PAVEing a Blog

More items that are the best of items to get for apartments before going out to the furniture stores!

We look around, and we are in awe, and we ask, how did we get to this POINT?  Yet, every one of us are happy we made the journey together.  Imagine that feeling, and multiply this by ten, and you would get an idea of what it was like to open the package that held our first International Magazine, Repentino.  I was DYING inside, and when it was revealed, I – speechless.  I saw the smiles of so many people, and realized, the bumps and bruises were worth it because the people I was sharing this moment with right now – I would remember for a VERY long time.  VERY.

Imagine a night filled with music, artistry, memoirs to Ray Bradbury, violin to set your mood to relaxation, comedy that made you crack up, odes to memories of castles in England, and you’d have just the tip of a night that affected many at Open Mic night at ASF, June 6th.  Better yet, imagine all those attendees filled with passion and energy taking it all in, and you have a crowd you would go to all ends with – just to be with.  For one night – Repentino/ being released had worked its spell on us, and we can never look back having made a journey of ups, downs, and all arounds.  The sponsors, the staff, the students, the supporters that made Repentino. a success was, well nothing short of a miracle.  However, when I look at the talent of those involved, it was nota miracle at all.

However, the feeling inside this production, made looking back, pretty hard to put it into words.  Listen to Billy Joel’s words, and somewhere in there, you’ll find a bit of us in this year’s issue of Repentino.  How did I get to be surrounded by such a talented group of people?  I am putting my head down, not asking, and just thanking for every day I have with them…    🙂  These students are – well, it’s just a matter of trust and they will surprise you every turn of the way…  🙂   AMAZING  🙂  Can I say it?  Okay…THEY ROCK 🙂

A second aspect that has been keeping my busy has been taking in the amazing activities that students have been involved in.  What?  You don’t believe me?  Take this in – the FIRST EVER performance in the new Performing Arts Center at ASF – Beauty and the Beast – I went to every night’s show.  Why?  Why not just go to one?  Here is the thing, it is so easy to take for granted the fact that these students that are seniors will always be seen, always be around.  Yet, in an instant, they grow up and move on, as we do too, and then are on their way to do great things.  It is QUITE amazing to see them in roles that they normally would not perform as, and before you realize it, they are capturing your attention in a way that they have never done.  I was AMAZED to see these students perform in a such as Beauty and the Beast, yet transform the meaning based on their abilities.  All three night’s was truly not enough, as something different was seen each night, thanks to the heart and soul these students put into the play.  This made me realize how much I was going to miss these students, that I had JUST been familiarized in less than a year! I could say more, but I can’t, it rests deep within me!    Let’s fly north to my former residence in Delaware – don’t think for a minute that I did not have the graduation of Seaford High, in my mind.  These were the last wave of students that were my army of doers, they never sat on the sidelines and let life pass them by.  In one year alone, the last groups of PAVE pulled together a movement to pull of Battle of the Bands, work at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C., raise funds for the Seaford Library, the Seaford Cultural Center, work with students at Blades, as well as spend time caring for the Soroptomist Park Garden.  I can’t think of a more impressive team of students that spare time they could be doing things and share with others…Priyanka Patel, Thania Sanchez, Uri Rebolledo, Tammy Pham, Akshay Patel, Jacques Jules, Ketsia Aurele, Emily Phifer, to name a FEW – that set their hearts out in front of them for the sake of others, and the :shakers and movers” of a community are now moving onto to larger and more diverse communities, that will benefit from their selflessness.  My heart, despite physical location, is always is awe and beats a few beats faster due to the strength these young people have and exert to others around them.

