THIS IS YOUR FREE COPY OF UNIA MAGAZINE | OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARUBA | DECEMBER 2013

ISSU

E 11

Nieuwe Opleiding UA: Wiskunde

Nieuwe Opleiding UA: Wiskunde

Dare 2excel

The University of Aruba empowers students to “DARE 2 EXCEL” and we hope they are inspired and motivated to take on this challenge. “DARE 2 EXCEL” is the slogan of the

study abroad or exchange program of the University of Aruba. Before I ponder a while on the theme of studying abroad, I would like to ask your attention for some of the important articles in this edition. Read all about the new program at the FAS. Yes, FAS-Mathematics (Wiskunde) is the new study program, they are ”the new kid on the block“ (so to speak). In this edition the FAS-Mathematics (Wiskunde) team gives insight in the program. We

are also happy that a few students decided to share their experiences as well. The FAS-Mathematics program has many talented students; one student in particular shared his

passion for speed.

In this edition you can also read about the new project of C.K.I.: ”Kids for the future”. Read all about their experiences as facilitators and what they learned from the kids.

An FHTMS student gives a summary of her whitepaper on text messaging.We have a new section called Art & Culture where you can read about our calypso and

learn a bit more about Rosabella Illis. In every edition our international and local students share their experiences. Francis gives you a taste of his experience at UCU and the

students of the University of Deggendorf share their experience in Aruba.

Last but not least in our taboo section, Rigmar gives us food for thought. Where can you find information on the study abroad program? Study abroad or exchange programs are designed to help students develop an open attitude towards other cultures, broaden

their horizons and help them in developing and fostering a sense of commitment and responsibility. With the fast changing world, our students need international exposure to

cultivate international competencies.

Higher education institutes have international educational cooperation programs. This is important for international cooperation and in this fast changing world it is needed more than ever. After reading this brief introduction, I do hope you are curious to learn more about our exchange program. You are young and adventurous and we hope you

will take advantage of this opportunity at a foreign partner school. Please visit our new website (www.ua.aw)for additional information concerning our partner universities and their

exchange programs. You can indulge in reading the storybook, which is a collection of student experiences or pass by the Office of Student Affairs (9am-12 pm or 2-4 pm). Our

friendly staff is eagerly awaiting your visit.

Charisse Hoen-Daly

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In thIs I s s u e :

NewsUA O’week P5Meeting student Council P6

spOt LightNieuwe Opleiding UA: wiskunde P7Reactie van twee wiskunde studenten P10

Rosabelle illes P11

FeFstudying Abroad: Do what feels good! P13Utrecht summer school: international & Academic experience P15

CKiKids for the Future camp P17

ARt & CULtUReAruban Calypso Analyzed at international Conference P19ABCD-system P20

FAsFrancis Not in groningen P21where some people see problem, they see Opportunities P22sw&D walk the talk of Development in Rancho P22internship at FBBg P23

A Long Distance hello P24

FAsOur experience on Aruba, One happy island P25text Message Marketing P26

tABOO?Mi ta spera cu himno y Bandera haya mesun ambiente cu eleccion! P27

spORtsLionel werleman P29

p7 p17

p25

p27

DISCLAIMER

Creative Designer: Final Format

by Michel Almary

Proof Readers: Irena Croes

Patrick Arens

Coach and Coördinator of Magazine and Marketing:

OSA Team

Contributing Writers: Tracey WerlemanDahariana Evertsz

PannyanNurianne Helder

Tim CroesDonald AngelaIrayka Yanez

Daylan KrozendijkThaïna Laclé

Rosabelle IllesMaggy Hazel

Leanne GeermanDrs. Gregory Richardson

Francis CroesClementia Eugene

Alexandra, Philipp & MartinSamantha Reis de Nogal

Rigmar J. KockLionel Werleman

All of our contents are copyrighted. Copyrights belong to respective owners. Reproduction and or publication without proper consent of the respective owners is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved. The Uniamagzine reserves the right to include,modify or exclude any articles it receives as if sees fit. Although proper care has been take to ensure accuracy and reliability, Uniamagazine is not responsible for any mistakes or opinions for respected writers. The Uniamagazine does not

endorse or share the opinions voiced b the authors/writers.

TEAM2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4

Hi everybody!My name is Tracey Werleman. I’m a second year student of Social Work & Development. I’m a very relaxed person but I really like to keep myself busy. You will see me walking around the UA interviewing students about their daily life as a student. Also be prepared to take some pictures because the team will be looking for hard working students. This magazine will be to inform you but will also be used to reflect your hard work and dedication at the UA. Be ready, because we are everywhere!

Tracey Werleman

Hello Fellow Students. My name is Dahariana Evertsz also known as Daha or Crazy hair (honestly).I’ m a student of Social Work and Development of the University of Aruba. As a contributing writer when asked to give a small description, I was challenged to write simplistically. Let me explain why. I am a very energetic person, with a positive attitude and a quirky style. Inspiration is something that just happens, through clothing, faces, music or delicious smells of food. As a writer each word you put on a paper is a chance for others around you to catch a glimpse of what you feel or see around you. To gain knowledge in the beauty of words has been a long and loving passion of mine. As a writer of the new editions you may see me walking around talking to people, attending events and asking opinions on topics of fellow students. I see the beauty in everyone and their ideas, because at the end of the day we are all unique and different. So let your creativity out and live your college experience. You never know I might just be watching...

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Sophomore at the Faculty of Arts and Science- Organization Governance and Management. Now also part of the UNIA Magazine Team. I am a quote lover and strongly believe that writing is one of the best ways to express feelings, thoughts, ideas or anything positive or creative that comes up in your mind. More about myself: I like anything that involves art, including the art of writing. Volunteer work is one of the things I have been doing for more than 6 years and I love it simply because to me life is not only about me. According to science, human brains have a left side and a right side. The left side of the brain is analytical while the right side of the brain is creative. The human nature is like the right side of the brain, it’s free, creative, positive and does not follow a logical pattern. Probably you as a fellow reader have still not understood what my point is.If I was thinking with my left side of the brain most likely I would not have been talking about the right side of the brain. The right side of the brain is something we all own and even use it unconsciously, so we do not have to act as if it does not exist. The right brain is evidently there. As an advice: Take good advantage of your potential, be positive, set yourself free, set your goals and learn. Learn to do all that you can do to be right. I describe myself in one word; I am ‘right’. I am creative, positive and try to do my best at everything I can and want to do. At least, that is what I try... Nurianne Helder

My name is Pannyan, a fourth year student of the bachelor program Organization, Governance and Management.Born and raised on this beautiful island called Aruba and with my Chinese heritage I consider myself a multicultural person.What can I say about myself? Well I like to cook, I like to eat, I like watching movies, going to the beach, I like reading about history, I like spending time with my loved ones (this includes my two super cute dogs) and learning new things, accepting and facing new challenges.Talking about learning and challenges, I am very excited to be writing and working for the UNIA Magazine of the University of Aruba.It is so important for students to be informed about the University and also recognizing and giving proper attention to all of our students of the UA!Next to that, it is also important that the society outside of the UA can have a peek of what the students at the UA are up to.My task, together with my awesome colleagues, is to ensure the UNIA magazine will be published in a fun, entertaining and exciting way! So I am very delighted to work for the UNIA magazine.Cheers!

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UA O’WEEK August 2013

The Office of Students Affairs (OSA) is one of the offices of the UA that prepares students to assume roles of leadership in a fast changing society. Together with the faculties and a UA student crew, they organized the Orientation Welcome Week, better known as the O week.

Because the university is much more than classes and exams, we developed three days filled with fun, teambuilding and skill training activities. As you can see in the pictures we had a good time, students got acquainted with the UA and made a few new friends along the way.

Special thanks go out to our ENERGETIC and AMAZING student assistants Christine & Carl. You guys ROCK!!!

