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Transcript of unpacked 1st Issue
WPI’s International & Intercultural Magazine
unpackedunpackedunpacked
Issue 1: Fall 2012
Inside this issue : Argentina * Bhutan * Costa Rica * Kenya
Morocco * Namibia * Paraguay * South Africa * Thailand * US * and more!
Depiction of Kal Bhairav in Hanuman Dhoka, Basantpur, Nepal.
This fierce manifestation of the Hindu god Shiva is associated with
annihilation and is one of the most important deities for the
country. He is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. Taken by
Colleen Callahan-Panday (2009).
Letter from the Editor
Many of us travel; we travel for work and for study, to visit family or friends, and for pleasure and
relaxation. Travel can take many forms; we might travel for a long weekend as a tourist, or live
abroad for many years. Some people constantly itch for the next adventure, and others only travel
when they must. Yet whether you travel for a short while or a long time, whether you have a good
or a bad experience, one thing is universal—travel is an experience. Often it is one that begs fur-
ther reflection. When we return from a trip, many of us are quick to unpack our clothes and our
souvenirs, however we do not generally give ourselves an opportunity to unpack our experiences. This magazine wants that to change. We want to see your photos, stories, poetry, articles
and artwork— we want you to “unpack” and share with the entire WPI community! Let us see your
pictures from that IQP in Costa Rica, let us hear your story about attending a Chinese New Year
party with your roommate on campus, let us enjoy a reflective poem about your family trip to Ire-
land, or the painting inspired by the canals in Venice. There are many stories on campus just wait-
ing to be told...
unpacked’s mission is to provide undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and
staff of the WPI community a space to share and reflect on international and intercultural experi-
ences. The magazine aspires to promote global awareness, cross-cultural understanding and dia-
logue on campus with the aim of informing, challenging, and expanding the university’s views on
culture and the global community. unpacked hopes to both educate and encourage community
members to be interested and responsible global actors.
As someone whose life has been greatly informed and changed by international and inter-
cultural experiences—whether it was a study abroad experience in India, an internship in Kenya, or
learning new and interesting things from the international students I work with everyday—I can at-
test to the importance of understanding more about our world. We hope that unpacked will intro-
duce you to new people and places, new cultures and experiences, and inspire you to find out
more.
Please enjoy our first issue, and we look forward to hearing YOUR story next!
Colleen Callahan-Panday,
Editor-in-Chief
Assistant Director, International Students and Scholars
Editorial Board: Leanne Johnson (IGSD), Ulrike Brisson
(Humanities & Arts), Christine Drew (Library)
3 unpacked * Fall 2012
ON THE COVER: “Shishani at Sunset” taken by Donal Boyd,
Chemical Engineering ‘13, Namibia (D ‘12). For more of
Donal’s photos see page 9.
Do you have something to submit for
unpacked Spring 2013? a Submissions, questions and comments/letters-to-the-
editor can be sent to [email protected] a For more information visit:
wpi.edu/offices/ih/unpacked.html a
Next submission deadline: February 3, 2013 @ midnight
ABOVE: The editor, dressed in traditional
Maasai clothing, taken during a study
experience living with a pastoralist family
in rural Kenya (2004).
Table of Contents
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 4
7 Where Are You From? The Story of a Third Culture Kid
Sakshi Khurana ‘16
8 I Walked On
Jighjigh Ivase ‘13
9 Namibia: Photo Series
Donal Boyd ‘13
15 Riding the Bus
Nicolas Gomez Enriquez Riart ‘16
17 Namibia and Germany—A Lavender Marriage?
Ulrike Brisson, Assistant Teaching Professor of German, Humanities and Arts
20 Morocco: Photo Series
Molly Homchenko ‘15
25 Safari-ing Across Savannahs
Manisha Krishnan ‘16
27 Gross National Happiness in the Thunder Dragon
Saraj (Jetro) Pirasmepulkul ‘16
29 Apartheid and Togetherness in a Cemetery in Darling, South Africa
Scott Jiusto, Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division
31 Bond
Monolina Binny ‘14
33 A Snapshot of Namibian Culture
Patrick Ford ‘13
35 La Vaca Enamirada
Aarti S. Madan, Assistant Professor of Spanish. Humanities and Arts
38 Thailand: Photo Series
Abby Albright ‘12
41 Costa Rica: Education for Sustainable Living
Caitlin Swalec ‘16
43 My Trip to Thailand
Sean GIle ‘13
45 Take Every Opportunity That You Can
Jessica Colon ‘13
47 Building Cultural Understanding One Meal at a Time
Rick Vaz, Dean, Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division
1, 5, 16, 32 Pictures: Nepal, Thailand, Santa Fe, London
Various Contributors
Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of
Kimberly Woodward
Chemical Engineering‘12,
IQP Thailand (C’11)
______________________________
Thailand, lies just north of Bangkok’s
city limits. In contrast to the colors,
smells, and pace of Bangkok, Ayut-
thaya radiates the Thai cultural
through temples aged over hun-
dreds of years, with relics of weath-
ered Buddha figures, and struc-
tures commanding awe and re-
spect with their grandeur and con-
tinued strength. Faith, battles, love
and life are preserved in the stat-
ues and remnants of the former
grand palace and surrounding
temples. Each beheaded Buddha
tells a story of a conqueror at-
tempting to pillage gold, or an en-
emy desecrating a statue to curse
a temple. There is a unity between
the land, structures, and people, as
trees have intertwined with stone
bodies, and locals continue to
gown select ancient statues in
decorative orange garments. Cul-
ture and history are preserved in
each brick, and the city holds a
unique brilliance. Ayutthaya con-
tinues to show off the genuine
beauty of the Thai culture and
connects past and present as one.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 6
Where Are You From?
The Story of a Third Culture Kid
By Sakshi Khurana
Biotechnology ‘16, from India and Indonesia
“Where are you from?” That’s the first question I get asked every time I meet someone new.
Usually, I’ll simply say ‘Indonesia’ because, well, I
was born there and I grew up there. Sometimes,
however, I’ll hesitate and then give the long
and honest answer.
I’m ethnically Indian. My dad was born in
New Delhi but my paternal grandmother is origi-
nally from an area that is now part of Pakistan.
She moved to New Delhi with her family during
the partition in 1947. My mother was born in a
small town near New Delhi called Meerut in the
state of Utter Pradesh. My maternal grandpar-
ents, though, are originally from the border be-
tween Afghanistan
and Pakistan. I, how-
ever, was born and
brought up in Indone-
sia. I went to an inter-
national school there
for 12 years. Here’s
the funny thing: I have
no legal ties to Indo-
nesia and instead,
have permanent resi-
dency in New Zea-
land where I spent a
small amount of my childhood.
Third culture? You could say that.
The term ‘third culture kid’ comes from
the early 1950s, created by a sociologist and
anthropologist named Ruth Hill Useem. She used
this word to refer to children who migrated with
their parents to another society. Third culture
kids are often referred to as global nomads. In
more recent times, an American sociologist, Da-
vid C. Pollock developed an improved defini-
tion for third culture kids: “A Third Culture Kid
(TCK) is a person who has spent a significant
part of his or her developmental years outside
the parents' culture. The TCK frequently builds
relationships to all of the cultures, while not hav-
ing full ownership in any. Although elements
from each culture may be assimilated into the
TCK's life experience, the sense of belonging is in
relationship to others of similar background.”1
As the years have gone by, my experi-
ences have shown me that I am incredibly fortu-
nate to be a third culture kid. My parents grew
up in India, moved to Singapore shortly after
they got married and were later transferred to
Jakarta, Indonesia. They love to travel and ex-
perience different cultures. They believe that
being open minded about new sights, sounds
and places is an important skill in life. Because
of them, I have had the opportunity to visit
some of the most amazing places in the world
and try some of the most won-
derful food in the world. Yup, I
admit it, I’m a huge foodie.
From authentic Swiss fondue to
delicious fish and chips from
New Zealand’s north shores to
spicy Thai prawns in Phuket,
food will always be a big part of
my life.
But it’s not just food I
swear! It’s the multi-cultural ex-
posure, learning about the
world through a multitude of
different perspectives and the sense of global
citizenship that has been engraved into my
unique way of life since I was a baby.
Being a third culture kid is difficult; I’ve
never felt like I truly belonged anywhere. In-
stead, I feel like I belong everywhere. I’m a child
of this playground that we call the world and I
am free to go where ever, and do whatever I
want. And what is it that I want? I want to learn,
and grow and then take that personal develop-
ment and spread it. I want to change the world.
