01

01

Alumni Interview

Since the first graduating class of 2006, AIC’s alumni have gone on to achieve amazing heights in their further education and careers; becoming great role models within their communities and for us students. On the 9th of August we were visited by some of these inspiring past students who were kind enough to share with us their experiences and words of wisdom about school, university, and life.

Interviewee : Sharnee Medhora (2008) Interviewer: Andy

A: Hello, Sharnee! What have you been up to since AIC?

S: Well, I attended Auckland University, and I’ve done a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in French and Spanish. (Pauses, waiting for Andy to furiously scribble down notes)

A: Don’t worry, I can keep up!

S: (laughs) All right then! Well, in my last semester, I was part of an exchange program with the University of Toronto. And that was pretty cool. Toronto’s one of the most liveable cities in the world, apparently? Now, I’m back in Auckland, just kind of chilling, relaxing.

A: Moving back in time … Students, as teenagers, often experi-ence the most formative periods of their lives at AIC. How do you think AIC influenced you as a person?

S: Well, I think it’s… it’s definitely helped me at university, like to cope with a lot of the post-high school life, definitely. It’s also broadened how I see other cultures. That’s what was really helpful when I was learning languages as well.

A: That kind of insight AIC provides into different cultures – was that in any way a factor for you to major in French and Spanish?

Acknowledgments

Chief Editors Patrick Lu Zhiyuan(Andy) Xie

Supervisor Mr. E. McConkey

Editors Yoojong(Grace) Lee

James Wang Aileen Zhou Helan Sun Soo Min Hong Eui jin(Jinny) Kim Thi Tuyet Trang Nguyen Haili Xie Su Kyung(Rachel) Shin Jae Young Kim Soo Hyun(Rachel) Cho Jung Bum(Kevin) Kim Tony Fan

Layout Sining(Celine) Chen Nan(Claire) Shen

Art Zheng(Crystal) Xie

Contributors Carolyn Zou Kanami Kitagawa George Shu

Piyawatt Suwanasap Mona Yang Xingyi (Lily) Tang David Moon Jessie Mao Si Yuan (Shaun) Liu Jenny Yang Reo Masa Hazuna Kan

Artwork/Photos Miria Ding

Tuan Kien Tran Zhuxi Zhang Crystal XIe Maraget Zhou Jun Min Park Hailie Xie Kunbo Li Rina Takahashi Andy Xie Na Yeon Kim

October 2013

Twelfth Issue

AIC editorial club

Editorial:

Welcome to the twelfth issue of Mosaic. As the new editorial team for 2013-2014, we are excited to present this first issue, and will put full effort into pursuing the goal of Mosaic — to create a multilingual magazine that covers a variety of topics that interest readers and cultivate students’ writing talents. We hope that you will find enjoyment in reading this issue, and we are looking forward to receive more articles in English and other languages this term. Happy reading!

-Alumni Interview -Murphy’s Law

1~2

-Duke of Edinburg 3

-On the floor of dance

4

-International day 5

-My first piano competition -TKD

6

-Young Enterprise Scheme -AMUN 2013

7

-Year 11 in Aculand International Col-lege

8

-Track Reviews 9

-Comrade by Volca-

no Choir -A decade

for you, a minute

11

-What to Do in

Your Free Peri-

ods!

12

-At first there

was nothing

13

Unexpected

“Rejection”

14

-Aotearoa

-AIC Japanese

Drum Club

15

-Games & Puz-

zles & Nature!

16

Inside this

issue:

by Maria Ding

Patrick Lu

MOSAIC

02

02

S: Well, actually, at first, I wanted to study English but I managed to get a couple of 100%s in Spanish literature and I really enjoy Spanish and French and wanted to do something that I enjoy. Cultures have always fascinated me.

A: Outside of Spanish and French, what other cultures do you enjoy?

S: Actually after a while I really en-joyed Japanese culture and lan-guage. I had a lot of Japanese friends at AIC, so I did some Japa-nese. And right now, I’m sitting Ko-rean. That’s what I really enjoy about learning the languages. When you learn a language, you also learn about the people, the culture, and you can travel easily.

A: Just to wrap up, if you could give any piece of advice

to AIC students, what would it be?

S: It’s worth it in the end. It really is. From personal experi-ence, because I went through so much stress at AIC, uni was so much easier in comparison. A lot of other people aren’t used to dealing with so much stress, so you have a serious head-start.

by Zhiyuan(Andy) Xie

&Rachel Cho

Murphy’s Law

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. A truth the world revolves around, or just a convenient excuse on which to blame our failures? Either way, there’s no denying that ‘Murphy’s Law’ is, at least sometimes, true. There are, in fact, mathematical proofs for this unofficial law, some involving intimidating Greek letters. There are also our everyday proofs, lacking in Greek letters but probably more relatable. My printer doesn’t always try to self-destruct…but when it does, I need to print some-thing on which my entire future relies. Toast has been scientifically proven to fall on carpet with the butter side down. You bring everything when you don’t need it.

You’d think we’d learn to print things ahead of time, go for the cereal instead, bring everything you could possi-bly need, just in case. But we continue to be optimistic in the face of bad luck and Greek letters, maybe unrealisti-cally so. We hope life will just sort itself out. Of course it’ll stop raining, of course doing things at the last minute is a recipe for success, of course it’ll turn out fine. Delu-sional? Maybe, but our spontaneous optimism in spite of all the laws telling us otherwise may be what makes us so great. If Mark Zuckerberg had thought ‘anything that can go wrong, will go wrong’ and decided against dropping out of college to develop Facebook, he would probably have been a lot less successful. Maybe the rest of us would go outside more.

