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Rice Paper semi-annual publication of Indiana Universitys Asian Culture Center Fall 2009 Issue

The Raas Royalty Roundtable is proudto present the rst ever Raas RoyaltyRaas competition on February 13th, 2010

Originating in the Indian region of Gujarat, Raas

is a traditional form of dance rooted in Hindu

celebrations. Raas is traditionally performed

during the nine day festival of Navaratri and

this form of devotional dance uses sticks called

dandia. Raas is partner-oriented to the beat of

the dhol drum and the pace gradually quickensas the celebration progresses. In recent years

choreographed Raas has become increasingly

popular at colleges and universities across the

country, as competitions provide an outlet to

showcase the talent and creative spin put on a

timeless tradition.

Taking place on campus in Bloom-

ington, Indiana, Raas Royalty was created to

further spread culture, community, and phi-

lanthropy associated with an inter-collegiate

dance competition. Raas Royalty will welcometen teams from around the country to compete

for cash prizes and a bid to Raas Nationals in

Dallas, Texas. The show will be held at the IU

Auditorium and is free of charge so make sure

to tell friends! Check out our website for more

information and remember to save the date!

Raas Royalty Raas Competition

Filipino pride has been on the rise in the Statesrecently. With boxing champion MannyPacquiaos many victories and Typhoon Ondoys call for

compassion and aid, the Philippines has received a great

deal of attention both from the media and advocacy groups.

On a more local level, every Spring, approximately 500

Filipino-American students from about 15 universities

across the Midwestern United States, gather for one

weekend to attend a conference based on issues regarding

the Philippines, as well as topics and values relevant toFilipino-Americans.

On February 26-28, 2010, the Filipino Student

Association is pleased to host the Midwestern Association

of Filipino Americans, (MAFA) at Indiana University,

Bloomington. The conference will begin with a number

of workshops ranging from current cultural issues

and traditional Filipino themes, to modern dance and

networking. The focus of the conference will be on

diversity and knowing that every part of the Philippines

has their own unique experiences, Children of the Sun:

Different Stories United By The 8-Point Sun. Informationand registration for this years conference can be found at:

www.midwestlipinos.org/

The Filipino Student Association of Indiana

University is offering special deals and exclusive materials

for its members. For more information on FSAs events

and membership information please visit: www.indiana.

edu/~fsa

Midwestern Association of FilipinoAmericans Conference

Spring Semester Brings

Two Headlining Events to IU Bloomington

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Note From the ACC Director: Keeping In Touch!Melanie Castillo-Cullather

Life After IU in the Eyes of Sunghee (Cecilia) Oh

It is gratifying to see students we have worked with graduate and becomsuccessful in their endeavors, and even more rewarding to hear frothem. In recent months, weve heard from many ACC alumni, some postcards, but most via facebook and email. And there are ACC alum

who make a special trip to Bloomington to see us. Julia Goh, who us

to work on our Rice Paper, is now the senior editor of Mother & Ba

magazine in Singapore. She and her husband Winston, also a graduate of

were in Chicago for a conference. Both were happy to squeeze in time

drive to Bloomington. Madeline Leung who handled most of our childrens outreach activities and who volunteer

at Middle Way House while working at the ACC also surprised us with a visit. Madeline just nished her stint w

AmeriCorps as a teacher in one of the inner-city schools in New York. This summer, former chair of the Asian Stude

Union, Chris Chan and former ASU treasurer, Angel Lai took time off from their busy work in Hong Kong and spe

their vacation touring the Midwest. Bloomington was of course their destination. While they were excited to v

the ACC, the chicken barbecue wings at Yogis topped their list as well.It was great to hear our alumnis individual stories about their families, careers, new passions and interes

And in the midst of their busy lives, they make time to let us know how much they appreciated their time at IU. O

alumni are scattered all over the world, but despite the distance and the years that have gone by after graduating, th

continue to drop a note or email us. It is our hope that the Centers dual roles as an advocacy and a cultural resour

have somehow made an impact during their brief stay on campus. It is only when a student experiences the meani

of the activities that we do that they can feel connected even after they have left I.U. Cecilia is one of those who

glad to keep in touch.

After my graduation from IU last December, I returned to my home in South Koreaearly this year. I found that I missed Bloomington and IU, where I spent four yearsof my college life, but at the same time, I was excited about the next stage of my life

in Korea, the beginning of my life in the real world. I found that living in the real

world as one who has just left the safety of a university environment wasnt easy. The

rst news I heard in Korea was the country was in the midst of an economic crisis,

depression, and an increasing unemployment rate.

