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APPRIZE sian American Association Newsletter February 2011 Happy Valentine’s Day! Year of the Rabbit Meet the Shadows
Apprizesian American Association Newsletter
February 2011
Happy Valentine’s
Day!Year of the RabbitMeet the Shadows
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FEB11 | APPRIZE 1
Hello Everyone!Hope your semester is going well! This month’s issue focuses on Valentine’s Day and the
Lunar New Year. From history to customs, you’ll be sure to learn some new informa-
tion about the two holidays! I ’ll be expecting some chocolates on March 14th ;)
Watch out for our Special Fashion Show Issue coming up next month! <3 Winnie
P.S. Check out our website at www.aaauiuc.wordpress.
com!E-mail me if you would like to
help maintain it!
Thanks to all the contributers (and roomie Sarah for putting up with me constantly asking “Does this look okay???”)!!!
FEB11 | APPRIZE 2
Out with the Old, in with the NewAn innate talent I had always bragged about was being able to judge the amount of “fortune” I’d receive every Chinese New Year’s in my red envelope (hong bao, 紅包, Viet: li xi). Give me a Lincoln and you’re alright, but a Jackson…, you’re certainly on my good side, more or less. And sesame candy? Damn. Old and retired… from where do they keep finding the cash and goods to regularly spoil grandchildren?The first floor of my grandparents’ bungalow. Musky odors infiltrated by plates of Chinese and Vietnamese home-cooking. Desaturated walls became quickly trumped by splashes of red, the lucky color which always made it onto the many outfits that my mom decorated onto me each year, much to my chagrin. And yet, there were the same grandmas, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, great-aunts, great-uncles, and the somehow-related’s of yesteryears – that is, until my maternal (and last) grandfather passed away on New Year’s in 2005, the Year of the rooster. Melancholy thoughts abound. But what the tricky and loving grandfather had bequeathed to my cousins and I was a greater gratitude for our traditions, our beloved grandmother, and an initiative to take the reins of the yearly celebration. Out with the old, in with the New. Chinese New Year is a time to (literally) open windows – to let the old spirits out, and the New in. Also, tangerines…they become omnipresent. The celebration is a cultural and somewhat religious phenomenon. But wait; there’s more, a lot more than Jan 1st New Year’s. Dragons and lions dance down streets, as festive performances and families parade alongside the organized chaos. Lanterns are lit on the 15th and final day of the New Year’s celebrations, and suddenly, even the blind passersby have started to fully soak in the visual sensation and poignant significance of it all – a flame lit under the full moon, beckoning the return of light each year. It is during this day that I muster the most motivation to be in China, Malaysia, or Singapore. This is simply because the 15th day of the celebrations is an unofficial Chinese version of Valentine’s Day, when single women write their digits on tangerines and throw them into a lake, floating vulnerably until a swarm of (hopefully) single men dive in to retrieve and eat one. A sweet tangerine is a good sign; a sour, well…it’s probably a good idea to stay clear. If by this point I’ve lost all means of credibility to you, fret not. Wikipedia and my dad will confirm this bit for me. AAA event, anyone?Much like Jan 1st, Chinese New Year is a time for restarting. Rekindle with those say-hi-in-the-hallway friends who have merely become acquaintances. Invent an innovative hairstyle, or rediscover a musical passion you had neglected and locked away in a dusty closet before departing for college. It remains only my hope to non-pedantically convey memories of Chinese New Year into words. For those, including myself, who are here at UIUC during the Chinese New Year, forget not your families at home, and the traditions they’ve instilled into us. We simply are our memories, as well as our traditions – waxing or waning.
Whether you are chinese or not (many Asian countries have their own versions of the celebration), the chinese New Year celebrations should be observed by all with blessings for good fortune, longevity, good health, and above all, a profound prosperity. And of course, with tangerines and rice or sesame balls. A mouthful of terms, yes, but nevertheless, emotions which precipitate into our souls as we shake and unseal the red envelopes of fortune and hop into the year of the Rabbit.
