Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at Washington College

Global Voices

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival

IN THIS ISSUE: at Washington College by GuoTai Feng Mid-Autumn Festi- 1 val Celebration In many people's eyes, a university is a Historic Reid Hall 1 university. I have been to many American univer- Return to Chicago 4 sities; most of them are the same, except the size. Soccer Club 6 However, Washington College is different—at Faculty Interview 8 least in my eyes. Each country and region has their own customs, their Students & Staff Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Foster House Student Interview 9 own holidays, such as Christmas, Thanksgiv- Autumn Festival, which dents, especially Asian ing, which are very im- is celebrated just like students. The college is portant festivals in West- Thanksgiving in the celebrating the holidays ern countries. United States. of its international students and the events are In Asia, there is a This is a special holi- open to all students who day for international stu- festival called the Mid- (ConƟnued on page 2) Living in Historical Reid Hall by Chihiro Osawa Washington College women to rent rooms off from 1889 to 1903. -campus, Dr. Reid During his presidency, supported the coeducation was adopted construction of a at Washington College. building specifically for With the addition of female students. Historic Reid Hall female students to According to Harwood, Reid Hall is named campus in 1891, housing Thompson, and for Dr. Charles Wesley became an issue. After Landskroener (2000), Reid, President of several years of allowing (ConƟnued on page 2) GLOBAL VOICES Mid-Autumn Festival (Cont’d)

tions and studies at- Moon cakes are also im- tended the party. Many portant gifts for friends students were interest- to bond with each other ed in Chinese culture. during the festival. This was a good chance for freshmen to Eating the Moon meet new friends. The Cake was so popular that main attraction of the it disappeared very party was the tradition- quickly! When I went to al Moon Cake, which the party, there was no is a special kind of more Moon Cakes left. food eaten to celebrate Of course, there were the holiday. In the Mid- other Asian snacks at the Girija Ganeshan, Yisi Liu, & Hiet T Vu enjoyed the Foster party, such as rice cakes House Mid-Autumn Festival party Autumn Festival, people combine the and stick biscuits. There (ConƟnued from page 1) mooncakes with an ap- were also several Asian

preciation of the moon. (ConƟnued on page 3) “Moon cakes are are interested in Chi- They important gifts nese culture. The most meet to important thing is that cele- for friends to all of the events are brate a bond with each free for students. family reunion other during the The Global Educa- tion Office held a Mid- and re- Mid-Autumn Autumn Festival party member their Festival.” in Foster House. At the party, students interest- ances- tors. ed in international rela- Traditional Moon Cakes Residence Hall (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 1) campus" (p. 76). Recognizing the positive Reid “strongly effect of having women recommended that steps on campus, he explained be taken to erect a at a board meeting, “It dormitory for ladies, will increase the friends stating that, during his of the College,” and, “It canvas of the Eastern will be the greatest help Shore, he was assured in improving the moral by prospective female tone of the students that they would college” (Dumschott,

Class of 1895: Miss May Matthews was the first woman to attend college if suitable 1980, p. 115). First complete the academic course at Washington College accommodations were known as “Normal Hall,” (Dumschott, 1980) available on the (ConƟnued on page 3) PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 Festival (Cont’d) Global Voices, the newsletter for international students at Washington College, is published twice a semester by the (ConƟnued from page 2) students in ELL 101. teas. Students also played traditional Asian games at Editor John C. Hepler, Ph.D. the party, such as guessing lantern riddles. Lantern riddles are a kind of rid- Designer / Illustrations dles hung under lanterns. Jiahao “Henry” Li There were toys in other areas, including the very

Interviewers popular Jenga, which HuiLing “Laura” Hu Zhiyi “Mona” Zhang looked like a lot of wood bars that made up a tall tower. Each student took Reporters turns pulling a bar out one GuoTai “Ted” Feng Chihiro Osawa JunYu “Tim” Yao at a time until the tower collapsed. (ConƟnued on page 5) Residence Hall (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 2) and 29 double rooms. My being in a family. If there classmate ZhiYi lives in a is a roommate, becoming construction of the single room. I think her homesick might be building housing both the room is convenient reduced. education program and its because there is a vacuum female students was cleaner and a refrigerator Each floor has a completed in 1897. And in her room. communal bathroom. In over one hundred years each bathroom, there are One of the Many Lantern Riddles later, Reid Hall is still a Double rooms are for four showers and four residence hall only for two students. These rooms toilets. I appreciate that women. have furniture that can be Washington College repositioned in several (ConƟnued on page 8) Unlike in the past, ways, including bunk there are no longer rules beds. My friends Sala and such as curfews and a Mariama share a double prohibition of visits from room. Good friends now, men in the residence hall. I Sala and Mariama have was surprised; however, I known each other since feel relaxed in my room. they entered WAC. Some In fact, student residents other students living in follow social norms. I Reid Hall were friends believe that it is a good before entering WAC and practice to make a chose to share a double communal life. room. One of the good points in sharing a room is Today in Reid Hall, that roommates can make there are six single rooms good relationships—like ZhiYi Zhang studying in her single room