In Korea, when one obtains a position with a conglomerate such as Samsung or

LG, you are considered quite a capable person. This is because these large companies are usually stable, even wh

there is an economic crisis, and their names are highly regarded in Korean society. I too, hoped to obtain a positi

with one of these large companies. However, those conglomerates were not related to my majors at IU, (Internation

Studies and Spanish). Therefore, I wished to work for either NGOs or government organizations. Job openingsmy eld are rare so nding a position was quite difcult and took almost half a year to nd one. I sent out about

resumes and had only 8 interviews. This period of unemployment was very stressful for me.

After six months had passed, I received a call from the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and af

a successful interview I was given a position in the Latin America Department of the Ministry. I am very satis

with my job and enjoying it. For me, the best is the many opportunities to meet with high ranking ofcers of oth

countries, such as presidents, foreign ministers, and ambassadors, and to visit many government agencies. Last we

I met with the Foreign Ministers of Argentina, Colombia, and Chile.

We all must face many challenges when we leave the university, however, it is true that we can never give

up and we must go for our goal. Go! Hoosiers!!

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A Fun Farewell to Dean McKaigConducted by: Priyanka Dube, Junior, Spanish Major, Biology Minor, Pre-Med

Where are you from; can you tell us

a little bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Lafayette,Indiana. I did my undergrad at Ball

State and doctorate from Indiana Uni-

versity. My entire life has revolved

colleges - 40 years. 30 of those at In-

diana University. Right now I have 4

grandchildren, and am spending time

being a grandfather.

When did you begin your afli-

ation with Indiana University?1971.

You retired over the summer,

what made you decide that

you wanted to retire?

Age related sort of things. I am

65, the benets from a retire-

ment. I was working all the

time, I wanted to try something

different for some time.

What do you miss about IU?

I miss the students rst and

foremost. Interactions with students

kept me up to date. I am thinking of

joining Twitter, I denitely miss the

interaction with students.

What do you miss about being Dean

of Indiana University?

The contact with students. Making a

difference. Because of that I think for

a few months I might do some vol-

unteering activities around campus. I

love helping others and volunteering

in the community. Free student din-

ners were good too. People told you

what was going on around campus,

without that interaction I feel out of

the loop sometimes.

What were some of the challenges

you faced when you were Dean?

The most difcult were the studenttragedies due to student activities and

accidents. This was a stressful time..

It was sad and difcult to deal with. I

tend to be optimistic about student ac-

tivities but when we encounter deaths

due to them it is very difcult it

even challenges the interaction with

family.

What is your fondest memory about

Indiana University?

Whole composite of things. Pro-

grams, celebrations. Speakers, con-

certs, keep in touch with student

leaders. Students to come to IU are

generally motivated. Bloomington is

a small city but because of the school

sports, there are now big time theaters

and art districts. I went to college and

never left.

Where would you like to see Indiana

University (campus wise/academic

wise etc..) in the next 10 years?

I am impressed by the emphasis on

high quality education. Top quality

schools need to be diverse. It is hard

to be an excellent school without d

versity. In the next 10 years, IU nee

to be diverse. Students should be atively involved in programs. The

should be top notch faculty with t

research they do. Keep emphasis

arts, which is great for people w

live here and make it a special town

live in. Also, encourage study abroa

the hallmark of a quality instituti

are the overseas experiences.

I read an article in the IDabout getting pied in t

face? Could you tell us mo

about this?

Student organizations spons

many things, I try to be acti

through charities, and rai

money for student festiva

The dunk tanks spirit of t

sport. these dunk tanks a

full of freezing water and on

I jammed my nger. It was tribly cold so I was never doi

that again. So I thought, Wh

about pies in the face? It was a go

relief from the dunk tank. The 1st a

2nd tasted pretty good, after awh

they werent as great.

Seeing IU now, what can the ACC

to help improve the campus?

The ACC does so much already

would say to primarily increase t

visibility, it is on the edge of camp

and sometimes a lot of students take

for granted. There are a lot of stude

organizations/departments that ser

Asian students. I would hope, as

said before, that we need to becom

one campus. We need more pay o

and by this I mean I hope to see all t

Centers engage in this effort.

