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Riverside, Iowa, celebrates the future birthday of Star Trek’s Captain Kirk

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SStorm troopers milled anxiously around the stage, Spocks fidgeted with their ears and Darth Vaders loomed in the background. With them, about 40 other costumed characters stood lined up, awaiting their moment in the spotlight at the annual Trekfest in Riverside, Iowa.

A buzz rose through the crowd as three former stars from the original Star Trek television series mounted the stage. George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig made a special appearance at the festival’s 25th anniversary to judge the costume contest and give speeches.

Among the costume contestants, Star Trek fan Shel Greek-Lippe stood proudly dressed as Lady Amanda, Spock’s pregnant mother. The realism of Greek-Lippe’s costume was aided by the fact that she was eight months pregnant with twins.

“It was kind of hard to tell if I could make it today or not because I’m so far along,” Greek- Lippe said. “But I’m glad I made it to compete another year.”

The competition was stiff, with a lineup including a square lava like creature called a

giant horta, a father-son Spock team and multiple stormtroopers. For Greek-Lippe this is a yearly event. She said she’s been coming to Trekfest and entering the costume contest for about 15 years.

The costume contest is just part of the celebration every June in honor of Captain James T. Kirk from Star Trek. According to the Star Trek series, written by Gene Roddenberry, Captain Kirk will be born 2233 in a small Iowa town, but Roddenbury never names the town. So one day 25 years ago, Riverside community club member and avid Star Trek fan Steve Miller asked, “Why not Riverside?”

Terry Philips, president of the community club at the time, said Miller suggested declaring Riverside as the birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk to the city council.

“The city council kind of ignored it and went on with the other business,” Philips said. “The next meeting, Steve brought it up again. They knew Steve well enough [to know] that he would not let it go, so they said ‘Fine, we’ll humor Steve’ and declared Riverside to be the birthplace.”

STORY AND PHOTOS BYSTEPHANIE HALL

ABOVE: Trekfest features many kid-friendly events, including carnival rides, face painting and a kid’s tractor pull.

OPPOSITE: The second day of Trekfest begins with a parade featuring several Star Trek floats.

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After awhile, Phillips said, the Wall Street Journal picked up the story. In an interview, Roddenberry told the Journal that if Riverside wanted the designation, they could have it.

Roddenberry signed a proclamation that made Riverside the Official Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Phillips said the community club didn’t know what to do with this newfound celebrity. They spoke with the tourism board in Des Moines, Iowa. The board said they were sitting on a gold mind and gave them advice on promotions.

Riverside began marketing t-shirts that read, “The Birthplace of James T. Kirk.” Philips said it was then that Paramount’s lawyers filed a cease and desist order.

“We realized that we weren’t doing anything that they had copyrighted and we were a small group of community club people,” Philips said. “We had no assets so if they sued us what would they get?”

The city council decided to ignore the lawyers and continue on with their festivities. Paramount seemed to cave in 2009, right before the festival’s 25th anniversary, which coincided with the premiere of the newest Star Trek movie. Philips said Paramount contacted them to set up a special preview of the movie for Riverside residents in nearby Iowa City.

LEFT: Costumed participants confer before taking the stage.

BELOW: A float of the Star Trek creature called a Horta glides peacefully along the parade route.

We don’t want to be a tourist trap, that’s not our intent. We want to maintain the small town celebration of small town Riverside.”

TERRY PHILIPSRIVERSIDE RESIDENT

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“We had about 250 people from the area go up to watch the movie,” Philips said. “It was great because it had Iowa on the screen a few times, and it referred to the Riverside shipyards, so we just loved it.”

The festival is not limited to trekkies. Many of Riverside’s 1,000 residents attend the festival. In addition to events such as Star Trek trivia, sci-fi swap meet, and the great trek scavenger hunt, there is a car and tractor show, a sand volleyball tournament, cow chip bingo and a greased pig contest.

