement time. You can get more information by contacting The Palace of Arts: www.mupa.hu/eng or e-mail: info@mupa.hu.

On October 10th at Hole Club, the WAMP Sunday Art Market will be showcasing contemporary Hungarian design from jewelry to textiles and ceramics. This marks a great opportunity for students to buy truly Hungarian design stuff for very reasonable prices. You can window shop if you want, there’s no harm in that. For further information log-on to www.wamp.hu.

The Hungarian National Gallery at the Buda Palace has an impressive collection all the way from the medieval and renaissance stone carvings to 20^th century works. There is an exhibition currently going on there (until February 2011) entitled “The collection within The Collection”. It is about illustration and advertising design as shown in a collection of prints and drawings, which deals with print making and drawings associated with the art of printing in early 20^th century Hungary with works from famous artists like Mihaly Biro, Sandor Bortnyik, and Zsuzsa Beck.

If you are a movie fan, then get on board the movie train at Palace Cinemas. They have the latest films from Hollywood and the rest of the world. Most of the movies are translated into Hungarian but you can find the latest English movies at Mom Park on the Buda side and Westend City Center on the Pest side. There are discounts for students. Do not miss the controversial new movie about the founding of Facebook called “The social network”. So, get your cold drinks and popcorn ready, it is going to be a long ride. For information regarding the latest movies log-on to www.palacecinemas.hu/eng.

There’s a great variety of recreation for students available in Budapest, especially at weekends. Skateboarding, roller-skating, playing tennis, football and bowling are just for starters. There’s are nice bowling alleys at the Mammut Plaza on the 2nd floor; and the Strike Bowling Club at Budafoki ut 111-113. One can also carefully skateboard at the picturesque Heroes Square and around the City Park, or go to Gorzenal: at III Arpad fejedelem utca 46. Tennis lovers can choose from countless good quality tennis courts in Budapest, while the game can be played all through the year. In the summer a court can cost just HUF 2000 to rent per hour, while in the winter it is somewhat more expensive.

Szabó Ervin Könyvtár

by Chaili Beite

Can’t concentrate at home? Is your roommate too noisy? Do you need books for further reference? These are some of the problems that college students encounter when they try to work at home. It may seem difficult to find a library that is: near the college campus; rich in resource books in Hungarian, English and other languages; and one where you can also study for free. The Szabó Ervin Könyvtár, which is Budapest’s central and largest library, more than satisfies all these requirements, plus it’s a stunning setting that’s rich in history and a real architectural beauty.  

The Szabó Ervin Könyvtár has on its shelves 800,000 children’s and adult books, more than 1,000 foreign and Hungarian magazines and newspapers, and 40,000 audiovisual and digital documents. The seven floor library is also divided into different sections. On each floor there are books, books, DVDs, and CD in different languages. Each floor has also got a different layout and structure.

On the ground floor the collection of videos and DVDs (films), CD-ROMs for language learning, encyclopedias, and popular science material are to be found. You can also find various music CDs, novels in various categories, the latest handbooks or references on law and business. The buffet is at the entrance of the library should you get hungry from all that reading and studying.

The children’s section is on the first floor. On the second floor there are a wide range of books about different subjects from general subjects, to natural science and history. On each subject there is also a subdivision such as social science, pedagogy in general education, history of pedagogy, and higher education. There is also an Internet room where you can use word, excel and surf the internet for a charge.

The reading room of literature and linguistics is located on the third floor. This is also where you can discover books about literature and the history of literature, as well as the latest dictionaries. The library also offers several literary works on CD and video recordings of theatre performances.

The general reading room is on the fourth floor for those who want to use the encyclopedia, reference sources and handbooks, biographies, as well as materials for history. There are also over 200 Hungarian and foreign periodical publications, weekly and daily papers which also extend to the fifth floor. English, and other foreign language books are mixed in with Hungarian books.

The 106 year old building designed by Count Frigyes Wenckheim was once called the Wenckheim palace, now the building is known as the Central Library of Budapest and Szabó Ervin Könyvtár. The historic details of the building may be hard to describe with words , but on the fourth floor there are still remains of the old palace rooms. Now they are called reading rooms, although the walls are still in their original ornate form.