Dean McKaig with members of the IU Asian Alumni Association

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Meet the Teachers and Volunteers

Our Goal: The purposeof the Asian Language

Learning Program is to providestudents and community membersan opportunity to learn an Asianlanguage and culture in an informasetting. Classes are free and eachclass meets once a week at the ACC. Students join the class for many reasons: to supplemen

or enhance their formal language training, learn basic surviv phrases (especially for those wh plan to travel or stay for a longe period of time in Asia), or simplyto brush up on their speaking skills

William Bacad Lim, Jr.

Senior, Bachelor of Music in Vocal PerformanceTeaching Filipino (Tagalog) allows me to gain greater appreciation of the language

of my home country. One of the most memorable moments in my class was when I

devised a way of teaching the students how to read phonetically in Filipino, helping

them veer away temporarily from the very arbitrary nature of reading and speaking in

English.

Michiko Owaki

Michiko is a stay at home Mom at the moment, formerly an assistant professor inEnglish, Yokohama National University in Japan

The focus of my classes is on speaking and listening skills. I always try to dedicate

most of the class hours in doing exercises and lively interactions as much as possible.

In Japanese, we use two different kinds of letters (hiragana and katakana) as well

as Kanjis (Chinese Characters). As many people know, there are countless numbers

of Kanjis (the most frequently used are about 3,000). So I think the biggest hurdle

for learners of Japanese language is mastering our writing system. Even when the

primary focus is on speaking and listening, you need to be able to read with ease (in

order to learn vocabulary, practice dialogue, etc.).

Claire Chen

I nd speaking and exchangingcultures as the highlights of

teaching Mandarin. My advice

for students who are interested

in learning a new language is to

practice, practice and practice.

Hsiao-Chun HuangDoctoral student in Literacy,Culture, and Language Education

I believe that providing an

environment where my students

will enjoy learning Chinese

language and culture is the biggest

challenge and the most important

thing for them in successful

learning.

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of the Asian Language Learning Program

In the Fall 09 semester, weare pleased to offer classes in

Filipino, Japanese, Mandarin, andKorean. The classes are taughtby six instructors, all of whomare volunteers. Since the AsianLanguage Learning Program has proven to be a significant service to our students and communitymembers, our hope is that in thefuture, we will find a funding sourceto enable us to pay our instructors,and offer more classes to meet thedifferent schedules of our clients.Meet our dedicated volunteers.

Ju Young Jin

PhD Candidate, Comparative Literature/Associate InstructorI feel happy about the contribution I am making in teaching the Korean language

and my students enthusiasm is very motivating. It is interesting for me to see

how some students wish to study the language because of their interest in Korean

popular culture.

Chris Magno

5th year Ph.D Candidate,Criminal Justice

Teaching the language is

a wonderful opportunity

for me to share the soul

(language) of my country

while learning about the

culture of my students.

Highlights are how easy

for students to learn these

Tagalog borrowed words.

TAGALOG means taga-ilog, meaning from the river. For

example, CR (comfort room), TV (television), bolpen, iskol

and kompyuter; but then the students experience difculty

pronouncing the nga, ng ngi and ,. This is no

surprising as these letters are missing entirely in the English

alphabet.

Helena Cheun

Community Member and has been volunteering since 2000My favorite part about teaching Korean is introducing the students to the

country, and teaching the Korean language through lessons that incorporate the

culture. Teaching Korean is difcult because it is so different from English. In

particular, teaching pronunciation and the different sounds necessary to speak

Korean is the greatest challenge. Language is a reection of the culture that it

represents. My greatest hope and advice to students learning a new language is

rst to make a connection with the country and culture, and always keep it in

mind as they develop their skills. And of course, they should practice as much

and as regularly as possible!

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A Visit From Anurag MendekharBy: Mary Beth Roska, School of Informatics and Computing

Alate September day on campus posed quite a differentsetting for Distinguished Asian Pacic AmericanAlumni Anurag Mendhekar, Ph.D, IU, 98. His late-night arrivalfrom California landed him in a very soggy Bloomington, yet he

faced it with characteristic aplomb. He rose early for a run on

campus and began his day meeting with faculty familiar from his

student days in Lindley Hall.

The rest of his day was devoted to meeting with students.

At lunch hosted by the School of Informatics and Computing he

greeted eight undergraduates and graduates, all curious about his experience as one of the inventors of aspect-

oriented programming and as a serial entrepreneur. He is the founder of Blue Vector Systems in Mountain

View, CA. Conversation owed as he described the process of starting a company, collaborating with others,

and deciding what ideas to pursue.

