Have you heard? Strong women are speaking out…
Lately, I have been meeting a lot of strong women–the kind of women that make me proud to belong to the female gender. This week is Sexual Assault Awareness Week here at Loyola–a week that will serve to remind us that women in our society are still made to suffer as a result of their gender. But women aren’t passively accepting this–we’re fighting back. In light of this week, I want to share the stories of two extremely strong women I met last week.
In my Human Rights in Latin America class, we have been learning about the use of torture. Personally, I think we hold far too many misconceptions about torture. I know that prior to this class, I thought of torture as a horrific thing of the past that was only used today in very extreme cases in order to get terrorists to tell US officials of plans for massive attacks. I never, ever, imagined that torture was something being used right now to victimize women. Our class had the great privilege of having one such woman speak to us last Tuesday. Matilde was brutally raped and tortured by the Guatemalan government. Her crime? Providing basic medical services to the poor in Guatemala. If this seems to make no sense, that’s because it doesn’t. I cannot even imagine the aftereffects of what she endured. To even recount her story once must be extremely painful, however, Matilde relives her torture experience every day by speaking out against torture here in the United States. She refused to be victimized by her torturers. Instead, she is taking action to ensure the end of the torture that so many women (and men) suffer.
Last week was also Respect Life Week, sponsored by the organization of which I am a part, Loyola Students for Life. The same day I was able to hear Matlide’s story, I heard from one of our speakers, Yvonne Florczak-Seeman, about yet another way women are being victimized in our society. Between the ages of 15 and 20, Yvonne suffered five abortions. The men who impregnated her showed no love or support each time she told them of her pregnancy. They were completely unwilling to take any responsibility for the child that they had created and left in her womb. Instead, each and every one of those men dragged her to an abortion clinic to get the situation “taken care of.” After the fifth abortion, which resulted in an incomplete removal of the baby and profuse, extended bleeding, Yvonne decided that it was time to take a stand and demand better treatment for women such as herself. Her story of healing is an incredible one, but even more incredible is her current work. Today, Yvonne runs a ministry for post-abortive women, enabling and empowering them to take a stand. Yvonne, along with other women, are raising awareness about the way their bodies are being used and then, with pregnancy, abandoned. Yvonne challenges men to take responsibility and provide the long-term financial and emotional support women need to take care of the baby that they have jointly created. Like Matilde, Yvonne remembers her pain every time she speaks to an audience such as our own at Loyola.
I think that women such as Matilde and Yvonne force us to remember that we have not yet become a society of equality. Too often it is argued that sex discrimination no longer exists, but the stories of these women clearly prove otherwise. But these women are not backing down–they are fighting, and will continue to fight, until justice is achieved. These women are great heroes to me, and should be to anyone who seeks a world of justice.
April 1, 2008
Sometimes it’s the small things that save my sanity…
We’ve all had those days where we feel completely overwhelmed, buried over our heads in mounds of exams, homework, and projects–the days that make you wonder why God only put 24 hours in a day. As we approach the end of the semester, these days seem to pile up at an alarmingly fast rate. However, lately I have found that on days such as these, it’s often the small things that save my sanity.
It’s when the CTA bus driver greets everyone with a smile and "Hey! Good morning!" and says "Have a wonderful day!" when you exit;
It’s when you go to breakfast at Simpson and Fran is there is saying, "Hello, baby!";
It’s when "the omelet lady" remembers what kind of omelet you always order before you have to say anything.
As cheesy as it may sound, sometimes it’s the unexpected people in your life that can turn a stressful day around.
February 12, 2008
Gala-licious
Ok, so I have to admit, I was kind of hesitant to go to the St. Valentine’s Day Gala last Friday. In high school, any dance besides homecoming or prom usually meant a multi-purpose room with a DJ, cheap disco lights, and some pretzels and chips on a table in the back of the room. I really wasn’t expecting that much more, especially since the gala was being hosted by a student organization (Italian Club), but still thought it could be a fun night out with my friends. So my friends Holly and Maria, me, and our dates decided to pay the $30 a couple for what we expected to be a night full of cheesiness and fun (kind of like the title of this blog entry). The formal name of the event actually sounded fancy–Gala di San Valentino–but seriously, who did they think they were fooling?
