Bosphorus Chronicle Mar 2013

Are you interested in bizarre
If you are curious about Bosphorus
Read
Gizem
New
Are you thinking of opening a
obsessions? read ‘‘A Littthe Something on
Chronicle’s interview with Jake Becker
Phenomenon” on page 7 to learn
Twitter account? Read “Spirit of
Obsessions’’ on Page 4 by Deniz Şahintürk.
and Jameson Vierling turn to page 6.
how
the Bird” by Sıla Göral on page 16.
RC
Ergün’s
Sweatshirts
“A
have
taken
over the Robert College Campus.
Bosphorus Chronıcle
JANUARY2013
MARCH
2010Issue
Issue
Bosphorus Chronicle is the quarterly newspaper of Robert College
Seeing Through the Clouds of Chaotic Brains
Vera Can
time the gym was located in the current place
of the library? That is why there are balconies
on the third floor. This is where the small yet
interesting museum is also located.
attracts many Lise 9 and Lise Prep students.
This building was used as the Science Building until 1990.
Sage Hall is where the girl residential students stay. Its name comes from Margaret Olivia Sage who gifted the building. It is made
attractive by the art studio, where interesting
Have you ever wondered about the history of
the buildings that you pass by? As Robert College students, we tend to walk the corridors
as if we were blind, our brains occupied with
concerns about exams, grades or social issues.
But now, let’s disperse the chaotic thoughts
and have a closer look at the places we see
every single day, because summer or winter, the school buildings play a very big part
in our lives.
Nejat Eczacıbaşı Hall
It is the biggest and the most elegant building of all. Its name comes from Helen Gould
Shepard. She is known as the daughter of Jay
Gould who was a famous Wall Street financier.
The building also houses the outstanding
RC library. It is a huge library that holds the
greatest number of books among the high
schools in Turkey. Did you know that at one
A Lost Tribe
Ezgi Su
Korkmaz
A small tribe lives near the northern border
of Mongolia, near the Sayan Mountains. They
are called the Dukkhas: The Lost Turks.
It is indeed hard to believe that a tribe continues to live a nomadic lifestyle. They continue the traditions Turks abandoned many
centuries ago. Still, when two Turkish journalists spent two months visiting the tribe,
they found that they could get along fairly
well. The Dukkhas, who are said to be one of
the oldest Turkish tribes, shared their lifestyle
with outsiders for the first time ever.
They came to Mongolia from Tuva or the Tyva
Republic, a country on the far South of Sibe-
This building is all about the sciences, amazing many science-focused students. The
building is named for Feyyaz Berker, a Robert
College Eng’46 alumni and a generous donor.
On a down note, since this building is not connected to the others from indoors, students
do not like their journey to science classes on
rainy winter days!
Suna Kıraç, a generous businesswoman, created this house of art. Apart from housing the
stage, where many fascinating concerts, conferences, seminars, plays and musicals take
place, it also houses the makeup rooms, music office and music studios with professional
sound systems.
Gould Hall:
On the main floor is the famous Marble Hall,
the main entrance of the school. Administrative offices are also located in this area. Interestingly, when the area is decorated, it signals
that there is not much time left till Christmas!
Feyyaz Berker Hall
Suna Kıraç Hall
Here goes the list:
The long, endless stairs of this building give a
hard time to students who sometimes need
to go up four floors first thing in the morning. The canteen area of the building is usually overcrowded; thus, buying something becomes an arduous task, especially during the
short breaks.
to Business.
Nejat Eczacıbaşı, a biochemist businessman
and the largest donor to RC, granted the
funds for this building. Apart from including
many sports facilities, such as the gym, it also
includes the “lost and found” room that becomes important for each student at some
point.
Robert College Map
Woods Hall:
This building was completed in 1914 and its
name comes from Mrs. Henry Woods who donated this building as a partial gift to the RC
community. Woods Hall is primarily known
as the home of the Preps. RC students probably remember their first day and first homeroom classes in Woods Hall, along with the
bedlam they created as newcomers. The canteen of the building, even though it is small,
Mitchell Hall:
If a student detests mathematics, he probably also disdains Mitchell. Still, the computer center brings many to this area, where
students use the opportunity to finish their
urgent homework or projects. Also, Mitchell 400 is located at the top floor, which is designed as a small conference room; it is used
for exams as well.
Sage Hall
ria, traveling with reindeer on their
migration route. Incredible but true,
the reindeer hold a great importance
in the Dukkhas’ lives. The tribe raises reindeer packs and rides them as
they go hunting every autumn and
winter. They say that reindeer are
stronger than horses and in addition,
reindeer produce milk. The Dukkhas
not only drink it, but they also use it
to make cheese.
Dukkhas have a myth which in their
opinion explains how reindeer became their animal. Many years ago
an old man struggled to find food
and to take care of his family. One
day he climbed up a tall mountain
and prayed to the holy spirits, and A child from the tribe
time a female reindeer showed up, also with
the next day, a male reindeer with
only one antler showed up. The old man hap- one antler, just the opposite of the male reinpily took the reindeer and tamed it to ride as deer’s. The next year the reindeers had many
he went hunting. After a while he climbed up babies and the man and his family were never
the same mountain and prayed again. This left hungry again.
December
March 2013
2012Issue
Issue
and fun courses are offered. The unparalleled
opportunities for photography are specifically remarkable.
Bingham Hall
Other than these major buildings, there are
also several places open to RC students. The
Forum, Bubble, Maze and Plateau are four
well-known examples. The Plateau is the
most attractive for students who call it ‘Heaven’. It offers an amazing view of the Bosphorus.
This hall was first built as a medical school
building by William Bingham. Now the boy’s
dormitory and the stage, Bingham 1, are
the major areas of the building utilized by
students. In addition, the offices in the hall
house numerous tasks, ranging from Gursel
This is just an overview of specific main locations. However, RC’s capacious campus holds
many other secrets which you might miss in
the daily rush. So for a moment, stop and look
around, as you only have five years to do so.
After that you can only regret what you neglected to enjoy.
The Dukkhas’
believe in Shamanism. Their
nomadic lifestyle depends
strongly on
nature, which
is why they
care about it.
They do not
wash their
hands or bathe
in the river because they do
not want to
pollute it. Instead, they
take the water with pots
to fulfill their needs. Their most interesting
traits are that they do not commit any crimes
and there is a clear equality between man
and woman. It seems like this tribe has a bet-
ter understanding of morals than we do.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
The Dukkhas speak a language that has Turkish origins. Although the two journalists who
visited them could not understand it at first,
in about a week they learned enough to communicate. The language, however, is endangered just like the Dukkhas. It is true that
there are not many Dukkhas left, as the times
have changed and it has become harder for
them to fit in with their reindeer packs and
tents. Their current population is about two
hundred people, and it is sad to note that a
valuable culture that has survived for so long
is about to become extinct. As a tribe that is
free, egalitarian and sharing, it is undeniable
that everyone has something to learn from
the Dukkhas.
More information on the Dukkhas can be
found in Atlas Magazine or the documentary
Dukha Halkı: Kayıp Türkler.
1
NEWSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLENEWSNEWSNEWS
Elevator Of Chance
Buse Oldaç
Imagine you are in an elevator and suddenly
it stops. You turn left and see a businessman
you really admire. What would you do? This
might be the chance of your life to express
your opinions and talents about a project. All
you have to do is talk to him.
Each year Özyeğin University organizes the
Elevator Pitch Competition at Robert College
with the help of Junior Achievement Organization Group. They invite schools, prepare
posters, and do a great job organizing a successful competition. Lots of high schools attend this competition including Koç High
School, Darüşşafaka Schools, and Robert College. In the competition student entrepreneurs have to convince a business man to
sponsor their project. This year, Büşra Yen,
a ninth grade RC student, won the Elevator
Pitch Competition.
Bosphorus Chronicle interviewed Büşra Yen
to learn about this great experience.
BC : Büşra, this is your first year in Junior
Achievement Club and also in this competition. What did you learn from this competition? How did you benefit from this competition?
Büşra: First of all, it was a great experience
for me to develop my convincing and listening abilities. I met lots of people from other
schools. Also, it helped me gain confidence.
I learned how to appeal to people and how
to commercialize a project using persuasive
techniques.
BC: What techniques did you use to persuade
the financier? Was it difficult to persuade
him?
Büşra: I think timing was very important in
this competition because you only have a
minute to show yourself, to persuade the financier to choose you and to be daring about
your project. Also, you have to explain to the
financier how he would profit from your project because you basically want him to be your
sponsor. You have to explain your project
thoroughly. You should wait for him if he is
on the telephone and you should answer his
questions without getting nervous.
Exchanges All Over The World
Begüm
Kilimcioğlu
This fall Robert College students participated in two different exchange programs,
one in the state of Maine, in the United States and another at the Lise-Meit-
The BC Staff
SECTION EDITORS
Ali Murat Gali Aslıhan Asil Esin Aşan Paulina Schenk Setenay Gel
Layout Editor
Göksenin Akdeniz
Copy Editors
Ali Girayhan Özbay
Begüm Kilimcioğlu
Birce Alkın
Bita Koç
Deniz Şahintürk
Ece Selin Timur
Ege Bıçaker
Elif Naz Samancı
Ezgi Su Korkmaz
Fulya İdil Keskin
Gizem Ergün
Hilal Kocabıyık
Layout Assıstants
Umutcan Gölbaşı
IT Club Members
Publisher: Birmat Matbaacılık
RC adına sahibi ve yazı işlerinden
sorumlu müdürü: Güler Erdur
Bosphorus Chronicle is published quarterly
during the academic year by Robert College
students. We welcome letters to the editor,
feedback, and articles by students. However,
we reserve the right to edit all materials for
reasons of appropriateness of length. Give
your submissions to the advisor or one of
the editors or send it to us via e-mail.
All photographs published are taken by
the writer unless otherwise credited.
How to contact us:
By mail: Robert College, Arnavutkoy
34345 Istanbul, Turkey.
By e-mail: [email protected]
Yerel Süreli Yayın
Advısors
Carolyn Callaghan
Moira Lang
2
Edıtorıal Assıstants
Hande Güven
Lara Margaret Güneri
Mert Dilek
Writers
Ali Girayhan Özbay
Ali Murat Gali
Aslıhan Asil
Barış Heybeli
Begüm Kilimcioğlu
Beril Erdoğdu
Berk Eroğlu
Birce Alkın
Bita Koç
Buse Oldaç
Deniz Şahintürk
Ece Selin Timur
Ece Toprak
Ege Bıçaker
Ege Ersü
Elif Naz Samancı
Esin Aşan
Ezgi Su Korkmaz
Fulya İdil Keskin
Gizem Ergün
Göksenin Akdeniz
Hande Güven
Hilal Kocabıyık
İnci Serdar
İpek Ömercikli
İrem Turgut
Lal Tüzman
Lara Margaret Güneri
Leyla Ok
Mert Dilek
Mert Uşşaklı
M. Miraç Süzgün
Naz Duru Mola
Nazlı Güngör
Paulina Schenk
Setenay Gel
Sıla Göral
Vera Can
Yasemin Kirişçioğlu
ner Gymnasium in Munich, Germany.
Maine Exchange Program
Fourteen students from grades 10 and 11
went to Yarmouth, Maine, during the fall
break. During this time they met with their
exchange partners, who will visit our school
during their spring break. The trip to Yarmouth lasted one week and its goal was to
have a cultural exchange, since the students
stayed with their American partners’ families
during Thanksgiving. So Robert College students were able to experience Thanksgiving
and observe a number of American traditions.
Students attended the high school there with
their American hosts to experience the life of
an American teenager. The RC Alumni office
BC: How did you feel when you won the competition?
Büşra: Actually I was kind of surprised because I didn’t expect to win this competition.
I was also very happy because I received the
chance to go to Özyeğin University for a second appointment. The second one was more
challenging which made it even more exciting.
1000 TL gift card from Teknosa. Of course I like
the awards, but I think being there and having an experience like that were more important than winning a prize.
BC: Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Büşra showed us that a minute is enough to
achieve our dreams. All we have to do is to believe in ourselves and be determined.
BC: Your second appointment was on 10th of November and you took second place. How did you
feel? What was the award
you won?
Büşra: I was very happy
of course. They gave me a
also organized a tour to Harvard College in
Boston, allowing students to see a political
discussion about the problems between East
and West. The students, additionally, had a
lunch with former RC headmaster John Chandler and his wife Tania, at their home. Other guests at the luncheon were Mr. Ambrose
Lovely, Ms.Hallie Wheelis and Ms. Irem Eren,
all former English teachers at Robert College.
This trip was organized by English Department chair Maura Kelly and Director of Activities Joseph Welch, who also
chaperoned the group. The trip was possible through the help of Ms. Marita O’Neill,
who taught English at Robert College between the years of 2008 and 2010 and is
now situated in United States of America.
Lise-Meitner Gymnasium Exchange Program
Another exchange program took place the
same week as the Maine exchange. Fifteen
students from Lise 10, who had taken German
2 the previous year, participated in the program. These students, who hosted German
students, last year went to Munich for a week.
The chaperones for this trip were German
teachers Ms.Neşe Yıldırım and Ms.Pelin Germiyen. The goal of this trip was to practice
German with native speakers and to experience the life in a German high school. The
program included a Munich city tour, a tour
to the city museum which had an exhibition named “Typisch Munchen” and a trip
to the Neuschwanstein Palace. The time remaining was spent with the host families.
Home of Unheard Heroes: The Moth
Leyla Ok
Naz Duru Mola
“Heroes are ordinary people who make
themselves extraordinary,” said Gerard Way.
Some members of the Robert College community also have their own exceptional saviors who might not be famous, but they definitely stand out with marvelous acts. RC
students and teachers had the chance to talk
about these people at the first semi-annual Moth Event. The event was held after the
RC ceremony for Atatürk Commemoration
Day, November 10. The topic was chosen to
honor Turkey’s own hero: Atatürk. The sharing of unheard heroes’ wonderful stories created a sincere atmosphere in
the Robert College Theater.
There were fifteen storytellers and each one inspired
the audience in several different ways. While listening
to the words of these people,
the attendees were reminded of their own stories; thus,
“Open Story Sharing” started after the fifteen predetermined speakers. Many people wanted to share their
own memories, but time allowed only one to do so. Ülkem Hardy, an English teacher, who had not planned to
speak, comfortably got onto
the stage and talked to the
friendly group. The inspiration in the room was clearly
apparent as an English teacher, Moira Lang said, “I would
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
have told my story if Ms. Hardy did not. Then
on my way home I ended up telling it to
my friend.” Another participant, Kaan Kaya,
mentioned that this event created a special bond between him and the others in
the auditorium; it definitely made the storytellers and attendees closer to each other.
In general terms, storytelling has a lot of benefits. First of all, people get the chance to
bring out the memories that were forgotten
in a corner. On top of that, storytelling is much
more than an individual experience, but rather a collaborative activity. Listeners get the
chance to empathize with the speaker’s feelings. This evokes their own pasts, making
them dive into the sea of forgotten memories.
The Bosphorus Chronicle would like to thank
all the people who took part in this event:
organizers, speakers and attendees. Shirin Shabdin is the English teacher who came
up with this outstanding idea and contributed a lot in organizing this wonderful event. The organizers who worked with
Shabdin were also essential in creating
the day. Finally, the event became meaningful because of its exciting participants.
Funny and heartwarming stories were flying
through the air at the first Moth Event and
the hope is to have many more participants
in years to come. Do not forget, all stories are
worth sharing, and even if you only come to
listen, you will get an unparalleled chance
to join and discover the worlds of others.
Shirin Shabdin: The Organizer
DECEMBER
March 2013
2012
Issue
Issue
January 2008 Issue
NEWSNEWSNEWSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLENEWS
Robert College Debate Society in EurOpen 2012
Ece Selin
Timur
The Robert College Debate Society represented Turkey in EurOpen 2012 with two
teams. The tournament was founded in
1996, and it is still going strong with the
participation of countries from all over the
world. This year’s tournament was held
with the participation of 30 teams, 16 of
which were international. Turkey was represented by four teams, two from Robert
College and two from Açı High School.