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Meeting Student Council of the University of Aruba & Class RepresentativesOn the 25th October 2013 the Student Council of the University of Aruba (SUA) held a meeting with the Class Representatives. The purpose of this meeting was to introduce the SUA board to the Class Representatives for this school year. The SUA board gave a short presentation of the purpose of the SUA, however, the main objective was to present the ‘Handleiding voor de Klassenvertegenwoordigers’. The ‘Handleiding voor Klassenvertegenwoordigers’ is a manual that was created by four class representatives with the goal to guide other class representatives to understand and accomplish their task as class representatives as successfully as possible. The SUA ‘in oprichting’ helped with this manual by organizing the meetings and by helping the end product come through; the content of this manual however, originates from those four class representatives. The present board of the SUA believes in close collaboration between the SUA board and the Class Representatives for the common good of the University of Aruba, to the extent that the tasks and authority of both organizations are being respected by both organizations. The SUA is pleased with the turnout of the Class Representatives and looks forward to accomplish a close relationship. This was the first meeting for this school year, but we are already organizing a second meeting for those class representatives who could not assist at the first meeting: again, all class representatives from all faculties are invited. In the same matter, we of the SUA board will organize more events to benefit the students of the University of Aruba. We hope to get and keep a greater input of our student body in the future.

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“Live Your Journey…”

NiEUWE OPlEidiNg UNivERSitEit vAN ARUbA

Bachelor lerarenopleiding

BEGIN DIT CURSUSJAAR IS ER

AAN DE UNIVERSITEIT VAN ARUBA

EEN NIEUWE OPLEIDING GESTART,

DE BACHELOR LERARENOPLEIDING

WISKUNDE. DEZE OPLEIDING VALT

ONDER DE FACULTY OF ARTS AND

SCIENCE. ALS JE DEZE OPLEIDING

MET GOED GEVOLG AFLEGT,

DAN BEN JE TWEEDEGRAADS

BEVOEGD DOCENT WISKUNDE WAT

BETEKENT DAT JE LES MAG GEVEN

OP EPB, MAVO, HAVO/VWO (KLAS 1,

2 EN 3) EN EPI.

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Spot Light

In deze opleiding wordt je wiskundekennis vergroot. Het is

belangrijk dat je boven de stof staat zodat je weet waar de

leerlingen uiteindelijk naar toe gaan. Bovendien ben je niet

alleen maar docent, maar ook een wiskundige. Naast het

leren van wiskunde leer je ook hoe je les moet geven. De

opleiding is praktisch ingericht. De theorie wordt direct aan

de praktijk gekoppeld waardoor je het je nog beter eigen

kunt maken. Het leren les geven leer je door het te doen.

Daar wordt tijdens colleges tijd aan besteed door studenten

te laten presenteren, rollenspellen en korte lesjes te laten

geven aan elkaar.

Al in het eerste jaar loop je stage om te kijken of het

docentschap iets voor je is. Je kunt dit beter vroeg in de

opleiding weten dan dat je er pas na twee jaar achterkomt.

Aan de andere kant zal je nog gemotiveerder zijn om door

te gaan met de studie als je ziet dat het lesgeven echt wat

voor je is. Je weet dan waar je het voor doet.

We zijn dit jaar begonnen met twee groepen. Er waren

meer dan 130 aanmeldingen, maar niet iedereen besloot te

komen en ook niet iedereen voldeed aan de toelatingseisen.

Om toegelaten te worden moet je EPI op niveau 4 hebben

afgerond, of in het bezit zijn van een havo- of vwo-diploma, of

een andere HBO-opleiding of universitaire opleiding hebben

afgerond. Als je een havodiploma hebt zonder wiskunde B,

dan moest je een aanvullende toelatingstoets doen. Diegenen

die een eerste- of tweedegraads onderwijsbevoegdheid

hebben in een ander vak of voldoende wiskunde hebben

gehad in een andere opleiding op minstens HBO-niveau

krijgen vrijstelling van vakken waardoor zij de opleiding in

ongeveer twee jaar kunnen doen (verkort traject). Op dit

moment zijn er 39 studenten die het verkorte traject volgen.

Het reguliere traject van vier jaar wordt door 26 studenten

gevolgd.

De opleiding is, in tegenstelling tot andere opleidingen

binnen FAS, Nederlandstalig. Hier is bewust voor gekozen,

omdat het Arubaanse onderwijssysteem ook in deze taal

is. Studenten die deze opleiding volgen zullen zelf in het

Nederlands les moeten gaan geven en tijdens stages moet

er ook Nederlands worden gesproken.

De perspectieven op de arbeidsmarkt zijn gunstig.

Momenteel is er al een tekort aan wiskundedocenten. Op

sommige scholen geven docenten onbevoegd les of zijn

gepensioneerden teruggeroepen. In de komende jaren gaat

er nog een andere groep wiskundedocenten met pensioen.

Met deze opleiding hopen we het tekort terug te dringen of

zelfs helemaal te kunnen oplossen.

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Persoonlijk

Tim CroesSinds dit jaar ben ik werkzaam aan de Universiteit van Aruba. Ik ben aangenomen als coördinator en docent van de nieuwe Bachelor Lerarenopleiding Wiskunde.Mensen die mij voor het eerst zien kunnen haast niet geloven dat mijn achternaam Croes is, want ik zie er heel Nederlands uit. De naam heb ik van mijn Arubaanse vader geörfd en het uiterlijk van mijn Nederlandse moeder. Ik ben in Nederland geboren en opgegroeid. Ik heb daar zelf ook de lerarenopleiding wiskunde gevolgd en ben na mijn bacheloropleiding verder gaan studeren om mijn master te halen. Tevens heb ik ook een diploma voor Coach in het onderwijs.Ik heb in Nederland bijna tien jaar in het onderwijs gewerkt waarvan het grootste deel in het voortgezet onderwijs. Mijn laatste baan in Nederland was aan de lerarenopleiding wiskunde van de Hogeschool Utrecht.Drie jaar geleden ben ik naar Aruba verhuisd. De afgelopen drie jaar heb ik bij Colegio Arubano en Avondhavo gewerkt als wiskundedocent. Dit heb ik met veel plezier gedaan. Toch kon ik de verleiding niet weerstaan om bij de UA aan de slag te gaan om een nieuwe opleiding op te starten en te trekken. Ik voel me erg welkom en zit hier echt op mijn plaats.

Persoonlijk

Donald AngelaIk ben nu werkzaam aan de Universiteit van Aruba als fulltime docent wiskunde voor de Bachelor Lerarenopleiding Wiskunde en de FEF. Daarvoor heb ik een jaar bij de Instituto Pedagogico Arubano, IPA, gewerkt. Voor die tijd heb ik 23 jaar wiskunde gedoceerd (en ik was ook een aantal jaren conrector) aan Colegio Arubano. Na de VWO op Colegio Arubano, besloot ik wiskunde te studeren, omdat ik altijd al goed was in cijferen. Ik wilde wiskundeleraar worden. Daar was geen twijfel aan. Ik heb mijn opleiding gedaan in Nederland. Eerst heb ik aan de Stichting Opleiding Leraren (SOL) in Utrecht de vakken Wiskunde en Natuurkunde afgerond en daarna heb ik mijn doctoraal (master) wiskunde aan de Rijksuniversiteit van Utrecht behaald. Zowel tijdens mijn studie als daarna heb ik in het onderwijs (Wiskunde & Natuurkunde) gewerkt, namelijk in het voortgezet onderwijs, beroepsonderwijs en volwassenen educatie. Daarna ben ik naar Aruba verhuisd, waar ik op Colegio Arubano ging lesgeven. Ik hou van mijn vak (wiskunde en lesgeven, omgaan met jongeren) en daarom heb ik altijd met veel verve lesgegeven.Ik heb dit jaar deze nieuwe uitdaging met veel plezier aangenomen, omdat ik langs deze weg de jongeren (die later voor de klas gaan staan) enthousiast wil maken voor het mooie vak wiskunde en zo ook mijn liefde/passie voor het vak door wil geven aan de volgende generaties.

Persoonlijk

Irayka Yanez Na zes jaar werkzaam te zijn geweest op de Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA), heb ik de uitdaging genomen om aan de Universiteit van Aruba te komen werken. Hier ben ik aangenomen als onderwijskundige voor de Bachelor Lerarenopleiding Wiskunde. Ik ben in het onderwijs begonnen als tweedegraads leraar natuur- en scheikunde op een VMBO in Nederland. Daar heb ik drie jaar les gegeven aan de jongens die de technische richting hebben gekozen. Ondertussen was ik bezig om mijn bachelor en master in Onderwijskundig Ontwerp en Advisering te halen op de Universiteit van Utrecht. De vakspecifieke competenties waren leermiddelen & media, assessment, en professionalisering.Naast het werken als onderwijskundige, hou ik me toch bezig met scheikunde door op de Avondhavo lessen te geven aan de eerste en de tweede klassen. Onderwijs staat dicht bij mijn hart, omdat ik vind dat onderwijs de drijfkracht is van een samenleving.

