SUNDAY 18 MAY 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 Why a good inside sleep is vital CAMPUS • PEC girls’ teams for a long life win medals in competition P | 4 P | 11 WHEELS • Air bags are safer than ever, except when they don’t deploy Long on the soccer sidelines, more and more South American women P | 6 are striking back by lacing up their boots and embracing the region’s BOOKS most cherished sport. The surge • 10 bestselling books is part of a global boom, with an • Oregon writer finds beauty, estimated 29 million women and redemption on death row girls playing worldwide. But it is especially salient for South America, P | 7 a region revered for its ball game and infamous for its machismo. FILM • Chef: Stir in the indie roots, and voila! P | 8-9 TECHNOLOGY • With its sights on Apple, Xiaomi unveils first tablet WOMEN’S SOCCER P | 12 Learn Arabic • Learn commonly used Arabic words TAKES WING and their meanings P | 13 2 PLUS | SUNDAY 18 MAY 2014 COVER STORY South American By Alexandra Ulmer women emerge ong on the soccer side- lines, more and more South American women are striking Lback by lacing up their boots and embracing the region’s most cher- to embrace ished sport. Machismo is losing some of its influ- ence in large parts of the area while women gain ground in politics and the workplace. And as South America beautiful game evolves, so does soccer. “As a kid I was the only girl on the block to play. It used to be almost dis- graceful for a woman,” said Daniela Pardo, now the 25 year-old captain of the Chilean women’s team, as she took a breather during practice. “There’s been an incredible change. Now it’s seen differently, like some- thing that can help women gain inde- pendence. I’ve become a role model for young girls in my neighbourhood,” said Pardo, a midfielder who hails from the poor area of San Ramon in the capital Santiago. South American women are play- ing more and playing better, paving the way for them to become a force to be reckoned with on the global soccer stage. The evidence is more anecdotal than factual. Several Fifa officials said they had no current figures, though they concurred the women’s game is flour- ishing in the region counting down to next month’s men’s World Cup in Brazil. To be sure, the surge is part of a glo- bal boom, with an estimated 29 million women and girls playing worldwide. But it is especially salient for South America, a region revered for its ball game and infamous for its machismo. While Brazil originally blazed the trail, women’s teams in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela are starting to give the soccer powerhouse a run for its money. PLUS | SUNDAY 18 MAY 2014 3 “Female soccer is an explosion. It’s Playing Field an obsession, a passion, a fever now,” To be sure, football remains low on said Felipe Taborda who coaches the the priority list for many women in a Colombian women’s team. He esti- region still plagued by high levels of mates up to 70 percent more women domestic and sexual violence. are playing in the Andean country And while sociological barriers to compared with 2007 levels. soccer may be receding, athletes warn that economic ones are alive and well. Quiet Revolution National squads and clubs generally At a Santiago soccer school on a do not pay their female players, which crisp Sunday morning, dozens of girls often obliges them to keep full-time aged five and up practised dribbling, jobs on the side, leaving little time for their pony-tailed hair whipping about much else. as they bounded after the ball. “We play female soccer out of Javiera Paves, a grinning 10-year- passion, not for fame or money,” old who was just two when she started Venezuela’s Ascanio added. practising passes with her football Mainstream media seldom covers coach father, says she would like to games and stadiums are often uncom- win the World Cup for Chile. fortably empty. That in turn discour- And with more school teams, ages potential sponsors and setting up leagues, and homegrown superstars a vicious cycle. such as Brazilian striker Marta, girls “Here in South America there are like Javiera are allowing themselves very good players but no one knows to think big. them,” said Estefania Banini, a 23-year “To get to watch the World Cup in old Argentine midfielder nicknamed Brazil and live such a huge emotion, ‘the female Messi’ due to her adroit even from the stands, will encourage dribbling and enviable goal tally. all of us to go after the same dream in “I support soccer, any type of soc- the future,” said 28-year old Marta, a cer. The world comes to a halt