The RC teams spent nine days in Stuttgart, Germany , and had the chance to improve their skills as debaters while discovering the beautiful city they were in. Some
of the noteworthy places that they visited
were the Mercedes-Benz museum, where
the iconic brand’s history and designs can
be found, and Hauptbahnhof, the main
station, and the downtown, where many
performing street artists can be seen.
street art is more than
encouraged to give
Stuttgart a visit.
The most significant part of the trip
was obviously the
debating. RC competed against many
strong teams such as
those from the Netherlands and Vancouver, Canada, which
became the champion of EurOpen 2012.
All of our debaters
have discovered new
ways of improving
their public speaking
and argumentation
skills. Each of our debaters has learned a
significant amount of
both theoretical and
practical knowledge,
initiated new international friendships
and presented both
our school and Turkey
with distinction.
Another highlight of the city was its graffiti. Hundreds of colors dance on the walls of
buildings, floors of the subways and even
on the clothes of some younger citizens
in Stuttgart. Graffiti has become a part
of this city’s culture and is one of its most
eye-catching aspects. Anyone who enjoys
RCDS on the Finals Stage
Meet the New SC
Yasemin
Kirişçioğlu
Walking down the school corridors putting
up posters, attending meetings, arranging
the campus for activities... The Student
Council is like an early blooming spring
flower, with the petals already wide open
and face looking up.
The new Student Council, elected last year,
prepared for the new year beforehand. At
this year’s Opening Day Ceremony, our
new president Ali Can Söylemezoğlu made
an inspiring speech, welcoming our new
headmaster, the teachers and fellow students. For a closer view into the workings
of the student government the Bosphorus
Chronicle interviewed Söylemezoğlu.
- Do you have any changes in mind for the
Student Council this year?
The biggest change I have in mind is
changing the profile of the Student Council. It is apparent that the Council’s image
has had a descending trend over the past
years in terms of popularity and effectiveness. I want to change this. I’ve been taking steps to halt this decline and what
we’ve accomplished in terms of events,
such as the Movie Night, and certain Student Affairs topics show a positive change.
- What are your goals for the Student
Council this year?
The main goal I have for the council is to
work effectively and improve the students’
experiences in the school. In line with this,
I hope that the RC Store opens by the end of
this year or at the start of next year. We’ve
made good progress and I believe that it is a
project that soon will be realized. I also want
the Student Council to strengthen its status as
a platform for students to voice their concerns.
I hope to bring back the Admin Forum so students can state their concerns to the administration face to face. All these add up to the big
goal of improving the students’ experience in
the school.
- What does being the SC president feel like?
It really doesn’t feel all that special. I’m still the
regular Ali Can who does the same things. The
only thing different is my title. Of course there
are certain perks that come with the job. Most
of the personnel know me, including the ISS,
Gürsel bus drivers and cafeteria employees.
It’s easier for me to request something from
them. It’s strange in its own way though. The
entire student body knows me from flag ceremony announcements and speeches but I only
know some of them. Sometimes I hear people
come up to me asking about various things, although I had never seen them before. I guess
I’ll grow accustomed to it over time.
- Do you have any plans for this year’s Fine Arts
Festival (FAF)?
I’d rather keep any plans for FAF secret for now,
but I can promise you that it will be great.
- Do you look up to previous presidents of the
SC? And if so, in what ways?
Of course. They have been through what I am
going through at the moment, meaning they
are more experienced. I ask for their opinions
when I am stuck. While I’m only starting with
my responsibility, they have already complet-
March 2013 Issue
ed theirs and gone off to university and matured even more. So, I look up to them. I, especially, consult past presidents Ersagün and
Türker along with former vice president Ufuk. I
do look up to some past presidents more than
others for reasons I’d rather keep to myself.
- What’s the hardest part of being the SC president?
I’d say there is not one, but there are two hard
things about being the president. The first is
the trouble of representing an entire student
body. I represent 1000 or so students with
a variety of interests and tastes. What one
wants, another might not want. Then, there is
the part of explaining their desires to the administration and then explaining the administration’s answer to the student body. At times
teachers also request various things from me
and it’s extremely hard if not impossible to
please everyone. The second hard part is the
tempo. I find myself attending three meetings
a day sometimes and it really wears me out.
- If you were to describe the Student Council in
one word, what would it be?
This is a team effort so: Teamwork
Even though he has a very busy schedule which, as he puts it “wears him out,”
Söylemezoğlu laughs and smiles numerous
times in the Student Council meetings. He
does not show a bit of exhaustion and enjoys himself even after a long day. His positive energy often reflects on other members.
Furthermore, his problem-solving skills are a
great help to Student Council representatives
and encourage them to strive for improvements.
Particularly, the Student Council’s support to
make a change in this year’s dress code, allowing students from all grades to wear Robert
College sweatshirts, was a win for the student
body. The change has been met with positive
reactions, as the order numbers are higher
than usual and the design for the sweatshirts
is receiving many compliments, according to
the Student Council.
For the new school year, the Student Council
has many new ideas on improving the events
and creating new ones aimed to interest students from all grades, not only the more enthusiastic prep class. The SC is looking forward
to having different events for specific classes.
This way, these new kinds of events can be traditionalized and become more appealing than
the yearly SC events.
An effort to revive the school balls was on the
9th of November, not too far from the 31st of
October. The Student Council planned to give
the school a Halloween treat. Many people
were wondering why Robert College didn’t
celebrate Halloween even though it was an
American school. So, Robert College finally
had a wicked celebration, supported with a
gloomy atmosphere through the art department’s help with the decorations.
The Student Affairs Committee in the Student
Council aims to improve school life by observing details everyone has been complaining
about for years. The bathrooms and dressing
rooms have changed, and further improvements on these are being done (there will
be benches with hangers put on them in the
dressing rooms and other hangers will be put
in the bathrooms as well). The late busses are
to leave at 17:30 instead of 17:45.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
The Student Council also looks for ways to improve campus use and believes that if non-residential students can enter the campus on the
weekend without having to get permission,
just like the residential students do, they can
be able to visit the campus more often and
take advantage of the great things it offers.
One important subject discussed in almost every SC meeting is the new Laptop Program in
school. Students have many complaints, suggestions and comments about the Laptop
Program and the SC finds it hard to agree on
decisions to resolve students’ issues. Many
students think the laptops should not be
used and some think they should with caveats. Some people think tablets serve an educational purpose better; others say Macs would
be better. Students have many difficulties using the laptops at school; the SC is keeping
track of how the laptop program is going and
is open to students’ feedback.
SC gave great importance to the Dave Phillips
Cup since it’s meant to make former teacher
Mr. Philips’ tradition last. Last year’s Dave Philips Cup was not as well-attended as hoped.
So, the SC looked for ways to make it more appealing to students. Especially because teams
from other schools did not want to miss more
than one school day, the Dave Philips Cup is
being held on the weekend; however, the SC
planned the semi-final and final matches to
be played on a Monday so that students could
watch the matches during their lunch breaks
and perhaps teachers might allow the students to cheer for the teams during class time.
3
EDITORIALBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEEDITORIALEDITORIAL
It Will Always Remain The Best Year Of My Life
Ege
Buçaker
Imagine you are in a foreign country,
thousands of miles away from your family
and your friends. You have no way of expressing yourself in your native language
since everybody around you speaks a language you’re not familiar with. What if you
were to spend one year there? Sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? However, people
who have experienced it describe it as the
best year of their lives.
As Robert College students, we are all accustomed to the idea of broadening our
horizons by learning about a new culture
and making friends from other countries.
Many students in clubs such as Debate
Society, Model United Nations and Destination Imagination go to conferences or
tournaments abroad, while a vast majority of the RC student body goes to summer
school in foreign countries. It is also possible to host foreign students or become
a guest in their homes with the exchange
programs that the English Department
and the Foreign Language Department arrange.
What about taking a step further and
spending a year abroad? AFS and Rotary Club offer the most popular exchange
programs for high school students. In AFS,
students spend a year with a single family;
they of course have the chance to change
the family if they have problems. In order
to avoid such problems, the families go
through a selection process and students
and families with common interests are
matched. On the other hand, in the Rotary Exchange Program, students visit three
or more families. In the AFS program, participants are not obliged to host a student
in order to become an exchange student,
whereas in the Rotary Exchange Program
your family must host a student from the
country you visit while you’re away. There is a
selection process for both programs. AFS has
written general knowledge exams and an interview. The AFS program is known for its fastidious interviewers who try to understand
your reasons for applying to the program and
your ability to adapt to a foreign culture.
But what’s next once you are accepted? A year full of fun? Though students spend
their time trying new activities, seeing new
places, making friends, partying and having
lots of fun, this adventure is not all about having the time of your life. Ezgi Kuyumcu (L11)
stated that all of her friends who have been in
an exchange program say, “The first month is
tough; you miss your family and friends enormously. You don’t want to leave a family you
built and the last day passes with tears.” The
Bosphorus Chronicle also contacted a member
of the Rotary who said, “Most students believe
that they leave their parents and their families
behind. Furthermore, although there are people to help the student to solve his problems,
most of the time the student should undertake the responsibility to find a solution.” As a
result, students learn to be more independent
and become more down to earth. Most of the
time we are so overwhelmed by our academic schedule that though we’re quite successful
at solving very intricate calculus problems, we
lose the ability to solve daily life problems.
Language can be a problem too if one doesn’t
speak the native language of the country. As
a personal anecdote, a friend of mine who
came to Turkey from Canada said that initially he missed expressing himself in his native
language. He felt restricted since he couldn’t
express himself in Turkish and people didn’t
understand everything he said in English. Yet,
by the end of the exchange program, he was
able to speak a difficult language such as Turkish very well. Learning a new language is one
of the advantages of such programs. Since one
has to speak and understand a new language
all the time, one starts to think in that language, which is the best possible way to learn
a new language.
Rotary students who
came to Turkey visited places all around
the county such as
Çanakkale, Pamukkale, İzmir, Kapadokya. In fact, they
probably saw more
cities in Turkey than
many of us did.
Moreover, many of
them were invited to
summer towns like
Bodrum and Çeşme
by their friends.
Exchange students
almost always make
many friends, including both local people
and other exchange
students. Since they
spend only a year,
why would they hesitate to meet someone? They usually
keep in contact with
friends they made
Surely an exchange year is more than that
during the exchange
and even come back
or canoeing and I never played rugby before.
for a visit years later. Ally, who’s been to Spain, Now I can’t imagine living without them. I dissays in her blog, “I’m excited about Mariely’s covered who I am and my potential with this
arrival more than I am excited about my vis- program. Students should be open-minded
it to a new country.” Madeleine in Peru says and push their limits.” Surely, if you limit yourthat she never expected that people would be self to your present interests and don’t go out
that kind. In addition, exchange programs aim of your comfort zone, you can’t add to yourself.
for eradicating prejudices. Madeleine also says
Though our school administration allows exthat she has received weird questions like “Do
change programs, it doesn’t completely supyou like Glee, Hannah Montana, Vampire Diaport them because of the readjustment probries or One Direction?” She adds that she’s glad
lems. Mrs. Halıcıoğlu says, “Students struggle
she’s not what Peruvians think of as a typical
through readjusting to their friends; their
American teenager. A student who has been
friends have moved and made new friendto Turkey said that before arriving, all he knew
ships while exchange students were away. An
about Turkey was from his Turkish neighbors
advantage of those programs is that we obwhom he disliked, but he discovered that all
served that students who have been to Canada
Turkish people weren’t like them.
or the US significantly improved their English.”
Besides knowing new people, exchange stu- Mrs. Orhon adds that students have problems
dents get to know more about themselves. readjusting to a more challenging academA student states: “I’ve never been camping ic system. Students can’t readjust to clubs as
well; they leave the school as a brilliant violinist or someone planning to be vice president
next year. When they come back, there is another successful violinist, there is another vice
president. Mrs. Orhon adds that there was a
student in the past who could have even gone
to a better college if she had not done an exchange program. There is always a chance to
have a gap-year in college and to go abroad
for an exchange program, yet Canada and the
US don’t accept students over 19.
We don’t want to put our academic success,
sports or other aspirations at stake, yet a year
spent in exchange is surely not a lost year.
Many students say that the exchange year will
always remain the best year of their lives.
A Little Something On Obsessions
Deniz
Şahintürk
“This coat is my new obsession.” “I’m so
obsessed with him.” “This show just became my new obsession.” Do any of these
sound familiar? Probably yes, since wherever we go these days we seems to be surrounded by such phrases. Everyone seems
to be eager to talk about obsessions, don’t
they? But do any of us actually know what
an obsession is?
“The domination of one’s thoughts, feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire,
etc. or the image, desire, idea itself.” This is
the literal meaning of an obsession. However, this definition is obviously not sufficient to make people understand the
enormity of it. Clearly, how can someone
4
summarize the case of Emma, the counselor with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
from Glee; or Monk, the obsessive-compulsive
TV series detective, with this single phrase?
Here is an attempt to define this seemingly
simple yet complex (and strangely common)
medical case.
Many of us check one more time to see if we’ve
locked the door, or check after cooking to see if
the stove is turned off. To do this kind of double-check is a part of normal life, definitely
not out of the ordinary. But here is when the
case gets a bit complicated. What if suddenly we start to check the stove over and over
again? Or spend half an hour checking and rechecking the door and end up late for everywhere? These are some of the most common
symptoms of OCD.
Obsession is actually observable through its
relationship to compulsions. Obsession is a recurring idea in one’s head, while compulsions
are the actions that are caused by such ideas.
For example, if one has an obsessive idea of
being attacked by alien ducks, the compulsion
of this idea would be looking over one’s shoulder for ducks again and again. People with
OCD have many common compulsions and
therefore many common characteristics. For
example, a common OCD idea about cleaning has the common compulsion of repeatedly washing one’s hands or washing household
objects for hours.
People with obsessions have been the subjects of many works of fiction. The reason is
not hard to guess. A person with OCD is usually a deep, interesting character who is compelling to watch or read about. It does seem
interesting to watch a movie about someone
not going on a date because he cannot be sure
whether he has locked the door. Yet, one must
not forget that however amusing these fictional characters may seem, there are people
who are diagnosed with and suffer from a serious disease that can be treated using various
challenging methods.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
An Amusing Obsession
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
EDITORIALEDITORIALBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEEDITORIAL
Exhibitions Around The City
Nazlı
Golden Children – Pera Museum:
Güngör
Golden Children 16th-19th Century European
Portraits is an exhibition of the portraits of
famous children who lived during these years.
The exhibition showcases a selection from the
Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation’s Children
Portraits Collection. There are fifty-seven
children’s portraits such as those of Ottoman,
English, Danish and French princes. These
portraits illustrate the political backgrounds
and lifestyles of the era, since most of them
reflect the changes in different countries.
Even though most of the children who are
portrayed come from different countries, they
all have two things in common: the wealth of
their family and their childhood innocence.
Moreover, a portrait from the Pera Museum’s
How often do you get the chance to visit
a museum? Do you follow the upcoming
events in Istanbul? Each week there are
new entertainments going on in the
city; for example, modern era artists
come to represent their precious works
or impressionist photographers visit
Istanbul. Until January there are many
important exhibitions taking place in
Istanbul such as Golden Children, Monet’s
Garden and Gaze-Changing Face of
Portrait Photography.
Waterlilies in Sabancı Museum
collection was added to the exhibition to
support the Ottoman motifs. This exhibition
can be visited until January 6th and welcomes
all people who love exploring history from a
different point of view.
Monet’s Garden – Sakıp Sabancı Museum:
With the cooperation of Marmottan Monet
Museum in France, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum
brought a collection of Monet paintings
to Istanbul. The exhibition focuses on the
environment where Monet was born and
how he reflected his background in his art.
A special guest also visited this exhibition:
Monet’s great-grandchild was present at the
inauguration.
Monet was interested in nature and untouched
views, which may be one of the main reasons
why he left Paris and moved to Giverny, where
he created his water garden. With professional
help, he worked on his garden for ten years,
changing every single detail about his house
and his garden to fulfill his needs. In his
garden, he worked with water lilies and also
built a Japanese-style suspension bridge.
Until 1914, the year he finished working on his
garden, he chose a variety of topics and subject
to paint. But that year everything changed.
He decided to depict his perfectly arranged
garden with his art. His water lilies, his bridge,
and his pond became the major subjects. This
was his life-time wish, the project he always
imagined even before he moved to Giverny.
