Dance. Strike. Rise

Photo credit: Nicole Rand

By Taryn Putinta

“One in three women will either be raped or beaten in her lifetime.” That’s a big statistic; when most people read that one billion women will be raped or beaten, it makes them think, “I can’t do anything about that, I’m just one person.” Wrong.  On February 14^th, 2013 you can dance in two flash mobs in Leiden to raise awareness to help put an end to all of it!

Nicole Rand, a senior Psychology major at Webster University has brought this event to Webster and teamed up with the Bijlmer Project, to raise money and awareness to help end violence against women. Nicole explains her motivation behind getting everyone together for this cause. “The strike involves rising up and dancing, to shake the world into awareness to the fact that one in three women will either be raped or beaten in her lifetime, that’s 1 billion women. Hearing this statistic not only outraged me, but also made me realize that I can no longer sit back and do nothing. I must do something to try and stop the violence that so many women experience on a daily basis. Women are the greatest resource on this planet, and we/they need protection, and we need and deserve to feel safe in the world. With this event, I am trying to create awareness, awareness of this terrible fact, but also a demand to stop the violence. I think it is extremely important that all men and women take part in this event, simply due to the fact that this statistic affects everyone on the planet, not just women. It’s especially important that men stand up and fight to end this violence, since mostly men are the ones perpetrating the violence towards women. If men get together and rise to say ‘no more,’ then change will occur, and women must rise to protect their friends, sisters, mothers, daughters, aunts, cousins. Just one is too big of a number, one billion is an atrocity, and things must change.”

Every day for the last two weeks women from the staff and students of Webster have been meeting to practice their moves for the flash mob, “It’s time to break the chain,” so where are our Webster men? It’s time to step up gentlemen! Practice is every day in the Living and Learning Center.onook at the Facebook event page, One Billion Rising Leiden, to keep yourself updated and informed.

The steps are simple, the song is great, and the cause is worthy. What’s your reason to rise? One billion rising is a worldwide event that has flash mobs popping up on every continent! You can find your local rising at http://www.onebillionrising.org/.

Go Eat Some Flowers

Impressions of The Netherlands by Study Abroad student Luca Toretta. He is a video production major from St. Louis.

Dutch language barrier poses problem in Leiden for students

Photo credit: Brittany Brown

By Brittany Brown

Hallo. Hoe gaat het? Ik spreek geen Nederlands. These may be simple Dutch phrases for local residents in Leiden, The Netherlands, but for some Webster University students, it is a different experience to not know the language at all.

Leiden is filled with many different cultures, but the official language of the country is Dutch. For new students, this poses a problem. Often, many become overwhelmed and speak in English. The location often determines the outcome of the experience.

Senior International Relations major from Istanbul, Ela Goksun, had a frustrating first interaction with the Dutch culture. She is a strict vegetarian. After the plane ride to Leiden, she went to grab a sandwich. There she ran into the language barrier. “I asked one of the employees to read me the ingredients to make sure it was vegetarian friendly. . . . He then read the ingredients [in Dutch] and was too shy to translate them for me.” She left the store with no sandwich in hand.

The language barrier does not stop there. The streets are filled with Dutch conversations and laughter. Advertisements, restaurant menus, train stations, and the grocery store are filled with the Dutch language.

Supermarkets seem to be the most frustrating place for new students in Leiden. The packaging around the food is all in Dutch. The fruits and vegetables are self explanatory since there is no box surrounding them. However, for boxed foods, one must examine the pictures and learn what the food is that way.

A junior Audio Production major student from America, Alex Cupp, had difficulties at the market. He wanted to purchase vegetables, but the man could not understand what Cupp was saying. The employee then called another worker over who spoke broken English. Cupp repeated himself, but it did not help. Eventually he pointed at the vegetables and then the employee understood.

Not speaking the Dutch language in Leiden can be an unsettling feeling for a person. Webster University offers free counseling service to those students who are struggling with the new culture changes. Felicia Maer is the school’s counselor who will listen.