Pessimism may mean the world always exceeds your hopes, but it’s hard to be so cynical as to expect nothing. Apparently hope really ‘springs eternal’, which is why we’ll

keep assuming we won’t need to bring umbrellas and cher-ishing mad fantasies of buses coming when we want them to. We’ll keep eating toast near carpeted surfaces with a reckless joie de vivre- or if you prefer, ‘yolo’. With a typical-ly human gift for hope I assume that’s still socially accepta-ble to say. Smile today, because tomorrow will be worse.

by Grace Lee

by Tu

an

Kien

Tran

by

Z

hu

xi Z

ha

ng

03

03

Duke of Edinburgh As the co-leader for the Duke of Edinburgh club in AIC, I want to introduce our club to the readers of MOSAIC. I decided on doing this as it not only helps as a practice for the real reports the club members will have to write for their qualifying tramps, but also as an introduction a club they may wish to be involved in when they enter the IB diploma. Originally, I had planned to write the first article, but owing to time constraints, I have had to pass on this responsibility to another club member. I approached Kan-ami Kitagawa and she, along with Carloyn Zo, have written this first article. So here is their review and their reflections on their very first Bronze Level Tramp.

We started our two-day tramp on a Friday. It was quite nice weather for a tramp, not scorching hot not freezing cold but slightly windy, perhaps with some rain to come. Although at first I was dismayed to hear we were ex-pecting some rain over the next two days, I learnt later that that wasn’t such a bad thing.

Before heading out, just like at an airport, we had a lug-gage check. It was almost shocking how little or how much some people had brought. After that we were off into the forest, nearly. First we had to get our 13kg bags onto our backs without falling over backwards. The key was weight forward and then straps tightened around the waist and shoulders. When we were set, we started tramping!

Day One of the tramp was almost all uphill. The first part was not too bad. But then the stairs came. Hundreds of them. We decided we would take it maybe twenty steps at a time. But our instructor suggested perhaps two hun-dred and then a rest. When we finally reached the long-awaited dam, everyone quite literally fell onto the ground. Sitting down had never felt so amazing and lunch was too quick. Too soon after, we started walking again. Just when we all thought the worst was over, the bush threw more surprises at us. Mud. However for me the mud turned out to be one of the highlights of the whole tramp. The next few hours consisted of jumping, hopping and lurching around like clumsy frogs to avoid the mud the best we

by

Ma

rag

et Z

ho

u

by

Ju

n

Min

Pa

rk

by

Cry

sta

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by C

rystal X

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by C

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04

04

‘embraced’ the mud and walked straight through it. Near-ing the end of our track, even those who had been chatting and giggling were quiet, just waiting to arrive at the hut. When we actually reached the hut we had no more energy to celebrate so we just sat on the deck, star-ing into space. After sitting for a long while we started cooking and people were mildly excited to finally eat their long-awaited dinner. There wasn’t much chatter that night other than the girls frantically trying to get rid of the spiders that inhabited the hut.

Day Two was very much a repeat of the first but on a different route, going downhill with a slight drizzle making the steps quite slippery. However, surprisingly, some of the uphills we came across on the second day were much, much steeper than those on the first but they were also shorter which made them only about ten minutes of struggle each. Near the end of our long, tiring two-day

tramp we all cleaned our muddy shoes in a river. The feel-ing of cold water seeping into our boots was absolutely amazing, just like it had been on the first day. In fact I am so grateful for the water in our boots on the first day – it possibly saved my feet from blistering.

In hindsight although the tramp was mentally and physical-ly quite challenging, there were definitely highlights that made it enjoyable. Roasting marshmallows, sludging through mud, wading through rivers, and just spending two days with friends and making new ones. These were all part of the challenging experience, and what’s a tramp if not a challenge! Those of you who aren’t already involved with Duke of Ed, it really is a great opportunity to get out and do things you wouldn’t do otherwise!

by Carolyn Zou & Kanami Kitagawa

On the floor of dance

I feel like it was just yesterday when I proposed to a few

of my friends that we should start a dance crew. I feel like

it was just yesterday when we practised our hearts out at

the school’s boarding house. I feel like it was just yester-

day when we stepped in front of the spotlight and per-

formed something that I am very proud of.

Not long after last year’s grand show, I envisioned an

even greater performance: one that would define the

meaning of ‘exceeding expectations’. We have since de-

veloped our skills on the stage, expanded with new mem-

bers and developed our creativity.

However things are different.

Dance practices used to feel like shedding of each and

every drop of sweat until we had no more H2O in our

body. After each stage in the practice, we would have

quick breaks to rehydrate our fluids and energy and then

get back to it.

Nowadays the keen mood at dance practice isn’t as ap-

parent. Sometimes we just sit on the floor like a group of

drunken sailors, wondering about the meaning of life. At

times like these we usually can’t even choose a song, or

think of choreography.

Of course it is everything to do with the different circum-

stances we are now faced with: the increased workload at

school, different social circumstances and many other

matters of importance. All of which ultimately affect our

performance at practice.

But things haven’t changed for the worse. New members

have created new friendships and bonds on and off the

dance floor. Also when we, as a group, are productive the

atmosphere is full of vigor, our hearts full of eagerness, and

every move full of determination to accomplish and perfect

our ultimate routine.

Sure it’s more difficult to keep up with the dancing. But I

would say that with the circumstances as they are, the time

we have and the restraints we are held by, we are doing

more than well. Sure, in terms of dancing I’m more of a

manager and a bystander nowadays. But I’m grateful that I

can manage with confidence and stand by with a smile that

is a response to great routines.

I have seen every second of this crew from its inception to

this day. So whether on the floor of dance at school, in the

community center or on stage in front of our school in a

few months’ time, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that

we will move together as a group on the floor of dance.

by George Shu

by

M

ari

a D

ing

05

05

Today is a day to be remembered, a day when AIC took center stage in the Blockhouse Bay community, a day when the entire community could see not only our aca-demic potential but also our cultural diversity and our various musical and cultural talents.

When I arrived on Blockhouse Bay Road I did not know what to expect from our various performances. I did not even know what was going to be performed and where it was going to take place in. Surprisingly, unlike previous performances, this was actually in public and in the open air. As I walked through the crowds I could clearly feel the buzz of people all around, especially the buzz of AIC students anxiously getting ready for their performances. Not only were the performers getting ready, but the vol-unteer crowd control crew and the other event prepara-tion groups were also doing their part. It was quite a sight to behold with the Vietnamese groups practising their parts and the Japanese Drummers getting their drums to the right location.

