News and Events

Changchun Zhang Gives the Bi-Co a Look at Diversity in Chinese Cuisine

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The EALC lecturer presents his new photo exhibit on the VCAM exhibition wall.

Read the blog post.


 

Bi-Co Chinese Lunch Table

  • Mondays Noon-1 p.m.
    Smith Room
    Haverford College Dining Center

  • Wednesdays Noon-1 p.m.
    New Dorm Dining Hall (Back Area)
    Bryn Mawr College

Song for Hope - from Bryn Mawr and Haverford College


Song for Hope - from Bryn Mawr and Haverford College from Shiamin Kwa on Vimeo.

Inspired by a project sponsored by the Gwynedd Friends Meeting Refugee Support Subcommittee, Haverford College Japanese Instructor Yuka Usami gathered a group of volunteers from among her Japanese Language students at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College. Although they were separated around the world by Covid restrictions in 2020-2021, they were able to join their voices together remotely wherever they were. Singing in Mandarin, Japanese, English, Icelandic, and Japanese sign language, the participants hope that people from different nations, languages, ages, and environments can share in a single message of goodwill that will be spread through this video.

Yuka adds: “It is needless to say that it’s important to understand and accept each other and live together. We know there are differences between people such as background, age, values, ethnicity, language, environment, and it should also be remembered that people tend to judge things based on their own values and the difference could be viewed negatively. We believe that expressing and communicating our thoughts and connecting with others will help solve this problem. We made a video with students who are taking Japanese classes expressing our thoughts beyond individual differences.

The title of this song is "上をむいて歩こう" in Japanese and it is known in English as “Sukiyaki Song.” The lyrics of this song have the meaning of looking up and moving forward even in difficult times. Everyone has a hard time crying in life, but if you look to the future with a positive mind, you will see the light of hope. This song gives everyone such courage and hope.”

"I look up as I walk, so that the tears won’t fall.
Remembering those spring days, all alone tonight.
I look up as I walk, counting the stars with teary eyes.
Remembering those summer days, all alone tonight.
Happiness lies above the clouds, happiness lies up above in the sky."

Participants: Aidan Hutchinson, Catherine Fu, Gloria Guan, Jacqueline Liu, Janice Li , Jia Wen Wang, Joshua Gerstein, Saschelle N Dalrymple, Una Y Barkardottir, Wanni Yang, Ziqi He, Yuka Usami

Video editing: Yuka Usami

Music track: https://youtube.com/watch?v=efdoQCm4kR8

This video was sponsored by a Micro Seed Grant for Explorations on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Bryn Mawr and Haverford’s BiCollege Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures

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Contact Us

East Asian Languages and Cultures

Shiamin Kwa
Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Co-Chair of the department
Phone: 610-526-5671
skwa@brynmawr.edu

Hank Glassman
Janet and Henry Ritchotte '85 Professor of Asian Studies; Associate Professor and Co-Chair of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Phone: 610-710-1822
hglassma@haverford.edu