Katsunori Baba: “finding where I belong”.

December 11, 2017

katsu

Imagine yourself on the other side of the world. In this place people speak a different language; and they expect you to speak it too. Their costumes would never be acceptable in your society; and every second in the street is just an endless confusion where you think… is this ok?  Every time you look up the landscape offers a complete different palate of colors and expressions of the beauty in the world. And finally, every time you eat there’s not even a single dish that will bring you a memory from your mom’s home made food.

This is the life of an international student here in the U.S. As soon as they set foot here their life is never the same. As International student advisor Jesus Cendejas explains “We try to give them all the accommodations and help we can but for some it’s just to hard to adapt”. Every year a large amount of students decide to go back home instead of finishing their career. Leaving scholarships, sport, musical, and many other types of opportunities behind because they feel like they don’t belong.  So, how can anyone feel like they belong in such a different place?

Some might say it’s education, others give credit to their own goals and the drive to achieve them. And for others just like Katsunori Baba a student from Fukuoka-shi Hakataku (Japan) it’s a complete different thing.

Katsunori is a student majoring in Vocal Performance and Theatre. He is currently in his second semester at Morningside; and has great dreams that he wishes to complete (every single one). What keeps Katsunori so far away from home is nothing more than the good old happiness. In his life he never felt like he belonged anywhere until one day he started singing and he made people happy through his singing.

“I realized how people reacted to my singing I found my place” he explained. But how did he get to belong so far away from home?

Katsunori was a regular student back in japan. His only motives were swimming and getting the big prizes but as he explained this was just a shallow goal. One day he realized he needed a change in his life. He said to himself “if I stay here nothing is going to happen in my future, I’ll be living a boring life with a boring job.”

He decided to study abroad. Sadly, his high school didn’t offer the level of English necessary to achieve this life changing decision. So he dropped out of high school and studied English on his own.

He would soon realize that was a mistake. In Japan High school consists of three years. So the last year prepared him for college exams. He had a rough time studying on his own so much that after two months he thought he wouldn’t make it. Luckily, his grandfather had connections with a very prestigious school where the principal rushed to help. They allowed him to use the facilities and study certain classes that would allow him to get a high school diploma but also learn English.

After a hard year Katsunori’s effort was rewarded and got all his objectives achieved. This meant he was able to study in one of the best universities of Japan. But as he explained “After you study for hours a day just to pass one test, everything that comes afterwards is heaven, so I let myself get carried away by the college party life… I felt like I was loosing myself, I knew I had to make a change”. This lead him to take a pause in his college career and go back to his first goal… study abroad.

Looking for a better preparation in English he left to the Philippines where he spent two months studying English. But after he got there he found more than just learning a language he learned about life. He found friendships that would impact his life forever, these friends asked him questions that would change Katsunori forever. They said “what do you want to be?”

He responded by looking into his deepest memories and an almost fading idea of him being an entertainer appeared. He said “I want to be an entertainer!” his friends responded “then what are you doing here? get out there and start doing!”

He stood up and started singing for them. At this point he realized that belonging doesn’t have to be in a place. Belonging meant to find a way to channel who you are and give back to the people around you.

He went back to japan and for a while his life stayed the same. He got a part time job and fell into the same abyss he tried to escape from the beginning. So he took a big step and started cutting all his ties in japan. Everything that held him from his dream of studying abroad. He wanted to experience different cultures, find new experiences, and a new place where he belonged every day. So his mom gave him the idea of going to the U.S.  so they went on and started planning everything. On his side he left his college, said goodbye to his loved ones and to his friends. It was very challenging but the questions that the Philippines left in his head would never be fulfilled if he stayed in Japan.

 

He proceeded to apply for multiple universities and all of them accepted him and offered promising scholarships. But still not all of them had everything he needed. He was looking for proper formation for his voice and a program that allowed him to do theatre at the same time. Morningside gave him the best option.