At the beginning of every semester, Maer gives a presentation to the new students. She offers words of encouragement and explains that when students arrive in Leiden, they are in the “honeymoon phase.” Everything in Leiden is great to them. Then, eventually reality sets in. The person soon realizes how the Dutch culture is different. In some severe cases, students may fall into a depression state.

Maer interjects her philosophy and informs the students she is there to help. She wants to ease the transition phase into a new culture and offer support. Her information and contact details can be found in pamphlets in Webster University’s main building as well as in the Living and Learning Center.

Even after three years of living in Leiden, junior Psychology student from Canada, Taryn Putinta still struggles with speaking fluent Dutch. She is the student government’s president and every semester shows the new students around the town. “The easiest way to learn Dutch is by asking questions. . . . The Dutch are more than happy to help.”

(Webster Leiden also offers Dutch conversation classes. Beginning classes will start in the Fall 2 term.)

Never get viruses again with Macin-***FATAL SYSTEM ERROR – REBOOTING***

Photo credit: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ew7AN1IaGTI/Twstttl5yPI/AAAAAAAADiM/yfBVYp-Ht4k/s1600/computer-virus-picturejpg1.jpg

By Nick Kallechy

Pandemonium struck Apple headquarters mid-April as a recent U.S. Cyber-Security census found over 600,000 registered Macintosh’s to be infected with a severe Trojan FlashBack Virus. Sources have blamed poor understanding of technology matters among the public for the widespread infection, particularly the myth that “Mac’s can’t get computer viruses.”

“What do you mean? Mac’s don’t get viruses,” was the general consensus of an everyday sample taken around Leiden late last week. “I bought my Mac because they said it was easy to use and it wouldn’t get infected,” said 33-year-old Christine de Gruezen, who had a hard time believing that the report was real at all.

The fact that Mac’s DO indeed get viruses is one that its parent company, Apple, has kept quiet about for some time. While anybody working in or familiar with the IT industry can tell you that there is no such thing as a computer impervious to sabotage, the vast majority of the public does not understand this concept.

Thus the majority of Macintosh users have not installed Anti-Virus software, a utility which, even in its free version, would have stopped the Trojan dead in its tracks. This small program made the difference in infection rates between PCs and Macs as the particular brand of FlashBack Trojan is almost non-existent on Linux and Window’s networks.

“We all knew this day would come,” says Webster Leiden’s System Administrator, Jeroen Hensing. “Mac’s used to rarely get viruses because few people were taking the time to write them, their share of the market was so low.”

As Macintosh quickly becomes an everyday household name, we will begin to see their infection by new viruses. The challenge for Macintosh now becomes to design a security system as robust and competitive as the Windows and Linux systems it once ridiculed.

Blues, music, and Leiden

Photo credit: http://ejazznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Nick-White-Jazz-53974.jpg

By Alex Cupp

Music is a trans-global form of art that has many different “genres.” But as an American there is really only one genre that matters; and that is the blues. Yes, I am aware that blues music is just a melting pot of different types of music like jazz and folk and bluegrass, but it has become something of its own. Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri that sound is something that I have come to love.

I came to Leiden, The Netherlands for a semester to pursue an Audio engineering degree, “studying” at a very small college called Webster University.  I myself am not what I would consider a musical talent but I am definitely obsessed with noises made in harmony, a good fit for my degree. Back where I come from there is a street named Broadway that runs through downtown St. Louis parallel to the Mississippi River. Not only is Busch Stadium (home of the St. Louis Cardinals) located on the street, but also three small blues bars: Broadway Oyster Bar, Beale Off Broadway, and BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups.  Many famous acts and influential blues musicians have come through these bars. My friends and family know that if I am not at work or at home it is a safe bet I am at one of these bars, listening to some heavy-rooted blues.

