I always thought Uppsala University houses 40000 students. Today, it became clear to me that I have been deceived for the entire duration of my years in Uppsala.
It started with me hanging in the computer room with my friend Kedar. One of his friends in Sydney is checking out Uppsala University as a possible destination for exchange study. Kedar asked me to talk with his friend and tell him more about my home uni, which I did. I was like: "hey, did you know that Uppsala has two universities? The city has 200k inhabitant, and it's the home of 40k students!" and he was like "Wow! That is a quarter, no, 20%!" Kedar was surprised, "Dude, that is twice as many students as Cornell!" To impress him further, I opened a wikipedia site on Uppsala Uni, to my astonishment, the only figure I saw was about 20k. The source of reference? An annual report from the Swedish Higher Education Authority. So there is no doubt about the credibility.
So where does the number 40k come from anyway? If you google with the search key "uppsala universitet 40 tusen", one of the result you get is from the university's home page. In other words, 40000 is what we are taught at school.
In order to figure out why 40k is mentioned in all the available media information, I checked out the number of full-time enrolled students at SLU, the other university in the city of Uppsala. They have about 4000 students. In other words, no matter how you try to manipulate the numbers, you don't get 40000 students in Uppsala, let alone 40000 students in Uppsala University.
The answer gives me another question: why have the Uppsalians always learned about 40000? One of many possible explanations is probably that UU once hosted nearly 40000 students. But now when that is no longer the truth, the school staff never bothered to change the figure to up-to-date. In the end, you can always say that it's about Uppsalian-chauvinism. Being Swedens oldest university, you can always boast yourself by portraying Uppsala as Sweden's Harvard. Now that I consider myself as a Cornellian, I don't feel my pride being injured by the revelation.
fredag 18 september 2009
tisdag 15 september 2009
Music!
One of the many things I wanted to do in Cornell was learning more about music. Luckily, with the American course-selection system, and the absence of compulsory subjects like I had in my three previous years in Uppsala, I can do it easily here.
Before coming to North America, I chose four classes in Biological and Environmental Engineering major. In order to fulfill the 15-credit-requirement, I also applied Jazz Improvisation, MUSIC 3111. After attend the very first lecture, I realized that this class is nothing for me. Our instructor Paul Merrill (not to be confused with the stand-up comedian), a professional Jazz musician, gave us a list over hundreds of famous Jazz artists for us to look up. If you are not a big fan of Jazz, you are considered knowledgeable if you can recognize 5 % of them all. After an hour of dancing among the incomprehensible musical terms, I told the instructor that his class is way too advanced for me. He recommended another class: Tonal Theory 2101. I couldn't take this class however, since my schedule is tight. Instead I got enrolled in Introduction to Music Theory 1105.
The first time I got the chance of showing off was on the talent show during PREPARE. When slacking at my parents place in summer, I played a lot of the Elton John stuff. When Selina, our PREPARE coordinator asked us to perform on the talent show, I was high enough that day to sign up. It turned out well. Although I also realized from the moment that even if the bard stereotype is good for you, it takes more than a few songs on a piano to make you a people's magnet.
Well, since the semester started, I never had the time to practice any new songs. While keeping my old reservoir of music floating, I joined this a cappella group called FantAsia.
The person who told me about this group was Selina. She's been in the club for some time. All of the members are Asian, mostly Chinese. Usually, FantAsia performs Asian songs in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean. English songs are not common, but also included. Carolle is the club president. Her part is usually Soprano, but she had to settle with Tenor whenever the guys are gone.
In the beginning, Selina was in this group. She was also the lead singer on several occasions. The first Sunday after school started, Cornell organized a Clubfest where you can get to know the hundreds of student societies on campus. FantAsia sung Jay Chou's Simple Love, with Sonny as beatboxer and Selina the vocal solo. Sonny's beatboxing skill was magnificent. His signature move was waving his right hand in rythm with the beats. From there, you could clearly tell this guy is also an experienced drummer. Sadly for the rest of the FantAsia crew, Selina left Cornell to study in NYC this semester. I hope she's coming back after Christmas.
Jen, my neighbor in von Cramm was instrumental in bringing me into the gang. In USA, not all the student clubs have a "just for fun" basis. In order to keep a high standard of performance, new students must audition before becoming a member. This goes for most of the sports clubs and musical clubs. If you can't play soccer then the soccer team can't let you in. I went to FantAsia's audition. As I talked to the people, it turned out that some of the applicants couldn't even read notes. Jen, who has been in the club for 2 years, oversaw my tryout. After coming back to von Cramm I asked her about my odds of getting accepted. She kept telling me "I wouldn't worry". Two days later, I got the acceptance letter from Carolle.