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Reacciondi dos studiante di matemática (wiskunde) na

Universidad di ArubaPara un rato y wak rond di bo! Sin cu bo mes sa tin wiskundefull rond. For di e figuranan cu e edificionan tin, te na e prijs di un kipashi den un supermercado chines. Casi tur cos den bo bida diario di un of otro manera tin di haber cu wiskunde. Pesey ami Daylan Krozendijk, studiante di FAS Bachelor Lerarenopleiding Wiskunde, a scohe e estudio aki. Mi ta hay’e asina interesante con hopi cos den nos bida tin aspecto nan di wiskunde. Tambe mi ta haya e disciplina wiskunde sumamente importante pa un hende compronde y practic’e. Pesey mi a scohe e estudio aki, pa den futuro mi por siöa otro nan e importancia di wiskunde y con pa uz’e. Tambe for di mi mes un experiencia tempo mi tawata na Colegio Arubano, mi por a mira cu hopi studiante ta haya dificultad cu wiskunde. Pesey, personalmente, mi ta haya cu duna les di wiskunde ta un sorto di ‘challenge’ pa mi mes.

Paso pa un hende splica un vak cu pa hopi ta complica no ta nada facil! Mi experencia te awo den e estudio aki ta cu e ta super leuk y dushi! E sfeer den klas tambe ta duna bo gana di bin scol y haya les. E docentenan ta rolemodel hopi grandi pa nos tur den Klas, pa mayan nos tambe ta mes of mas miho cu nan ora yega nos beurt pa duna les. Overal un super dushi estudio! Cuater aña for di awo, mi por mira mi mes dilanti un klas na un scol secundario manera un Mavo of EPB. Siñando muchanan di wiskunde y aplicando tur loke mi a siña den e lesnan di awe. Con pa trata studiante nan y con pa anda cu diferente caracter di studiante. Con pa structura un les y con pa splica di un forma cu tur hende por compronde. Den otro manera bisa: con pa ta un bon docente!

Studiantenan di Universidad di Aruba, mi nomber ta ThaïnaLaclé y actualmente mi ta studiante na FAS, Bachelor Lerarenopleiding Wiskunde. Cu hopi placer mi ta comparticu boso mi experiencia te cu awor. Mi a cuminsa e estudioaki pa motibo cu mi ta gusta wiskunde super hopi y tambesemper mi kier a traha cu hoben. Ki mihor combinacion custudia e materia cu bo ta gusta y alabes bo lo por aplik’e pa traha cu hoben? Mi ta gusta wiskunde paso e ta challenge bo constantemente cu diferente problema. Wiskunde ta yuda bo pensa logico y tambe pensa den diferente forma. Kico mi kiermen cu ‘pensa den diferente forma’? Cu esey mi kiermen, un som no tin solamente un manera pa solucion’e. Pa un som tin diferente formula pa resolv’e. Pues nos mester por desaroya e abilidad y e pasenshi pa por saca afor tur e posibel solucionnan. Mi ta haya e estudio aki hopi dushi. Mi klasgenoten ta leuk, nos ta comparti hopi cu otro y semper nos ta cla pa yuda otro den cualkier situacion. Algo cu mi ta haya super bon ta cu e klas ta chikito, kiermen

nos como studiante tin contacto directo cu nos docentenan y nan conoce nos no pa cara so, sino pa nomber tambe. Actualmente nos ta haya les na Apex-building, cual ta e punto menos positivo, pa motibo cu nos no por sera conoci cu e studiantenan di otro facultad. Di otro banda e ta bon tambe, paso asina bo ta conoce bo klasgenoten mas di aserka y mas liher. Aki 4 aöa cu mi caba mi estudio, mi ta wak mi mes como un bon docente di wiskunde. Eherciendo e trabou cu mi ta gusta y cu mi a studia p’e. Mi lo kier dedicami mes na educa nos hobennan y siöa nan pa no give-up nunca. Wiskunde ta un di e disciplinanan menos gusta pa mayoria di hoben. Mi kier mustranan cu wiskunde no ta imposibel ni laaf, e ta djis un materia cu ta rekeri hopi training. Un docente di wiskunde mester ta sigur un persona cu ta domina e materia, pa asina e por ofrece e mihor na su studiantenan. Mi ta super contento cu e estudio aki y mi ta dunando tur di mi banda pa aki 4 aña mi por tin mi Bachelor Diploma.

Daylan KrozenDijK

Thaïna laclé

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Rosabelle Illes

Upcoming January marks six years since I moved to the Netherlands to pursue a higher education. So what have I learned so far? I learned that I am not crazy. Although I chose to study psychology, it was not this discipline that was responsible for declaring my sanity. It was the universities I have attended and the experiences I have undergone as a young Aruban student that have rendered me one of sound mind.

In January 2008 I began my bachelor studies in psychology at Webster University in the city of Leiden. Webster University is a global university that truly merits the global adjective. With its main campus in St. Louis, USA, students can complete parts of their degree or their entire program at Webster campuses in China, Thailand, Japan, Austria, Switzerland, London and the Netherlands. My home campus – the campus where you start and often complete your degree – was in Leiden. At this campus, I followed courses in psychology, English literature and art history with students from all over the world – representing over 45 nationalities. As I observed students hopping from one campus to another for a semester or for a year, I began to think. As they arrived from the United States to Leiden and completed a couple of courses to subsequently move to China or Austria to follow a few electives, it dawned on me. I had seen this in a dream before. Only, this exchange was not occurring between big developed countries but rather,

students were hopping between small islands. They began and completed their studies on their home island and during the program they spent semesters at universities on neighboring islands. Barbadian students moved to Curaöao for a semester while Aruban students moved to Trinidad for a year. As I observed Webster University execute a version of this dream, all I had to say to myself was: “you’re not losing your mind.”

After I completed my master’s degree I was appointed a PhD position at Leiden University. As a young researcher I had the opportunity to attend the 38th Caribbean Studies Association (CSA) conference held in Grenada in the month of June 2013. For one week, I listened to Caribbean academics, practitioners, activists and artists discuss the struggles, potentials and achievements of the Caribbean region. The University of the West Indies (UWI) seemed particularly active in different domains: research, teaching, developing practical protocols and preserving cultural heritage. So I dug deeper into this interesting institution. My naive mind was thrilled to learn that the UWI hosts 4 campuses in the Caribbean: Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and an Open Campus consisting of 16 centers on a number of Caribbean islands. My sanity was once more verified, “they are already on their way.”

The majority of the sessions I attended at the CSA conference seemed to reach the same conclusion: we need more of our own. It was clear that a major struggle of the Caribbean region lay in retrieving the potential professionals who migrate every year to pursue a higher education. As I sat in the conference room, surrounded by strangers with familiar faces I began to think about my island. I recalled the numerous newspaper articles written by different ministers inviting Aruban professionals abroad — particularly in the Netherlands — to return to their birthplace to lend a helping hand. I remembered the efforts by the Aruban government to relieve Aruban graduates from their debt by student loans, provided they entered the workforce on the island. I looked at myself and how I needed no convincing to make my way back. After all, I would have never left if there were the possibility to pursue my chosen discipline in Aruba. Then I thought that perhaps, just maybe, we should focus less on retrieving potential talents and more on retaining them by expanding our own programs. My next thought was automatic: “yeah, wishful thinking.” After all, how can such a small island with such a small university possibly educate its future professionals across all the necessary disciplines?

I was lucky these thoughts emerged at a time when I was at the CSA conference. All I had to do was look around, all I had to do was close my eyes and listen to Dr. Charlene Roach (Trinidad & Tobago) lead a panel on authentic leadership and Dr. Antonio Romero Gomez (Cuba) and colleagues explore the role of cooperation for development among Cuba and her sister Caribbean nations, all I had to do was listen to visual artist and curator Holly Bynoe (St. Vincent) lead a panel on artist-led initiatives promoting development in the Caribbean and Dr. Wendy Grenade (Barbados) and colleagues discuss the new Caribbean politics, all I had to do was participate in

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Dr. Francio Guadeloupe’s (Aruba) panel on the ecological belonging in the Dutch Caribbean, all I had to do was attend the launch of the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Association (CANPA) as they awakened Caribbean Psychology, all I had to do was surround myself with these strangers with familiar faces to reaffirm what I already knew but was never aware that out there, in the Caribbean region and its Diaspora scattered all over the world, there was a strong group who knew it too.