Unfortunately, during the same year his health
got worse; he had problems with his eyes such
as cataracts and xanthopsia, and these health
problems started to affect his paintings. He
had to undergo three cornea operations which
eventually helped him recover. During those
years Monet used only shades of yellow and
brown. After the operation, he destroyed
some of the paintings that he made during
his illness because he didn’t appreciate them
anymore. He was surprised to see differences
between the paintings that he had made
during the times when he was healthy and
when he was ill. The ones that he didn’t
destroy after his recovery are on display. It is
also possible to find some early works and the
paintings of Monet’s garden in the exhibition.
Most Robert College students have visited the
exhibition with their Turkish Literature class,
but if you didn’t, it is a notable experience.
The exhibition will continue until January 6th
and books or souvenirs are available in the
museum’s shop.
Gaze-Changing Face of Portrait Photographyİstanbul Modern Museum:
Gaze is a photography exhibition from the
Bank of America’s collection. The exhibition
is a part of the program called “Art in Our
Communities,” a program that gives museums
and galleries a chance to exhibit Bank
of America collections without any cost.
The photographs of 54 photographers
are exhibited. The exhibition portrays the
change in photography over 160 years,
illustrates the functions that were added to
cameras, and explains how the main goal of
taking photographs has stayed the same.
Besides depicting the differences in devices,
the exhibition also offers the chance to
observe how people, their habits, their
lifestyles and even their clothes and home
designs have changed. The portraits that
are presented in the exhibition also show
how people in photographs want to show
themselves to future viewers. They help the
observer get into their shoes and feel how
they felt when the pictures were taken.
The exhibition takes place in Istanbul
Modern Museum and can be visited until
January 20th. Robert College students who
are interested in photography shouldn’t
miss this chance.
These are just a few exhibitions that are
taking place in Istanbul. This city is full
of different galleries and museums. You
shouldn’t hesitate to visit a gallery or a
museum frequently because these activities
and events improve your knowledge and
help you to observe your surroundings with
a new perspective.
Tattoos Are For A Lifetime
Lara
Güneri
“I thought I would never get bored with
dolphins. I mean, everybody loves dolphins,” said thirty-one-year-old Aylin who
works in public relations. She added, “But
I was wrong; now I have to cover up my
tattoo on my shoulder every time I go to
work.” Lately, piercings, change in hair color, make-up or fashion do not seem to be
enough for teens to express themselves.
They have discovered one other, permanent way to say, “I am different:” a tattoo.
It is fun and exciting to have control over
your body, but you cannot always con-
trol how people will respond to your choices.
Something that looks free-spirited and cool
right now might not in 15 or 20 years.
The only thing predictable about teens is that
they are unpredictable. Likewise, tattoos,
which were once an act of rebellion, are now
mainstream. The National Longitudinal Study
of Adolescent Health conducted a survey in
the 1990s and found that 4.5% of teens had
a tattoo; ten years later, the number had risen to 14%, indicating that tattoos had moved
into common culture. The interesting part is
that while adults may view tattoos as deviant
behavior, adolescents view tattoos as simply
beautification, a way of staying distinct. A tattoo can also be a method for social bonding. At
an age where one’s identity is formed, having
a tattoo can help one fit into a group.
March 2013 Issue
While the motives behind a tattoo may vary,
the health risks remain the same. One scary
scenario is getting an infection from a contaminated needle. It can transmit a number
of serious diseases including hepatitis B and
C, syphilis, and even HIV. Thus, it is important
to make sure that the needles used are properly cleaned. An infection can also occur if the
tattooed area is not cleaned thoroughly. This
area must be properly moisturized and should
not be exposed directly to the sun. Improper
care of tattoos may cause the image to fade or
blur, leaving a permanent, unwanted mark on
the skin.
Allergic reactions are another unfavorable
case. One never knows what the ink contains,
and whether or not one will have an allergic
reaction is a mystery until one actually gets a
tattoo. On top of that, one can even develop a
reaction to a tattoo one has had for years.
Then there is always the question: what happens when you do not like your design? In
time, many teens and adults get tired of their
tattoos and wish they had never gotten them.
This is expected; in a world where fashion
and trends change overnight, where one day
something is cool and the next day it is not, a
tattoo is a dangerous game to play.
The saying goes “the truth hurts,” which is totally accurate in this case. Having a tattoo removed can be expensive, extremely painful,
and in most cases, it leaves a mark. An alternative method can be to cover the tattoo with
a new one, but the new tattoo rarely looks
good, and there are very limited options design-wise.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
Therefore, it is important to think deeply before getting a tattoo. Talk with friends, parents, and loved ones, do some research, and
ask for advice from various tattoo artists and
people with tattoos. Be careful! No one wants
to carry something he/she hates all through
life. Remember, once it is on your skin, it is always there. As Aylin stated, “Tattoos are for a
lifetime.”
“Teens and Body Art - Into the Mainstream.”
Medscape Education. Medscape, LLC, 2012.
Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
5
FEATURESBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEFEATURESFEATURES
Interview with Jake Becker and Jameson Vierling
Miraç
Süzgün
While you’re walking from Sage Hall to
the canteen, you can see two teachers
who look very similar to each other with
their blue eyes, glasses and even walking
styles. And, if both of them happen to be
your teachers, you know that their teaching methods are nearly the same as well.
At times you may ask yourself, “What is
the connection between them? Are they
brothers?” These teachers are obviously
Mr. Jake Becker and Mr. Jameson Vierling,
both members of the English Department
whose roads crossed ten years ago. Bosphorus Chronicle conducted an interview
with these two bosom friends to unravel their story which began after they encountered in an airport.
BC: How did you meet?
Mr. Becker: It was ten years ago and I was
30 years old then, an ardent man. I had
been in many countries like Germany and
Japan for teaching. At that time, I decided
to go to Üsküdar American Academy as an
English-grammar teacher in order to discover different stuff, ideas and emotions.
I had no idea what was going to happen
while I was waiting in the airport to go
to Istanbul. I was looking around to see
someone like me –someone who is interested in music, and then, in the passport control line, I saw someone who was
wearing a band t-shirt like I was. That person was Jameson. I
wore a “Joy Division”
shirt, and he wore a
“Mercury Rev” one
He was looking like a
helpful, honest and
sincere man; I felt
something pulling
me closer to him.
to know people. In other words, I felt close
to Mr. Becker through music. However, we
didn’t talk to each other on the plane and we
didn’t know each other until the headmaster
of Üsküdar American Academy introduced us
when we arrived in Istanbul hours later.
BC: How did you feel when you learned that
you were to work in the same school?
JV: When I saw Mr. Becker at Üsküdar American Academy, I was floored. While the headmaster introduced us to each other, I was just
staring at him to make sure that he was the
same man I saw in the airport –the man I liked
and also the man who was going to be my colleague. It was a really good coincidence. Besides that, when the headmaster introduced
us to the other teachers in the room, I noticed
that five of the new teachers –including mewere in the same check-in line in the airport;
somehow, we were together in the airport,
too. In a nutshell, this is how we met.
JB: Actually, before I came here, a part of me
was little nervous because I didn’t know the
answer to the question “Do people in Turkey love music as much as I do?” So, when I
saw Mr. Vierling in the headmaster’s office, I
felt thrilled because Mr. Vierling would help
me discover the level of “music love” in Turkey. And so he did. As I lived my first days in
Istanbul, I was feeling like an alcoholic –sad
and mad– without music. One day Mr. Vierling
called me to say that he bought a CD player. I
went to his place and he played Yo La Tengo
forme, and two days later, I got a CD player as
well, and I invited him to my house this time
to listen to Black Snakes.
BC: After this you struck up a strong friendship.
How did it go?
JV: A couple of months after school started, I
had nearly adapted to Turkey. We even decided to put together a band with one of the science teachers, Mr. Stuart Arey. So, one day, I
saw Mr. Becker running to the cafeteria to
have lunch. I told him that I needed to ask him
a question. He said “Yes, I’m waiting!” and I
asked him right at that moment: “Hey, Jake,
I’ve got a name for the band.” Before I even
finished my sentence, he directly said ,“Yeah,
okay! Shoot!” I said: “Not Since the Illness” and
then he nodded and said, “Clever! Witty! I like
it!” and continued to run. I was surprised by
his quick answer and happy to be in a band
with him and Mr. Arey, now a physics teacher
at Robert College. It was really a fun and exciting adventure for us.
JB: However, you wouldn’t want to be in the
place where we were practicing during the
first times. When we got together, it was too
loud and lousy. It was like giving six-year-old
children a free room to mess up and play in.
JV: Unfortunately, it was loud. One day, a UAA
security guard was walking by and said “Çok
gürültülü, kardeşim.” As I said, you wouldn’t
have wanted to be there for the first three
months, but after a while, we played many
good songs as a band, and sometimes I really miss those days.
BC: How did you come to Robert College?
J B: Five years ago, I was offered a job at Robert
College and after I thought about it, in 2007,
I decided to come here from Üsküdar American Academy.
JV: As I said, we were in the same school, so after Mr. Becker left, I was at Üsküdar American
Academy without him. In those times, I was
really confused and I was asking myself, “Do I
want to stay here or do I want to go to another country?” It was a really challenging question for me to answer. I talked about this with
my friends and listened to their ideas about it.
One day, Mr. Becker and Mr. Hummel told me
about a job opening to teach film at Robert
College. I thought about it and I asked myself,
“Do I want to stay or go?” At that time, my answer was “yes”; therefore, in 2008, I came here
as a Film and Prep English teacher.
BC: How do you feel now? Do you feel that you
belong to İstanbul?
J B: It’s a question that has two answers: yes
and no. I have been in many different places and what I can say is that for right now, my
ideal place to live in is İstanbul compared to
Germany, Japan and even sometimes the USA.
In Turkey, I don’t feel like an outsider anymore
because my love for music, my bands and especially my marriage with Hatice (Becker) (RC
College Counseling Assistant) have provided
me with the feeling of being a part of the society. But unfortunately now time is moving too
fast, because the more people move around,
the slower time passes. Briefly, I feel I belong
here especially because of my marriage.
JV: I lived in Florida, California, Texas, Chicago… but except for California, I have never
felt that I belong anywhere because the people that I met and the music that I loved were
not there. In California, I hung out with my
two best friends and I found my identity, but
over the years, I noticed that I was less bonded
with there as well. Now, I have been living in
İstanbul for ten years. I have spent most of my
adulthood here. I was in Not Since the Illness
and Spent 6 with Mr. Becker, and I’m singing in
a band called Motorr Moose with three of my
Turkish friends right now. I also have a serious
relationship with my girlfriend. I don’t know if
I’m I going to stay here or go to another country, but if I have to give an answer to this question, I would say that Turkey is my home, with
my friends, bands and my girlfriend having a
huge role in my feeling this way.
BC: Can you share an interesting and remarkable memory of yours together?
JV: Six years ago, Mr. Becker and I flew to Germany to see a band named Yo La Tengo. The
night before we went to the concert, we were
in a hotel room. Mr. Becker was getting a
shower and I was watching TV. All of a sudden, I shouted: “There is a broadcast on the radio. Come here quickly!” Mr. Becker got out
of the shower half-naked while yelling, “Are
you kidding me? Let’s go! Why are we waiting
still?” because the broadcast on the radio was
of one of our favorite bands. Without hesitation, Mr. Becker put on a t-shirt, and we left
the hotel to go to both concerts. It was like killing two birds with one stone and it was one of
our best days.
Nowadays, Mr. Becker is playing in Spent Ex,
which is becoming famous on Power Garage
TV, and Mr. Vierling is playing with his best
Turkish friends in the Motorr Moose, a band of
three. Although they are not in the same band
since Spent 6 has changed its members, they
are spending their time together sometimes
at school and sometimes on weekends. Bosphorus Chronicle hopes their friendship will
last forever and thanks them for taking time
to answer these questions.
Mr. Vierling: I felt
nearly same things
as Mr. Becker felt at
that moment. Except for my ex-girlfriend who was
going to come to
Turkey with me, I
didn’t know anybody on the plane.
I was going to go to
Üsküdar American
Academy as a teacher. I was a bit older than Mr. Beck er
then, 36 years old.
So, going to a different country to teach
was a really important decision for me.
Anyway, when I saw
Mr. Becker with a
band t-shirt, I was
really impressed because music was a
good way of getting
Mr. Vierling and Mr. Becker
6
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
FEATURESFEATURESBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEFEATURES
A New Phenomenon
Gizem Ergün
Each year there are popular topics about
school engaging the attention of the student body. These topics are mostly about
the innovations in the school buildings
and changes in rules. This year the new
toilets and the changing rooms are a hot
topic; however, nowadays there is a new
subject on the students’ agendas, the
sweatshirts.
The school is freezing cold during these
months, especially in the mornings. So
most Robert College students were eager
to buy RC sweatshirts. They have started
a new movement, as almost everyone is
wearing the same thing for the first time
now. However, are students really satisfied
with the sweatshirts or could they be better?
fore, she had to exchange it for a smaller size
and many others had to do the same.
The sweatshirts are extremely useful in cold
weather, since they keep one very warm even
compared to other sweaters. However, according to Hasan Cem Yakut (L10), this is not the
only advantage; they also create school spirit.
Except for the RC polo, RC students do not have
a school uniform. This might be useful for students to express themselves through clothes;
yet, having common sweatshirts might be
helpful in reminding students that they are
part of the school community.
Another problem is the neck of the sweatshirts. Tenth grader Selen Üçem said that even
though she bought one, she does not wear
it most of the time. This is because when she
wants to take off her sweatshirt when the
weather gets warmer, it is very tedious due to
its narrow neck. She also mentioned that this
also made the sweatshirts uncomfortable.
Despite their advantages, numerous students
agree that the sweatshirts have flaws as well.
First of all, the sweatshirts are larger than their
labels suggest. For example, Irmak Su Aydınlı
(L10) ordered a small, because her mother
was told that was the smallest size available..
However, when the sweatshirts came and she
tried it on, she claimed to be lost in it. There-
The new rule allowing students to wear school
sweatshirts caused a lot of excitement among
the students. They became a phenomenon
suddenly; however, this does not mean that
they do not have flaws. Some people still think
that there should be improvements next year
regarding the sizes and the colors, since there
are only two choices. One thing is sure however, the sweatshirts will remain a popular topic amongst students at least for the rest of the
winter.
The RC Sweatshirt
The Legends of Robert College
Hilal
Kocabıyık
Robert College, the school of legends, history and mystery.
There was a second hand book sale in
Marble Hall. Lots of old books with their
dusty scents and yellow pages were seeking their new owners and a new shelf in
somebody’s library. Many found interesting books, as they expected, but thanks to
a wonderful coincidence I bought a book
which changed my view of this school.
The book was Robert College Old and New
which told the history of Robert College
and the stories behind its magnificent
buildings.
This book, by May N. Fincanı, mentions
that there are several legends about the
Maze. Fincanı recounts what she called the
most colorful of them, a tale of a Sultan
who chose a beautiful young Circassian
RC Library in 1900s
girl for his bride. She was proud and unhappy despite living in a grand palace. The Sultan
dreamed one night of a beautiful ring which
he thought could finally make his wife happy. The best jewelers in the land failed to create a ring which matched the one the sultan
had seen in his dream. Finally, a skilled jeweler named Düz was found who was reputed to
have the gift
of pre-vision
and he was
able to fashion
a ring like the
one that had
been haunting the Sultan. The ring
pleased the
Sultan’s bride
and
finally made her
happy. As a
reward, the
jeweler was
granted his
choice of a property along the Bosphorus on
which to have a palace built for him. After being rowed up and down the Bosphorus in the
Sultan’s barge, the jeweler chose the land
which many years later was purchased for the
campus of the American College for Girls, and
the Düz family home became the new Barton Hall. The shrubs and trees of the Maze had
been planted and trimmed to look like the ring
that the jeweler Düz had designed for the Sultan’s unhappy bride.
Like the Maze, all of the buildings in the school
have a story behind them. Gould Hall, with its
challenging stairs, Mitchell, Woods, and Sage
are not only homes for our memories, but also
treasures that are waiting to be discovered.
These four buildings were constructed beginning in 1910 with funds donated by American philanthropists
including Mrs. Henry Woods, Mrs.