Michael Nguyen
storytime with the treasurer
Hello Everyone!Hope your semester is going well! This month’s issue focuses on Valentine’s Day and the
Lunar New Year. From history to customs, you’ll be sure to learn some new informa-
tion about the two holidays! I ’ll be expecting some chocolates on March 14th ;)
Watch out for our Special Fashion Show Issue coming up next month! <3 Winnie
P.S. Check out our website at www.aaauiuc.wordpress.
com!E-mail me if you would like to
help maintain it!
FEB11 | APPRIZE 3
SHOUT-OUTSFamily ShortcakeYou guys are the best. We couldn’t have asked for a better family, and you guys have really made this family so meaningful to us. Love ,Annie, Mei Mei, and Vince
To all of AAA-Thank you for wishing me luck on the MCAT and believing in me. It means a lot to me, especially on that dreadful day, and the good news is, I survived. - Vince
Kelly Makeroni, we should hang out more! <3 Biggie
Ken Chan, I need to see you more :) <3 Biggie
Maymay... :D <3 Biggie
YAY WINNIE I LOVE YOU ROOMIE - roomie A
good luck being a shadow, joanne! <3 sarah
hi kai <3 sarah
Kwan-Happy Valentine’s Day! ;)<3Cindy
Family Cocomero-You Go Glen CoCo :)- Cindy
Jeanna-Thanks for being an awesome shadow!-A/A Chairs
My family-You guys are the strawberries to my shortcake. I love you all so berry much! (my best pun ever ^.^)- Anna
To Mark Chen-i love u daddy! you better hang out w/ me before u graduate!- daughter
Ray Wu-love u baby!- Connie
To my other-Thanks for being a loving other and feeding our kids. Next Xmas, expect some heels and fruity drinks from us :]Love, your other
To Chubby-LOBB YOU. You are my perfect match. Victory is always yours.Love, Tubby
To Assorted Pastriez-You are an amazing family. Thanks for always coming out and keeping your mom and dad company.Love, Mom
To Family Chill/Eggplant/Mighty-You will always be my first family. Papa chill, Engineered chill, Mayo Chill, etc. <3 Love, Soy Chill
To V-Happy Valentines Day. And happy 4. :]- Dontot
Brenda-ooh~squashbig crush- Mark
Barb Yeung-hi- Mark
Family Mochi-moo- Mark
Happy Valentines Day Brian Liu! - Stephanie
Send Shout-outs to [email protected]!!!
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~VALENTINE’S
DAY~ ARTICLE BY: ANNIE LAM
<3
LOVE.
CHOCOLATE.
FRESH PINK ROSES.
TEDDY BEARS AND FLOWERS.
JELLO HEARTS AND SCRAPBOOK MEMORIES.
WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT THE PERFECT DATE?
WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT THE PERFECT GIFT?
WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT THE PERFECT LOVER?
WHAT VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT THE PERFECT DANCE?
WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY WITHOUT THE PERFECT FRIEND?
LET US ALL ENJOY THIS HOLIDAY TOGETHER.
FAMILY, FRIENDS, GUYS & GIRLS.
BUT WHAT IS THIS?
PERFECTION.
<3
Send Shout-outs to [email protected]!!!
Layout by Social Chair Annie Lam
Shadow Team A
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Neil SarwAl
VEenA VijayAkumar
Year: FreshmanMajor: ECE
Shadow Position: Social Favorite cake: Pineapple CakeFavorite beverage: Sweet Tea
Aspirations: Live Long and ProsperFavorite thing about U of I: The social environmentFavorite Thing about AAA: The people involved
Year: JuniorMajors/Minor: Art History and Pre-Physical Therapy/Italian
Shadow Position: CulturalNicknames: Vee, VeeVee, The Little One
Favorite beverage: Simply Orange orange juiceAspirations: To one day be an entrepreneur and own my own
vegetarian restaurantFavorite thing about U of I: Having my own apartment where I can
cook anytime I want, even in the middle of the night. :)Favorite Things about AAA: All the amazing friends I’ve made and,
of course, dancing in the fashion show!