As soon as he arrived like other international students he felt out of place. He arrived a bit early for orientation, so he wouldn’t start class until a couple of days later. He could have given up into the homesickness but he felt something he never experience before… calm. “Here I feel in peace” so during those days he just enjoyed the calm. He got to experience the feel of the college, going to the cafeteria, meeting new people, learning about the culture, getting to know every single building. For the first weeks everyday was a whole new adventure.

Then classes started and the peace became focus. He found a place where distractions faded away; and everything impulse him to succeed. As he explained it was a completely new feeling being so far away from home but also far away from the distractions that made him move in the first place. Suddenly he felt unstoppable and everyday he could do what he loved: singing, acting, dancing…performing! He found his place.

After talking with his classmates for voice and movement they all seemed to agree in the same subject. He is full of surprises. As soon as he steps up in the stage he is a new person kept on repeating his classmates.” Emma Darragh an international student from Ireland said “He really has a power to move people when he performs and I never though he could do that”. And he quickly became a part of the choir where he enjoys to share his voice with others.

For Katsunori everyday consists now of making people happy through his art. In the process he found unexpected thing that ultimately helped him to be the best version of himself. And now still 6,139 miles away he is still looking to improve himself. He’s convinced that nothing can stop him; Everyday is still a new adventure in his education to be a better performer.

 


Mega City Mall Explosion

December 7, 2017

At 9:50 today an explosion occurred in Mega City Mall. There have been 100 injured and two deceased. The explosion occurred around the food court area near to Dairy Queen. There’s still no information on the cause of the explosion.

 

The mall released a statement expressing their support to the people in the incident and informed the mall will be closed to assist the law enforcement’s investigation of the tragic event.

 

Security footage has been recovered and is in the process of being reviewed.

 

A woman on the other side of the mall said that chaos and confusion was everywhere but gladly there where many civil servants off duty in the mall that instead of running away from the explosion they ran back to help.

 

There’s been reports of a missing child. He is 12 years old and goes by the name of Steven. The MCPD Sargent Fuglsang expressed that he is another priority and that anytime with information should come forward.

 

Witnesses have created their own theory involving a security officer whose story doesn’t add up. He was seen with suspicious activity and near the food court. MCPD  is not considering at the moment that this was any type of attack until they gather further evidence.


Article #4 Katsunori Baba (still working on the title)

December 5, 2017

Imagine yourself on the other side of the world. In this place people speak a different language; and they expect you to speak it too. Their costumes would never be acceptable in your society; and every second in the street is just an endless confusion where you think… is this ok?  Every time you look up into the horizon the landscape offers a complete different palate of colors and expressions of the beauty in the world. And finally every time you eat there’s not even a single dish that will bring you a memory from your mom’s home made food.

 

This is the life of an international student here in the U.S. As soon as they set a foot in here their life is never the same. So, how can anyone feel like they belong in such a different place?

Some might say it’s education, others give credit to their own goals and the drive to achieve them. And for others just like Katsunori Baba a student from Fukuoka-shi Hakataku (Japan); it’s a complete different thing.

 

Katsunori is a student majoring in Vocal Performance and theatre, he is currently in his second semester at Morningside; and has great dreams that he wishes to complete (every single one). What keeps Katsunori so far away from home is nothing more than the good old happiness. In his life he never felt like he belonged anywhere until one day he started singing and he made people happy through his singing.

 

“when I realized how people reacted to my singing I found my place” he explained. But how did he get to belong so far away from home?

 

Katsunori was a regular student back in japan. His only motives were swimming and getting the big prizes but as he explained this was just a shallow goal. One day he realized he needed a change in his life. He said to himself “if I stay here nothing is going to happen in my future, I’ll be living a boring life with a boring job.” So he decided to study abroad. Sadly, his high school didn’t offer the level of English necessary to achieve this life changing decision. So he decided to drop out of high school and study English on his own.

