Diwali – the festival of light

How much I had been looking forward to this much awaited and much deserved break in India, when I realised that I had got saturated enough in Southampton, as the month of September rolled in. It was supposed to be nothing less than a perfect holiday – meeting family, friends and lazing around. But, the stay in India has so far been action-packed and quite eventful and if there is someone to blame – it is only me and my ruthless planning wherein I try to squeeze in so many things in such a short time! But after a warning from my dear wife – and with the festival of lights, Diwali, round the corner – I knew that it was time to relax and unwind and immerse myself in the festivities.

All dressed up for Diwali Celebrations

Diwali, the shorter version of Deepavali – means row of lights. It is the most important festival for Hindus throughout the world and a major festival celebrated with pomp and style in India. It signifies the triumph of good over evil. It also marks the end of harvest season in India and is a way of thanking the goddess of wealth for her kindness and blessings. It is the festival of lights when people clean up their houses and decorate them with lights, candles and lamps. They visit friends and relatives and give each other sweets and chocolates and set off crackers and fireworks in the evening.

Last year, during Diwali, I was at Southampton, away from friends and family and did miss them a lot on this special day. The day began with a hearty breakfast and then both I and my other Indian flatmate made a long list of people to be called back in India to convey our good wishes and greetings. We then made a quick trip to the nearest Tesco Express and recharged our cell phones with twenty pounds of talk time each. We must have spent at least a couple of hours in this mammoth exercise. I now realise that being so far away from family and friends makes your heart grow fonder – and this was perhaps the first time we were away from them on Diwali. As afternoon set in, we rushed to the temple in town for prayers. There was a huge Diwali celebration carried out on campus last year by the Hindu Society of the University and that added to our happiness on this special day. There was Indian food arranged and Diya (lamp) decorations all over.

It was so heart-warming to witness the bonhomie in the University and celebrate Diwali with students from all over the world. There was also a fireworks display in the evening. As the day ended, I realised that it was not all that bad. Maybe it was the first Diwali away from home and that caused the home-sickness but it was different and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This year, I was at home in Mumbai and caught up with all the celebrations and splendour of Diwali at Mumbai. It was my daughter’s first Diwali (last year she was just a month old) and that added to my joy. It was a real treat to watch my daughter get dressed in the typical Indian dress. She looked like a princess as she ran through the whole house. My parents and brother had come over for the occasion and it was a perfect family time for all of us. The whole day was spent decorating the house and enjoying each other’s company.

Diwali Celebrations at Marine Drive, Mumbai

As I stood on my balcony overlooking the sea and Marine Drive at night, I realised how beautiful the city looked, glittering with lights and swarming with people. It marks a perfect end to my long vacation as I gear up for the forthcoming assignments.

All is well that ends well!

Rohit

International development in 2012

This world is complex, unfathomable some might even say, and yet one thing which is at its crux is development – its incessant evolving nature. Understanding and interpreting this movement is the tricky part, because why do some countries progress while others suffer stunted growth?

Naturally I am biased; I have a deep passion for international development, but I truly do believe that it affects every single person, every single day. Just last week it was announced that the UK would no longer be giving aid to India – was this drastically overdue for a country which has its own space programme, or is this a spending cut measure at its cruellest?

People commit their lives to trying to work out how best to help the world’s vulnerable, the most sustainable eradication of poverty, how to support developing countries so they are self-sufficient, because vitally, development is simply not just a transferring of funds. It is governmental officials, intellectuals, NGOs, think tanks, independent external bodies and people like you and I who just question the world order and demand change. Development is about getting informed and asking whether what we’re doing is the best thing –and there is no better place for your questions than at Southampton’s very own International Development Conference, held this coming weekend.

Okay, so I’ll repeat this again, I am biased, and I am helping to organise this conference, but because of that I am in a perfect position to tell you how awesome it will be!

The tagline of this year’s conference is ‘Social Action in 2012’ – we wanted to keep it current, in such a fast-paced environment we wanted to tackle how the world is now. It is easy to become insular, to get trapped in our own interests and not think of the wider challenges and innovations unique to 2012.

We’ve invited a whole host of speakers and organisations to come and talk about the status of development and we’d love for you to come along! There are different streams within the conference, each focusing on a different element - from human rights, to social media, ethical consumerism and more traditional charities.

