Winter Activities Organized by OSA

Office of Students Activities (OSA) has been organizing events to strip away the boredom and stresses of students’ life, to make them feel relaxed, and in the process to engage them in building a lively community in campus. This winter as well OSA successfully organized 3 events for students who were during campus for the winter vacation.

Christmas Celebration: 

On 24^th of December 2016, 40 students attended the church, situated at Jamalkhan, Chittagong, to celebrate Christmas. The event started from 11:30pm and lasted till 2:00pm. The students spent the Christmas Eve by celebrating the mass with the church and the local Christians of the church.  The next day on 25^th of December, with OSA’s request a special lunch was organized to celebrate Christmas.
 

Campus Trip: 
On 28^th of December 2016, OSA organized a trip to the AUW main campus site. More than 100 students joined the trip, which was held from 12:30pm to 4:30 pm. Upon reaching the campus, students became engaged in different activities to enjoy their time. The students participated in several games like badminton, football, volleyball, cricket, cycling and water fight. With music to cheer up the crowd of students along with refreshments for all, the trip was a successful in providing an opportunity to rekindle energy and enthusiasm among them. The campus trip was a wonderful change of scene from the hustle bustle of the city, and by the end of the day; most of the students were happily worn out by the day’s zealous activities.            
(No pictures, as the camera battery was dead) 

New Year’s Eve:        
On 31^st of December 2016, almost 100 students turned up to celebrate New Year’s Eve at 20J rooftop. The program lasted for more than two hours from 10:30pm-1:00 am. The celebration of New Year’s Eve included karaoke as well as a dance party. Amidst laughters and cheers, students danced as 2016 came to a near end. With the countdown to embrace 2017, students all screamed at the top of their lungs HAPPY NEW YEAR as soon as the clock hit 12pm. The students also enjoyed the colorful sky illuminated by the dazzling fireworks from the adjacent areas of the campus. OSA kick-started the new year with an arrangement of pizzas and ice cream to welcome the students for the upcoming fun events in 2017.            

 Article Contributed By: Ugyen Samdrup Lhamo (UG1). 

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Korean Dramas

Korean drama is rapidly gaining global popularity. Every Kdrama has a different concept and yet the main element is romance. First time viewers are attracted by the fact that Kdramas end in 16 or 20 episodes, but on the other hand, it is a heartbreaking reality for the Kdrama addicts. Another thing to look forward to is the soundtracks, which perfectly suit each drama. Here are some of my all time favourite Korean dramas listed in terms of year of release. So here we go...

# Personal Taste (2010) - Episodes: 16

Also known as Personal Preference. This is a story bending the rules of love, a love story between straight and gay. Park Gae In (Son Ye Jin), a furniture designer who lives in her father’s designed house, Sanggojae (meaning "a place for mutual love"). She is kind yet impulsive and clumsy with her personal life. Hurt by love and about to lose her house, she runs into Jeon Jin Ho (Lee Min Ho), a dashing architect but self-centered guy who has an obsession with cleanliness. In order to keep his firm running Jin Ho needs to win a project, but it turns out that Sanggojae is the design that can make or break his future. He pretends to be a gay to move in with Gae In and get access to the house design. This is a win-win situation for both when Gae In agrees to have Jin Ho as her roommate. Gae In begs Jin Ho to ‘make her a woman’ so that she can get over her ex boyfriend. While Jin Ho trains Gae In they gradually fall in love and Gae In has a hard time believing she’s fallen for her gay roommate.

This was my second Kdrama. Keeping up with ‘subtitled entertainment’ was a very strange experience but this drama got me hooked. The complications in Gae In and Jin Ho’s relationship is quite interesting to follow.  My favourite scene is where they go to a party in episode 6 (no spoilers!). It is fun to watch Gae In make a mess but later become a graceful lady who falls in love again.