The first song I'm learning with FantAsia is boyband Tension's Our Story, a Mandarin song. I got the bass part, which is the easiet one for a beginner with the suitable vocal register. After two rehearsals, it became clear to me that when singing in an a cappella group, the most challenging task is organizing the whole ensemble rather then memorizing your own part. On Monday when I left the Animal Bioreactor class, I asked my instructor to move the class into a different time since I had to go all the way from Riley-Robb to Lincoln Hall, which takes you 10 minutes if you walk fast. Her first reaction was:"Lincoln Hall! So you are a musician!" Yepp, Lincoln Hall is the place where you find music. As soon as you walk into the building, the sound from all the practice rooms can hardly deceive you. If you play anything, just by standing in the hallway and be on the right time, you can befriend anybody carrying your kind of instrument.
That's all for today folks. Here's some entertainment news for you: Lady Gaga and some fake blood on VMA. Her fame comes from her costume, not her music.
Before coming to North America, I chose four classes in Biological and Environmental Engineering major. In order to fulfill the 15-credit-requirement, I also applied Jazz Improvisation, MUSIC 3111. After attend the very first lecture, I realized that this class is nothing for me. Our instructor Paul Merrill (not to be confused with the stand-up comedian), a professional Jazz musician, gave us a list over hundreds of famous Jazz artists for us to look up. If you are not a big fan of Jazz, you are considered knowledgeable if you can recognize 5 % of them all. After an hour of dancing among the incomprehensible musical terms, I told the instructor that his class is way too advanced for me. He recommended another class: Tonal Theory 2101. I couldn't take this class however, since my schedule is tight. Instead I got enrolled in Introduction to Music Theory 1105.
The first time I got the chance of showing off was on the talent show during PREPARE. When slacking at my parents place in summer, I played a lot of the Elton John stuff. When Selina, our PREPARE coordinator asked us to perform on the talent show, I was high enough that day to sign up. It turned out well. Although I also realized from the moment that even if the bard stereotype is good for you, it takes more than a few songs on a piano to make you a people's magnet.
Well, since the semester started, I never had the time to practice any new songs. While keeping my old reservoir of music floating, I joined this a cappella group called FantAsia.
The person who told me about this group was Selina. She's been in the club for some time. All of the members are Asian, mostly Chinese. Usually, FantAsia performs Asian songs in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Korean. English songs are not common, but also included. Carolle is the club president. Her part is usually Soprano, but she had to settle with Tenor whenever the guys are gone.
In the beginning, Selina was in this group. She was also the lead singer on several occasions. The first Sunday after school started, Cornell organized a Clubfest where you can get to know the hundreds of student societies on campus. FantAsia sung Jay Chou's Simple Love, with Sonny as beatboxer and Selina the vocal solo. Sonny's beatboxing skill was magnificent. His signature move was waving his right hand in rythm with the beats. From there, you could clearly tell this guy is also an experienced drummer. Sadly for the rest of the FantAsia crew, Selina left Cornell to study in NYC this semester. I hope she's coming back after Christmas.
Jen, my neighbor in von Cramm was instrumental in bringing me into the gang. In USA, not all the student clubs have a "just for fun" basis. In order to keep a high standard of performance, new students must audition before becoming a member. This goes for most of the sports clubs and musical clubs. If you can't play soccer then the soccer team can't let you in. I went to FantAsia's audition. As I talked to the people, it turned out that some of the applicants couldn't even read notes. Jen, who has been in the club for 2 years, oversaw my tryout. After coming back to von Cramm I asked her about my odds of getting accepted. She kept telling me "I wouldn't worry". Two days later, I got the acceptance letter from Carolle.
The first song I'm learning with FantAsia is boyband Tension's Our Story, a Mandarin song. I got the bass part, which is the easiet one for a beginner with the suitable vocal register. After two rehearsals, it became clear to me that when singing in an a cappella group, the most challenging task is organizing the whole ensemble rather then memorizing your own part. On Monday when I left the Animal Bioreactor class, I asked my instructor to move the class into a different time since I had to go all the way from Riley-Robb to Lincoln Hall, which takes you 10 minutes if you walk fast. Her first reaction was:"Lincoln Hall! So you are a musician!" Yepp, Lincoln Hall is the place where you find music. As soon as you walk into the building, the sound from all the practice rooms can hardly deceive you. If you play anything, just by standing in the hallway and be on the right time, you can befriend anybody carrying your kind of instrument.
