College magazine winter 2015

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winter 2015

endeavourthe CTC student m

agazine

ContentsPrincipal's Greetings 3

Editorial Team 4 Student Committee 5

Special Feature 6 Happenings at CTC 10

Clubs & Societies 14 Celebrating Success 16

Literature 18 Reviews &

Recommendations 27 Art Gallery 40 CTC Lenses 42 On the Cover

Photo by The Photography Club (front)

Artwork by Yulin Wu (back)

Contributors Nur Sabrina Md Zaid

Khanh Chi Nguyen Ng Nelynn

Chengou Su Andrei-Niculescu Duvaz

Quoc Duy Nguyen Sulaiman Bahelmi

Nikhil Haria Andrei Gherasim

Mr Eagers Mr Houssen Mr Cutting

Mrs Das Gupta Dr Farrelly Mr Wilkins Ms Suthan

Endeavour The CTC Magazine

Cambridge Tutors College Water Tower Hill

Croydon CR0 5SX www.ctc.ac.uk

winter 2015ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | CONTENTS

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10

41

16

42

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34

32

18 26

43

7 15

17

30

Design and Layout Sabrina and Chi

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | PRINCIPAL

PRINCIPALMARK EAGERS

WE come to the end of the longest term in the College academic year with holidays just around the corner and for Christians a very special time of the year.

The College remains a very busy place. Our recruitment for this September was strong, although we are faced with numerou s c ha l l enge s i n va r i ou s international markets, not helped by a strong pound sterling right now.

The international situation remains terrible in the Middle East and recent events in Paris have shocked us all, along with those in Mali, Ankara and Beirut. All these appalling events make me even more certain of the importance of an internationalised education, of students working and living together from all over the world. We simply have to break down barriers of hate and prejudice.

To happier things. We have a strong

Oxbridge cohort this year; our exam results in the summer were even better than those of 2014. We have won yet more Good Schools Awards and CIFE prizes this year. CTC is in good health and facing 2016 and beyond with confidence. I hope you see this reflected in this magazine. I would like to thank very much all contributors and everyone involved in its production.

May I also take this opportunity to wish you on behalf of everyone in the CTC community a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and best wishes for 2016.

ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | EDITORIAL

WHAT'S after CTC?

Choosing a university can be challenging indeed. Not only do we need to find the right course, but it is also imperative for us to extensively research into our study locations. With the continuous support and guidance from our tutors in CTC, that's half the battle won.

To help us get a vague idea of how 'university life' is, I have spoken with two of our fellow seniors. Find out how they came to a decision on their respective fields of study, as well as what they miss most about CTC.

In Reviews & Recommendations, Bill tells us about his recent trip to Iran - which leaves me g reen w i t h envy ! Fo r you a sp i r i ng MasterChefs, check out Mrs. Suthan's Sri Lankan Chicken Curry Recipe on page 30.

Here's to success!

Sabrina Zaid

What's after CTC?

KHANH CHI NGUYEN

NELYNN NG

Join the Magazine Team We are always looking for more contributors to write articles, take photos and help put together the magazine. If you are interested, please see Mr Houssen in the Learning Resource Centre for more information.

SABRINA ZAID

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | COMMITTEE

SOMEONE told me that people work best when they’re challenged – this was my impetus as I decided to join the student committee for Autumn Term of 2015.

When I was elected as President, I was unsure of the tasks to be carried out but eventually with the cooperation and help of the other members, we moulded each other to become the best people we could be. The 6 of us – Yulia, Foex, Nelynn, Ruth, Jian Yi and myself – have been through some stressful times together such as planning the Halloween party and organising charity events but the joy and laughter we shared definitely relieved us of the stress.

I had a great time emceeing the informal concerts with the help of Mr. Cook and Mrs. Brown. Our weekly meetings usually involved discussions of weekly ordeals and a lot of science jokes by Mr. Cook and Jian Yi. Overall, it was lovely to be part of such a great committee!

OVERCOMING

MITHALI MAYA MITTRA

CHALLENGES

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Q: What do you miss most about CTC?

A: I think it's the people there. In university, it's hard to form a close group of friends. Especially since I study Psychology and the majority of people studying (this subject) are locals, so it takes time to blend in with them. Right after lectures, you will be busy with societies or going back to your accommodation because you are just too tired.