I will change the world.
___
1 Pollock, D. C., and R. E. Van Reken. Third Cul-
ture Kids: Growing Up among Worlds. Nicholas
Brealey Publishing, 2009. Web.
Experience
7 unpacked * Fall 2012
“I’ve never felt like I truly belonged
anywhere. Instead, I feel like I be-
long everywhere… And what is it
that I want? I want to learn, and
grow and then take that personal
development and spread it. I want
to change the world. I will change
the world.”
I Walked On
By Jighjigh Ivase
Aerospace Engineering ‘13, from Nigeria
I Walked on
On my path to destiny’s rendezvous,
An imminent stutter to my step—that certain sense of hesitation
But I walked… I kept walking.
What questions will she ask?
What mysteries possesses she?
What power in her grip
What elements harnesses she?
To wield us go?
For yield we so.
I wondered noisily within me for a time
Then it came to me: “Look up, look around,
You are not alone on this journey”
I looked and saw
I listened and heard
My fellow travellers.
It was a case for eyes:
“My eyes are the window to my soul,” said one traveller.
Another replied “These eyes are a light for my spirit.”
Yet another traveller, “My eyes are the best part of me,
In them all my essence is captured.”
“My eyes give me definition, I look everyone in the eye—fearless.”
I walked on
Quietly thinking to myself:
Does the soul need a window, can’t it be a soul all in itself?
And do our spirits need light? They are lights powerful in themselves.
Is our beauty, comeliness... essence captured only in a part of us, can’t we
be beauty itself?
And why be defined by a single stare,
The boundless entity you are, wrapped up in a mere stare?
I Walked on
On my path to destiny’s rendezvous,
Thinking to myself... I still am
Thinking to myself.
Inspiration
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 8
Namibia: Photo Series
By Donal Boyd
Chemical Engineering ‘13, Namibia (D ‘12)
9 unpacked * Fall 2012
Experience
ON THE COVER/BELOW: “Shishani at Sunset”
Shishani Vranckx is a singer/songwriter born in Namibia to a Bel-
gian father and a Namibian mother. She left her motherland at
the age of five and grew up and in the Netherlands, where she
currently lives. Her mixed European/African background exposed
her to various styles, but her main influences have been Soul, Jazz
and RnB. Over the years she has collaborated with various artists
with who she recorded and performed internationally. Together
with guitarist/songwriter Koron she created a repertoire of original
Folk/Soul music during a period of five years.
This image was taken in Sossusvlei, Namibia. Right: After leaving the
Boulder Beach South
African Penguin Nature
Reserve, where a few
friends and I observed
the penguins on the
beach from raised plat-
forms; we decided to
explore a random
beach and unexpect-
edly came across a
group of wild penguins
outside of the Nature
Reserve. As we swam in
the cold Atlantic waters
of Simons Town, South
Africa, we were fortu-
nate enough to swim
side by side with the
penguins—I will never
forget the two hours we
spent on that beach,
swimming with the Pen-
guins.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 14
LEFT: In northern Namibia, a Makalani seed falls
from a palm tree where it is plucked by the hands
of a skilled Namibian artisan. The artists collects
over 100 seeds; he first labors to break the hard
hollow outer layer of the seed to reveal the rock-
hard inner core that is white with dark brown skin.
Next, the artist travels over 600 km to Windhoek,
the capital of Namibia, where he begins the tedi-
ous work of boring each seed by hand to attach
leather bands. Finally, the artist then stations him-
self at the corner of Independence Avenue. He
patiently awaits customers, tourists, with a smile
and a scalpel. His intention is to sell, as he states,
a “piece of Namibia.” The “piece of Namibia,” in
this photograph was carved, by scalpel, in no
more than five minutes by Kalabi. Kalabi learned
how to carve any animal from his father when he
was just ten years old. He has been making the
1200 km round-trip more than 30 times per year to
collect Makalani seeds for the better part of
three decades and sell his pieces of Namibia, to
support his family.
Donal Boyd’s final photo can be found on page 26
Riding the Bus
By Nicolas Gomez Enriquez Riart
Industrial Engineering ‘16, from Paraguay
9:10 pm, I jumped onto the Linea 30 bus on
Avda Peru to ride back home after my Portu-
guese course. There were five people on the
bus; the driver, a couple, my French-
Portuguese classmate Nelly and I. Nelly was
exhausted from a long troubling day, and
asked me to let her know when we were three
blocks from Sacramento Avenue so that she
could get off at her bus stop. Then she slept. I
admired her ability to sleep on a Paraguayan
bus which emitted thunderous engine and
break sounds
throughout the en-
tire trip. Meanwhile, I
observed the peo-
ple in the bus. I saw
the driver texting as
he drove, probably
letting his wife know
that he was on his
last shift and that
he´d be home soon.
I saw the couple flirt-
ing with each other
as the man drank the last sips of his Coke and
the woman ate the last of her cookie and
crunched up its wrapper.
Then I saw it. I experienced the lack of
love and interest Paraguay’s own people
have for her. I saw the man toss his Coke bot-
tle out the window and the woman follow his
example. After I saw this, I fell into a deep
meditation, wiping my mind from all distrac-
tions to think. I thought on the reasons they did
this; what need did they have to litter their
own city, their own country? I assumed they
were from Asuncion because they got off the
bus before I did and they got on the bus at
the stop in front of their university. I was so dis-
tracted; I almost forgot to warn Nelly that her
stop was near. I only remembered due to the
bus suddenly breaking, which emitted an an-
noying squeaking sound. Nelly got off the bus
and I kept thinking. I could not believe that
college students, educated Paraguayan citi-
zens, were harming their own nation, their own
home.
I thought about how this action is proof
of my people´s lack of love for their own
home. By following this accepted example
many—ranging from the elite to the extremely
poor—Paraguayans show how much they
care. This is why our country is in the deplora-
ble status it breathes to-
day. Not for littering our
own streets but for the lack
of love we have for our
own reality, our present,
and our future of our Para-
guay.
Last year, our gov-
ernors, teachers, parents,
friends—everybody—
babbled about the Bicen-
tenario, about how we are
the present and future of
our country, and it depends on us if our coun-
try will progress tomorrow. This will not happen
if we do not love our country, and behave as
true patriots, because a true patriot will never
litter their own nation. A true patriot will never
just babble about how we can change our
country. A true patriot will wake up everyday
and just do it, live for the good of their coun-
try.
I am Paraguayan and my nation has an
immeasurable capacity for growth. It has
abundant natural resources and citizens with
potential to make a difference. It seems to
lack nothing. But it is prevented from progress-
ing by its own people. I am a dreamer and I
believe that one day true patriots will run the
country and take it to the path that will bring progress and joy to Paraguayans.
Viewpoint
15 unpacked * Fall 2012
“I am Paraguayan and my nation has
an immeasurable capacity for
growth. It has abundant natural re-
sources and citizens with potential to
make a difference... I am a dreamer
and I believe that one day true patri-
ots will run the country and take it to
the path that will bring progress and
joy to Paraguayans.”
View from 10,378ft - Sandia Peak, Cibola National Forest, Albuquerque New Mexico. The mission of
Nikole Connor Biomedical Engineering ‘12, Master’s in Biomedical Engineering ’13,
IQP Sante Fe, New Mexico (D’11)
my team's project was to facilitate the accessibility and use of multi-use trails in Santa Fe while pro-
moting social interaction among trail users. Sandia Peak was just one of the many beautiful aspects
of New Mexico and every day presented itself with a new photo opportunity!
Inspiration
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 16
Namibia and Germany—A Lavender Marriage?
By Ulrike Brisson
Assistant Teaching Professor of German, Humanities and Arts, Namibia (D ‘11)
Visiting Namibia as a German can be a con-
flicting experience: fascinating and humiliat-
ing. From early March to early May 2011, my
colleague Ingrid Shockey and I spent eight
weeks as project advisors with twenty-eight
WPI students in Windhoek, the capital of Na-
mibia, and WPI’s project center. The students
were working on their IQPs in, for example, wa-
ter management, computer technology, or
tourism. Although I have lived as a German
citizen in the US for almost twenty years and
was representing a US educational institution,
in Namibia, my German background was sud-
denly brought to the foreground again.
Considering that Namibia used to be a
German colony for only a relatively short time
from 1883 to 1915, the continued presence of
Germans, German products and culture is
astonishing. My first accommodation was in
the B&B called Kleines Heim. Prof. Shockey
and I were later relocated to the Foundation
House belonging to the Polytechnic of Namib-
ia situated among the composer streets: Mo-
zartstraße, Brahmsstraße, Haydenstraße, etc.