# Scent of a Woman (2011) - Episodes: 16

Lee Yeon Jae (Kim Sun A) is a single woman in her mid-thirties working for a travel company. She works tirelessly and endures the ill-treatment from her colleagues for the sake of her job. After ten years of loyal service, the company falsely accuses her of stealing a client’s ring. To add to her misery, she finds out she has gallbladder cancer and only 6 months to live. She musters up courage to quit her job, withdraw her hard earned money and spend it on herself and her mother fulfilling her desires. She begins makes a bucket list and starts ticking off things to do. She meets Kang Ji Wook (Lee Dong Wook), the handsome successor of Yeon Jae’s former company, in Okinawa Island, Japan. Kang Ji Wook was sent on a business trip by his father. He misunderstands Yeon Jae to be a tourist guide and ends up with her for a whole day. However, his fiance follows him and the three of them have an unpleasant encounter. They meet again in Korea and through various events eventually fall in love when they both have reasons not to.

This is a love story with insecurities. The actress may not seem very beautiful or glamorous at first sight but we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, right? She does a great work with the character displaying the emotions perfectly. To my surprise there is a Muslim client handled by Yeon Jae. I don’t think they did justice to the Muslim part but it was interesting to see Yeon Jae running after chickens for the client’s meal. Overall, this drama is going to make you laugh and break your heart at times and that’s why it’s a worthy watch. I personally think shedding a few tears while watching a drama proves the drama’s worth.

# Fated to Love You (2014) - Episodes: 20

Lee Gun (Jang Hyuk) is the successor to a large company run by his family. His family is after him to get married and settle down. Then there is Kim Mi Young (Jang Nara), an average-looking secretary in a law firm who cannot say no and is taken advantage of by colleagues. The two of them accidently spend a night together in a hotel after drinking love potion. Mi Young later finds out that she is pregnant which lead to the two of them deciding to get married until the child is born.

This drama is a romantic comedy with a pinch of heart-rending scenes. Gun's laughter is the funniest thing; you’ll find yourself laughing along for no reason. The actors have great chemistry. You may find yourself hurting when they were hurting, fall in love when they do and laugh when they laugh. You will learn how to say snail in Korean (dalpaengi).

# She Was Pretty (2015)

Sung Joon (Park Seo Joon) and Hye Jin (Hwang Jung Eum) are childhood friends and each other’s first love. Sung Joon used to be fat and ugly and Hye Jin, the beautiful and popular girl who befriended him. He then moves to USA and comes back 15 years later and asks Hye Jin to meet up. Hye Jin finds out that Sung Joon has become a handsome man. Afraid to show her ugly self and ruin his perception of her, Hye Jin sends her friend Min Ha Ri (Koh Joon Hee) to pretend to be her. Things get complicated when she discovers her new boss is Sung Joon. She pretends to be strangers and he buys it because she looks nothing like the Hye Jin he knew. Not knowing her true identity, he gives her a hard time at work because she’s clumsy. Meanwhile, Min Ha Ri develops feelings for Sung Joon and Hye Jin gets an admirer, Kim Shin Hyuk (Choi Si Won), at her workplace.

The drama has two main funny characters, Kim Shin Hyuk and Kim Ra Ra (Hwang Seok Jeong), along with Hye Jin. One thing you take with you from this drama is Kim Shin calling ‘Jackson!’ For me, this drama means a high dose of second lead syndrome; Si Won, my favorite character, has shown exceptional acting skills which was more than expected from a singer. There is not an episode that you’d want to skip. Also the ending is mysterious, heartbreaking and surprising.

# Cheese in The Trap (2016) - Episodes; 16

This drama depicts the delicate relationship between female university student Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) and her senior Yoo Jung (Park Hae Jin). Hong-Seol works part-time due to her family's poor background. Yoo Jung is good looking, gets good grades, athletic and has a kind personality, but he has a dark side. At first she things that Yoo Jung is giving her a hard time for no reason until he asks her out. While they are dating random events make her suspicious about her boyfriend and she tries to figure him out.

This drama has a scene which shows the struggle that students go through during course registration; fighting for seats and even doing finger exercise and the course add/drop. The main couple along with Hong Seol’s friends are very cute and adorable. The main attraction is the mysterious charm of Yoo Jung while he’s protecting Hong Seol from behind the curtain.