I would be crazy to suggest let alone expect my island of a little over 100.000 inhabitants to somehow cater to the intellectual needs and aspirations of all those wishing to pursue a higher education. But if there’s one thing my higher education obtained abroad has taught me is that implying that the institutions in the Caribbean region should come together and do just that, should keep me out of the loony bin. Separately we are small beautiful destinations, together we are one intellectual tropical nation.

I believe in the potentials and current achievements of the institutions on my island. I especially believe in that institution in the center of Oranjestad. An institution that award winning author, poet and columnist Kader Abdolah referred to as the most charming university he has ever visited. This university, the University of Aruba (UA), was my home for 4 months in the spring of 2012. As an intern at the Faculty of Arts & Science (FAS) I met inspiring lecturers and motivated students. I saw what I now know is also seen in the Caribbean region by scholars, practitioners, activists and artists. I saw struggle, potential and achievement. I saw what one might see in any company, community, island, country or any organ consisting of groups of people. What I didn’t see, however, was absence. I saw willingness, drive and love.

As an Aruban, I am proud that we have such an institution despite our status as a small island. That being said, If I connect my experiences during my internship at UA, my past experiences at a global university like Webster and my current experiences at Leiden University – the top Dutch University according to The Times Higher Education (THE) World Ranking – all I can say is I am not losing my mind, we can do this. But we must collaborate. We must operate as a region.

A good example of such collaboration is found in the efforts by the Caribbean Alliance of National Psychological Association (CANPA). As mentioned previously, at the Caribbean Studies Association Conference in June 2013, CANPA officially launched their association. With this achievement, CANPA met their goal of establishing a regional network to support and unify the endeavors of psychologists in the Caribbean to improve the lives and well-being of the Caribbean population. Among CANPA’s members and supporters are psychological institutions in The Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Martinique, Suriname, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grenada, Haiti, Cuba and Puerto Rico. CANPA has accomplished the first step to operating as a region – as opposed to individual islands – with regards to psychology. At the launch of CANPA in Grenada, Vice-President pro-tem Dr. Guerda Nicolas (USA, Haiti) referred to the regional association as “a movement”, describing the achievement as a “train that will keep going” with or without her, as CANPA now relies on a potentially powerful Caribbean region that they have awakened. I remember sitting in the audience thinking, if this movement extends psychology and manifests within academia in the Caribbean, what would happen? The next thing I knew I was dozing off into an inspiring daydream.

Rosabelle Illes (26) is an Aruban writer, poet and artist. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Beyond Insanity (2005) and ‘Spiel di mi Alma’ (Mirror of my Soul, 2010) and the creator of an art calendar entitled Wholism (2012).

Her short story “Stars for sale: a buck each” (2013) is published in Gone Lawn Journal’s 11th issue and her piece “The invisible short story” (2013) is featured in the NewYork press. Presently, Rosabelle is working on her upcoming

children’s book and animation movie in collaboration with Curaçaoan singer songwriter Levi Silvanie.She holds a BA in Psychology (Hons) with a minor in English Literature from Webster University and an MSc. in Social

and Organizational Psychology from Leiden University. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Social Psychology at Leiden University, where she conducts research on conflict management and mediation under the supervision of prof.

dr. Naomi Ellemers and Dr. Fieke Harinck. www.rosabelleilles.com

12

StUdYiNg AbROAd:Do what feels good! ENTREPRENEUR, LEADER, WRITER, COOK, AND

STUDENT, THEY CALL ME. HOWEVER, FRIEND AND

CONFIDANT ARE THE ONES I RELISH THE MOST.

IN ALL HONESTY, THEY ARE ALL COMPLIMENTS

I DO NOT TAKE LIGHTLY. IT DOESN’T MAKE ME

NERVOUS OR SHRINK WITH FEAR; INSTEAD IT IS

ABSORBED AND TURNED INTO FUEL. A FUEL THAT

SPARKS ENERGY AND IGNITES PASSION TO BE

BETTER, STRONGER, AND BOLDER.

I started out as a freshman at the University of Aruba in 2009, after having returned from a semester at Miami Dade College in Florida. In my short stay abroad, I saw things and met people who opened my mind to many unexplored adventures; remarkable people with as remarkable stories. From the beginning, I stood out as being the only student who came all the way from Aruba. The most memorable classes I opted to enroll in were English writing, social studies, business and psychology. There came the realization of the enthusiasm I harnessed for these topics. The entire experience has since then always remained in my memories as a time gone by when I mustered the courage to experience what following an education in a foreign country would be like and ever since, I’d been seeking an appropriate opportunity to take another go at it.

Anxious and amazed by how fast the years went by since starting at the University of Aruba, it dawned on me that my 4-year higher education was soon to come to an end. Conversations with family, friends, mentors and my fellow CE and BE classmates were oftentimes about ‘what’s next’? What do you feel to do with your acquired knowledge, skills and talents? Know that I’m a very in-my-head kind of person and questions such as these really took me for a loop and nearly sent shockwaves up my spine, when directed at me. I had some inclination over the years that yes, I am creative; yes, I am smart; yes, I can go far and be great. Yet, with all the lectures I’ve attended, classes I’ve followed, books I’ve read or stories I’ve been told, I hadn’t fully worked out what was best for me. In a time of great confusion and uncertainty about my professional future, I resorted to feeling. I decided to base any and all decisions I made from then on out on a feeling. It’s that gut intuitive nudge that holds the answer to what you truly want, even when the voice inside your head says otherwise. I took this feeling and I ran with it.

After having had a great vacation in my home country of St. Maarten in January of 2012, I was eager to set my stamp on the small island. From early July of that same year, I started applying to a select few companies in St. Maarten and within

a few weeks, I got word of the possibility to complete my graduation assignment a.k.a thesis at the Windward Islands Bank. Following the conclusion of the Career Convention 2012 organized by the 4th year FEF classes, I finalized my move to St. Maarten and was excited for the journey to come.

After seventeen weeks of hard work and dedication, I successfully completed my assignment on Attitudes towards Advertising. Advertising has long been an interesting field of interest of mine. Questions as to what makes certain ads pop and others flop and how customers respond to these arouse my curiosity. Throughout the time spent at the Windward Island Bank Ltd. there were times of perceived failure and fatigue, but also moments of triumph and exhilaration. The entire process, from start to finish was unforgettable. I got to go places, do things and meet influential people along the way. Support and understanding demonstrated by colleagues and friends was without a doubt essential. The 17 weeks proved to be challenging; even more so having to carry out a research assignment away from home. However, I kept going.

All in all, I am grateful for the opportunities I was granted and I hope that my ability to deliver work at a level that is satisfactory to me, the Windward Islands Bank and the University of Aruba was appropriately demonstrated. For my greatest pleasure comes from the level of satisfaction others express with results I’ve put effort and passion into.

The future looks bright. Whether I start a career in marketing, continue for a master’s degree, write books, build companies,

dabble in real estate, or cater my Ms. MUNCH treats, I hope to remain humble and enthused the whole way through. Do what

feels good; it’s not always necessarily what’s right or expected of you, but you are the only one who lives your life. Just do it.

14

Utrecht Summer School: InternatIonal

& academIc experIence

LEANNE GEERMAN, 4TH YEAR STUDENT BUSINESS ECONOMICS AT THE FEF & PRESIDENT STUDENT COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARUBA

AS A 4TH YEAR STUDENT AT THE FACULTY OF ACCOUNTING, FINANCE & MARKETING I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT

STUDYING IN THE NETHERLANDS WOULD HAVE BEEN. IN MY 2ND YEAR AT THE UA I HEARD ABOUT A STUDENT WHO

WENT TO THE UTRECHT SUMMER SCHOOL AND SINCE THEN I WAS INTERESTED IN GOING AND EXPERIENCING THE

NETHERLANDS IN THE SUMMER AND GAINING KNOWLEDGE IN ANOTHER SUBJECT.