Q: What was your best memory as a CTC student?

A: I think the best one is actually just hanging out with everyone in the cafeteria. Even during the last week (of school) where we were all doing past papers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And then we'd head over to desserts or Lebanese and talk until the shop is closed.

ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | FEATURE

YUNSHIUAN LAU

about

Psychology at the University of Warwick

the mindQ: Why did you apply for P s y c h o l o g y ? W h a t interests you most?

A: I have always had interest in Psychology so I went for that. When I first applied, I thought it was going to be all about why we do things the way we d o , a n d t h e h u m a n interaction. But now that I'm taking the course, I found out that I was wrong. Now, not only am I interested in overall social psychology, but the h u m a n b r a i n a l s o fascinates me a lot!

Q: How has university life been so far?

A: It is quite interesting. It started a bit boring, but it ge t s more and more interesting. In Warwick, I live in a campus uni. Trust me, here it is very different compared to college. First week into university and I already needed to sort out my priorities! Because everyone here is smart and competitive, it makes you not want to be behind and want to catch up to everyone's pace. Since a lot of the teaching is done online, it definitely put self-discipline to the test.

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Q: Describe CTC in 3 words.

A: Family, growth and joy?

Q: How did your CTC tutors assist you in your studies?

A: Well they definitely made me feel welcomed, especially when I first came to the UK. They helped me in achieving my grades, too. Personally I think it's the way they interact with me that made me feel like I'm capable of doing things.

I'll start off with Mr Oakes. He's also my personal tutor. He is such a nice and fun tutor! He never discourages you and you just want to do as well as possible so you don't disappoint him. To me, he is the most amazing personal tutor and I would not trade him for anyone else.

Then there's Dr Wood. He's the most patient tutor. He'll explain things to you with no sign of annoyance, even if you ask him (the same question) a thousand times. I'm glad to have him for Maths and I think if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be able to get my A*.

Mr Ashton is more like a friend to me. He is always so chill! He will answer my questions and explain to me one by one. You know, when you are five minutes away from an exam and you need to understand a Maths question, Mr Ashton will try his best.

For Economics, Mr Speirs likes cracking jokes and his class is truly enjoyable, and you just like being around him.

Q: If you could give any advice to

CTC students planning to study Psychology, what would you say?

A: First off, good job for not following the normal A&F road. Don't expect that you'l l be learning a lot about what you think Psychology is, because there'll be a lot of Philosophy, Statistics, Biology; to name a few. But it gets better and better. And we don't write essays everyday!

Yunshiuan did her A Levels in M a t h e m a t i c s , F u r t h e r Mathematics, Chemistry and Economics at CTC.


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Q: Why have you chosen to study PPE?

A: I’ve always followed current issues and have always been intrigued by how different parties - involved or otherwise - react to these issues. I’ve learnt through my debating experience that Politics and Economics are two topics that one can never escape when talking about current issues, even if it did not explicitly involve them. It’s fascinating to me that you can never come up with fruitful resolutions without using holistic analysis from different viewpoints. I also hope that my studies will help me to pursue a career in shaping public policies, specifically to help develop my beloved country, Malaysia.

AMIRAH DAYANA

BINTI CHAIRIL

Philosophy, Politics and Economics at University College London

the Q: Tell us about UCL.

A: UCL is truly a global university. I h a v e h a d u n c o u n t a b l e meaningful discussions on various topics with students from all over t he wor ld. Ever yday i s an oppor tun i ty to expand my knowledge in views to new horizons.

Q: Describe a day in the life of a PPE student.

A: A day in the life of a PPE student is pretty relaxed. We only have a maximum of 15 contact

strategist

hours which means you have plenty of time to yourself outside of academia. However, since my course is multidiscipline in nature, our reading lists tend to be very extensive and many hours are dedicated to it. Nevertheless, even with essays and readings to complete, after a day of few lectures you still have time to be actively involved in student soc ie t i e s and o t he r soc ia l activities. UCL has it’s own bars and cafés where students can chill and hang out after a day at university.


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I thirst for knowledge so I don’t look at the reading I have to do as a chore. Also, be critical of everything you find around you! Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions on issues presented to you.