“We don’t want to be a tourist trap, that’s not our intent,” Philips said. “We want to maintain the small town celebration of small town Riverside.”

The parade is one of the events that combines both Riverside and Star Trek talent. The hour long parade includes both Star Trek ships and fire trucks. Parade floats are judged in several categories, including best Star Trek float, themed float, patriotic float and youth float.

Christine Harb, 16, attended the festival to enjoy both the Star Trek atmosphere and the more traditional

activities. She said she and her family recently watched the new Star Trek movie and loved it. They decided to come to the festival to see the parade and also to see the former Star Trek stars question-and-answer session.

Harb said she liked the The Voyage Home Museum/Riverside History Center, which displays one room of Star Trek memorabilia and one room of Riverside town history. The museum is just another way the town has embraced it’s celebrity status without displacing it’s own history.

The festival is family friendly, with face painting, a kid’s tractor pull and duck races. There are also Star-Trek-themed games including Edosian three-legged race, Tribble wack, Horta egg toss, pin the tail on the Kzinti, and Star Trek piñatas.

Philips said he hopes that the festival lives on but is sad that he won’t be able to see the actual birthday celebration for Captain James Kirk in 2233. Until then he said he hopes the size of the festivities continues to increase. Trekfest 2010 will take place June 25-26.

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE HALL

The  smells  of  sweet  homemade  apple  pie,  harsh  print  shop  

people  lived  in  the  respective  time  periods  while  also  

contemporary  objects  and  compare  their  actions  with  modern  

IOWAY INDIAN SITE

“A  lot  of  the  tribe  –  once  they  were  moved  to  a  

At Living History Farms, visitors experience the day-to-day life of farmers in the early 1900s.

Museum takes a sensory approach to the past

the

HISTORYMELLSIGHTS&

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1850s FARM SITE

the  livestock  with  doors  and  windows  propped  open  to  let  in  

It’s unique here to have helpers tell the story of how they did it and what they did... it’s very educational.

ARLENE HOODJERFARMS VISITOR

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1900s FARM SITE

for  their  noon  meal,  and  then  they  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  

WALNUT HILL TOWN

OPPOSITE TOP: Sheep wander through the pasture outside the 1850s farm site.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM: All the meals prepared at Living History Farms use food raised and harvested by employees.

BELOW: Living History Farms purchased the Flynn Mansion as well as the land that surrounds it to create Walnut Hill Town.

DAY CAMPS: Kindercamp: (entering 1st-2nd grades) Hands on History Camp: (entering 3rd-6th grades) Discover Nature Through History: (entering 4th grade) Archeology Camp; (entering 5th grade) Deer Run Camp: (entering 7th grade) Camp of Discovery: (entering 8th grade) Camp Victoria: (young ladies entering 7th-9th grades) FUN FACT:

On October 4, 1979, Pope John Paul II visited Living History Farms, drawing a crowd of 300,000 people.

COOKING CLASSES: All Things Apple: Cooking & Baking With Apples 19th Century Bread Baking Classic Comfort Foods Basics of Cooking on a Wood Burning Stove Norwegian Baking on a Wood Burning Stove A Victorian Death by Chocolate Victorian Cookies

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The window of the Moore parents’ bedroom overlooks the backyard of the historic house.

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On the morning of June 11, 1912, the small town of Villisca, Iowa, awoke to find the Moore family and two overnight guests, the Stillenger girls, brutally murdered in their sleep. Known today as the Villisca Ax Murder House, the site of the murders attracts ghosts and ghost hunters alike.

Since the murders, the house has had more than a dozen residents living in it, but by 1994, it was in danger of being destroyed. Darwin and Martha Linn, the owners of the local Olson-Linn Museum, decided to buy the historic home rather than see it demolished.

“I was drawn to it,” Darwin Linn said. “I have a museum uptown, and I was looking for a hook. I have saved too many pieces of history to see it torn down.”

