Leadership Seminar at WSB-NLU… by Maria Bieńczak
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December 2006 issue #5 WSB-NLU’s English Magazine November 2006 Issue # 4 Ampersand Staff & Freelance Writers Ampersand Staff: Freelance Writers: Maria Bieńczak Rami Balbous Katarzyna Brigge Paweł Kaczyna Peter Campbell Piotr Kocot Editor: Przemysław Dudziak Szymon Korzeniowski Marcin Kaim Dawid Kuc Marta Balbous Robert Kauf Przemysław Kułaczkowski Natalia Kocańda Rachel Lachance Marta Olszowska Valencia Pereira Piotr Pruski Michał Śmiałek Katarzyna Puchała Liu Zheng Oleksandr Romanynets Editorial Joanna Soczyńska Contributors: Assistant: Filip Starzecki Mariusz Bocheński Lyudmyla Svystunova Piotr Gawiński Weronika Mark A. Swaim Mładenow Tomasz Wiendlocha JOIN THE AMPERSAND TEAM! If you would like to write for Ampersand, send your articles and photogra- phs to [email protected]. The deadline for the upcoming issue is IT Specialist: January 8th. Marek Gibiec Advertising Department To learn how you can advertise in Ampersand magazine, kindly contact Przemysław Dudziak or Filip Starzecki at Ampersand for more details. (phone: 0514 507 458 ) Contact Visit our web site: http://ampersand.wsb-nlu.edu.pl or write to us at [email protected] Address: Ampersand Ul. Zielona 27 33-300 Nowy Sącz Poland Purpose Ampersand aims to bridge the gap between cultures to give students the opportunity to explore different worlds. It also hopes to bring together people speaking different tongues, through a language that is perhaps native to none, but common to all. Ampersand seeks to make a strong connection between students and the English language and helps them discover its beauty and importance in today’s world. Copyright Policy In order to preserve the integrity of the material published in Ampersand, the articles in this magazine are subject to copyright and may not be altered or reproduced without prior knowledge of the Editor. You may only copy materials for your own private non-commercial purposes as well as educational purposes. Articles submitted for publication become the property of Ampersand magazine. We reserve the right to edit such articles for publication. In the case where an author requests that an article not be edited, the editorial committee will decide whether to include it for publication or not. & 2 & December 2006 Editor’s Garden issue #5 A Few Words From The Editor... „'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.” A Must Read... With Christmas just around the together a little ‘something’ for them. • The Four Seasons pg. 4 corner, many of us are already in the All of my friends have long been • New Year’s Eve: It’s All Christmas mood. We have all started deciding on their Christmas shopping; About Having Fun pg. 6 thinking about the presents we will be have already done most, if not all, of • Culture Shock pg. 8 buying for our friends and loved ones, it. This fact stresses me immensely, • The Power of a Smile pg. started making shopping lists and since I haven’t even gotten started. 11 wondering about what presents we Truth is, although my parents made it would want to get. Christmas trees a point to teach me that I should • Wishful Thinking pg. 11 have already been put up in many a think about others first and myself • Anomalies and Stupidities shop and office, decorated with later when it comes to presents, there pg. 14 baubles, cookies and other ornaments never was a tradition of Christmas • Stuck Inside a Funk – even the pines outside building B shopping in my family. Nonetheless, I Hurricane pg. 15 have been wrapped with lights. think it a wonderful idea that the Although Christmas is celebrated spirit of ‘giving’ is alive in people • DePaul—What’s That?? pg. differently in every country, each during this season. 18 enriched by its own history, culture Having grown up in a foreign • Dishes From Around the and traditions, it seems that there is country means that I never really had World pg. 20 at least one thing that they all have the opportunity to experience many • Insignio pg. 22 in common – shopping. People the Polish traditions associated with this • Leadership Seminar at world over spend the first couple of feast. My mother always tried to weeks in December, perhaps even make it as ‘christmassy’ as possible, WSB-NLU pg. 22 November writing up their ‘Santa preparing the traditional dinner feast • Horoscope pg. 26 letters’. for Christmas Eve, very often using The frantic shopping frenzy which limited resources (you can’t just buy accompanies this holiday season is everything abroad!). I must say I quite incredible. As people search admired her for