The first performance was the Japanese Drums which, surprisingly, took place in the middle of the road. Crowds quickly gathered around and were interested in and were appreciative of what they saw and heard It was quite amazing to see so many people acknowledge the talents that our students had to offer. The Japanese Drummers had two rounds of performance with two sets of different people drumming. As usual the drums set the high stand-ard and the tone for the rest of the programme..

Next up were the Chinese Drummers who appeared with great confidence and enthusiasm. Their drumming skills were just as excellent as those of the Japanese drummers and as a result the crowd was just as enthralled and appre-

ciative. It was quite amazing seeing the different variations of drumming, Chinese and Japanese.

Both Japanese and Chinese Drumming groups wore their traditional dress, which really enhanced the experience for the spectators.

The last two groups were both Vietnamese, with the Viet-namese male group performing first with their dance/action-oriented performance. The audience quickly entered the spirit of the performance and enjoyed it quite thoroughly. Their traditional dress added to the authentici-ty and enthusiasm of the performance.

The Vietnamese female performance group was up next and was a welcome break from the action-oriented perfor-mance of the previous performances. Their co-ordination and synchrony was impeccable, with each move comple-mented by the background music. The audience was once again enthralled by the performance.

Although the AIC group in the parade was not strictly a per-formance, it was still memorable. The group was not only part of the parade, but was an integral part of the parade. AIC students marching proudly in their traditional dress and their AIC uniform was quite a sight to behold, even more so considering the fact that now the entire Blockhouse bay community could see us in all our diversity.

On whole, it was quite an amazing event that I saw on that day. I not only experienced a day on which AIC took center stage in the Blockhouse Bay community, but I also saw the very essence of our school, an international community from all over the world working together as a group, as a school, as an integral part of society.

by Piyawatt

Students Participating in the event

International Day

06

06

Young Enterprise Scheme

The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) is a pro-

gramme that works with schools all over New Zealand and

connects with around 50,000 students each year. It began in

1981 and, every since, has given students the opportunity to

learn about their community as well as gain skills in business

and business management.

This year, our school has entered four teams from Year 11.

They are set to compete against other teams from other

schools in Auckland. If they gain placings in the Auckland

region, then they may even move onto Nationals at which

the best of each region competes against each other.

The scheme is basically to form a company and either pro-

duce a product or provide a service. Each company has many

leadership roles including Managing Director, Communica-

tions Director, Sales and Marketing Director, Production Di-

rector and Finance Director. Each person in the company is

allocated a role and has responsibilities to carry out. The

company works together as a team to create a company

name and logo as well as whatever else a business should

have.

My group, which is called WiDO meets regularly every week

to discuss product ideas. We also attended the e-day with

the other three groups from AIC: this was a day on which

the organizers introduced the programme and business peo-

ple talked to us about the whole process. We also were giv-

en the opportunity to have a five-minute talk with some of

these business people in order to introduce ourselves and

discuss potential product ideas and seek advice. It was a very

enjoyable day and we learnt a lot about the whole scheme

as well as how to start up a business company.

So far, the Young Enterprise Scheme has been a good experi-

ence as it has taught me and my group members many es-

sential skills to start a business. I hope my knowledge and

experience will grow and I will be able to develop more skills

so I can use them in the future.

by Hailie Xie

AMUN 2013

On the 16th of March, an early Saturday morning, I got up at

6am to prepare for a very full-on weekend ahead of me. I

was full of anticipation, knowing that this would be my first

Auckland Model United Nations Conference, or AMUN as it is

referred to (I have been to previous Model UN events be-

fore). I arrived at the University Of Auckland School Of Engi-

neering building at 8:30am and already there was a large

crowd of high school and university students near the regis-

tration desk. Among the many small groups of students, I

saw many familiar faces as well as unfamiliar ones – no

doubt this was going to be an interesting weekend.

The AMUN conference is the largest of its kind in Auckland: it

is the annual Model UN event where more than two hun-

dred high school students come together for two intense

days of debating, socialising, food and the opportunity to

expand ones perspective and knowledge of global issues.

This year’s AMUN theme was ‘Cultures in Conflict’, exploring

how different cultural views and expectations play a role in

conflicts over territories, practices and beliefs in our global-

ised world. Students were allocated a country that they rep-

resented for the duration of the conference (I represented

Iceland) and put into committees in which they debated the

issues raised in documents called ‘resolutions’. At the end of

each committee session, there was be a roll call and students

got the opportunity to help pass the resolution. On Saturday

night, there was also a social dinner where we got to try out

delicious cuisines from various cultures.

For me, AMUN was a memorable experience which allowed

me to improve my debating and negotiation skills as well as

my public speaking. It was great to be with like-minded people

by H

ailie X

ie

AMUN

07

07

who were intellectually engaged throughout the conference

and who also care about the global issues which we face

today. By the end of AMUN, we delegates were all so

tired but we agreed that it was all worth it. I made some

really good friendships at AMUN, and I’m already looking

forward to the next conference where there will be new

challenges and issues to debate.

I strongly encourage students to consider joining the next

UN Youth Conference – you will undoubtedly be amazed

by the high calibre of debates and conversations in which

high school students like you engage. Ever since I first

went to a Model UN conference, I have been so grateful

that these events have made my high school life so much

more enjoyable and I’m sure they will make your student

life more interesting too if you participate in a Model UN

conferences.

by Mona Yang

When I first came to Auckland International College, I re-alized that it was a very small school. There was a small numberof students, a smaller number of staff and, more importantly, an even smaller number of stairs to climb compared to the four flights of stairs I had to encounter every morning at my previous school.

The first few days of Term 1 were just orientation and many sessions of “Getting to know each other” which continued later on for every single class. By the end of it, though, it had worked: we knew practically everything about each other including our previous schools, birth-days, boyfriend/ girl friend’s phone number…

As soon as assessments and tests started around the mid-dle of Term 1, everyone was starting to stress out and begin to feel the pressure. Of course, the other year levels only regarded us as insignificant ‘pre-IBs’ but everyone re-ally wanted a high score as this was the very first set of tests. It was quite stressful and once it was over, we real-ized that there were only going to be more to come. The only thing we could do was try our best and hope our re-sults would reflect the effort that we had put in.