15

In January 2013 I decided that I wanted to go to the Utrecht Summer School and I started my research, looking for the courses that interested me the most and also the most convenient dates to book my ticket. At the end I decided to do the two-week course of European Business & Economy. The reason why I chose this course is that I wanted more knowledge of the European Union and also I wanted to gain more knowledge about economics because I always felt that I wanted to know more.

The course itself was very educational; I gained a lot of knowledge on the European Union, the financial crisis in Europe, European parliament, Dutch industrialization, European Culture & Business etc. In this course I learned and had questions about the existence of the European Union, if it needs to continue or is this union bringing Europe down? Was the Euro a good idea or is it the reason why the economy is in such bad shape? Is there a European identity? At the end of the course we had to answer these questions and give our advice for the European Union, the main conclusion of the class was that:

- The EU has to assess if the one currency Euro is helping or hurting some countries, if a North Euro and a South Euro may be an option;- There is a European identity, the EU has to embrace this identity and integrate the countries together so they can also work together for the common good;- The existence of the European Union is what is holding Europe together; they have to work more closely together to solve the issues that they are facing at this moment.

For me the key takeaways as an Aruban student were how Aruba fits in all of this? We are living in Aruba, we have Dutch nationality which makes us part of the European Union, Aruba is situated in the Caribbean, we have a lot of influence of Latin America and the United States, so where do we fit? In my case I can say we can be the example of the global citizens of this world.

This journey to the Utrecht Summer School also gave me a chance to explore the Netherlands. For me it was also a journey to explore Holland and to see if I could live there for my further studies. The course also gives you the opportunity to meet new people from different countries and share cultures and ideas with each other and learn from others.

My advice to other students is that if you want the international experience but are not sure that you are going to continue your studies abroad, the summer school is a perfect option. You can gain knowledge on more subjects that complement your studies or you can do a course in a

completely different area, you get to explore Holland and you meet new international friends. Contact friends and family when you are going so they can show you around.Also save some money for these trips, the summer school cost me around AWG 3000,- which includes housing, meals and course materials and the ticket to the Netherlands isn’t always cheap so it cost me around AWG 2200,-

When you are a student you have to take these opportunities because you never know when you will have the chance to go to a summer school in Holland, so do your research on the courses, find out what the costs are and have the determination to learn something new.

16

Kids For the Future Camp

Organized by Kiwanis CirCle K Of the

University Of arUba

This year Kiwanis Circle K of the University of Aruba for the first time organized a CK Summer Camp titled “Kids for the Future”. The camp was held in the summer vacation and a total of 58 kids of elementary schools took part in the camp.

We believe that it is important to start at a young age to become a strong, independent and charismatic leader. The focus and objective of this summer camp was to give children a chance to learn about themselves, others and their surroundings. It was an opportunity for them to gain positive life-long memories. The children had the opportunity to truly engage themselves in the community and they were given a chance to participate in several activities.

As it was the first camp we organized, we can really say that it was well organized and that our program provided the kids with a variety of activities they could

enjoy and learn from at the same time. The children got the opportunity to interact with our CK leaders and talk with them as friends, about their future plans, and their education.

The children truly enjoyed themselves and learned about themselves, their surroundings and the importance of engaging themselves in activities not only for personal satisfaction but as a way to give back to their community, and that is what we wanted to instill in them. The parents were impressed and happy with the program, our personalities, and our dedication towards the camp. On the last day of the camp we set up an exposition with all the crafts made by the kids during the week and as a farewell we had a presentation from the kids which included some acting, dancing, and speeches. It was a wonderful week where the kids and the Circle K Members got to interact and at the same time learned a lot about themselves and others.

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Kids For the Future Camp

18

ArUbAN CAlypsO ANAlyzed At INterNAtIONAl CONfereNCe

Drs GreGory richarDson

In November 2012 I had the privilege of presenting an academic paper at the Islands in Between Conference held at the University of the Virgin Islands in St Thomas. My presentation was entitled “Calypso Music and Critical Reflection on the Self in Aruba and Trinidad.” I analyzed two calypsos originating from the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and Aruba with a relatively high auto-critical posture using C. G. Jung’s theoretical conceptualization of the Self as a point of departure. The first calypso was entitled “Babylon” sung by Trinidadian calypsonian, Karene Ashe, where she questioned the usage of the concept Babylon as a negative epithet for those in power by her peers while they themselves were the main orchestrators of the crimes in her community. The second was entitled “San Nicolas Doomed” sung by Aruban calypsonian, Black Diamond, where he targeted his hometown as the main reason for his community’s economic and social woes.

To give you a better idea of the content of the presentation I will briefly present the song text analysis of the first and second verse of Black Diamond’s “San Nicolas Doomed.”

In his first verse he sang:

In this verse, he critically analyzes the “we is we” philosophy as he translates this to practice. He concludes that there is a discrepancy between this constructed philosophy of unification and the actual embodiment thereof. He comes to the realization that many of these slogans are just empty utterances that do not reflect reality. An extended version of this paper will be published in the next Languages and Cultures of the ABC Islands publication brought out in November by the FPI in Curacao and the UPR in Puerto Rico.

Gregory Richardson has a MSc in Latin American and Caribbean studies of the University of Utrecht and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam. He is a fulltime lecturer at the Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA) and a part-time lecturer at the University of Aruba (FAS). He is also the co-author of the book Sibling Voices of Sunrise City,

In this verse he argued that Chocolate City was headed for destruction because of San Nicolas’ cynical philosophy of life. He said that ‘they’d rather pong mele (gossip)about their neighbors and not look at themselves.’ He challenged them in his chorus to be reflective of their own actions and to come to the realization that ‘none is without sin; no one

God in heaven knows that I would like to see,San Nicolas people live in harmony,its like a obeah a curse a spell on we,its like we lose we pride we shame and we dignity,its only gossip we know,bad talk your neighbor for so,find fault at people like hell,see man with woman and tell,if anyone of you in here dare to point a finger,NO, I thought so, A jigy jigy, a jigy jigy

Another slogan we use, is we is we,but the damn thing wrong, is we kill we,all other districts could laugh at the way we act,they come and decide for us and that’s a fact,when time to stand up we sit,when time to defend we run,when time to open we mouth,like we fraid that they throw we outif anyone of you in here dare to point a finger,NO, I thought so, A jigy jigy, a jigy jigy

was higher than thou.’ He used Christian ethos to point out that no one was perfect; everyone ought to look at themselves first and not point the finger.

In the second verse he says:

19

ABCD-system:Automatisación de Bibliotecas y

Centros de DocumentaciónCenter for Research and Development (CRD) di UA tambe ta par ticipa na un iniciativa

colectivo di automatisacion pa centronan di documentacion y informacion.

Na e proyecto ABCD ta participa biblioteca y centronan di informacion for di e islanan Aruba, Boneiro, Corsou y Surnam. Meta di e proyecto aki ta pa yega na un systema di automatisacion integral cu tur e centronan di informacion por usa y comparti cu otro den un forma standardisa. E proyecto aki ta un iniciativa di Dutch Caribbean Library Association (DCLA) y sra. Astrid Britten, directora di Biblioteca Nacional di Aruba (BNA) ta miembro di su directiva.

E workshop di ABCD aki a keda organisa pa DCLA-Chapter Aruba cu cooperacion di sra. Ava Thode, directora di Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA) cu a duna e sosten financiero pa por a realisa e training aki na Aruba. A haya cooperacion tambe di sra. Jane Smith, directora di biblioteca di Anton de Kom Universiteit di Surinam, pa organisa e curso pa varios empleado di biblioteca y centro di documentacion di Aruba y Boneiro.

Sr. Bert Alikromo, informatiebemiddelaar na Anton de Kom Universiteit ta e facilitador di e workshop ABCD for di 9 te cu 20 september 2013 na BNA. E instancianan na Aruba cu a participa na e workshop ta: Archivo Nacional di Aruba (ANA), Biblioteca Nacional di Aruba (BNA), Centrale Bank van Aruba (CBA), Centraal Bureau voor Statestieken (CBS), Dr. H. E. Oduber Hospital (HOH), Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA), Museo Archeologico Nacional Aruba (MANA), Centro di Investigacion y Desaroyo di Universidad di Aruba (UA) y Directie Informatievoorziening en Automatisering (DIA). Tambe a participa representante di Biblioteca Publico di Boneiro cu ta cay bou di Departamento Comunidad y Cuido y e seccion di ICT di Departamento di Sosten Gubernamental di Boneiro. Un total di 26 persona a participa.

