Saturday, February 27, 2010
World Dance Workshop
If you need to get in shape or want to learn some new dances from across the globe, than come to The World Dance Workshop. It will be held on Thursday, March 4th in Kirkham 233 from 7 to 10 PM. The workshop will be student-led and is free to all students.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Teaching French
A lot of students who end up at BYU - I don't plan on coming here, the same is true for teachers who come and teach here. Charlotte Carlus is one of those teachers. Carlus was living in Southern France and felt that her family really had no future in France, so she prayed to figure out what she should do.
"The Spirit had always told me that we would go back to the US one day (this is the third time I've moved to the US)," said Carlus. "I prayed, the Lord told me to resume my PhD and that would open a new door for us." Carlus did and her family then lived off of food storage for a year. Then a miracle happened. A lady who had lived in France and known Carlus' husband 40 years ago called and told the family about a French teaching job available at BYU - I. Carlus got the job and the family moved back to the US. Carlus began teaching in August of 2008.
Carlus has found a different set of difficulties teaching American students rather than teaching French students. "The nice thing is that students here are usually quite disciplined and polite, and I don’t think this is just because it is BYUI, I had noticed the same thing when I was teaching at the University of Utah," said Carlus. "Whereas students in France have a real problem with behavior and values nowadays. But the students in France had a much higher level of education, they are much more analytical and profound too, whereas most American students I have here are very ignorant, and at a total loss as soon as you ask them to think."
Student are not the only differences between the two countries. Carlus also misses quite a bit from home. "I miss my family and the beauty and esthetics of France: everything is beautiful over there, the buildings, the food, the clothes, whereas people do not seem to worry about esthetics or quality here," said Carlus. "I also miss the diversity and open-mindedness of the people, in France it is OK to be yourself, not here… especially in the Church."
On the other hand, Carlus has found that America also has some wonderful opportunities. "I like the freedom you have here and all the opportunities that you can find. If you want to do something with your life and progress and are ready to work, you can in Northern America, not in France," said Carlus. "The nice thing about living here is that it is easier for us to live an LDS life. The temple is very close (there is no temple in France, you have to go abroad), the chapel is close, you don’t have to have more than one calling, and it is OK to say that you are LDS." Apparently saying you are LDS is not an easy thing to do in France, since a lot of people, especially teenagers, mock people who believe in God.
Although America may have it faults, the Carlus family plans on staying here for a long time.
"The Spirit had always told me that we would go back to the US one day (this is the third time I've moved to the US)," said Carlus. "I prayed, the Lord told me to resume my PhD and that would open a new door for us." Carlus did and her family then lived off of food storage for a year. Then a miracle happened. A lady who had lived in France and known Carlus' husband 40 years ago called and told the family about a French teaching job available at BYU - I. Carlus got the job and the family moved back to the US. Carlus began teaching in August of 2008.
Carlus has found a different set of difficulties teaching American students rather than teaching French students. "The nice thing is that students here are usually quite disciplined and polite, and I don’t think this is just because it is BYUI, I had noticed the same thing when I was teaching at the University of Utah," said Carlus. "Whereas students in France have a real problem with behavior and values nowadays. But the students in France had a much higher level of education, they are much more analytical and profound too, whereas most American students I have here are very ignorant, and at a total loss as soon as you ask them to think."
Student are not the only differences between the two countries. Carlus also misses quite a bit from home. "I miss my family and the beauty and esthetics of France: everything is beautiful over there, the buildings, the food, the clothes, whereas people do not seem to worry about esthetics or quality here," said Carlus. "I also miss the diversity and open-mindedness of the people, in France it is OK to be yourself, not here… especially in the Church."
On the other hand, Carlus has found that America also has some wonderful opportunities. "I like the freedom you have here and all the opportunities that you can find. If you want to do something with your life and progress and are ready to work, you can in Northern America, not in France," said Carlus. "The nice thing about living here is that it is easier for us to live an LDS life. The temple is very close (there is no temple in France, you have to go abroad), the chapel is close, you don’t have to have more than one calling, and it is OK to say that you are LDS." Apparently saying you are LDS is not an easy thing to do in France, since a lot of people, especially teenagers, mock people who believe in God.