Here are but a few:

Build Africa:
Build Africa works exclusively in rural areas of Uganda and Kenya. They combine learning and earning opportunities which offer long-term solutions to poverty for children and their families.
Their vision is for every young person in Africa to fulfil their potential and to make a difference. http://www.build-africa.org/

WAM International – Women Advancing Microfinance:
The mission of WAM International is to advance and support women working in microfinance and microenterprise development through education and training, by promoting leadership opportunities, and by increasing visibility of women's participation and talent while maintaining a work/life balance.
http://www.wam-international.org/

Save the Children:
Save the Children works in 120 countries. They save children’s lives. They fight for their rights. They help them fulfil their potential.
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk

Medical Aid for Palestinians:
Medical Aid for Palestinians works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees.
http://www.map-uk.org/

Restless Beings:
Restless Beings is an international human rights organisation which aims to support marginalised communities that are deprived of media or public attention. Its projects are holistic in operation and work towards self-sufficiency.
http://www.restlessbeings.org/

Southampton Hubs (who are putting on this conference) asked University of Southampton students what was a BIG DEAL to them. I think the results clearly show an interest in international development – there is no better place to explore this than at our conference!

The format of the conference is as follows:

On Friday 16^th November there will be a film screening – it is a film made by HART a humanitarian charity and it investigates a silent, yet tragic topic. It explores the refugees living in the South Sudan caves, trapped between the two newly-divided nations; they became the target of genocide killings and they fight back. After the film we will chair a discussion with a speaker coming down from HART.

On Saturday 17^th November we have a full timetable of speakers and talks; we have also allotted time for networking and for you to have a chat with the representatives from the various organisations. Therefore if you have any niggling questions, if you want to know a bit more, if want to be engaged and have a closer look at our global order and see if its working properly I urge you to join us. This weekend you are given the opportunity to try and understand our world just a little bit more, so come along and show your interest.

Feel free to email us if you have any questions - idc@southamptonhub.org.

I hope to see you there!

Florence

Great Expectations (and life in the Performing Arts)

More often than not these days, my housemates have witnessed me stumbling through the door late in the evening and inevitably asked “Rehearsal?”

Yes, it’s the week of the show, and last-minute preparations for SUSU Theatre Group’s production of the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations are in full swing. Check out the SUSUtv show preview below (and keep your eye out for the upcoming trailer at the same place!)




Soon, a production process which started in mid-September and has since featured interpretive dance, zumba, blocking, class wars, stage combat workshops, human pyramids, Epsom races, innumerable line slip-ups, trailer filming, accent meddling, ballroom dance choreography, zombies, beard growing (sorry Mum!), costume fitting, flyering, in-jokes and cast bonding aplenty will, by the end of the week, have concluded, followed by the inevitable climb-down and post-show blues as all involved accept that, at last, we might actually have to do some work!

For obvious reasons, nothing builds teams quicker than the human pyramid exercise!

(Credit: http://www.facebook.com/TG.GreatExpec)

Great Expectations is the story of the poor young orphan Pip (played superbly by Chris Barlow), who experiences a rapid rise in fortune and class as, after a terrifying encounter with the escaped convict Magwitch (an effervescent Alex Curtis), he goes on to encounter friendship, wealth, mystery, betrayal, murder and, in the form of the beautiful yet cold-hearted Estella (the astounding Ashleigh Clowes), love, on his path through life.

Watching over him is a whole multitude of characters, including my own, Joseph Gargery, Pip’s blacksmith brother-in-law whose life in poverty is cast aside by the fortune-seeking Pip, part of a talented and diverse ensemble cast which incorporates the eerie Miss Havisham (an Alice Walsh who still gives me the shivers!) and strict lawyer Jaggers (the commanding James Forster) amongst others.

Joe Gargery and Pip at the Forge. (Credit: http://www.joehart.co.uk/)

It’s a tale which has resonated throughout generations of English Literature, with adaptations abound as recent as the BBC’s TV series last year, a dynamic ensemble-based and immersive (you, the audience, are part of the but one which finds a fresh new life in the Annex Theatre with our production through show!) telling. Without wishing to give too much away, there’re plenty of exciting new tweaks and additions to the show whilst retaining the classic core story, making it a show not to be missed.