# Descendants of the Sun (2016) - Episodes: 16

Yoo Shi Jin (Song Joong Ki) is the charming captain of the special forces along with equally handsome Sergeant Major Dae Young (Jin Goo) catch a thief. The thief is injured during his capture and is sent to the hospital. Dae-Young realises his cellphone was stolen by the thief and goes to the hospital to retrieve his cellphone. In the emergency room, Yoo Shi Jin meets Dr. Kang Mo Yeon (Song Hye Kyo) for the first time. He falls in love with her immediately. They  begin to date, but due to their jobs their dates don't go well. They break up and Yoo Shi Jin Goes to Uruk for a mission. Few months later Kang Mo Yeon is sent to volunteer in Uruk from her hospital where they meet again. They both are still hung up on each other but cannot commit because of the nature of their jobs and priorities.

This drama does not shows the lead female as a weak personality as most dramas do. Kang Mo Yeon portrays the role of a strong, protective, funny, person who helps others, is firm in her decisions and not afraid to declare them. There are many funny scenes in the drama not to mention those conversations between Yoo Shi Jin and Kang Mo Yeon. Their chemistry is great. The second lead couple is also very interesting. This is not a very action based drama but does have a little action towards the end.

# Goblin (2016) - Episodes; 16

In ancient times, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), an unbeatable general in wars, was killed by the jealous King Yeo  (Kim Min Jae) Kim Shin becomes a Goblin, possessing an immortal life. At first he thinks that he is blessed, but he realizes that he is cursed to watch close ones die while he lives.

900 years later, Kim Shin finally finds his bride, Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun)  who can help him end his life by pulling out the sword from his chest that only she can see. Ji Eun Tak grew up seeing ghosts and hearing whispers that refer to her as ‘the bride of the Goblin’. On her birthday, Ji Eun Tak blows the candle on and Kim Shin suddenly appears in front of her. It turns out that she can summon the Goblin if she blows on fire. Having found his bride, Kim Shin is reluctant to end his life as he finds himself attracted to her. But destiny has something else in store for them. Meanwhile, the Goblin and Grim Reaper end up living together and having small fights at home but their past life spoil their relationship.

I love everything about this drama and every episode of this drama. I can repeat every single episode many times more. The childish behavior of the Goblin around his young bride is hysterical and adorable. Although he’s 900 years old, he acts like a teenager around her. Their arguments are also cute and funny. The Grim Reaper’s love story is just as interesting. All the actors have done a stellar job in this drama. This drama is hilarious, painful and delightful at the same time

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Movie review: The Artist

Cast: BereniceBejo, James Cromwell, Jean Djadin, John Goodman, Malcolm McDowell, Penelope Ann Miller

Directors: Michel Hazanavicius

Production year: 2011

Countries: France, Rest of the world

Cert (UK): PG

Runtime: 100 minutes
If you want to evoke yourself with the charms of old Hollywood, then “The Artist” is the best movie to watch.

This movie was released recently and won the Oscar 2012 for Best Picture. The set is based on the time period of 1920s when the movie industry cast off black-and-white silent films. The spirit of the past is brought back to audience by writer/director Michel Hazanavicius through the movie.

The center point of the movie is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin)’s story. He was truly the top movie star of the world during the time of silent movies. Nobody was around him to compete, and his movies were some of the biggest hits in Hollywood. He was all the time surrounded and praised by fans and media for his every work. Besides, there was a young actress named Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), who was struggling to become someone in the Hollywood. Coincidentally, they both met each other.

After some time their career reverse. The talkies started and the new era began. Peppy Miller started acting and became very famous through talkies. Meanwhile, people lost their appetite towards the silent movies, as well as George Valentine.

Through the movie, you will see the deepest love and romance without focusing on only sex. Ups and downs of life are so dramatic where you fear to imagine yourself.

 Author: Momota Juthi

 Source:  AUW Spectrum, originally published on Jul 10, 2012 

*About AUW Spectrum: Former student-run magazine club in its operation from 2011 to 2014 at AUW 

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Bangladesh’s social decline prompting more women suicide - A call for an action!