A programme that has just been introduced to the school, which will be continued for all future Year 11s, is the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award. During the Wednesday CAS times, various groups assemble together to negotiate cook-ing material and equipment lists. Because I did my practice trampat my previous school, I was able to finish off with my qualifying journey and finish all the tramps needed to achieve the Duke of Ed bronze award.

Overall, although it was a new opportunity and required lots of hard work, I felt like I had acquired many survival skills and it was definitely an experience that will remain with me, mainly in the form of mosquito bites all down my legs.

So far, Year 11 at AIC has been good. We have made lots of new friends and settled into our classes. We hope the rest of the year will be equally as challenging and also lots of fun!

by Hailie Xie

by

K

un

Bo

Li

by

Rin

a T

aka

ha

shi

Year 11 at Auckland International College

08

08

Just Exist, by Touché Amoré

Touché Amoré is a post-hardcore band that has been ac-tive since 2007. In that timeframe, they’ve produced two albums: … To the Beat of a Dead Horse (2009), and Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me (2011). One of the strengths of this band is the confessional nature of their lyrics, which often provides a strong sense of ca-tharsis for its listeners. Yet this is also their greatest weakness: at times, the lyrics come off as too whiney, and create mountains out of emotional molehills. Their instrumentation also revealed itself as a weakness in their second album: two listens in, and all the guitars were already starting to sound the same.

In their latest single, Just Exist, the band seems to over-come these weaknesses. Trying to work out the meaning of life and understanding mortality without being overly morbid is no easy task, but that’s just what frontman Jeremy Bolm strives to do on this track. And, screaming with fear and anxiety throughout most of the song, he manages to rise above depression and nihilism and succeed in doing so. Just Exist, lyrically, is one of the most beautiful and uplifting pieces of heavy music to come out this year. The guitar lines also demonstrate more texture than their previous works, finally rewarding repeat listens. Overall, the track represents nothing but a movement in the right direction for Touché Amoré; a full realisation of their po-tential. Suddenly, Touché Amoré seems poised to be-come one of the giants of the post-hardcore genre.

Bones, by Ginny Blackmore

By now, Ginny Blackmore’s Bones has established itself as an absolute powerhouse on the New Zealand charts. It’s always pleasing to see a local, home-grown act to com-pete with the best of them. At the age of 16, Blackmore left school to pursue her musical dreams, and the domi-nance of this single seems to have entirely justified her decision.

The concept of Bones is one that we’ve seen before. Un-requited love, an experience that everybody seems to have had, is a lyrical theme that almost guarantees a

song commercial success. The delicate piano combined with the slow heartbeat-like rhythm that pervades much of the track is also nothing new. Where Black more sepa-rates herself from the crowd, however, is her deeply per-sonal lyrics – a very brave move, given the song’s subject matter. Blackmore’s vocal delivery is also a marvel to be-hold: “I look you dead in the eye and say I love you/In the eye and say I want you/In the eye and say this is what I'm asking for/How can you sit and stare at the wall/Do you even like me at all?”, she sings, traveling across the emo-tional spectrum from hurt to unbridled defiance, all

in one smooth wave of song. Indeed, it’s the fire and acid in Blackmore’s delivery that allows Bones to escape me-diocrity and become the excellent debut that it is. Here’s hoping Blackmore’s sophomore attempt is just as good.

Tennis Court by Lorde

Ginny Blackmore’s career seems to be set upon the Bic Runga, Anika Moa kind of route - in other words, pretty much unknown overseas, but local legends in the New Zealand music industry. Lorde, another home-grown tal-ent, however, seems destined for perhaps not a more ful-filling career arc, but certainly a grander one. At only 16, Lorde has become the first female artist to ever top the U.S Billboard Alternative Music chart, with her single Ten-nis Court.

Darkly atmospheric, Tennis Court features heavy, vertigo-inducing synths, and wobbly, tinny percussion. Inevitably, Lorde is going to draw comparisons to Lana Del Rey. There’s one key difference though: where Del Rey’s mini-malism often stifles any emotion in her songs, Lorde knows how to deliver tight, compact daggers to the heart. However, the tiny yet dazzling bursts of feeling are far more ephemeral, far harder to grasp at on Tennis Court than they were on her first single, Royals. Maybe it’s be-cause of the more confining electronic direction she’s cho-sen to pursue, maybe it’s because of the newfound pres-sure attached with carrying a nation’s expectations.

From http://www.rollingstone.com

From http://www.epicrecords.com

Track Review By Andy Xie

09

09

Still, Lorde is very talented. Unlike many of her pop con-temporaries, Lorde has managed to escape the generic trappings of the mainstream, and has already developed her musical identity - to startling complexity for a 16-year-old, too. So while Tennis Court isn’t her best outing, Lorde still has an incredibly bright and exciting future.

We Can’t Stop, by Miley Cyrus

Ah, Miley. Miley, Miley, Miley.

The video for We Can’t Stop has now undergone several memetic mutations in the public eye (never change, resi-dents of the internet), but really – it was already strange enough. Among many, many other strange things, it fea-tures Cyrus attempting twerking, gold teeth, teddy bears, severed fingers, and a hotdog filled piñata. The song has attracted a fair amount of criticism, for the outright bi-zarre nature of its video and the complete reconstruction of Miley Cyrus’s identity. But what of the actual music?

The synths are dizzyingly woozy, giving the song an al-most-dream like quality, and the plodding beat comple-ments this effect. Cyrus’s voice sings with an almost reg-gae-like melody, delving into a genre that she’s never even hinted interest in before. However, while all this may be fascinating to ponder, it’s not very rewarding to listen to. In fact, it’s quite boring. And for all the drastic changes instrumentally, the lyrics remain juvenile and the central theme is identical to that of Party in the U.S.A. (2009). Sadly, this song comes off as merely a des-perate attempt by Cyrus to appear ‘different’ – much like its accompanying video. In her attempts to show her growth, Cyrus ultimately succeeds only in revealing her lack of artistic development.

