Disappointment

Maybe I’m being silly for saying this, but I’m very disappointed in this winter’s weather. I look out the window, and I see sunshine, a clear blue sky, and what appears to be a fine spring day. There’s just one problem: it’s not spring yet. Not by my calendar, anyway. Spring is supposed to arrive on or near March 21 in central Illinois. In grade school we had a calendar in our classroom with a picture of rain in March, wind in April, then flowers in May; and that is still how I think it should be.
January, my birth month, is supposed to be full of snow, cold wind, blizzards, sledding, ice skating, etc., but it reached 60 degrees Fahrenheit on my birthday this year. February is supposed to be more of the same—snow, ice and a fierce north wind from Canada—with a slightly warmer day (just above freezing temperatures) thrown in every once in a while.

What I expect

 

What I see instead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So…you’ll have to forgive me if you’re one of those people who would be happy if it were today’s balmy 50 degrees year ‘round. I cannot agree. Part of the charm of continental weather is change; I enjoy each season’s offerings. I barbecue, swim, sweat and swat mosquitoes in summer; I go on hikes and crunch fallen leaves and sneeze pollen dust in autumn; I complain about the cold, the snow, the five extra minutes it takes to get dressed in the morning, and yet I get bundled up to go sledding with my son in the winter; I wipe mud off my shoes and watch for flowers pushing up to the surface in spring. There’s something really satisfying about having endured the worst and the best of each season, and the changes in the weather mark time for me. This winter seems to have disappeared into thin air.

Maybe I’ll go plant some flowers.

Friendly Resources

Did you know that the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement has a “warm and fuzzy” side?  Well, for those of you who think of the U.S. government and immediately picture a Customs and Border Protection officer examining your passport; or dogs sniffing your luggage; or a nameless, faceless person in a U.S.C.I.S. office somewhere with stacks and stacks of paperwork (and your application for change of status is at the bottom); then you need to take a look at this website:

studyinthestates.dhs.gov

It’s a fabulous resource, put together by the U.S. State Department (yes, the same folks who work in U.S. Embassies and Consulates), Homeland Security, and other governmental bodies to help students and potential students who would like to come to the U.S. to study, or who are already here and may have questions or problems.  Recently, the U.S. State Department and Homeland Security have been focusing on “outreach.”  In plain speech, that means that they are trying to make a better impression, to encourage cooperation and, ultimately, good relationships.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you will get a hug and kiss from the passport officer the next time you enter the U.S.!  But I encourage you to explore the website, and to visit the International Student Services office at Parkland College if you have any questions or worries.  After all, that is our primary purpose:  education.  Through our emails, this blog, and all other communication with our students, we fulfill a small part of the mission of the college:  to engage the [international] community in learning.

You can get a free hug here:  http://flic.kr/p/ATmTn

You also can get “engaged” with our college by becoming involved in student clubs and organizations, such as:

English Conversation Club (ECC)

International Students’ Association (ISA)

Muslim Students’ Association (MSA)

…and others (ask for a list in Student Life or go to their website)

Please take advantage of all the resources available to you to make your international experience even more valuable.  Being involved decreases feelings of isolation and symptoms of culture shock, and definitely increases smiles.  Go ahead, jump in!!

January is a new beginning

My Christmas tree is still up. Lit with tiny white lights, adorned with family treasured ornaments, I am having a difficult time letting go of it this year. Our family tradition (half French) determines that the Christmas tree stays up until Ephiphany (or King’s Day), which is January 6; however, most Americans have removed Christmas decorations from their home by New Year’s Day. I guess I’m somewhat reluctant to really start the new year yet. 2011 went by so quickly.
According to Wikipedia, “In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past. ” “Janus” is the root of the name of the first month “January,” and marks not only a beginning, but a reflection on the past. So, as I look forward to 2012, I reflect on the events and traditions that I will carry into the new year and beyond. What traditions and culture will you bring to 2012?

Season of color

This gallery contains 1 photo.

The sun is shining and the sky is a deep, perfect, unblemished blue.  The air is dry and warm, but tinged with a touch of autumn chill.  It is heavenly.  I wish this weather could last all year, but in east central Illinois, we are extremely lucky to have an entire week of it.  So…my […]

Now Playing…

Who doesn’t like movies?  Well, some people, I guess, but they’re “rare birds.”  Most of us like watching movies, whether on our computers, TVs, or on the big screen.  And the big screen is always the most impressive, at least in my opinion.  Nothing makes you crawl into the parallel universe of a film better than a large screen.  With surround sound and a bucket of popcorn, of course…

C-U doesn’t lack opportunities for watching movies on the big screen.  Besides the obvious blockbusters at Beverly Cinema and Savoy 16, there are many opportunities to watch great films you might not otherwise know about:

–The Art Theatre in downtown Champaign often hosts documentaries and independent films of interest (http://www.thecuart.com/).