November 20, 2011- A Housewife commits suicide, hanging herself from the ceiling.

November 21, 2011- A Female student allegedly hangs herself from the window grill.

November 25, 2011- Two teenage girls kill themselves, one by ingesting pesticide and the other by hanging.

And it does not stop here!

Despite the known fact that Bangladesh is predominantly a Muslim country and committing suicide is a big sin in Islam, the tremendous increase in suicide rate is surprising. People are voluntarily killing themselves that depicts their religious values are not obstructing them; rather their problems are growing heavier than their beliefs.

The news details show that Bangladesh’s degrading social situations cause the overwhelming increase in women’s suicide. Suicide problems prevail in most parts of the country, but measures have not been taken yet. The stark increase in the number of suicide shouts out loud that this issue should not be neglected.

What prompts people to commit suicide?

Many female students throw their lives into the darkness of death, becoming frustrated with their studies. They are likely to kill themselves being obsessed by the exam tensions.

Females tend to commit suicide more than males because of eve teasing, a persistent bullying of girls at school and on the streets. This is a prevalent problem in Bangladesh. For example, according to the Daily Star, a girl, 13, studying at grade seven, was continuously irritated by a group of boys on her way back to home. When her father interfered, he was threatened to kidnap her. Being aggravated by the insult and daily annoyance, she committed suicide.

Moreover, lack of education and poverty contributes for several self-murders. The CIA World Fact book records that the literacy rate of Bangladesh is 47.9 percent; 40 percent of the total population are living below the poverty line. To refrain from expensive education, many parents and young girls in rural areas pursue early marriage at the young age of 12-15 years. However, their problems triple at their husband’s house, when they are forced for dowry and child birth, causing maternal mortality.

Earlier this year, Rehana Khatun, a 20-year old housewife, killed herself by taking poison. She was physically and mentally abused by her in-laws and husband, which made difficult for her to survive. Suicide is common amongst those women who give their lives for their husbands, but are paid back with humiliation and hatred. Today, a significant number of housewives are killing themselves because they are harassed by their husbands and in-laws. Women are susceptible to domestic violence if they cannot fulfill the wishes of dowry.

Not only because of dowry, but women also commit suicide if they cannot control their husbands from doing “monkey business”. For instance, the death of Kohinur Akhter, a housewife from Koiaddari village of Bangladesh was because of the failure to restrain her husband from his extra-marital affair. Hence, these social disputes are threatening the lives of women and their rights as well.

However, this problem is not one directional; it is a vicious cycle, where not only social problems arise suicides, but stark growth in suicide rate also invite many social problems. By killing one self, people disappoint their family and relatives; indeed, they affect the society badly. Growing number of suicides not only hint individual’s dissatisfaction, but also draw attention to the bigger problems of a country. Attempting suicide is an embarrassing social issue for a nation that highlights not only social, but also economic and political drawbacks.

"But who should be responsible for this cause?

Society? Government? Or women themselves?"

Certainly, it is government’s duty to eradicate such social stigmas from the society by reinforcing strong laws and orders. Also, society forces women to endure such traumas in their lives, and women are the ones who get victimized.

Therefore, all three should function equally to mitigate these problems. Women should self-realize and empower themselves to face ordeals. However, women solely cannot restore their rights and justice; so society should understand their difficulties and collaborate to resolve them. Likewise, government should fortify education and employment facilities to help women overcome their atrocities in lives. 

It is high time to make a difference!

  

Author: Priyanka Shrestha

Source:  AUW Spectrum 

originally published on Jul 10, 2012

*About AUW Spectrum: Former student-run magazine club in its operation from 2011 to 2014 at AUW  