PAGE 3 GLOBAL VOICES My Return to Chicago by JunYu Yao

D.C., with Chestertown, and with college life. When I was on the way to the hotel, I saw all the buildings in downtown Chicago, and it felt like Chicago was my second hometown. After a long day, finally I arrived at my hotel at midnight. The next morning, I “I saw all the left my hotel room around buildings in 9:00 a.m. I bought a hot chocolate and walked downtown down Michigan Avenue, Chicago, and it which is the most famous shopping street in felt like Chicago. I used to go there Chicago was Millennium Park & “The Bean” in Downtown Chicago with my friends on my second Before starting at About 10:00 p.m., I weekends. When I was Washington College, I arrived at O’Hare airport. walking along the street, hometown.” went to high school in As soon as I landed the whole city made me so Chicago, Illinois. I went Chicago, I felt like I was comfortable even if the back to Chicago the going back to China. It weather was really cold. It weekend before Fall Break was a feeling that I was reminded me of my high to see my host family and going back home because school life. pick my stuff that I left everything around me was In the afternoon, I there this summer. I took so familiar as home. The (ConƟnued on page 5) the school shuttle to the feeling of being Annapolis Mall at 4:00 in Chicago was p.m. on Friday. Then I entirely took a taxi to the different from Baltimore airport. when I came to Washington, At 7:00 p.m., I got my D.C., this past boarding pass, and then I August. I was found out that my flight so nervous to was a tiny airplane. Not come to surprisingly, with my 6’ 4” Washington feet height, I huddled in College this my seat. It was only a two- summer hour fight, but it was a because I was terrible flight experience, unfamiliar with even worse than the 16 Washington, hours flight back to China. JunYu with Mike, Maggie and their dog, Tonny

PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 Festival (Cont’d) performers dress up as lions. Each lion has two performers, one in the head and one in the tail. The lion costumes are made of colored cloth. Accompanied by music, they dance various forms of lion movements. Of course, not every- one international student came to the Mid- Students and Staff Enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival Party Autumn Festival party and many students (ConƟnued from page 3) val, with most of the chose to travel with activities shared by friends or visit family. I asked Vietnamese parents and children. In Some students stayed on students at Washington the evening, Vietnam- campus and cooked by

College how they cele- ese carry lanterns themselves or ate hot pot Yue Sun at the Mid- brated the Mid- shaped like carp in the residence halls. Autumn Festival party Autumn Festival in Vi- around the streets, and This was a good activity in Foster House etnam. One student, most families gather because getting together Hiet T Vu, told me after dinner to watch enhances friendship, there were different TV shows, usually which is also the mean- customs in Vietnam, comedies. Another ac- ing of Mid-Autumn Fes- where the holiday is tivity they enjoy is the tival. more a children's festi- Lion Dance, where

“To catch the reader's attention, place an

interesting sentence or quote from the story Chicago (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 4) host parents, Mike and Maggie Hedges, about my went back to visit summer. I told them that my host family. my family was doing well, When I walked to and I went bungee the front door of jumping this summer. We the house, I felt talked about college life as like I just got off well. I told them college the school bus life was much better than I with a heavy thought it would be. They backpack, also were so proud that I returning home to was going to class every have dinner. I day, because sometimes I

talked with my (ConƟnued on page 11) Chicago Skyline from Lake Michigan

PAGE 5 GLOBAL VOICES

PAGE 6 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018

PAGE 7 GLOBAL VOICES Residence Hall (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 3) We can cook anytime and enjoy our lives in Reid anything. In the common Hall. It has such an employs housekeepers to room, there are vending amazing history and today, clean the showers and machines, TVs and a this history and tradition toilets every day. billiard table. We can are inherited. I am proud enjoy playing games and of staying in such a In the basement, there watching movies. historical residence hall. is a laundry room, a Sometimes, I do my References kitchen, and a common homework in the common Dumschott, F. W. (1980). room. We have five room because the chairs in washers and two dryers. It Washington College. the common room are Chestertown, MD: Washington is important for students to comfortable. College. make good use of our spare Harwood, R., Thompson, W. L., & Landskroener, M. C. (2000). time; I always do my I imagined that the life Washington: The college at laundry in a breathing in the residence halls was Chester. Chestertown, MD: spell. In the kitchen, there cramped and Literary House Press at are three microwave ovens. uncomfortable, but we can Washington College.