Door handles and bathroom fixtures remind
one of close economic ties to Germany. It al-
most felt like living in Germany if it weren’t for
the palm trees, the people, and the lan-
guages spoken in Windhoek (English and vari-
ous ethnic languages).
The GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale
Zusammenarbeit), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung had their offices in
our neighborhood. Downtown newspaper
sellers urged me to buy the Windhoek
Allgemeine Zeitung, and the Goethe Center
became an important institution during my
stay. They were invaluable not only for their
friendly staff and library with interesting books
about Namibia, but also for their cultural
events such as film viewings and slide shows,
and not to forget, also for their home-baked
German cakes served at a lovely outdoor
café in their courtyard. A short walk up the hill
was the Christus Kirche, a site of worship for
the German-speaking community, and half a
mile further stood the Reiterdenkmal, a
reminder of the German Schutztruppe and a
memorial German-Namibians have insisted to
keep despite its problematic symbolic nature:
Under the brutal orders by Lothar von Trotha
and the gun fire of the Schutztruppe soldiers
about 50-70% of the Herero population and
about 50% of the Nama population lost their
lives during the Herero-Namaqua Wars from
1904-07. Some scholars claim it to be a trial run
for the Nazi Holocaust.
A different type of German is populat-
ing Namibia today – hoards of tourists, eager
to see Namibia’s wildlife on safaris – the big
five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo
– stream into Namibia every year. Often over-
looked, however, is the fascinating small ani-
mal world in Namibia with its lizards, butterflies,
squirrels, weaver-birds, and marmot-like das-
sies. Unfortunately, killing baby seals for fur is
still a legal enterprise in Namibia. Aside from
mining (especially uranium and diamonds),
Viewpoint
17 unpacked * Fall 2012
The German and Namibian flags
tourism is one of the most important sources of
income for Namibia. If you plan a trip, you
should rent an all-terrain vehicle because only
the major highways are paved. The rest of the
country’s roads are well-maintained gravel
roads, but unsuitable for long trips in sedans.
You pass the inspection check point about 20
km outside Windhoek and then the Wow!-
landscape stretches out in front of you: miles
and miles of seemingly uninhabited land. Ingrid
and I kept saying “Wow!” whenever we drove
over a hillcrest to gaze at a new stretch of land
with impressive rock formations or green hills
tainted yellow by thousands of tiny flowers. Sil-
very grass made the land appear like a bright
velvety carpet. Normally, the land, part of
which is the Namib Desert, is arid, but 2011 was
unusually wet so that the landscape looked a
lot like California in the spring. With a popula-
tion of 37 million, Californians have, however,
loved most of its nature to death, whereas in
Namibia with only 2 million people and twice
the size of California, much of its nature is still
intact. One of the highways takes you through
the desert to Swakopmund situated on the At-
lantic coast and next to enormous dunes. This
city with its pseudo-German architecture is al-
most entirely in the hands of Germans or Afri-
kaans-speaking whites, the service personnel is,
like in Windhoek, black. Its hotels, B&Bs, cafés,
restaurants, and amazing little museum cater
mostly to European tourists.
Namibians welcome tourists with mixed
feelings. Visitors bring in money, necessitate
jobs, and indirectly protect the wildlife in order
to guarantee a source of income for tourism. In
fact, Namibia included wildlife and natural re-
source conservation in its constitution. As the
tourists come primarily for the nature and not
for its people, they are often poorly informed
about its history, traditions, and values. Namibi-
ans, for example, tend to dress more formally;
shorts and tank tops are disapproved of, espe-
cially for anybody over 30, and white tourists in
shorts are an offensive sight to them. Pinkish
skin does not look all that great in a culture of
beautiful blackness, and skin color is still a politi-
cal and social issue. White tourists like to dress
in safari garb, which Namibians associate with
their colonial past and reject as clothing for
themselves. Despite the hot climate, Jeans, be-
low-the-knee skirts, and carefully ironed shirts
are part of the current dress code. Many Na-
mibian’s walk and act slowly – probably to
avoid sweating under the hot African sun –
and there is grace to it. For Westerners used to
a faster pace, it can be unnerving though.
Less obvious in the streets of Windhoek
are other groups of Germans: NGOs (non-
government organizations), gentleman farm-
ers, and entrepreneurs. Klein Windhoek is the
residential district where you would find most of
them and where you would hear German at
the Saturday open-air market or at its garden
center. Their presence is also felt through the
products of their companies. You can buy Ger-
man bread, excellent German pastry, and
German beer. The German VW Golf is one of
the most popular private cars; wealthy Namibi-
ans opt for a BMW or Mercedes. Interestingly,
about 80-90% of all the cars are white; the cli-
mate definitely plays a role in the choice of car
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 18
A German tourist swims past kids in
Swakopmund
color. German engineers are invested in envi-
ronmental technology. One of our student
teams organized a waterless toilet from a Ger-
man engineer for a farming community south
of Windhoek. A German high school carries
on a rather traditional form of German culture
– as a German NGO informed me whose two
children were attending the Deutsche Höhere
Privatschule in Windhoek. Once a year, a
huge parade blocks the traffic in Windhoek,
cheerful floats celebrate the Wika or Wind-
hoek Karnival celebrated since the 1950s by
Windhoek’s German population. Similar to the
Rose Monday parades in carnival in Köln, Düs-
seldorf or Mainz, they throw candies into the
crowds. Watching black children bending
their backs to pick up candies scattered by
whites made me feel uneasy. To me, Africa’s
colonial history challenged the innocence of
such a performance.
Germany’s involvement in Namibia’s
history is also embodied in the presence of the
so-called DDR Kinder (GDR Children). When
the Namibian resistance party SWAPO (South
West African People’s Organisation) was
fighting for independence from South African
rule from the 1960s-1980s, the GDR offered to
take about 400 Namibian children to educate
them as future freedom fighters. They were
sent back in 1990 no longer needed as gueril-
las, because Namibia had gained its inde-
pendence on March 21 of that year.
Some of them managed to carve out
a new life for themselves, but for oth-
ers the gap between their lifestyle at
Schloss Bellin in Mecklenburg and
that of their cattle farming families in
Namibia’s arid to semi-arid regions
was too wide for them to find a place
in independent Namibia. They have
become part of the over 50% unem-
ployed and poor of the country. On
your way to the Goethe Center in
Windhoek, they tend to pick out Ger-
mans, asking them in perfect German
for a donation for a DDR Kinder meet-
ing, which you find out at the Christus
Kirche is a sham, and you feel sorry
for their fate.
After 20 years of independence, Na-
mibia is one of the most politically stable Afri-
can countries, despite its high rate of unem-
ployment and a population of 13% (2009) af-
fected by HIV/AIDS. There is now a small but
growing black elite, who have taken on the
material values of the rich Whites whom they
have replaced in the government and are
increasingly replacing in the economic sector
as well. Nevertheless, most of the businesses
are still in the hands of white people. Sadly
enough, the black elites tend to be no better
in terms of how they treat the black poor than
the Whites did before them. It will be interest-
ing to see how long it will take before the poor
will rise up and challenge the privileges of this
new elite, especially with a growing educated
population. Namibians are in general aware
that education is the key to progress; the
number of students enrolled at the Polytech-
nic of Namibia has grown from about 3,000 to
14,000 students since is official foundation in
1995. The German government sponsors
scholarships and projects for the preservation
of the Namibian cultural heritage. There are
also four schools in Namibia with a regular ex-
change program, and the classes at the Goe-
the Center are always full. After my two-
month sojourn, I felt that despite its conflicted
history, Namibians and Germans have by-and
-large developed a viable symbiosis.
19 unpacked * Fall 2012
Wika or Windhoek Karneval
Morocco: Photo Series
By Molly Homchenko
Robotics Engineering ‘15, HUA Morocco (A’12)
ABOVE: The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, is the country's largest mosque which sits on
the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. King Hassan II specifically chose the location because he said
'God's throne is on the water' and he wanted the faithful to be able to come pray on the soil and
'contemplate God's sky and ocean'.
Culture
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 20
ABOVE: Dying of leathers at the nine century old leather souq in Fez.
A sight I'll never forget? Maybe more like a smell I will never forget. The leather souq in Fez is an
amazing sight as long as you can get over the smell of the cow urine and pigeon poop that is used
to break down the fibers which helps with the absorption of dyes. The souq is filled with vats of dye
and men moving hides all over the place- the process is still the same as it was nine centuries ago.