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90s vs. today

I remember waiting for Captain Planet on Wednesdays. I did not know how to read a clock, but my mom did, so I was completely dependent on my mom to call me when Captain Planet was about to start. It was some day for me. The other weekdays were booked for Sindhbad, Robin Hood, Small Wonder, I Dream of a Jinni, Bananas in pajamas, Knight Rider and X-file. Even though I was too young for X-files, my father used to bribe me with it only to make me study.
I do not remember watching any other cartoon other than Captain Planet before going to school, but I do remember the very first day I saw Disney Hour. I could not tell on which time and channel it was running. I remember how amazed I was by seeing a half human and half fish girl with a talking fish and a family of rich talking ducks. By the way, these two cartoons are known as Little Mermaid and Duck Tales.
I was excited to see them again. Every day after school, I used to look for them in every channel, but there was no sign of it. However, I discovered if I do not stop for Ice Cream after school then I get to see another cartoon, which had a dancing mouse with a crazy duck (Mickey Mouse and Friends and Donald Duck), so I stopped waiting for Ice Cream and started coming home early.
A couple of months later, I discovered that the half-fish half-human cartoon aired on Sony when the two hands of the clock stand straight like a stick. I was happy that I’d invented a new time by my own. One point for me!
At school, I tended to keep it secret because I wanted it to be only mine. I only shared it with my teacher not because I liked her, but because she asked me what I had done the other evening: I had not completed my homework because I was too tired after watching cartoon for an hour, and I had gone to bed. I was four back then, so these little discoveries had made up the best moments of my life. My mother used to bribe with Disney hour and Good Morning Disney to make me behave well. I became a very polite kid for a while who did not ask for ice cream after school, and did not want to stay on the field for to long only because of my new discoveries.
I remember watching Sponge Bob, Aladdin, Goofy, Rugrats, Recess, Looney Toons, Timon and Pumba, Tais Pin and so on with my little brother.  Looking at the clock every now and then, we used to wait for Disney. We did not have Disney channel or any other channel, which was only for cartoons, Disney Hour was all we had. As five and six-year-old kids our ultimate dream was to have a TV channel, which would be only for cartoons.
Our dream came true when the cable man showed me the new channels. My eyes bedazzled when I was written on chess box cartoon network. My little brother and I were literally jumping because we have something special. All we wanted to do was to watch cartoon. So many Super Heroes only on one TV channel. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Swat Cats, Ninja Turtles, and Jokey Chan’s Adventurers. I was under the spell of Cartoon Network. It did not only have just any super heroes; it had the legendary super heroes of all time. Beside that, it had Flintstones Family, The Jet-sons Family, Dexter’s Laboratory, Jonny Bravo, Road Runner, and Tom and Jerry and so on. Those were the best days of my life.
Cartoon network had the charm to preserve innocence of the kids, but now when I watch cartoons with my five-year-old sister, I see everything has changed. My baby sister can’t even tell who is Batman and she has never heard of Swat Cat. She says, “Cartoon network is boring”. I am afraid to say that she is right. Right after it turned to CN TV, it started getting worse. Wonder Woman got replaced by Power Puff Girls, Justice League by Ben10, Flintstones Family by Chaudière and the show Dexter’s Lab at one 1.30 am in the morning. There were no sign of other cartoons I used to watch.
The channel has good cartoons like Megas XLR, Young Justice, Transformers, Star wars (animated) but she can hardly understand them. She knows about X-men, Super man and Batman because I told her about them. She never watches those when I am not around. She watches Doremon, Chen Chan or something that sound similar to that.  All of which were somehow teaching her to lie and hide things from us. In Doremon, there is character named Nobita who hates to study and never does his homework, and who is always late for class and seeks for alternative helps by a robot from future. I am not saying that all of these are teaching her to cheat us; however, it is showing her the ways to cheat and to lie. Even though in every episode the robot says these things are bad, but how is a five -year -old supposed to understand that?
Cartoons suppose to be fun, but not complicated. My sister watches Barbie, and then puts on make-up to look like her. She is five years old who talks about first kiss and love stories and getting married to live happily ever after. There are good messages behind every story, but kids have their own ways to interpret that message. I’m not upset because she is not watching my favorite cartoons; I’m sad because she is not enjoying her childhood, and she does not get to watch the cool cartoons I had in my childhood. 

Author: Tasnuva Kalam Tonny

Source:  AUW Spectrum, originally published on  Jun 8, 2013
 *About AUW Spectrum: Former student-run magazine club in its operation from 2011 to 2014 at AUW 

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