Helen Gould Shepard, Mrs. Russell
Sage, Mrs. Olivia Phelps Stokes and
John D. Rockefeller.
An article in last year’s Bosphorus
Chronicle talked about the tunnels
at Robert College. RC has many secrets to discover. The trees have witnessed so many seasons, experienced
decades and seen students sweating under the burning sun or throwing snowballs in January. Even the library is a treasure itself. So, why do
students waste their time? Why not discover the legends about Robert Col-
lege?
Take a deep breath and in the silence of the
campus listen to the song that memories sing.
Try to hear what they whisper into your ears.
Wake up and explore Robert College.
* Fincancı, May N. The Story of Robert College
Old and New. Istanbul, 2001. Print.
Robert College: Old Times...
All Hallows Eve
Yasemin
Kirişçioğlu
As days go by, people tend to feel the need
for something special–something that is
different and fun amidst monotone days.
Think of a very pleasant time, a time that
you remember well, that you felt a pure
delight and would call it “the best day
ever.” Imagine that “best day ever” is in
the middle of an exhausting school term
with all the exams and assignments coming at you at full speed. You need something fun, right? That “best day ever”
would stand out like a day from heaven.
The Student Council’s Halloween Party
was, for sure, one of those “best day ever”
parties.
“All Hallows Eve” used to be what this day
was called before the name “Halloween”
evolved. Halloween is a unique day, involving the notions of fear, horror and en-
tertainment at the same time. Who came up
with this brilliant idea? Where do these Halloween traditions come from? The first people
to consider October 31st a special day were the
Celtics; they lit bonfires and wore costumes to
scare off ghosts as a tradition for Samhain
(the beginning of winter). After many years,
Halloween evolved into a fun day of visiting
homes to go trick-or-treating, dressing up as
scary characters, and scaring off our nightmares.
During the last SC meeting before the Ball,
members were both excited and nervous
about the event. The SC Balls are some of the
biggest SC events during the year; therefore,
the members had to make sure everything
would go as expected. It was the first time
Halloween was celebrated at RC, and because
of that everybody was looking forward to it.
The SC discussed the ball for a long time, planning the decorations, advertisement techniques and the ways to make it a lot of fun. All
the members hoped that the theme Halloween would be appealing to the students, and
they smiled widely when they’ve heard people talking about the ball, asking each other
March 2013 Issue
questions like: “Are you going?”, “What should
I wear?” and “What are you wearing?” Homeroom announcements were used to advertise
the party while Eda Özkök (L9), a SC member,
designed the lovely posters for the event. Other SC members went shopping for decorations
and baked treats. In the process of preparing
the ball, it was obvious how teamwork kicked
in and helped make it a success.
The ball started off with Halloween characters making their way through a narrow passage with only a flickering light and small red
lamps to guide the way, which created the
spooky atmosphere of Halloween. It was SC
member and 10th grader Yunus Emre Erdölen’s
idea to create these decorations, and everyone attending the party was impressed. Inside the Bubble were colourful balloons filled
with candies, spiders, and zombie dolls. But
the balloons were popped, the candies were
eaten immediately, and the other decorations
didn’t last too long. Because this was the first
Halloween party at RC, the SC could not foresee how it would turn out, but now they plan
to make it a tradition and celebrate it right
on the 31st of October every year with tricks
and treats for everyone. . For next Halloween’s
“Haunted House” party, the SC is planning to
have more decorations and candies.
Since such questions as “What to wear?”,
“How should I look?” and “Where can I get a
costume?” had troubled almost all of the ball’s
attendees, no one could anticipate how amazing people when the time came. Girls dressed
up as devils, witches and vampires, while guys
came as Grim Reapers, Saws with horrifying
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
masks and as fruits and vegetables. It was as
if all these Halloween characters had jumped
out of the books just to go dance the crazy
Gangnam Style together!
Having created the exciting and horrifying
Halloween spirit, the SC was very satisfied
with the result. People used to think that RC
lacking a Halloween celebration was a big loss,
but now everyone can dance in the darkness
when the time comes.
7
FEATURESBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEFEATURESFEATURES
Restaurants With Character
Paulina Schenk
Setenay Gel
Food has a central role when travelling.
Usually this role involves tourists wanting to get a sense of the ethnic cuisine of
the countries they are visiting, though at
times some restaurants, such as Michelin
star-rated places, manage to attract clients from all over the world simply because of the food. What tourists often
manage to overlook, however, are the truly quirky and unique restaurants in the
places they visit. Below are six examples
of unusual kitchen concepts.
Conflict Kitchen
Conflict Kitchen is a take-out restaurant
located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Biannually, the restaurant identifies a new
country the United States has political
conflicts with and only serves food from
this country during the next 6 months.
The concept aims to trigger discussions
about current political, economic and social problems by presenting customers
with a more in-depth perspective of the
other side. The food is packed in wrappers containing interviews with different
parties of a conflict. While these opinions
are often opposing, they strive to create a
well-rounded take on issues.
The restaurants’ events have also included
international Skype dinner parties, giving
the citizens of Pittsburgh the opportunity to
talk with “young professionals in Tehran, Iran;
documentary filmmakers in Kabul, Afghanistan; and community radio activists in Caracas, Venezuela,” according to their website,
conflictkitchen.org.
In its 4th iteration now, Conflict Kitchen is
serving Cuban food, after having done Iranian,
Afghan and Venezuelan cuisines. These iterations were the only times Pittsburg had restaurants with the cuisines from these places. A
plan for the next cuisine is North Korean food.
Food on Auction
El Tintero II is a popular beach restaurant
in Malaga, Spain, especially for lunch. People usually come early to find a place in the
overcrowded restaurant. There are no menus.
Waiters come out from the kitchen hurrying
past tables and shouting out the names of various seafood dishes. So, the menu is presented by waiters trying to outshout each other. A
dish is acquired by hailing a waiter, who will
then rapidly approach the table and set down
a plate. The plates accumulate on the table
till the end of lunch, as they are then used to
calculate the cost of the meal. The restaurant
used to be on the beach, but as too many patrons buried their plates in the sand, instead of
altering its billing system the restaurant started using tables. Louise Juhlin, a blogger for
spain-holiday.com, describes the atmosphere
as being extremely exciting and with food being attained by personal initiative very auction-like.
The Relation between Blood Type and Food
A Japanese principle suggests that certain
food types are healthier for individuals of certain blood types. The Third Floor in Bangkok,
Thailand, follows this principle, described in
the book Eat Right For Your Type. This idea
suggests that people with type O are carnivores, as their stomachs have high acidity levels, type A are suited to a diet of vegetables
and fish, type B are dairy-friendly and type AB
require a more balanced meal.
Once a meal is ordered, the waiters ask for the
patron’s blood type, according to which the
side dishes are then prepared. Though this
principle of eating according to blood type is
far from being proven, reviews on dailyoxford.
wordpress.com suggest that the restaurant
still provides an enjoyable and unique experience. Plus, apart from grouping people and
foods into categories, the restaurant specializes in using only organic and healthy ingredients. So, in the end whether it is healthier
to eat according to blood type or not does not
seem to matter altogether, as the restaurant
still provides customers with healthy food either way.
Dinner in the Sky
There have been a lot of different ideas on
how to make a dinner the most interesting
and appealing to the guests, and dinner in the
sky is probably the most extravagant among
them. This unique event transforms an ordinary meal into a magical moment as guests
eat their dinner in the sky served by a team of
professionals. At a table suspended by a crane
at a height of 50 meters, can you imagine eating your delicious dinner, while watching the
view of the place?
Dinner in the sky sessions are being held in
more than 40 countries, among them Turkey,
Japan and Germany. It is available for a session
of 8 hours, accommodating 22 people during
each session. The best thing about this event
is that it can be held anywhere, such as golf
course, public place, or a vineyard, as long as
500 m2 of surface can be secured. Providing
a very different experience to its clients, this
event is unique and extraordinary.
very hard to improve this very different idea
by developing new robots to prepare food and
clean up. He says that he is even working on
developing a robot that would recognize the
frequent customers’ faces.
Dinner in the Dark
These are some of the restaurants that everybody should visit once in a lifetime. With their
uniqueness and extravaganza, they are really drawing interest and spreading all over the
world more quickly than one can imagine.
Discover the dishes without seeing them—
this is what restaurants with the“dinner in
the dark” concept aim for their clients to experience. In perfect darkness, guests are invited to restaurants with the help of professional guides, sit down and wait until their orders
come. Later on they eat the dishes, without
seeing them.
Many people find these dark restaurants romantic, while many think that they are invisibly exciting. Indeed, there are a lot of restaurants with the“dine in the dark” concept
in many countries, including Turkey. Called a
“Blind Restaurant,” you can taste this experience in your own country in Belek if you would
like to.
Dinner with Robo-waiters and Robo-chefs
As technology continues to improve with exponential speed, it seems that robots will be
part of our lives sooner or later. Restaurants
with robots are proof of this idea; these restaurants with robots are just like simulations
of the future.
In Jinan, Shandong Province, China, there is
Dalu Robot Restaurant. Robots with different
capabilities serve, entertain and greet the customers. With neon lights inside the place and
robots walking around, this restaurant provides a futuristic feast.
Right now, the owner of this restaurant and
the creator of the idea, Zhan Yongpei, works
Sources:
-
“ THE MOST UNUSUAL RESTAURANTS
IN THE WORLD - Unique Restaurants, Exotic,
Strange, Weird, Wacky, Odd, Eccentric, Quirky,
Peculiar, Themed, Concept, Theme.” THE MOST
UNUSUAL RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD. N.p.,
5 Nov. 2012 (originally 2005). Web. 06 Dec.
2012.
-
“Conflict Kitchen.” Conflict Kitchen.
N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2012.
-
Juhlin, Louise. “Spain-holiday.com/
blog.” Spainholidaycom Blog. N.p., 24 May
2012. Web. 06 Dec. 2012.
-
“The Third Floor: Eat According to
Your Blood Type.” - Go Discover Thailand from a
Local Perspective. The Trippacke, 18 Aug. 2011.
Web. 06 Dec. 2012.
-
“DailyOxford.” DailyOxford. Daily Oxford, 21 Apr. 2012. Web. 06 Dec. 2012.
-
“Dinner in the Sky.” Dinner in the
Sky. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2012.
-
“Blind Restaurant.” Adam & Eve Hotels :. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2012.
“Robochef.” GlobalTimes. N.p., 17 Mar. 2011.
Web. 8 Dec. 2012.
Anything But Ordinary
Beril Erdoğdu
İrem Turgut
Have you ever scavenged through your
parents’ photo albums? Don’t they look
extremely serious in these? As a rule girls
wear skirts and white shirts with black
sweaters on top, while the most popular hairstyle of the time was, apparently, side-braids. Boysare generally in black
suits. People used to dress in dull colors
and in a rather minimalist manner. In recent years we seem to have escaped this
rigid style; today’s people are a lot more
daring and individualistic with their clothing.
A famous singer on stage wearing a dress
made out of raw meat, a man walking
down a city street in cowboy boots or a
girl sitting across you in the cafe with pastel pink hair. None of these seem weird to
us anymore. Frankly, it is actually harder to find someone who does not dress in
a unique way rather than finding someone who does. The media emphasizes this
principle of being out of the ordinary. A lot
of “interesting” dresses and costumes are
promoted internationally through magazines, television, and the internet.. If
someone dressed up as classically as in the
8
past, people would probably stare at him/her as
if he/she had done something wrong. The question
is what changed that allowed people to wear anti-uniform clothes?
People are a lot braver in today’s society. They
are more likely to express
their individualism than
they were in the past. They
can act braver and thus,
dress braver today. In the
past, the community determined the way individuals dressed, not they
themselves; individuals
were dressing up according to the rules of the community. The same rules do
not apply anymore. The
lifestyle of our century and
the technology made people freer from the pressures
of society. In this era people dress themselves, reflecting their own personalities.
People are always looking for something “different”, leading to development. This is the
same in every area, technology, design, the
business world or fashion. People want to see,
hear and feel different things and most importantly they want to be different. That’s the
main objective of our time, so creativity and
difference have become driving forces. The
same goes for fashion. The different ones are
now applauded.
That’s what is happening: change in social dynamics. While initially clothes were used for
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
protection from the cold, we started using
clothes to make ourselves look more aesthetic; we created something called “fashion”. In
past centuries, we used the colors and shapes
that were popular amongst others, and finally today we use original designs to distinguish
ourselves. Building on the simple idea of pro-
tection, we created clothes reflecting the complexity of the individual. From simple to complex, that’s always the trend with us. So, who
knows what’s going to happen in the future?
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
FEATURESFEATURESBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEFEATURES
Clash: Positive Discrimination
Ali Murat Gali
Aslıhan Asil
Positive discrimination, affirmative action, or
reverse discrimination: These are the names
of similar policies that are held in many multicultural countries around the globe. Although they have varying applications and
concepts, the goal is the same: To eliminate
the impact of years of discrimination and to
equalize the opportunities of every group in
society, both minority and majority. It has a
great application range, which includes but
is not limited to age, race, religion, color, national origin, gender or sexual orientation.
Still, positive discrimination raises questions
in society, since some tend to view it as a further source of imbalance. However, what they
misunderstand is that this policy is not a permanent legislation to be held for many more
centuries, but rather a practical and beneficial step toward establishing an equal system: The policy will be eliminated once a certain equality is achieved.
The primary gain from positive discrimination
is to avert the disadvantages that prevail in
minority communities due to inequity in the
past. The members of these groups were not
lazy, unable to work or unskilled, but their
potential was suppressed by the narrowminded acts of the majority, leaving them
in slowed or completely stopped development. When justice tumbled down the social
barriers, they gained putative equal rights,
but with no respect on behalf and no money in hand. Therefore, it is imprudent to judge
these groups, which started the game of life
very late, with the same standards as the
rest, who had already completed many home
runs. With positive discrimination, people are
evaluated in a frame of what they could have
done; they are not expected to fulfill criteria that are beyond their present reach. This,
for example, is applied in the USA college application process with a holistic approach. A
black student raised in a ghetto might not
achieve the SAT scores of a white student
who spent hundreds of dollars on preparation
for standardized testing. However, should this
prove that he is not worthy of a college education? Shouldn’t his life experiences and
skills be acknowledged as potential to complete a successful education and to contribute
to society? The answer should be quite clear.
With positive discrimination, an improvement will be visible first in education, and
then in employment rates of minorities. This
highly favorable process introduces three
other benefits. First and more subtly, minority members in respectable positions
will create role models for later generations;
they will be symbols for hope and possible
achievements. This process can indeed produce a psychological boost by heightening
personal goals and increasing expectations
of an individual. Second and more generally,
creating and developing diversity is an unparalleled way to improve work output, because
every social group has its unique talents that
can contribute to the end product. Omitting
a certain population might injure the whole
company by decreasing its product quality,
as well as decreasing the number of customers by providing inferior service. Lastly, it is
known that discrimination, which made the
policy necessary in the beginning, is not only
a fact of history; it is still awake and widely influential in contemporary society. Stereotyping is a major example. To eliminate its presence, ‘telling’ people that everyone is equal
is not effective, but ‘showing’ them is. When
working in a company, under the same roof
and with the same team, a collaborative experience develops between employees who
are from a variety of backgrounds. This practice can eventually introduce objective ideas
and help eliminate pre-conceived ones.
All men are created equal. No one can deny
the truth of this declaration. Therefore, when
the rights of some are unjustifiably hampered, it should be the aim of society to repair
their position, whatever the cost. Positive discrimination is the ultimate method to fulfill
this desire, to remove the doping and to start
off all together.
Positive discrimination: Let’s analyze this concept by dissecting its name. The word positive
immediately brings about the ideas of optimism, progress, improvement and approval.
On the other hand discrimination denotes unjustified and prejudicial treatment of an individual or a group of individuals, and connotes
historical events in which such treatment was
executed. The question: is the word positive
influential enough to remove the negative
meaning of the companion word discrimination?
Definitely not.
Positive discrimination, or in other words affirmative action, was used--and in fact is still
being used--to remove the effects of past discriminatory actions against women, minorities and other groups who were exposed to
such treatment. However, it is not effective
for three main reasons: It is not an equal system, it increases prejudice, and it is a present wrongdoing that cannot alleviate past
wrongdoings.