LEFT: An artisan making a decorative metal border for a room in Fez.
One of the most interesting parts of the Fez medina was seeing all of the artisans making their goods
by hand. The amount of work that goes into a single piece, such as this metal border, is incredible.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 22
The Hassan Tower in Rabat is the incomplete minaret of a mosque
which was designed to be the largest mosque in the world. However,
construction ceased when the Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour died.
Unlike other minarets, this one was designed with ramps instead of
steps so that the muezzin could travel up the tower on horseback.
Safari-ing Across Savannahs
By Manisha Krishnan
Biotechnology ‘16, Kenya (2007), from India
BAM!
I immediately thought that someone had
been shot, and I felt my heart jump into my
throat. But looking around, I realized that it was
just our car that had broken down in the wilder-
ness for what seemed to be the fifth time that
day. Weirdly enough, my heart settled back in
my chest: there was something about the wilder-
ness that made me feel at peace, instead of the
stereotypical terrifying feeling that most people
experienced. I watched as our driver, David, got
down from the heavy-duty jeep to change the
tires. As he went about doing what he had done
at least a hundred times in his life, I caught some-
thing moving out of the corner of my eye. And
then I saw the lion, about 20 feet away, rear its
head up from the grass and fix our little band of
tourists with a menacing stare. And I thought to
myself: I love this place!
It was true. I had been enraptured by Nai-
robi ever since I set foot on it. It was so different
from the places people usually go to for tourism.
The air was dusty and polluted, but under all that
pollution, I could sense the adventure beckoning
to everyone who dared to experience it. As we
peeled away from the city and drove towards
the savannahs, the roads became less congest-
ed and the people to animal ratio reversed.
These animals were nothing like the lifeless ones I
usually saw in the zoos back home; these animals
were free spirits.
We spent the whole time driving through
the rough terrain, marveling at this world that
was cut away from civilization. Elephants ambled
past us, sometimes brushing their trunks against
our jeep in a friendly manner. The little ones
twined their trunks around the tails of the elders,
seeking reassurance from them. Little warthogs
scurried around with their tails stuck high into the
air. Wildebeest milled around in large herds, lazily
eyeing us while our jeep chugged along the
dusty track.
In Kenya, there is always a harmonious
balance between traditional and modernity. I
could walk from the posh confines of our resort
into grassland within minutes. I would run into Ma-
sai people dressed in traditional garb and sport-
ing hunting gear, who spoke perfect English. One
example of this amalgamation between nature
and civilization occurred on the night we stayed
at Naivasha. I saw people nudging each other
and pointing to the window, next to where I was
watching TV in the lounge of the resort. When I
turned around, imagine my surprise when I saw
two rhinos walking around the garden inside the
hotel! According to the hotel manager, this was
a common occurrence in the resort, as the rhinos
had a strange affinity for the herbs that were
grown in the garden. Nowhere else in the world
would you be able to see rhinos walking past you
outside the window! I always felt like I was in lim-
bo between two different worlds when I was
there.
The most electrifying moment of our trip
occurred on the fourth day of our travels. We
had given up on seeing anything apart from the
banal zebras, wildebeest and warthogs. When
we were about to head back to our inn; David,
our driver, received an excited crackle on his
phone, telling him to hurry over east. When we
reached the designated spot, at first we couldn’t
see anything, except a few gazelle grazing
peacefully. But then our driver pointed out the
cheetah completely camouflaged in the yellow-
ing grass, ready to strike. The next two minutes
were easily the most exhilarating moments in my
life. I watched, out of breath, as the cheetah
pounced out from hiding and ran swiftly to its
evening meal. The poor gazelle didn’t stand a
chance. It probably didn’t even realize what hit
it before life fled from its eyes.
Though the whole scene was too gory for
me, I couldn’t help marveling at the way nature
worked. The death of one animal is vital for the
sustenance of the other.
Experience
25 unpacked * Fall 2012
My time in Nairobi was full of such life-
altering epiphanies. But I never really thought
deeply about what I experienced then, because
the experience in itself had me so involved physi-
cally. The days were long and strenuous, all I had
to eat everyday was raw vegetables and rice,
and I would be indistinguishable from a roadside
vagrant by the end of the day, as I would be
caked in a layer of dust. Yet, despite all this, I
had a strange sense of contentment as I climbed
into bed at night. I loved the adventure and the
humble genuineness of the people. I loved re-
turning to my primeval roots and just basking in
the glory of nature. Kenya is a wonderful place
for self-discovery, and a safari in the savannahs
of Africa is easily one of the best experiences you
can ever have.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 26
ABOVE: Donal Boyd, Namibia D ‘12, “White Rhino” Okapuka Ranch is home to several white rhino, a
humbling experience to be so close to such an enormous, yet peaceful and docile animal
Gross National Happiness in the Thunder Dragon
By Saraj (Jetro) Pirasmepulkul
Robotics Engineering ‘16, Bhutan (2011), from Thailand
Bhutan, also referred to as The Kingdom of
the Thunder Dragon, is a country that has such a
proud culture that, even a year after my visit, it
has still left a profound impact on my view of this
so-called modernizing world that I have grown
up in.
In June 2011, I was fortunate enough to be
part of a summer community service experience
in Bhutan, organized by a fellow classmate,
Nathaya Darakananda, from International
School Bangkok. During this trip, I was able to talk
to Mr. Dorji Penjore, the spokesperson for Bhu-
tan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH), and from
him, I came to understand more of the country’s
beauty that lies beneath the beautiful architec-
ture or picturesque landscape.
Experience
27 unpacked * Fall 2012
ABOVE: A snow lion relief decorating the Buddhist Kopan Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal. Taken by
Colleen Callahan-Panday (2009).
When I first heard of GNH, I discredited it,
thinking that it is just an idealistic plan. But by the
end of the trip, my view of it has been totally
transformed. It is what left a profound impact on
me from my trip to Bhutan. Upon arrival, I made
several observations. First was the Tibetan-
Buddhist architecture that is common throughout
the town. Even the airport is built in this style. The
people still chew beetle nuts, and wear the tradi-
tional robes called Ghos walking around town.
There are also no big highways like I usually see in
other countries, such as my own- Thailand.
However, despite not having a great
amount of modernity and pop culture like Thai-
land or the United States of America, I never
viewed Bhutan as being poor at all. People have
pride in themselves, walking around town in their
Ghos and are happy with whatever they are do-
ing. There are no beggars or homeless people
lurking around on the streets.
That is what motivated me to further ex-
plore the concept of GNH. I talked to Dorji Pen-
jore and learnt that His Majesty, the King Jigme
Singye Wangchuck, the father of the present
king of Bhutan, created this concept. For them,
happiness does not come from the satisfying ma-
terialistic needs rather it comes from knowing
that they have found a balance.
The reason why I felt that H.M. King Jigme
Singye Wangchuck is a visionary for creating the
concept of GNH is in allowing his country to ap-
pear less “modernized” than a lot of other na-
tions; he is actually preparing Bhutan for a solid
foundation for development with sustainable fu-
ture. For example, he allows modernization and
globalization to assimilate in at a controllable
rate so that the country and people can grow
used to it.
This contrasts with many other countries,
such as my home Thailand, because although
we Thais were quick to grasp on to so-called
modernization, we were not able to manage it
responsibly. This creates an ever widening gap
between the rich and the poor, resulting in unruly
cities with lots of crime and poverty. The very rich,
with their wealth, try to chase on to the latest
fashion to an extent that they no longer think
and reflect about their rate of consumption. Yet,
at the same time, this leaves the country its “tail”
dragging far behind, too meager to ever catch
up.
In Bhutan, while playing soccer with a
group of kids, all of them could communicate
with us clearly in English. Yet, when I look back
upon my own country, I shockingly realize that
the majority of Thai kids cannot even communi-
cate in English. With its ginormous shopping malls,
skyscrapers and vibrant nightlife, we cannot
even fulfill the most basic requirement of prepar-
ing our kids for globalization. But the seemingly
humble Bhutan already has.
According to Dorji Penjore, they do not
block western influences. People see western
culture in the media all the time. For example,
when he was a teenager, he also wore jeans
and tried to follow western fashion. But as he
grew older, he felt that his Bhutanese heritage is
valuable and has greater importance to him.
Which is why he chose to wear the Gho. During
my stay, I had comfortable access to technology
and conveniences, such as being able to watch
television in a nice resort with a hot shower.
There is just not an excessive amount. This is a
good thing, at least for me.