When I got there, I realized I had been way off. The gala was nothing like any high school dances I had been to. Instead, we arrived at the Drake Hotel and were escorted into a huge ballroom overlooking the city. There were live musicians playing dinner music. Along the walls were small tables with rose petals scattered on the tablecloths. After seating ourselves underneath a huge crystal chandelier, we realized that there was food, and by food I mean real food, not the potato chips and pretzels I had been expecting. There were cheese platters, gourmet pizzas, and chefs who made pasta-to-order right in front of you. In addition, there were numerous dessert tables filled with chocolate-covered creme puffs, brownies, cookies, and chocolate mousse, among other delicious options. Even the Sprite and Coca Cola were in individual class bottles. After more trips to the dining room than I care to disclose, we were ready to dance. I’m not going to lie, they played a few songs that I absolutely love yet make me ashamed to be a part of my generation (apple bottom jeans, boots with the furrr…), but there was enough 80’s and 90’s rock that I didn’t feel totally like I was at a middle school/high school dance.
So needless to say, I was totally blown away by unexpected elegance of the gala. We had a fantastic night of laughing, eating, dancing, and eating (did I mention eating?). Events like these always make me feel a little bit better about paying that large bill every August and January…
February 4, 2008
A Synopsis of My Semester so Far
You never know just how much your schedule can change from semester to semester. Last semester just breezed right on by, but this semester feels like it has already lasted a year. Not that that is at all a bad thing. I’ve been a pretty busy girl lately, but I already feel a sense of accomplishment when I look back at the semester thus far and enjoy everything I have done. If you haven’t already noticed from my previous blog posts, I love lists. So here is another one describing what I have been up to this semester…
- Some amazing classes
I am taking eighteen credits this semester, so life gets a little crazy sometimes, but the classes that I am taking are the ones that make you want to come to college in the first place.
Personality Psychology:
As a head-over-heels psych major, I love all my psych classes. However, this class is especially interesting, because not only am I studying others, but I am learning a lot about myself as well. We have already taken a shortened version of the Myers-Briggs Personality Test—I am an ENFP (sorry, I am not going to tell you what that means, you’ll have to take the class for yourself to find out!).
Human Rights in Latin America:
This theology classroom is what every student looks for when choosing a college. There are thirteen students in my class and two professors. We have class in a seminar room, seated in a giant circle. We are learning about the awful human rights violations that are occurring right now in
Latin America. At the end of the semester, everyone in the class will be partaking in an Alternative Break Immersion trip to one of four locations in Latin America. I will be traveling to El Paso, Texas
and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico to learn about border issues.
Spanish 101:
I have always wanted to learn Spanish, but memorizing and languages don’t really come easy to me, so I have previously been reluctant to take it. Now that I am going to Mexico this summer for an ABI, I have a great reason to make myself take this class.
Biology 101:
Like I said before, I am really bad at memorizing things. I do not need this class for my psych major, but I feel as though Biology is a class that every student should take during his or her college career. My classes last semester were pretty easy, so I felt up for a challenge this semester. It is a really difficult class for me, but so far I am feeling pretty good about living up to the challenge.
Bible Studies:
I have grown up listening to Biblical passages every Sunday in church, but I never knew anything about its actual history or the context in which it was created. For me, it is fascinating to learn the facts behind the stories I grew up with.
Perspectives on Life and Death:
I am not sure if I will ever find another college class that I could be more interested in. The class focuses on the question: what does it mean to have a good life or a good death as opposed to a bad one? We talk about many of the issues that I am so passionate about, including abortion, the death penalty, poverty, healthcare, euthanasia, etc. The readings have been fascinating thus far, and I am truly looking forward to each and every day that I have class. I highly recommend taking this class if you get a chance.