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JoanNe LIi
VEnus LiAng
ADriEnNe SOon
G
Year: JuniorMajor: Bioengineering
Shadow Position: PublicityNickname: Jo-e
Favorite thing about U of I: All the bunniesFavorite cake: ice cream cakeFavorite beverage: Anything sweet
Aspirations: To make a positive difference in peoples’ lives whether it be by working in an expansive company or day-today activitiesFavorite Thing about AAA: All the warm and happy people!
Year: FreshmanMajor: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Shadow Position: FundraiserNickname: ve
Favorite thing about U of I: My friends, DEFINITELY :)Favorite cake: Carrot cake
Favorite beverage: Water with lemon Aspirations: Make it into the medical school
Favorite Things about AAA: Being with friends, dancing, and meeting people that are not just Chinese (YAY for diversity)
Year: FreshmanMajor/Minor: Undecided-- considering Advertising major and
Art History minorShadow Position: Newsletter
Favorite thing about U of I: the Arboretum.Favorite cake: Black Forest Cake
Favorite beverage: Almond Milk TeaAspirations: I want to travel the world and meet some penguins
and pandas. Favorite Things about AAA: I really like the people in AAA.
Some people are funny, some are nice, some are sarcastic, and everyone is part of the giant AAA family.
FEB11 | APPRIZE 7
DarRen CHeN
iVA GayLoRD
JeanNA wOnG
Year: FreshmanMajor: Electrical EngineeringShadow Position: Sports
Favorite thing about U of I: The dance community.Favorite cake: Tiramisu
Favorite beverage: Green TeaAspirations: Inspire others through music.
Year: SophomoreMajor: East Asian Languages and Cultures (Hoping to do double
major in Comm.)Shadow Position: Outreach
Favorite thing about U of I: AAA! And Insomnia cookies. AAA friends + insomnia cookies = Mind blowingly awesome
Favorite cake: CarrotFavorite beverage: Homemade Milkshakes [Esp. Strawberry :) ]Aspirations: I hope to have traveled to 6 continents and get a job
dealing with international relations. [4 down, 2 to go. Antarctica too cold. Can’t eat ramen there without it freezing] I also love baking and hope to master the art of pie crust making without getting too pudgy in the
process :D
Year: FreshmanMajors/Minor: MCB and PSYC/Business
Shadow Position: Academic/AlumniNickname: Jeannie
Favorite thing about U of I: Freedom away from homeFavorite cake: Sponge Cake woot!Favorite beverage: Coke Zero
Aspiration: To become a successful dermatologistFavorite Things about AAA: Overall, I love everyone’s attitude. On the very first day I met AAA, the members were so warm, friendly, and fun. They definitely made me feel welcome. And of course, my absolute most favorite
thing is my AAA family! Strawberry Shortcake FTW
ShadoWTeam b
FEB11 | APPRIZE 8
eMIly kONG
JaE eUN kiM
Year: FreshmanMajor: Business- Accounting possiblyShadow Position: BIG sib/lil’ sib
Nickname: King KongFavorite thing about U of I: The friends that I have made and the
opportunities the college of businesshas providedFavorite cake: Coldstone ice cream cake- with mint chocolate chip preferably
Favorite beverage: Diet cokeAspiration: To enjoy whatever im doing at the time
Year: JuniorMajor/Minor: Psychology/Communication
Shadow Position: PhilanthropyFavorite thing about U of I: AAA, Friends, Dance Practices, Basement/ARC/CRCE since there are enough space to dance!