We Can’t Stop sounds like nothing else on mainstream radio. I just wish it sounded good.

Gun by CHVRCHES

By now, with three singles and a soon-to-be-released al-bum under their belt, it’s been pretty well established what CHVRCHES do with their music.

Describing it is a bit harder than simply knowing it.

CHVRCHES craft high octane, nay, high fructose music; the distilled essence of a five-year-old on a sugar high. Lauren Mayberry sings with melodies that are diabetes-inducing in their sweetness, and the band-members play their instru-ments with the kind of frenzy that is usually associated with Satanic cults. It’s all somewhat sociopathic, and it’s not helped by Gun’s lyrics: “I am gonna break you down/To tiny, tiny parts”, “Now I’ll be a gun/And it’s you I’ll come for”, Mayberry promises, all the while in a tone that sug-gests a Spongebob-esque grin.

So: sociopathic – yes. Definitely. Irrestible? Undoubtedly. Gun is the perfect example of CHVRCHES’ brand of music: a volatile mixture of wild, wild elements that can so easily go wrong. It’s then a testament to CHVRCHES’ craftsmanship that, through some thermodynamic miracle, it all goes hor-ribly right, and produces one of the most smashingly fun, if a bit thematically disturbed, songs of the year thus far.

From http://www.epicrecords.com

From http://www.theneedledrop.com

From http://www.theneedledrop.com

From http://www.epicrecords.com

10

10

Comrade by Volcano Choir

Volcano Choir, a side-project kick-started by Bon Iver mastermind Justin Vernon, was initially just a fun aside for Vernon to play around and relax with. Somewhere along the line, Volcano Choir became so much more. It probably started in 2009, with the release of Unmap, an album that was somewhat a precursor, a prototype of the Bon Iver’s massively acclaimed Bon Iver, Bon Iver. In 2013, the band seeks to escape Bon Iver’s shadow.

With Comrade, Justin Vernon can now safely claim that he has created two bands of the highest order. Comrade is a slow-building ballad that erupts into majesty, layered with spry, celestial guitar lines, a bouncy bass, and weird-ly hypnotic synths. Vernon’s voice, as always, is a high-light. With his upper register, Vernon manages to attain perfection that choirboys can only dream of. But he is very much a man who has outgrown such notions: his voice is as gruff and wounded as it is angelic. The song is beautifully textured, all of its components blending to-gether to create new sonic colours and to form some-thing truly brilliant.

Comrade is a beautifully transcendent piece of music, an emotional experience that is almost spiritual in its magic.

A decade for you, a minute for me

Hello sir, what’s your name?

Mayer you say, why have you came?

Don't tell me that you're here to get fame,

Well then, sir, you have to play my game.

First let’s bet on your pair of arms

And put at stake your handsome charms;

Now go on, roll the dice

Guess the outcome or pay the price.

Odds you say, well it’s evens I see

Your arms and charms are now with me.

Hey, let’s wager your tools for walking

And that beautiful voice you use for talking.

Now go on, roll the dice

Guess the outcome or pay the price.

Unfortunately it is not a four,

Kiss goodbye to the runway floor.

One more try? How about your face?

A knife could fix that misshaped place.

Now go on, roll the dice,

Guess the outcome or pay the price.

It’s not three, four, five or six,

Shame your features now can’t be fixed

Shall we stop sir? You’re out of luck.

That strong beating heart is the last I can pluck.

Your determination is fierce; I’ll give you that.

Now roll the dice across the mat

Let’s ante yourself one last time;

You lose if we hear your knell chime.

Is the number 6 is your final bet?

Well all will be revealed, ready… set …

Congratulations, sir, you’re finally right

But you can no longer perform or fight;

I have your arm that holds your friends;

I have your charm that attracts your fans;

I have your leg that you step forward with;

I have your voice that you thank others with.

In return here is your contract As well as your liberty to sing or act, And your fame and fortune and a prestige level. I hope you enjoyed our game

(With yours sincerely, the devil.)

from

htt

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.com

A decade for you, a minute for me by Zhuxi Zhang

11

11

My First Piano Competition Five years ago, during one of the school holidays, I entered my first piano competition. I still remember clearly waking up at 5am in the morning just to do some last minute prac-tice. After some delays, we finally set off for the competition.

Upon arrival at the venue, I was shocked by the number of competitors there and my nerves began to shake me. There were five classes in total that day but I was competing only in four. After checking off my name at the front desk, my mum and I quickly found a seat and waited for the competi-tion to begin.

At exactly 9am the adjudicator announced the start of the competition. Watching the competitors before me perform on stage, my heart beat faster and faster and I hoped, with the conviction of a ten-year-old, that the judge would never call my name. I tried to visualize my music while all manners of things swirled in my head! Finally, the judge rang the bell and my name was called. The image of the shaky ten-year-old me walking onto the stage and taking the few seemingly eternal steps, to the piano is still fresh, deeply imprinted on my mind until this day. I introduced myself, sat down, took a deep breath and started to play. To my surprise, the piece went perfectly! During lunch break, I couldn’t eat anything as I was nervous about my result and the two upcoming performances. De-spite all these concerns my next two performances went quite smoothly. Finally came the most important part of the day: prize giving. Never in my life had I been that nervous, the good news came: I was rewarded with two ‘very highly commended’ and one ‘highly commended’ certificates. Despite my nerves, participating in this competition was real-ly quite unforgettable. Although I competed in many more competitions afterwards, and gained more confidence each time, I can still clearly remember how nervous I felt in my first competition. It was my first step and also the most memorable one. by Xingyi (Lily) Tang

TKD

10:26a.m. An unusually early wake-up time for an IB student. I decided to forego my classic “roll” wake-up technique, which is to roll off my bed in a violent manner to bang one of my bones resulting in a silencing pain, and instead woke up like a civilized Kiwi. After a mind-blanking session of dipping my head in cold water, I proceeded to get dressed for the big day. My 2nd Dan grading. After stuffing my face with as much carbohydrate as I could possibly digest, I strolled to my neighbour’s place to catch my lift and be dropped off.