First of all, affirmative action evaluates each
individual primarily on the basis of a certain
attribute such as gender, ethnicity, religion,
etc. By doing so, it ignores the capacity and
ability to perform the tasks of both the individual who benefits from preferential selection and the others who are competing
for the same spot. So theoretically, the decision of selecting a person to perform a task is
based on a criterion that is not at all related to
the given task. Thus, positive discrimination
is implemented at the expense of removing
a just system: meritocracy. Furthermore, it violates two main rights of the individuals who
are being evaluated by such standards: the
right to equal consideration and the right to
equal opportunity. Affirmative action creates
advantages that cause significant qualities to
be overlooked and prevents individuals from
benifitting from their fundamental rights.
Indeed, these theoretical problems were realized in the lawsuit Gratz v. Bollinger, examined by the U.S. Supreme Court. In this case,
the University of Michigan utilized a special
grading system to admit students; minor-
ity status received twice the value of a perfect SAT score. As demonstrated in this case,
affirmative action values gender, ethnic and
religious attributes more than merit, creating
an assessment standard that does not evaluate the candidate’s potential to fulfill the requirements.
Furthermore, positive discrimination actually
increases prejudice in society. By creating an
imbalanced system, it causes negative feelings against certain members who benefit
from such a system. It creates a general assumption that these individuals do not actually deserve the prestigious status they are
holding at present. The result: those who do
not benefit from affirmative action ignore
the actual skills and merits of those who belong to a discriminated group. Furthermore,
the idea of being treated unjustly because
of positive discrimination will increase hostility. For such reasons, affirmative action is
still being seriously debated in Malaysia, India, Brazil and South Africa, and it is banned
in California (California Civil Rights Initiative),
Michigan (Michigan Civil Rights Initiative),
and Washington State (Initiative 200).
Lastly, positive discrimination does not offer
the remedy that society is seeking for past
wrongdoings. While trying to remove the
harmful effects of discrimination, it endorses
the point of view that actually leads to continued prejudicial treatment, thus failing to
improve society’s dynamics. Discrimination is
a problem that needs to be tackled; however,
the way to tackle this problem should not be
presenting new double standards. The only
method to relieve the effects of such negative treatments is to provide equal rights to
each individual without taking any specific
attribute into consideration. I n s t e a d ,
additional measures can be taken to solve
problems that only affect a certain group of
individuals. For example, in her article “Gender Based Affirmative Action and Reverse
Gender Bias,” Rosalie Berger Levinson, Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Professor of Law
at Valpariso University in Indiana, states that
many feminists believe that the obstacles
that prevent women from achieving equality
in the workplace may be eliminated through
gender-neutral laws, such as those mandating available childcare.
Affirmative action not only fails to solve the
problems caused by discrimination, but also
promotes descrimination in society. It fails
to establish a fair and unprejudiced system. While trying to equalize two arms
of a balance, positive discrimination adds
more weight to one arm, thus hindering the
achievement of equilibrium.
Sources:
“Affirmative Action in Other Countries.” Alternet. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2012.
Fullinwider, Robert, “Affirmative Action.” The
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter
2011 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.) Please
use MLA format for thıs cıtatıon as you dıd for
the others. Let’s drop the URL which is no longer required by MLA.
“GRATZ V. BOLLINGER.” GRATZ V. BOLLINGER.
Cornell Law School, 01 Apr. 2003. Web. 05
Dec. 2012.
Levinson, Rosalie Berger. “Gender Based Affirmative Action and Reverse Gender Bias.” Harvard Journal of Law&Gender, n.d. Web. 5 Dec.
2012.
“Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Opinions.” Columbia
Law School, n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.
“Should Affirmative Action Policies, Which
Give Preferential Treatment Based on Minority Status, Be Eliminated?” BalancedPolitics.
org. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012.
“Affirmative Action Pros and Cons.” Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012.
B, Phil. “The Pros and Cons of Affirmative Action.” Phil for Humanity. N.p., n.d. Web. 02
Dec. 2012.
Bidwai, Praful. “Say Yes To Affirmative Action.”
Say Yes To Affirmative Action By Praful Bidwai. N.p., 21 Awug. 2004. Web. 02 Dec. 2012.
Heat of the Soul
everybody missed the school atmosphere.
Although it was a weekday afternoon, Suna
Kıraç Hall was extremely crowded when the
show started at 15:45. Students were running around trying to find empty seats for
themselves and their friends. The audience
settled down when Mrs. Hope-Brown made
her opening speech, talking about how she
kept getting older and older each day but
how Lise Live stayed the same in terms of its
joy and the freshness it brought to the Robert
College community. It was evident that Lise
Prep students were getting braver each year,
since there were three Prep performances, a
great number compared to the single performance last year. The first song performed was
also written by the performer, showing that
there is no limit to the talents of RC students.
The songs got heavier as the afternoon progressed; the event started with classical music and ended with rock. By the end of Lise
Live all were up on their feet dancing and
having a great time. Some teachers including
Mr. Welch performed, creating an even more
exciting atmosphere for the audience. Overall
it was a great event and a great success, evident from the smiles on the faces as the audience left the theater. The Bosphorus Chronicle
would like to thank everyone who participated in the lovely event as well as those made
Lise Live possible.
Going on a school trip is always fun. What is even better is going on a school trip to Nepal.
Last summer seven Robert College students had a wild journey to one of the most interesting places on earth and they could not have loved it more.
there. Perhaps the thing that surprised them the most was to see how Buddhism worked
in its natural habitat. It was intriguing to study Buddhism in Turkey, but it was a unique experience to witness it in Nepal.
“It was disappointing not to go to Tibet,” Türkoğlu explained, “especially after a whole year
of preparation, but it was surprising that the program went so well. It was a very busy
schedule.”
Going on a school trip is always fun. What is even better is going on a school trip to Nepal.
Last summer seven Robert College students had a wild journey to one of the most interesting places on earth and they could not have loved it more.
For Türkoğlu it was like a scene from a fairytale. “Everyone was so peaceful and happy. They
had their own rules and they were open and welcoming towards everyone. Both in Nepal
and Bhutan it was easy to see the effects of Buddhism everywhere.”
“Each moment was so exciting,” says Ceren Türkoğlu (L10), “even the plane ride. After getting off the plane, we boarded another plane. This one was very small and was very, very
shaky. It was definitely an exhilarating ride.”
For Türkoğlu it was like a scene from a fairytale. “Everyone was so peaceful and happy. They
had their own rules and they were open and welcoming towards everyone. Both in Nepal
and Bhutan it was easy to see the effects of Buddhism everywhere.”
“Each moment was so exciting,” says Ceren Türkoğlu (L10), “even the plane ride. After getting off the plane, we boarded another plane. This one was very small and was very, very
shaky. It was definitely an exhilarating ride.”
The school trip was planned by teachers Layne Mayard and Kristine Massey and formed as
an after-school club on Mondays. The club was named “Go-Tibet!” as that was the original
destination; however, after certain complications the route changed to Nepal and Bhutan.
The magnificent temples in both countries were not the only places where the marks of
Buddhism were seen. “It was not unusual to see people meditating in the streets, turning
around the sithas. You could hear hymns from shops and see big statues of Buddha,” reported Türkoğlu. The Nepalese culture is a healthy product of Hinduism and Buddhism. The
famous image of the dot on the forehead is a mark of good luck originally from the Hindu
religion, yet numerous Buddhists carry the same mark.
The trip to the alternate destinations, Nepal and Bhutan was much better than they expected. After the nine hour plane ride, when the club members set foot in Nepal everyone was
struck with severe culture shock. According to Türkoğlu, “It is as different as it can be. Going
there made me realize how luxurious our lives really are.”
The magnificent temples in both countries were not the only places where the marks of
Buddhism were seen. “It was not unusual to see people meditating in the streets, turning
around the sithas. You could hear hymns from shops and see big statues of Buddha,” reported Türkoğlu. The Nepalese culture is a healthy product of Hinduism and Buddhism. The
famous image of the dot on the forehead is a mark of good luck originally from the Hindu
religion, yet numerous Buddhists carry the same mark.
Lal Tüzman
The 26th Lise Live was held on 26th November 2012. Students excitedly awaited the first
event of the year, since during the summer
Nepal’s economic condition was not the only thing that surprised the travelers. Another
very impressive feature they noted was the Grand Happiness concept. People are not classified by their material welfare. Rather, they are classified by how happy they are.
The school trip was planned by teachers Layne Mayard and Kristine Massey and formed as
an after-school club on Mondays. The club was named “Go-Tibet!” as that was the original
destination; however, after certain complications the route changed to Nepal and Bhutan.
Bosphorus Chronicle welcomes your comments, suggestions,
Nepal is not the easiest place to travel. The students had to familiarize themselves with Nepal before even going there. As the original plan was going to Tibet, Ms. Mayard’s initial
intention was to teach Tibetan culture, history, food and even a bit of writing. At the beginning of the year members of the club were already discussing how hard their physical
exercises were. The club functioned according to the Tibet plan for the whole year, yet the
plan had to change.
As the result of the poverty in both countries, simple comforts are far cheaper than in any
other touristic venue. It is possible to have good dinner for three or four dollars. While inflation has a strong influence in this aspect, the atmosphere of the place does not rely on material goods and is a reminder that happiness is not always expensive.
“Everything was so interesting,” said Türkoğlu. “In Nepal, holding hands is an indication of
friendship. People always hold the hands of their friends for a while to show them that they
love them regardless of their gender. Another thing that I found really interesting was the
Nepalese tradition of cremating the dead rather than burying them.”
Nepal is not the easiest place to travel. The students had to familiarize themselves with Nepal before even going there. As the original plan was going to Tibet, Ms. Mayard’s initial
intention was to teach Tibetan culture, history, food and even a bit of writing. At the beginning of the year members of the club were already discussing how hard their physical
exercises were. The club functioned according to the Tibet plan for the whole year, yet the
plan had to change.of preparation, but it was surprising that the program went so well. It
was a very busy schedule.”
As the result of the poverty in both countries, simple comforts are far cheaper than in any
other touristic venue. It is possible to have good dinner for three or four dollars. While inflation has a strong influence in this aspect, the atmosphere of the place does not rely on material goods and is a reminder that happiness is not always expensive.
story ideas, and any feedback about the contents of the Chronicle.
“It was disappointing not to go to Tibet,” Türkoğlu explained, “especially after a whole year
of preparation, but it was surprising that the program went so well. It was a very busy
schedule.”
Going on a school trip is always fun. What is even better is going on a school trip to Nepal.
Last summer seven Robert College students had a wild journey to one of the most interesting places on earth and they could not have loved it more.
After spending a week in Nepal, the group continued on to Bhutan to spend the next six
days there. Perhaps the thing that surprised them the most was to see how Buddhism
worked in its natural habitat. It was intriguing to study Buddhism in Turkey, but it was a
unique experience to witness it in Nepal.
The trip to the alternate destinations, Nepal and Bhutan was much better than they expected. After the nine hour plane ride, when the club members set foot in Nepal everyone was
struck with severe culture shock. According to Türkoğlu, “It is as different as it can be. Going
there made me realize how luxurious our lives really are.”
Going on a school trip is always fun. What is even better is going on a school trip to Nepal.
Last summer seven Robert College students had a wild journey to one of the most interesting places on earth and they could not have loved it more.
“Each moment was so exciting,” says Ceren Türkoğlu (L10), “even the plane ride. After getting off the plane, we boarded another plane. This one was very small and was very, very
shaky. It was definitely an exhilarating ride.”
Send them to [email protected] and you may see them printed here
The trip to the alternate destinations, Nepal and Bhutan was much better than they expected. After the nine hour plane ride, when the club members set foot in Nepal everyone was
struck with severe culture shock. According to Türkoğlu, “It is as different as it can be. Going
there made me realize how luxurious our lives really are.”
“Each moment was so exciting,” says Ceren Türkoğlu (L10), “even the plane ride. After getting off the plane, we boarded another plane. This one was very small and was very, very
shaky. It was definitely an exhilarating ride.”
Nepal’s economic condition was not the only thing that surprised the travelers. Another very
impressive feature they noted was the Grand Happiness concept. People are not classified by
their material welfare. Rather, they are classified by how happy they are.
The school trip was planned by teachers Layne Mayard and Kristine Massey and formed as
an after-school club on Mondays. The club was named “Go-Tibet!” as that was the original
destination; however, after certain complications the route changed to Nepal and Bhutan.
“Everything was so interesting,” said Türkoğlu. “In Nepal, holding hands is an indication of
friendship. People always hold the hands of their friends for a while to show them that they
love them regardless of their gender. Another thing that I found really interesting was the
Nepalese tradition of cremating the dead rather than burying them.”
Nepal is not the easiest place to travel. The students had to familiarize themselves with Nepal before even going there. As the original plan was going to Tibet, Ms. Mayard’s initial
intention was to teach Tibetan culture, history, food and even a bit of writing. At the beginning of the year members of the club were already discussing how hard their physical exercises were. The club functioned according to the Tibet plan for the whole year, yet
the plan had to change.
After spending a week in Nepal, the group continued on to Bhutan to spend the next six days
March 2013 Issue
For Türkoğlu it was like a scene from a fairytale. “Everyone was so peaceful and happy. They
had their own rules and they were open and welcoming towards everyone. Both in Nepal
and Bhutan it was easy to see the effects of Buddhism everywhere.”
The magnificent temples in both countries were not the only places where the marks of
Buddhism were seen. “It was not unusual to see people meditating in the streets, turning
around the sithas. You could hear hymns from shops and see big statues of Buddha,” reported Türkoğlu. The Nepalese culture is a healthy product of Hinduism and Buddhism. The
famous image of the dot on the forehead is a mark of good luck originally from the Hindu
religion, yet numerous Buddhists carry the same mark.
As the result of the poverty in both countries, simple comforts are far cheaper than in any
other touristic venue. It is possible to have good dinner for three or four dollars. While inflation has a strong influence in this aspect, the atmosphere of the place does not rely on material goods and is a reminder that happiness is not always expensive.
Nepal’s economic condition was not the only thing that surprised the travelers. Another
very impressive feature they noted was the Grand Happiness concept. People are not classified by their material welfare. Rather, they are classified by how happy they are.
“Everything was so interesting,” said Türkoğlu. “In Nepal, holding hands is an indication of
friendship. People always hold the hands of their friends for a while to show them that they
love them regardless of their gender. Another thing that I found really interesting was the
Nepalese tradition of cremating the dead rather than burying them.”
After spending a week in Nepal, the group continued on to Bhutan to spend the next six
days there. Perhaps the thing that surprised them the most was to see how Buddhism
worked in its natural habitat. It was intriguing to study Buddhism in Turkey, but it was a
unique experience to witness it in Nepal.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
The school trip was planned by teachers Layne Mayard and Kristine Massey and formed as
an after-school club on Mondays. The club was named “Go-Tibet!” as that was the original
destination; however, after certain complications the route changed to Nepal and Bhutan.
Nepal is not the easiest place to travel. The students had to familiarize themselves with Nepal before even going there. As the original plan was going to Tibet, Ms. Mayard’s initial
intention was to teach Tibetan culture, history, food and even a bit of writing. At the beginning of the year members of the club were already discussing how hard their physical exercises were. The club functioned according to the Tibet plan for the whole year, yet
the plan had to change.
“It was disappointing not to go to Tibet,” Türkoğlu explained, “especially after a whole year
of preparation, but it was surprising that the program went so well. It was a very busy
schedule.”
9
ARTSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
Manowar - The Lord of Steel
Ali Girayhan
Özbay
All musical genres have stereotypes associated with them. Heavy metal takes the
crown for having the most stereotypes
and myths associated with it. From the
long “metal” hair, a relic of the 80s glam
metal, to all metalheads ostensibly being Satanists or the leather-and-spikes
look codified by Judas Priest, heavy metal is replete with clichés. Some avoid these
stereotypes and choose their own path,
others try to cash in on the hype or codify these stereotypes in the first place.