Taking public transport to the library is also very easy. From Keleti you can catch the 7 bus or take the metro to Astoria or Kálvin tér. From Astoria you can jump on the 47 or 49 tram to Kálvin tér from there you can walk to the library.

Budapest Central Library, 1088 Budapest, Szabó Ervin tér 1, Tel: 411-5000, www.fszek.hu

Szimpla still Open!

Vlada Sahovic feels our drinking rights impinged with the enforced early closing of one of Budapest’s fave nighspots, but wonders is it really a bad thing?

           In September one of our basic rights was taken away from us. We were forbidden to drink the fruits of the almighty Dionysus beyond midnight. We were to drink no more at our favorite spot... that is until one morning we arose from our slumber to the clear and loud voice of a generation, posted via that all encompassing network of the internet, which told us: “We Are Still Open!”

However, on reflection, after much ruckus surfaced in relation to Szimpla Kert’s new closing hours of midnight, we can’t really argue that it is too much of a shame and scandal in all objectiveness. We can understand the neighbors, who work all those draining early morning shifts, not wanting to listen to drunk foreigners screaming in the middle of the night. We can understand the local municipality trying to assist those people. We can also understand the management of Szimpla being pissed off because their earnings will be substantially decreased.

But there are other things that are less understandable in the whole situation.

Seeing as there are so many places in the wider center of Budapest where one can have fun and get intoxicated well into the early morning hours, why would limiting Szimpla Kert be such a dreadful thing?

First of all, Szimpla is often the host of multicultural, syncretic manifestations which, in light of the current world trends can be said to be an important factor for the social-cultural fabric of a nation. Szimpla tries to host and promote multicultural mixing and to serve as grounds for experimental modern art. Its decor hints at this. It also holds such happenings as board-game tournaments and second-hand sales. So what does this have to do with staying open and causing noise after midnight?

              Well, the sad state of affairs is the following: it is the current trend among the younger members of our society to stay out real late, even unfashionably late. Hence, places like Szimpla Kert earn most of their profits after the midnight hour. This is not a justification, just the bare state of affairs. An institution like of Szimpla cannot manage to host music and visual art performances, nor can they run a profitable business in the end, if they do not work the “rush hour”. That is perhaps why people protested.

Well, the sad state of affairs is the following: it is the current trend among the younger members of our society to stay out real late, even unfashionably late. Hence, places like Szimpla Kert earn most of their profits after the midnight hour. This is not a justification, just the bare state of affairs.

An institution like of Szimpla cannot manage to host music and visual art performances, nor can they run a profitable business in the end, if they do not work the “rush hour”. That is perhaps why people protested.

On Wednesday the 13th of September a small crowd gathered in front of the Erzsebetváros Municipal building to protest the new restrictions imposed upon Szimpla. Even a politician, called Gusztav Kecskés, running in the local elections came there to show his support for the youngsters. The group of thirty or so relatively tranquil people stood in front of the building and yelled out slogans and obscenities at the representatives of the municipality, who were probably sitting rather calmly in their chairs, unobstructed by the apparent murmur outside, which was in all likelihood blocked out by the sound of automobiles and public transportation). So as the thirty or so people disbanded after a mere 40 minutes or so of occasional shouting at closed doors, one could not but stay disillusioned and in thought.

Although there still seems to be a will for some sort of concrete, non-conformist action from today’s youth, it always seems to be connected either to some new forms of conceptual/consumer art, partying, fascistic socio-nationalist protests and plain vandalism, rights to freely express yourself and once more, the right to party. Although Szimpla Kert is dear to us all there might be other more pressing issues around. So as politicians spend their time buying popularity votes and young people continue protesting for their right to party, I wonder: what was Hungary’s GDP last year and how many Roma are hampered by domestic cultural views? Never mind: “One White Russian please!”