Favorite cake: Mocha CakeFavorite beverage: Ginger Ale
Aspirations: Human Resource Assitant/Technical HR, Super Mom, who can be a great career-woman, best mom, AND wife at the
same time. Haha :)Favorite Things about AAA: Dancing with my favorite people,
meeting new people, making unforgettable memories
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The Lunar New Year refers to the beginning of the year in countries that follow the lunar calendar. Each country has its own way of celebrating the Lunar New Year. We’ll be discussing the celebrations that occur in two different countries, China and Japan.
Chinese New Year is one of the most important tradition holidays the country holds. It happens during the winter, but the event is called “Spring Festival (春节).” The festival last 15 days and end on lantern festival. Chinese New Year is one of the longest holidays and can be dated back to ancient times. Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide even here at the University of Illinois. The festival is normally filled with delicious cuisine and traditional ceremonies. Aside from that though, it is also one of the most expensive holidays for Chinese people. It’s the time of the year where people are willing to empty out their pockets and take a trip to the mall to buy presents for friends and family. During the New Year festival, you’ll see red everywhere, all the decorations and signs will have this color. On the 15th day at the end of the New Year festival, families walk the streets carrying lanterns. People light candle outside their houses as a way to guide the spirits home.
Nowadays, Japan celebrates New Year on January 1st will the majority of the world. However, they used to follow the lunar calendar and celebrate New Year according to it. The change was made in 1873 when they adopted the Gregorian calendar. During New Year, Japanese people eat special traditional dishes known as “osechi.” Aside from the traditional ceremonies in Japan, most of the celebration is the same as in other countries. It’s the time families are willing to spend the most money. People are also willing to go out of their way to do something special. On the night of New Year Eve at midnight, temples all over Japan ring their bells 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding senses and feeling.
Even though the ceremonies and traditions are different, we all celebrate the same thing. It’s the end of a wonderful year and the start of an even better one. All of us might be far from our families, but know that you are always welcome in AAA. We are your other family away from home. It’s a New Year and a good start for new things so let’s be a part of it together.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
Lunar New Year FestivalBy Victor Chavalit
FEB11 | APPRIZE 10
The New Year is always full of empty resolutions, full stomachs, the dread of doing school work again,
and new horoscopes. Usually we all get over it but one fine day on Facebook everyone had a status about the astrological signs changing. There were tears, lost personalities, ads for new personalities, and worrisome compatibility issues with friends and mates. I had no problems with reinventing myself, but then I caught sight of a word: Ophiuchus. First, I didn’t even know how to pronounce the word (I looked it up: of-ee-yoo-kuhs). Then, I was angry and I didn’t really know why I was angry; it wasn’t as if I had become one. But the question remained for people who became an Ophiuchus: what is expected from an Ophiuchus? I have the answer: nothing. If you are reading this article your sign did not change. Why? Because you were not born this year. The personality of the 13th sign doesn’t even exist! Astrology is not based on the stars or how the planets align with each other. Deep down everyone knows horoscopes are not real. We read them because they are fun and they entertain us, I know I do. So please, don’t cry. If you have broken up with your mate because you both thought you were no longer compatible, get back together. There is no need to change personalities and you are allowed to continue fraternizing with your friends again.
Once an Aries, Always an Aries
Year of the Rabbit Rabbits, rejoice! It’s your year! I have been reading up on rabbit personalities and overall they seem like very calm people. Those born in the year of the rabbit are a bit introverted but still like to socialize with others, usually entertaining in their own homes. They tend to avoid conflict and confrontation, but be warned they are strong-willed. You should not underestimate the inner strength of those born in the year of the rabbit.
But what does this year mean for the rest of us? While rabbits will be having a wonderful year, many of us will have less luck and will encounter hardships in the next twleve months. Don’t worry, I have a solution: be-come close friends with someone who is born in the year of the rabbit.
Famous people born as a rabbit: Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, James Fox, Drew Barrymore, Whitney Houstan, and Geoffrey Rush,.
Layout by Newsletter Shadow Adrienne Soong
FEB11 | APPRIZE 11
First off, happy Lunar New Year to everyone! Hopefully that snow day was the Lunar New Year’s Eve gift that you needed.