E systema di ABCD ta crea e posibilidad pa comparti dato bibliografico cu tur e instancianan afilia na e proyecto ABCD. Tambe e systema tin un portal di buskeda na unda un usado por buska informacion den e catalogo central di tur instancia afilia. E portal aki ta brinda e posibilidad pa pone documentacion y informacion na disposicion di publico na un manera visual tambe. Despues di hopi aña di a trata pa yega na un systema di registracion cu mayoria biblioteca den Caribe Hulandes lo por usa hunto, porfin e idea aki ta birando realidad.

Pa e Centro di Documentacion Demetrio Maduro di Universidad di Aruba, esaki ta un sosten hopi grandi den tur sentido di documentacion. Den un tempo hopi corto di exsitencia di e centro aki, ya caba tin un coleccion grandi di video y/of grabacion audio, buki, documento y portret digital cu ta forma parti di e centro. Cu implementacion di e sistema di ABCD e otro islanan di Caribe Hulandes tambe tin e oportunidad di haya acceso na e coleccion aki di un forma standardisa y digitalisa. E intercambio di informacion y e cooperacion di tur e instancianan for di Aruba, Boneiro, Corsou y Surnam cu ta participa na e proyecto aki ta haci cu por yega na un catalogo central di Dutch Caribbean Library Association.

Y mas cu claro cu publicacion y aspectonan tipico di e paisnan di Caribe Hulandes lo bay hala mas atencion riba nivel internacional, pa motibo cu e systema di ABCD tin mesun formato cu World CAT ta usa. Esaki ta haci accesibilidad di e coleccion y di particularmente e cantidad grandi di video y portret produci pa e Banco di Memoria Demetrio Maduro na un nivel mundial mas facil, ya cu Biblioteca di UA ya caba ta haci uso di World Cat.

ParTiciPanTenan Di aruba y boneiro na e abcD-TraininG. sra. ruby ecKmeyer, coorDinaDora Di invesTiGacion Pa e area Di culTura na e cenTro Di DocumenTacion DemeTrio maDuro Tambe Ta

forma ParTi Di e ProyecTo Tan valioso aKi.

20

FranciS not in GroninGen

AS YOU MIGHT HAVE READ IN AN ARTICLE IN A PREVIOUS EDITION, MY COLLEAGUE WROTE ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE AS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT IN GRONINGEN. I DID AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM AS WELL BUT IT WAS NOT IN GRONINGEN. I DID MY EXCHANGE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE UTRECHT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD, THE MAIN FOCUS OF MY ARTICLE WILL BE ON THE ADDED VALUE OF AN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

As I have mentioned before the exchange program at the University College Utrecht was amazing, I believe the environment of campus life, the so called bubble, is what made it so amazing for me. You are constantly surrounded by your peers, it is as if you have student support 24/7. I liked this because there were no specific school hours were we worked on school projects, we could be eating pizza at 2 am and working on a presentation for the next day. When you live on campus things are very different, you don’t really have to worry about food and other duties you might have as a student living off campus. All your time can be dedicated to school and networking. Networking is a big part of being a student, it is during this period that you meet other students that you might meet again in the future but in a more professional setting. This is why it is my personal opinion that networking is a very important part of your student experience. I would recommend this program to everyone. It is well organized, you get great support from a tutor and teachers, and best of all, it is in the center of the Netherlands, from Utrecht you can go to any other city in the Netherlands, so it is very conveniently located. What I think is one of the biggest selling points of this program is the diversity of the students, you will be meeting students from all over the world. So what you actually acquire from an exchange program is another perspective on your surroundings, this is why I would like to focus on the added value of an exchange program. After I was done with my exchange program I stayed in the Netherlands for one more month, to do an internship at a management software developer as a consultant. My job there required me to travel throughout the Netherlands to either give presentations on the products or to give advice on the efficiency of the product for

that particular organization. From my exchange program I learned how to deal with different kinds of people. You learn how to develop your communication skills, so you know how to professionally deal with clients. I think the biggest added value of an exchange program is the global perspective you acquire. You start thinking outside of the box. You start thinking big, although we all learn about globalization at the University of Aruba, an exchange program gives you that additional experience, in my case, on how people from different parts of the world think on the same issues. Another added value of an exchange program is that you have an edge on other students, I don’t mean this in a negative way, but when you are applying for a job and you hand in your CV, they will be looking for things that make you stand out from the rest. An exchange program can be one of those things that make you stand out, you will have an international experience which is something very attractive for organizations that deal a lot with international organizations. What my exchange program has taught me the most is this, we should be appreciative for what we have at the University of Aruba. When I was talking to other exchange students from colleges from for example the California, or Hong Kong, where they tell me that the only contact they have with their teachers/lecturers is during class, I feel very thankful that we can communicate on a smaller scale with our teachers/lecturers. The support that we get from the teachers/lecturers during and after class gives us the feeling that we are a big UA family. I will finish by saying this, if you consider an exchange program it is not cheap, but you have to think of it this way, you have to invest in yourself so you can benefit from your investment in the future. And to me, it was worth every penny.

21

Where some people see problems,

they see opportunities

SW&D WALK THE TALK OF DEVELOPMENT IN RANCHOCLEMENTIA EUGENE

ON FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER THE FOURTH YEAR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AS PART OF THE COURSE ‘SOCIAL PLANNING, PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION’ ATTENDED A PANEL PRESENTATION ON: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

Members of the panel were Mrs. Claudia Ruiz-Vasquez, from Arte Sano Design Studio, Mrs. Miangela Ras from the Centro di Desaroyo di Hende Muher (CEDEHM) and Mr. Guus Slabbekoorn representing Meta Corporation.

The objective of the discussion/dialogue was to provide students with insight on (new) business ideas aimed at empowering individuals and groups. Another objective was to show students how companies manage their businesses in order to ensure a positive impact on society.

Both Mrs. Ruiz-Vasquez and Mrs. Ras presented their projects where they work with vulnerable groups in the Aruban community to strengthen their socio-economic situation in a sustainable manner. Mr. Slabbekoorn elaborated on how the company not only focuses on business and profit but also on business development, maintenance and innovation through a sustainable relation with their employees and conscious investment in human capital.

During the presentations all three organizations clearly proved like Mrs. Ruiz said; “where some people see problems, they see opportunity”.

in The bacK from lefT To riGhT mrs. ras, Tirzlyn Kolfin, Denise camPbell,

mrs. ruiz-vasquez,mr. ho, mr. slabbeKoorn anD vanDana

Geerman. in The fronT inDrah zievinGer anD linDsay Geerman

The Department of Social Work and Development (SW&D) has as its underlying core conceptual framework ‘development’. The Department embraces development as promoting active agency, in which the individual and the community are competent and willing to steer their own development for the realization of their own projects. In this regard, The Department has decided to create opportunities for faculty and students to walk the talk of development by connecting the social work study at the University of Aruba to community action and social change through collaboration with the Rancho Community Foundation (Stichting Rancho).

Students are therefore working closely with lecturers and Yolanda Richardson, our Professional and Society Practice

Coordinator to first collect data towards designing a community profile of Rancho. After which other projects and programs shall be implemented collaboratively with the Foundation in the near future.

So far, during this semester, two focus group discussions have been convened in Rancho facilitated by the students as part of their assignments in the course ‘Introduction to Qualitative Research.’ The Department hopes to strengthen its working relationship with the Foundation as well as with its other stakeholders towards making students socially aware and locally engaged active citizens towards the sustainable development and transformation of Rancho.

22

iNtERNShiP At Fbbg

Fundacion Biba Bao Guia (FBBG) is a foundation which has the purpose to give guidance to persons (clients) with a psychiatric and mental disability in:

- Independent housing and living- Independent workforce- Independent social activities

FBBG was founded in November of 1995 as a non-profit organization and has been registered at the Chamber of Commerce under S487. The organization has a board consisting of five voluntary board members and two consultants who directly work with the clients of FBBG.

FBBG has an agreement with FCCA (the Aruban Foundation for Community Housing) and the clients which makes it possible for clients to live as independently as possible. The guidance is based on the individual necessity of each client and this is done in cooperation with the nurses of the Social Psychiatric Services (S.P.D.), PAAZ and the board of FBBG.