http://www.szimpla.hu/index3.htm

An Interview with Professor Cristina M. Kiss

by Cynthia Nwaiwu

It was a delight spending time with an economics as well as ESL professor who also has the capability of occupying the position of a course advisor. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that professor Kiss is very energetic and has the high teaching qualities because she happens to teach in another school outside McDaniel College. Kind-hearted and strict she would describe herself, and it seems there are a whole lot of interesting things we don’t know about her. What else could she possibly tell us? Let’s see!
M: Please, kindly give a brief description of yourself
CMK: I come from the sunny side of the world, the Philippines. I got my undergraduate degree in economics, magna cum laude, from the University of the Philippines, where I also did my graduate studies in economics. After short stints at a research institute and a private bank, I joined the Department of Economic Research of the Central Bank of the Philippines. The pivotal point in my life was when I attended an IMF training course in Washington, D.C. An economist from Hungary also happened to be there, and he could somehow later convince me to change my surname and make Hungary my home.
In terms of character, I’d say that I’m both outgoing and reflective. I like being with people but I also love silence and reflection. I believe in always trying to do one’s best: seize the day, bloom where you are planted.
M: What is it like to teach three courses and still be a course advisor?
CMK: I guess all these tasks and roles call for a desire to help the students develop their potential, and make choices compatible with their goals. And I do care about the students, so it all just flows from there
M: Can you say that upon waking up in the morning, you have a great desire to get into the classroom? Has teaching been that fulfilling in your life? CMK: Well, I am indeed very passionate about teaching. I find it a very rewarding job. But equations, graphs or neologisms are not exactly the first things that I think about when I wake up in the morning. Maybe, after a good cup of coffee. (Laughs).
M: What do you do to motivate your students to study and get really involved in your course work?
CMK: First of all, I believe that every student is different, that every student has potential, and it is the teacher’s job to unlock that potential, to draw out that capability to do better. That’s what education means: educate, to draw, lead out. And to be able to do that, the teacher has to create the proper environment, to provide the right inputs – in just the right measure, to encourage, to challenge. I do give a lot of thought to each lesson. I try to anticipate when the students might need to understand the concepts better, to analyze, and work them out on their own. I also encourage questions. Overall, the twin recipes of rigor and kindness seem to have produced quite good results.
M: How do you think higher education has changed since you have been teaching? Why do you think it has changed?
CMK: I’ve not really been teaching for that long to discern any major changes in higher education here. But I’d say, and this about education in general, an important ongoing change would be the ever-increasing availability of online resources, which I consider to be both a boon and a bane. A boon because the internet has really opened up a whole new world of learning opportunities for students, and teachers as well. A bane because the deluge of ‘data-on-demand’ can also somehow drown concentration, conscientiousness and creativity.
M: Hypothetically, if you could travel in time to teach - long ago, or the recent past, or the future - which of them would you choose? Why this choice?
CMK: I would love to go back the time of Socrates, the age of bare-knuckled quest for truth and enlightenment. But then, I would most certainly, and happily, be a student rather than a teacher. (Smiles)
M: Besides being an excellent professor, what else do you consider yourself to be an expert at, moderately good at, a total mess at?
CMK: Thanks. People say I’m quite good at organizing. I like looking at the big picture, as well as ironing out the details, and then putting everything together. It seems I had the knack for this early on. As a high school sophomore, I organized a field trip for the entire bunch. I guess I’m moderately good at cooking, and decidedly miserable at winter sports. Nem olyan szeretem a hideget! (Laughs)
M: During your vacations, do you completely put away the books and take a breathing space from the whole education business?
CMK: Well, I normally don’t fill my valise with Macro, Micro or TOEFL textbooks. (Laughs) But I do make sure there’s a book or two in my traveling bag – historical, inspirational or fiction plus the latest issue of The Economist. So it may be said that I don’t leave teaching-related stuff behind altogether when I go on holiday. Education is an ongoing process, for teachers too.
M: How do you think your career as being a college professor has/will influence(d) your children educationally.
CMK: I guess every new mother becomes, or is re-born as, a teacher. So, my profession wouldn’t change the equation that much, I think, when the time comes. My Mom isn’t a teacher by profession, but how she has taught us about life!