Although America may have it faults, the Carlus family plans on staying here for a long time.
"[We plan on staying here] hopefully forever, this is where the Lord wants to be, I know that," said Carlus.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
A change of Plans
Malvina Muca Reed, a Senior studying Communications from Durres, Albania never thought in her wildest dreams she would end up at BYU - I.
"I never thought I would come to America," said Reed. "I tried to get a good education [in Albania] but things weren't going as I had planned." At that time her best friend was begging her to come to BYU - I, because she had been here for a year. "I felt like I needed to change something in my life, [so I] prayed about it, and felt good," said Reed. "I applied, and here I am."
Reed has had to face some disadvantages as an International Student at BYU - I. Especially with English, such as trying to take tests and not being able to look up English words she did not know in the dictionary. "In the beginning it was a challenge, but now very rarely," said Reed. Reed also has a very thick accent so sometimes students would treat her differently. "In class discussions, some students feel that they know better because they can speak English better," said Reed. "My accent is a big thing, and I am working on it."
Reed likes America but misses her culture, food, and a lot of things from her home. "I miss my family and friends, and the living close to the sea. I love the sea," said Reed.
Reed has had to face some disadvantages as an International Student at BYU - I. Especially with English, such as trying to take tests and not being able to look up English words she did not know in the dictionary. "In the beginning it was a challenge, but now very rarely," said Reed. Reed also has a very thick accent so sometimes students would treat her differently. "In class discussions, some students feel that they know better because they can speak English better," said Reed. "My accent is a big thing, and I am working on it."
Reed likes America but misses her culture, food, and a lot of things from her home. "I miss my family and friends, and the living close to the sea. I love the sea," said Reed.
In the end, Reed is happy she made the decision to come to BYU - I. She looks forward to graduating soon and starting a family. "I want to be a mother, that's the first thing on my list, and then have my own office at home and work to support my husband."
Love of Culture
Many students look forward to the Cultural Extravaganza held at BYU - I as a way to experience many different cultures in one night. Eric Christoffersen, President of the Russian Association a Junior in Health Science is the man in charge this year. "I did not attended it last year due to being in [school at BYU] Provo, but I heard that last year was a great success and many students enjoyed it," said Christoffersen. "The main difference this year is that we are starting to prepare for it sooner that way we can have the full cooperation with other departments here on campus."
Christoffersen is looking forward to experiencing the different cultures at the Extravaganza as different groups represent some of their countries and cultures.
Christoffersen has been interested in different cultures since his youth. He was adopted from Russia at a young age and his parents taught him to love different cultures.
" I was raised to parents that love culture, they instilled the importance of accepting others despite their backgrounds," said Christoffersen. "As a result, I have traveled to Denmark, Japan, and a lot of places in the States learning about people, their culture, and their backgrounds." Christoffersen looks forward to helping others gain an interest and appreciation for the different walks of life here on Campus and hopes that the cultural night will help in this endeavor.
Christoffersen is looking forward to experiencing the different cultures at the Extravaganza as different groups represent some of their countries and cultures.
Christoffersen has been interested in different cultures since his youth. He was adopted from Russia at a young age and his parents taught him to love different cultures.
" I was raised to parents that love culture, they instilled the importance of accepting others despite their backgrounds," said Christoffersen. "As a result, I have traveled to Denmark, Japan, and a lot of places in the States learning about people, their culture, and their backgrounds." Christoffersen looks forward to helping others gain an interest and appreciation for the different walks of life here on Campus and hopes that the cultural night will help in this endeavor.
On the Media:February 19th
a.what did I learn about the practice of journalism and or expectations of journalists as described in the ten elements of journalism?