He later gathered with students at the Asian Culture Center for

a Chai Tea Hour. During the informal hour he exchanged stories

with students, clearly delighted to eld their questions and hear their

comments. His easy manner and genuine interest set the stage for a

lively exchange, and at the end of the hour the room was still full.

While his discoveries and work regarding mobile computing are

profoundly inuential, Dr. Mendhekars connection with students i

equally powerful. His visit to the Bloomington campus left a bright

impression, reecting his keen intellect, curious nature and warm spirit

Above: Students

participate in

the Multicultural

Wedding event.

Right: IU student

Ziying Yuan plays

the guzheng at

the Bloomington

Multicultural Expo.

Left: Studentsparticipate

in Freshman

Orientation at

the Asian Culture

Center.

Below: A glance

at the crowd lining

up at the ACC tent

at CultureFest.

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Student Group Updates

The Hong Kong Students Association had avery busy and exciting Fall semester, 2009,lled with fun and exciting activities. In September,they held a Fall Welcome Dinner, Mass Meeting,

and BBQ Party. In October, HKSA collaborated

with the IU Chinese Student Scholar Association for

their annual Moon Festival, which was deemed to

be a huge success! Later in October, they hosted a

Paintball Game, Haunted House Visit, and Halloween

Party. This year, HKSA won the rst prize for booth

presentation at the IU Worlds Fare held on Nov. 11,

2009. Make sure to look for their next big event,

Hong Kong

Night Market,

in the spring

semester. You

can nd more

information

about HKSA at

www.indiana.

edu/~hongkong.

The Singapore Student Association held a vesuccessful welcome back BBQ and laser taevent for this semester. They organized many excitievents, such as indoor go-karting, a farm trip, snow

skiing, etc. Please visit SSAs newly launched blog

at iussa.

multiply.

com for mo

information

on upcomin

events!

Asian American Association

Singapore Student AssociatioHong Kong Students Association

TheAsianAmerican

Association

(AAA)

recently

welcomedseven new

members

to its

executive board. By holding both fall and spring

elections, AAA provides the opportunity for new

students to become leaders within the organization.

The new executive board has been hard at work

to recruit and retain new members. In addition to

kicking off the semester with a call-out meeting; a

bubble tea and board games social; a barbeque; an

a dinner and a movie social; AAA also took part in

the Jill Behrman 5K Run/Walk. They also partnered

with Kappa Gamma Delta, Theta Nu Xi and Sigma

Phi Epsilon for a date auction in support of the

Susan G. Komen Foundation. AAA also successfull

held its annual pumpkin carving event as well as its

largest event of the semester, the Fashion Show, an

event that displayed not only cultural clothing, but

also featured cultural and student performances.

Kappa Gamma Delta

On October16, KappaGamma Delta

Sorority held a

date auction to

raise money for

their philanthropy,

Breast Cancer

Awareness. Other

organizations

that supported this event were the Asian American

Association, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Lambda Upsilon

Lambda and Theta Nu Xi. . The highest bidders were

able to receive coupons to multiple restaurants and

given a chance to know the person they bid for. This

was a very successful event and KGD was able to raise

more than $700 for the Susan G. Komen foundation.

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Rice PaperIndiana University

Asian Culture Center

807 E. 10th StreetBloomington, IN 47408

ACC Contact Information:

(812)856-5361 acc@indiana.eduhttp://www.indiana.edu/~acc/

Layout and Design: Elise Magno

Editor: Nita Levison

Support the Asian Pacifc American Heritage Month Activities

Though celebrated nationally in May, at IU we begin observing the Asian Pacic American Heritage Month in Aprilto allow our students to participate. With your kind nancial support of: $25.00, $50.00, $75.00, or $100.00, we willbe able to continue IUs tradition of celebrating the rich and diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of people ofAsian heritage in our community both on and off campus.

Your nancial support will help fund the following events: Annual Creative Writing Contest Cultural activities such as Taste of Asia hosted by the Asian American Association Discussion Programs such as Over a Cup of Tea, Monday Table Topic,and Who Are APA? Talk Series

Asian Cultures Around Campus such as Henna, calligraphy, and cooking demonstrations Asianfest at the Bloomingtons Farmers Market Asian Knowledge Bowl and many more!

You may write your check payable to IU Foundation, indicate Asian Culture Center in the memo, and mail to IUFoundation, PO Box #500 Bloomington, IN, 47402 or simply visit our website http://www.iub.edu/~acc and click thegive button. Thank you and happy new 2010!