To my surprise, in Leiden there are far more night clubs with DJs pressing the play button on their Macs than bars that have live musicians. I was becoming very judgmental about the Dutch opinion of music, and then I met Dan Hellinger. Dan teaches International Relations at Webster Leiden, he is a musician and, like me, also from St. Louis and visiting Leiden for a semester. The only difference is, he’s visiting as an instructor. Now I know that my hometown may be somewhat musically inclined, but I do not feel it is naive to think there are blues bars across the world.  After all, some of the worlds greatest-ever bands like the Beatles and Rolling Stones, or even U2, are all more or less blues-based bands. But the music scene in Leiden, as Dan would describe it, is “pretty thin.”

Like me, Dan grew up playing guitar. About fifteen years ago he decided to take up playing the mandolin because there were always too many guitars at the open sessions he would play at and he recently began playing fiddle. You could probably tell just by his interest in musical instruments, that stylistically he plays more folksy bluegrass tunes than anything, but he does like to dabble into jazz and blues. I asked him how often he plays and why and he gave me a very simple answer. He said, “Probably every day… Because it is fun!”

It is only natural for musicians to want to play around other musicians so I wondered where Dan went to release his urge to jam.  A small corner bar named De Tregter, is home to a Tuesday evening open jam session.  I did not know what to expect. But, I can tell you I certainly did not expect around ten to twelve gentleman at any given time’ sitting around a large wooden table, playing a variety of instruments, some of which I had no clue what they were, while patrons at the bar huddled extremely close. I walked in and immediately knew, This! is where musicians come to play music.

There were Irish folks, Dutch folks, American folks and many other people from around the world and just like the blues it was a melting pot of different genres all gathered around one table.  One man would begin to play a song. It seemed that if the person next to him joined in, then the whole group would then join in and they would jam until it seemed to all, there was no other direction to take it.  There were such a variety of songs played, ranging from Irish folk to bluegrass and blues, they even jammed on Don McLean’s “American Pie.”

It is still a little disappointing that I can’t walk down the street and sit in the pub on a random night and catch good music. I guess Leiden just in not the place for that. But, it is reassuring to know that there still is REAL music being made everywhere.

Ace of an evening: Pub-Golf Tournament an ultimate success

Photo credit: Amanda Cochran

By Amanda Cochran

With Webster being an international University it is no wonder that a few frosty pitchers of beer will bring students together.

With that in mind, Webster’s SGA organized a Pub Golf Tournament on April 6, 2012 open to all students and willing participants.

How it Works

Each pub or “hole” has a different designated challenge or “par” and like golf, the lower the score the better. Points can be added to the team’s score when you fail to complete the challenge under par or for other reasons like arguing with other teams, spilling, and even puking.

The Competition

The night began at De Kroeg for a 3-par challenge. Those up for the job raised their glass with determination to down the beer in three gulps or less.

Photo credit: Amanda Cochran

Next stop was a wine-chugging challenge down under at The Duke of Oz. A surprise task for extra negative points was presented in the form of Jagermeister shots for the brave and willing.

The third hole was held at the sports bar Vikings with a hearty Guiness and Bailey’s Irish Cream bomb shot challenge, better known as an Irish Car Bomb.

Shortly afterwards, students stumbled over to the famous Webster watering hole, Shooters, for a tasty shot race. The red, yellow and green spirits lined the bar and one by one disappeared inside eager competitors.

The final stop in the tournament was at Next, and ended with flaming Absinthe shots. Shortly afterwards the awards ceremony was held, where medals were awarded to the best dressed, “king and queen” of the evening, and overall winning team.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Photo credit: Amanda Cochran

Best Dressed: Boris van Tol; Team Winners: “The League of Extraordinary Alcoholic Gentleman”: Sebastian Fliege, Reeve Lanham, Gus Dijkstra, Jonathan Rogles, Kolbe Olszwski (King).

The night was an overall success! I personally have never seen so many people out for a Webster event and I highly recommend something like this be planned again. New friends and memories were made thanks to Danielle Kate, Savanna Wilson, Taryn Putinta, and Michelle Weaver who worked hard organizing the event. To those who missed out, we hope to see you out next time!