Q: What do you miss most about CTC?

A: I miss how small CTC is and how you can ge t to know EVERYONE in college. I miss the close knit community I had there.

Q: How did your CTC tutors assist you in your studies?

A: Everyone at CTC is great! If I had to choose one, Dr. Oliphant, my history tutor would be one of my favourite tutors. History at A-l eve l s p roved t o be qu i t e challenging especially since I lacked experience in writing academic essays in English. However, Dr. Oliphant never failed to lend me a helping hand and great advice on my writing. F u r t h e r m o r e , h i s e n d l e s s encouragement for my interest in different fields have always driven me. It was on his suggestion that I took on the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), conducting an independent research on Adam Smith’s influence over the Industr ia l Revolut ion and I obtained an A for it.

Q: If you could give any advice to CTC students planning to study PPE, what would you say?

A: Passion. Have passion and regardless of what you are studying you’ll never find it tiring or frustrating. I enjoy reading and

Amirah Dayana did her A Levels in Maths, Further Maths, History and Economics at CTC.


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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | AT CTC

by Mr Cutting

Ms. Das Gupta’s English Literature students wrote poems based on this year’s National Poetry Day topic: ‘Light’. We marked the event at Cambridge Tutors College with a lunchtime event, where students and tutors read out favourite poems, or poems that they had written themselves.

Dr. Farrelly and I judged the poems written by students, and together we decided on three overall winners. The overall standard was high, with a range of different interpretations of the theme of ‘Light’; there were as many ideas about how to approach the subject as there were poems submitted.

LIGHTAND ALL THINGS POETICAL

Mr Cutting’s top choice: Fire by Isobel Bryant This was a compact poem on the theme of fire. The poem incorporated a fixed rhyme scheme to good effect. It was a piece packed with energy and forward movement, along with a range of powerful imagery. The poet successfully captured the elemental force of a forest fire, and was able to convey its unstoppable and destructive progress.

Dr. Farrelly’s top choice: A Lonely Dark Figure by Noor Islam A single, evocative, powerful, almost painter ly, central image dominated this poem to excellent effect. A series of contrasting images was used, culminating in a telling final line.

Special mention: Too Young To Be Refugees by Ng Nelynn A poem with a strong central message, and a creative, w i d e - r a n g i n g u s e o f language. Powerful imagery was combined to convey an atmosphere of indignation and outrage in response to a c u r r e n t p o l i t i c a l a n d humanitarian crisis.

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Fire by Isobel Bryant

Crackling under a dimly lit sky at night Blazing on a midsummer's eve Illuminating the woods at twilight It devours great trees with ease Nothing is left but a pile of ash Behind this roaring flame It began with just a single flash A lightening bolt is to blame Now a towering inferno Of searing dragons breath The forests are aglow This beast brings only death

A Lonely Dark Figure by Noor Islam

A lonely dark figure sat in an empty room Her delicate silhouette enhanced by the warm lustrous light A faint hum in the background Her beauty concealed by the darkness that surrounded her A rack in the window Her perfect features exposed by the light that shone through A lonely dark fugue Her fears stopped her from letting anyone in But these fears could not stop the soft beam of light that touched her face

This was the only intimacy she would ever allow


Too Young to Be Refugees by Ng Nelynn

I Kaleidoscope of bright colours, Hopes and dreams they once had- Mutilated by boastful ambitions, Dreadfully dreamed by them, Who brandished their weapons of massacre, One moment there, another there, Driving innocent children to desperation, An emotion they only learned, When they looked at the Grim Reaper's door- It all came down to mere, lifeless bodies that bear no name. Frozen in pictures, Engraved in memories. A child's bright spark of life, Gone.

II Under a chandelier of crystal and diamonds, They sat hunched together, in symmetrical suits So close yet distant, With a tone, so calm yet cold, As if it were a game of pitiless poker, They fear losing, like old children, And they cared nothing- But their cards.

III Those who survived, struggled and knew Their lives were like candle lights, A mere breeze was detrimental enough. Their sinless body scorched by sunlight, As they cross barefoot and blistered, The lands unknown and too large in their doe-like eyes- Too barren of compassion. For those who managed to share Stories of their journey to sanctuary- Amazement and shamed silenced our voices. How they survived, And kept the light burning?