Students and Alumni Get Together

by Cynthia Nwaiwu

Every spring and fall, students from over twenty countries attend McDaniel College Budapest to pursue a courses in different areas of interest. This diversity brings into existence a unique and fascinating relationship among students, making the school a better place to learn. When high school seniors visit McDaniel College Budapest, they are hoping to make the right decision that could change their lives. All these things were taken into consideration, and the need to invite the alumni back became obvious. A dialogue with a graduate provides the opportunity to ask questions from someone who has been there, had experience and is now working towards his or her goal.
The get-together which took place in room 220, on 18th March, 2010, at 5:45pm involving five alumni, and undergraduates and a faculty member. The alumni were: Orsolya Bader, class of 2009, Peter Gazda, (2008), Andre Butler-Payette (2009), Dadvey Zargaran (2008) and Estefania Luraschi (2009). A lot were discussed during this Open Forum. A political science major, Orsolya Bader, who is still on the go and engaged in job hunts, and keeping her options open, happily shared her thoughts and recommended Geneva to political science major students who would later want to do internships or work in this field. She said, ‘‘Geneva is a good place for you.’’ Andre Butler-Payette supported her idea as he had an internship at the Human Rights Council Geneva, and has also worked for the United Nations’ High Commission for Refugees. He commended McDaniel College Budapest for making his courses interactive, creating friendships and close bonds that still exist after college.
Dadvey Zargaran, now married, encourages students not to give up in whatever difficulty they may face in their studies.
Peter Gazda, who was already in law school before graduating, views life to be more much difficult outside of college due to competition. ‘‘I am happy I got a great theoretical background in political science, which is a good basis that I can rely on’’, he said.
Estefania Luraschi is currently working in a chemical company as an account receivable collector. She is also looking forward to graduate school and tells students who are interested in going to graduate school to start searching early. She wished she had known more about graduate schools before graduating.
Most of all, the Alumni appreciate the great amount of information and experience the got from McDaniel College Budapest’s professors. Dadvey Zargaran noted: ‘‘I learnt good things from them.’’
The forum ended with Dr. Mathew Adamson’s request from the Alumni to help in listing the do’s and don’t that new students should know about Hungary. The list ranged from learning about Hungarian national holidays and culture, to understanding the social norms of European university students. It was fun to see former classmates reunite. Refreshments weren’t an exception, as we popped champagne and ate sandwiches. How else could we have enjoyed this reunion?

How We Dress Is How We Will Be Addressed

by Ruth Odusami

As discussed in part one, the way we dress says a lot about us and can significantly affect our lives— though dress alone is not everything. How the wearer carries the dress is very important.
Dressing can be subjective and ambiguous. How an outfit is perceived by people depends very much on how the wearer brings it to life. Let’s not forget that packaging is very important. As noted earlier, our “packaging” is the way we dress up for others to see. It does affect how other people perceive us, especially when we are meeting people for the first time, the way we look is important to give first impression.
Imagine you are to interview someone for a job, and this candidate, someone applying for a position as teaching director, comes to meet you in a polo T-shirt. How would you react? Personally, I might feel offended that he is not respecting himself by dressing so casually for such an important meeting. It will affect my decision, and most likely I will throw his job application aside. In this situation, an interviewee is expected to dress formally. This is basic courtesy and common sense. Besides annoying job interviewers, bad dressers can discredit important events. To make major events highly dignified, dress code is introduced, where people are expected to dress elegantly to match the tone of the event.
We now know that our way of dressing affects our life and people around us, but we don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the best clothes in a store and dress nicely all the time. It doesn’t make sense to go shopping in a fancy dress. Our dressing should go along with the occasion all the time. For example, wearing a dress when staying at home to meet a friend does not make sense; we can wear casual dress for going out with friends; dress for work should not be confused with dress for an outing. We have to make a choice of clothes that goes with the occasion. Fashion awareness is always helpful. Dressing brings out the person in us.