From this week's podcast I learned what negative effects can be caused if journalism is not an independent monitor of power. In Iceland it is illegal to report on the activities of the Banks. Because of this, Banks were using risky and unethical economic practices. The media could not report on this due to fear of lawsuits. The consequence? During the economic meltdown of 2008-2009, the Icelandic economy utterly collapsed due to the economically unhealthy Banking practices in Iceland. Ultimately, because it was illegal to report about these practices, the media could not act as an independent monitor of power by informing the population, and the economy crashed. The Laws are now being changed so that journalists will not have to fear lawsuits or negative reactions from the government.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
An ethical challenge faced by journalists is that they have to deal with weather or not to fully disclose peoples background or motives in interviews or in seeking "expert" analysis. On example in the podcast was someone represented as a politician lobbying for Obama's new green energy policy to include more nuclear energy, giving his expert analysis on TV. What was not disclosed is that he was paid by the nuclear energy company he worked for to publicly lobby his position. Is this not a conflict of interest? This case is not one isolated case either. A journalist on the podcast discovered over 70 such people who regularly appear on TV lobbying their cases without disclosing their motives.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I have learned during this weeks podcast to improve coverage of my beat or future work in journalism by fully disclosing the backgrounds and motives of those who I interview so as not to deceive the readers. I can also be an avid supporter of public policies and laws that allow freedom of the press and other journalistic freedoms that create checks and balances of power so that what happened in Iceland will not repeat itself in the future in the United States or in whatever country I live in in the future. This means being actively involved in current political issues so that I am well informed when I go to the polls and vote.
From this week's podcast I learned what negative effects can be caused if journalism is not an independent monitor of power. In Iceland it is illegal to report on the activities of the Banks. Because of this, Banks were using risky and unethical economic practices. The media could not report on this due to fear of lawsuits. The consequence? During the economic meltdown of 2008-2009, the Icelandic economy utterly collapsed due to the economically unhealthy Banking practices in Iceland. Ultimately, because it was illegal to report about these practices, the media could not act as an independent monitor of power by informing the population, and the economy crashed. The Laws are now being changed so that journalists will not have to fear lawsuits or negative reactions from the government.
b.what did I learn about the ethics of journalism or an ethical challenge faced by a journalist?
An ethical challenge faced by journalists is that they have to deal with weather or not to fully disclose peoples background or motives in interviews or in seeking "expert" analysis. On example in the podcast was someone represented as a politician lobbying for Obama's new green energy policy to include more nuclear energy, giving his expert analysis on TV. What was not disclosed is that he was paid by the nuclear energy company he worked for to publicly lobby his position. Is this not a conflict of interest? This case is not one isolated case either. A journalist on the podcast discovered over 70 such people who regularly appear on TV lobbying their cases without disclosing their motives.
c.how can I apply what I learned from my chosen source this week to improve coverage of my beat or my future work in journalism?
I can apply what I have learned during this weeks podcast to improve coverage of my beat or future work in journalism by fully disclosing the backgrounds and motives of those who I interview so as not to deceive the readers. I can also be an avid supporter of public policies and laws that allow freedom of the press and other journalistic freedoms that create checks and balances of power so that what happened in Iceland will not repeat itself in the future in the United States or in whatever country I live in in the future. This means being actively involved in current political issues so that I am well informed when I go to the polls and vote.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Cultural Extravaganza in the works
This years Cultural Extravaganza will be on Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00pm in the Crossroads. This years theme is an Eastern/Western Fusion. Eric Christoffersen, President of the Russian Association is in charge this year.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Active International Associations
After looking up information about the active fifteen International Student associations for Winter Semester 2010 on campus from the school's Associations page at www.byui.edu/Associations, I have come to the conclusion that very few of these active associations are in fact very active. The majority of the association's individual websites have not been updated in several semesters and some in several years, and others have no information to show at all. I found that the French Association's page lists that they meet every Thursday at 6 pm in Hinckley 245. They are one of the very few associations who supposedly meet on a weekly basis. I go to the meeting promptly at 6 pm with no french cuisine or francophone people to be found. It is sad to see that there appears to be a lack of involvement or excitement about the different International associations available on campus to become apart of. It seems like it is a wonderful opportunity not found elsewhere where we as students can become enlightened by learning to appreciate the cultures of those across the globe. I assume people are too busy with the day to day duties of being students, or are just ill informed because there seems to be a lack of leadership or organization over some of the International Associations available at our school.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Life after gradution
Looking for a job after school in this economic climate can be a scary time, but it's even more intimidating for international students. "It's tough to decide what to do since I don't have a ton of experience yet," said Jason Steward who graduated from BYU-I in Fall of 09 with a Bachelors in both Business Management and Communications. Jason is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada but he decided to stick around in Rexburg instead of going back up to Canada after graduation. "I'm looking to move to Utah, but I think I'll stay around here for awhile," said Steward. "I'm hoping to get a job at Melaleuca, so I might move to Rigby."