- Students for Life
I have been very busy with Students for Life as both the vice-president of the Loyola group but also as the resources manager for the state-wide umbrella organization. I wrote in my last post about my amazing experience at the March for Life, and there are lots more exciting events to look forward to. We have a full schedule ahead of us for this spring semester at Loyola. Many of us in the group are Illinois residents, so we are having a discussion tonight on where each of the candidates stand on various life issues so that we can be informed voters on Super Tuesday. The meeting will be in the Rambler Room at 8pm (Monday) if any of you want to come. Additionally, we are having a bake sale in the CFSU on Mardi Gras to benefit Aid for Women, an organization that provides resources for needy pregnant women. We have also been very active at the state level. I spent this past Saturday at the Speak Out Illinois conference, where we represented Students for Life of Illinois among other pro-life organizations throughout the state and listened to a variety of amazing speakers.
- Loyola for Chicago
I volunteer once a week with a great group of students at the Neumann Association- a home for mentally and developmentally challenged adults. Last week one of the residents celebrated his 50th birthday. We were lucky enough to be scheduled to visit on the day of his actual birthday. We threw him a birthday party with a pony-shaped cake and spent the rest of the night playing games and watching American Idol. It really was an awesome time. Afterwards we went to our leader’s apartment for a delicious dinner and thoughtful reflection on our experiences hanging out with the Neumann Center residents.
- Gymnastics
I did competitive gymnastics until the end of high school, but since then I have not been doing anything but coaching it. However, one of my good friends at Loyola has always wanted to learn. After a little searching we found Lake Shore Academy, a gym which offers adult gymnastics classes. The class has a whole gamut of skill level. Some of the people who go there are ex-collegiate gymnasts and some are adults in their 40’s who have never done gymnastics in their lives. When our boyfriends found out about it, they wanted in, so we have all been going every Tuesday and Thursday for classes. We have been having a blast! I cannot believe how fast Holly (my friend) is learning and how good she is getting! The class is a good reminder to me that no matter how old you are, it is never too late to learn something new.
So life has been crazy, but good. When I say that the semester has been long, I mean that in nothing but the most positive way. I have been having a great time staying busy with all sorts of new and exiting things. Loyola and the city of Chicago have so many great things to offer. If you took your time getting adjusted to life at Loyola last semester, now is your time to really get out there and get involved in something new and exciting.
January 23, 2008
March For Life 2008
5 days away from Chicago
10 Loyola Students
50 Chicagoland college students
1 bus
250,000 people marching in support of life
Yesterday marked the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. To commemorate the tens of millions of lives lost since the legalization of abortion in America, approximately one-quarter of a million pro-lifers gathered in Washington, D.C. yesterday to march from the National Mall to the steps of the Supreme Court.
Our journey began on Saturday afternoon, when approximately 50 college students and 150 high school students from the Chicagoland area met at a suburban church for check-in. After a send-off Mass and debriefing we split up into different buses and began the 12 hour drive to Washington, D.C.
We arrived in Washington D.C. around 9:00 am on Sunday morning. Following check in at the Hyatt, we were dropped off downtown for a free afternoon of sight-seeing, hanging out, and getting lost. After visiting all the monuments, the White House, and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, we boarded the bus once again, this time headed for Mass at Georgetown University. Following Mass we ended the day with an extravagant buffet meal at Pizza Hut.