Interview with Dr. Ben Tilghman by HuiLing Hu Q. Where did you go to always went to exciting for me college? museums. I realized because my parents “I want to be in A. I went to Lawrence taking that class was a already lived here in University in way for me to study all Maryland. And Maryland, and Appleton, Wisconsin. those different actually, my father I want to be on It was a small school things—like history lives on a farm that has just like Washington and economics and all been in my family for the Eastern College. these different kinds of many generations. It’s Shore!” Q. What was your major? things that I was about half an hour A. I majored in art interested in all came drive from here, history. together in art history and that place is Q. How did you decide to and a single work of really special to choose this major? art. It was a way to me. The chance to A. I went to college major in everything. live so close to it wanting to study a lot Q. What specific things is really exciting. I of different things; so I attracted you to want to be in was interested in become a professor at Maryland, and I history, religion, Washington College? want to be on the literature, and A. I always wanted to be eastern shore of anthropology. In my a teacher in a small Maryland. first year, I took art school because I like Q. How long have history class mostly small classes and you been because my mother getting to know teaching? encouraged me to and students. But, A. I have been Dr. Benjamin Tilghman she liked art. When I Washington College teaching about ten was growing up, we specifically was (ConƟnued on page 9)

PAGE 8 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018

Interview with Wendi Yu by ZhiYi Zhang

Q. Where do you come from in A. In high school, China? students did A. I come from Qu Zhou, not have too which is in the southern part much time af- of China, near Shanghai. ter classes, and Q. When did you come to there were America? people telling A. I came when I was in the them what eighth grade. they have to Q. Why did you come to Ameri- do. In college, ca? we get more A. I am not sure, my parents free time and decided for me. But I am less home- glad they made this decision work, but we for me. need start to Q. What was your first chal- learn how to “To catch the reader's attention, place an interestinglenge sentence orwhen quote from the storyyou come to manage our here.” America? free time to ZhiYi Zhang & Wendi Yu in Hodson Hall A. I think my first challenge make it more was the language. I did not useful. opportunities to talk with know how to talk with Q. Why were you interested in my professors. people and I was afraid of it. WAC? Why did you choose Q. What were your expecta- When I went out for dinner, this college? tions of college life before I did not know how to order A. Because I am used to small you come? foods, which was groups and small classes. I A. I expected to make more embarrassing. think in small classes my friends from different places Q. What are the differences professors can pay more at- and learn all kinds of cul- between high school and tention to me and I can learn tures. I also wanted to learn college? better. Besides, I have more (ConƟnued on page 12)

Tilghman (Cont’d) (ConƟnued from page 8) really get to know your students and work with years. I started teaching them based on what when I was in graduate they are interested in. I school, and then I taught can help them by at a couple different teaching that way, and I places before coming to never want to be part of teach here. a giant factory school. Q. What do you like best Q. What courses have you about teaching at taught in the past 3 Washington College? years? Dr. Benjamin Tilghman & HuiLing Hu A. Definitely the small A. I have taught art history classes! And you can (ConƟnued on page 10)

PAGE 9 GLOBAL VOICES Tilghman (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 9) in this town. I thought, you assign group work, “We can do everything some students would not courses, but then I’ve with trees!” So, I was work together. also really enjoyed looking for a topic that Q. How important you think teaching freshmen you could approach from reading is in your seminar courses like first a lot of different angles. courses? -year students reading Q. Did you pay attention to A. It’s very important and and trees before you decide mostly reading. discussion. to teach this course? Q. What is the best way to Q. Why do A. I always liked trees, but study for your classes? you choose this is the most I ever A. The best way to study for to study thought about trees. I my classes is to read and trees this like getting the chance to take notes, and at the end year as a explore something new to ask yourself, “What first-year for myself. do I think is the most seminar Q. Do you prefer to have important thing from class? discussions or tests in what I just learned about A. I knew I your classes? Why? or I read?” would be A. I much prefer discussion, Q. What are your teaching teaching the essays, and writing. I do methods and style? first-year not prefer tests. The A. Most of my methods are seminar and reason is that tests can to create an opportunity Dr. Benjamin Tilghman outside the most only tell me what a for students to explore Casey Academic Center important student doesn’t know, ideas and things on their thing to me but writing and own and develop their was I wanted to teach a discussion will help me own thoughts. They have “Students class that was about a to see what they do to do their own thinking have to do liberal arts approach to know and what they’re rather than just the world. I see the interested in. In the memorizing information. their own liberal arts as coming to meantime, you might The foundation of my thinking rather the idea that there are learn a whole bunch of teaching style is mutable ways to get into other things. When empathy. I try to than just any topic that you might students discuss and remember what is like to memorizing be interested in. If you write, I can hear more be a student and what is want to understand what they’re interested like to be struggling with information.” something, you can’t in and what they’re something. I use a lot of limit yourself just in one thinking about. humor and I try to be a way. I also wanted to do Q. Do you prefer to let your laidback teacher because something that had to do students do group work I want the class to feel with the environment, together rather than more like a conversation. and I wanted something work alone? Why? Q. Have you changed your that fits with the Eastern A. I generally like to have teaching style? Shore and we’re at my students work on A. When I was a younger Washington College. alone, although a little teacher, I thought it was One day I was walking bit of group work is more important for home, and I noticed the okay. However, I found students to know the wonderful trees we have that sometimes when (ConƟnued on page 11)