Linn decided to restore the house to its original appearance. The house slowly warped back into its 1912 form as Linn replaced vinyl siding with wooden planks and electric lights with oil lamps. Using old court documents and newspapers, Linn decorated the rooms as they might have looked on the night of the murder. He also added small touches to personalize the house the way the Moores might have.

“Sarah Moore was fond of collecting bird nests, so I’ve assembled some to re-create touches of the room,” Linn said.

Linn’s efforts were rewarded in 1997, when the house won the Preservation at its Best award from the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance. The following year, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The design of the Villisca Ax Murder House does not come across as a flashy commercial production. There are no bloodstained walls or battered mannequins lying in the beds. There are no cheesy hidden clues leading guests to the murderer. Linn simply imparts his knowledge of the crime and the many theories behind the murders. And they are all just that, theories, because no one really knows what happened that night or the identity of the true murderer.

Linn begins the tour at the end of the story. In Villisca’s cemetery, a massive headstone and six smaller headstones mark the untimely deaths of the Moore family on June 10, 1912.

After visiting the cemetery, Linn takes guests to the house itself. The neighborhood is bustling and alive, unlike the small white house at the end of the block where tragedy once struck. Before entering the house, the guests venture into a restored barn, where they watch a video about the family. As faces are put to the names, the Moore family and the Stillenger girls become real. A vocal re-enactment of the night before the murder gives listeners a sense of what life was like for families in 1912.

Linn takes the guests through the house room by room, following the murderer’s probable path. Using testimonies and police reports, Linn explains everything from the covered mirrors to the angle of ax marks.

After the tour, the group gathers in the living room like children at story time and listens to a description of the aftermath. The story is a

Mass murder still haunts small town

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE HALL

Unusual experiences at the Ax Murder House

•The first overnight guests in the house reported waking at 2 a.m. to the sound of children running.

•Owner Darwin Linn has said he has seenchildren trying to get into some rooms so they can play with children that do not exist.

•Over 50 EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) have been captured at the house and posted on the Web site.

•Some of the phrases caught are “He’s coming to take care of you,” “use your ax” and “stay out of here.”

•Also on the Web site are pictures of orbs, vortexes and mists.

To see examples go to www.villiscaiowa.com.

You hear people saying stuff like blood was oozing from the walls, and some of us just wanted to see for ourselves.

DEBBIE SCHENCKVILLISCA LOCAL

tangled web of shoddy police work, prejudice and a list of unusual suspects, which included a preacher, a hobo and a senator. The story follows a twisted path through multiple trials, hung juries and false confessions.

Linn originally offered daylight and lamplight tours, but one group wanted to take their experience one step further.

“I gave them the tour like usual, but they wanted to stay the night,” Linn said. “I didn’t see why anyone would want to stay overnight in a house with no electricity or running water.”

The first stay was a success. Families, ghost hunters and thrill-seekers have flocked to the house since that night. Whether it is disbelief or curiosity that draws them to Villisca, few people walk away disappointed.

During one of the first overnight visits, Linn let a doctor stay in the house. Linn simply requested that the doctor leave the key and whatever the experience was worth.

“When I came back the next day, I found some money and change with a note attached saying ‘I gave you all the money I had with me,’” Linn said.

Local Debbie Schenck decided to stay overnight with a group of co-workers.

“You hear people saying stuff like blood was oozing from the walls, and some of us just wanted to see for ourselves,” Schenck said.

She said they sat in the kitchen playing with two Ouija boards, asking questions about the murders.

“The only thing creepy that happened was a bat flew out when we had asked the Ouija boards to give us a sign that someone was here,” Schenck said.

Schenck also laid out toys upstairs for the children to play with, but unlike some rumors suggested, the toys stayed in place.

This was not her first visit to the house, however. As a teenager, Schenck knew one of the families that used to live in the house.

“I used to baby-sit at that house and never had anything happen — of course I didn’t go upstairs,” Schenck said.