Accordingly, I’m writing this article sat in a rehearsal, fatigued and slightly stressed, with three tricky coursework deadlines looming on the horizon, ears pricked in case I hear my cue, and knowing that, upon my return to the house tonight, I’ll need to do a couple more hours of hitting the books. So why, given the time commitment, do I do it?

And the answer is simple: I couldn’t live without it!

Although I can recall finding acting tricky at first, the first school play I was involved in, Our Country’s Good, infected me with a passion to continue auditioning for shows, just through the sheer buzz that being on the stage provided. I can be quite an introverted or sleepy person at the best of times – “good morning” seems such a mouthful after a 9am lecture! – but when I’m in character, standing afore expectant eyes, I get an electric sense of adrenaline coursing through my veins, and the thrill makes me conscious of every minute detail of my face and body, be it the position of my hands, the way I’m speaking or my expression. In short, I feel completely empowered, particularly when an audience’s reaction gives you immediate feedback on the extent to which you’ve succeeded. There’s nothing quite like delivering a punch-line to be greeted by laughter (hence my recent joining of Comedy Society!), or reading a positive review in the student or local press, for putting a skip in your step.

But what really makes being a member of the Performing Arts societies such an absolute delight is the people behind them. Nowhere else have I ever encountered such a sharp, witty,welcoming, creative, enthusiastic, talented and buoyant bunch of people, and being alongside them not only improves my own performing abilities because of the high standards they exhibit, but also always generates memories I know I’ll go on to cherish in life. There’s nothing quite like the mentality of a team about to display their collective endeavours to the general public, as everyone strives to help one another, and the show, be the best they can be, and it results in some strong friendships.

Performing is great for quickly getting to know some inspiring and fantastic people! 

 (Credit: http://www.facebook.com/TG.GreatExpec)

So to everyone out there who’s ever considered dabbling in acting, singing, dancing, comedy, writing, circus, magic, bands, choirs or staging, just go along and try it out! After all, you may not get the opportunity again, and the Performing Arts department at SUSU is a magnificently challenging and simultaneously rewarding one. It’s never been easier to get involved in its activities – simply take a glance at the PA website here (or drop me a comment below) for your preferred society’s details and drop in to a session, and you’ll soon be welcomed into the fold.

So why do I do Performing Arts? Because I love performing, and I love spending time with my fellow performers, such as the cast and crew of Great Expectations.

Looking back on how far we’ve come, and at the feats we, as a group, have together accomplished, I can earnestly say the experience has been an uplifting honour and privilege, and one which I’ll miss dearly. Now, with the end in sight, it’s over to you guys to come along and give us that last push to spur us over the line. Actors rarely get the opportunity to thank their audiences, but they really do make all the difference to build confidence, to build atmosphere and to build a show, so please take a night off the books (or the clubs!) next week and get yourself down to the Annex Theatre for an evening’s entertainment.

To finish on a typical outrageous show-name pun: I hope we, as a cast and crew, can match your own (hopefully) Great Expectations!

SUSU Theatre Group’s Great Expectations runs every night at the Annex Theatre, Highfield Campus, between Wednesday 14^th and Saturday 17^th November, with all performances beginning at 7.30pm; there is also an additional matinée performance at 2.30pm on Saturday 17^th November. Tickets are £8 for Adults, £6.50 for Students and Concessions, and £5 for Performing Arts Members, and can be purchased at the SUSU Box Office, online boxoffice.susu.org or reserved by emailing greatexpectations@theatre-group.com. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Robin

Twin one, twin two!

This week I will be turning the ripe old age of twenty-two; I’ll be spending the day with my nearest and dearest university friends, celebrating in ways only students can get away with, and generally making the most of being in Southampton, spending the next day with my parents in the beautiful city of Winchester. But being a student here at the University of Southampton has really changed how I celebrate birthdays.

I am a dizygotic twin. Or, in more familiar terms, a non-identical or fraternal twin. My sister Katie and I were formed from two separate eggs, rather than one single egg. Technically speaking, then, we are no more similar to each other than any other siblings; we just happen to share the same birthday.