After all my nerves and jitters had died down, it was finally my turn to show off my six months of training. We began with the basics such as basic punches, blocks and kicks. Then we proceeded to the more difficult part: the kicks. As kicks are such a pivotal part of Tae Kwon Do, it is one of the core areas that is assessed. The reason for kicks being the focus in Tae Kwon Do derives from Korean traditional culture in which people valued their hands more than their feet, and thus combat was done with feet. After successfully pulling of various kicks of high difficulty such as hook kicks and back kicks, it was onto the patterns. The patterns are another core part of this martial art, and what it essentially is a sequence of blocks, stances, punches and kicks arranged in a specific order through which they attain symbolic meaning. For my 2nd Dan grading, I had to recite all of the eight patterns taught before reaching black belt, and then recite “Koryo”,

a pattern which is learnt after one achieves black belt level. Although I had a few hiccups here and there, I was quite proud of my performance.

Then it was time for the event all the spectators had come for. Sparring. Up to that point, I had felt relatively safe, but when I gazed at my would-be sparring buddies, I felt out of my comfort zone for the first time. Two bulky, middle-aged men whose figures alone would frighten anyone stood next to me waiting to be called up. I focused on speed and man-aged to pull off a few impressive kicks. Finally, at around 4:30, the grading was over. Luckily, everyone passed, even though everyone in the dojang knew without a doubt that everyone had performed well enough in all three core areas to pass. I became a 2nd Dan black belt. And to top it off, my mother bought pizza, which is always a great way to end a day.

The fantastic thing is that this is now available to everyone at AIC with the introduction of the AIC Tae Kwon Do Club, which is affiliated with Sejong Tae Kwon Do, a dojang which sent three of their masters to the 2012 London Olympics. Its affordable price, a great qualification and dedication are why I think everyone should consider picking up Tae Kwon Do. It will also help greatly with University Applications, CAS hours, and the physical aspect of the Duke of Edinburgh pro-gramme. So get off your cozy couches and your lousy laptops and try Tae Kwon Do!

by David Moon

by Zh

uxi Zh

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12

12

What to Do in Your Free Periods!

“Twas the period(s) before class, when all through the school, not a student was stirring, not even a mouse…”

Okay, AIC doesn’t have mice and it isn’t the night before Christmas … but it does describe what many students see during their free periods: most of the students are in class and just a couple of students are wandering around the school. Sounds familiar? Do you ever wonder “What is there to do during those free periods?” It seems that AIC can be pretty boring during frees, right? Well, you are wrong. AIC may not be in the city any more but Block-house Bay has plenty to offer and I am here to present a few options to you all.

Go to the library and finish off homework, read a magazine or a book, study or revise for tests, SATs etc. I know, I know, stop the groans right now. But coming from a well-seasoned Yr 12 student who is writing this during her free period, this pays off in the long run. The free periods are supposed to be study periods, and think about it: revising during school time saves you having to do it at home, so you can have more free time at home. And, if you do encounter something you don’t under-stand, you can ask the teachers which saves you time googling and flicking through textbooks at home, right?

Go out to the Blockhouse Bay Village to eat. Blockhouse Bay may seem like the edge of civilisation compared to the excitement that is the city; however after a few months here I have found that Blockhouse Bay has plenty to offer. Here are the few places I think are worth spending your free periods in:

The Block Café An excellent experience, with a varied menu and friendly staff. It has been open only a short while but is already proving to be the best cafe in Blockhouse Bay. It has a lovely atmosphere with a sunny outdoor eating area that is perfect for lunch. Great for a treat after a test! I recom-mend going there with a group of friends so you can split the price, otherwise it may be a bit pricey by yourself.

Mai Sushi Yes, I know the tuck shop sells sushi. But, if you do want a change of flavours, Mai Sushi offers a variety of sushi for your taste buds that can be made to order or chosen from the cabinet. It is definitely great value for all that sushi and is good for you as well!

Lick Ice Cream & Sweetshop

This bright shop is filled with heavenly ice cream and sorbet flavours which are undeniably fantastic. They have an amazing range of unique flavours. They do sun-daes, hot chocolates, ice creams, sorbets and even have sweets imported from the States. A refreshing treat on any day!

Blockhouse Bay Fisheries

Fish and Chips! This traditional Kiwi meal is rendered nice-ly in this shop, with decent portions of chips, fish etc. The writer recommends buying the special packs to share among friends. Quite filling, make sure you ask for their specialty - Chicken Salt!

Jimmy Bakery and Topwell bakery The two favourite bakeries among AIC students and staff, they are great places to buy your breakfast, lunch or after-noon snacks. They offer a huge range of breads, pastries, rolls, sandwiches and sweet treats. And it’s close, so you can nip out during morning tea or lunch to get something.

Bay’s Kebabs They have some deliciously yummy kebabs with a really fresh taste. Could do with some spicier sauces but still very large and tasty, good value for a feed. Very clean, fresh inside with some tables and chairs if you wish to eat in. So why not try a kebab?

Bus to Lynn Mall Shopping Centre Eat, shop around; there are endless options at the Lynn Mall Shopping Centre. The favourites with the students are KFC and Starbucks.

Work out at the Train Yard Gym This place may be small, but size doesn't matter. The size is compensated for by the friendly trainers. With a lot of exercise gear from bikes to weights, the Train Yard is an inexpensive place to get fit, known among its members as the cheapest and best Gym in Auckland. The classes are as low as $4 for a non-member! And some of our students work out there already, so you will have no need to feel awkward.

Find a room and play some games Time always passes faster when you are having fun, so bring a couple of decks to school and start a game of Big Two, Last Card, Scum, Hawaii, Tongues etc. It’ll be sure to bring you tons of laughter and joy. Or alternatively when you get sick of playing cards, start a game of charades: you will enjoy them, I promise you! Note: Make sure you don’t disturb any of the neighbouring

classrooms J

by N

a Y

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Kim

13

13

Do your CAS

If you happen to have a long block of free periods, why

not go out and do CAS activities. It’ll save you time do-

ing it after school or on the weekends. There are plenty

of volunteering opportunities: you can teach English,

teach maths or chess to junior students down at the

local primary or help out in their PE lessons. Ask Mr.