Mid 2007 FBBG applied for and received subsidies of the government for the salaries of two consultants for the guidance of the clients of FBBG. However, FBBG does not receive subsidies from the government for the costs of the inventory of the houses and replacement of the inventory and is therefore dependent on the donations received from service clubs or through fundraising activities in our community. Due to privacy maters of the clients, FBBG has not been very visible in the Aruban press or community.

The clients receive their monthly income through the government and their monthly costs such as rent, electricity, water and their food bills are being paid through this. It is of utmost importance for the clients of FBBG to have a daily activity structure or a job since this will help them in being productive in the community, learn new skills and develop a social life.

23

a long distance Hello

by Dahariana everTsz

One of the most exciting experiences in a person’s life is going off to college. Having this freedom and feeling liberated of all the stress we have at home. However, none of us had in mind what could be one of the first experiences we might encounter that changed our perspective on this so called freedom.

When having conversations with former high school friends we joked about how we taught that “when we go to college I can eat all that I want. Freedom of dreaded curfew and I can go everywhere anytime.” On the first day abroad you could feel it right away. You are the one in focus of what happens to you, you are responsible of what to eat. You are responsible for getting that early morning train to school because mom is not there to bring you in that warm car of hers. College seems great, it looks good on your resume, and it made you feel as an adult for the first time in your life.

Going to school is like an ongoing battery, you just keep working hard all day and all night at first, but sometimes even the best quality batteries start to lose their power. This is usually by the month of December, when it’s cold that you think you cannot go anywhere without a giant cover attached to your already no tan complexion. The family calls you to wish Happy Christmas day and truth be told you officially miss home.The feeling of missing your family might shock some who always said they will just be fine and they might even stay a year or two before returning home. But truth be told being around family beats being alone in a tiny dorm room any day. So I have officially come

up with simple reminders to help you survive winter in college abroad:

1. Before the freeze season, make sure you bought all the required “anti-freeze to the death” jackets, scarf’s, hats, earmuffs, and gloves. (and no, snapbacks and heeled boots are not priority but a luxury)

2. Check if you heater works perfectly and make sure there are no broken windows or doors that could let the cold in.

3. Contact friends that will be staying as well for winter break, everyone could use some entertainment and Christmas spirit together.

4. Decorate you room with all things that make you smile.5. Buy the big but affordable quantities of the freshest

food and Christmas delights on time just in case there is a storm or you feel like socializing by throwing a celebration.

6. Be sure that you paid all your bills and have internet to contact family at any point this Christmas

7. It is ok to call you granny and talk about absolutely nothing and feel happy at the same time.

8. Remember that this is college not the end of your days.

Follow these simple reminders and remember you will be ok, this is not a permanent feeling. There are many students going through this exact same progress.

However, you didn’t need to write about it, I took care of that for you.

Have an amazing college experience and remember everyone is a friend until proven otherwise. So don’t be afraid to go out there and have fun.

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Our experiences on Aruba, ONe HAppy IslANdBon dia, since this year our home university in Deggendorf, Germany offers an exchange program with the University of Aruba. We (Alexandra, Philipp & Martin) are the first ones to get the great possibility to spend one semester on Aruba. When we applied we were obviously motivated by the nice beaches and the Caribbean way of life but since we came here we discovered that Aruba is way more than that. When we arrived we experienced that the Arubans are very friendly and helpful people. For example we got helped at the airport immediately after we arrived and the orientation week helped us also to settle in very quickly and meet a lot of new fellow students. The games and tasks were a lot of fun and we really enjoyed ourselves. As you might imagine it took us a while to get used to the hot Aruban climate because in Germany it almost never gets this hot. The University itself is also a huge difference to

Germany. For example in Germany we are 70 people so we like the small class sizes we have here. Another thing is that students in Germany don’t have an attendance duty and it is more like a presentation of the lecturer and no interaction like here. But we like most the course offer because we were able to choose subjects we could not have chosen at home. This gives us the chance to improve our knowledge in several fields like for example in cruise line management which is definitely suitable to Aruba because Cruises are a big part of the tourism here. We are not only impressed by the university and the people but also by the island itself. There are a lot of other places like the California Lighthouse, Natural Bridge and Oranjestad we were able to visit. We want to use the opportunity of this article to thank everybody in general that made our semester abroad as great as it is. Special thanks go out to the whole team of the Office of Student Affairs and especially Natalie and Charisse for all the help.

25

“text Message Marketing”

Following the current market condition of the restaurant industry, owners/ managers nowadays are struggling to find ways to keep their restaurant growing.

The stagnation of restaurant growth may be caused by failure to apply methods: •Obtaining new customers •Failure to analyze who current customers are in addition

to identifying the potential groups of customers that will likely become long-term customers

•Maintaining customers’ relationship to the restaurant•Creating restaurant identification•Encouraging customers to spend more

According to Onur Kiyak, (“Local Store Marketing/ Restaurant Essentials”), Local store marketing is one of the cheapest types of marketing, but boasts one of the higher returns on investment”. Local store marketing is a marketing tactic businesses use (dependent on localized specifications) to market their products to consumers in the area it operates. Unfortunately, Local Store Marketing is considered to be very time consuming.

Today’s consumers are more mobile. They are always on the go, sending and receiving messages of all types. Therefore, an alternative, more efficient way to realize restaurant growth would be through Text Message Marketing.

“At our restaurant we mostly believe in good reputation and word of mouth”, said Shirley Barrow, the General Manager at a local restaurant. “Therefore, we keep our marketing efforts very basic.”

According to the article “Guide to text message”, customer loyalty is the single most important driver of growth and profitability. It provides the highest ROI of all marketing tools available.

Loyalty is driven by increasing visits, spend, and response to promotions. Text Messaging drives loyalty by:•Immediately bringing best customers to the premises•Getting timely messages to customers•Being able to reach customers throughout the day•Complimenting the restaurant’s marketing efforts “Text Messaging Marketing is not something we believe in,” Barrow said. “Most people would be annoyed by such advertisement and for us it would be money and time wasted as our focus lies on tourists rather than locals!” However, one should keep in mind that Customer Loyalty also has an effect on the type of message that is sent through the word of mouth to build the company’s reputation.

Furthermore, text messaging also allows for a company to build their online presence by encouraging visitors to their

company website, requesting Facebook likes and Twitter followers via text, and requesting help to promote social media posts or specials via texts.

Based on the drivers of loyalty through text messaging, owners/ managers can now attract, interact, and engage with their customers. As a result of attracting, interacting and engaging, restaurants are now able to obtain new customers, maintain customer relationship, creating restaurant identification. Furthermore, by offering specials and promotions, restaurants can also encourage customers to spend more.

Lastly, Text Message Marketing also allows restaurants to identify potential long-term customers as interacting and engaging with customers allows restaurants to identify what value the company adds to customers’ lives and what needs of customers they fulfill.

Seeing the rapid changes the world and society are going through, it might be a good idea for the local restaurant and its team to reconsider their mindset for this could make or break the business’ future.

source: “GuiDe To TexT messaGe”

by: samanTha reis De noGal

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by: riGmar j. KocK

Mi tA speRA CU hiMNO Y BANDeRA hAYAMesUN AMBieNte CU eLeCCiON!

Core rond di Aruba y lo bo mira varios bandera pega na diferente cas. Autonan masha bunita dorna na diferente color. Na radio lo bo scucha diferente musica cu ta treciendo ambiente na hopi cas. Den corant bo por mira hopi advertencia atractivo y creativo. Online bo por lesa diferente conversacion y propaganda. Esta dushi e ambiente ta, laga nos bay mira pakico tur ta celebra? Wel, lo bo keda bon desapunta!

Bo ta keda desapunta n’e momento cu bo realisa cu bo pueblo ta balora un bandera politico (sea cua color) mas cu esun di su mesun pais. E momento eynan ta unda cu nos como pueblo votado mester stop di punta dede un rato ariba e politiconan y evalua nos mesun comportacion.