That's all for today folks. Here's some entertainment news for you: Lady Gaga and some fake blood on VMA. Her fame comes from her costume, not her music.
lördag 12 september 2009
The honeymoon period of a cultural shock: Cornell >> Swedish Univ part 1
When I was an AIESECer in Uppsala, one of my many assignments was holding preparation seminars for the students who are about to embark on foreign internships. I still remember myself teaching about the W-shaped curve of cultural shock: in your first 4 weeks after arrival, you will consider everything about your host country wonderful. This is the so-called honeymoon period. The initial high of the new experience will soon be replaced by a period when you get accustomed to your new home, a time characterized by low self-esteem, isolation and even depression. Eventually, the psychological abyss will turn into a dale. Once you fully understand, master and embrace the culture of your host, things get better.
I am in the honeymoon period. Forget about the ravaging swine flu on campus (520 confirmed cases so far), and the fact that H1N1 has already taken one Cornellian from us. Forget about the social barrier between the exchange students and the American juniors and seniors who already formed their circle of friends. Forget about what people say about American idiots, the Christian fundamentalists, the hillbillies from Texas. Despite my sleep deprivation (common among Ivy League students), occasional up-and-downs of my mood, I can tell you: Cornell is the best place I've ever stayed since 2006. Why? Because I'm in the honeymoon period.
Coming to the states has opened my eyes to a wide variety of things about life. In Europe, we tend to regard USA as a country with neither history nor culture. American history is short, that's true. The common (mis-) perception on American culture is something I disagree with. The American culture is so diverse. The life of a NYer is so different from that of a TXer that you can even consider them as two different countries. I've enjoyed American country music while some people hate it. For me it is not only the music that fascinates me, it's the life style. Imagine living like a modern cowboy with steel horses, driving a motorbike across the desert from dawn to dusk. How cool isn't that?
Alright, back to the campus. And forgive me being an Americanophile, I'm in the cultural honeymoon after all.
So what is about Cornell that makes it superior to Uppsala? If I'm to expand to the full range of this topic, then you'll probably spend the next few days reading this text. So this time I only go for the campus culture.
US of A is a country where everyone is an immigrant. The first thing that surprised me when registering for the PREPARE orientation week for International students, was the percentage of Asians among the volunteers: it looked like 90%. Having lived as a minority in Scandinavia for too long, I kinda liked what I saw. In comparison, most of Uppsala students are white. If you are from Uppsala you may protest, but if you do so, please take my advice and STFU. When it comes to globalization, UU is way out of the league. Everywhere on campus you can run into Asians, Indians, African-Americans, Caucasians and Latinos. People simply don't talk about the "locals" and "foreigners" the same way you do in EU. Cos in this country, or on campus, nobody is more "local" than anyone. Concepts such as "svenne" versus "blatte" is unheard of.
Cornell promotes cultural diversity. Its faculty strives to adopt cultures from other corners of the world. It could be considered as unfair, since the school may compromise the talent of certain students when endeavoring to gather teenagers from all of the 50 states and beyond. The result is: the elite Cornellians develop a seemingly strong sense of cultural awareness. Like this Afro-American dude I met last week: majoring in engineering and minoring in music, president of piano society, he even asked me which tone my first name is, much to my astonishment. His horde of Chinese friends taught him a few tricks! Back in Von Cramm, or people's commune, the topics on the dining table could be anything from world events to art history. The kids here know their stuff! They are not that ignorant!
When it comes to commodities, US is a lot better than EU. In Collegetown outside the campus, there is a street full of diners. They all serve different kind of food. We have Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian and Persian restaurants, Starbuck is close to a tea house where you buy bubble tea of the prime quality. Since bubble tea is Asian, the plastic seal on the cups are written with Chinese. And you can't find it in Sweden. Yesterday I met a guy who lived in England. After a chat over some meal, it turns out that you can't find bubble teas in England either.
Do I hear a protest over there? Am I being to picky on the details? In my opinion, food is always the most important aspect of any culture. To accept another culture you should start by accepting the food. And I'm talking about real Chinese food, not sweet-sour-chicken or "four tiny cuisines"(fyra små rätter). I guess the diplomatic relationship between Sweden and China can enjoy a huge improvement once the Swedes start getting the stuff a down-to-earth Chinese eats. Has Carl Bildt even been to a traditional Chinese banquet?
So far, so good. It's getting late. I'll keep writing tomorrow. Post any comments you want.