If you take time to skip back to Mexico, another major feat has been the advent of the ASF literary magazine.  (Repentino Cover ) This is a production that was formerly called Reflections, yet was resurrected due to the will of a small (SIX) group of students willing that art, their heartfelt words, as well as willingness to fight the adversity of so many odds against them to push, push, until… success.  This sounds so heroes, but if you war part of anything that seemed to have every odd against you, roadblocks put in you path each step of the way, yet still were able to overcome them, there is no act, small or large, that is not worth the recognition of achieving your goals.  This has become more than a magazine, it became an adventure into the unknown, and truly, these brave students put their insights of what felt right in their heart, what would touch people through their eyes, their minds, and their experiences, put this into a magazine worthy of the most developed yearbook.  After serving on a yearbook for 5+ years, and always struggling with a budget, I forced myself to stand back, and let the students grapple with struggles, and come in at times to help encourage progress; yet to the most unknown area of my soul I still have not yet reached, I felt their persistence and unwillingness to stop and wondered, how can they keep doing this?  I am very proud that they will have their last (flyer for mic night June 6th) tomorrow, Wednesday June 6th, but it is truly celebration of what can be achieved with not letting any dream go.  From traveling to New York, to the support of some amazing friends like Ms Kang and Mr Martinez, as well as so many supporters, to the many hurdles they had to overcome, they all came through as winners.

To end, the highpoint was being surrounded by a group of 18+ new students, interested in the 2012-2013 magazine that would be Repentino. next year.  I saw the hardships, the hurdles, and the energy that started with these six students who won the runner up for most involved club, through the faces that now filled a VERY  long table. I also imagined how amazing this production will be with these talented students coming in for a new year.   I realized, all the advice from others to spend more time on myself actually had been occurring, I was investing myself in the belief of these other young minds around me, and wow, could they soar!  I have had so many investments that you cannot see in a bank, but in the faces of those that surround me, and I have to say, I have never been richer thanks to the wealth of these young students that have so much to offer and have done so already at such a young age!

A HUGE congratulations to the graduating class of 2012 – both in Seaford, DE as well as in Mexico City Mexico.  I can guarantee some huge changes in the world around us thanks to these individuals that will go on to make many changes for the better.  Wait until you see the graduating classes of 2013 and 2014, the best is yet to come!

The past few weeks have been definitely ramped up and exciting, tons of things which will keep this blog updated and humming, but let’s go back to the walking tours…when a tour was offered with Mr Winckers (Azteca Travel Tours)  for Condesa last week, of course I thought I knew Condesa, but I hoped to gain a newer perspective of places I would not have seen originally.  Jackpot!!  many new things came up in the first tour of Condesa,

and second -in the Coyoacan tour. Recalling from the Condesa tour, we were able to understand the clock in Parque Espanza actually held a radio for individuals that wanted to hear the news, but did not have radios, very interesting!  We were able to see the location where practicing chefs served dinner to the public (we were assured it is safe and reasonable to eat!) – as well as taking in architecture that I often hd walked past.  I didn’t realize that the one whole area of the neighborhood was an exhibit of modern architecture of Mexico.

The little things that alot of people walk past, or that often do not stop long enough to take in re possible and so see to come out thanks to the tours!  What makes this even more meaningful is that we

get to sit down and   discuss the events together with new friends!

In going back to Coyoacan, I instantly was transported back to the original tour I had when we

arrived just off the plane, but then was shown areas I did not now even existed!  The artisan’s fair,eating at a restaurant called Fondu (2 plates of crepes!) and watching

authentic Mexican football  🙂 , it was a

GREAT day, and again, ending with a meal and good friends.  A “tour” does not really touch on a day that becomes a day for spending with friends!  

Hola!  🙂   I know, it has been awhile so this next blog will be a huge one!  This specific blog will be added to as I receive information, but so far, these are beginning items that are for sale – as the list grows I will add, so you will want to check this particular positing off and on for added items!  🙂

Here is the first batch!  Let me know via harrybrake@yahoo.com if anything is a need for you!

Sorry – those items all sold!  HOWEVER – we have a ton more and these items being posted on Tuesday, June 5th are items that will save you alot of time if you buy now!  🙂  Soon to be posted!

As we are on the last day of the ASF Magazine being edited, ready for publishing, here are some excerpts that come from some of the artwork contained from within:

Editor Camila 

““Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.’’–Louis Nevels

It was called Reflections. Few people knew of its existence and even if they did, they liked to pretend they didn’t. It was a good old-fashioned magazine with the usual matte cover and love sonnets and haikus. Reflections was good, the works of the artists were good, the staff and editors, they were also good, it was all good. But then we came in, we didn’t modify, we did not change, but rather completely restated what the literary magazine of the American School Foundation should be like.