The Perfect Plagiarist and the Masters of Art

By Mona Monsefi

The Ludwig Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are exhibiting some of the most famous masterpieces of art.
The Ludwig is hosting Glenn Brown’s paintings. There have always been stories around Brown’s artworks. He was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2000 but didn’t win the prize because he was accused of plagiarism. One of his paintings was very similar to a science fiction illustration by Tony Roberts. Brown is an English artist born in 1966. He adheres to the Appropriation Style, which means he adopts, borrows, recycles or samples aspects or the entire form of man-made visual culture to create new artwork. Many critics and artists defended him after the accusation of plagiarism. The chairman of the Turner Prize jury told BBC that the painting was not a form of plagiarism. He said: “Glenn Brown has frequently used the work of other artists in developing his own works, but that is true of Picasso too and this is not new.” He was right. Brown appropriates and borrows images by other artists such as Rembrandt and Salvador Dalí.
The aim of Appropriation is to create a new situation and give new meanings to a familiar object or an existing art work. But it raises the question of originality and copyright. Some professionals argue that as long as you give credit to the original artwork and artist you can recreate their works, but some critics believe that Appropriation Style destroys art. Artists such as Glenn Brown think differently. In 2009, Brown claimed that "to make something up from scratch is nonsensical. It’s impossible to make a painting that is not borrowed , even the images in your dreams refer to reality.”
Now, one has the opportunity to view Brown’s original paintings in the Ludwig Museum. If you go there, be ready; you may find your favorite painting hanging on the wall of the gallery but under the name of Glenn Brown! (Left and below: examples of Brown’s work—the second is deliberately set upside down.)
Another rare opportunity for art-goers is presented by the Degas to Picasso Exhibition: the Museum of Fine Arts is exhibiting fifty-five paintings from Pushkin Museum. They are from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century , the beginning of the Avant-garde. They are outstanding paintings by well-known artists: Degas’ Dancer, Monet’s Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies, the Tahitian paintings of Gauguin, In the Prison Courtyard by Van Gogh and Picasso’s Harlequin and his Girlfriend.
This collection was hidden away by Stalin in the vaults of the Pushkin and Hermitage museums during the Second World War. Part of it was exhibited in 1978 in Budapest for the first time. It is exhibited now for the second time and no one knows when it will be exhibited again. Viewing the original paintings by masters such as Courbet, Corot, Renoir, Matisse, seeing the trace of their brushes on the canvas, is not something that you can experience whenever you wish. The show runs until 25th of April.

Fashion and Gender: The New Man in Society

By Kelechi Ahunanya and Sylvia Nwosu

How is the sexual identity of men changing?
“A man with a shaved armpit?...ugh!!!”. This is a stereotypical response of conservatives. The fact is, hitherto some men have frowned upon the idea of shaving any hair in their body–except, of course, to trim or shave their facial hair. And one stereotype is to see this change as a sign of femininity triggered by the fashion world. Sounds like something you’ve heard before right?
Anyways, shaving the armpit is just an aspect of the new trend. For the past decade, the identity of men has changed. Research show recently that more men are removing their chests, armpits, and groin hairs. The drift of guys with tight and skinny pants, slim or athletic (but necessarily muscular) bodies, and clean-shaved or smooth skin has won the day!
But we wonder, why the change in men’s identity? It seems that there is a new ideal for ‘A Society Man’. (See for example: Masculinity Reconstructed: changing the rules of manhood: at work, in relationships and in family life. New York: Dutton. Courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrosexual#cite_note-20)
Here are some responses from some students, about the change in men’s appearances these days. One may argue that the responses are gender biased:
Aylin, a female student at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics said: “Some guys look very strange in skinny jeans while others look good. Personally, I'd probably never date a guy who wears skinny jeans.”
“I'd say if you are trying to avoid looking really ‘metro’, then you would only wear skinny jeans if you can pull off the ‘alternative’ look. Think artist, rock band members or the like.” says Rex, a male student of McDaniel College Budapest Campus.
“I instantly think identity crisis” Says Lyn, a female student of the Budapest Semester in Mathematics. “And… how can their package fit comfortably in tight skinny jeans? Seriously…ugh!” She concluded.
Jerome, a male medical student at the University of Szeged, thinks that guys are less smelly when they clean shave their armpit. So perhaps It’s just a question of personal hygiene.
From what I gathered on-line via FaceBook, MySpace and Twitter, most girls have reservations about guys in tight pants. Either that the guy is ‘metro’, ‘gay’, or he is ‘just being himself’.
Guys, what do you think these responses mean, and what’s your opinion?