CRITICOSi acaso bo ta defendiendo e bandera politico mas cu esun di nos pais, bo mester por realisa cu e interes di e partido lo prevalece ariba esun di nos comunidad. Bo lo prefera defende e partido, yuda e partido, tapa pa e partido a costo di e interes colectivo, e interes di nos comunidad? Imagina’bo ta keda keto pa cosnan malo cu ta pasa den bo mesun partido pa evita cu e partido ta haya un mal nomber. Imagina’bo ta bira menos critico ariba e politiconan di bo partido, pasobra bo kier ta nan amigo y no nan enemigo. E hecho aki ta pone, cu e pueblo votado ta perde su habilidad di ta critico. Pasobra laga’mi bisa’bo un cos: esun cu bo vota p’e, abo mas aun tin derecho pa critic’e!

AMBIENTEMi por imagina cu temporada di eleccion ta trece ambiente y emocion cune. Tur partido kier uni nan votadonan y kier trece speransa p’e añanan venidero. Splica’mi un cos awor. Con ami, por acepta esaki mirando e cantidad di placa cu ta wordo mal inverti pa mayoria di e partidonan politiconan. No ta tristo pa sinta y realisa cu nos comunidad ta organisa menos actividad durante luna di maart pa celebra nos Himno y Bandera compara cu eleccion? No ta tristo pa realisa, cu en bes di inverti nos fondo den e.o. organisacionnan cu lo por beneficia di un empuhe financiero, muchanan cu ta biba den un hogar kibra pa motibo di nan situacion socio-economico, schoolnan cu por uza un extra ‘cachi cachi’, ta inverti esaki den materialnan cu NO ta duradero. En bes nos comberti campaña den un temporada di YUDA, nos ta

combertie den uno di TUMA. Ban tuma placa pa campaña, cumpra sticker, bandera, advertencia, actividad y mucho mas sin cu esaki mañan tin un balor agrega. Esaki NO ta manera pa aloca fondonan limita (placa, tempo, recurso humano) y esaki no ta e manera pa yuda mehora e aspecto intelectual di nos comunidad. Ban debati y soluciona en bes di mal inverti y malgasta!

CORUPCIONCon nos como votado por critica un politico di ta corupto, hasta te den su higra, siendo cu anos mes ta spera cu ora e partido drenta gobierno, cu nan lo duna nos un posicion clave. Un posicion sin sigui e proceduranan cu a keda stipula (completamente ‘oneerlijk’). Ironia di bida ta: cu nos mes ta promoviendo corupcion si cada biaha nos vota y indirectamente nos ta sperando un fabor politico. Nos no kier pa e politiconan ta corupto, pero ora ta trata di nos mesun interes personal, e ora si no tin nada abnormal!

VOTAMENTOAriba 27 di september 2013 un mayoria grandi di pueblo lo bay deposita nan voto. Votacion ta un proceso democratico cu nos mester ta contento di por eherce. Pero votacion ariba su mes no ta trece e cambio completo cu cada pais mester. Si nos tur bay vota ariba 27 di september 2013 y despues warda te september 2017 pa duna un aprobacion of desaprobacion, e ora nos ta fout bezig. E proceso democratico ta encera cu nos ta keda activo, cu nos ta keda evalua y duna nos opinion ariba es’nan cu nos a pone pa representa nos. Si nos no keda participativo, si nos no purba duna di nos banda pa yuda e instituto gubernamental, e ora nos voto ta baha di balor. Corda cu anos tambe tin e responsabilidad civico pa controla nos gobernantenan y parlamentarionan. Nos tambe tin e responsabilidad pa hiba e pais aki padilanti, pasobra es’nan den gobierno (ambtenaar, parlamentario y minister) nan so no por soluciona tur cos!Mi pregunta final ta lo siguiente: Mi pueblo ta reclama, mi tata ta critica, mi welo ta zundra... pero ta ken ta yuda? E articulo aki no tin como meta pa bo ta di acuerdo cu’mi, pero hustamente pa bo evalu’e criticamente y mira kico abo ta aproba y kico no. Sigur tin mas aspecto pa añadi, manera prensa, pero tur esaki por keda pa un proximo oportunidad. Pa awor, djis evalua si bo falta un bandera na bo cas of bo auto. Esaki ta e bandera di mas importante cu mester tabatey durante henter temporada di eleccion.

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Talento ta bin den tur forma y aki na Aruba no ta un excepcion. Den e edicion aki di Unia magazine, nos team tabata tin e opportunidat di sera conosi cu un hoben cu un

hobby poco peculiar. Su nomber ta Lionel Werleman.

lionel Werleman

Lionel su pasion ta drag. E tin 10 aña ta practica e deporte aki, no solamente como un conductor pero mas tanto como mecanico responsabel pa ekiponan den e careda. Drag den e ultimo añanan na Aruba a bira un deporte cu ta rekeri hopi concentracion mental, responsabilidad di bo ekipo y seguridad. Pa Lionel e deporte aki a cuminsa cu un observacion di e mantencion di auto di su tata y ruman homber. Pa medio di wak nan dos ta traha riba e auto nan, Lionel a sinti un atraccion pa siöa con un auto ta hinca den otro, kico ta pone e motor aki traha y con un auto su velocidad ta cambia cu turbo. E ta splica cu na aña 2010 nos a conoce un tuner di auto cu ta specialisa den traha cu parti nan electronico y mecanica di un auto. Su nomber ta Dennis Brouwer y e ta conoci como “DB Tunning”. Dennis ta conoci na Aruba, Curaçao, Boneiro, Merca y mas lugar den Caribe. Na februari 2012 el a acerca Lionel pa traha cune den su shop y Lionel tabata tin e oportunidad pa siña hopi mas tocante di auto y electronica di un auto. Lionel a biaha hunto cu Dennis Brouwer pa Corsou na unda nan a hasi trabounan electronico riba auto. Awor Lionel por traha den parti mecanico y electronico di un auto.

Lionel su motivacion mas grandi ta su dos rumannan grandi Mario y Gerald Werleman. Semper nan a bay drag hunto pa wak e caredanan. Su ruman mayor Gerald a cuminsa bay den e rumbo pa core den careda nan grandi y a logra un bunita tempo di 11.50 seconde den 1/4 miya, y Lionel tabata e mecanico di su auto. Cu esaki como base, Lionel ta purba traha su mesun auto pa core mas miho cu 11.50 seconde. E no a logra esaki ainda pero actualmente su auto tin un record di 11.88 seconde. Nos a puntra Lionel, chauffeur di cua auto e ta? Y orguyosamente el a conta Unia Magazine, cu e ta chauffeur di un Toyota Starlet aöa 1995 y su nomber ta ‘El Terrorista’. Lionel ta coriendo den categoria di Front Wheel Drive (FWD), esaki ta un categoria nobo e ta inoficial ainda, pero den aöa 2014 si lo e bira un categoria oficial. Lionel cada bes ta mas motiva pa bira un conductor, banda di ta un mecanico pa su mes y su ruman. Pa Lionel den futuro e ta haya cu e deporte di drag no tin limite, paso semper lo bo kier hasi algo mas. Si bo kier stop cu e deporte di drag, lo bo mester give up. Lionel ta hopi determina cu e deporte aki. Esaki semper lo keda su deporte, hobby y pasion.

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Lionel ta actualmente un studiante di Wiskunde Opleiding na UA. For di su educacion na EPB semper el a gusta wiskunde y e nunca tabtatin problema cu e vak aki. Den futuro Lionel ta premira cu e lo bay logra hopi den su bida, paso apesar di tur cos e ta un persona hopi determina y Lionel kier ta un persona cu a logra hopi. Pa asina e por wak na su debido tempo cu el a logra tur su metanan. Pa cada logro, e ta gradici tur persona cu tabata yude di un of otro forma. E ta masha agradecido na su mayornan, na

su rumannan Mario y Gerald Werleman, na esposa di su ruman, Josmary Geerman, cu semper el a wak como su ruman muher. E ta bisa un danki special tambe na Dennis Brouwer pa e oportunidad di siñ’e mas y Jason Nicholls cu semper a yude den parti di fabricacion di piesanan di auto. Henter Unia Magazine team ta yama masha danki na Lionel pa comparti un tiki di su deporte cu nos y cu ta desea Lionel hopi suerte den su studio y futuro logronan.

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J. I rausquinplein 4 p.o. Box 5Oranjestad, Aruba

T: (297) 582-3901 / 583-5036F: (297) 583-1770

May all your wishes and dreams

come true in 2014

Merry Christmas