She said going back into the house was a great experience and encouraged others to grab a group of friends and come for a visit.

Schenck said that when the house was first made a tourist attraction, the community was split.

“It divided churches at first,” she said. “Now people just have differing opinions about the matter, like politics.”

Many people in the town feel like it’s a tragedy that should be forgotten, Schenck said, while others feel like it brings people to Villisca.

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Owner Darwin Linn came across some resistance in the beginning of his renovations, but he said now he just takes it in stride.

“It’s a horrible thing that has happened, but you take it in time,” Linn said. “It’s history, and you can’t change history.”

Since the renovation, many visitors believe the house’s history has lead to paranormal activities. Word of this phenomenon has brought recognition to in the tiny town of Villisca. TruTV, “Scariest Places on Earth,” Sci Fi, the Travel Channel and WE have all featured the Villisca Ax Murder House on their programs.

Paranormal investigator Patrick Burns visited the Villisca Ax Murder House in spring 2007 for the show “Haunting Evidence” on TruTV.

“I was actually the one that brought the case to the production company’s attention,” Burns said.

Burns said the Villisca house is a dream location that he had always wanted to visit after hearing about it from a fellow ghost hunter.

“I can’t understand why [the Villisca murders] are not at the forefront of America’s crime murders,” Burns said. “This is a horrendous crime, and it seems the murders and children’s deaths have faded from our culture’s consciousness.”

After the cameras stopped rolling for “Haunting Evidence,” Burns stayed the night alone in the house with only his camera by his side.

“I had at least one experience I could not explain,” Burns said. “At two or three in the morning, I was in the children’s bedroom, and I heard a rapping someplace in the house. I looked in and around the house, and there was no one there.”

Burns spent the duration of the night in the Moore parents’ bed. Burns said he has the whole night taped and soon will review the tapes to see if he caught anything else.

Through all the tapings of television shows, owner Darwin Linn said he has seen strange things happen during the filming. He said that fully charged camera batteries often die for no apparent reason. However, it is not just objects that are affected by paranormal activity. Linn said that children often react differently than adults do in the house.

“I’ve seen little girls and boys play peek-a-boo with children that aren’t there,” Linn said.

The Villisca Ax Murder House serves as a monument to the family and history. The tragedy of the Moores’ deaths are not glamorized or sold out. Linn merely tells the story as he knows it. But then again, what happened that night is part of the mystery.

Almost destroyed in 1994, the Villisca Ax Murder House is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Situated in the heart of the Midwest, Iowa offers the friendliness of a rural community with the benefi ts of a growing urban population. The capital of Iowa, Des Moines, pronounced de moin, is the centre of Iowa both physically and culturally providing an array of theatre, music, art and nightlife.

Des Moines a city of more than half a million people

and has a great diversity of large and small events. The

beauty of Des Moines is in downtown where you can see a popular Broadway show at

the Des Moines Civic Centre or see a locally produced play at the Des Moines playhouse. Des Moines has a plethora of professional opera, ballet, symphonies and a number of large venues for bigger att racti ons. However there is also a strong local music, theatre and club scene. Some interesti ng places to visit are the Botanical Centre, which is housed in a giant glass dome building and has plants from all over the world or visit Living History Farms, which have working villages, farms and towns that represent diff erent periods in Iowa history.

Des Moines downtown is constantly receiving improvements, most recently a new sculpture gardens and development of specialty businesses on the East side. Most places in downtown Des Moines can be accessed through a series of skywalks which allow more comfortable transportati on for people to move and sightsee around the area.

State-wide eventsNo matt er where you live in Iowa, these events capture the enti re state’s att enti on. If you are interested in American politi cs, Iowa is the fi rst place American presidenti al candidates visit to woo voters during the caucus. The caucus is the fi rst step for major-party candidates to get support for their candidacy.