The more I learn about Bhutan, the more I
am able to relate to my conversations with Dorji
Penjore and fully appreciate H.M. the King’s vi-
sion that sometimes, in order to take a great leap
forward, he has to prepare his country and peo-
ple for enough time to handle the upcoming
change responsibly. From this, I believe that GNH
is a really practical concept. GNH is not an ideal
at all, but is a careful and holistic outlook on an
already practiced way of life that seeks to find
true identity. Since the people of Bhutan know
their true identity and are proud of it then that is
why their country can have gross national happi-
ness.
In Bhutan, I may have found the Shangri-
La I have heard people talk about. It seems al-
most like a legend or myth perhaps. For me, it is
beyond just the picturesque valleys or glacier
streams, the numerous Buddhist Dzongs, and a
country constructed entirely with Tibetan Bud-
dhist architecture. It is discovering how the Bhu-
tanese people can really follow the Gross Nation-
al Happiness way of life, which gave me the op-
portunity to reflect upon myself. Have I, a young
adult born in this materialistic 21st century, al-
lowed myself to discover what my real identity is?
One that I can be proud of and give me true
happiness, like the Bhutanese?
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 28
Apartheid and Togetherness in a Cemetery in Darling, South Africa
By Scott Jiusto
Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division, Cape Town (D’12)
Viewpoint
29 unpacked * Fall 2012
ABOVE: Buried, coloured and white, the dead are visited by the living, the living haunted and sustained by the dead, separate and
together, in cryptic intimacies, alienations, mysteries.
Apartheid and Togetherness in a Cemetery in Darling, South Africa
By Scott Jiusto
Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division, Cape Town (D’12)
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 30
ABOVE: Buried, coloured and white, the dead are visited by the living, the living haunted and sustained by the dead, separate and
together, in cryptic intimacies, alienations, mysteries.
Bond
By Monolina Binny
Biology and Biotechnology ‘14, from Bangladesh
A bond of fleeting to enduring, The limerence, love and liking,
Or that social loyalty,
On the context of family, friend and matrimony?
Connections to work, clubs or just acquaintance,
Or the assurance of confidence?
To me, it is that sparkle in the eye
When the mother first holds her baby
It is the loquacious little daughter,
Eminent for her chatter,
On her father’s knees,
Sharing her thoughts and feelings,
Rather influencing him to get candies;
The ambivalent relationship with your brother
With the war and love altogether,
Dyadic friendships of unconditional acceptance
Laughter on silly affairs.
My bonds are my song:
“The love is in the air,
The passion rages.
The energy of purity…
Sparks flood…
Rauthaz of spectral stars
Paint the roses”
It is the balance of hope and uncertainty,
Binding Contract and all that formality,
The bliss of proximity
And the bereavement of being away;
It is the strong secure
With my root,
The vivid colors of my culture:
You see, my saree is not
Subdued hues of grey and white,
It is vibrant,
Taking the form of a rainbow;
It is the wind which blow
The fragrance of the rye fields,
It is the melody of the flutes
Beyond the woods,
Beyond the mountains
Of that shepherd boy
Playing in his joy.
It is ties with painting,
It is my ties with singing,
It is my ties with dancing,
It is my eternal love for chocolates,
It is not just some hand shakes
And some hello’s and hi’s,
It is my ties with myself.
Experience
31 unpacked * Fall 2012
I captured this moment after watching the Red Bull "Art of Motion" event taking place just by the
Michael O’Brien
Civil Engineering ‘12, IQP London (D’11)
River Thames with a few friends. We were walking across the bridge on our way to the nearest Tube
station and the lighting for the photo looked perfect. I stood back from the group for a few minutes
to snap a few night shots. With the London Eye in the background, one of the biggest must see
attractions, I think this captured the atmosphere of the night well.
Culture
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 32
A Snapshot of Namibian Culture
By Patrick Ford
Environmental Engineering ‘13, Namibia (D ‘12)
What defines a culture and a nation? Is it
the infrastructure, the language, the food,
the landscapes, the history? For me, a cul-
ture and a nation can be defined largely by
one thing, and that’s the people who live
there and represent its ideals. This is be-
cause culture, which is held within every one
of us in a unique way, is a manifestation of
all of the experiences and encounters that
we have had in our lifetimes.
I would like now to describe my expe-
rience in Namibia, and specifically the peo-
ple that I was fortunate enough to interact
with during my stay in the country during
March and April of 2012.
Our Group with Community Members.
Experience
33 unpacked * Fall 2012
Namibia has an extremely diverse popula-
tion due to its history, and there seems to be
an underlying value of pride that drives the
actions of each of its citizens.
The first experience that I can recall
was our group’s trip to the rural farming vil-
lages of Gründorn South and Nico Noord.
The citizens of these southern communities
primarily spoke the Damara language. De-
spite the fact that we could not speak any
of the language outside of hello and thank
you, they still managed to make us smile
and laugh with their stories and their never
ending work ethic. As we interviewed each
of the families and worked with them to
construct a waste sorting center in their
community, men, women, and children
went out of their way to
be hospitable and to
help us, even though
they often had so little in
terms of material posses-
sions.
Secondly, our trip
to Etosha National Park
was filled with great
memories, both due to the people and the
natural landscape. While there, we saw
countless zebra, lion, giraffes, and ele-
phants, and even got a rare look at three
black rhinos at the watering hole at night. In
addition, we could hear the roar of the lions
in the distance as we fell asleep each night
in our tents. While in the park, we enjoyed
an Easter meal consisting of several differ-
ent types of meat as well as some local fa-
vorites for desert.
Another memorable trip was our jour-
ney to Sossusvlei. This was one of our best
trips, because nearly our entire group trav-
eled there, and we did so on a tour with
Winslow. Winslow became a good friend
and showed us many different parts of Na-
mibia throughout our seven weeks in the
country, from well known areas such as Sos-
susvlei, to outlooks where we could watch
the sun set over the entire city and the ad-
jacent mountain range. While in Sossusvlei,
we camped out in the dessert, and enjoyed
a typical braai dinner accompanied by a
concert from Shishani, an upcoming artist in
Namibia who traveled with us. We spent the
nights staring at the stars and spent the
mornings wondering how it got so cold in
the dessert that was nearly 100o the day be-
fore.
Another smaller encounter that I will
never forget was with a local crafts vendor.
Every weekend, the streets surrounding a
local park would be filled with people sell-
ing arts and crafts. Each weekend in which
we did not travel, we would typically spend
a couple of hours looking
at all of the goods for sou-
venirs with which to re-
member our trip. One day,
Donal Boyd and myself
were shopping as usual
and met a woman who
was selling dyed tapestries
that we could not find an-
ywhere else. We returned to her several
times throughout our trip, and ended up
purchasing way more from her than we ev-
er planned to, in part due to the quality of
the goods, but also because of the friendli-
ness and pride in her work that she showed
to us. On our last trip to her area, we took a
picture with her, and she gave each of us a
small gift. I have kept it, a small wooden
carving of a cheetah, on my desk at home,
as a constant reminder of what true happi-
ness really is, and just how much of an im-
pact such a small act of kindness can have.
In the end, we were able to meet a
lot of amazing people throughout our time
in Namibia, but if there is one thing that I will
always remember about this trip, it is that
everyone has a story to tell, and chances
are they want to share theirs and hear
yours.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 34
“…. If there is one thing that I will
always remember about this trip, it is
that everyone has a story to tell, and
chances are they want to share
theirs and hear yours.”
La Vaca Enamorada
By Aarti S. Madan
Assistant Professor of Spanish, Humanities and Arts, Argentina (E ‘12)
I’m the Project Center Director for WPI’s Buenos Aires Language and Culture Immersion in
Argentina, which takes place every summer dur-
ing E-Term. For 2011’s trip I’d scheduled Iguazú
Falls as the proverbial grand finale, the icing on
our Argentine torta, my way of ending on a high
note. Instead, we ended on the lowest of low as
an ash cloud from Puyehue (a Chilean volcano
dormant for precisely 50 years and 1 week be-
fore our scheduled trip) blanketed the skies of
the Southern Cone and brought air travel to a
screeching halt.
This year was different. I could continue
with any number of clichés to describe our idyllic
escape to the Cataratas de Iguazú, which I
scheduled early in the trip for fear of yet another
natural disaster impinging upon our plans. Yet it
couldn’t have more beautiful or perfect or easy.
Or quirky.