Monday morning we departed the hotel at 6:30 am for prayer and quiet reflection at the local Planned Parenthood to be witnesses to the lives lost inside the building. Immediately afterwords, we again headed to Georgetown, this time for the Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life. We heard a variety of speakers talk about everything from embryonic stem cell research to euthanasia. We then left for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the March for Life vigil Mass. Even though we got there an hour and a half early, we ended up standing in a side aisle squeezed between the 10,000 other people in the basilica. The opening procession took forty-five minutes due to the number of priests, bishops, and cardinals present at the Mass. Cardinal Rigaldi gave an incredible homily directed at the pro-life youth. The crew from Bella, including main actor Eduardo Verasteugi (who is probably the dreamiest man alive, after my boyfriend of course), were also present for the mass. After Communion I helped the Bella team pass out thank-you cards to the pro-life community exiting the basilica for their incredible support in making Bella a success.
Tuesday morning we had a meeting at the Rayburn Building with Keith Devareaux, advisor to pro-life Democrat Dan Lipinski of the Illinois Third Congressional District. After that, we headed to the Supreme Court Building to stand in peaceful protest against Roe v. Wade. There were counter protesters in front of the Supreme Court, but at most there were 25 of them. There were approximately 250,000 pro-lifers, making that a 10,000: 1 ratio of pro-lifers to pro-choicers. After addresses from various speakers, including President Bush, the march began. When you see the march on TV, they show you the old people, the pro-choicers, and the “crazies.” But that’s not what I saw. I saw thousands upon thousands of pro-life youth storming the street of D.C. To see a quarter of a million people standing up with you for your beliefs is extremely powerful, to see a quarter of a million of your peers standing up with you is incredible beyond words. Our nation’s capital was filled to capacity with young, active supporters of the right to life.
After the march, the Chicago college students attended a reception hosted by Congressman Roskam. Unfortunately, two of my friends and I became separated from the rest of the group. More unfortunate yet, I have no sense of direction, so we spent all of two hours wandering around D.C. laughing. After finally finding Union Station (we missed the Congressman’s reception by a long shot), we had a quick dinner, hopped back on the bus, and headed back to Chicago. We arrived back at Loyola around 8:00 am, very sleepy but feeling incredibly empowered. We (Loyola Students for Life) attended the organization fair in the CFSU today, and then I went downtown for an interview with CAN TV regarding abortion and my experiences on the march. More to come on that later.
This was my first time participating in the March for Life. If you feel passionately about the need to preserve human life, I highly recommend that you go to Washington D.C. next year. In the meantime, remember: life is good.
January 1, 2008
Hello 2008!
I have a diary I have kept since I was nine years old. It still has a lot of blank pages, since I really only write in it once a year. At the beginning of each new year, I not only write a list of my new year’s resolutions, but I also reflect a little on the previous year’s resolutions. Part of my motivation for doing this comes a firm belief in my favorite quote, an old Hindu proverb:
"There is nothing noble about being superior to another person. True nobility comes from being superior to your previous self."
In my mind, the new year is all about being superior to your previous self. New year’s resolutions are like a competition between yourself in the past and the person you are to become.
Some people think of new year’s resolutions as things that you think about for a few days and then promptly forget about in a few days, weeks, or if you are lucky, a few months. To avoid this happening, WRITE THEM DOWN! You don’t have to write them all over your bedroom mirror or anything, but write them down, put them away somewhere safe, and store them in your mind. Writing them down forces us to make a commitment, which makes us more likely to see our resolutions through (that’s the psych major in me talking).
Writing down your resolutions at the beginning of the year can be very rewarding at the end of the year. Sometimes I surprise myself when I look back and see how far I have carried my resolutions from the previous year. It certainly is encouraging as I commit to new goals for the new year.
On a side note: yesterday marked the halfway point of my Christmas break. There’s still a lot more break to be enjoyed…have fun with it!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, LOYOLA!
December 11, 2007
Finals, Food, and Frenzy
I can always tell that it’s finals week when I start seeing the free food all over campus. Monday was free Giordano’s pizza at 7:30 in the Crown Center, late-night breakfast over at the Water Tower campus, evening dinner/social in Coffey Hall with our resident director, and massages and food during the afternoon in the CFSU.