Cairns for more information.

Just relax somewhere listening to music.

Take some time to de-stress from the rigours of IB life.

Listen to music, take a nap somewhere either on the

field or in a classroom, plug in those earphones and re-

lax away. You’ll end up more refreshed and ready to

tackle the next class/assignment.

Go down to the Beach

If you walk past the Blockhouse Bay Library you can drop

down towards the beach, where the steps go into a cove.

There's a lovely walk along the beach where many locals

walk their dogs or go for a run. You can sit there and con-

template life on the sands, or go exploring around the

cove.

Go Home

If you are day student and you have free time in the last

one or two periods, you can go home early. Catch a bus,

take a taxi, get picked up at school and catch up on the

sleep that you missed doing your lab report.

by Jessie Mao

At first there was nothing

The sound of running stream, a gentle flowing rhythm,

slowly fades into the darkness. As if I had slowly opened my

eyes in the morning, bursts of light with a mixture of green

and pink tears open the darkness. Then, everything is there,

everything is moving, from the wild wind rattling through

the leaves of trees to the minute but busy movement of

ants. Every instant, just like in a movie, is perfectly ar-

ranged to serve its particular purpose, working towards it.

Centre of all, standing there, eyes looking into no-where-

land was a girl . Time continues, but memory stops, replay-

ing this scene over and over again; memory trying to make

its burst into the next scene never makes it. Memory re-

mains. Years of replay have given me the chance to analyse

every single detail of the surroundings, but as the years go

by, memory begins to fade. This video clip, deep in the hard

drive of my brain, begins to fade. I no longer have the abil-

ity to launch myself into the scene, standing there with her:

it is all covered by the mist of the past.

I know I need to record this so that I will never forget it, but

for sixteen years I have not been able to describe it perfect-

ly. Scrunched up pads with only a few lines of words

stacked in the full bin until they are dumped. Yet I still can’t

write properly. I must write though, before memory itself by

accident ends up in the rubbish bin. I must write about this

before I lose my promise.

by Si Yuan (Shaun) Liu

by K

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bo

Li

by

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a D

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14

14

令人意想不到的“排异反应”

2222年，世界的科技水平得到了极大的发展。人类在医学领域的进步不仅使器官移值变得极为普遍，人们甚至可以寄存自己的器官。

在中国人传统的节日“端午节”的这一天，屡经商战失败的罗宾森，经过几周的犹豫最终下定决心走进了奥克兰最专业的器官银行，毅然地存下了他正直善良的良心，并定期为30年。

从银行走出来的罗宾森完全变成了另一个人，他随后成立了“道貌岸然公司”。然而，没有了诚信的良心，原本坚守信用的罗宾森现在谎话连篇、不择手段；没有了谦和的良心，原本谦虚儒雅的罗宾森现在骄傲自大、目中无人；没有了宽容的良心，原本宽厚善良的罗宾森现在刻薄冷酷、睚眦必报。

30年里，没有了良心的约束，罗宾森用尽一切欺骗、卑劣的手段对付他的竞争对手，经营他的公司。在商战中因他的狡诈和难以想象的卑鄙，他的公司似乎一帆风顺、呼风唤雨，占据着绝对的垄断地位。罗宾森和他的“道貌岸然公司”经常成为电视、报纸和网络等个媒体争相关注、报道的对象。罗宾森终于出名了、成功了、心想事成了。

很快30年就要过去了。这天深夜，上亿美金打造的海滨豪宅，罗宾森站在窗台上，望望院子里价值连城的各式轿车、跑车，再看着屋里奢华的家具、琳琅满目的收藏品，以前梦寐以求的成功似乎实现了，但罗宾森却忽然觉得并不欢喜快乐，内心深处反而有着莫名的不安。他想着，寄存的良心就到期了，要赶紧去取回。

端午节这天，罗宾森早早就到了器官银行，取到了寄存的良心。器官银行先进的设备与技术将良心保存的极为完好，未受丝毫污染，完全可以供以移值。罗宾森随即开始筹划着将良心重新植回体内。

很快，一支重金聘请的顶尖医疗团队组成了。医疗团队向罗宾森保证现在器官移值已不是什么高难度手术，一定可以帮他将良心植回。罗宾森非常高兴，期待着良心植回体内，自己又将恢复成以前宽厚善良的模样。他已开始盘算，他将向哪些慈善团体捐款，他还计划设立公平竞争奖励基金、捐建养老院等等一系列改头换面的计划。

在手术的前一夜，罗宾森躺在床上，回想了他过往的生活。虽然在表面上他拥有了世上一切想要的东西，但心灵却极为空虚和不安。因为失去了良心，很多不该做的事他做了，很多该做的事他没有做。他期待着，植回良心后他可以做回以前善良的自己。

手术当天，罗宾森最后一次走进了器官银行，医生领他走进了手术室。他在手术台上躺下，深吸了一大口气并闭上了眼睛，罗宾森期待着几个小时后重获新生的自己。然而，手术中却出现了意想不到的危急情况。结果手术进行了三天三夜，精英医疗团队用尽浑身解数，罗宾森却再也没能睁开眼睛，手术终告失败。医疗报告中，病亡原因填了简单的四个字：“排异反应”。原本属于罗宾森自己的良心，竟然在30年后无法被罗宾森自己的身体接受，产生了通常移值器官来自他人才可能出现的排异反应。