Manowar stands in a place between the
latter two. Though never enjoying the
wide fanbase of relatively more popular
bands such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, it could be argued that the average
Manowar listener supports the band much
more devotedly, closing the gap in numbers by fervor. This can lead to repetition,
however; since the fanbase expects of
Manowar a certain sound, and the band is
eager to deliver. Their latest album, going
by the name “Lord of Steel” is the anathema to their previous record “The Gods of
War”, which reeked of Conan the Barbarian-esque fantasy cheesiness, within the
Manowar dichotomy of epic lyrical themes
and “meta” heavy metal (i.e. metal about
metal itself); it is pure, unadulterated
heavy metal just as you’d find it back in
the 80’s. Sadly however, Lord of Steel lacks
the substance of former Manowar powerhouses such as Hail to England or Sign of
the Hammer.
Manowar employ their tried and true for-
mula once again without the slightest significant deviation in Lord of Steel. Hanging on
to their almost memetic lyrics and tried-andtrue musical style consisting of iconic power
chord riffs and orthodox solos, Manowar produced an album that is merely a reiteration of
what they have been doing for the last thirty years. Thus, Lord of Steel inevitably sounds
pretty indistinct among other Manowar albums, exploring the same lyrical themes,
using the same kind of skillful but eventually tiresome musical structure. The album
certainly feels like you’ve heard it before because the same tried-and-true cookie cutter
formula is at play here.
The saddening part is, however, Manowar’s
inability to emulate their former sound with
quality. It was a given that they would not
start innovating after all these years and put
out something different, what was expected was merely an emulation of their former
sound with fidelity. Alas, time is a harsh mistress, and Manowar no longer possess the
bombastic energy and epic feel they used to
possess. Eric Adams’ iconic screams which defined Manowar all this time are nowhere to
be seen in their former glory. Make no mistake, they’re still here, but not on the level they were back in the Sign of the Hammer days when he could scream at the top
of his lungs for 40 seconds as he is quite old
now. Lord of Steel tries to revive that spirit
but ultimately fails due to a combination of
factors, chiefly Dr. Manowar’s Metal Formula getting old and stale, and the band simply
lacking the energetic, bombastic sound they
once used to sport. Perhaps, twenty-five years
ago “Manowarriors” as a song title could have
been passable, but today it sounds ridiculous.
The album generally is neck deep in mediocrity and it fails to do what it tries to do: reviving
the old Manowar spirit.
In a nutshell, Lord of Steel tries to sell us
Album Art of “The Lord of Steel”
the same thing we’ve been hearing from
Manowar for the last thirty years. There is little originality in any of the songs and the album, and in general, the album suffers from
unremarkable songwriting. The band certainly
made an attempt at relishing their glory days,
yet an abomination arose; it is as if the sacred
dead were revived from their eternal slumber
by some pestilent incantation. Lord of Steel is
an album best ignored. Manowar have much
to offer in their old works, and if you want
good old heavy metal, by all means go listen
to them, you shall not regret it. Lord of Steel,
however, is analogous to cheap iPhone copies
by Chinese firms; the friendly, catchy cheesiness of old Manowar is not present in their latest album, making all the tropes not affable
and enjoyable; in contrast Lord of Steel draws
from the clichés but fails to make them presentable, hurling into ruin the essence of the
Manowar experience.
Tame Impala - Lonerism
When Tame Impala made their debut with
Innerspeaker in 2010, it was a thrill. The
new band received high critical acclaim in
no time. Many reviewers noted them for
their authentic take on psychedelic music (and for the uncanny resemblance of
the frontman’s voice to John Lennon). Obviously, pressure built up on them in the
making of the second album, having been
deemed a pioneer in neo-psychedelia.
But Lonerism delivered the expectations:
they managed to keep the elements that
were considered original, but still show a
progress in style, mostly in instrumentation.
a prime example. Maybe that’s why
the critics hyped the band so much:
there are not many bands in the alternative scene whose “sounds” are experiment-driven. Tame Impala, while
reverent to the fathers of their genre,
never quit exploring, and this trend is
carried on in Lonerism: instrumental
techniques, synth, sampling… You
name it. They searched for a more accessible tone with eccentric melodies
and played around to expose their
abstract music to different genres.
The band should be lauded, though.
They could have easily recycled what
they produced a few years ago, since
psychedelic music, despite being very
open to it, does not require overflowing creativity. But they preferred to
open up and yet still keep the 60slike psychedelic spirit.
In the 60s and 70s psychedelic rock was
ruled by The Doors, The Grateful Dead,
Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and more whose
names we still proclaim as the “founders
of rock music.” Even back then, progressive elements drove the psychedelic music
forward, and this trend seems to carry on.
Neo-psychedelia, as many call the 90s and
00s psychedelic rock scene by, strives to incorporate progressive rock. Tame Impala is
A significant achievement was the
track listing. The band shows a skillful arrangement of the tracks from
the beginning to the end. Just like
their songs, their album is evolving
within itself. Album starts out quite
“straightforward” with “Be Above It”:
raw drum beats, fuzzy guitars, groaning vocals. No nuances attempted. A
few songs later, however, rawness
Uygar Sözer
fades a bit, and compelling melodies dive in. The climax occurs
around “Keep on Lying,” where
an electric guitar motif repeats
for about two minutes while the
band is busy experimenting with
soundscape and Moog synthesizer. “Elephant,” the most radiofriendly Tame Impala can get,
follows and marks the approach
to the conclusion. The last three
songs are very other-worldly and
psychedelic indeed; the type of
music you just let flow.
The Australian youngsters led by
Kevin Parker once more impressed
the listeners. This time, although
60s psychedelia was again heavily
incorporated, the band explored a
richer, “poppier” sound that made
the music all the more accessible,
but still exceptional. The album is
for anyone wishing to know what
psychedelia has evolved to over
the past five decades.
Lonerism
10
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENTBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEARTS
Soundgarden-King Animal
Cem Töre
Gökçam
Fifteen years without Soundgarden wasn’t
a pleasant experience. Soundgarden fans
had to watch one of the icons of grunge music do things they will want to forget for the rest of their lives. Chris Cornell formed the band Audioslave, released
solo albums and even featured with Timbaland. Matt Cameron joined Pearl Jam
and tried to adapt Soundgarden’s sound
to Pearl Jam’s songs. He inevitably failed;
when Pearl Jam created the album Riot
Act, the band only showed the world that
it was capable of making tasteless songs.
Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd did nothing
significant in these fifteen years, intensifying their fans’ pain. Finally, the wait is
over; Soundgarden is back, and it has totally lived up to the expectations.
Unlike Alice In Chains and Stone Temple
Pilots, the highly anticipated return album of Soundgarden, King Animal, is a
true grunge album. Not post-grunge, not
alternative rock, but a true grunge album.
Soundgarden was aware of the fact that it
was too mature to create another Badmotorfinger, but they kept the spirit alive. The
album itself is an introduction to the mu-
sic of the early 90’s, and no one else could do
this as effectively as Soundgarden. Consider
the other groups: Nirvana used the influence
of punk rock to distinguish itself from the general Seattle sound. Pearl Jam used classic rock,
Alice In Chains used heavy metal, and even
Mother Love Bone, one of the earliest grunge bands, combined the underground Seattle
sound with the glam metal riffs and the appearances of the 80’s. Soundgarden, on the
other hand, always made pure grunge. The
band’s music changed as it produced new albums, but these albums shifted the direction
of grunge music, too.
King Animal is influenced by every direction
grunge music has taken, but it clearly differs
from other albums produced in the history
of the genre. The album opens with the song
“Been Away Too Long,” which is pretty much
a self-explanatory title; Soundgarden has, in
fact, been away too long. Songs such as “NonState Actor” and “By Crooked Steps” have the
potential to be played on heavy rotation for a
while, and these songs shape the album’s actual steer. In general, the album never loses
its pace and energy, but the slower songs are
the ones that actually set the tone of King Animal. Even though the album keeps the feeling of connectedness inside, two songs set
the bar so high that the last part of the album
can’t keep up with them. These two songs,
“Bones of Birds” and “Taree,” are so stimulating that they could be released as singles from
any of the iconic Soundgarden albums of the
90’s. “Bones of Birds” has a dark atmosphere
surrounding it, just like one of their greatest
Soundgarden - King Animal
songs, “Fell On Black Days.”“Taree,” on the other hand, is a tribute to the Badmotorfinger
days, with a bit of Outshined in it.
Even though the album is unexpectedly brilliant, especially compared to the embarrassing post-grunge attempts after the millennium, some songs hold this album back from
being one of the greatest albums of its genre.
“Halfway There” and a filler song, “Attrition,”
sound like average pieces from Cornell’s solo
albums, and these are the low points of King
Animal. The position of the songs, right after
“Taree,” especially contributes to the slight
feeling of disappointment towards the end of
the album.
King Animal is Soundgarden’s way of saying
that grunge was never dead, and it has done it
in the best way possible. Cornell, Thayil, Shepherd and Cameron have created the most iconic grunge album released after the millennium.
Bat for Lashes-The Haunted Man
Mert
Uşaklı
It is surprising that the concept of “catchy”
is being redefined over generations. If we
define pop as anything that can potentially get a lot of radio play, what is labeled
pop today can be surprisingly profound.
Perhaps any old 4/4 beat and a melody
with a familiar chord progression would
suffice to be a successful single in the
1980’s, but today we may see pop artists
painstakingly working to make sonically
sophisticated records. The young British
artist Natasha Khan, with her solo project
Bat for Lashes, is one of those pop artists
who are not afraid of embellishing their
craft both melodically and thematically.
Her latest release, The Haunted Man, is
one grand, painstakingly crafted and appealing pop record.
I was first introduced to this record via the
single “All Your Gold.” The straightforward
single consists of a blend-in of the guitar
and electronic drumbeats, Khan’s attention-grabbing use of head voice and striking string parts during the chorus. The
piece is surely interesting, but as soon as
I gave my first few spins to the whole record, I came to realize that this single was
representative of the whole album not
sonically but qualitatively. From the simple, emotional piano piece “Laura,” to the
enigmatic, strong and resounding “Horses
of the Sun” and to the Björkish dance beats
of “Rest Your Head,” this is one diverse re-
cord. What is pleasingly frustrating, though,
is that the compositions
vary so much that one
tends to reject that this
is actually a pop record.
However, the distinct
catchiness of each piece
eliminates the disbelief.
The structural variety is
contrasted by the unity of theme that is woven meticulously by
Khan so that despite
her ambition, the album manages to sound
effortless and natural. Natasha Khan’s lyricism is marked by a
bareness that is evident even in the cover
art: Khan is naked, carrying a man also naked,
with a numb yet slightly moody expression
on her face. The idea of
“naked” here, however, has very few sexual
connotations. On “The
Haunted Man,” Khan
stood strong and emotionally stark. Her conspicuous yet stout sentimentality is affirmed
Album Art of the Haunted Man
also to instill a similar feeling of equilibrium in
by her existential statements throughout the album as she proclaims the listener. Despite the fact that the record
“Thank God I’m alive!” on “Lilies”, and “Here am is actually the result of an exhaustive producI” on “Oh Yeah.” In a way, the record recounts tion, Khan’s genuine and proud sentimentality
Khan’s struggle to maintain a firm identity. maintains a very natural feel that vibrates the
She seeks not only to maintain a balance in re- heart of listeners.
sponse to her own emotional conundrum, but
March 2013 Issue
It is sad that anything expressing genuine
sentiment gets tossed off as “indie” nowadays.
Due to this, I’ve seen Bat for Lashes categorized as “indie pop”, which is an oxymoronic
labeling. However, don’t let these petty categorizations intimidate you. I recommend this
record for people who listen to all kinds of mu-
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
sic as it is casually enjoyable, emotionally fulfilling and sonically interesting, the emphasis
depending on the listener’s perspective. Natasha Khan deserves to be regarded as a 21st
century artist and her art is worth the exploration of many.
11
ARTS&ENTERTAINMENTBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEARTS
Six-String Wizard in Istanbul
Ege
Ersü
The legendary American guitarist Steve
Vai visited Istanbul on November 3rd once
again after seven years. The concert took
place in Küçükçiftlik Park, Maçka, in front
of approximately 2000 fans who came listen to music not just heard by the ears but
directly with the soul. Steve Vai is an electric guitar virtuoso, a
songwriter and a producer. Now 52 years
old, Vai started playing the guitar by taking lessons from the well-known virtuoso instrumental rock guitarist Joe Satriani when he was 13. He also started to
play in local bands the same year. His guitarist idols are known to be Jimi Hendrix,
Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. After he played
with notable groups and guitarists of his
time, such as Frank Zappa and Alice Cooper, he started his solo career. His current
tour followed the release of his 16th solo
album, The Story of Light.
For a musician of his fame, the price of the
tickets was considerably cheap. Normal tickets
were 67 Turkish lira, while downstage tickets
were just 112. The Küçükçiftlik Park concert
area, normally an open air venue, was closed
in case of any weather change. There were
2000 people watching, which is relatively few
for a concert like this and more fans were expected. The concert started at nine o’clock in
the evening without any delay and with great
applause from the fans. Steve Vai and his band
put on an impressive show. For example, during the concert, Vai disappeared for a minute and came back with new gear and an extraordinary costume with a mask and guitar
equipped with laser lights. This was a charming visual show for the fans and received enormous applause, though his fans were fascinated by his music, especially his astonishing
guitar solos, more than anything else.
ple even called out, “I play guitar!” to increase
their chances of getting picked. Surprisingly,
the chosen people were a 15 year old kid and
Şebnem Ferah, a very famous Turkish singer.
When the audience saw Şebnem Ferah, as she
climbed up the stage, they were shocked and
also excited by the fact that they were going
to see two legends composing a song together live. While she greatly contributed to the
development of Turkish rock and is quite well
known, she could not help herself from congratulating Steve Vai for all his work.
Many were a bit sad when the three hour long
outstanding show ended. Now all the Steve
Vai fans have one question in their minds;
when are they going to see him again? And
who knows? Maybe he will visit Turkey again
with a new album and a show just as spectacular.
Near the end of the concert, Vai decided to get
the audience involved. His plan was to choose
two people from the audience and compose a
new song through their instructions. When he
asked for volunteers, the whole concert hall
started shouting as loud as they could, “Pick
me! Pick me!”, waving their hands. Some peoSteve Vai
Bosphorus Chronicle Book Reviews
Barış
Heybeli
1.11/22/63 - Stephen King
This book is certainly a milestone in the
career of Stephen King, which stretches
across several decades of producing some
of the most innovative and inspiring thrillers of all time. 11/22/63 stands out among
King’s other books as a more experimental piece. It tells the story of a time-traveling teacher who aims to stop the assassination of President Kennedy. This book
consisting of over 800 pages also contains
numerous side-trips that take you back to
the turbulent but beautiful culture of the
late 50’s and early 60’s. The book is a blend
of many genres such as fantasy, alternate
history, science fiction and mystery. Despite containing a lengthy amount of description and slow action, which could be
a “turn-off” for some readers, it continues to leave question marks in the reader’s mind and urges him to continue reading on and on.
Even though some rather overused (which
can also be perceived as essential) storytelling elements can be found in the book,
numerous details of the contrast between
contemporary life and life of the past are
skillfully described by the author, which
adds realism to the book. King, with his
long career of writing thousands of pages
of bestsellers, delivers the complete experience of time-travel easily to the readers.
Don’t be surprised if you end up looking
for time portals when you finish the book;
the nostalgia will surely be strong.
2.The Racketeer - John Grisham
This was the first novel by John Grisham
12
that I read, which appealed to me as a brand
new novel of the author, just released on October 23, 2012. It is classified as a “legal thriller.” Some of you may be unfamiliar with this
genre, but don’t worry, so was I. The reason it
may have appealed to me is that, despite the
negative connotations with words like “legal” and “thriller”, the book usually follows an
easy-to-read and natural pace and vocabulary
that will easily absorb readers into the flow of
the story. Grisham, with relative ease, maintains an understandable yet quite addictive
storyline, and leaves the readers wondering
what will happen in this plot that takes you
to the underworld of the American legal system and the crime scene. Despite being a fictional book, the story could be considered archetypal in the way that it subtly criticizes the
loopholes and problems of the American judiciary system.
One particular property of this story is that
it blends the truthful, convincing elements
of first person storytelling with clinical, objective third person narration. The result is
a stunningly creative plot : as we follow the
adventures of Malcolm Bannister in first person, a man destined to be in jail for 10 years
for a crime he didn’t commit, Grisham decides
to spice the story up a bit as we learn the grim
truths behind the people acting against him.