When I tell people I’m a twin, they tend to get fairly excited. People have visions of us walking around in matching outfits, speaking at the same time, knowing what the other is thinking. Sorry to disappoint you, but I can do none of that with Katie! Occasionally we say the same thing at the same time, but mostly we’re nothing alike. At all. Several people in my secondary school did not know we were even related until the last week of our final year, and we’ve always been described as ‘chalk and cheese’ – especially by our own parents.

Here are some examples: I am studying a Masters in English Literary Studies after graduating from three years of studying English at undergraduate level. Katie hates reading. She hated studying English at school, and she would rather watch a film than settle down with a good book. She does not enjoy academia, but is the best cook I know, makes fantastic cakes, and knows her way around a clothes shop as well as being a talented artist. I love poetry; she hates it. I love vegetables; she used to hate those too, though she likes them more now. I have naturally dark brown hair, pale skin and glasses; Katie was born with naturally blonde ringlets, rosy cheeks, and perfect eyesight. I don’t think you could get more different than that without changing gender!

Katie and I this summer at LeeFest

The NHS website states that:

"About one in every 65 pregnancies in the UK today is a twin pregnancy, which means that about one in 32 babies born is a twin."

Twins are far more common than you first think, and fraternal twins are more common than identical twins. Although this makes me feel a little less unique, it does bring up some interesting subjects for me to consider. Fraternal twins are hereditary, meaning that I could well become a mother to two children at the same time in the future. Not only this, but fraternal twins become more likely after you’ve already had a pair - which means, if you’re extremely unlucky (or lucky, depending on your outlook!) you could be a parent to two sets of twins.

So, going back to our birthdays. Before university we had always celebrated our birthdays together, with our different friendship groups and various family events. We always received presents at the same time, even receiving identical gifts occasionally, and our primary school classes found it easy to wish us many happy returns without forgetting the other one! The only slight differences were what cakes our Mum would bake, and Katie always got given her cake first, being the older twin by 40 minutes (yes, 40 minutes… sorry Mum!)

However, for my first year at University I was suddenly able to celebrate my birthday alone, for the first time in my life. To not be sharing a day celebrating with my sister, who had always been there, was a really odd sensation. Even though we didn’t do everything together as some twins do, we still celebrated the day acknowledging each other and actually being physically present. In 2009, aside from a phone call, I had spent the day without her. This was a little exciting; but I’m not one for being the centre of attention, and it was a new experience to have one day entirely to myself with people who didn’t know Katie.

Katie and I having tea at the Ritz for our 21^st Birthday

Last year, in my third year at Southampton, I celebrated my 21^st birthday, again without my sister. However, the first weekend after the big day, I went home and visited family before being treated to tea at the Ritz with Mum, Dad, and of course, Katie, for our special birthday. I was experiencing the birthday treat with the person I had always celebrated with, and it felt more normal to me than celebrating on my own!

This year will potentially be my last year of celebrating a birthday at University. Next year, I’ll probably be going back to celebrating it (to a certain extent) with my sister. It’ll be like getting used to it all over again!

We’ve become closer since I left for Southampton three years ago (the distance probably helps) and we chat more like friends than we used to. I have always looked up to her, and though we still bicker occasionally, I do consider her to be one of my best friends. We are in no way joined at the hip, but she is without a doubt one of the coolest people I’ll ever meet.

Katie and I at my Graduation this year – sorry, but I had no embarrassing baby photos on my laptop!

So Happy Birthday Katie – enjoy your day – because before you know it, we’ll be sharing birthday cakes all over again!

Joanne

The University staff - the unsung heroes

Could you imagine a state wherein the University had just academics and students and was devoid of support staff – no Student Services team, no Outreach and admissions team, no Examination management team, no School Office team, no library staff and none even to man the SUSU shops and the cafeterias on the campus? Well, I would shudder even at such a thought.

The students are the heart of this great institution. The University stands because it has students who come with aspirations and ambitions and go with a sense of content. And yes, the professors, the tutors, the researchers and instructors are the brains of the University. Their hard work and toil in research inspires a student to join the University and perform to his or her best.

But if the students are the heart and academics are the brains of the University, the support staff is nothing less than the backbone without whose unflinching support the University would not have scaled such great heights. So here is a small tribute to them and how they help mould a student’s career.

