Meg Gilbar

Skip the packaged guacamole mix and let me teach you how to make the healthiest dip at the party. This dip contains what some nutritionists call a “superfood” because of its excellent health benefits: the avocado. Avocados contain high amounts of monounsaturated fats that protect your heart, have higher amounts of potassium than a banana and are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Adding in fresh herbs, vegetables and spices just makes this dip even more delicious and nutritious.

Ingredients:

• 5 avocados
• 1 lime, juiced  or 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup onion, diced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp minced garlic or garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin

Directions:

1. Pit and mash avocados in a bowl and mash together with lime juice, cumin and salt.
2. Mix in tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro and cayenne/chili pepper.
3. Refrigerate for one hour for the best flavor or serve immediately if you can’t wait!

Recipe inspired by Allrecipes.com

Olivia Miller

Study Away

Akwaaba Keene State! I am Olivia Miller and I am an anthropology and sociology major with a dance minor. This semester, I am studying abroad at The University of Ghana in West Africa.

I am finishing up my fourth week in Ghana and every day I learn something new about the culture, the people or myself.

Photo contributed by Olivia Miller

I decided to live in a homestay, which is allowing me to gain access to a different cultural viewpoint as opposed to living on the campus.

The Ghanaian family structure is quite different from the nuclear families Americans tend to live with. Family members are in and out all of the time, and I’m having a hard time keeping track of who is related, but I am realizing that it doesn’t matter. Anybody can come and stay at the house whenever they please. My family is extremely accommodating and generous. I even have my own bathroom! The family members I see most often are Mammy, Daddy, Auntie Sena, Dzifa and her three children: Kojo (5), Kokou (3) and Baby Ama (1). I am very happy to be doing a homestay because I can practice the Twi language, cook and play with the kids.

The University of Ghana is one of the top schools in West Africa and I am taking some very interesting courses. This is one of the reasons why I chose to study in Ghana, because there is a wide range of courses offered. I am taking Gender in Archaeology, Popular Culture in Ghana, Culture in Development, Twi Language, Choir and Traditional African Dance.

The dance class is a hot, sweaty, BLAST of a time with approximately 50 dancers, 7 drummers and 10 teaching assistants. I don’t think I have ever had so much fun in my life.

There are no speakers or iPods in the dance studio, just our voices and the drummers wailing on their instruments. The class seems less focused on technique and more focused on feeling the rhythm within and letting your body move naturally to the music while using some basic choreography. This leaves much room for individual dancer style to come through.

I am excited to come back to Keene State and share what I have learned!

Every Ghanaian, no matter what tribe, has a “day name” and most of them are used as middle names. The day names are based on what day of the week you were born.

What is yours?

        Male                                     Female

Monday:          Kwadwo                            Adwoa

Tuesday:         Kwabena                           Abena

Wednesday:  Kwaku                                 Akua

Thursday:      Yaw                                       Yaa

Friday:            Kofi                                        Afia

Saturday:      Kwame                                Ama

Sunday:        Kwasi                                    Akosua

I’m sending you all warmth from Ghana as the snow keeps dumping on New England!

Please check out my blog if you are interested in learning more about the Ghanaian culture!

http://oliviasadventureinghana.weebly.com

Olivia Miller can be contacted at olivia.miller@ksc.keene.edu

Erin Conti

Study Away

I am a junior majoring in architecture and  minoring in occupational safety and health applied sciences, and I am spending this semester abroad in Florence, Italy.

I knew I wanted to study away since my first semester at Keene. In the architecture department, we are encouraged by our professors to go abroad. Being exposed to architecture and design from so many different time periods is so important to understand how we got to where we are today. It has been so amazing to walk through the streets in Firenze and see everything I’ve learned about in my classes at Keene State in person. I walk by the Duomo every day on my way to class and it doesn’t feel real.

Photo contributed by Erin Conti

Coming from an Italian family, there was no question in where I wanted to study, and living in a homestay was one of the best decisions I could have made. I arrived on Jan. 31 and have just finished my first week of classes. I live with a single host mother who is just so kind, as well as four other students. My host mother does not speak much English, so there have been some challenges in communication (she cannot pronounce my name and calls me Evelyn, which I love), but luckily one of my roommates has been studying here for almost two years and can speak Italian and translates for us when necessary. One of the classes I am taking is Elementary Italian Language, so I am hopeful that I will be able to pick up quickly and communicate easier by myself in the coming weeks.

Last weekend, our host mother introduced us to friends of hers and took us to an art exhibition opening where we were able to meet more local people. We have spent time with them, had meals with them and they are helping us with our Italian as well. I already feel so immersed in the Italian culture through these experiences and I have only been here a little over one week. If I were not living in a homestay, I would not have these opportunities and I am so excited to continue to learn and experience more in the next few months.