Unexpected “Rejection” This is 2222. The world has greatly developed both scien-tifically and technologically. Among the rest, humans have progressed most in the medical field; not only is organ transplantation very common and approachable nowa-days, but people can also register their own organs. Robinson had repeatedly failed in the business war. After weeks of hesitation, he decided that he wanted to save up his virtuous conscience on a regular basis of 30 years. He was finally determined to walk into Auckland's most pro-fessional organ bank on the day of the traditional Chinese "Dragon Boat Festival". However, when Robinson came out of the bank, he had turned into a completely different person. He subsequent-ly set up a "Sanctimonious Company", without integrity of the conscience. Robinson who had adhered to his princi-ples of honesty and generosity had turned into an unscru-pulous liar. Once the man who was modest ad scholarly had turned into an arrogant and supercilious quack. It was needless to say that he was cruel and vindictive. For 30 years, Robinson played his deceptive and despica-ble tactics to go against his competitors. In the ruthless business world, Robinson continuously used his cunning tricks to hold an absolute monopoly. His company seemed powerful and looked to be running smoothly as it often appeared on television shows, newspapers, the Internet and many other types of media. Robinson's dreams had come true; he was a famous and successful man. 30 years was soon over. Robinson spent millions of US dollars to build a waterfront-mansion. That night, he stood at his windowsill, looking down at his invaluable collection of sports cars in the backyard. Then he turned his gaze to the inside of the house, which was filled with luxurious furniture, and decorated with an array of col-lectibles. However, Robinson did not feel satisfaction in his heart. Instead, he felt oddly uneasy. Even though he had achieved his previously dreamed of success, he knew that the hosting conscience was due to expire, hence rushed to get it back. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Robinson arrived at the Organ Bank very early, to retrieve his misplaced conscience. He knew that the Organ Bank’s advanced equipment and technology preserved conscience ex-tremely well, thus there was not even the slightest chance of contamination which could supply to shift its values. Robinson immediately began planning his conscience re-forestation, in order to restore it back into his body. Very quickly, a heavily paid, top medical team was ar-ranged. The confident medical team ensured Robinson that organ transplantation was not a difficult surgery, and that they would definitely be able to help him recover his conscience. Robinson was very pleased and looked for-ward to the transplantation of his conscience back into his body, expecting to restore his previously benevolent ap-pearance. In his mind he began to wonder, which

15

15

An escape from home,

discovered our land.

Aotearoa is its name,

the land of the long white cloud.

We once were strong

with all those victories

but now,

we are only left with memories.

We are the ashes of the fire,

whirling and twirling

in the land that was once ours;

soft sighs surround the air.

We will protect our home,

when it is in danger.

For our love will never change,

For our love will never change.

charity he would donate to, planning to to establish a fair competition prize fund to retirement homes and a series of makeovers programs. The night before the surgery, Robinson lied in his bed, looking back at his past life. Although he had owned eve-rything he had wanted in the world, his heart felt empty and he was full of anxiety. He regretted many choices he had made in his life, and anticipated the transplantation of his conscience so that he could be the old himself again. On the day of the surgery, Robinson walked into the Or-gan Bank for the very last time, following the doctor to the operation room. He lay down on the operating table, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He was looking forward to be reborn completely after a few hours. However, an unexpected situation happened during the surgery. The operation resulted for three days and three nights, exhausting the medical team by all means. But Robinson was never able to open his eyes. The surgery had failed.

Medical reports describe the cause of his death with a simple word, “rejection”. The conscience which had origi-nally belonged to Robinson, surprisingly, was not accept-ed by Robinson’s own body after the 30 years of corrup-tion, resulting in an unexpected rejection which only hap-pened with organ transplantation received from a differ-ent person.

by Jenny Yang Edited &Translated by Aileen Zhou

The AIC Japanese Drum Club We have been working as the AIC Japanese Drum Club for

The Drum Club Members

Almost a year and have performed at many events in-cluding the Blockhouse Bay Christmas Parade, the AIC Talent Show and the Auckland International Festival. We

have entertained audiences at each event and achieved our aim which is to introduce Japanese Culture and its importance through our performances.

“It was not easy to practice for five hours every week and it was a very tough time for us especially when we had lots of assignments but what we have actually achieved has been very valuable. We have taken many good op-portunities to become involved in local events and to contribute to the community,” says Reo Masa, the leader of the club.

The AIC Japanese Drum Club started only in 2003 where-as the history of Japanese drumming is prodigiously long - it was begun more than 1600 years ago. The Japanese drum has a characteristic sound which is a very deep bass. It has a very distinct reverberation and a lingering sound which is one of its attractions.

We hope the Japanese Drum Club will be passed down every year from now on and become a strong, new tradi-tion at AIC.

by Reo Masa and Hazuna Kan

by

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Aotearoa by Xingyi (Lily) Tang

16

16

. Games & Puzzles & Nature!

Crosswords Fun Facts about Nature

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world’s largest

reef system.

Despite its name, the Killer Whale (Orca) is actually a

type of dolphin.

Plants on the surface of the Earth have existed for

around 400 million years.

Unlike humans, cows and horses sleep while standing

up.

Although Polar Bears have white, fluffy fur, their skin is

actually black.

Female lions are better hunters than male lions and do

most of the hunting for a pride.

The largest land based mammals on Earth are ele-

phants.

Animal Riddle

Across:

5. a group of inverte-brate animals which have segments body and joiunted limbs are called ______

9. the largest ocean in the world is called the ________ ocean

10. Does an adult have more bones or does a child have more bones?

11. Another name for the Southern Cross is the ________

13. The highest waterfall

15. We share 98.4% of our DNA with a _______

16. The longest river

Down:

1. The only flying mammal

2. a female pig

3. the largest living bird is the _______

4. Broccoli is a vegeta-ble with a nervous system which means it can feel _______

5. The largest conti-nent

6. a period of dorman-cy in winter

7. a group of gorillas is called a _____

8. The red planet

12. acorns grow on this type of tree

14. an animal doctor

Look at this picture.

Can you figure out why this picture is so riveting?

Answers

1.

2. If you rotate the picture

about 90°, you will see

a frog.

Word Bank:

AMAZON

ANGELFALLS

ARTHROPODS

ASIA

BAT

BAND

CHILD

CHIMPANZEE

CRUX

HIBERNATION

MARS

OAK

OSTRICH

PACIFIC

PAIN

SOW

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