The International Office team's officers are constantly on the move, attending international education fairs and seminars organised by the British Council and local education agents. They are a stepping stone towards the lifelong relationship with the University which an international student makes. Not only are they a deciding factor behind a student’s decision to join the University, but they also guide a student to choose a subject as per his vocation and aptitude. I can never forget the words of wisdom tendered by the International Officer for India during an education fair in Mumbai. I had endless queries and all my emails were answered promptly by her.

A similar effort is made by the Outreach and Admissions team which cater to the students from within the country. They visit schools throughout the year, meet the students and counsel them. They are also responsible for organising the much awaited Open Days at the University. I took part in the Open Days this year and one could judge the scale of effort and involvement by the sheer turnout of students and parents alike at the University.

I would be failing in my duty if I do not mention the constant support of the School Office team in paving a student’s career. Right from the induction process, to University ID cards, letters to the bank or the City Council, to help with finalising the modules and timetabling, students get all the help and guidance they need. I have never seen the school office team perturbed even during the crucial months of examination and results when they have a lot of pressure on them.

Similarly, the library staff are always there to cater to a student’s needs. The library is open until late during the examination months and the library team go out of the way to ensure every student gets a place to study in the library.

Of course, there may be shortcomings or delays at times, but they are always corrected with alacrity. Words alone cannot acknowledge the role played by each and every member of the University's support staff in our lives.

Rohit

‘Something wicked this way comes’: Macbeth - a Theatre Group production

Deadlines out the way – check.

Halloween creep in the air – check.

Dark, chilly, winter night – check.

This is the perfect recipe to go see a play; and what better play to see than the University Theatre Group’s Macbeth.   

Potentially Shakespeare’s darkest production was incredibly apt for a bitterly cold night after Halloween. To say I was excited was an understatement, like a typical English Literature student my heart holds a tender love for Shakespeare. I even have Shakespeare word poetry fridge magnets – my housemates and I try to make our own breakfast masterpieces. Nothing great has transpired so far, I guess it’s something best left to experts.

As is the acting - my Year Six production of Macbeth left a lot to be desired compared to this wonderful show.

Cam Bevan, who played Macbeth, stole the show (and my heart). He was INCREDIBLE. Within seconds you forgot that you were watching a university production, in a lecture theatre, and that all these actors and actresses are full time students with other commitments and responsibilities. The sheer dedication that must have been given was inspiring, there were no slip-ups with language – in fact they managed to make the sometimes unintelligible vocabulary perfectly comprehensible; their expressions and passion told the story. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to learn a whole script, especially one with long soliloquies, but to learn one in a language which is unfamiliar is even more admirable.

There must have been some lines which they loved to say:

“Out, damn spot”

“Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble”

“Is this a dagger I see before me?”

And so many more – lines which I recognised but didn’t know until now were from Macbeth. It is impressive really, how indelibly Shakespeare’s words have impregnated themselves into our consciousness. So much so that despite being hundreds of years old this play is still being performed in university theatres up and down the country, and people of course still want to watch it, because they still appreciate the timeless talent within the play. Sometimes I overthink things, but it is the notion of a piece of art enduring so long which makes the act of watching it ever more powerful.

Anyhow, I digress… Not only was Macbeth incredible, so was Lady Macbeth (Amy Fitzgibbon)! I had forgotten how dark and treacherous this play was until I saw her. Callous and ruthlessly ambitious initially, yet gradually fading into madness.  I found her captivating. As I did the whole play - the murder of Macduff’s child in front of his wife sent shivers down me, to act such raw emotion was undoubtedly incredible – indeed, I felt like a vulgar spectator on someone else’s grief. Similarly when Macduff heard news of their murder his reaction was heart wrenching – now I know I am of the emotional sort, but I implore anyone not to be moved by their performance!

There are so many elements of the play I would like to comment on – the terrifying sightless witches (literally, I was so scared!), the hilarity of the drunken guard which allowed for a brief interlude to all the murder and wickedness – I particularly enjoyed his quasi-crowd participation, the impressively choreographed sword fighting, and of course, the music and lighting which was faultless.