Iowans’ vote is oft en an early indicati on of which majority party candidates will pull ahead, so during the caucus, swarms of media and presidenti al candidates fl ood the state. In fact, The New York Times say: “If you have any desire to witness presidenti al candidates in the most close-up and inti mate of setti ngs, there is arguably no bett er place to go than Des Moines.”

If politi cs isn’t your thing, Iowa is also home to a legendary biking event called RAGBRI. Every summer more than 8,000 Americans bike from the east border to the west border of Iowa and are hosted by Iowa towns along the way. This is a great way to meet hundreds of Iowans and non-Iowan’s while you experience the best of the state. Every town welcomes riders with parti es and events as they pass through. Notable cyclist, Lance Armstrong, parti cipated in parts of the event for several years.

One event that has something for everyone is the Iowa State Fair. For two weeks you can parti cipate in many agricultural and animal competi ti ons along with rides, acti viti es and food. The Iowa State Fair is actually known for the portability of its food because many of its foods are made on a sti ck! From the traditi onal corn dog, to other concocti ons like deep-fried Twinkies, cheesecake and even salads are made on a sti ck.

Schools by RegionCentralCentral Iowa, including Des Moines, is also home to several universiti es

IOWALocation

Arti cle by Stephanie Hall

20 STUDYING IN AMERICA

Image courtesy of: Iowa Tourism Offi ce

Des Moines a city of more than half a million people

and has a great diversity of large and small events. The

beauty of Des Moines is in downtown where you can see a popular Broadway show at

the Des Moines Civic Centre or see a locally produced play at the Des Moines playhouse. Des Moines has a plethora of professional opera, ballet, symphonies and a number of large venues for bigger att racti ons. However there is also a strong local music, theatre and club scene. Some interesti ng places to visit are the Botanical Centre, which is housed in a giant glass dome building and has plants from all over the world or visit Living History Farms, which have working villages, farms and towns

Des Moines a city of more than half a million people

beauty of Des Moines is in downtown where you can see a popular Broadway show at

the Des Moines Civic Centre or see a locally produced play at the Des Moines playhouse. Des Moines has a plethora of professional opera, ballet, symphonies and a number of large venues for bigger att racti ons. However there is also a strong local music, theatre and club scene. Some interesti ng places to visit are the Botanical Centre, which is housed in a giant glass dome building and has plants from all over the world or visit Living History Farms, which have

Iowa

American Beauty: Iowa

Arti cle by: Stephanie Hall

including the presti gious Drake University, Des Moines University, Grand View University and Des Moines Area Community Colleges. Most of the schools in the metro area are smaller in size but provide great educati on as well as bounti ful opportuniti es for city life. Also in central Iowa is Iowa State University, one of the three public schools, is known for its science technology and engineering programs. The school also has a great football team and enthusiasti c fans.

The EastEastern Iowa houses Iowa State’s football rival, the University of Iowa. As the largest public university in Iowa with more than 30,000 students, the school resides in Iowa City off ering a vibrant college town full of acti ves and nightlife. The eastern part of the state is also rich with private colleges like Grinnell College, Cornell College and St

Ambrose University in smaller towns. Also in the twin citi es of Waterloo and Cedar Falls is Iowa’s third public university. The University of Northern Iowa is known for business and educati on and is the smallest of the state schools. Dubuque is another quaint historical city hosti ng Clarke College, Wartburg College and University of Dubuque.

The WestSioux City is a metropolis area that borders Nebraska and it is the largest city in western Iowa. It houses several smaller colleges like Morningside College and Dort College. The west side of the state has fewer major citi es and more forests and lakes like Okoboji, which is a popular desti nati on for weekend water acti viti es.

