Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 2008)
ClackamasPrint Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008 Feature 3 >chool more than games for student torate in political theory, and found himself to have more working at Baskin Robbins, possibly be part of a polit respect for various third-par in Oregon City, or is at home ical think tank that studies ties. studying. and evaluates various political “I study philosophy, phys “I’m into the Green Party, movements,” he said. “Or I’ll the Socialist Party and the ics, political science and eco- just be a college professor.” Libertarian Party,” he said. nomics,” he said. “I do quite a On top of all that tough ivo Stalnaker school work, he is also Clackamas Print the vice president of the Writer’s Club. Apparently, luring his six terms at the things are going very well ;ge, 2 0-y ear-old Matthew with the club this term. i:rgren has found a nice “There are about 20 to nee between studying and 25 members, and about 15 show up on average ring. , ol enjoy [Clackamas] quite a week,” he said. “We t. The classes and most meet from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. he instructors are great on Fridays in room 220 ¡re’sfa lot of good people in Roger Rook. Anyone ’ Ostergren said. can be a part; we’re very accepting of all people.” Ostergren has been keeping tabs on the cur rent election, and has an interesting take on what’s» tergren can often be found been happening. e »Community Center, “I consider [this elec ig table-top games with tion] to be trash,” he said. ends. “The primaries are a joke, Photo by Megan Koler Clackamas Prin e play ‘Risk,’ ‘Risk and the candidates are all Matt Ostergren spends some time with friends playing “Magic ‘Pirates of the Spanish the same anyway.” ¡ne,’ ‘Axis & Allies,’ Ostergren has ill feel the Gathering” between classes. Ostergren also enjoys blog gic: The Gathering,’ ‘Yu- ings about the two major ging and Political Science Instructor Dean Darris’ classes. )h’ and just about any political parties that run e someone brings in,” he the United States. . “I play for the social “When it comes to “They’re all consistent and bit of reading.” •action of the games. Plus, Democrats and Republicans, don ’t pander.” Being an opinionated col eps us entertained.” I hate both criminal organiza After a long day of classes, lege student, and well-read /hen fee’s not conquering tions equally,” he said. studying and socializing with in current events, Ostergren i-wor|d nations, Ostergren Because of this, he has his friends, Ostergren is either has been using the Internet to ids a lot of his time work- on his double-major in tical science and philoso- liticai science major balances school, and religion voice his opinions on a global scale. “I really don’t watch TV anymore; I just blog,” he said. For those who don’t know, a blog (short for Web-log) is essentially a journal that one writes on the Internet. Ostergren has been blogging for a while now, mostly about philosophy, religion and poli tics. .As far as religion is con cerned, Ostergren has found peace in a faith that was more common during the early days of America than it is now. “I’m a Quaker,” he said, “I wasn’t raised as one, but I became one a year ago. I appre ciate its emphasis on kind ness, pacifism and respecting all people — regardless of who, or what, they are.” As a veteran student at Clackamas, Ostergren has a few class suggestions for new students. “I would recommend any [political science] class taught by Dean Darris, he said. “Also, the philosophy department is good here.” He also has some advice for new students: “Do your homework and go to class,” he said. “Talk to your professors and let them know that you do care about the class.” Chinese class gains interest with students and teachers ‘Eventually I’ll get a doc- B_ apparent why some beginners - less people,” may find the language intimi Wang said. “Here [there dating. Wang encourages her stu is] much more dents not to try to learn or time to spend with family. In unlearn an accent. “If you can understand my China, every teaching, that’s enough,” she one [is] busy said. “When you learn some all the time. ;s Sheppard Here [life is] thing, you just do it.” ".lackamas Print relax The class is still in the very experimental stage. This term, ing.” Another 'prisingly enough, the focus is on speaking rather se is not so different than vocabulary. During spring aspect of living term, Wang will cover sim in the United English. that inese [is] much easier to plified characters along with States han French or German,” pronunciation and advanced Wang enjoys is American isiructor Xiaoou Wang, vocabulary. Wang teaches her class in movies. caches Chinese 100, a three parts. The first hour is Now that urse at Clackamas, has jrding to Wang, dedicated to speaking and Wang review of the pre achieved her i has no vious session. The masters, she ition and second part is spent IS pursuing ceedingly “Chinese explaining the cul her doctor- sentence tural significance ate. She has e. Also, [is] much and history of approximately are not easier I as they Chinese. The last two and a half Photos by Elizabeth Hitz Clackamas Print English. part of the class years of study to learn ABOVE: Chinese Instructor Xiaoou Wang teaches her students Mandarin, the official is a video tour of left. »Chinese than various parts of It may be langage of China, which has more native speakers than any other language on Earth. Ibly far French China. too late to take p having [ genders In the course the class this and F single Wang teaches term, but Chinese 101 will German, Mandarin, the offi still be offered in the spring, zhich is cial language of and maybe again next year. I when Xiaoou Wang China. Cantonese Spanish E el Chinese and Mandarin, she Instructor says, are actually ly dif- >e tween’ two separate lan and guages. nd per- “Cantonese reatest difficulty for people can understand me, but > vocal inflection, I can’t understand them,” she ard to wrap my said. Wang is from Beijing. She id it,” said Chinese d school Tai Chi came to America to earn her masters in linguistics and Vayne Keller. 3 word can be spo- literature at Portland State separate tones, and University. While here she e that determines married her husband, whom she ; of the word. The met in China when the two of es, coupled with them applied to the University strong accent and of Tulsa, in Oklahoma. “I like the simple life here I pattern, makes it lew class offers to aclkMandarin, but so gives a cultural look into China