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | CLUBS

IN December, Cambridge Tutors College Debating Club took part in the first round of a debate at Caterham School, Surrey, as part of an English-Speaking Union competition.

Our debaters, Quoc Duy NGUYEN (Fox) and Aung Myint Myat KHUN (De De), together went head-to-head with the opposing team in an intense debate on the motion:

This House would force the BBC to implement Diversity Quotas for

casts of all its shows.

The Away Team made a series of strong points, making reference to the BBC’s stated aim to both educate and to entertain, and argued in favour of positive discrimination at the corporation. This, they stated, would ensure a better range of individuals in the shows of a worldwide organisation that represents the UK. The opposing team from Caterham School argued that, in reality, this would be impractical and would stifle creativity. There were statements from the audience of student peers, followed by summaries from both teams. We await the results with fingers crossed!

Competition at Caterham

We’d like to thank Caterham School for receiving our team with such hospitality. Our debaters enjoyed their visit, and the crisps!

Mr Cutting

Fox, De De, Mr. Rob Salem, Caterham Team

Fox gives the proposition to the motion

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | CLUBS

WHO'D have thought it? A group of talented singers resides in CTC’s halls! CTC’s College choir started in its current form a year ago. The choir is made up of a group of staff and students who enjoy getting together on a Monday after College and making music. The choir’s repertoire is diverse and has so far included a range of older pop songs, songs from the musicals and movies. The choir has performed at a range of informal lunchtime concerts where traditionally we have been the ‘last act’ in the concert programme. We are always looking for new members and would warmly welcome anyone who wants to give singing a go for the first time. No prior experience is required – just an enthusiasm to have a go and give it your best shot! The choir meets every Monday after College from 5:10pm to 5:45pm. Come and join us!

By Mr Wilkins

Mr Wilkins joined CTC in September 2014. Since that time he has led the CTC College Choir. Having originally trained as a

flautist, Mr Wilkins has performed in concerts and recitals in and around the London area. He sings in an acapella group called ‘Just Music’ and currently holds the position of Assistant Musical Director of the Croydon Male Voice Choir.

CTC'SGOTTALENT

CTC College Choir

Mondays

5:10pm to 5:45pm

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | SUCCESS

principal's

scholars Well done to our "Principal's Scholars" for this year. Each student has been presented with a gift and certificate for doing so well in their AS examinations in June 2015.

Zhisheng Mao, Quoc Duy Nguyen, Ruya Kang, Nicole Johnson, Jian Yi Kok and Valentin Avram.

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | SUCCESS

ACCOUNTING SHENRU SU & KHUONG DUY

2015 CTC

Awards Ceremony

ECONOMICS YAN YIN LIM

CHEMISTRY QIEN LI

FURTHER MATHS NELSON NG

PURE MATHS

SIHAN CHEN

HISTORY HONG MAI

CTC MAGAZINE

GUANTING LU

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | LIT

the lovesick painter the soldier who lost his leg

&

WHAT is there to connect a British artist of the interwar years, Rex Whistler, and the first Marquess of Anglesey? Apart from the fact that both fought in wars – the artist in the Second World War, and the Marquess, fellow soldier of Wellington, at the Battle of Water loo in 1815 – both are also connected to the home of the Marquesses of Anglesey, Plas Newydd in North Wales, on the island of Anglesey. It was this building that I visited in October half-term, on a tour of the region.

Rex Whistler, a British artist of remarkable talent, was born in 1905, and quickly displayed a natural aptitude for art. His visionary style of painting was very popular, and he produced illustrations for books, and designs for theatre, opera, ballet, and film productions. In the 1930s, at the invitation of the 6th Marquess of Anglesey, Whistler spent two years at Plas Newydd. He promptly fell in love with one of the daughters of the house. He painted her in many poses, almost obsessively, but the story goes that she rejected his advances.