It’s hard to imagine, living in the U.S., that Lunar New Year is really even that big of a deal. The day passes by with nary an acknowledgement; calendars don’t mark it; if you’re like me, you have to Google the day on the solar calendar that it falls on every year. You know how I spent my Lunar New Year’s Eve? I worked from home, shoveled two feet of snow, and took a nap. In fact, the only way you would even know that we knew this holiday existed was the fact that we sat down for dinner and had some homemade dumplings, in accordance to Chinese tradition. Very elaborate, I know.
Believe it or not, Lunar New Year is a huge deal. For starters, in China most people get at least a week off of work or school. One whole week! It’s like the Chinese equivalent of the holiday season; people go all-out with the decorations just as much as people here do with Christmas. You’ll find red to be rather common theme: red lanterns, red signs, red firecrackers, red everything. Red is supposed to be a lucky color; never can have too much of a good thing, right?
The custom that most people probably know is the hong bao, or red envelope. Adults and the elderly typically give hong bao to children or unmarried young adults as an act of well wishing or blessing. Of course, we all look forward to getting that money. Trust me; I was very disappointed not to get my hong bao this year. (Let’s forget the whole being an adult and having a salary thing…)
The Chinese have a bunch of other customs they follow this time of year. The dumplings that I ate for dinner are shaped like ancient Chinese money, and are a symbol of prosperity. People typically clean house the night before to sweep away bad luck, while making sure not to clean for the first few days after so that they don’t sweep away the good luck that comes with the New Year. Firecrackers are set off in order to ward off any evil spirits or misfortunes.
So next year, when you’re feeling blue about having to go to class while kids half a world away are starting a week of festivities, you can do any of the above to celebrate in your own way, except perhaps setting off firecrackers. That might not go well with roommates.
Celebrating the “Other” New Year
By Nathan Cheng
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Ran’s Cook’orner“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be
much more than what we are.”
-Adelle Davis
Coconut Macaroons
Eight Precious Pudding
1 cup Red Bean Paste Assorted dates, nuts, fruits, candies
2 cups Glutinous Rice 2 tbsp Oil
1/3 cup Sugar Water
1. Place rice in pot with water about 3/4 inches above rice. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes
stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The rice should be moist without an excessive amount of
liquid water.
2. Stir in sugar and oil. Mix well and set aside.
3. Grease a medium bowl heavily with oil. Arrange dates, nuts, and fruit in circles around the
bottom and up to top edge of the bowl.
4. Spread a layer of the rice mixture over the toppings. Follow with a layer of red bean paste.
Cover with another layer of rice and pack tight.
5. Place the bowl on a steam rack. Cover and steam for an hour.
6. Remove pudding by running a flexible spatula around the edge. Place serving dish on top of bowl
and invert.
4 large egg whites (room temp.) 1 tsp Vanilla Extract1 cup White Sugar 3 cups Shredded Sweetened Coconut1/2 cup Sifted Cake Flour 1/4 tsp Salt
1. In a stainless stell bowl placed over simmering water, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt.2. When the mixture is warm to the touch and creamy, remove from heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.5. Place small mounds of batter on baking sheet several inches apart.6. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes and then transfer to rack.
Celebrating the “Other” New Year
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Valentine’s Day and Other Romantic HolidaysThe Jade Emperor, Taoist ruler of the Heavens, had a daughter named Zhinü (織女), or weaver girl. Responsible for creating the clouds of heaven, she also weaved the Milky Way, giving light to heaven and earth. Using a magical robe, Zhinü would descend from the heavens onto earth in order to bathe. During one of these visits, Niu Lang (牛郎), a cowherd, fell in love with her at first sight, stole her robe (so she couldn’t return home to Heaven) and kidnapped her. She gradually fell in love with Niu Lang and eventually married him; however, she was also growing homesick. Chancing upon her robe her husband had hidden, she returned to Heaven to visit her father. Just as soon as she returned, the Jade Emperor called for the Silver River (Milky Way) to flow, creating an obstacle in the way of Zhinü’s return to Earth. Seeing the couple heartbroken, the Jade emperor allowed the lovers to meet on a bridge over the river once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
This folk-tale correlates to actual movements of the star Vega, in the constellation of Lyra east of the Milky Way, and the star Altair, in the constellation Aquila west of the Milky Way. The seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Milky Way appears to dim, translating to the Milky Way not blocking the union of the two lovers.