Reflections on the Violence in Nigeria

By Nwosu Chinelo Sylvia

It is hard to live in a society where being an indigene matters more than being a citizen when it comes to your rights to enjoy certain privileges at the local, state and federal levels. Jos is the capital of Plateau, a state in the Northern region of Nigeria.

Since the January 2010 episode of a religious crisis, which resulted in the loss of many lives, the army has been in charge of security in Jos and other parts of Plateau State. Unfortunately, in the early hours of Sunday morning 7th March 2010, people living in three villages in a community near Jos were shot and butchered in cold blood. Causalities were mostly women and children; women were hacked down as they tried to cover and protect their children with their bodies. Little babies were snatched from their mothers and thrown into the burning flames set by these monstrous attackers.

These were defenceless, unprotected people who died without knowing why or how. Some were butchered in their beds while many more were killed while trying to flee from the attackers, people who feel their victims do not deserve to live and do not deserve the lives they have.

In a nation where its democracy is very fragile, calling for a military state of emergency in yet another federal state in the country has the effect of increasing scepticism towards the future of Nigeria remaining a democratic nation. In three years, three similar killings have taken place, but no one has been prosecuted.
This recent killing have left some unanswered questions in the minds of the Nigerian citizens. Who killed them? Why? What motive? Accusing fingers are pointing towards the military, the politicians, community leaders, and religious extremist groups.

World Cup Analysis, Groups C & D

By João Salviano Carmo

This time we will visit group C and group D as we continue our countdown to the great party. Less than 100 days to go till the ball rolls again!

Group C (FIFA, 2010)
- England
- United States of America
- Algeria
- Slovenia

The 1966’s World Champions, when England hosted the tournament, have failed to repeat the feat ever since. This time around they come to the World Cup as clear favorites after an amazing qualifying phase where they won 9 out of the 10 games played. Wayne Rooney is also at his top shape ever, performing wonderfully lately and is surely looking forward to be one of the main stars this summer.

The USA will be competing in the world’s biggest tournament for the sixth time in a row. After reaching the final eight in 2002 they want to show that they can do it again, especially after their display in 2009 in the Confederations Cup. Can they go back into the quarter finalists’ elite?

Twenty four years later Algeria is once again back in the World Cup. After knocking out Egypt in a play-off (who shortly after became the African Champions) there is great expectation to see what they can do now in the grandest stage of them all.

Playing their second World Cup since becoming an independent nation, Slovenia goes to South Africa as the least experienced team in the group. Will their players overcome the lack of experience and surprise the most frequent customers of the World Cup?

England is by far the main favorite in group C. They are expected to go through to the next round with ease and lots of goals but the USA team has been improving and displaying some nice football lately and are entitled to dream about the top spot in the group. Algeria and Slovenia are hoping to use their outsider status to squeeze past the favorites and get an unexpected pass to the final 16.

Group D (FIFA, 2010)
- Germany
- Australia
- Serbia
- Ghana

“Football is a game played by 22 players. And in the end Germany wins.” (Gary Lineker) The three-time World Champions and 2006 third place finalists, besides having been in four other finals (the most recent one in 2002), can never be discounted from anyone’s top favorites in any tournament. With players like Ballack, Klose and company we can expect a strong Teutonic team once again.

Australia’s Socceroos come to this Summer’s competition in great style. After moving from Oceania to the more competitive Asia qualifying zone, Australia surprised everyone by winning it with great ease. After impressing with their beautiful football in 2006 under the guidance of the great manager Guus Hiddink, will they be able to go one step further and reach the quarter-finals this time around?

Serbia’s White Eagles made an impressive campaign in their qualifying group to South Africa. Beating France to reach the top of the group, Serbia reaches its first final phase as an independent nation and with players like Vidic and Stankovic they will surely be looking forward to impress and to qualify for the next round.

Ghana’s Black Stars, after qualifying at the top of the African zone, and after reaching the Africa Nations Cup final earlier this year, reach their second World Cup looking forward to continue their great performance in Germany 2006. In the first ever African World Cup Ghana will aim at going at least one step further and reach the final eight, cementing their impressive form of lately.

This will be a tough group. Even if Germany appear to be the main favorites nothing is guaranteed in a World Cup. All four teams have what it takes to move to the phase of 16 and will surely battle on the pitch for their right to keep their dream of winning this year’s tournament alive!