Monday morning I was pumped. I even wrote down the times and locations for free food. Seriously, I really did. After a morning study session, I headed back to my room to get ready for the day’s festivities. STUDY WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO STUDY IN YOUR BED. I woke up around 8:30. Not only had I missed the free food, but I had also missed the dining hours in Simpson and Mertz. Rambler Room again…
Fortunately, Loyola seems to understand that finals week has a way of messing up our sleep schedules. Tomorrow there will be another late-night breakfast in the Gentile Center from 10-midnight.
Not only do we have finals, but we have the added hassle of having to deal with the frenzy of moving out of our dorms for winter break. Yikes.
As a seasoned veteran of doing everything wrong finals week, I think I finally have figured out some helpful ways to cope with all the chaos that I have accumulated for myself by the end of each semester…
- Mountain Dew is more effective than coffee. But if you plan on eventually going to sleep, forget it.
- Going outside at 3 am without a coat is a good way to wake yourself up when that philosophy just isn’t doing it for you.
- Take a walk…go to the lakefront. There are probably few things more relaxing than watching and listening to the waves.
- Sometimes you just have to turn on a Ricky Martin song and jam for a few minutes.
- Go on YouTube and watch "end of ze world"
- I like doing handstands. It gets the blood rushing to my head.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE =)
November 29, 2007
WICKED
A couple of weeks ago, I woke up at 4:45 AM, got out of bed, bundled up in a gazillion layers, and walked across campus to stand in line for three and a half hours at the CFSU. Midway through standing in line, the fire alarm went off in Mertz and we had to evacuate—meaning we had to stand outside in the freezing cold for a while before going back inside to wait in line for another couple of hours. You are probably asking yourself “what the heck was she thinking?” But at 8:30 AM, my friends and I had tickets to go see Wicked. The best part was that we only paid $15 per ticket, courtesy of Loyola.
So the next Wednesday night we got all dressed up and took the “L” downtown to the Oriental Theater. When we got there, we found out that it was the 1000th performance of Wicked in Chicago—setting a record for the most performances of any Broadway show in Chicago. When we were finally let into the theater, we were dismayed to find that our seats were the very back row of the theater at the very left side. Yuck, but what can you expect for $15 tickets? Apparently a lot. We had been seated for a few minutes when one of the theater managers came up to us and asked if we were from Loyola. When we said yes, he told us to follow him. He took us to the very front of the theater, just rows away from the stage! I went on ticketmaster later and found out that our 
new seats were $122.50. And the show itself? It was AMAZING!
So the bottom line is, we got premium seats to a fantastic, record-breaking performance for only $15. Props to the person whose idea it was to buy a bunch of tickets for Loyola stud
ents, and thanks to whoever was the man who took us to the front of the theater.
Last Friday I woke up early again, this time at 3:00 AM. Black Friday. While waiting in line outside of Carson’s in the freezing cold, I was reminded of waiting at the CFSU for Wicked tickets. Then I had this fabulous idea: instead of buying actual material things for my friends and family, why not get them Wicked tickets? After all, Christmas is about spending time with your friends and family, and what better way to do that than going to a concert, show, or game with them? So, I ended up buying my best friend and boyfriend tickets to Wicked (which works out great for me because I had to buy a ticket for myself to go with them, which means that I get to see it again). Okay, but I also have to admit that even after this bright idea I remained standing in line at Carson’s. Someone had to buy all those super cheap memory foam pillows, right? I didn’t have to give them to anyone, but I could always use a few more on my bed…
November 13, 2007
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
So for any of you who haven’t noticed, Loyola is a very diverse place. I think it is important to remind everyone of the mission statement that we all embrace as students here at Loyola University. One of the key points highlighted in this statement is diversity, and these are a few quotes directly from our mission statement: “We relate to one another in the spirit of freedom and mutual respect” AND “We respect the dignity of each individual and treat one another with personal care,” (http://www.luc.edu/loyolapromise/mission.shtml). Loyola is made up of students who are diverse in every way: in terms of race, ethnic background, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, and political ideologies. The reason I mention this is that there have been a number of controversial issues on campus recently. The two that come to mind the most are the Diminuendo magazine and the beverage contract debate. Obviously, there is a lot at stake behind these issues. When discussing them, however, it is absolutely imperative that we realize where each side is coming from. Pointing the finger and criticizing the other side only creates resentment. Each and every student has the right to their own opinion, regardless of how may people support that position. Before we criticize each other, let’s actually consider the arguments of the other side. We are all very different and because of this we may never all completely agree on every issue, but if we listen to other’s opinions and respect them then we will have truly created a learning environment based on dignity and respect.