I beg everyone to go and see this play, not only because Shakespeare is our national inheritance and we enjoy every opportunity we have to see it, and not only because it is put on by our University and we should support such local ventures, but because it is BRILLIANT. 

So go see it; do something a bit cultural, a bit different, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

It’s running in the Annex Theatre at 7:30pm until Saturday 3 November. Tickets are available from SUSU Box Office, or on the door.

Florence

Santander Spanish Classes – 2012

After the second semester exams this year in June (which really were quite taxing for me with loads of assignment deadlines close to the examination date and five examinations with three of them back-to-back), I desperately needed a break. So I treated myself to a holiday to Italy and France and I will write about those experiences at a later date. On return from the much deserved vacation, I realised that my postgraduate classmates had already begun working on their dissertation and with the interim project presentation just ten days away, I began to panic. Ideally, I should have relaxed for a couple of days after the vacation and shaken off the inertia (posted all my excellent snaps on Facebook, checked the number of likes and replied on the comments) before I could gear up for my next goal i.e. the presentation. However, I did not have any such luxury. Ten days of hard work and I was ready dressed in a suit outside the lecture theatre for my presentation. The words of praise from the project supervisor meant that he was convinced and in turn, I was happy. I knew that the rest of the summer would be spent working for my dissertation. However, the summer got a kick-start with an opportunity to attend the Santander Spanish classes. Undoubtedly, the Spanish course was one of the best things I did this summer.

My love for the Spanish language dates back to my school days. However, being a science student in India hardly leaves any time for you to pursue such desires. One finishes school, joins university and gets busier day by day. Therefore, I had made up my mind that I would push my luck and somehow do a Spanish language course here at the University as the Centre for Foreign Languages at the Avenue Campus is one of the best in the world. During the initial few days here at Southampton, I remember visiting the Avenue Campus and putting in an application for a Spanish language stage 1 course. I did attend the lectures for two weeks with the most fabulous instructor Cristina G Hermoso. But I was disappointed when I got a message from the Programme Co-ordinator asking me to reconsider my decision of undergoing a foreign language, as the masters course I was enrolled in was quite intensive and thus, would leave me no time for any other course. I remember speaking to a friend of mine that evening and telling him that “Maybe, God does not want me to learn Spanish” and thus rested my case of learning Spanish by shifting the blame on to God and forgot all about it in a few days.

An email from the Career Destinations team in May asking for applicants for a fully funded Spanish course from Santander revived my love for the language. Santander Universities sponsors Spanish language training for a select number of Southampton students. Career Destinations, in collaboration with the Centre for Language Studies runs two beginner-level, intensive Spanish language courses in June. Students need to attend lectures for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon for a week and also complete a self-study project at the weekend, besides three hours of self-study daily. Well, I did apply and very meticulously drafted my statement of purpose and was glad to get a call during my vacation in Italy that I was selected. To say the least, I was overjoyed.

I had enrolled for course 2 and it began on 20 June. I was greeted by a group of students from various disciplines; Humanities, Medicine, Geography, Electronics and Computer Science and Business. There were students from first, second and third year and two masters students including me and even a PhD student. In short, it was a good mix of students from various faculties of the University. The course began with an introduction from the ever-enthusiastic instructor Cristina. She warned us that we needed to progress on a daily basis to be able to cope with the class and also advised us that we should make the most of the opportunity as we were selected amidst a number of applicants.

It was indeed a very hectic course and I realised this as the days progressed. It was simpler to grasp for students who knew French, Greek or Portuguese but not so very easy for me (an English speaker) and one could see the students from Japan and Vietnam struggling as it was really very different for them. However, our instructor made the course as much fun for us as possible with speaking lessons, conversation tutorials, participation games and a few competitions to keep the interest alive and kicking.

All smiles - Santander Course 2 students with the instructor

As the week drew to an end, we realised that time had indeed flown. We had made some great friends and spent some wonderful moments together. There was so much to learn from each and every one of them. We had an oral exam on the last day and we really needed to practise hard for that. However, it went well and the instructor was happy with our performance. I was really grateful to the University which gives so many opportunities to a student to learn and perform. At last, my wish of learning Spanish was fulfilled and I realised that it was not all that difficult. Better late than never!

Rohit