While so much of it has been wonderful and exciting, there have been some challenges as well, the biggest being communication. When I meet new people and they learn my last name is Conti (a very common Italian name), they expect that I speak the language and sometimes appear frustrated when I tell them I do not. This has been a little discouraging at times, but has also made me more determined to learn to speak in Italian.

So much of this adjustment has been made easier with my homestay. My host mother, my roommate who has lived in Italy before and the local people I have met give us tips and answer any questions we have about living in Florence and traveling Europe. If anyone is interested in studying abroad and is considering a home stay, do it. I was very nervous going into it, not knowing what to expect, but the experience has been nothing but wonderful and even after just a short time here, I would recommend it to anyone.

Ciao Keene State, see you in the fall!

Erin Conti can be contacted at erin.conti@ksc.keene.edu

Kate Faulkner

Equinox Staff

Need a simple snack to grab on the go when you’re late for class? These quick, no-bake chocolate chip cookie balls are delicious and vegan. They can easily be made in a dorm room and will satisfy your sweet tooth. Try adding dates into the recipe to increase the fiber in your diet.

EWTE is supported by the Student Nutrition Association at Keene State club (SNAKS).

Photo contributed by Kate Faulkner

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes for “chilling”

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed*
• 2 1/2 cups dry oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, bananas and vanilla extract until well-mixed.
2. Mix in oats and chocolate chips.
3. Make into small bowls, put into the fridge and wait until they are chilled.

3-Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookie Balls

Mary D’Orvilliers

Study Away

My name is Mary D’Orvilliers, and I am a secondary education and Spanish double major who has the absolute pleasure of studying abroad in Alicante, Spain this semester.

The simple action of coming to Spain and leaving behind my family, friends and boyfriend was not easy, but I know that this is an incredibly special opportunity for me to engage with the Spanish language, culture and people.

I have been here for less than a month, but I have already been exposed to so many new elements of life, elements that have exposed me to so many opportunities.

I am extremely fortunate to be living on the street adjacent to the beach and the Mediterranean Sea with a wonderful single host mother.

Contributed photo by Mary D’Orvilliers

She doesn’t speak any English, so at first, it was difficult to communicate with the absence of words that I had forgotten or never learned, but she is very sweet and her kindness has created an atmosphere where I feel at ease, even if I make a mistake.

My language and communication skills have already improved tremendously, which has given me a newfound level of confidence in my ability to communicate.

I am no longer constantly translating sentences in my head before I speak; I now have a sense of poise and composure that comes from my determination to perfect my oral skills.

Leaving the states was difficult for me because I am a Zumba instructor; without a visa, I knew I wouldn’t be able to teach in Spain.

However, I found a gym that offers many different types of classes (Zumba included), so I bought a membership.

From the beginning, I introduced myself as a Zumba instructor from the states and offered my services to the gym.

Although I cannot teach my own class without a visa, the Zumba instructor lets me demonstrate some of my routines during his classes.

At first, the class was a little hesitant to try another instructor’s routines (because my style is very different from the current instructor’s and the class has all of his routines memorized), but from my second week in class, I began to introduce some songs from my routine.

This proved to be a challenge because I had no idea how to cue my routine in Spanish, but I took a deep breath, smiled wide and taught my routine with non-verbal cues.

The class went wild. With being here almost a month, the class is beginning to memorize portions of my routines as well.

As my time in Spain lengthens, I will continue to introduce more songs.

Contributed photo by Mary D’Orvilliers

The instructor even said that I might be able to teach an entire class of my routines before I leave.

Spain has provided me with so much more, in addition to this new newfound sense of confidence, so I knew that I wanted to give back to the community in some way.

Teaching Zumba was a step in the right direction, however, I knew that I wanted to do more. I applied to become a tutor for children who want to learn how to speak English.

Once a week, I meet with children who are very dedicated and passionate about their studies.

I meet with two boys, Sergio (11), Marc (6) and a girl named Maria (11).

This is a great opportunity because I learn from them as much as they learn from me.

Also, I am able to use my education major while abroad. I create mini lesson plans weekly.

For example, last week, I taught Sergio all about adjectives and nouns through the written word and the story “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.

He read the story aloud to his brother, Marc, who followed along with a coloring page.

This experience is heartwarming because I can see the effect that I am having on these children already and I can’t wait to see how much they develop over these next four months.

I know that this is a once in a lifetime experience and I can’t wait to continue on with my exposure to this phenomenal culture and lifestyle.

