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"We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls"
~ Anais Nin ~
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Greetings!
2010 has begun in the western world, and soon we will enter
the Year of the Tiger by the lunar calendar. I hope this newsletter finds you
and yours well, and that the New Year brings you happiness and prosperity, regardless of which calendar you follow!
In this issue of International Focus, we continue our series
on International Groups of the Triangle, and introduce you to the Triangle Area
Chinese American Society. Please also be sure to check out our language and cultural
resources section, and enjoy a sampling of cultural news items from the past few
weeks.
I hope to see you at some of the great international happenings in the Triangle over the next couple of months - See our international events calendar for more details.
HAPPY NEW YEAR from all of us here at International Focus!
Sincerely, Clodagh Bastian Executive Director
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International Groups of the Triangle:
TACAS
was founded 30 years ago by Jiang
Luh, Shin Wu,
and Jason Shih with a view to promoting Chinese language and
cultural exchange. As the area's Chinese
population has grown to more than 30 000, TACAS continues this effort through
arts and community-service programs that range
from youth clubs and activities
through hosting delegations and cultural exchanges to arts patronage and
expression.
TACAS
members are mostly of Chinese heritage from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, but
also the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. In the last few years, the
organization has also reached out to Families
with Chinese Children, an
organization for families who have adopted girls
from China.
TACAS
works closely with the Raleigh Chinese Language School, the TACAS Arts Center,
the New Millennium Playhouse, and the Triangle Area Peking Opera Club. TACAS' annual Chinese Year New Festival is a colorful and popular celebration of the
Lunar New Year. This year's festivities will be held on January 30 at the NC State Fairgrounds.
Country Statistics
and Information:
China
Taiwan
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Language and Culture in the News
Babies 'Cry in Mother's Tongue'
German researchers say babies begin to pick up the nuances of their parents' accents while still in the womb.
The researchers studied the cries of 60 healthy babies born to families speaking French and German.
The French newborns cried with a rising "accent" while the German babies' cries had a falling inflection.
Read the full article . . .
The Apparatgeist calls
How you use your mobile phone
has long reflected where you live. But the spirit of the machines may be wiping
away cultural differences.
Read the full article . . .
Burka-Barbie: Famous Doll Gets a Makeover
Barbie,
the iconic plastic doll, is famed for her glamorous clothes and pneumatic
figure - but that tradition has been turned on its head with the introduction
of a new burka-clad model.
Read the full article . . .
Gestures Processed in Brain's Language Center
Words and gestures are processed in the same areas of the brain, a
finding that may improve understanding of the evolution of language,
researchers say.
Read the full article . . .
Baby name translation
service helps parents avoid embarrassment for little Suri or Zuma
What's in a name? Maybe more than you thought.A British translation
firm will vet expectant couples' off-the-wall baby names, ensuring their
offspring aren't saddled with monikers that mean something embarrassing in
another language.
Read the full article...
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Resources
XIHA Life calls itself "the world's first truly multilingual social network".The site uses recognition and filtering
technology to enable multicultural users to connect in several different
languages.
The People Flasher iPhone Communicator and Translator application allows users to turn their iPhone into an easy-to-read flashing sign that displays a typed message. PeopleFlasher
even knows what country you are in and, at your option, flashes your
message in any one of over 40 languages.
Worst International Travel Hassles (and How to Prevent Them) is an article advising on various travel international travel issues, such as visas, passports and taxes.
WhatsOnWhen is a world-wide event guide that lists festivals, sports, art and cultural events around the globe.
Home Exchange is a vacation alternative site that connects families who agree to swap homes for a vacation. The program works across 130 countries.
Get information on the 2010 Census in 59 different languages, and BE COUNTED!
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 Upcoming International Events
Learn more about the international events being held in the Triangle in the next two months:
Fairs, Festivals and Celebrations
Chinese New Year Festival - January 30, 2010
NC State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
9th Annual African American Cultural Celebration - January 30, 2010
NC Museum of History, Raleigh
Ostatki - Polish MardiGras Party 2010 - February 13, 2010
Sponsored by the Polish-American Club of the Triangle
Native American Indian Art Show - February 26, 27, 28, 2010
NC State Fairgrounds, Raleigh
Fondue Dinner - March 6, 2010
Sponsored by The Swiss Club of Central NC
28th Annual Raleigh St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival - March 13, 2010
Downtown Raleigh
Norooz 1389 for Kids - March 14, 2010
Sponsored by the Iranian Cultural Society of NC
25th International Festival of Raleigh - SAVE THE DATE!