Culture
35 unpacked * Fall 2012
Iguazú Falls, Argentina
I knew, at least on the surface, exactly
what I was getting us into. But what happened
with our June 23, 2012 post-Iguazú-no-volcanoes-
this-year-celebration dinner simply took my plan-
ning to new heights. Some background: I’ve
learned that eating out is often better if you read
reviews, be it in Worcester or Timbuktu. So prior to
embarking for Iguazú I looked up about ten or so
restaurants that we might hit.
One of them in particular stood out. Ac-
cording to Trip Advisor, the #1 restaurant in Puerto
Iguazú was then and is currently La Vaca En-
amorada, loosely translated as The Enamored
Cow. Beyond the name itself, I was astonished by
the number of reviews from patrons in addition to
responses from the owner. The first reviews and
responses were in Spanish, most dating from the
weeks preceding our visit. The owner’s writing hint-
ed at a garrulous man, indeed quite the charac-
ter. I kept reading. Upon arriving to the English re-
views, I realized that the dear proprietor was using
Google Translator. Some gems immediately drew
me in. What follows is an excerpt from my favorite:
In LA VACA ENAMORA we are extremely
grateful for his criticism which truly exceeds our
expectations to meet your harmonious and deli-
cate taste. Now is the time to find and decode
the letters ... the game ... indeed, in this response I
am relieving some of the secrets of our mission.
• For us the meeting of two diametrically
opposed cultures, gastronomically and idiomati-
cally is extremely seductive and power at stake,
leaving only the human factor reduced to the es-
sential and interact without language assistance
is wonderful, and I reiterate that avails the human
where both parties leave the best referee the final
word .... Who is your palate as it was.
• While the lasagna tasted a Trumpeter
Malbec, deliberately put them very gently Andrea
Bocelli Vivo Per Lei, as you know this issue cele-
brates the music and in our case the flavors.
• To watch them play freely as we discov-
ered the details of the decoration of our house,
taking pictures and watching them as they were
fascinated by capturing images, we are already
paying more than they should for their care.
• Being at 50 meters from the Gastronomic
traditionally is not a penalizing factor, rather moti-
vating, where differences are enhanced.
• No doubt for us your critique is very im-
portant as all others, in particular the anti distin-
guishes valence and makes it quite unique and
genuine is to have left things to make themselves
naturally and achievement is on both sides. In this
recognition will undoubtedly TRIAPAVISOR team
as well you will trust in the impartial arbitrator
choose to attend LA VACA ENAMORA.
• While we share this moment so sweet, PA-
CO DE LUCIA accompanies me with his virtuosity ..
and better .... and I am revealing my noble origins
ANDALUCES. To close I trust the translator for a
computer that has the sensitivity appealing lan-
guage to translate my note, just as we use it at
the end of the evening and it was as a courtesy to
say goodbye warmly of you. Thank you very much
and happy here in LA VACA ENAMORA known if
any.
Vaca Enamorada? How about Profesora
Enamorada? So much so that I conducted a dra-
matic reading for the lovely ladies participating in
the immersion. I hoped that they too would feel
the need to meet this character at once. After all,
he so very much desired communication—their
ultimate goal for this trip—that he appealed to
new media in ways I’d never before seen.
It’s not that he’s just using Google Transla-
tor to reply to TripAdvisor reviews; rather, he ex-
plains in the above response that he uses it in
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 36
La Vaca Enamorada—the Enamored Cow—
logo from Juan Alberto’s website
person. Can you imagine your waiter setting his
computer down on your table as you finish your
last sips of espresso? And having an insanely po-
etic conversation with him as you both type
away? I had to meet this guy.
Much to my delight, they were in. And
that’s when our adventure really started.
A bright green decoupage cow in the res-
taurant’s window greeted us upon our arrival.
The mustached owner/waiter Juan Alberto gave
us a hearty welcome, and we chose a table in
the back corner. Here’s the highlight reel:
1) One member of our party ordered the ñoquis,
handcrafted in house by Lili, Juan Alberto’s
wife. Juan Alberto beamed with delight,
flapped his wings and fluttered around while
exclaiming that the consumer of said gnocchi
was sure to fly like a dove after eating them
(rather than feeling dead weights in his belly).
2) Juan Alberto pulled up a chair as we ordered.
While complimenting our Spanish, he com-
mented that he couldn’t speak English very
well. He did, however, speak French fluently.
He’d spent 60 days in jail in Zaire, where he
was working for an NGO as some sort of trac-
tor repairman. The government unfortunately
believed he was disseminating Communist
propaganda like any other sixties-era Latin
American (read: sarcasm) and promptly ar-
rested him. But he learned French in jail. So all
good.
3) Somewhere through the middle of our long
foodless night—everything is cooked fresh and
therefore s l o w l y—Juan Alberto requested
that I translate “Gracias por jugar” for a British
couple dining at the front of the restaurant. I
then remembered reading the phrase on his
TripAdvisor profile: “thanks for playing,” his sig-
nature adieu. And play we did: a parrillada
and fries for the girls, gnocchi for the boy, and
a great deal of bread for everyone.
4) Finally, what a businessman. With his steadfast
banter and commentary on life, it was easy to
disregard Juan Alberto’s constant deal-
making. First he reduced the price for the par-
rillada that he insisted we order, then he re-
duced my bottle of wine to a scant $35 AR
(about $8 USD), and he closed by serving us
two delicious desserts on the house (a
panqueque de dulce de leche along with a
poached pear topped with coulis).
I joked at some point that he was going to re-
quest a TripAdvisor review. AND HE DID! Brilliant,
right? He’s ranked #1 out of 39 Puerto Iguazú res-
taurants, and he’s only been open since March
2012. Yes, the food is good, quite good in fact,
but it’s his personality, his business acumen, and
his will to communicate that ultimately convince
patrons to write a review.
As with his TripAdvisor responses, Juan Al-
berto’s respect for communication is clear in the
above examples. In the first he flaps his wings
and flutters around, acting out his words with ges-
tures. Any language teacher will telling you such
skills are absolutely essential to maintaining an
English-free classroom. In the second he express-
es satisfaction regarding his stint in jail; at least he
walked away communicating in French. In the
third scenario he finds a way to communicate
with the Brits—in other words, through me, the
resident translator. And finally, in the fourth exam-
ple he communicates by means of that ageless
and borderless custom: the giving of gifts.
I always encourage my Argentina students
to bring a little something for their homestay par-
ents, a token of goodwill and gratitude that they
can share either at the beginning or the end of
their trip. I realize now that what I’m suggesting is
a willingness to relate. To communicate is, in ef-
fect, the most shared element of the human con-
dition; it creates community. One student’s
homestay father, Hugo, often posed discussion
topics for their meals, such as “What would a
world without borders be like?” or “What will hap-
pen to language in 400 years?” Whether we’re
all living on Mother Earth as resident humans ra-
ther than resident Argentines or resident Ameri-
cans or what have you, whether we’re all speak-
ing one common language: we’ll still need to
find ways to communicate, to share our ideas, to
get them out of our heads through acting,
speaking, doing, writing.
That’s what I took away from Juan Alberto
and La Vaca Enamorada. Since that strange
night in which we literally walked through a cloud
on our return to the Jasy Hotel, I’ve found myself
wondering: did my girls go along for the ride be-
cause I give them a grade or because they gen-
uinely wanted to go? I’ll probably never know
the answer, but whatever the case, I’m happy—
and truthfully surprised—that the waterfalls had a
competitor for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in
Puerto Iguazú.
37 unpacked * Fall 2012
Thailand: Photo Series
By Abby Albright
Chemical Engineering ‘12, Thailand (C ‘11)
Culture
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 38
Costa Rica: Education for Sustainable Living
By Caitlin Swalec
Biochemistry ‘16, Costa Rica (2010)
From the ocean a dark shape slowly
emerges, silhouetted by bursts of lightning.
Shrieks of capuchins and toucans echo
each clap of thunder as the mysterious fig-
ure drags itself up the beach. Flap-thump,
flap-thump, flap-thump. Recognizing the dis-
tinctive sound of flippers on wet sand, I
squirm with excitement, ruffling the pages of
my data collection notebook. The turtle
trudges forth, approaching the rainforest,
which sprouts from the sand like an over-
grown garden. When she detects a safe
nesting location, the ritual begins. I squint
through the darkness, fascinated; typical
Maine grown girls do not witness events like
this. The turtle uses her flippers like shovels to
Project
41 unpacked * Fall 2012
Baby sea turtles making their way from their nest to the ocean...
dig a deep pit, carelessly flinging sand
through the air. With exhausted grunts, she
heaves her body into position. Glassy, white
eggs, like enormous marbles, appear be-
tween her back flippers and drop into the
nest, one by one.