My mantra is: entienda más, viaja más, sonrie más, y disfruta la vida más (Learn more; travel more; smile more; and enjoy life more.) See you next fall, Keene State!

Mary D’Orvilliers can be contacted at mary.dorvilliers@ksc.keene.edu

Rachel Harmon

Contributing Writer

Contributed photo by Rachel Harmon

Our Alternative Break group went to Mayville, Michigan, to volunteer at The Fowler Center (TFC). The Fowler Center is a camp for children and adults with special needs, and we were there for their Winter Camp from the day after Christmas until New Year’s Day. During our time there, we set up activities, served food, cleaned, decorated for events, painted nails, ran carnival games, went on hayrides and pretty much helped out wherever we were needed. We each were assigned to help out a cabin with their campers, we ate our meals with them and did all the daily activities with them as well.

Not only did we grow incredibly close to the campers, but we connected with the staff at TFC. One of our team members, senior Lea Guglielmo, said that for her, the most memorable part of the trip was the reaction from the campers when we were saying our goodbyes. They were very sad to see us go, and it validated our hopes that we had made as much of an impact on them as they had on us.

Contributed photo by Rachel Harmon

Another team member, sophomore Lauren Arsenault, agreed that one of the highlights was when they asked if we would be coming back for Summer Camp. One of the leaders, senior Lindsey Musco, said that the greatest impact for her was going full force into a new territory and having the best possible experience.

Alternative Break puts its participants in a brave space, one that challenges them to step outside their comfort zone, while being supported by their team. Working with this population was new for a lot of our team members, but together we supported each other to be open-minded and respectful to everyone of any ability.

Rachel Harmon can be contacted at rachel.harmon@ksc.keene.edu

Other articles in this series:

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Youth development and education”

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Sustainable living in the wilderness”

Sarah Crooker

Contributing Writer

Contributed photo by Sarah Crooker

My name is Sarah Crooker and I was a co-leader alongside with Hannah Elliott for the sustainable living winter trip. For this trip, we were able to “live off the grid” as you can say. Our accommodations were cabins and the only heat source was a wood stove so we had to chop our own wood if we wanted to stay warm. For the restroom situation, we had outhouses and if someone had to use the bathroom at 2:00 a.m., they had to go outside.

Our hosts were Ed and Alreen Decker who own Once Upon a Time in Maryville, Tennessee, where we stayed. They were absolutely wonderful. This trip was bittersweet for me because it was the last trip I was able to lead. I am a senior now and I was able to go on a alternative break trip all four  years of my college career and lead two (I lead the Carolina Tiger Rescue trip last year). It was an amazing experience being apart of this program and I am so happy I got the courage to sign up for a trip my first year.

Contributed photo by Sarah Crooker

During the week, our group was able to get our hands dirty. One day, we learned all about homesteading by Ed teaching us how to chop wood and Alreen teaching us how to make blackberry jam (which we got to each take home a little jar of). We also had the opportunity to learn about the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian Tribe. We walked alongside the Trail of Tears, worked at the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum doing maintenance on the grounds and we even got to build a new hiking trail. Overall, this trip was amazing and I am so honored I got to share my experiences with such an amazing group and organization such as Once Upon A Time.

Sarah Crooker can be contacted at sarah.crooker@ksc.keene.edu

Other articles in this series:

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Youth development and education”

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Helping those with disabilities and special needs”

Brooke Arruda

Contributing Writer 

Being a first-year in college, parents and family members are always encouraging you to get out, make new friends and meet new people. I thought Alternative Break would be the perfect opportunity, and little did I know when I signed up for this program that it would change my life.

Five other girls and I took an 11 hour drive down to Roanoke, Virginia, where we would be partnered with Small Steps Learning Academy (SSLA). Small Steps Learning Academy provides an educational setting for children from ages six weeks to 12-years-old. In the building itself, there was an infant room, two-year-old room, three and four-year-old room, pre-k room, preschool room and an after school room.

For the majority of the trip, we got the chance to spend time with the children and really get to know them. For anyone that has ever worked with kids before, you will know that it takes as quick as five minutes to create a bond with them. I made bonds with children that I will never forget and I am so grateful for that.

Crae Messer / Managing Executive Editor

One of the days, Tarren McCoy, who is the owner of SSLA, took the time to expose us to different daycares in the area. She brought us to a faith-based daycare, a low income day care and a state-run facility. It was nice to be able to see the different types of education children are getting just based on location. All the sites, I thought, were amazing and provided everything needed for the children and more.