The camera goes back and forth between the
FBI, Bannister and the crooks as the reader
gets sucked deeply into a vacuum of an interwoven chain of events. The chronological order is pretty straightforward and Grisham remained fairly conservative in his storytelling
apart from that. This is an experienced author
who knows what to do and where to do it.
Having read one of the bestselling authors of
the late 20th century and early 21st century, I
can honestly say that I’ve gladly added another brilliant author to my pool of favorites. Owing the knowledge of criminology to his background as a lawyer, John Grisham combines
his expertise with simple yet direct and skillful writing. Don’t worry if your reading skills
are not so good. While it’s not quite a beginner’s novel, I highly recommend it to readers
who want to take their reading to a
next step. The ultimate novel of the
master of the genre and critically well received by the public, the
book will find its place among the
staples of Grisham.
3.SuperFreakonomics - Steven D.
Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
With this sequel to the criticallyacclaimed non-fiction book Freakonomics, the Dubner-Levitt coalition once again explores the
mysterious yet amazing sides of
economics. It is no doubt that the
book is as interesting and successful as its predecessor in exploring
the “hidden side of everything.” As
a fiction-loving reader, I was initially unsure if I really wanted to read
a possibly boring non-fiction book,
but this book, as its name suggests,
is different; it’s freaky. It’s the other side of economics. If you’re hesitant to read because you worry
about the terminology, don’t worry
at all: it’s really aimed at the general reader. If you know how to interpret basic statistics, then stand
back, let your eyes take control and
keep reading. You’ll be enjoying a
stunning ride through the psychoanalysis of human economics and
world events.
Compared to its predecessor, Freakonomics, the book lacks nothing
of the original style of its ancestor. The book keeps you amazed
and curious, and the witty tone of
the writing makes it a piece worth
reading by the general reader. It
provides the reader with different
perspectives on recent issues like
global warming, with a very unorthodox interpretation of the event. The
argumentative approach will attract
debaters and thinkers alike.
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
The Racketeer by John Grisham
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
ARTSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLEARTS&ENTERTAINMENT
Return of Star Wars
Ece
Toprak
A legend is back: The new Star Wars movie. There were rumors about its coming,
and those rumors turned out to be real, as
Disney Company announced on November 30th, 2012 that it paid $4.05 billion to
buy Lucasfilm, home of the Star Wars franchise. The big news about the future of
Star Wars spread quickly. Fans of Star Wars
from all around the world felt excitement
and worry at the same time. While some
of them looked forward to the new movie, called Episode 7, that will be playing in
theatres in 2015, some believed that Star
Wars should not be under the supervision
of Disney. Despite these controversies,
though, Lucasfilm has already accepted
the agreement. Its new home is now Disney.
On the official web site of Star Wars, there
are two short interviews with George Lucas,
the chair of Lucasfilm, and Kathleen Kennedy, the co-chair, about the future of the franchise. They seemed quite hopeful about the
purchase. “I’ve always believed that Star Wars
could live beyond me,” Lucas said, although a
few years ago he ensured that the story would
come to an absolute end when Luke in the
movie saves the galaxy and redeems his father. Kathleen Kennedy supported Lucas by
describing Disney as “the best company possible to take Star Wars into the future.” Kennedy
also said that new movies will continue to be
planned as Lucas worked on the former ones,
guaranteeing that Star Wars is not going to be
abused by Disney in order to earn more money
and popularity.
One of the biggest question marks about the
movie is the role of George Lucas. He tried to
answer this question during the interview.
According to what he said, Lucas will take part
only in the “creation” part of the movie; he
is going to help Kennedy and be her Yoda instead of her big boss.
The next step is this: Kennedy, Lucas and other enthusiastic screenwriters are going to talk
about what the new stories are going to be.
The source of inspiration, however, remains
unknown. In other words, how are they going to decide what is going to happen after
Return of the Jedi? Lots of comic books and
novels were written after the last movie, such
as the quite popular Clone Wars cartoon series and Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. The
first book of the trilogy, Heir to the Empire, will
most probably be used for the new big-screen
adaptation.
Episode 7 surely became one of the biggest
agenda items for many people. What is going to happen in the movie, and who is going
Disney Characters
November Was On Its Way For You
Bita
Koç
November arrived, leaving September and
October in full motion. Since November is
the end of autumn and an introduction to
winter, it can be thought of as a transition
month, and it should be spent fully.This
article will introduce some of the events
that took place this past November.
A major event of the month was the Sting
Concert on November 26. A legendary
musician, Sting gave his second concert
in Istanbul. The first concert took place in
Kuruçeşme Arena in 2006 with more than
15000 people attending. The second concert,
a part of his Back to Bass Tour that took place
all over Europe, was in Ataköy Atletizm Arena.
by doing something different and those who
wanted to have fun by re-experiencing their
childhood memories, this was a good chance.
Another November event aimed to awaken
the childhood memories of all readers. Sesame Street Live took place on November 28 at
Maslak TIM Center. The tour started in England
and presented its last 10 shows in Istanbul,
entertaining all Sesame Street lovers young
and old, reminding everybody of famous characters such as Elmo and Cookie Monster.
Another November event was Autoshow 2012.
This event took place November 2-12 at TÜYAP Center. At the show there were four brandnew cars introduced to car lovers accompanied
by forty-five different car brands and approximately five hundred different types of cars
including the renowned Bugatti, the world’s
fastest and also most expensive car, selling
for 430,000 Euros. For those interested in cars,
recent updates, and car developments, Autoshow 2012 was fun.
Speaking of childhood memories, on November 17 and 18 Shrek the Musical took place
in Talimhane Theater. Most people probably
know the movie, but the actual musical was a
great alternative for fans. For those who wanted to have a joyous time with their friends
November brought many events, offering fun
ways to pass time and out-of-the-box things
to do.
Back To Bass
Just A Fandom
every day. It has become a habit of mine, but I
must admit this is insane. I mean, who would
spend hours looking and re-blogging pictures of a band whom you will probably never meet? Having said “re-blogging,” let me explain further. When you see a picture or a .gif
on your dashboard that you like, it can appear
on your blog as well by clicking “re-blog”! For
those who think having more and more followers on Tumblr is a really big deal, here is
a tip to increase your followers: add “tags” to
your posts. For example, if you are sharing a gif
about the TV show How I Met Your Mother, you
should tag #howimetyourmother, #tedmosby
or #barneystinson so that when people click
on these tags, your post will appear and they
can follow you. I believe that there are three
types of blogs on Tumblr:
İpek
Ömercikli
If I asked you to name the most popular
social networks, you would probably say
Facebook or Twitter. Well, maybe some
would say YouTube. Yet believe me, you
wouldn’t point to any of those networks as
your favorite if you have met Tumblr.
Personally, I had known about Tumblr but
I never thought I would have an account.
But a month ago, I was surfing the Internet and looking for some gifs about my favorite artists. A friend of mine called and
told me that she has just gotten a Tumblr
account. She gave me her password and
that was truly the day that my life completely changed. I am not exaggerating;
Tumblr’s own world is significantly different from the others around you. You simply get stuck in it.
Maybe some of you have Tumblr accounts,
but when I say “getting stuck in it” I’m not
talking about the ones that have pictures
of the bloggers or a couple of paragraphs.
I’m talking about the “fandom blogs”, sim-
1. One Direction fandom
2 .Beliebers, Swifties, Smilers, Lovatics and all
other fandoms,
3. Self-blogs
The logo of tumblr
ilar to mine. Have you ever become a part of a
fandom? It is not just being a fan of somebody
or some band; being in a fandom is an obsession. Getting rid of it is hardly possible and
Tumblr is the best network for such fandoms.
March 2013 Issue
“OMG GUYS IS IT REAL OR...”, “I CAN’T EVEN…”
or “I LOST MY ABILITY TO….” These are examples of the reactions you can see under a picture on Tumblr. If you are in a fandom, you
usually write this stuff. I see and write them
As you see, the most popular one is One Direction fandom. In this kind of fandom the writer is usually crying over everything and they
even know the boys’ blood types. They are
the ones who write “I’M SCREAMING”, “I JUST
DIED”, “STAY AWAY FROM MY BOY OR I’LL KILL
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
YOU”, “DON’T TOUCH MY BOYS” and much more
which are probably not appropriate to mention here.
The most important thing in Tumblr world is
“Shipping”. I am sure you have never heard of
this if you do not belong to a fandom. Shipping is assuming that two people who you are
a fan of are in a romantic relationship, even if
there is no possibility of it. A ship can be between either straight couples or same sex
ones. In Tumblr, people mostly ship the famous people who did not actually come out as
gay, because people love to believe that there
is something else going on behind the camera.
It is a great feeling to have your own blog, designed the way you want, where you share
whatever you want, ship whoever you want
and see your growing number of followers
sending you messages as you become more
popular.
As time passes and you get to know more people on Tumblr, you make friends from all over
the world. I have one thousand followers now
and they are from the USA, UK, China, Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, South Africa,
Saudi Arabia, etc... We keep in touch all the
time. Unfortunately I will leave you wondering which fandom I belong to, but trust me,
you better not know for your own good.
13
SCIENCEBOSPHORUSCHRONICLESCIENCESCIENCE
Neuroscience
Elif Naz
Samancı
There are a number of Robert College students who are considering studying neuroscience, and they usually want to study
abroad. But what is it that they are talking about?
In response to the word “neuroscience”,
one might think of neurology. “Neuro-”
means relating to nerves. Neurology is the
medical science that deals with the nervous system and disorders affecting it. Yet,
while neurology is a branch of medicine,
neuroscience is a scientific study of the
nervous system in all its aspects.
Another related major that starts with the
prefix “neuro-” is neuropsychology. This
scientific field allows an interdisciplinary major with a focus on psychology and
neuroscience. The Psychology Career Center states that neuropsychologists seek an
understanding of how psychological pro-
cesses relate to the brain’s structure and system.
Elçin Metin, RC’14, said, “I am interested in
neuroscience and neuropsychology because
I want to learn the biological process behind human psychology. Since our perceptions, thoughts and feelings are all formed
in our brains, neuropsychology is an excellent resource to understand human beings.
Also, neuroscience covers topics such as mood
changes, nervous system disorders, and the
subconscious, finding answers to the most interesting and mysterious questions. In short,
there are many things to be discovered and I
want to learn much about the inner world of
humans.”
The Society for Neuroscience describes three
main goals of neuroscientists: describing the
human brain and how it functions normally,
determining how the nervous system develops, matures and maintains itself throughout
life, and finding ways to prevent or cure numerous neurological disorders.
As neuroscience has become a popular topic only recently, it is frequently mistaken for
a new science field. While it is true that neuroscience has become a recognized discipline
only in recent decades, its area of interest has
been pondered much longer. According to the
website of the University of Washington, the
history of neuroscience dates back to 4000
BCE. The name of the article is “Milestones in
Neuroscience Research. The earliest findings
are the clay tablets from Mesopotamia which
discuss how to use alcohol to dilute medicine, and the euphoric effect of poppy plants
was reported in Sumerian records, also around
4000 BCE. Today modern neuroscience can be
categorized into major branches, making the
studies of neuroscientists very concentrated, in fact microscopic. For example the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 2004 was
given to Richard Axel and Linda B. Buck for the
discovery of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system, a very specific
research in the neuroscience field.
Why do Robert College students want to study
neuroscience? Ege Yalçınbaş, an RC’11 alumna, chose to study neuroscience at Duke University after she read a book The Brain That
Changes Itself. An 11th grader Nurkut Aksu, on
the other hand, says: “I wonder how the brain
functions. Today, it is clear that the research in
understanding how to use the brain will help
human beings.”
Students who consider studying neuroscience
usually want to study abroad, as many universities offer biology or psychology programs
which allow the individual to form an individual neuroscience major. Students tend to
refer to the major books in the College Counseling Office to find the distinguished 25 colleges with the most competitive neuroscience
programs.
In Turkey, İstanbul University is the only institution with a neuroscience department,
though some universities, such as Dokuz Eylül
and Medipol, offer graduate programs in neuroscience.
roscience. She explained, “Studying psychology and neuroscience has been a great opportunity for me. I think they are very interesting
and complex at the same time. I strongly recommend exploring neuroscience to those who
are curious about how the brain works.”
Neuroscience is a mysterious field for most,
since it is not mentioned much in daily conversations. However, after high school it is a
field that presents numerous avenues. Many
students who chose to major in neuroscience
go to a graduate school for medicine, or enroll
in a PhD program for neuroscience to become
a researcher, while some take a slightly more
traditional path by continuing with a master’s
programs in a more specialized area.
The British Neuroscience Association is very
helpful in gaining a clearer insight into the
study and the options it presents. There are
also some summer opportunities in which
the practice of neuroscience is introduced, allowing participants to achieve an overview of
the field. Ekin Üner, RC’14, spent her summer
at Columbia University, taking courses in neuBrain
The New Pathology Course Welcomes Future Students of Medicine
Mert Dilek
With the ever-growing number of elective courses that students can choose from
in establishing their academic schedules,
the task of choosing becomes more challenging and important each year. This
year, among all the numerous additions
and adjustments made to the courses offered, one science course stands out owing to its specific focus on a subject that a
group of Robert College seniors feel very
much drawn to and wish to explore in further detail over the course of a school year:
Introduction to Pathology.
Replacing the well-known and challenging Advanced Anatomy and Physiology
course that was offered for the last time in
the 2011-12 school year, Introduction to
Pathology is meant for those among the
senior class who are interested in medical
sciences and plan to study medicine or biology. Biology teacher İpek Tingleff, who
created the curriculum for the course and
will teach it starting next year, said that
the course was born as a response to increased demand from the students who
are considering continuing their education
in medical school. “For students who are
planning to be doctors of medicine, the
course is very appealing because having a
pre-med course in high school is very beneficial in that it would give the students a
real idea of what it is to study medicine
and whether or not they really want to
continue their education in this direction,”
said Çağla Akduman (RC’14) who is planning to take the course next year.
As to why the Anatomy course needed this
replacement, the difficulties in importing
the preserved cats that were used for dissection, arranging their passage through
customs and storing them, and the fact
that the Anatomy course cannot be taught
14
without proper mammalian dissection were
cited by Mrs. Tingleff. These technical shortcomings and the need for a third level biology course thus led to the birth of Introduction
to Pathology that will be a senior-only course
and will have Advanced Biology as its prerequisite. The students can take Advanced Biology and Introduction to Pathology together this
upcoming year.
mer workshop on evolutionary medicine for
researchers and improved my knowledge of
the field so as to thoroughly cover the topic
in class.”
As intriguing as the course content sounds,
some students might think the challenge of
undertaking the responsibility of such a class
in their harried and high-stress senior year
as unwise. Mrs. Tingleff points out that she
is well aware of this dilemma and therefore
notes that as long as the student is truly motivated and eager to come to class ready to
learn, the course will not be too burdensome.
“I will always remember that seniors have dif-
“I thought that starting a course which focuses on infectious and noninfectious diseases, their treatment and the different diagnostic techniques would be interesting for those
students interested and would deftly compensate for the lack
of the Anatomy
course,” said Mrs.
Tingleff. She briefly summarized the
topic outline of the
course: “First of all
we are going to
start with what a
disease is and how
our bodies defend
themselves, then
we are going to
continue with infectious and noninfectious diseases and cancer. We
are going to look
into some of the
diseases that affect the body systems separately, so
we will study each
one, and then we
Pathology students will conduct microbiology labs.
are going to discuss
how we can prevent diseases, how we treat ficult lives with lots of responsibilities,” says
diseases and what the diagnostic techniques Mrs. Tingleff, “For example, I will make sure
are. One other topic is one of my favorites that that everything is done in class, meaning
I had included in the Anatomy curriculum and that the emphasis will be on classwork rather
which I will again include here–evolutionary than homework and naturally the pace of the
medicine. Because everything makes sense course will be adjusted according to the senior
from an evolutionary perspective–why we students. Of course this doesn’t mean that it is
have certain diseases, for example– the in- going to be a very easy course –it is the third
clusion of this field of study as a topic in our level biology course, after all. But especially
curriculum is imperative. I attended a sum- for the students who love and have serious in-
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
terest in medical sciences, human biology and
diseases, it is simply going to be a fun thing
and a nice motivation, because if they want to
study medicine, it will always be nice to stay
connected to their favorite topic. Since I was a
student who felt this necessity, I can tell that
they will find enjoyment, inspiration and motivation in this course.”