Last summer I travelled to the Pacuare
Reserve in Costa Rica for a research trip. I
traded sleepless nights for the opportunity to
collect field data on nesting leatherback sea
turtles. Conducting my own research project
gave me invaluable experience as a scien-
tist. As I collaborated with biologists, conser-
vationists, and researchers who had travelled
to Pacuare from all over the world, I em-
braced the chance to explore other cultures,
trading pictures of my family and recipes
from home with my new companions.
In hindsight, sharing my research pro-
ject with local students was the most extraor-
dinary part of the trip. The schools that I visit-
ed had few resources compared to my own
school. Basic necessities such as paper,
desks, and textbooks were scarce. Neverthe-
less, students listened attentively to my
presentation and requested every detail of
my project. I was surprised to learn that many
of the students’ parents previously had
poached turtle eggs. The volunteers ex-
plained that for generations the lack of edu-
cation in these remote areas had left adults
unprepared for any careers outside of manu-
al labor. As a supplement to their paltry in-
comes, many men resorted to poaching and
other illegal activities. Accordingly, a primary
initiative of the Pacuare researchers, one
that I have adopted for myself, is to share
education. They pursue this goal by present-
ing research projects and teaching lessons
on science, mathematics, language, and his-
tory in local schools.
By sharing my own research, I contrib-
uted in my own way to the education of
these underprivileged students. Their educa-
tion will empower them as adults to find bet-
ter, more rewarding, more sustainable jobs.
Many of the parents who formerly worked as
poachers have been recruited by volunteers
at the Pacuare Reserve to save the endan-
gered leatherback turtle by training and
working as researchers and as guards
against other poachers. Community involve-
ment has fostered a positive relationship be-
tween the local inhabitants of Pacuare and
the researchers at the Reserve. The reformed
poachers’ zeal for involvement in our project
provides all the reassurance that we, the vol-
unteers, need in order to trust that our efforts
to educate will significantly impact individu-
als’ futures.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 42
My Trip to Thailand
By Sean Gile
Environmental Engineering ‘13, Thailand (C ‘12)
During my lifetime, I have been on several
trips around the world. I have seen areas
such as the Caribbean, Switzerland, France,
Italy, and over 30 states in our own country.
Having travelled to all of these different sec-
tions of the world, it is difficult to compare
them to the experiences I had during my
time in Thailand.
The opportunity presented itself to me
in 2010 when I was faced with the applica-
tion to study abroad for my IQP. After visiting
all of the potential sites and locations where I
could study, Thailand stuck out as a place
with all different opportunities to explore a
culture that is so different from our own.
Once I received the notice in the mail that I
had been selected for the Bangkok site in Thai-
land, I immediately began preparing for an ad-
venture with many uncertainties.
Looking back on my time in Thailand, the
only regret I have from the site is not having
more time to explore the less seen parts of the
country. It is difficult to know where to begin in
describing another country as diverse as Thai-
land. Each aspect of life is different, whether it
is the food, the religion, or even something as
simple as the general demeanor of the people.
The easiest way to explain my trip is to go
through the highlights of my experiences. Food
Do you like seafood? Have you ever eat-
en a fish that looks at you? Perhaps you have
eaten shrimp with the legs and head still at-
tached? No? Well, not only is this the type of
food eaten by Thai people, it is consumed for
three meals a day, every day. At first, I found it
difficult just to look at, never mind actually eat
it. After about three weeks of attempting to
avoid eating the food, one of my group part-
ners blindfolded me and fed me the food I had
been dreading to allow anywhere near my
mouth.
As soon as I tasted the deep-fried river
prawn, I instantly regretted not trying the food
earlier. The seafood in Thailand is fresher than
any seafood I have ever tried. Each area in
Thailand has their own twist on food and differ-
ent spices that they put in the food. To anyone
who reads this, my advice is to try whatever is
put in front of you and close your eyes if you
have to. I promise that the fish and shrimp
served in the United States are incomparable
to the fish and shrimp found in Thailand. It was
worth every bite and I encourage anyone who
reads this to not judge what you see by the
looks and try whatever is put in front of you. Buddhism
Buddhism accounts for 95% of the popu-
lation found in Thailand and it produces some
of the most beautiful architecture in the world.
If you were to drive across Thailand, you would
see thousands of Buddhist temples. On every
temple, whether it is the King’s temple in Bang-
kok, or the local temple found in a small village
in Kanchanaburi, there are beautiful depictions
of Buddha and amazingly intricate designs wo-
ven inside and out on each temple. If you ever
find yourself in Thailand, these are sites that
cannot be missed.
Lunch in Kanchanaburi
Experience
43 unpacked * Fall 2012
Geography
For a country that is roughly the size of
Texas, the geography of Thailand is incredibly
diverse. Everything from tropical rain forests
with beautiful waterfalls and roaming ele-
phants, to the plains north of Bangkok where
much of the worlds rice is grown, can be
found. The beaches found in the eastern and
southern parts of the country are picturesque
and stunning beyond imagination. During our
time in one of these tropical locations, we
were able to ride elephants through the jungle
and interact with the local people, whose fam-
ilies have been inhabiting the area for more
than a thousand years. Because I was studying
abroad, I did not get to spend all of my time in
these types of locations, but we were able to
take some weekend trips when we found time.
If you are given the opportunity, turning it
down would be a huge mistake.
In writing this, I tried to present as much
of a picture as I could about Thailand. My per-
sonal experiences are extensive and 1000
words is not enough to describe my entire time
there. I hope this helps you understand Thai-
land a little better, and if you ever find yourself
there one day, my advice is never say “no” to
anything.
Buddhist statues, Wat Po Temple, Bangkok
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 44
Take Every Opportunity That You Can!
By Jessica Colon
Management Engineering ‘13, Argentina (E ‘12)
Buenos Aires has so much to offer in terms
of history, natural beauty, culture and the
people, it would be a shame not to see it all.
However, I knew we wouldn’t be able to in
the few weeks we had for our summer study,
but we tried as best we could. In order to ex-
perience as much as possible, I decided
that I couldn’t go to the same place twice, I
needed to take as many pictures as possi-
ble, and I couldn’t say no to any opportuni-
ties that arose.
During my first week in Argentina, one
of my favorite experiences was the Estancia
la Candelaria, a ranch named after Don
Orestes Piñeiro’s wife, located in what
seemed to be the middle of nowhere. The
pampas, or the plains, was like a desert of
green taking over your view. The change
from the city atmosphere to a gorgeous
view was overwhelming to say
the least. It truly gave the
sense of what it was like to be
a gaucho, or cowboy, in the
1800s. With all the men and
women from the ranch
dressed in the clothing from
way back when, touring the
castle furnished with one of a
kind pieces, observing the dif-
ferent dance steps during the
gaucho show, riding horses
through trails in the mini forest,
tasting and even making the
food, and watching all the
games, you couldn’t help but
become absorbed in all that
history had to offer—it was the
best of history lessons.
My favorite part of the
day was during a demonstra-
tion of popular games the
gauchos used to play on horseback. The first
one they showed us was a race between
two men discovering who had the most ac-
curacy and speed. They each held a pencil
sized stick while riding their horse, going as
fast as they could. As they would approach
a metal bar with two strings holding a small
half dollar-sized ring, they would stand up
while still riding and try to get the stick
through the ring, thus retrieving the rings. The
first person to do this or the person to get a
ring at all would win.
The gauchos would then give a ring to
a woman in the crowd of people watching
in exchange for a kiss on the cheek. One
asked if there was any woman in particular
that wanted a ring and my hand immedi-
ately shot up! I mean, who doesn’t want a
nice little souvenir?
The Gaucho Games
Experience
45 unpacked * Fall 2012
Another highlight of my first week was
attending a soccer game. Not just any soc-
cer game because the popular team in the
area, Boca Juniors, was playing. It was a
pretty pricey deal to go to this game but this
is where I could not say no. Soccer around
the world is more popular than any other
sport. How could I give up the chance to ex-
perience a soccer game in another country?
The enthusiasm that spread through the
crowd to support the eleven people on the
field was unlike any support I had ever seen.
The constant singing throughout the entire
game, the people getting louder when they
wanted something to happen, the profanity
flying out of peoples’ mouths when some-
thing went wrong, was the most interesting
display of pride. After the unfortunate loss of
the Boca Juniors to Arsenal, the fans weren’t
even upset. As we walked down the steps of
the stadium to exit, they ALL continued to
sing once again until leaving the stadium.