 

He would soon realize that was a mistake. In Japan High school consists of three years. So the last year prepared him for college exams. He had a rough time studying on his own so much that after two months he thought he wouldn’t make it. Luckily, his grandfather had connections with a very prestigious school where the principal after hearing the news of Katsunori dropping out rushed to help. They allowed him to use the facilities and study certain classes that would allow him to get a high school diploma but also learn English. This was a tough year for him he spent more than 6 hours a day just studying to be able to get a high school diploma, study English and pass his entrance exam to Nagasaki University.

 

At the end Katsunori’s effort was rewarded and got all his objectives achieved. This meant he was able to study in on of the best universities of Japan. But as he explained “After you study for hours a day just to pass one test, everything that comes afterwards is heaven, so I let myself get carried away by the college party life… I felt like I was loosing myself, I knew I had to make a change”. This lead him to take a pause in his college career and go back t his first goal… study abroad.

Looking for a better preparation in English he left to the Philippines where he spent two months studying English. But after he got there he found more than just learning a language he learned about life. He found friendships that would impact his life forever, these friends asked him questions that would change Katsunori forever. They said “what do you want to be?” Katsunori never hadn’t thought about that in a long time soon he realized he’s been trying to find the answer to that question but he never seems to belong anywhere so he responded by looking into his deepest memories and an almost fading idea of him being an entertainer appeared. He said “I want to be an entertainer!” his friends responded “then what are you doing here get out there and start doing!” so he stood up and started singing for them. At this point he realized that belonging doesn’t have to be in a place. Belonging meant to find a way to channel who you are and give back to the people around you, that’s how you find where you belong.

 

So he went back to japan and for a while his life stayed the same. He got a part time job and fell into the same abyss he tried to escape from the beginning. So he took a big step and started cutting all his ties in japan. Everything that hold him from his dream of studying abroad. He wanted to experience different cultures, finding new experiences, and a new place where he belonged every day. So his mom gave him the idea of going to the U.S.  so they went on and started planning everything. On his side he left his college, said goodbye to his loved ones and to his friends. It was very challenging but the questions that the Philippines left in his head would never be fulfilled if he stayed in Japan.

 

After applying to multiple universities where he got accepted and offered scholarships in every single one. He chose Morningside because it was the only place where his passion could be fulfilled with a great formation in classical opera and the opportunity to do theatre on campus. And as soon as he got here he felt he belonged. Not for the food or the landscaped but because he could make people happy everyday through his passion.

 


Press Release

December 5, 2017

The Morningside Fraternity Alpha Beta Pi just elected a new president. Elliott Conover from Remsen, Iowa. He is a Junior and has been in the fraternity for his three years. It was an impressive election with a hundred percent of the votes.

 

His first initiative will be changing the pricing for the meal plan in the college. And will continue to promote the fraternity with parties to involve the community, organize intramurals to promote sports on campus, and take all the fraternity to volunteer in the Mary Treglia to show the fraternity’s support for community and immigration.

 

Morningside College is a private, four-year college affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

in Sioux City Iowa.  Offering more than 65 majors and pre-professional programs, and a placement rate of 99%.


Riley Mahon: A Life Filled With…

November 28, 2017

Mothers, The base of our nation. They are what keeps most of families together. They have the strength to keep everyone going. But, have you ever stopped and thought about all the work they do? The real heroes are not the one in comic book movies. They are the ones taking you to the movies. For Riley this was a revelation, and a responsibility.

 

When Riley was 5 years old she was the one with the most chores to do. Keeping her room clean, taking out the trash, do dishes. For a young age she handled these tasks very well. But she never expected the biggest task of all. Around her sophomore year of high school her parents divorced. And she became the woman of the house. She had to make sure her brother went to school, look up for the dog, getting her dad out of the house, and all of this on top of being a kid. Going to school and dealing with enough by herself. She became the glue of the family.

 

All the work her mom did, was now her work. This is how she realized “no one really appreciates what they do, no one asks how are you doing… well I was tired”. Riley had to put on her mom’s shoes and struggle with being a kid in school by day and the glue of the family by night.

 

Now she says “I feel like a 35 year old instead of a 20 year old” now that she is in college her obligations and tasks go even further but she is confident that she can handle them. She just hopes to start socializing and having more fun.