State of all seasonsNo matt er what region you live in, Iowa’s weather has something for

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Image courtesy of: Iowa Tourism Offi ce

Waldorf C O L L E G E

Fact File: Iowan Le Mars is the ice cream

capital of the world. The small rural town is home to Well’s blue Bunny Ice cream and produces more ice cream than any other city in the world.

n There is a three-day tulip festi val every year in Pella to commemorate the town’s Dutch heritage.

n The Missouri and Mississippi rivers form Iowa’s east and west borders.

n Iowa has 10 state forests and 83 state parks.

n Iowa state bird is the goldfi nch.

n The state fl ower is the wild rose.

n Iowa was named aft er the Nati ve American Ioway tribe that once inhabited the area.

n The painter Grant Wood who created American Gothic was born, and lived most of his life, in Iowa.

n The Iowa State Fair att racts over a million visitors each year. Every year a cow is sculpted out of butt er and various other butt er statues are made in accordance to the theme of the fair.

n Iowa is the 8th safest state according to Insurance Journal.

everyone. From mild spring days, hot summer heat, brisk autumn aft ernoons, or snowy weather, Iowa has all four seasons. From November to February it’s winter and be prepared for snow! Every winter, Iowa gets an average of 32 inches of snow, more in the North than in the South of the state. March- May is spring and where the temperature is mild there are some rainy days, which brings all the grass, trees and

fl owers to life. June-August are the summer months with temperatures that can get over 100F but it cools down during the night. Summer days are full of warm temperatures that will have sun lovers worshiping the rays. Fall comes around September-October is Fall when the temperatures cool down and all the leaves on the trees change colours and the landscape and temperature are gorgeous aft er the heat.

ENGINEERINGPrograms

Whether you are interested in saving the world from global warming, creating a new musical instrument or building a bridge; a degree in engineering can lead you down these paths or many others.

Have you consideredEngineering?

54 STUDYING IN AMERICA

abundant resources for students. Vivek Wadhwa, executi ve in residence/adjunct professor at the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University said about American engineering educati on: “We spend the most on research, produce the most patents, have the most innovati ve curriculum, and educate many of the world’s leaders.”

How to choose a universityAlthough it sounds obvious, the fi rst thing to do is to check the university off ers the speciality of engineering you are looking for.

So why study engineering in America? As of 2008, there are about 1.6 million working engineers in the US and many more obtaining a degree. In the next decade in America, biomedical engineers are expected to see employment growth of 72 per cent, and environmental engineers, a growth of 31 per cent according to the US Bureau of Labour stati sti cs.

Most American universiti es are accredited and have a solid curriculum, excellent faculty and

Research money or grants can indicate how well the engineering program at the university is doing. A program with money will also give you more opportunities to participate in research projects or start your own.

Most schools should have job placement after graduation statistics, even for individual majors. So check out the statistics to see how the university prepares its students for the graduates job market.

Also look at the schools with ABET accreditation. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology set the standard for minimum education standards for university programs. Also check to see if all the programs are accredited or just one, and also if they are in the process of being accredited make sure your degree will count.

For information on accreditation for engineering programs, visit: www.abet.org

Arti cle by: Stephanie Hall

STUDYING IN AMERICA 55

Which type of engineer are you? There are fi ve main branches of engineering, each with numerous career paths available.

Aerospace engineersColloquially known as a rocket scienti st, aerospace engineers have been dominati ng the skies since Wright brothers fi rst took fl ight in 1903. If you have a passion for planes, look at aeronauti cal engineering, which deals with fl ights within the earth’s atmosphere. If you are aiming a bit higher, astronauti cal engineering will take you beyond the sky into a galaxy far, far away. Embry-Riddle Aero. U., Daytona Beach and University of Michigan awarded the most aerospace engineer Bachelor degrees according to American Society for Engineering Educati on 2008 reports.

Chemical engineeringWhether you want to earthquake-proof a building or learn about biometi cs, chemical engineering is a very encompassing degree. Some of the diff erent areas are biotechnology, nanotechnology, even mineral processing. University of Texas, Austi n and University of Michigan had the most chemical engineer graduates; while University of California, San Diego and Georgia Insti tute of Technology had the most Bachelor graduates in biomedical engineering according to American Society for Engineering Educati on 2008 reports.

