FEATURE
January22,1992
THE CLACKAMASi PRINT\ ^'7^ ^1Page3
U.S.’just like a dream' to Clackamas student from Micronesia
by Melissa Free Is
StaffWriter
“When I came out here it
was like a dream,” said CCC stu
dent Gloria Ilemangbug, 22, who
moved to the United States ap
proximately 3 years ago.
Ilemangbug had lived on
the island Woleai of Atoll Micro
nesia, which is located in the Caro
line Islands (near New Guinea), for
her entire life. For years she had
been exposed to American culture
through television and saw many
of the things that American culture
and society offered.
Ilemangbug was given the
chance to “really try some things
that I saw on TV” she said, when
her uncle and aunt, John and Patri
cia Taflelig, invited her to come to
the U.S. and live with them.
Once she arrived in Amer
ica, Ilemangbug began to notice
the cultural differences between
America and her home on Woleai.
Last winter was the first
time Ilemangbug had ever been
around snow. “I was really sur
prised. I felt really cold,” she said.
She was also surprised at Oregon’s
cold rain. “We have rain (on
Woleai), but ours is warm,” Ile
mangbug said.
Despite the coldness of the
snow, however, Ilemangbug found
that it was a great way to learn how
to ski—a sport that is not possible in
Woleai’s warm climate. She took
skiing lessons, but she said, “I’m
still not good at it” Will she ever
attempt to ski again? “I said forget
it... maybe I will try again,” she
said with hesitation.
Ice skating also sparked
an interest “I watched and said T
want to try that,’’’Ilemangbug said.
Like skiing, however, she found
that ice skating isn’t as easy as it
looks.
Over the past few years
Ilemangbug has had to adjust to
American food-which she believes
it the most difficult adaptation she
has had to make. “It’s really differ
ent from the food I eat back at
home,” she said. Woleai cuisine
primarily consists of seafood.
Although students in the
Caroline Islands speak a language
called Carolilian, they also study
the English language. When Ile
mangbug first arrived in the U.S.
she felt like “I was talking and they
(Americans) were laughing,” she
said. After three years, however,
she has become more confident
when speaking;
Woleai culture is “really
different (than American) because
ladies don’t wear pants or shorts,”
Ilemangbug said. Through a proc
ess called “lava lava,” the women
on Woleai weave their own skirts.
Many men wear material wrapped
around them, Ilemangbug explained.
Today, however, Woleai society
has begun wearing clothes similar
to those of American society.
Ilemangbug has found
many things in America that she
enjoys. “I like tennis and I like
reading books,” she said. These
are two hobbies that she picked up
after she moved to the U.S. She
also enjoys listening to music. On
Woleai, “We have our own music
and we have American music,”
Ilemangbug said.
Ilemangbug describes the
Caroline Islands as, “really small
and really friendly”-everyone
knows each other. “When I came
out here I thought some people
were rude to each other,” she said.
Many of the islands are
very close to each other and the
islanders spend much of their time
on the other islands. “We always
go on a canoe to go island to is
land,” Ilemangbug said.
Ilemangbug’s schooling on
Woleai is similar to that of most
I Photo hy VM m Johnson
Americans. Shewenttokindergar-
Gloria Ilemangbug moved to the United States 3 years ago.
ten and elementary school, but chose . She is now attending CCC to Study for her GED.
not to finish high school. The is- working at the Roundtree, which is her best friend, Mi wa Suzuki, who
land of Woleai does not have a high a home for handicapped people, in is from Japan. Neither of the girls
school, so students must live in a Oregon City. It is her first job and drive so they have become accus-
dormitory on one of the larger is she has only been working for four tomed to riding the bus when they
lands where there is a high school. months, so Ilemangbug often finds go out
Ilemangbug has also trav
Ilemangbug explained that she that it is difficult to balance wak
“didn’t want to go to a different ing and going to school. Ilemang eled to Tacoma, Wash, where her
island” so she stayed with her family bug also spends much time taking sister, Margret, lives.
Ilemangbug does not know
care of her uncle’s children.
and chose not to finish school.
She has also found that how many more years she will be
Currently Ilemangbug is
taking courses at Clackamas in order spending time with other interna in America. When she does return
to earn her GED. Eventually she tional students is very helpful. They home to Woleai, she plans to live
have meeting s and parties for birth with her family and to get a job as
would like to major in English.
In addition to school, Ile days and holidays. She enjoys going a secretary or someone who works
mangbug spends much of her time shopping and to the movies with with computers.
International Orientation class started to assist foreign students
Scott Morris * ‘
'
StaffWriter
Clackamas Community
College is offering a new course
entitled Intercultural Orientation,
that has been started to assist stu
dents who are new to our country
adjust to our college and our cul
ture. The course, taught by Coun
selor Ellen Burbridge, started Win
ter term.
“We have students from
all over the world at CCC, sone
adjust to being here very well,
some not as well.” According to
Burbridge, this course “gives the
students a place to come with prob
lems and questions.”
Intercultural Orientation
was designed to help the students
deal with a number of problems
that new people in our culture usu
ally have, including how to deal
more effectively with issues and
problems in the U.S.; how to de
velop skills to be successful while
living in the U J.; and to help gain
an appreciation for individual and
cultural differences.
“Many of the students had
problems that were too big to man
age on their own,” said Burbridge,
when asked why CCC decided to
add this class. “It gives the stu
dents a support group, a place to
come help and teach each other. It
takes a lot of strength and courage
to start a new life in a new culture.
I think most people don’t realize
how hard it is.”
Intercultural Orientation is
only open to international students
at this time but B urbridg e hopes to
start an International Communica
tion class in the future that would
be open to everyone.
One-act plays feature 'hellish'point of view
by Ginger Land
StaffWriter
How do you picture hell? This
is the question that Director Ryan
S. Hull had to ask himself while di
recting the play “Final Exit," an
existentialistic view of hell, writ
ten by Jean-Paul Sartre. This is
just one of the three one-acts put on
by the Clackamas Community Col-
lege Theater Department this term.
Dennis Corwin, a familiar sight
to both the Clackamas Theater and
many local Portland companies, has
chosen to direct a play called
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Complete your Bachelor's Degree
at the
"Chinamen." Corwin, who was
just in SRO’s Production of “The
Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,”
felt that this would be a challenge
because of the timing involved.
"Chinamen," written by Michael
Frayn, is a fast-paced comedy about
a dinner party. The catch is that
there are only two actors to play the
five characters.
The final play is written by a
Clackamas alumnus, David Bemett
Jr., and is called ‘The Calliope
Played at Midnight” Bemett is
now a student at Western Oregon
working on a major in Theater.
This is not the first play Bemett has
written but the director. Lichen June,
thinks it will be a challenging piece
of work.
The concept of the play is about
insecurity, the main character being
a clown. This, being the premiere
of Bemett’s show, will be a definite
"don’t miss.”
The one-act plays will be per
formed on March 8, 9, and 10,
during the lunch hour with one
evening performance on March 10,
at 8:00 pan. All performances of
the one-act plays are FREE to Stu
dents, Faculty and the general public.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Suggested mailing date for financial aid application
to meet priority deadline is: February 1
Scholarship Deadline: February 1
siim Transfer application Deadline: May 15
To request an application, or more information, call
1-800-BE-A-DUCK
(inEugene call 346-3201)
Photo by VMan Johnaon
The play "The Calliope Played at Midnight” was written by
Clackamas alumni David Burett Jr. The one act will be
performed by CCC students at the end of the term. -.-