16 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 21, 1997 FRIDAYFOCUS -~ i1,~ " 'U' community celebrates potpourri of winter holidays s cold weather sets in, students antici- pate a brief respite in the form of upcoming vacations. Thanksgiving holiday and Winter Break beckon students to traditional holiday feasts and loved ones. Many University students, staff and fac- ulty are gearing up for holiday trips back home, while others will make Ann Arbor their home for the holidays. 'There's no school, no studying and no homework' The diversity of culture and religion on campus causes a potpourri of holiday tradi- tions and celebrations during the winter months. Business junior Amin Irving said he cel- ebrates the "traditional" holidays along with Kwanza, which many African Americans observe. Kwanza relates more to his cultural history, Irving said. "I plan to eat at Thanksgiving, open gifts at Christmas, light candles at Kwanza and be with my girlfriend on New Year's," Irving said. The time off and away from the pressures of school can be just as thrilling for students as the holiday festivities. "It's exciting because I can't stand school, and there's no school, no studying and no homework," he said. Rockville, Maryland is the destination Ann Arbor's for LSA first-year student Jeff home to cel Goldberg. "Going home excites me," Goldberg said. "My family celebrates Hanukkah. We exchange gifts, light the menorah and the remembrance candle." The remembrance candle is a 24-hour candle lit in respect for those who have died, he said. But times have changed as he and his brothers have grown up, Goldberg said. "It's getting different now," Goldberg said. "Now that we are all getting older, we don't always get to see each other for the holidays. It's disappointing and sad." Music first-year student Christina Shay looks forward to going home so she can participate in a popular long- time tradition. "My friends at home and I like to go caroling," Shay said. NI4 But Omena Ubogu, an Engineering junior from West Africa, said staying alone during the break makes him unhap- py. "I usually stay in the dorms during Thanksgiving break. It's really boring," Ubogu said. "It's like the worst thing on Earth because no one is around, just me and my TV set." Ubogu said the only holiday she cele- brates during this time is Christmas. "I'm making plans to go to England for Christmas because I have some friends and family over there, but first I have to see if I can get tickets," she said. 'Moms tend to send decorations' Some of the more anxious and creative in Ann Arbor don't wait until they are home to get into the holiday spirit. Shay said she uses her computer to put herself in the holiday mood. "I always decorate my dorm. I take pic- tures and graphics off the computer and past them up," Shay said. Engineering senior Lynn Zwica said that she and her roommates like to deco- rate the house they live in. "We have some Thanksgiving things up now, and we'll decorate for Christmas," Zwica said. "We don't real- OUIS BROWN/Daily ly have room for a tree. We might get a II head wreath. I know we'll have something. I live with six girls, and moms tend to send decorations." Student Services Representative Marilyn Fitzpatrick said she likes to go to departmental parties and to play Christmas music at the office. "We work right up until Christmas Eve, but we have fun," Fitzpatrick said. "We play chorales." Fitzpatrick said that she liked to play "A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD and the "Cow's Christmas," which includes tracks titled "Deck the Stalls" and "We Wish You a Dairy Christmas and a Happy e areall Moo Year." wedont "Music is a big part of Christmas o t for me," Fitzpatrick said. 0 9 LO S. State Street is decorated for the holiday season. Some students will stay around Ann Arbor for the holidays, while others wi ebrate the season with family and friends. "We started about two years ago. It was just something we felt like trying, and it was pretty cool. People will actually try to offer us cookies and things," she said. Law first-year student Jasmine Abdel-Khalik, who is planning to fly home to Gainesville, Florida for the holi- days, said her family participates in United States holi- days and Colombian traditions. "On New Year's Eve we all get together and exchange a New Year's gift and tell our New Year's resolutions," Abdel-Khalik said."New Year's is a tradition that comes from my mom's side of the family. She's from Columbia and New Year's Eve is actually more important to her than Christmas." Christmas is the other holiday her family partici- pates during that time. "I get to put up the Christmas tree when I get home, partly because I am the oldest and partly because my mother does- n't know how to decorate and put a tree up," she said. The administrative manager for the North Campus Entree Office, David Wahr, said that he hopes to start a new tradi- tion this New Year's. "I'm hoping that I will be joining Michigan at the Rose Bowl," he said. 