For Those with a Taste for Adventure, Hungary Is a Delight

By David Van Tassell

As a law abiding American citizen, I have been encouraged by my teenage predecessors (mainly in American college movies) to take up the mantle that represents a youth's sense of adventure and discovery. That mantle is portrayed in my trip to Europe.
When I was offered the opportunity to study abroad here I took it immediately. No, I did not know that much about Hungary, but my general train of thought was that this country could be a base of operations for my jumping around the countries within the European Union and Serve as a very good place to do so since my wallet would be going on an extreme diet in order to get here. Well this is all true.

However as time passed I started to realize that while trips to Barcelona, Venice, Athens, and Paris would still be amazing, there is also a lot to find right under our feet. Hungary has a long history, and because of this there are great opportunities for us to explore a deep history and culture in our own backyard.
Just this past weekend I went to Pécs, the European Cultural Capital of 2010. There were a plethora of different sights to see during my two days there including the Early Christian tombs dating from the Roman Empire and a mosque turned into a cathedral at the end of the Turkish Occupation in the late 17th century. This summer when tourist season starts I am sure that this small city will be bustling with people wanting to see all that I saw. Of other opportunities available for countryside travel, Assistant Director of Student Affairs Margo Kovacs recommends a trip to Lake Balaton when the weather gets better. Besides swimming, boating, and fishing, the Siófok resort is also known as “The Party Capital of Hungary”.

Even within Budapest there are numerous festivals and other events celebrating and showcasing Hungarian Culture. Travel guides and online resources provide major tourist locations to visit, but some of the best exploring can be done with you and your friends, Budapest offers many hidden treasures for adventurers.
The proximity of all these locations not only allows us the ability to make quick weekend trips, but these trips are also less taxing on our wallet then traveling to other countries. While a normal one-way ticket from Budapest to Lake Balaton costs 3000HUF, those of us with a student card can benefit from a 50% discount on their ticket. Adding a room at a hostel totals round trip travel and room to about 6700HUF! Considering what activities were previously mentioned, this is definitely an ideal weekend trip for any student.

Move Away From the Entrance

By Gabrielle Hollows

Getting past the front doors into the college is like trying to navigate through a misty jungle. You find yourself filling up with anxiety every time you get to the school gate. Not only do people stare intensely at the passers by but also they refuse to move out of the way. There is absolutely no reason for the entrance to be blocked the way it is, and it is down right rude that there is no acknowledgement of the people trying to make it through the doors. It is not just people trying to take cover from the rain that block the entrance but it is also used by students who want to smoke in a sheltered area.
“Why is it so difficult for a person to move out of the way?” I ask. One student, a smoker, replies, “Because there is nowhere else to go when it is raining”. This is so; there is nowhere, with cover, for students to go and have a cigarette. But this is a matter for smokers to take up, and it is no excuse for blocking the entrance, which leaves students and faculty members no option, but to elbow their way into the building. Even with a polite, “excuse me”, there is no budging a person from the entrance. It is not an outrageous request to ask a person to move out of the way so another can get through. To make matters worse you not only have to fight to get in but also you will get a gust of several peoples cigarette smoke in your face. This is not a pleasant trip to be done everyday and is about time that there was a change.
This is not only a matter of getting into the building but also a health and safety one too. It would be a disaster waiting to happen if there was a fire in the building, and people continue to linger in the doorway it would hold up a line in the foyer and this could have serious consequences for people trying to escape. It would be inexcusable if people couldn’t exit the building because other students, selfishly, were blocking the door.
This letter should not be taken as the opening salvo of an anti-smoking campaign because it is anybody’s right to smoke. However, it is also everyone’s right to walk in a smoke-free environment. Second-hand smoke causes many health problems just as well as firsthand smoke. According to the National Cancer Institute “Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult non-smokers in the United States as a result of exposure to second-hand smoke” (www.cancer.gov). Second-hand smokers are not the only ones who should keep this statistic in their heads but so should the smokers. By just moving you can help your fellow classmates and other occupants of the building who are second-hand smokers everyday just because people are unwilling to move.
From an aesthetic point of view, the front entrance does not look attractive with crowds of people surrounding the doorway smoking in the faces of others. We are very fortunate to be using a beautiful building that has survived wars and revolutions over the years. We should not spoil its appeal by clouding up prospective students’ views on choosing this college over others just because it looks like an ashtray.
There are designated areas for people to smoke and there have been bins provided to stub the cigarettes out in. It is about time that students start using these areas instead of blocking the entrance. Spring is on its way and soon it will be summer, so the benches and the tables around the front of the building are perfect places for a social smoke. Be aware of people around you—if someone looks like they are having trouble entering the building, don’t just ignore them, move out of the way.