Staying close to friends and an uplifting environment is appealing, but the availability of jobs in this area is scarce. "It's very difficult finding a job in this area because people with lots of experience are applying for the same entry level jobs because of the economy," said Steward. Steward is applying for companies in the business and marketing departments, however companies don't want to hire him quite yet because he is in America on his F1 student visa, which means he cannot work off campus. "Companies don't want to hire me, they want Americans because they don't want to have to deal with the visa," said Steward. Steward is currently waiting for his work authorization to go through on his Visa so he can hopefully land a job soon.
Staying close to friends and an uplifting environment is appealing, but the availability of jobs in this area is scarce. "It's very difficult finding a job in this area because people with lots of experience are applying for the same entry level jobs because of the economy," said Steward. Steward is applying for companies in the business and marketing departments, however companies don't want to hire him quite yet because he is in America on his F1 student visa, which means he cannot work off campus. "Companies don't want to hire me, they want Americans because they don't want to have to deal with the visa," said Steward. Steward is currently waiting for his work authorization to go through on his Visa so he can hopefully land a job soon.
A lengthy process
Making a living as a young married couple can be hard when you are students, but it is even more challenging when one of you is an International student. Stephen and Jessica Brownlee met at school and have been married almost a year. Jessica is from Burley Idaho, and Stephen is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a Junior studying Business Management.
Stephen started the lengthy process of applying for permanent residency in November 2009, so that he would eventually be allowed to work off campus. "The hardest part about applying for my residency is paying for it, it's fifteen hundred dollars," said Brownlee. "It's been extra hard to save up money because I can't work off campus or make much money working on campus. I'm currently working on Campus at the Internship and Career Services Center as a career preparation mentor. I'm happy to have a job but, we ended up having to take out a student loan to pay for the application," said Brownlee.
The application also requires a thorough background check. "I had to fill out a bunch of detailed paperwork because they wanted a lot of my background information, they even wanted my finger prints," said Brownlee. "I also had to do a physical and several medical tests because they wanted my medical information as well." It usually takes a year to find out if you've received your permanent residency, but the Brownlees are hoping hey will hear back much sooner.
You can't leave the country during this time, so the Brownlees haven't been up to Canada for several months. "We should be getting or travel documents in about 1 to 3 months so we can travel outside of the United States again," said Brownlee. The Brownlees are happy to be able to travel again, but they seem to want to stick around this area. "We plan on staying in America after I'm done with school. Where I get my career will depend if I get my American citizenship in the log run, " said Brownlee. "It's a lengthy process but we are anxious and excited to hear the results."
Stephen started the lengthy process of applying for permanent residency in November 2009, so that he would eventually be allowed to work off campus. "The hardest part about applying for my residency is paying for it, it's fifteen hundred dollars," said Brownlee. "It's been extra hard to save up money because I can't work off campus or make much money working on campus. I'm currently working on Campus at the Internship and Career Services Center as a career preparation mentor. I'm happy to have a job but, we ended up having to take out a student loan to pay for the application," said Brownlee.
The application also requires a thorough background check. "I had to fill out a bunch of detailed paperwork because they wanted a lot of my background information, they even wanted my finger prints," said Brownlee. "I also had to do a physical and several medical tests because they wanted my medical information as well." It usually takes a year to find out if you've received your permanent residency, but the Brownlees are hoping hey will hear back much sooner.
You can't leave the country during this time, so the Brownlees haven't been up to Canada for several months. "We should be getting or travel documents in about 1 to 3 months so we can travel outside of the United States again," said Brownlee. The Brownlees are happy to be able to travel again, but they seem to want to stick around this area. "We plan on staying in America after I'm done with school. Where I get my career will depend if I get my American citizenship in the log run, " said Brownlee. "It's a lengthy process but we are anxious and excited to hear the results."
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