“A union between body, mind, and spirit”

By Safia Elwakil

We are living in an age where the world is changing so fast. Everybody is constantly busy and there is definitely no time to breathe. These are some of the reasons why yoga has gained in popularity during the last few years.

Yoga is a practice that originated in India four thousand years ago, back then it was a way to reach a deeper state of meditation. Meditation is a state where the mind stops thinking for a period of time and temporarily disconnects itself from the hectic surroundings in order to find balance. As a result the one who meditates often feels relaxed and calmed down. Today yoga still has the same function, but now it is more focused on training body and mind, in combination with a healthy food pattern; yoga certainly improves the quality of life.

Paulina Pirskanen is a student at Webster University Leiden, who has been teaching yoga at the Webster Leiden Living and Learning Center (LLC) since last semester. She is a certified Sivananda yoga instructor, a specialty she has chosen with care, owing to the fact that her interest lies with the body and mind conflict. Sivananda is a classical form of yoga with basic poses, which “focuses on learning how to control the body and mind.” Her fascination with yoga is thanks to her grandfather, who used to initiate philosophical conversations, as well as practice breathing exercises and physical training, although she states that he does not regard it as yoga. Her curiosity started with the peace of meditation, and then later on, she started to commit to the physical aspect of yoga. “What attracted me to yoga is the positive feeling or relief for mental and physical pain.”

Paulina is fascinated by the power of yoga, and says many psychological benefits accompany the practice. The relaxing poses and postures activate blood circulation which leads to a decrease in blood pressure and an increase in cardiovascular efficiency, in addition to the improvement of the digestive system and the respiratory system; as a result the person’s energy levels rise, muscles strengthen and the body reaches a great level of flexibility.

An important rule in psychology is “with a high self-esteem, you stand stronger.” Yoga has a positive impact on the psychology of the human being, through self-acceptance, a stable mood, and a decline in depression and anxiety. Yoga practitioners develop social skills that make it easier for them to adapt to the community around them and help them socialize more effectively. Studies prove that practicing yoga improves memory, attention, and concentration, which are essential elements that enhance learning efficiency.

Students can attend yoga classes on Tuesdays (11-12:30) and Wednesdays (11:30-12:30) at the LLC, in exchange for a small donation or a different skill. Paulina said, “If one practices how to focus, feels comfortable in one’s skin, and reacts well to stressful situations, studying becomes more efficient and pleasant.” So, don’t forget to leave an opening in your schedule; improve your academic performance while simultaneously relaxing and releasing the stress of a long day.

Bring Greek life to Webster Leiden?

Photo credit: Brittany Brown

By Brittany Brown

Sisterhood and brotherhood—where memories are cherished and friends are made. However, does it have a place here on the Webster Leiden campus?

Webster University’s main campus in St. Louis is currently the only Webster campus that has Greek life: Delta Phi Epsilon and Delta Upsilon.

The sorority—Delta Phi Epsilon—began on campus in the spring of 2009 with 25 girls.  It is home to 62 members and 18 alumni members. It continues to grow every semester by initiating new girls.

While on the other end, Webster St. Louis’s fraternity—Delta Upsilon—failed to succeed. It started in 2009 as well, but slowly died a year later when most of its members graduated. The fraternity did not initiate any new members.

Webster Leiden students Michelle Weaver and Jeremy Francis share similar views about bringing Greek life to Leiden. They believe it will not be successful due to the fact that the campus is so small. It only has 400 students.

Weaver says, “I feel like with sororities, people become isolated or only mix and socialize with people in their club. One of my favorite things about Webster is the diversity and how we all mix together and I would hate to jeopardize this.”

If a fraternity were established on campus, Francis would not join. He says, “I prefer non-alcoholic fun.” Sororities and fraternities hold a negative image, one that is associated with endless parties and hazing.