 –Famed Chicago Sun Times film critic and Urbana native Roger Ebert holds his highly acclaimed “Ebertfest” (previously known as “Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival”) here in late April at the historic Virginia Theatre (http://www.ebertfest.com).

–Global Lens is an international film festival held right here at Parkland this fall, the films shared with UIUC (http://artgallery.parkland.edu/global-lens.html).

– And this Friday, September 23, is the kickoff for the Latin American Film Festival (http://www.clacs.illinois.edu/news/specialevents/). 

Most of these events are free or very reasonably priced.  Take advantage of these fabulous film opportunities, and a way to learn about another culture, art, passion, or way of life through the eye of the lens.

paintings credit:  Elizabeth Santiago

Reasons to fall in love with C-U—Series Part 1

One of the best ways to combat homesickness and culture shock is to get to know the place you’ve moved to.  One of my favorite activities to engage with my community is the Farmers’ Market, or as it as known in C-U, the Urbana Market on the Square.  Held on late spring, summer and early autumn Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on the southeast corner of the Lincoln Square parking lot, the market is one of the best ways to find local fruits, vegetables, organic meats, Amish baked goods, candies, cheese, crafts, honey….and the list goes on.  Here are some of my favorite things to see at the market: 

 

  Besides cheese, these folks also give samples of their goat’s milk gelato, some of the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. 

But the market is not just a place to buy food or flowers, it’s also entertainment.  Where else could you see one of these?!

Musicians come out to entertain the crowd and earn some cash.  It’s a wonderful place to watch people and eavesdrop on lively conversations.  If you go to the market to buy food, I recommend going early to avoid the crowds; if people-watching is your thing, then go later, but take a hat and some sunscreen—the sun gets hot out there!  When the weather cools off in October, the market moves indoors to Lincoln Square until Christmas, and local craftspeople use the opportunity to sell their Christmas wares.  It’s easy to get here by local transportation, so I encourage you to visit the market on Saturday as a way to get to know Champaign-Urbana.

U-C or C-U?

 

When referring to our fair twin cities in east central Illinois, why is it that you hear both “Urbana-Champaign” and “Champaign-Urbana?”  Which way is right?

The matter is probably up for much debate, but I’ll give my own personal theory.  You usually hear “Urbana-Champaign” when referring to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  The official address of the university is in Urbana, so it is logical that this should come first in the university’s title; many university buildings are located in Champaign, however, so it’s also important to include both cities. 

In general, long-time residents of both cities tend to ignore the university’s convention, and refer to the place as “Champaign-Urbana.”  Why?  Again, my own theory:

1. Champaign is bigger.  Population in the 2010 census:  81,055;  Urbana: 41,250 . 
2. Champaign-Urbana has a much nicer ring to it.  You could almost jump rope to it, or have it as a line in a song.
3. Champaign is much more important.  Despite the fact that it started as “West Urbana,” in the late 1800s, it has long ago superseded Urbana in size and number of businesses.  AND its mayor Don Gerard used to be in several semi-famous rock bands, and recently showed up on MTV’s list of “Hive Five:  Musicians with Political Cred.”
4. Champaign has a more unique name.  Did you know there’s an Urbana, Ohio (with an Urbana University!) an Urbana, Iowa, an Urbana, Arkansas, and even an Urbana restaurant in Washington, D.C.?  If you don’t wait to hear the end of the phrase “Urbana-Champaign,” you might confuse it with another Urbana.
5. It’s a way of differentiating “townies”(locals) from “newbies”(usually students).  If you’re new here, you can easily make the mistake of calling it “Urbana-Champaign.”  If you want to sound like you’ve lived in the town forever, call it “Champaign-Urbana.”
6. Champaign-Urbana lends itself to all sorts of interesting nicknames.  Such examples as “Shampoo-Banana,” “Chambana,” and “C-U” come to mind.  Using “C-U” can be really fun when combined with other stuff, such as “C-U at the movies” or “C-U later.”

Now, this is not to say that Urbana doesn’t have its charm!  Urbana is home to some very important stuff (for some reason mostly revolving around food):  the Annual Sweetcorn Festival, Mirabelle Bakery, Common Ground Food Co-op, Urbana’s Market at the Square (also known as the Farmers’ Market), Strawberry Fields Natural Foods; as well as being home to the President of the University of Illinois and the site of two very large excellent hospitals, Carle and Provena.  I encourage you to visit all Urbana has to offer (Except for maybe the hospitals. Unless you need them, of course).

So…which is better, Champaign-Urbana or Urbana-Champaign?  What’s your theory?  Either way you say it, I hope I’ll C-U out in U-C.  Or C-U.

 

For more information about both cities, look them up on Wikipedia, or visit http://www.visitchampaigncounty.org/.