Dalat International School: Senior Scribble

Elizabeth Brokaw For a musician, nothing is quite like spending three consecutive days with talented musicians, eating lots of great food, and performing fantastic pieces of music—even if it means suffering from jet lag in consequence. That’s what the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) is all about. ( “Amis” is the French word for “friends,” so it is pronounced ah- mee , not ah -mis or ay -mis or any other possible way—the AMIS people are quite particular about that.) AMIS is about meeting new “amis” in a new place. This place is an environment where great musicians all feel very much at home—rehearsal. Based in London, “AMIS is an international, non-profit, non-sectarian, politically neutral organisation dedicated to the promotion of excellence at all levels of music education.” Having students from all around the globe come together to play incredible music is its main focal point; but it also ultimately embraces cultural diversity and overcoming difference...

Sunny Kim Elisabeth Brokaw (12), Sunny Kim (12), and Miss Danneker explored the Qatari Souq and got their first true taste of the Middle East. On March 17, these ladies set off for Doha, Qatar in order to participate in the AMIS (Association for Music in International School) Honor Band. Arriving at 1:30am Doha time, the tired girls looked around their destination and saw a rather empty and quiet Doha. However the next day they were all in for a treat, literally ; after a successful first day of rehearsal, all of the AMIS participants went to the Souq (a traditional Qatari market) to sightsee the beauty of Qatar and have a taste of true Arabic food. The Souq was a hodgepodge of various shops, restaurants, and cafes. At first glance it seemed rather small, but more and more shops kept appearing as shoppers strolled along. Some shops sold pets such as birds, rabbits, and cats. One of the stores had two falcons! Interestingly their heads were covered with a hat that had small pom-p...

Hannah Graves “We’re officially Spartans!” Teddy Zimmer (10) yelled to his teammates after finishing the Spartan Race. On Saturday, March 19, twelve Dalat students and faculty members piled into a van headed for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For the first time in history, a team of Dalat athletes, headed by Mr. Brian Brewster, decided to take on the Spartan Race, a rigorous obstacle course race held in over fourteen countries at various times each year. In preparation for this thirteen kilometer run including over twenty-five obstacles and dozens of mud pits, Brian Brewster and Eddie Jenkins led training sessions twice a week. This team of students and teachers, who trained vigorously for four months, came to call themselves "Spartans" in anticipation of completing the race.  After staying the night in a nearby hotel, the Spartans woke up early Sunday morning and began their day anxiously loading the van with all of their Spartan equipment. “I’m not nervous,” Charlotte Combr...

Zach Tan What defines a teenage boy today? Does his physique define his place? Does his hairstyle make him more attractive? Or is it the people whom he hangs out with? Although these options may be true, a majority of teenagers today are defined by what they wear on their feet. Shoes are no longer just shoes. Sneakers describe the hobbies one partakes in or the group he belongs to. Whether he chooses to wear a pair of high cut Jordans or dons gum-sole Vans, a teenage boy can tell you in great detail the significance of his shoe. Popular teenage culture has been overtaken by a growing amount of “sneaker freaks” in the past decade. Shoe companies such as Nike, Adidas, Jordan, and Asics have competed for control over this prime industry. Every year, new sneakers appear in fresh colorways and textures, making it an exciting investment to partake in. Dalat students, especially seniors, have been playing in this “shoe game” for a very long time. I interviewed three senior sneaker freaks...

Sarah Tan With the year’s most glamorous evening encroaching, excitement has filled the high school hallways in anticipation of the next boy who will valorously invite his special girl to the JSB. As the Junior Senior Banquet (JSB) is just around the corner, boys are rushing around the island in attempt to buy exquisite bouquets of flowers and testing their artistic skills by drawing and designing creative posters. Girls are being bombarded with origami, handed a trail of mysterious notes, and even left to find a self-crafted wooden spear in their lockers. Tension and anxiety are mounting among the boys as they try to decide who their lucky girl will be and then embark on the dauntless task of finding a way to amaze her, leaving her in awe of his charismatic charm. Meanwhile, suspicious thrill and butterflies are swarming the girls as boys are dropping “subtle” hints, avoiding them, or suddenly chatting to their friends every day in attempt to discover more about them. ...

Sabrina Ly             As the sun slowly went down, cheering and laughter drifted out over the soccer pitch, as the Dalat varsity girls’ soccer team faced off against the Penang State women’s team in their first match of the second season. The game was held at Padang Brown, a local field surrounded by stalls and passing cars. The field itself was brown, dusty, and hard-packed. In addition, the blazing Malaysian sun bore down on the pitch, ensuring that at least the first-half of the game was played in unfavorable conditions. Yet, the harsh weather and adverse environments didn’t stop both teams from giving the game their all. With the eventual arrival of the ever-tardy referees, the game began with a shrill whistle. Dalat, wearing blue, had a quick start to the match, kicking the ball up field, while the State team, wearing white, scrambled to get into position. Despite beating Penang State early in their first season, Dalat ...

Cheryl Yeap             With graduation so close in sight, how will the seniors react? Are they prepared for college? How will they survive the real world? Going to college and stepping out into the real world is an exciting but terrifying feeling. Dalat International School is a “bubble” that shelters its students well. Unfortunately, it does not prepare us well for life after high school, which is why seniors have to go to the senior transitions retreat.             The retreat at Paradise was an awesome experience. The experienced and knowledgeable speakers understand how each senior feels. They understand the confusion that the seniors are going through--the insatiable desire to graduate but the dreadful feeling of having to leave their friends and their comfort zone. The speakers gave the seniors some very useful and interesting advice. They urge the seniors to che...