October 1 - 3, 2010
Raleigh Convention Center
Exhibits
Ice Counterpoint: Encounters in Antarctica and the Arctic - ongoing
FedEx Global Education Center, Chapel Hill
Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word - January 23 - 29, 2010
Cameron Village Library, Raleigh
Artists Unite for Haiti: International Exhibit and Sale - February 5, 6, 7, 2010
Sponsored by The LoDi Project, Raleigh
5 Faces & Places of Raleigh's African American Community(Kids) - February 13, 2010
Raleigh City Museum
Film
The Greatest Places - ongoing
Imax Theatre, Raleigh
Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think - January 30, 2010
Nelson Mandela Auditorium, Chapel Hill
Italian Movie & Pizza: "A Wedding for Bella"- January 31, 2010
Sponsored by the Triangle Sons of Italy
Arabia 3D - opening February 12, 2010
Imax Theatre, Raleigh
Hayti Heritage Film Festival - February 20-22, 2010
Hayti Heritage Center, Durham
Van Gogh: Brush with Genius - Painting Practicum - February 21, 2010
Marbles Museum, Raleigh
Performances
Scheherazade & Refraction - January 29, 30, 2010
Duke University, Durham
P'ansori: Korean Music and Storytelling - January 28, 2010
Hill Hall Auditorium, Chapel Hill
The Tannahill Weavers - February 3, 2010
Tir Na nOg, Raleigh
Haiti Relief Benefit Concert - February 4, 2010
The Pourhouse, Raleigh
Wintering in the Middle East with the Cary Town Band - February 5, 2010
Cary Senior Center
Yuja Wang, Piano - February 5, 6, 2010
Meymandi Concert Hall, Raleigh
Magnolia Klezmer Quartet - February 10, 2010
The Irregardless, Raleigh
Miguel Zenon's Esta Plena Septet - February 11, 2010
Reynolds Industries Theater, Durham
Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition - February 12, 2010
Duke University, Durham
Chinese Dance Collection - February 12, 2010
The Arts Center, Chapel Hill
Mozart and Tchaikovsky - February 12, 2010
Meymandi Concert Hall, Raleigh
The Shipment Young Jean Lee Theater Company - February 12, 13, 2010
Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill
Celtic Woman - February 13, 2010
Durham Performing Arts Center
The Seafarer: An Irish Valentine's Day - February 14, 2010
Burning Coal Theater, Raleigh
Tinariwen - February 15, 2010
Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill
Scythian: Celtic & World Music - February 17, 2010
Berkeley Café, Raleigh
Bach and Brahms - February 19, 20, 2010
Meymandi Concert Hall, Raleigh
Abhivykati's Marathi Ekankika Utsav (One-Act-Play Festival) - February 20, 2010
Garner Historic Auditorium, Garner
African American Read-In - February 21, 2010
State Capitol, Raleigh
Ballet Folklórico de México - February 21, 2010
Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh
Nora Chipaumire featuring Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited - February 26, 27, 2010
Reynolds Industries Theater, Durham
The Magic of African Rhythm - February 27, 2010
Garner Historic Auditorium, Garner
London Philharmonic Orchestra - March 2, 2010
Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill
Celtic Concert Series: Dervish - March 4, 2010
The Arts Center, Chapel Hill
Esperanza Spalding - March 5, 2010
Stewart Theater, Raleigh
Rafal Blechacz, Piano - March 5, 2010
Reynolds Industries Theater, Durham
Golden Dragon Acrobats - March 5, 6, 2010
Carolina Theatre, Chapel Hill
Artemis String Quartet - March 13, 2010
Reynolds Industries Theater, Durham
Let's Dance! Kids - March 13, 2010
Meymandi Concert Hall, Raleigh
Gilberto Gil - March 14, 2010
Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill
Celtic Concert Series: Patrick Street
- March 14, 2010
The Arts Center, Chapel Hill
Workshops
Persian Cooking with Farah Hadjitaghi - January 26, 2010
A Southern Season, Chapel Hill
Traditional Japanese Tea Gathering - February 12, 2010
Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham
Competitions
High School WorldQuest - February 13, 2010
Sponsored by the International Affairs Council
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About International Focus
International Focus, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission to promote awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultures in this area, and to make cultures accessible to each other through art, community and education. International Focus strives to be a resource for native North Carolinians and those from other parts of the world through information, outreach and its annual celebration of multiculturalism, the International Festival of Raleigh.
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This newsletter and all content and information contained herein are the property of International Focus, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. |
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