Based on this folk-tale, a holiday similar to Valentine’s Day, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (around August) emerged in China. It is called the Qixi Festival (七夕节). Similar holidays take place in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, as well. They are called Tanabata (七夕), Chilseok (칠석), and Ngày mưa ngâu, respectively.
Princess and the Herder
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Valentine’s Day and Other Romantic Holidays
July Silver DayAugust Green DaySeptember Music DayOctober Wine DayNovember Movie DayDecember Hug Day
January Candle DayFebruary Valentine’s DayMarch White DayApril Black DayMay Rose DayJune Kiss Day
Much like the Japanese, South Korean also celebrates White Day. In addition to Valentine’s Day and White Day, there is a “Black Day” on April 14th where singles eat jajangmyun (자장면), noodles in black bean sauce. Besides the three most well-known holidays, there are other specified days on the 14th of the other months. There is also Pepero Day where couples give each other the stick-like cookies on 11/11.
Other Love Holidays
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AA
A G
ener
al M
eetin
g +
Fond
ueSnapshots
Photography by Michael Nguyen
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Fashion Show Practice
Photography by Michael Nguyen
FEB11 | APPRIZE 17
Sudoku #09 SolutionSudoku #37 Solution
Sudoku #03 Sudoku #52
AAA Post-Valentine’s D
ay Fundrais
er
Anniversary P
laza
Monday, Febr
uary 21st
11:00am-4:00
pm
Come out for Oreo T
ruffles and
Chocolate-cov
ered Pretzel
s!
AAA-mbassadors: Asian American Representation and Sport
Saturday, February 19th 5:00pm-7:00pm AACC
FEB11 | APPRIZE 18
FebruAry
AAA FundraiserFashion ShowRun-throughs@Gregory Hall
VSA VolleyballPSA Fashion Show
FAAAMILY Ice SkatingAPA Fundraiser
AAA Ambassadors
AAAFASHION SHOW!!!
AACC Food for Thought-
AACC Food for Thought
AACC Food for Thought
AACC Food for Thought
AACC Food for Thought
AAA General
TASC Cooking Forum
APA Fundraiser APA Fundraiser
Coming Soon!!!
AAA-mbassadors: Asian American Representation and Sport
Saturday, February 19th 5:00pm-7:00pm AACC
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PresidentSwetha Ramanathan
External VPBeth Kopacz
Internal VPDharani Ramanathan
TreasurerMike Nyugen
Secretary Mark Chen
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Academic/Alumni Cindy Lam Vince LamBig Sib/Lil Sib My Huyen Ho Simon HuynhCultural Awareness Vichaya Chavalit Ju LeeFashion Show Sarah Hsu Kim MokFundraising William ThaiNewsletter Winnie ChengOutreach Junmin Luo Suran YooPhilanthropy Joanne Lau Iris ZhangPublicity Lucy WenSocial Annie Lam Christine LinSports Frank Lin Daniel WangAdvisors Lee Cheung Brian Liu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
[email protected]@illinois.edu
contact AAA280 Illini Union #[email protected] s/n: AAAUIUC
AAA MISSION STATEMENT• To serve and promote the needs of Asian Americans at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
• To educate the university and community on current Asian American issues.
• To promote awareness of Asian American heritage to the University and community through programming on Asian American history and culture.
• To provide social activities for Asian American Association members.
• To support and work in coalition with other groups who serve and protect the Asian American community