PAGE 10 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 Chicago (Cont’d)

(ConƟnued from page 5) dinner in a Chinese hotpot restaurant. After dinner, skipped school when I we went to a tea bar, was in high school. because I like the Chinese After that, my host bubble tea, which is milk family took me to a tea with Tapioca in it. favorite restaurant that Sunday morning, I we always enjoyed went to the airport, and I together. took a regular sized Saturday night, I airplane back to met my old friends in Baltimore and then the Chicago. We like to school shuttle back to eat hot pot, so we took campus. It was a very a taxi to Chicago tiring trip, but I enjoyed Tourist Boats on the Chicago River Chinatown. We had it. Tilghman (Cont’d) (ConƟnued from page 10) that you don’t know a lot art and natural world, or about. I actually really art and god, or religion. most important works of like it, but it’s still a It’s more about these arts and more specific challenge. I enjoy topics and less about the information. Now I think teaching new subjects focus on a specific time what’s most important is because I like learning period. Another project for students to come to about them. for the next five years is my class with skills for Q. What are your other to get more involved in how you look at any interests besides Chestertown, and work of art. It’s about teaching college? what’s going on in skills. A. I like hiking and Chestertown. Q. What skills do you think listening to all kinds of Q. Do you have any “Make the most of are most important to be music. Being a dad is advice for all the the opportunity to a professor? kind of a hobby. undergraduate A. Empathy, patience, Q. What is your plan for the students at study what you creativity. next five years? Washington love.” Q. What has been your A. My plan for the next five College? biggest challenge during years is to change the art A. My advice is that your teaching career? history courses we have this is the only A. The biggest challenge here to be more focused time in your life when was that when I was a on topics or themes. In you’ll get four years to younger teacher, I didn’t the past, art history learn about things that know as much about art classes have generally interest you. Just focus history and about what I been Italian painting or on the things that interest wanted to teach as I American art in the 20th you, and make the most know now. The biggest century, and they are of the opportunity to challenge has always about a time period. I study what you love. been teaching a subject want to change it to the

PAGE 11 GLOBAL VOICES

Washington College

Office of English Language Learning 300 Washington Ave. Chestertown, MD 21620 Type address here or use Mail Merge to automatically address this http://www.washcoll.edu/offices/English-Language-Learning publication to multiple recipients.

Phone: 410.810.7100 Fax: 410.810.7451 Email: [email protected] Check Out Our Videos Online!

Q. How did ness, but I am inter- A. My favorite sports are Yu (Cont’d) you get through the ested in art. running and archery. (ConƟnued from page 9) challenge? Q. How do you bal- Q. What is your favorite A. Whenever I have ance your time part of WAC? what we need for hard time or I since you have a A. My favorite part of the future, not only almost decide to double major? WAC is that it is a about academics, give up; I keep tell- A. I make a schedule small college. As I but also like coming myself I can do to see which work I mentioned, I am used munication skills, it. need to spend most to small groups, so I how to manage Q. What is the best of my time and to feel more comfortable time, and so on. way to adjust col- finish the rest of my when I study here. Q. What was your first lege life for you? homework as soon What is more, because challenge when you A. I think the best way as possible. of that, I can learn came to WAC? is finding my own Q. What is the most WAC culture more A. I think the first way. For example, I difficult subject for deeply, which helps challenge I had was think it is important you? me understand Ameri- getting used to col- to manage my free A. I am not good at can colleges better. lege life. For time since there is a anything related to Q. What do you do out- example, I had lot of time outside math. side of class? problems to of classes. It is Q. What clubs/ A. During the weekend, I remember my class crucial to use the organizations are go to the archery club schedule. I had time wisely and you in and what do and get something to efficiently. you do? different classes eat outside of school. Q. What are your A. I am in the archery everyday, which Q. Q. What suggestions majors? club. We practice do you have for new was totally different A. My majors are busi- twice a week and students at WAC? from high school. ness management prepare for upcom- A. I suggest that finishing Today, I need to and art. ing competitions. homework as soon as make sure I wake Q. Why did you choose Q. What is your favor- possible and making up on time, since I these majors? ite sport? sure you read the live by myself now. A. My parents wanted books. Less playing, to me study busi- more reading!

PAGE 12