Mackenzie Jordan Students everywhere on campus recognized the familiar sound of a lockdown drill alarm. Teachers halted in the middle of their lessons and quickly locked the classroom doors and turned out the lights as their students slid out of their chairs and did their best to squeeze under their desks. This was a task accomplished more easily for some than for others. Students moved restlessly, trying to find the most comfortable way to fit all their limbs under their desks. After five minutes of silently staying crammed beneath the tables, another alarm resounded across the campus: the fire alarm. Expecting nothing exciting to happen during this, all the grades assembled on the outdoor basketball court. Unbeknownst to them, the juniors had a surprise in store. After the assigned staff members confirmed that all were present the sound of a trumpet blasted through the air. Hannah Buhr (11) played the Star Wars theme song as several of her classmates rushed up the bleachers,...

Joel Halbedl Mr. Derek Smith made a dazzling return to Dalat International School on Monday afternoon, February 29. His sharp wit and quick jokes made MEW incredibly memorable, reaching out to Dalat students in ways that many speakers have failed to do. Mr. Smith was remembered by most as that Australian math teacher whom everyone wanted to have. He was called back to Dalat to preach and talk about how missionaries can be everywhere and do anything, even make coffee. His wife Pip also made an appearance to the stage, introducing the concept of missions at home, where she explained that not everybody has to be a missionary in a foreign country. Their coffee business in Laos has been expanding rapidly over the past few years, and the Smiths were more than excited to share about their experiences with sharing the gospel with the Lao people and making lots of coffee. Mr. Smith’s incredible language skills left the audience in shock, marveling at how his tongue made those weird noi...

Jonathan Park Thirty-three high school boys headed towards Upper Field on 25 February at 4 pm for a softball tryout. It was the day softball/baseball fans anticipated the most. Before the clock hit 4 pm, it was obvious how nerve-racking this tryout was as lower campus was filled with throwers and preparers. It wasn't an easy day for the returning varsity players as well, for Mr. Sasse took over the coaching job for the guys' team. Tryouts started with a simple jog around the field as warm up and, soon after, Coach Sasse proceeded to his first judgement: throwing. It seemed very casual and easy going as we were told to play catch with a partner—until Coach Sasse decided to join in and play catch with us. The most basic and fundamental part of the game, throwing and catching, couldn't have been more frightening, as Josh Park said, “I have never been more scared in my life.” It felt as if the seams didn't exist on the softballs as the combination of sweaty palms a...

Amanda Goh On Thursday, March 3, 2016, the seniors and the sophomores gathered for a fun-filled evening. Before the seniors leave for university, they wanted to spend time with the underclassmen and get to know them better.             “Inviting the sophomores over for a party couldn't have been a better idea. The two classes that seemed very segregated were united, and I found myself making new friends in no time,” said Peter Lee (12).             The party started off with a game of capture the flag: water balloon version!  We split into two teams and began to go into battlefield mode. The game started off with both teams glaring at each other and taunting one another to cross the forbidden line. Rather than defending the flag, one of the teams was having a civil war. Evan Chinn (12) and Sheng Ting Yang (12) decided to pour water and soap all over their teammates...

Angela Tan On February 29th, twenty-four girls gathered on the upper field under the hot blazing sun as Coach Edman shouted, "girls, hustle and gather in." March is approaching soon, and the softball season is finally here again. The girls stood nervously and patiently as Coach Edman introduced himself as this year's new girls’ varsity softball coach. The mood was engulfed in extreme intensity, but it didn't last for long when Emily Grad suddenly introduced herself as the new "Royal Highness" softball coach. With that, the softball tryouts started. Twenty-four girls paired up with random partners as the two coaches evaluated each pair's throwing and catching abilities. After some fifteen minutes, the girls proceeded to the remaining sessions which tested for ground balls, pop flies, batting, and fielding, respectively. By the end of the tryouts, the girls scattered back to Lower Field with excited and nervous hearts awaiting for the ...

Titus Hwang On Friday, February 27 th , with the sun shining and a refreshing breeze, the senior class hosted a friendly beach party to spend quality time with the freshmen. The senior class’ theme of ROOTS (Reaching Out Of The Sphere) encouraged them to engage in activities with the lower classmen. The cafeteria staff prepared a delicious meal of potato wedges, chicken, and watermelon. Despite the bit of awkwardness in the beginning, the senior class slowly started to get to know the freshmen a little better. Along with ample amounts of food, seniors had other opportunities to engage with the freshmen class. There were various beach various activities, including soccer, frisbee, and volleyball. Both classes got closer while participating in these activities. Others sat on the beach and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset along with the lovely music. “The day was perfect for a beach party. We even had a BONFIRE!” said Sheng Ting Yang (12) with excitement. Everyone enjoyed each moment,...

Sheng Ting Yang             It has been ¾ of a year. The Oppenheim family, along with the people of Dalat, waited anxiously for the birth of Thalia Oppenheim. Now, in the year 2016, she has finally arrived! “As a father, I saw her as a delicate little baby. Even when she screamed and cried, I saw her as a cute and innocent child,” says Keegan Oppenheim (12).             On February 13, 2016, Thalia Oppenheim was born. Fortunately, Thalia’s father, Keegan Oppenheim, took an airplane from Malaysia, Penang to Denver, Colorado just in time for the birth. After flying for thirty-four hours, the family, Thalia, Keegan, and Priska Oppenheim, was able to unite together for the first time in their lives. The moment was impassioned and golden.  “When I first arrived, it was a rush of emotions. I was excited to meet my daughter, concerned for the wellbeing of my wife, and a...