Mrs. Tingleff emphasizes that she created the
course content and the lecture style partly
based on the feedback she received from her
former Anatomy students: “At the end of each
year I used to give my Anatomy students a sur-
vey about the course, because I always considered their suggestions in developing the
course from year to year. Based on their recommendations and my experience, I added
certain aspects to this new course. For example, I will always include some fun things, such
as clinical application discussions: Sometimes
I will bring a real life case to the class, and just
like medical doctors, we will discuss the case,
what the diagnosis and prognosis are, and
what the proper treatment could be. As far as
the topics we will cover are concerned, I had
gotten really good feedback on evolutionary
medicine from my former students. Some of
my students who went to different colleges
where there are courses on evolutionary medicine say that what they learned in Anatomy
helped them perform better in college. This
indicates the importance of taking third level
science courses in Robert College.”
One of the ways the Pathology course will be
significantly different from Anatomy is when
it comes to labs. Mrs. Tingleff stated, “In Anatomy, cat dissection was a major element,
which rendered the course lab-intense.
Pathology won’t be that lab-based –there
will be no dissection of any kind- but there
will be labs where we use the microscope
to observe various tissues, and when we
will be covering the infectious diseases
there will be microbiology labs –of course
not with disease causing bacteria. However, most emphasis will be placed upon
discussions on clinical cases.” The lectures
will be supplemented by a textbook on basic pathology and its corresponding workbook of exercises. Mrs. Tingleff commented that the Advanced Biology students to
whom she showed the book found it very
student-friendly, as it is not a thick and intimidating book and includes fun elements
such as cartoons.
With its versatile and student-conscious
structure, the new Introduction to Pathology course promises a vibrant and intellectual experience that will imbue all its students with considerable medical knowledge.
“Those who will make use of this opportunity won’t regret it”, said Mrs. Tingleff, adding,
“When I was at your age, the medical terms
were like music to my ears; I’ve always enjoyed reading and hearing things related to
medicine. If you are such a student who is truly interested in medicine, then this course is
for you. Despite the heavy load of senior year,
you will immensely enjoy it.”
March 2013 Issue
January 2008 Issue
SPORTSSPORTSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLESPORTS
Go Lady Bobcats!
Nazlı Güngör
Berk Eroğlu
This fall one of Robert College’s sports
teams made an incredible achievement:
After winning sets of matches, the Lady
Bobcats won the second place trophy in Istanbul Girls Premiere League. This league
was created by the Dean of Athletic Activities at Gateway Academy who wanted to improve girls’ soccer. Robert College
coaches also supported this endeavor and
together, they defined this new league.
This year four schools participated in the
league: Gateway Academy, Üskudar High
School, Robert College and MEF International. Unfortunately, the Lady Bobcats
lost a match against Gateway, a much
more experienced team. Still, our girls
won five matches out of six, which carried them to second place. Also, one of the
team members, Esra Sezer, earned the award
for scoring the highest number of goals during
the tournament, along with a Gateway player.
team before matches, Coach Seed Trujillo responded, “I will never give away my secrets on
that! It is between the coach and the players.”
Before the Lady Bobcats, Robert College had
a girls’ soccer team for a couple of years, but
it was later discontinued. A new team was
formed last year and their current coaches are
Ms. Seed Trujillo and Mr. Olivencia, both Prep
English teachers.
One of the forwards, Ceren Tezcan, commented on their success: “We always play the
matches with high spirits. We are on the way
to becoming the best and on this road, team
spirit is essential. In our case, everyone clearly supports each other. Also, our coaches are
amazing in helping us in everything, specifically with developing our skills and increasing
the motivation. These factors carry us to success.”
Coach Seed Trujillo really trusts her team. She
believes that its success is thanks to the members’ team spirit and collaboration as well as
the strong leadership of the team captains.
This year many new players joined the team,
along with Coach Olivencia. Ms. Seed Trujillo
mentioned that there were many other contributors who came together for the success
of the girls.
Motivation before the matches is important
for winning games. Following this principle, in
most of the matches the Lady Bobcats played
fervently. When asked how she motivates the
The Lady Bobcats are working very hard and
achieving their goals. Do not forget that they
need our help and contribution to reach the
top. Listen to the homeroom announcements,
learn the dates and be there to support your
friends and our team!
We wish them the best in upcoming games.
Go Lady Bobcats!
Lady Bobcats
To The Stars Through Difficulties
When under extreme stress, students are often told by adults that accomplishments require a lot of work, and that they should work
hard for the sake of their goal. Similarly the
Roman philosopher and playwright Seneca
once said, “ad astra per aspera” (Latin for “to
the stars through difficulties”). Countless stories of success and ambition are recounted on
a daily basis; however quite a few people in
the student body are unaware of this one, unless they are passionate basketball fans.
world-famous professional basketball player.
His teachers and friends frequently laughed
at him, dwelling on the idea that no person
of Chinese descent had ever played in the National Basketball Association league. While
he never neglected his school work, he secretly kept on training in basketball. Accepted
on his high school basketball team, he turned
out to be the favorite player and helped his
school become the champion. Despite this
spectacular triumph, the prejudice against
him remained. Unlike his team mates, he was
the only one who could not acquire a university sports scholarship. This did not mean the
end of the world. He had already received his
acceptance from Harvard University.
His acquaintances urged him to quit basketball and pursue a career in economics, but
this failure only made him more ambitious.
He joined the Golden State Warriors, a pro
team based in Oakland, California. The only
reason they accepted him was to increase the
team’s popularity among the Chinese population of the region. Lin remained a substitute and canceled his contract with the team
eventually. In the beginning of the 2012 season, he joined the Houston Rockets; this experience lasted only a week. Yet, those who
thought Lin would give up were mistaken
once again. He kept trying hard, trusting his
gift, while his mother warned him that this
would be his last chance.
Jeremy Lin was expected to be a brilliant student. His family moved to the USA from China, dreaming of starting all over. In this new
life for Lin to receive the best education he
could was the main objective. Therefore, he
knew he had to give serious effort to his studies. Yet, his greatest dream was to become a
Four years later he graduated from Harvard,
but he still could not achieve his dream of
playing in the NBA. Anyone else with a different ethnic background with such an impressive basketball career would have been on
the draft list. However, since he was Chinese,
Lin did not make it into the 2010 NBA draft.
One week after his mother made her comment, Lin joined the New York Knicks. Only
days before his contract were to be cancelled, Lin visited the coach of the team, Mike
D’Antoni. The coach complained that he could
not find suitable players and that the fans
were constantly disappointed by the scores,
Fulya İdil
Keskin
leading to low morale in the
audience. Lin pointed out that
he could be the player that the
coach was looking for.
As soon as Lin was fielded, a
miracle took place. The New
York Knicks had lost 15 of the
23 games before, but now they
were continually winning. Lin
made headlines and was on the
top of the NBA transfer lists. Furthermore, he exceeded Coach
D’Antoni’s expectations; the
team was breaking audience records. Jeremy Lin’s dream – after
some delay and dismay- finally
came true. Dreaming of becoming a NBA player and taking Lin
as a model, many kids from a
Chinese background have started to enroll in local basketball
teams.
Jeremy Lin
Yoga vs. Stress
İnci Serdar
body, grows longer and stretches so the person can stand straighter.
3.
The body starts to be fit so the
amount of muscle increases.
4.
Lots of people have stressful lives due to a
plethora of factors, be it work, education
or relationships. The reasons differ. There
are lots of solutions which can be applied
to solve those kinds of problems, such as
yoga. Yoga has an extensive tradition,
having its roots 3,000 years ago in India.
Yoga aims to connect people physically,
mentally, and spiritually. There are seven different kinds of yoga styles: Ashtanga, Bikram,, Kundalini, Iyengar, Vinyasa/
power, gentle and restorative. In most of
them flexibility and breathing play large
roles. However, there are other benefits
for the human mind and body:
1.
The movements, breathing and
meditation in yoga help mental health
and mental alertness.
2.
The backbone, the center of the
The metabolism speeds up.
5.
People start to be more sensitive to
their bodies because their connection to their
bodies which had been lost is reestablished.
6.
Enduring stress becomes easier for
most people. Breathing exercises help people
to stay calm. During yoga, the negative notions of the mind are seen and solved.
7.
The person feels that he or she lacks
nothing. By the power of yoga the person can
see that different parts of life start to combine
and become integrated.
Yoga is very widespread around the world because of its benefits. Robert College has a yoga
club which meets at Bizimtepe every week.
Many students claim that RC is hard, and yoga
can help them to be more successful. In addition, yoga lets us relax and therefore it improves our relationships and quality of life in
general.
March 2013 Issue
Yoga Movements
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
15
NEWSBOSPHORUSCHRONICLENEWSNEWSNEWS
Suggest and Do Something About It
was open to lot of creative
ideas, only had a passageway with lights.”
Birce Alkın
What is the first thing that comes to your
mind when you think of the Student Council? Is it movie night, the balls, or one of
your friends in the SC? What about the
fulfillment of your wishes and requests?
No one can blame the SC for not asking
everyone about his or her opinions. The
SC members have a busy schedule and it
would be impossible to try to please everyone, yet they are trying their best to
please the majority. The student body,
however, is intent on criticizing the SC
for not listening to their ideas and suggestions, while many students don’t even
know what they would like to request
from the council. There are some ideas
that float in the air one minute and disappear in the next. Bosphorus Chronicle decided to listen to some of those ideas.
Atalay Onay (RC’14) said, “The Student
Council is doing a great job, but there are
still a lot of things that can be done.” However, the problem is that no one really explains what those things are. Most of the
time when we asked what are the things
that the SC can do to please students, the
answer was the same: “I’ve got to think
about it.” Those who had an answer, how-
They are here to listen to you
ever, kept focusing on the same topic: The familiar after-school activities. Many students
think that the balls are becoming dull after
a while and that is the reason why older students stop going to them. Ezgi Ağım (RC’15)
thinks that the balls should employ more cre-
ative ideas, while Alinda Ohotski (RC’15) commented that the decorations should definitely improve, in accordance with themes of the
balls: “There are only a carpet on the floor,
some lights and a DJ booth. Then they leave
you alone to dance. The Halloween Ball, which
Yet SC events are probably
some of the most attractive events of Robert College, offering quality time
students can spend with
their friends while doing
something fun. As the SC
started to become more
creative and productive
about these events, more
and more students started to consider the SC simply as the source of only
these activities, rather
than the voice of the student body. The students
stopped offering ideas
for new events or activities , instead choosing to
approach the SC members with ideas about ball
themes or about the movies that could be shown on
the next Movie Night. To
think of the SC as having to
deal with such events only
is a major misconception that
the student body holds.
and clubs can’t students find the time to write
their advice and suggestions on a piece of paper and put them in these boxes? The SC could
find a solution to this challenge. As Irmak Su
Aydınlı (RC’15) suggested, the SC can transfer
these boxes to the internet: “They can make an
interactive website where we can have easier
access to the information of the SC and make
anonymous comments or suggestions,” she
said. The more one thinks about it, the more
it starts to make sense. There could even be
anonymous discussions where an SC member
would respond to the questions, suggestions
and comments posted by the students.
Despite such downsides, the SC manages to
solve many problems that concern the student
body. For instance, this year the students can
wear RC sweatshirts without worrying about
getting a detention. This was probably one of
the biggest demands of the students, along
with the wish to wear round-neck sweaters.
These changes were rendered possible by the
efforts of the SC.
There is no denying that the SC is working
hard to be the voice of the students, yet there
is still room for improvement. And while making these improvements, the SC should be
connected to the student body more tightly.
Therefore, if something comes to your mind,
just say it to one of the SC members. After all,
this is what they are for.
Not many people pay attention to the wooden SC boxes next to the white board in Marble Hall and in the canteen. Between classes
Spirit of the Bird
Sıla Göral
Name 5 Social Sites That Everybody Knows
1.Facebook
2.Youtube
3.Tumblr
4.MySpace
5.Twitter
As you may understand from the beginning of the article; it’s going to be about
Twitter, because I’m a Twitter addict like
hundreds of you. Twitter is a social networking site where
once you have an account, you can follow
other people and be followed by them.
You can retweet them or add their tweets
to your favorites. You can share a link or a
picture. These are just a few things that
you might want to do.
Twitter may seem similar to those other
sites, but “The Bird” has some subtle differences. At first, Twitter may not seem
so interesting to hang out with. But you
need to wait until the time comes, then
you’ll start to be immersed in the spirit of it.
Twitter is a site which is based on sharing
opinions and what you think at that moment. I’ll talk about my observations and
aspects which are unique about it.
Twitter has a special feature compared
16
to other sites. It makes people sometimes
go crazy: 140 characters is your limit for
a tweet. If you use 141 characters, it’s too
long to be on your wall. Sometimes you
have to erase a letter or a word or you have
to change the whole sentence but it works.
It makes people choose specific words,
phrases and improve their ability to express themselves concisely. It’s necessary.
o#ReplaceMovieTitlesWithHoodie
Devil Wears Hoodie
o
#ReplaceMovieTitleWithGoat Lord
of the Goats!
o
#ReplaceFilmTitleWithCake Lord of
the Rings, Return of the Cake
o
#ReplaceSongTitleWithCake “Shape
of My Cake!” –Sting
If you were allowed to write more than
140 characters, your wall would be covered by just one tweet. And your followers wouldn’t even try to read the first letter. Obviously, the Twitter creators know
people more than they know themselves.
On the 6th of November, “Happy Election Day”
was a trend as it was expected to be. It’s a popular event not just for America but the world.
The next day “Ganó Obama” appeared on the
WWT list, which means “Obama Won” in Spanish.
There are some people who try to rebel
against this character rule and post tweets
like “im @BrgerKng nw wth @hailey21
havng so mch fun omg its fridy and schl is
out #TGIF…” It’s stylish but not very original.
Most people are glad on Friday. #TGIF
might become a WWT (Worldwide Trend)
or TT (Trending Topic) depending on what
you want to see on your wall. I have a
Worldwide Trend list on my home page
so I can see what the world mostly tweets
about.
Even though you might have a “Trend Tweet”
list like me, you can see at least one Turkish
trend once a day. It’s like Turkey takes possession. There might be many Turkish users but
not enough to make #FenerbahçeSevdalılar
ıTakipleşiyor a trend. How many of these users are supporters of Fenerbahçe? This was a
trend on the 1st of November along with two
others: #DindarGenclikGeliyor and “Rabbimden Dilerimki.
Popular tweets are wishing a celebrity a happy birthday Or a famous person dies and it be-
The part called “bio” lets you tell your followers about yourself. You write whatever you
want with 160 characters. Your favorite lyrics,
the school where you’re studying, where you
live, your nickname. Bio is often the most creative part of Twitter. Here are a few examples:
o
i dont know what to say hehe
o
I Love Arsenal and Myself :)
o????????????
Twitter Bird
comes a trend like “RIP Mitch Lucker,” who was
a vocalist of Suicide Silence. This was also a
trend on November 1st.
Tweets often announce when a new song or
a TV series comes out.“#LittleThingsOnVEVO”
was a trend on November 2nd and “Rock Me”
and “They Don’t Know about Us” were trends
the following day
All these songs belong to the group called
One Direction. Twitter is filled with One Direction and Justin Bieber tweets at least three
BOSPHORUS CHRONICLE
times a day. Their fandoms sometimes fight
and sometimes live in peace. They are like two
sisters. A few months ago, there were these
three WWT about them: #DirectionersLoveBeliebers - #BeliebersHateDirectioners - #DirectionersStillLoveBeliebers.
When you’re able to pull yourself away away
from fan fights, you can come to one of the
most interesting trends. These tweets involve
replacing song or movie titles with funny
things like” pumpkin.” I’ll share a few of them:
o
Evolve Dental Healing Holistic Dentist We treat the whole person and not just the
tooth - for health on every level Health and
wellbeing are our passion
o
Belong to Jesus
o
I totally want to cut off your skin and
wear it to my birthday...
You better check yours again now.
These are not the only facts, functions and
oddities of Twitter. If you want to be social in a
different way, check Twitter.
March 2013 Issue