Civil engineeringFor those engineers who are looking to build bridges or design railway systems, civil engineering is right for you. This career has great diversity for employment including working for the government, private sectors, internati onal companies or self-employment. Some schools to consider for civic engineering are Pennsylvania State University, and Texas A&M University who had the most graduates according to American Society for Engineering Educati on 2008 reports.

Electrical engineering Electrical engineering is another encompassing major, which includes computer, communicati ons and power engineering. Georgia Insti tute of Technology and Purdue University are big electrical engineering schools while Virginia Tech and North Carolina State University has an abundance of computer engineering graduates according to the American Society for Engineering Educati on 2008 study.

Mechanical engineeringMechanical engineering involves mechanics, kinemati cs and thermodynamics. Jobs for mechanical engineers can include working with CD technologies, or designing power plants. Georgia Insti tute of Technology and University of Michigan had the most undergraduates in mechanical engineer programs according to the to American Society for Engineering Educati on 2008 reports.

What happens in orientation week?16 STUDYING IN AMERICA

ARRIVALSLifestyle

Upon arriving at university, you will experience a certain amount of apprehension and excitement going into your first days. As part of our series about attending an American university, we discuss what orientation is all about.

STUDYING IN AMERICA 17

Orientation differs at each university, but usually it is a couple of days or a whole week before school starts. Orientation is for new students to acclimatise to their new surroundings and environment. Some universities even offer special international student orientations that provide specialized activities to integrate international students into American culture.

Orientation activitiesEvery school has their own orientation activities but here are some that you might encounter.

Name gamesEven though you were sick of these games by third grade, they are still a silly but important part of college. These are a great way to meet people in your hall, classes and residences. Knowing fellow students’ names will make it a lot easier to ask for notes in class in a few weeks.

Library tour While many of the orientations seem trivial, like how to use the library, many of them are crucial to your success as a student. Though you may have used a library for your entire life, university libraries often have many more databases, journals, art, DVD collections than you are used to. All are at student’s disposal, but only if you know how to access them properly.

Walking tour While it may seem silly to take a walking tour around your college, the tour guides may be able to give you some helpful information. They will also be able to tell you where the good study spots are or where to get coffee. The walk is a prime time to ask questions about professors or certain classes you might be interested in taking.

Along with freshman week parties and meeting new people, also keep in mind several duties that will be expected of you as you prepare for school.

Administration forms As an international student you will probably be required to fill out more paperwork than most students. Meet with the international student advisor to see if you need to fill out any forms for work or a social security number. Once you arrive on campus you will need a student ID, it’s best to get it sooner rather than later.

Payment Before classes start, make sure you’ve paid or made a payment plan with the university. Check for any other fees that may be accrued during the school year so you can budget for them.

Communication When you get to your university make sure you contact your family to assure them you’ve arrived safely. Usually computers and the Internet are prevalent on college campuses, so this is an ideal way of communicating with friends and family back home. After that, think about taking advantage of free services like Skype for making phone calls. For local calls, perhaps a pay-as-you-go mobile phone is best for communicating with fellow students.

Getting ready for classes Whilst part of your new experience includes friends and parties, remember that you are here for academics. Make sure you start planning for your classes. Double-check what

classes you are enrolled for and what materials you will need for each class. A day or two before classes, try to find where you will need to go for your classes to avoid getting lost on the first day.

Textbooks In addition to planning for your classes, you will also need textbooks. There are three was of getting textbooks: from the bookstore, online or from a classmate. As a freshman, the easiest and most reliable way is to get your textbooks from the bookstore. When you’re not on campus it’s more difficult to get the ISBN numbers and the correct edition of textbooks to buy them online. Also it’s harder to connect with other students about exchanging textbooks. However, the campus bookstore can be more expensive than buying online. So buying online is a good option for later semesters, along with exchanging textbooks with other students.