News Comment 14

November 25, 2017

Article

The article center around a hack on Uber where information about consumer and drivers license where stolen by a group of hackers. what the article says is the problem os that Uber didn’t proceed to report the breach to the authorities or to the consumers but payed $100,000 to the hackers and covered it as bug bounty.

After the information was leaked Uber proceeded to fire their chief of security and claimed that trying to cover the hack was a mistake.

What really takes my attention from this is that i completely understand all sides of the story. first why Uber would want to cover it up with Lyft having a lot of competition against them and the recent claims about the platform the couldn’t afford more things like that and supposedly the hackers would return the information. paying only $100,000 that i’m sure for a company of that size it wouldn’t be hard considering the stakes.

But I also understand the consumer, think my information was leaked and you didn’t even bother to warn me. this could have escalated to a bigger point . Uber was lucky it wasn’t Credit card information.

And the i understand  the government side. where basically Uber is covering up the payment for the hackers and making others seem like they can do that. when they should be applying the old and reliable we don’t negotiate with terrorists.

It’s a mess and a huge conflict of interests. But at the end i doubt this is going to make Uber go away

 

 


Scavenger Hunt: “Ask a stupid question”

November 16, 2017

My journey began with the quest for a weird question. Several hundred questions appeared in my head just like: what’s heavier; 2 pounds of cotton or two pounds of steel? If time is money, then I’m wasting your time right now? What’s your worth in fried chicken? And so on. But then a bigger question appeared: how can I tell a story if the question is just weird? so the answer appeared right in from to me. I wanted to create a question that played with the mind of the person answering it. so my question was the following:

 

“What is your stand on the theory of relativity where it basically explains that we’re all connected by unexpected actions that drive the universe’s impulses to tell us when to do things. So… are you hungry?”

 

The interesting part behind the question is not what is written; because it’s not the most coherent question. But, the way I delivered it to different people. Thanks to theater I have the ability to keep a straight face even in the funniest times (well most of the times at least). The first part of the question has to be delivered in the most professional and serious way. Then the last part has to be a total change; just like a zinger would be.

 

The interesting part is that every single one of the 10 people I asked acted the same way. As soon as they started hearing “familiar terms” like the relativity; they put a straight face and try their best to look smart. This involves putting their hands in their chin and making one of their eyebrows go slightly higher than the other one. Continued by a constant nod of the head (almost like a beat). This ends with the confusion when I asked them if they where hungry. The confused face involved the rising of both eyebrows and a slight opening of the mouth; usually ending with a soft “wha?” After they realize what was going  it’s was too late and an awkward laugh finished the touch.

 

This really says a lot of our modern times. In a way this small gesture shows how most people try to create a shell around them that inevitably will fall and leave and the host open for criticism.

 

 


News Comment 13: Star Wars BAttlefront 2

November 16, 2017

CNN article

 

For today’s news comment I’m taking a look to a game that will be released tomorrow (Friday the 17th of November).

The game is Battlefield 2 is a basically a Star Wars based game where you take military like battles into a Star Wars context. so instead of solider we have storm troopers, the rebellion, Jedi, Sith and different characters from the movies. What makes this games news is not the content of the game but how you get the content. Basically the standard mode of game is that the player is in an online battle. As thousand of games, this game needs in game credits to unlock new weapons and characters. In this case you need in game credits or micro-transactions (real money) to actually get the denominated ”heroes” (this would be playing with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Han Solo, etc.)  In the original version of the game released for those player who bought the pre release package that allows them to play a week before the game is released they found something interesting. To unlock one of this characters it would take 60,000 in game credits or 40 hours of continuing gameplay just to buy one character. Others estimated that even with playing for two hours a day it would take 2 years to get all the characters in the game without paying for extra in game coins that would be with actual money.

This cause and incredible concern among the gamer community and the media backlash made EA (Electronic Arts) back down and make reduce by 75 % the amount of credits that it would take to get these heroes.