It was in 1936 that the 6th Marquess commissioned Rex Whistler to paint his masterpiece – a 58-foot long mural which shows an imagined scene of a fantastical seascape, looking towards the mountains of Snowdonia, but with imaginative additions such as the fishing village at Portmeirion, the Round Tower from Windsor Castle, and the spire of St-Martin-in-the Fields in London. The mural is a wonderful example of a trompe l’oeil effect; this means that, from wherever the viewer is standing in the room,

by mr cutting

Rex Whistler: A self-por trait of t h e a r t i s t i n uniform

T h e fi r s t M a r q u e s s ’ s wooden leg, the first articulated leg produced.

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wherever the viewer is standing in the room, the perspective shifts so that the objects depicted appear to be in three dimensions. There are figures in the seascape, sitting on a wall, or in a boat, but a closer examination shows them to be similar; the man fishing is the Marquess, while all of the women depicted in the artwork are the same face: the unrequited love of the artist, the daughter of the house.

Whistler, in typical reflective style, depicts himself at least twice in the picture. His self-portrait as a gardener perhaps indicates his own view of his lowly status within the household. The image is also an ironic statement, since he is shown sweeping up rose petals. These are the symbols of love and devotion that Whistler has presented to the daughter of the Marquess, only for her to throw them back in his face. The artists, therefore, is shown as a melancholy ‘servant’ of the household, faithfully tidying up his scattered hopes.

In a neighbouring room of the house can be found The Cavalry museum. Among the boots and uniforms, still splattered with mud from the Battle of Waterloo, can be found a curious object: a wooden leg. This belonged to the 1st Marquess of Anglesey, who lost his own leg during the battle, when in the thick of the fighting as heavy cavalry commander he received a cannon shot wound. His famous words to his commander in the field, Lord Wellington, are reputed to have been: "By God, sir, I've lost my leg!" Wellington is said to have replied, "By God,

Rex Whistler’s imagination at work, in his mural at Plas Newydd. © Estate of Rex Whistler.

sir, so you have!" The leg required a battlefield amputation, which was a terrible ordeal in the days before anaesthetic. The soldier is said to have joked even as his leg was being cut off. The amputated leg served for a time as a somewhat gruesome tourist attraction in the village of Waterloo after the battle. His replacement wooden leg has become even more of a tourist attraction, and can be seen in the museum.

While the old soldier of Waterloo lost his leg, he survived the battle and lived until 1854. The artist Rex Whistler’s life, however, was tragically cut short by an enemy mortar as he was clearing the track of one of his troop of tanks, during the Battle for Normandy in July 1944.

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Lost inLas Vegasa short story on the 2015 Poetry Day theme of ‘Light’ by Mr Cutting

SHE'd been woken before dawn, in the cramped trailer that was their home. Through troubled dreams, she heard her mother’s voice, speaking quietly, and sensed her face hovering in the darkness.

‘Clara’. The voice sounded distant and weary. ‘Clara, your daddy’s taken the bus to Vegas again. Your breakfast’s ready, sweetheart.’

As Clara washed her face and got dressed in the dim light of the lamp, she saw her mother, hunched in the corner of the narrow space, watching her silently. When Clara leaned in to kiss goodbye, the woman held her tightly with thin arms, and the daughter caught the faint, familiar smell on her breath.

-—-

Clara took the Greyhound bus, and saw the blinding break of day stretching across the Nevada plains. She shut her eyes and wished for her bed, imagining her mother sitting motionless by the window, watching the same sunlight. ‘Your father said he’ll be back by evening’. But the times before he’d been gone for days. Clara knew where to go; she’d been there before.

-—-

The Wynnely was a casino on Boulevard South, less popular with tourists but known to locals. You could sit for over an hour at the blackjack table and be served mojitos and tequila for free. All you needed to do was play. Her father would be there, Clara felt sure. He always tried the top clubs first, but he would be turned away. The Wynnely was more welcoming, and the manager more tolerant of a slumped figure at the gaming tables.