Making friends The most important part of orientation is settling into your new environment and developing a support network. The next couple of weeks will be riddled with anxiety, nervousness and homesickness, but having friends for support, can make all the difference. Check out the other international students clubs to find people who are going through similar issues. But also look into clubs and activities that interest you to find a wide range of friends.

By Stephanie Hall

Health insurance in the United States is a lot different and more expensive than in many other parts of the world. In the US most insurance plans are provided by private companies and the government mainly assists the fi nancially needy and elderly citizens. However, most, if not all universities require all students to have some form of insurance.

The American health insurance business basically operates under the assumpti on that people pay a private company to “insure” them or pay for their medical needs. In most cases the companies will only pay a porti on of their medical bills. People sti ll have to pay for some of their medical expenses usually in the form of co-payments, deducti bles and premiums.

Picking a health insurance plan that covers everything you need but doesn’t have high prices att ached to it can be a challenge. In most cases, universiti es have an insurance plan specifi cally for internati onal students. Even if your university has pre-chosen your insurance, look at these aspects of it to make sure the plan suits all of your needs.

INSURANCE

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Length: Whether you are shopping around for insurance, or you’re reviewing your school’s insurance plan, make sure it’s the right length for you. Health insurance needs to cover you from the moment you get off the plane unti l the moment you get back on. You don’t want to pay for a year-long plan, if you are only going to be in America for fi ve months of the year.

Location: Some health insurance companies will only help pay for doctors or at hospitals they have approved beforehand. So when choosing a plan, check to see which doctors or faciliti es in the area your provider approves. If you are getti ng insurance from the school, check to see if the insurance just works with the student health centre, or if it extends to local doctors and specialists.

Be assured byInsuranceArti cle by Stephanie Hall

Paperwork: Look at the fine print on your insurance. Also feel free to ask questions and have someone explain any parts you don’t understand. Once you have insurance, make sure you know any paperwork you must fill out before getting treatment. Sometimes treatments will cost more if you don’t get them approved beforehand.

Prescriptions: If you take prescriptions regularly, ideally you will have enough to sustain you for the duration of your trip. If you are unable to procure enough before you leave, arrange a way to get your prescription. In most cases your school’s student health centre will help you fill prescriptions, so contact them for help.

Payment: Health insurance is more than just a one-ti me payment. The diff erent types of payment can be the most confusing part about health insurance. These terms are all payments you may have to make depending on your plan.

Look beyond the monthly premiums for the best deal. Many students simply look for the cheapest monthly rates, which can be a costly mistake in the long run. Monthly premiums can be as cheap as $20 a month or as expensive as $200 a month, however when comparing plans look more at the benefi ts that come with each plan.

The other two things to look at are the deducti ble and co-insurance payments. These two expenses are on top of your monthly premium.

Money

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The deducti ble is usually a fi xed rate so if your deducti ble is $100 and your medical bill is for $300, the insurance company will only pay $200 of it.

Co-insurance is a percentage of your medical bill that the insurance company will pay. So if your co-insurance is 80 per cent and your medical bill is $10,000,

you will sti ll be paying $2,000 out of your pocket. So make sure your insurance coverage has low deducti ble rates and high co-insurance rates.

For more informati on on student insurance, visit:www.usastudyguide.com/ati onal-studenthealthinsurancemedical.htm

Insurance jargon-buster PremiumThe amount of money you pay in exchange for health insurance coverage.

Co-paymentThis is a pre-determined (fl at) fee that you pay for services. This payment is in additi on to what the insurance covers. For example, someti mes companies require a $10 “co-payment” for a doctor’s offi ce visit no matt er what services or tests were undergone.

DeductibleThe amount you will have to pay for health care expenses before the insurance company will cover the rest of the cost.

Maximum out-of-pocket expensesThis term indicates the most money you will be required pay a year for both deducti bles and coinsurance. This amount is set by your health insurance company and is in additi on to regular premium payments.