for me five-time women’s world player of the during the men’s World Cup. I just year, in a recent Fifa video. wish female football had the same While South American men have level of support,” Banini added min- been crowned World Cup champions utes before going on to score five goals nine times, the region’s women have for Chile’s Colo-Colo, considered one of yet to raise the coveted trophy. the region’s top female clubs alongside The United States, Germany, Japan Brazil’s Santos and Sao Jose. and Scandinavian countries usually The silver lining to these obstacles, scoop up the winners’ medals, but coaches say, is that the women who South American teams are training persist are utterly devoted to the game. hard to make a splash this September “We abandon everything for this, at at the Copa America in Ecuador, times in exchange for nothing. I left where two and a half berths for the behind a lot, but I’ve never regretted 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada it,” said Chilean captain Pardo, who will be up for grabs. studies graphic design in the morning, “I hope we can qualify... and then works an administrative job at a men’s why not win?,” said Yusmery ‘Miku’ football club in the afternoon and races Ascanio, a 23 year-old Venezuelan to practice in the evening. midfielder who like many of her “It thrills me. I feel things when I compatriots grew up swinging a bat kick a soccer ball. People should believe before football lured her away from in us,” she added, before sprinting back baseball. out on to the field. Reuters The United States, Germany, Japan and Scandinavian countries usually scoop up the winners’ medals, but South American teams are training hard to make a splash this September at the Copa America in Ecuador, where two and a half berths for the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada will be up for grabs. 4 PLUS | SUNDAY 18 MAY 2014 CAMPUS PEC girls’ teams win medals in competition Pakistan Education Centre debating team took Apart in a debating competition organised by Qatar Debates at Amna Bint Wahab preparatory Independent School for Girls recently. The two PEC teams comprising (Team 1) Syeda Aliza, Maria Taj, Mehak Tanveer and (Team 2) Sumaiya Rizwan, Ayesha Tariq and Fatima Gulzeb Abbasi did well in a nail-biting competition which saw 20 participating teams and 60 debaters repre- senting schools from across Qatar. The PEC team clinched the third position overall among the 20 participating teams. The PEC team also won three positions among the top 10 debaters. Mehak Tanveer grabbed the third position, Syeda Aliza came in sixth and Maria Taj won the ninth position. Rabia, Ambreen Ashraf, Riffat Tahir and Razia Sardar from PEC attended the tournament as coaches and adjudicators. The success of the PEC debating team was com- mended by Principal Nergis Raza Otho. The Peninsula Scholar Badge Ceremony at DMIS he Scholar Badge Ceremony (academic year (IX-D). Principal Asna Nafees welcomed the guests teachers in moulding a child’s future. He advised T2013-2014) for classes V to VIII and Grade XI and stressed the importance of all-round develop- the students to keep working hard and to never let was organised at DPS-MIS recently. It was organ- ment of children and the necessity of instilling good go of their goals in life. ised to felicitate the students for their dedication moral values and life skills in them. Around 290 students from Classes V to VIII and perseverance in their pursuit of excellence in She said: “A good student is not one who is only and XI (2013-2014) were awarded badges and academics. Chief Guest Hassan Chougule, presi- good in studies, but one who is good in everything certificates. dent of the DPS-MIS management committee, he or she takes up and, more than anything else, a The ceremony was coordinated by Mou Bera, attended the function along with the director of good student is a good human being.” Headmistress (Activities). She was assisted by human resources, Rocky Fernandes, parents and Chougule commended the diligent efforts of the academic coordinators Sarah Ali, Rachel Alwyn, the young achievers. students, which helped them excel in academics. Hyacinth Mary Cruz and Soma Bhattacharjee. The gathering was addressed by Divyam Sharma He acknowledged the big role played by parents and The Peninsula Safety awareness Kone conducted a programme in Birla Public School recently to create aware- ness in the students on safety while using elevators and escalators. An inter- active session on possible problems and measures to be taken while using elevators and escalators was held.