By the time she arrived the sun had begun its rapid fall towards the mountains. She walked from the bus station, with the heat radiating off the concrete and glass buildings, among them ‘The Eiffel Tower’, ‘The Statue of L i b e r t y ’ a n d ‘ T h e P y r a m i d s ’ , monuments that Clara only knew in these ersatz versions. Even now, at this time of evening, the lights were blazing all along The Strip. She moved intently through the quick-shifting crowds. To the doorman of The Wynnely, Clara was just another of the young girls that populated the casinos, and she slipped in with a group of Japanese men who tried to hold her arm and take her into the heart of the casino. She broke away, towards the restroom. As she moved towards the door, it suddenly opened outwards. A man and a woman, both laughing loudly. The man was supporting the woman, only a few years older than Clara herself, with one arm clamped tightly around her waist, and Clara caught a glimpse of their laughing, handsome faces as they pushed past. The woman looked straight into her eyes, and then was swept away. Clara went to an open


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cubical and shut the door. Here she waited, calming her agitation with deep breaths. She heard sounds of people’s shoes on hard polished floors, and waited further until the sounds had faded.

-—-

She walked along what seemed like miles of carpeted floors, searching faces in the reflected gleam from The Wynnely’s casino tables and disco balls. The pulsating lighting made her head throb. ‘My daddy is here,’ she said to herself. This became her mantra, and she found herself walking to its beat as she repeated phrases in her mind: ‘Where is my daddy?’ and the the answering rhythm: ‘He’s here, darling, daddy is here’. But, though she searched faces at gambling tables, and moved quiet ly around slot machines, the gamers’ faces weirdly lit by the many-coloured and ever-changing lights, she couldn’t see her father’s face. After some time, and becoming desperate, she found herself in a smaller space, apart from the main gambling rooms. It was peaceful, with stone-effect seats arranged around a fish pond. She sat, watching the fish opening and closing their mouths at the surface of the shimmering water. After a while she was conscious of a man beside her.

‘You looking for Sam, missy?’ asked the man. He wore a dark suit and there was a device in his ear. She searched his face, which wore a hesitant smile. She recognised him, but couldn’t remember his name.

‘Yes, I-have you seen him?’

‘Not these past two weeks or more, ma’am.’ The man looked towards the water. ‘Not since the last time you were both here.’ He stood up. ‘I’m sorry, but I’d tell you if I knew anything. You’d better run on home now, missy. It’s getting late.’ He spoke quietly into the radio at his lapel. ‘Janelle, yes. Yes, we’ve got Sam’s daughter here.’ His back was turned and he moved towards the pond. He looked over his shoulder to Clara. ‘These fish need feeding, missy. You wanna do it.’

—— It was getting late as she stepped outside into the warm air, heavy with gasoline fumes and cigar smoke. The sun had dipped below the mountain peaks, and the sky was irradiated with an orange glow. Clara walked without direction along sidewalks. Her sight swam from the confusion of red tail-lights stretched out along The Strip. She found herself standing in front of the fountains at The Bellagio. She loved these fountains, and begged her father to take her to see them on every visit. The water rose up in arching, triumphant jets, tirelessly. She stood, filled with rapture, as the coruscating light sparkled and shone. She listened to the splashing water. In the sound she thought she heard the answer to her question: ‘Where is he?’ She felt sure that she would see her father through the water, and that he would be walking towards her, from the other side of the fountain. As long as she waited here. It was dark now, but the fountains danced on. She waited, watching the reflected light of the water, in all its vivid flashes and sparkles. END

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | REVIEWS

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CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE


MRS. Suthan's THERE are hundreds of different ways to cook chicken curry. Sri-Lankans make chicken curry called ‘Kohli Kulumbu’ which is very good with either rice or any kind of flat bread.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp sunflower oil1 red onion, finely chopped1 green chilli finely slicedSalt, to taste2 dried bay leaves50cm3 of water 2½ tsp chilli powder, or to taste2 tbsp ground ginger2 tbsp minced garlic1 kg chicken breast chunks (or thighs) 1 tomato, thinly sliced3 pods cardamom, lightly crushed1 (5cm) cinnamon stick1 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp ground roasted chilli powder1 tbsp ground roasted coriander powder½ a cup of coconut milk

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over high heat. Add 1/3 of the onion, sprinkle a little salt and fry for a few minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from oil and set aside on kitchen paper to sprinkle on top of the chicken curry at the end.

Add the bay leaves, green chillies and the rest of the onions to the oil. Season with a little salt, and fry until golden brown. Add a spoonful of water and stir so that the onions break down – the water should turn a caramel colour. Add the chilli powder, ginger and garlic; stir well. Reduce heat to medium high. When the fat leaves the sides, add a spoonful of water, and stir again.