Each and every person knew the chants and
it was obvious that they were passionate
about expressing their love
for the Boca Juniors. I was a
little sad I wasn’t able to see
the reaction of the crowd
when a ‘GOL!’ was made
but it was still definitely
worth it. I think that just
means I will have to attend
another soccer game!
La Bomba de Tiempo,
or the Time Bomb, was an-
other interesting show we
attended. We arrived a little
late but just in time to see
these men slowly control the
mood of the crowd. Gradu-
ally picking up the pace
then eventually creating
fast moving and amazing
sounding beats with more
than 10 drums and other in-
struments, they made the crowd go crazy.
The mix of foreigners and natives made the
show even better. There were no words but
just everyone in the crowd clapping and
moving to the beat. Many of the people that
had suggested this show to us said it was so
great that they had to go more than once.
I’m not sure if I will return but I am so glad I
did go!
In addition to seeing incredible places,
we also came to Argentina to learn more
Spanish. Even with both my parents speaking
Spanish growing up, I have never been flu-
ent. I can understand it, read it and write it,
but when it comes to speaking, that’s a dif-
ferent story. Coming to a country where I
need to rely on the Spanish that I do know
but not necessarily be able to articulate eve-
rything I want to say has been quite chal-
lenging and even frustrating at times. From
the support of others I have learned that
having some patience, practicing when I
can, and learning how to just let go of what
others think will be the only way I will be able
to eventually become fluent. I guess if a lan-
guage was so easy to learn more people
would take the time to do it, right?
La Bombonera: La Boca vs Arsenal
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 46
Building Cultural Understanding One Meal at a Time
By Rick Vaz
Dean, Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division
Each year WPI becomes a more multicultur-
al community as we welcome new students,
staff, and faculty from around the world to
Worcester while expanding student and facul-
ty opportunities at our global network of Pro-
ject Centers. One of the ways that the WPI
community can embrace
multiculturalism in its own
backyard is by taking ad-
vantage of Worcester’s res-
taurants, many of which re-
flect the ethnic heritage of
the city’s residents.
In the late 19th and early 20th century,
Italian families migrated to Worcester seeking
opportunity. Nowhere is this more evident
than Shrewsbury Street, which is lined with res-
taurants reflecting Italian heritage. At the top
end, Via (89 Shrewsbury Street) is a stylish spot
featuring a wide-ranging menu and a variety
of dining spaces including a heated patio.
While the menu at Via reflects American dining
habits, the tastes are genuinely Italian thanks to
well-sourced ingredients and a tightly-run kitch-
en. Their pizzas are exceptional, as are the
pork and seafood dishes. Another solid up-
scale choice is Piccolo’s, set in a former bank
at 157 Shrewsbury Street. With its subdued
lighting and slightly cheesy soundtrack, Picco-
lo’s makes you think you’ve stumbled on the
mob’s favorite spot. The kitchen, however, is
very creative and talented, turning out memo-
rable homemade pasta dishes.
Shrewsbury Street is also home to a num-
ber of more casual and inexpensive spots fea-
turing Italian-American food. Many Worcester-
ites hold that the venerable Wonder Bar (121
Shrewsbury Street) serves the best pizza in
town, and they also turn out all the standards
such as veal and eggplant parmigiana, sau-
sage, and meatballs. Down the road, Mac’s
Diner (185 Shrewsbury Street) has been serving
up good-value pasta meals in a laid-back but
friendly BYOB setting for over 30 years. Try the
Paul Mac Special, a sauté of pasta, broccoli,
chicken, and mozzarella in a garlicky sauce.
Worcester’s restaurant scene also re-
flects the influence of more recent immigrants.
Worcester sports no less than nine Vietnamese
restaurants thanks to the influx of Vietnamese
residents in the last forty years.
Dalat (425 Park Avenue) is one
of the oldest and most reliable,
offering great value and a wide
variety. For starters, try the
crispy spring rolls or fresh garden rolls, and fol-
low up with a steaming bowl of pho, Vietnam’s
signature noodle soup. Redolent with herbs
and adorned with duck, chicken, or beef, a
bowl of pho is a satisfying and inexpensive
feast. Another good choice is the more up-
scale Pho Dakao (593 Park Avenue), which
places an emphasis on atmosphere, service,
and presentation. Try some goi (salads) or bun
(vermicelli topped with grilled meats and
herbs).
Since the early 20th century, Worcester
has been home to immigrants from Armenia,
Lebanon, and other countries in the Middle
East. As a result, Middle Eastern dining options
abound. If you enjoy the food at WPI’s neigh-
bor Sahara (143 Highland Street), you might
branch out with a visit to Shiraz (259 Park Ave-
nue) to try Armenian specialties such as ba-
baganoush (eggplant and tahini spread),
lehmajun (a disc of dough topped with spiced
meat), yalanchi (vegetarian stuffed
grapeleaves), or lamb kebabs. Across the
street you’ll find a branch of the popular El Ba-
sha (256 Park Avenue), serving up Lebanese
versions of these dishes in a more upscale at-
mosphere.
For a taste of Japan, you cannot beat
a trip to Baba (309 Park Avenue), an award-
winning restaurant serving exceptionally fresh
and inventive variations on sushi and sashimi.
Culture
47 unpacked * Fall 2012
“Sometimes, better under-
standing is just a meal away.”
Owner Wilson Wang may be Chinese, but he
knows his sushi. Try his famous oyster shooter,
some yellowtail sashimi, and the chef’s salad
sampler, or dig into any of the dozens of
maki rolls. More sushi awaits you just down
the road at Haiku (258 Park Avenue) , offer-
ing good value sushi and sashimi plus a wide
range of cooked items.
Craving a taste of India? Surya (299
Shrewsbury Street) serves up authentically
fiery curries, fresh breads, and other northern
Indian treats. Just across Lake Quinsigamond
into Shrewsbury on Route 9, India Cafe (84
Boston Turnpike) offers a generous luncheon
buffet plus all the appetizers, main courses,
and tandoor-cooked meats you’d expect.
Most of WPI’s Chinese students and
employees probably already know that they
need to leave town (or cook at home) to get
reasonably authentic Chinese food. In
Framingham, about 20 minutes to the east,
you can find both Red Pepper (17 Edgell
Road) and Sichuan Gourmet (271 Worcester
Road). Sichuan Gourmet is a bit more up-
scale, and Red Pepper’s menu a bit more
adventurous, but both locations serve up
fiery versions of food from Sichuan province,
balancing the sharp heat of fresh and dried
chilis with the numbing tingle of Sichuan pep-
percorns. Most of the clientele in both spots
are Chinese, which is an excellent sign of
good things to come.
For a cultural experience out of the or-
dinary, head to One Love (800 Main Street)
to sample Venice Fouchard’s homemade
Jamaican food, served in a homey and wel-
coming atmosphere. Her jerk chicken and
curried goat are famous, and not for the
faint of heart. One Love features lots of veg-
etarian options, and their BYOB policy helps
keep the cost down. It’s the kind of place
you might fall in love with.
Worcester has a sizable contingent of
Brazilian residents, and you can get a taste
of Brazil at Pampas Churrascaria (145 East
Central Street). Like most churrascarias, they
offer a wide variety of freshly fire-roasted
meats accompanied by a copious bar or sal-
ads and side dishes. You pay for your meat
by the ounce, and again, BYOB.
Finally, Pomir Grill at 119 Shrewsbury
Street is one of Worcester’s newest and most
intriguing restaurants, featuring Afghani cui-
sine in a stylish setting. The flatbread and
dips are an addictive start, and entrees fea-
ture lamb, pumpkin, eggplant, and chicken,
distinctively spiced and attractively served.
Afghanistan is rarely in the news for happy
reasons these days, but at Pomir Grill you can
learn a little about Afghani culture through its
cuisine and warm hospitality. Sometimes,
better understanding is just a meal away.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 48
47 unpacked * Fall 2012
This issue of unpacked includes authors, stories, and photos from the below marked locations:
Do you have something to submit for unpacked Spring 2013?
Submissions, questions and comments/letters-to-the-editor can be sent to
For more information visit: wpi.edu/offices/ih/unpacked.html
Next submission deadline: February 3, 2013 @ midnight
Interested in joining
the unpacked editori-al and design team?
Contact
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 48
This issue of unpacked includes authors, stories, and photos from the below marked locations:
Do you have something to submit for unpacked Spring 2013?
Submissions, questions and comments/letters-to-the-editor can be sent to
For more information visit: wpi.edu/offices/ih/unpacked.html
Next submission deadline: February 3, 2013 @ midnight