Although, depending on the Greek life that would come to Leiden campus, it could easily eliminate the negative images others have of sororities and fraternities. A Leiden study abroad student Julie Polk is a member of Delta Phi Epsilon back in St. Louis.

“I would have loved to have Greek life over here. It would have enabled me to make friends quicker since we would have had a common ground of being in the sorority.”

She understands there are negative views about Delta Phi Epsilon. In St. Louis, members are not allowed to partake in hazing or seen partying. If caught, consequences may include losing membership to the sorority.

Polk does not believe size has anything to do with the sorority being successful on the main campus. “It would bring in a more cultural aspect and bring more of a community to Webster since Webster Leiden is so small.”

Greek life is not for every college. Perhaps it is not for Leiden because of the size. Or maybe the size is suitable and this would thrive even more than the sorority at Webster St. Louis.

 

It is hard to tell if a sorority or fraternity would be successful in Leiden. One thing that is for sure, it takes a group of people to devote time and commitment in order to start an organization, and continue it each year.

A barbecue to vote for!

By Edwin van der Velden

Zarina, running for the presidency of the SGA (Student Government Association), organized a successful barbecue to give students an opportunity to interact with her. While the cold outside made it a most difficult venture they still succeeded in making it a great festivity. It all took place within the main room at the Living and Learning Center. Multiple tables were laid out, some covered with all kinds of foods. From bratwurst, to hamburgers, to barbecued vegetables and meats on a stick.

Nabila, a student at Webster University and Zarina’s friend, helped to prepare the hamburgers. “I have done this many times before,” Nabila commented. Her handmade hamburgers have been a popular selection at this party, and were quickly depleted. For those with special dietary needs, there was halal meat and vegetarian food. In a calm atmosphere the students enjoyed this get-together. A projector connected to an Apple computer was used as a sound box to play music. Other students gathered around to listen  to the music and converse.

Some even started playing a pictogram game to celebrate the occasion. Pictograms is a game where a person is given a secret word to describe using only pictures, and the audience has to gue

Photo credit: Edwin van der Velden

ss what word the picture represents.  “Fantastic, superbly organized,” Savannah Wilson, another Webster student, commented. The students who arrived at 4 p.m. hungry and sober, left filled and satisfied, heading off to continue their festivities elsewhere.

 

Election spotlight: SGA presidential candidate Tunku Zarina–A brief history and Q&A before election day

Photo credit: Amanda Cochran

By Amanda Cochran

Hailing from Malaysia, 23 year-old Zarina has attended Webster University for one year and is majoring in International Relations.

During her time wandering the halls of Webster she has been involved with student council and, if elected, she has a clear set of goals and an opened mind for the future.

“I’m running because I want to not only bring the clubs together, but also get Webster’s students involved and active in more social programs between ourselves and the Leiden community,” added Zarina.

When running for SGA President a candidate must have a 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation, and of course passion and commitment. The Q&A below allows Zarina to show how passionate she truly is.

Q: With what changes do you plan to make Webster better?

A: As I’ve mentioned, I came into this election with a clear set of goals: I want to make the clubs more cohesive, I want to make the students more active, and I want to be the link between the students, clubs, and management. For me, I want to help the students in any way possible, be it providing cheaper and better food in the vending machines, to capping the textbooks. I’m open to suggestions and feedback, and one of my main ideas is having suggestion-themed meetings to discuss any wanted changes, complaints or comments from the student population.

Q: How do you plan to gain more student interest in the Student Government/ SG Activities?

A: Better marketing, earlier announcements, etc. But at the end of the day, I can’t force the students to take part. I will, however, diversify SGA’s activities and host competitions, and field trips around The Netherlands.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this experience?

A: Honestly, I don’t have an answer for that question. I don’t have any expectations. But I’m open to all possibilities. I just want to enjoy the process of lobbying and try to get my message across to Webster’s student body.

Best of luck to all candidates and remember to vote.