'Our celebrations are so different than here' International students and staff learn to revise and combine holiday tra- ditions to observe the ritu- als of more than one cul- ture. Architecture Prof. Mete Turan, who's from Turkey, said he's going to Pittsburgh during break to visit friends because he doesn't celebrate. Thanksgiving. But Turan LOUIS BROWN/Da ly said he participates in m Thailand, sts next to a some American holiday idays. traditions because of his children. "My kids are very excited about the holidays because they celebrate both Turkish holidays and American holi- days," Turan said. Like Turan, Mira Mitra celebrates some American holi- days because of her children's excitement. "We celebrate at Christmas time and give gifts," said Mitra, an administrative assis- tant in Academic Affairs. "We don't have family over here, so "Now that we party with friends. "My son will be coming ing Old home for the holidays. He cele- g t brates both American and Hindu always get holidays," she said. Mitra added that the main hol- each other iday for her family occurs in October, which is the celebration holidays. of the Indian festival Diwali. She traveled to India last year for the event, which is known as the "Festival of Lights." "Our celebrations are so differ- ent than here. It doesn't matter if you know someone or not," Mitra said. "We all go out on to the streets and celebrate together. Here you celebrate with only family, we celebrate with everyone." Rackham graduate student Piyapol Nimmananuthron said he won't celebrate Thanksgiving, but many of people in his home country Thailand will. "Thai people will celebrate everything because they like to have fun," Nimmananuthron said. Some international students are stranded in Ann Arbor without the comforts of home. "It upsets me that break doesn't fall during the Chinese New Year because I would like to go back home for it," said Sandra, an LSA student who did not want her last name used. "The Chinese New Year is just like Thanksgiving. Families get together, and we have fireworks and food," Sandra said. The New Year is celebrated on Jan. 28, she said. Sandra, who is from Hong Kong, added that many of the Chinese holidays, such as the celebration of mid- autumn, have already occurred. "For this celebration people appreciate the fullness of the moon," Sandra said. "We light candles inside lanterns and go outside at night to appreciate the moon." She explained that moon cake is a sweet lotus seed cake with a yoke inside. Sandra plans to fly to visit her brother in Vancouver, Canada during Winter Break and spend the Chinese New Year with other Chinese students on campus. Sandra said she wished the break occurred during the holidays that were most important to her. But she said she doesn't mind being in the dorms dur- ing the Thanksgiving holiday. "Friends can get together, and you don't have the pres- sure of homework and school stuff," she said. l to see for the - Jeff Goldberg LSA first-year student 'It was like the classic bad trip experience.' Holiday travel can be more of an adventure than people desire. Irving said bad weather almost ruined his vacation once on his drive home to Lansing. "My worst experience during holiday break was when I was driving home, and there was this huge snow storm," Irving said. "I did a 80 (miles per hour) on 1-96." Irving added that he was lucky that it was 3 a.m., and there wasn't much traffic on the road. LSA junior Colin Zyskowski also recalled road prob- lems complicating trips home over the years. "My car has broken down three times. I cracked my engine block once, and another time I ran out of transmis- sion fluid," Zyskowski said. Zyskowski said that each time he had to have his par- ents help him out. "I had to walk in the cold, to a pay phone and call my parents to call a tow truck," he said. Shay, who doesn't own a car, relies on her parents to pick her up and take her home to Bloomfield Hills. Shay's parents drove all the way back to Bloomfield Hills one time after Shay realized she had made a big mistake. "We were all the way back here when I realized that I had left my keys at my house. We had to drive all the way back home to get them," she said. Wahr and his grandmother had a bad time flying home after visiting family in Denver after Christmas one year. "I was sick and my grandma had the flu during the flight. There was bad turbulence, and there were scream- ing children behind us," Wahr said. "It was like the clas- sic bad trip experience." Not all travel experiences turn into bad memories, though. Abdel-Khalik had an unexpected surprise during a layover when she was traveling to home to Florida. "I was going home at exactly the same time as some friends from other universities," Abdel-Khalik said. "We all met in the Atlanta terminal by accident." Rackham graduate student Plyapol Nimmananuthron, who's fror Buddhist statue. He said he will not celebrate the upcoming hol Students utilize travel options Students hoping to get last minute holi- day flights may have more trouble than they anticipate. Most airlines advise that anyone flying during the holiday season order tickets three months ahead of their departure. "We recommend three months, but stu- dents should at least try to book a flight one month in advance," said Tony Mihalic, a sales agent for Delta Airlines. Although airlines encourage early book- ings to avoid waits and rushes, some flights dents a discount card, which gives a 10 per- cent discount for any fare all year.' University Express, a luxury bus service that runs students on routes between Grand Rapids, East Lansing and the University is active extra days before and after Thanksgiving. "There will be additional runs to help students get home. I have been flooded with calls for Thanksgiving rides," said Daniel Ward, University Express owner. Holiday fare specials and student rates discount on fares for people between the ages of 12 and 22. The only requirement is proof of age. United Airlines has a domestic travel package deal for people under age 25. It is a $548 package of four coupons, which are good for any two round-trip flights to any- where in the United States. The coupons must be used within a year of their purchase. American Airlines offers a feature called "Student Saver Fares," an e-mail service that notifies students when their are any , I i