A Complete Story of the International Dinner Party and Talent Show

The international dinner party started at six o’clock Thursday evening. It was well attended with few students from McDaniel but some faculty members graced the occasion with their presence. Everyone in the school was invited and the hosts from different countries entertained guests with variety of delicacy. They all were impressive.
The gorgeous Hungarian table was decorated by paprikás szalámi place on top of creamy cheese souse and bread and sweet Vargabéles dessert made of layers of past— tempting.
The Spanish table with Tortilla de Patatas, Arroz car leche , Gazpacho and especially an absolutely beautiful and colorful Sangria was irresistible. A Spanish host spoke about their dishes: “These are typical Spanish dishes and they are quite easy to make.”
The simplicity of the Norwegian table was sweet. They offered waffles served with jam, sour cream and also Norwegian goat cheese. The Norwegian students said: “They usually eat waffles after dinner as dessert with coffee in Norway”.
An amazing part of this party was Japanese boys and girls who were wearing kimonos. They worked together like a trained team. Each part of the work was carefully shared. Hidenobu a pre-med student said: “We started to prepare everything from last night and everything is homemade”. He introduced udon, kind of noodle which is very similar to the noodle they serve on their new year. They were amazingly polite, and that is a characteristic of their culture.
Reut and Omer, from Israel, were proud of their humus and falafel, which were made at home. According to Reut they are healthy foods and they prefer them to fatty foods of restaurants.
Hospitable and friendly American and Portuguese students also offered their traditional foods and sweets to introduce them to their friends.
Nigerian students’ beautiful traditional clothes and hats were eye catching. They served their traditional dishes; one of them was delicious spicy fried rice with chicken thighs.
Iranian students brought a traditional slow cooked stew spread on rice, and sholezard, a pudding made of saffron, rice, rose water and almond garnished with cinnamon.
Everyone was enjoying the party and the foods when Vahideh, an art student from Iran said: “I will graduate this semester and I’m happy that I could come to this party for the last time.” She added: “Trying these international dishes should have effects on my cooking; at least I can learn how to make new salads and sandwiches”. Sylvia, an Eco/bus student from Nigeria, also believed that this party should have an effect on her cooking while she was enjoying a piece of Norwegian waffle.
The talent show started right after dinner party. It was directed by Lili Mesterházy from Hungary and well presented by David Wassermann from Germany. Students who performed are from Israel, Iran, China, Spain, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Hungary and Cyprus.
The show was opened by Koichi Sotoma from Japan, who played trumpet. He was followed by Gadi Massasa from Israel. He was a multi-task artist who played guitar and harmonica and sang a song nicely. Arad Tahaei from Iran and Marco Bello from Spain played a piece of J.S.Bach by violin and piano. It was amazing to see how art could bring two artists from different sides of the world together to play a pleasant piece of music in harmony. This is the miracle of art.
Georgia Efthymiou and Timis Solomi from Cyprus performed a traditional dance called Strong & Hard Men which was adorable; charming dancers from Hungarian State Opera and Matilda Sassani from Italy also performed beautifully and professionally.
Song Siyue from China sang a Chinese song with her velvety voice. She won third place in a competition in China when she was sixteen. Kazuhiro and Joji from Japan played guitar and sang Japanese songs enthusiastically. Listening to Portuguese singers was also entertaining.
These kinds of dinners in a multicultural school like McDaniel College are one of the best ways to introduce different cultures to students and is also a good opportunity for the students to present some of the things that they have in their countries.

-Mona Monsefi