As students, we must realize that Loyola takes its mission statement seriously. All new students were asked to read Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World. Paul Farmer truly exemplified the values of our university, particularly becoming “persons for others.” However, in order to truly become “persons for others” we must first have a genuine and deep respect for each other and our differences—starting right here at Loyola. That being said, I would encourage everyone to go see the movie Bella, which is currently in theatres nationwide. The makers of the film have their own mission statement: “Our hope is that people leave the theatre wanting to love more and judge less” said producer and lead actor Eduardo Verastegui (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=100004289). This movie promotes respect for EVERYONE. It was this overpowering sense of respect that the movie conveyed that made me volunteer for the film company. I believe that everyone should see this movie, but I also believe that as Loyola students the message of the film is especially pertinent. You may think that I am biased because I am a former intern for Metanoia Films, so you don’t have to take my word for it. Here are the top reasons why you should go see this film:
- It was the winner of the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, the most influential film festival in the world. Former winners of this festival include Life is Beautiful, American Beauty, Chariots of Fire, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (all of which went on to become Academy Award Winners).
- It is rated the #1 movie in theatres by Yahoo!, Fandango, and New York Times users. It is also ranked the #5 movie of all time by Yahoo! users.
- It is the only film ever to receive the Smithsonian Institute’s Excellence in Art Award—an award given out only once every ten years.
- Bella has been honored by both the White House and the Mexican Embassy with various awards and private receptions.
- Roger Ebert calls Bella “Warm, sweet, and funny,” Gary Goldstein of Los Angeles Times calls it “Sweet and life-affirming,” and CNN’s Ana Montero says Bella is “powerful and moving…a true inspiration.” Maria Sales of NBC Miami says, “Bella is a romantic drama full of heart, soul and beautiful messages. It’s a film that will stay with you forever! Powerful, passionate and unpredictable, Bella is a rare gem, a true surprise. A movie that can transform your life and keep you thinking. Bella is a cinematic jewel. One of the best films I’ve seen in a long time.”
As extra incentive to go see the film–Eduardo Verastegui is also ranked among People en Espanol’s Top 50 Most Beautiful People and is commonly referred to as “the Brad Pitt of Latin America.” 
www.bellathemovie.com
I wanted to follow up and let you know that yes, I did follow my own Halloween advice, and yes, it was amazing.
1. I went to a pumpkin patch with my little sister.
2. I trick-or-treated (kind of). I really went home last weekend and proceeded to beg each of my five younger sisters for their unwanted candy. I came back to campus with a huge bag of Reese’s, which lasted for about an hour.
3. I went to a Halloween party! At the Neuman Association (where I volunteer with Loyola4Chicago) we carved pumpkins, made taffy apples, and ate candy (more Reese’s of course).
4. I dressed up. Unfortunately, I did not have too may costume options in my dorm room. I resorted to pulling my hot pink sheet from off my bed. It was actually very multi-purpose—depending on how I wore it I was either a Greek princess, a girl ghost, or a girl burrito.
5. I went on a crypt tour underneath Madonna della Strada. That’s right—dead people right here on campus. I was expecting something dark, dusty, and creepy, but it was actually very beautiful. I would recommend going on the tour next year if you get a chance.