At the faith-based facility, we got to participate in “Reading Readiness.” This is when we brought books to the children and got to read them in front of the class. It was great to see how interested the kids were in the book and how much they genuinely wanted to learn. Another day, we went to the Roanoke Memorial Hospital and there we got a tour from one of the workers. It was very heartbreaking to see children in pain, but heartwarming seeing all these workers putting everything they can into making these kids have a comfortable time at the hospital.

We gave back to the community by organizing closets at SSLA and going through books. Any book that was damaged would be put into a big box and at the end of the trip, we donated them.  Going into the trip, I did not know any of the girls, and by the end of the week we were having jam sessions in the car and racing down aisles of the local Walmart. I now consider all of these girls my closest friends.

I think my favorite part of Alternative Break was being surrounded by group members that all have the same passion as me, which is helping others. I encourage everyone to get involved with this program because it exposes you to new people not just from your school, but from completely different communities around the United States.

Brooke Arruda can be contacted at brooke.arruda@ksc.keene.edu

Other articles in this series:

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Sustainable living in the wilderness”

“Students experience winter Alternative Break trips: Helping those with disabilities and special needs”

To the Keene Campus and Community,

In response to recent displays of intolerance, the students of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Major strongly urge that these actions and hate speech not be taken lightly. The nature of our studies demonstrates that such small acts can quickly lead to much larger ones with unnerving implications. In response to recent nationwide acts of antisemitism and discriminatory rhetoric, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum released the following statement: “The Holocaust did not begin with killing; it began with words.” Our professors have instilled this truth in us; time and time again hate speech and othering are followed by brutality. As bearers of this history, it is our responsibility as students in this major to not be bystanders. Holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and human rights advocate Elie Wiesel once said, “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

On Monday, December 12th at 6:30pm in the Mabel Brown Room of the L.P. Young Student Center, the Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Club invites the campus and community to join in a student led panel which seeks to provide an opportunity to have these difficult discussions.

As students, faculty, and staff at Keene State College, our mission statement ties us to the values of social justice, civility, and respect. Campus wide, we have the responsibility to stand up against such acts of hatred and to promote community, tolerance, and inclusiveness. We have taken steps towards opening dialogue on these difficult topics and we ask that other students, organizations, and departments join us in making Keene State College a community of upstanders. To do this, we must face these recent acts publicly, vigorously, and respectfully. The panel discussion will provide an opportunity for open and honest communication to take place in a civil and respectful environment.

We recognize that acts of intolerance such as these do not just affect Keene State College, but the city of Keene as a whole. For this reason, we call upon the Keene community to acknowledge hate speech and acts of discrimination in the same manner. We invite you to join our discussion on December 12th as we recognize the strength that comes from collaboration.

For those who have responded to this issue, we encourage you to continue the work you are engaging in. And for those who have been bystanders, the choice to take action is now. We thank the Keene community for their continual support of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Department, and hope you embark on this journey with us.

Sincerely,

Galen Gammino and Kathleen Dougherty

On Behalf of Students of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies Major

After a busy eight days, Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy gave her team a much needed day off.

The Tigers won four of the five games in that stretch with the lone loss coming against No. 16 West Virginia. That was good enough to get Auburn ranked Monday for the first time since 2009, when the Tigers entered The Associated Press women’s basketball poll at No. 23. “I think it shows them what their hard work can do,” Williams-Flournoy said. “But we can’t become complacent. We’re there, now they have to understand we have to work harder.”

Joe Raymond/ Ap Photo

Notre Dame and UConn still sit atop the poll with the Irish remaining No. 1. They received 16 first place ballots with the Huskies getting 14. Third-ranked South Carolina garnered the other three from a 33-member national media panel. Baylor and Maryland each moved up one spot to round out the first five teams. Mississippi State, Louisville, Florida State, Ohio State and UCLA are the next five teams.

Auburn, which was last ranked seven years ago, will visit Kansas State on Thursday. Coach Williams-Flournoy said she’d let her team enjoy the ranking for a day “I’ll let them celebrate today and crush them tomorrow,” she said laughing. “It’s like you enjoy your birthday for one day, have the cake and ice cream and then the next day it’s done.”

The Tigers came into the season after a banner year which saw their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. They advanced to the second round and picked up a pair of wins over Top 25 teams. With most players returning, Auburn was envisioned to have a great season.

“Our expectations we’re that we expected to be good,” Williams-Flournoy said. “It’s not an option if we should be or maybe, we’re expected to be good, expected to go back to the NCAA Tournament. Doing something mediocre and something smaller isn’t an option.”

Joining Auburn in the poll this week for the first time this season were Colorado (21) and Texas A&M (25). Arizona State, Michigan State and Gonzaga all fell out.