I believe this is an interesting case of one of those games that gamer call “pay to win” where because of the regulation of the game there is no way you can improve in the game without paying extra money; and considering the game is already worth $60 it’s not a great thing. I get it, the game industry is made to get money but when it gets to these extremes where basically players are forced to pay it’s just absurd. it has been a couple of years since games start to come in pieces. it’s like going to McDonald’s and getting a burger for the regular price but only receiving the bread and some lettuce. and when you complain the manager says the meat and the rest would be an extra 5 dollars. I don’t know if anyone would be happy with that. luckily the company proceeded to reduce the prices which are still considerably high! but it shows that people can actually make a difference on these days. and this is the point that I really wanted to prove. If people get together for one greater good these days, it feels like a machine that can’t stop.

 


Newscast

November 14, 2017

 

Welcome, my name is Engels Perez and this is the 5 o-clock newscast for fusion 9-3 KMSC the student radio voice of Morningside college

 

On our stories today we have:

The knew challenges for Morningside theater department.

Keep an eye for the unexpected allegations towards Kevin spacey

And the struggles for students looking to improve their physical form on campus.

 

Starting with stories form our own campus

 

The Morningside Theater Department is facing one the hardest times in their history.

After the major was cut the department started working on improving campus shows and student productions. As Theater professor Taylor Clemens Explained – Play recording of Taylor— with the collaboration of APO the theater honor society; the department will start building over the student produced shows.

Brock Bourek President of APO explained – play recording — His goal is to extend the involvement even further than just the shows. Hoping that this will bring the interest of students to become more than just the audience.

The first show following this structure was Love, Sex and the I.R.S. with a cast, crew and production team completely formed by students. The only faculty involved was Taylor Clemens as a theatrical consulter.

 

Continuing with campus coverage

 

If you’re not an athlete student on Morningside College we might have some bad news for you.

 

Currently on campus Morningside only counts with one full weight room available for all students. Located in the HPER (Hi-Per). This weight room is currently not in the best shape. With multiple broken machines and others that just need maintenance or even a complete change. Multiple complaints have been filed by students and they seem to get nowhere.

 

As non-athlete student Luis Seijas explained – Play Recording Luis –

 

Students looking for physical improvement will find problems like: rusty equipment, lack of space, high risk of injuries.

 

Jesus Sanz a tennis player also explained how this affects athletes – play recording Jesus—

 

And now going to national coverage

Kevin Spacey has been accused of harassment. The backlash is making critics call for the end of a career.

Kevin Spacey was accused of making sexual advances on a 14-year-old over thirty years ago. Right after the accusations, the actor claimed to not remember the event. And proceeded to reveal he is deciding to live as a gay man.

After the events Spacey received criticism from member of the L-G-B-T community claiming he is just trying to deceive and manipulate when deciding to reveal his sexuality.

Madison Schueet student of psychology explained what she believes happened with  Spacey’s reaction –play recording—looking to delegitimize the harm caused by the possible sexual advances.

 

Netflix quickly announced to be cancelling house of cards. Also spacey will be replaced through reshooting by Christopher Plummer in his upcoming film All the Money in the World.

 

This was fusion 93 KMSC’s five o clock newscast. I’m Engels Perez, Good evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


News Comment : following up on Spacey

November 9, 2017

Article 

After all the allegations and what happened with Kevin Spacey, I’m a bit surprised this time the movie industry is making a stand to show how much those allegations mean. so Scott Ridley is going the cut Spacey’s character form his upcoming movie “all the money in the world” only six weeks before the movie is released what means reshooting with a new actor and a ton of post production to digitally take spacey out of multiple shots.

I’m a bit conflicted on how to feel about this my naive feeling is that this is Hollywood making a stand against old traditions and looking for equality. but at the same time this is also the movie looking to not completely flop on the box office. After all the backlash in social media i’m sure that for at least a couple of years no one is going to want to see spacey in anything, so anything that has him will be probably destined to fail horribly.

So this is where we hesitate is society doing good because is the right call and they are looking for equality or are they just trying to cover their own profit.