Add the chicken and the sliced tomato. Season with salt; stir. Add the cardamom, c innamon, roas ted coriander powder, chilli powder, ghee and rest of the water. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 or 35 minutes.

Remove the lid, if there is water left in the pan, raise the heat to medium. Once the water has reduced to the quantity you want then add the coconut milk and wait until the first boil or cook until the gravy has evaporated (or you can leave as much sauce as you like).

[Once the coconut milk is added, do not cover the curry dish with the lid!]

Spoon onto serving plates and sprinkle with the reserved fried onions. Serve with Naan or Basmati rice.

Try it! And enjoy eating the chicken curry tonight!

Mrs. Suthan

1PREPARATION METHOD

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AMAZING IRAN


IN some Western people’s minds Iran is a nasty place with war and drugs. Because Iran is near Iraq and Afghanistan people may think it is very dangerous, but when you visit Iran it changes your mind because Iran is a great place to travel.

I stayed in Iran for one week and visited the capital city Tehran. I was afraid of the language barrier, because I thought the people could not speak English and I only understand English and Chinese! I was quite nervous but fortunately I was wrong, there are lots of people who speak very good English: even Taxi drivers have a pure British accent when they talk with each other. Iranian people are nice to everyone, so they can help you with any problems: do not worry if you do not understand as they will help you until your problems are solved.

When I arrived at the airport I was shocked because the facilities were poor and old. Also the area outside the airport was bad and the taxis were very old: it was worse than Beijing. I was so disappointed but when I arrived in the city centre that all changed. It was clean and peaceful and there was no violence, I just saw lots of plants in the city centre and many people using the Chinese brand of phone

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HUAWEI. There are lots of free parks people can use and different parks have different facilities. In the center of Iran the facilities are better than at the airport but still not great. However the city is very clean and the taxi drivers obey the traffic rules, are friendly to everyone and never lie to tourists. They also give you a fair price. In Iran I stayed with my father. My father’s house is in an area north of Tehran called Gamasa. What was most difficult to deal with was money because we could not get money from an ATM or use credit cards to buy any products, so we had to bring some US dollars. In any shop in Iran you can use dollars instead of local money. The local money is very scary because there are lots of 0s, for example to buy a portion of ice-cream can cost you 50000 local currency but in dollars it is very cheap, about 0.55$! Also the currency always changes so sometimes it is higher and sometimes it is lower. If you want to change some local money you can go to the market to buy some products and ask the shop to return local money; they loved to do that. Do not worry about food, because the food is similar to Europe; they love sweet food and grilled naan that is like a pancake, but they do not eat pork. There are lots of different foods you can try. They’re all different, such as they

love to add Saffron to rice which makes the colour change; it looks like Indian rice but the taste is sweet not spicy!

I think you should try the night life, as the local people love going to places at night when the sun falls because of the weather conditions (hot and dry in the morning). You can see lots of people go outside with their friends in the park, which is totally different to the European life style! Please be aware that people may want to take pictures with you, especially Chinese people. When we visited the park they asked me or my father to take pictures with them. It is very normal so please do not be afraid of it, because they are friendly and nice to all tourists. Because few people visit Iran, even from China, they rarely ever see tourists so they will be happy to see you and be nice to you. I hope some people will try to visit Iran after they read this article.

Chengou Su, Bill

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Cake Selection by Yitong Zhao

Still Life by Ximeng Li

Portrait as A Boy by Xiaoxi Zhou

ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | ART

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | ART

Junk by Minh Tran

London Composite by Medha-Luxmi BulloramDr Faustus

by Te Fu

Faust by Te Fu

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ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | LENSES

TOP: A brilliant photo of the supermoon lunar eclipse witnessed in the sky above Croydon e a r l y o n M o n d a y morning, taken by our science technician Paul Gibbs.

LEFT: Ar t s tuden t s having a grand day o u t a t t h e V & A Museum on Saturday 12th September.

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TOP: Happy faces at the Awards Ceremony. BOTTOM: Solidarité.

ENDEAVOUR WINTER 15 | LENSES

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Endeavour The CTC Magazine

Cambridge Tutors College Water Tower Hill

Croydon CR0 5SX

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College magazine winter 2015