I am in the honeymoon period. Forget about the ravaging swine flu on campus (520 confirmed cases so far), and the fact that H1N1 has already taken one Cornellian from us. Forget about the social barrier between the exchange students and the American juniors and seniors who already formed their circle of friends. Forget about what people say about American idiots, the Christian fundamentalists, the hillbillies from Texas. Despite my sleep deprivation (common among Ivy League students), occasional up-and-downs of my mood, I can tell you: Cornell is the best place I've ever stayed since 2006. Why? Because I'm in the honeymoon period.
Coming to the states has opened my eyes to a wide variety of things about life. In Europe, we tend to regard USA as a country with neither history nor culture. American history is short, that's true. The common (mis-) perception on American culture is something I disagree with. The American culture is so diverse. The life of a NYer is so different from that of a TXer that you can even consider them as two different countries. I've enjoyed American country music while some people hate it. For me it is not only the music that fascinates me, it's the life style. Imagine living like a modern cowboy with steel horses, driving a motorbike across the desert from dawn to dusk. How cool isn't that?
Alright, back to the campus. And forgive me being an Americanophile, I'm in the cultural honeymoon after all.
So what is about Cornell that makes it superior to Uppsala? If I'm to expand to the full range of this topic, then you'll probably spend the next few days reading this text. So this time I only go for the campus culture.
US of A is a country where everyone is an immigrant. The first thing that surprised me when registering for the PREPARE orientation week for International students, was the percentage of Asians among the volunteers: it looked like 90%. Having lived as a minority in Scandinavia for too long, I kinda liked what I saw. In comparison, most of Uppsala students are white. If you are from Uppsala you may protest, but if you do so, please take my advice and STFU. When it comes to globalization, UU is way out of the league. Everywhere on campus you can run into Asians, Indians, African-Americans, Caucasians and Latinos. People simply don't talk about the "locals" and "foreigners" the same way you do in EU. Cos in this country, or on campus, nobody is more "local" than anyone. Concepts such as "svenne" versus "blatte" is unheard of.
Cornell promotes cultural diversity. Its faculty strives to adopt cultures from other corners of the world. It could be considered as unfair, since the school may compromise the talent of certain students when endeavoring to gather teenagers from all of the 50 states and beyond. The result is: the elite Cornellians develop a seemingly strong sense of cultural awareness. Like this Afro-American dude I met last week: majoring in engineering and minoring in music, president of piano society, he even asked me which tone my first name is, much to my astonishment. His horde of Chinese friends taught him a few tricks! Back in Von Cramm, or people's commune, the topics on the dining table could be anything from world events to art history. The kids here know their stuff! They are not that ignorant!
When it comes to commodities, US is a lot better than EU. In Collegetown outside the campus, there is a street full of diners. They all serve different kind of food. We have Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian and Persian restaurants, Starbuck is close to a tea house where you buy bubble tea of the prime quality. Since bubble tea is Asian, the plastic seal on the cups are written with Chinese. And you can't find it in Sweden. Yesterday I met a guy who lived in England. After a chat over some meal, it turns out that you can't find bubble teas in England either.
Do I hear a protest over there? Am I being to picky on the details? In my opinion, food is always the most important aspect of any culture. To accept another culture you should start by accepting the food. And I'm talking about real Chinese food, not sweet-sour-chicken or "four tiny cuisines"(fyra små rätter). I guess the diplomatic relationship between Sweden and China can enjoy a huge improvement once the Swedes start getting the stuff a down-to-earth Chinese eats. Has Carl Bildt even been to a traditional Chinese banquet?
So far, so good. It's getting late. I'll keep writing tomorrow. Post any comments you want.
måndag 7 september 2009
Top 10, Von Cramm Hall
Top 10 reasons why Von Cramm Co-op (a.k.a. 人民公社, people's commune as in Communist China) is far more superior than Swedish student houses
10.
Von Cramm has it's own wikipedia article!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_cramm
9.
Baron von Cramm was a Nazi! (referring to the wikipedia article above)8.
Communism is in the house. D'Oh! I mean Crammunism!
7.
Three cats roaming the second floor. One is so fat that she looks pregnant.
6.
Backyard: groundhog (土拨鼠) in the morning; Compost heap: skunk 臭鼬in the evening.
5.
Wait a minute, did I mention a compost heap?
4.
House president = self-declared crammunist dictator (which means you have to vote for him)
3.
Your roommate becomes your best pal.
2.
House cleaning on a Saturday that lasts 10 hours.
1.
Check out the photo. It's gold!
More on Von Cramm in the not-so-distant future.
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