taking so much care MIŁOSZ high and low for the ‘perfect’ little gift and succeeding in making us feel as for a sweetheart, a mother or a much at home as possible. This You will be greatly missed darling nephew, shop owners grin holiday is definitely a family from ear to ear as they look upon the celebration, and this is the one thing hordes of shoppers streaming in to do which never went missing at home. some last-minute buying. There is one thing, which I would However, it is neither my like to make a point of. In the middle intention nor obligation to tell you of all this hectic shopping, let us all that Christmas is not just about the take a minute to remember that presents and the smiling dude ‘giving’ should not be associated only dressed in red who drops them in our with Christmas; that we should stockings hanging by the fireplace; always be aware that one must be that we should be less materialistic oriented towards others and that this season and that it will be better if everything we say or do, no matter we think about all those who are not how small, has an impact on the On December 7th, 2006 first as fortunate as we are and will not be people around us. Whether it be a year Management and Business able to celebrate Christmas or New smile or a pat on the shoulder, an student, Miłosz Radzik left this Year’s for that matter. advice or a little help in doing world. He was 20 years old. He is In fact, it is quite surprising that homework, it never goes by survived by his parents, an older people think less of what they want to unnoticed. We should welcome every brother and older sister. Miłosz was get underneath the Christmas tree day with spirit and vigour and a a wonderful student, well liked by and more of what they want to give to determination to live it to the max. both his teachers and peers. He will their family and friends. I was quite Let us also not forget our friend, be greatly missed by all. impressed the other day when I heard Miłosz, who passed away a few days a little girl’s plans of what she will back. He was one of those people who Miłosz, your love of life and your make for her parents; mind you – think that it is never too late to love optimism have enriched us make. She didn’t ask them for money somebody and to give them your greatly. We will miss your smile and to buy presents, neither did she save whole self – his smile and optimism the serenity with which you greeted some of her pocket money to buy a were the clearest indication of this. everyday. School will never be the ready-made gift. Instead, she Miłosz, you will live in our hearts same without you. prepared a ‘plan of action’ to get all forever. the materials she will need to put & 3 & December 2006 issue #5 The Four Seasons by Mark A Swaim For an American growing up in Thanksgiving meant much more than presents scattered all over the living the 70s and 80s, the prospects of football and food. It also meant the room floor, we were never forgetful to beginning a new school year was giving of thanks to God for the remember the one who crowns the offset by the seasonal holidays that blessings of family, people we love, season with his message of truth, love would arrive. Autumn was always my the provisions we had and the and grace. favourite time of year not only salvation that comes from a Christmas growing up was a because of the blazing Fall colours it benevolent God. strange mixture of culture and faith. I produced, but also because of four The day after Thanksgiving began suppose a good rendition of the mix holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, the Christmas season. In America, it between culture and faith could be Christmas and New Years. traditionally has been the biggest summed up in the Twentieth Century The first was Halloween, October shopping day of the year. Everywhere cartoon special, “A Charlie Brown’s 31st . To my three brothers, three are signs of Christmas. In Poland, Christmas”. In the midst of all the sisters and I, Halloween meant December 6th marks St. Nicholas day. commercialism and materialism, Linus pumpkins, apple cider takes centre stage to help and fresh doughnuts Charlie Brown remember the made in front of our eyes. meaning of Christmas by Since my father was a quoting from the Holy Bible, well known school Luke chapter 2 verse 11: teacher, it meant “Unto you is born this day in protecting our house from the City of David, a Saviour, students who would egg which is Christ, the Lord.” the house (for fun). We New Year’s ended the would hide in trees and Christmas season. Though guard the house from Christmas lingers in America a student raids.