This year, brand new artists lead the magazine; we brainstorm our dreams and aim at the transcendence of it. Starting with the name, it changed from Bibliobibuli to Babycakes to end up with Repentino for it seemed the most accurate.

First of all it is classy, it is in Spanish yet it translates exactly to the word ‘’sudden,’’ it came up just like the literary magazine staff assembled, out of the blue and with great purpose. Repentino is meant to be an opportunity for the international and ASF community of artists to get their oeuvres exposed. It is a chance to be taken seriously, to see your art on a piece of paper of a magazine inside someone’s bag and knowing that that person paid for your art. It is an opportunity to be inspired to create more, to start fulfilling your artistic potential and exploiting your ink and camera to design more masterpieces.

Repentino is also published for the readers, who can review the best art pieces of the young, of the adult and the old creators form all around the globe. With this magazine we aim at the exchange of ideas and feelings, at the promotion of culture and art, at the creation of a stronger artistic community in which all artists can be properly appreciated and in which there is more sensitivity towards the miracle of art.

Repentino will hopefully fulfill our artistic thirst and entangle all members of the community in its poetry.  We hope you enjoy many more adventures into our creativity to come, and thank you for being a part of this evening.

CAMILA  – Repentino editor

Check out the very popular “Spanish for Beginners” by Mr. Daniel Hamilton in our first issue of Repentino. 2012!

Regina- “Penpal´s Pimple” – “I wrote started my story a few years ago. It was very different but it was the same theme. I saw my notebook one day, lying on the bottom of my schoolbooks. I flipped through it and read the story. Then I added details and new things… Someone in my class thought that penpal was pimple so I thought I could make a funny story.”

Aaron Mines – “That photo was taken in Leverich Canyon, south of Bozeman, Montana in summer 2009. Leverich Canyon is a small canyon only a few miles long, dominated by its neighbors Hyalite Canyon and Sourdough Canyon. The photo shows an old miner’s cabin, abandoned sometime in the 19th century when the mining rush ended. Nearby is a town called Independence, Montana that was abandoned in the early 20th century, when mining turned out to be not as profitable as folks thought it was going to be. Close to the cabin there is a mine shaft that was used, but abandoned after the miner realized the same thing as the residents of Independence – mining was not as profitable as originally thought.  The cow skull is not part of the original cabin – I assume it was placed there by someone who found it nearby.”

ALIA, Cover Designer –  “The inspiration for the artwork derived from when I had first moved to Mexico–it was all new and exciting and frankly, a little frightening. I felt very cut off from the rest of the world, and my     friends and family who I had left behind. I was having trouble settling down on my own, but I quickly regained myself with good company and contact with old friends.”

Alyssa  – “18 years old, from Montana, USA. When I’m not singing loudly out my car window to pedestrians and the occasional wayward sheep, I am chained to a desk. Or a notebook. Or a tree. (If you can’t keep up with my complicated metaphors, I’m really involved in debate, writing, and traveling).I hope to one day become a professional font-namer, working out of a bright blue loft in San Francisco, California. I own 416 beanie babies, and they live under my bed. “

“Letters to No Mail Trail from Lazy H” was inspired by an assignment in my creative writing class, wherein we were studying Richard Hugo. Richard Hugo was truly an icon in the world of poetry, and he happened to live and teach her in Missoula, Montana. Our advisor, Lorilee Evans Lynn, was a student of his, which in a way makes me a descendant of Richard Hugo himself. This could be why I enjoy writing letter, and place poems so much, his two specialties. I really wanted to try to capture not so much the physical sensations of a place, but the emotional importance that all places hold for people.

Congrats to the Lit Mag on receiving the Most Active Club Award lit mag  Next stop – wait until you see our issue and you will see what Renentino has done to earn this!  Way to go!  🙂  A most deserving group of magaziners!  🙂

Led and promoted by Mr. Daniel Hamilton, tho was truly a success on many “stages!”

So – What did Alina and Rafael think as they performed for the Shakespeare Competition and performed well?  See from their Alina and Rafa dialogue!

Schell article

Schell interview

Interview by Sarah H.